Highway

Rating : 7/10
Release Date : 21st February, 2014
Time : 133 minutes
Director, Writer : Imtiaz Ali; Music : A R Rahman
Starring : Alia Bhatt, Randeep Hooda, Durgesh Kumar



Its voyages of self-discovery that seem to move the needle for Imtiaz Ali – with films like Jab We Met, Love Aaj Kal, Rockstar and now this one, he seems fascinated by the confused lives well-to-do people lead, of their search for what and who makes them tick.

This is probably the strangest one of the three – a rich girl being unintentionally kidnapped around her wedding day – and then after a while, developing a bond with her kidnappers, enjoying a life of ‘freedom’ vs her normal constraint laden life. Of course, you also get some gorgeous visuals, a pulsating background score, some lovely, touching moments and also a strange, bittersweet end…but I found it an interesting watch, albeit not one I would be rushing to the theatres to view again.

It does drag a bit – there are almost more shots of our countryside than of the actors. Some of the scenes seem contrived. Some deliberately manipulated to wring some emotion out of us. Some unrealistic. And some, especially the topic of child molestation, downright uncomfortable.

It’s the unlikely lead pair, though, of Alia and Randeep (who else in the film industry would’ve dared to make a film with almost only these two ?) who make the movie watchable. Alia is far from the finished article but would encourage her to do more such roles than the candy floss, sugar coated bimbette role she chose to launch her career with. She gets it right here. You connect with her – even if not with everything she does – she makes you laugh, appreciate her predicament, sympathize with her as she grows in confidence as the film progresses. An excellent effort for someone in only her second film. And that dance sequence to the mash-up was just amazing, with full marks to Durgesh Kumar for his role in it !

Randeep scowls through most of the film and it’s a testament to his acting skills that he still makes you feel for him. Life hasn’t been kind to him, and the kidnapping, where the girl he has grabbed to save his skin, turns out to be the daughter of a well-connected, powerful man, is just another of fate’s unkind twists. Both he and Alia carry a deep secret / regret in their lives too, and just how deep, we discover through the film.

It was interesting to see a body language coach in the credits – he certainly did his job – Randeep’s squat, the way he wore a blanket around himself, the limp, lifeless way he walks around – was all spot on, as were the sights and sounds of driving around the highways of our gorgeous country. The tea stalls, the music, the fields, the eating places, the helpful people and the beautiful natural beauty around us. If nothing else, this one is going to make you want to go on a long drive !

Gunday

Rating : 6/10
Release Date : 14th February, 2014
Time : 153 minutes
Director, Writer : Ali Abbas Zafar; Music : Sohail Sen, Julius Packiam
Starring : Ranveer Singh, Arjun Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Saurabh Shukla, Irrfan Khan, Pankaj Tripathi



1. After giving us two brothers falling for the same woman in Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, Ali Abbas stays on topic, with two friends-who- are-thicker-than-brothers committing the same folly.

2. It traces the rags to riches story of our two heroes, Ranveer and Arjun, and then the battle of wits vs supercop, Irrfan. While both fall for a cabaret dancer, Priyanka.

3. This is an over-the-top, mindless, Salman-esque film. Logic takes a back seat wherever the need for drama is felt to be greater. Slow motion shots are liberally sprinkled, as are muscled torsos, six packs and high octane bravado

4. The childhood friends are refugees from Bangladesh & for some reason seem very touchy about being called that. They turn to crime as a means to survive and their early years and escape to Kolkata is quite nicely shown, including a nice cameo by Pankaj Tripathi and the child artistes

5. The twists are quite predictable, regular Hindi film watchers (and they’re the only category I would recommend the film to) will be able to see them coming a mile off.

6. The film is too long by at least thirty minutes. Couple of songs, some of the slow motion shots, lots of the dialogue needed to go…the second half, in particular, had characters doing strange stuff.

7. Arjun Kapoor really stood out, stealing the show from some of his seniors…he’s good, got his part right. Priyanka looked hot, after a long while. Ranveer was hamming it up too much, for my taste.

8. There is a tendency among a lot of our film makers to manufacture conflict, simply because they feel a good story needs it. So is the case here. The clash between the heroes is a veritable storm in a teacup, nothing a couple of appropriately timed phone calls couldn’t have solved.

9. There are a few great visuals – one top angle of an umbrella opening in the rain, lots of Durga Pooja ones, the colours, Howrah Bridge. Some tender moments. And a very dramatic, stretched climax

10. With the right degree of patience and a comfort with the inane brashness of most action-oriented Hindi films, you may actually be able to ‘enjoy’ this one. Not for everyone, though.

Robocop

Rating : 7/10
Release Date : 14th February, 2014
Time : 118 minutes
Director : Jose Padilha; Writer : Joshua Zetumer based on the ’87 screenplay by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner; Music : Pedro Bromfman
Starring : Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Abbie Cornish, Jackie Earle Haley, Michael K Williams, Jennifer Ehle, Jay Baruchel, Samuel L Jackson, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, John Paul Ruttan, Aimee Garcia, Zach Grenier, Patrick Garrow



For those, who like me, loved / grew up with the ’87 original, there is considerably less soul and lots more techie stuff in this one. The lead character is a lot less likeable too. But, the film makers here, have charted quite a different course here and seem to have set things up quite nicely for a sequel – which should work quite well, given that a lot of the technical details are now out of the way

Most of the narrative coming from a belligerent news show host, Samuel L Jackson, who points out how robots are used increasingly by USA abroad but thanks to an obdurate senator, Zach, they aren’t allowed on home soil. And the Michael Keaton led Omnicorp obviously suffers as a result. After yet another face-off between the Zach and Keaton, the latter is convinced the only way out is to put a man in a suit (why does he have to be injured though is something not quite answered). And when Joel is taken down trying to chase down a known criminal, Patrick, Keaton calls upon a doctor, Gary Oldman. And Robocop happens. In a significant variance from the earlier film, the wife (well played by Abbie Cornish) and son (John Paul) have a prominent role too

There is too much time spent on the mechanics, on the how, the construction of the suit…the fun really begins when the Robocop hits the streets…and there are glitches…and to keep things interesting, there is a key employee at Omnicorp, Jackie Earle, who cant wait to shut down this experiment.

The moments between the wife, son and Robocop, also the relationship between Gary Oldman with the Robocop & Keaton – the doctor trying to do the right thing by his patient and the family, while Keaton, representing the ugly side of capitalism, trying to move ahead for profits - provide some of the human angle to the whole thing. The action is good, slick, everything you would expect from a major Hollywood production. It makes for engaging viewing, and things heat up nicely in the second half…there are enough changes vs the original to keep you hooked…all in all, a nice watch and a nice way to spend an afternoon…

Hasee Toh Phasee

Rating : 2/10
Release Date : 7th February, 2014
Time : 141 minutes
Director : Vinil Mathews; Writer : Harshavardhan Kulkarni; Music : Vishal Shekhar
Starring : Sidharth Malhotra, Parineeti Chopra, Adah Sharma, Manoj Joshi, Anil Mange, Sharat Saxena



This has got to be the worst, most confused, convoluted, stretched, cringe-worthy film to come out of Dharma Productions. Sidharth Malhotra performs well. There are about 3-4 moments / situations which are memorable. Other than that, including the set-piece, unwanted formulaic noise that passes for songs, it’s a disaster all the way through. Even the title is misleading and has nothing to do with the film.

Sidharth Malhotra, after abetting Parineeti’s escape from her household, falls for Adah. Goes around with her for seven years. And is now poised to get married to her. Except she keeps threatening to break-up. Almost ritualistically, every month. Because, fundamentally, despite being good hearted, he is good for nothing…has never made money or done well for himself. And now, Adah has dug her heels in – either he gets the funding for an IPL contract. Or she walks. Into this mix, re-enters Parineeti.

And proceeds to behave very, very strangely. A very weird, implausible story is revealed drip by ridiculous drop. She takes pills all the time, eats like its going out of fashion, drinks lots of water, steals toothpaste, swallows sugar sachets by the dozen. Despite it being his wedding, with a house full of guests, Sidharth is able to spend a lot of time with her, goofing around, gallivanting etc

‘Minor’ things like stealing from parents, sending the father to the ICU with a heart attack are given a sweet, saccharine glow. The characters show no remorse. Behave in ways no other person is known to have – revealing more would unfortunately reveal plot points so will seethingly stay silent.

The best part of the movie was watching Sidharth, who looks and acts much better than in his debut film, Manoj Joshi, who played his to-be father-in-law, with a great deal of zen and pragmatism, and Anil Mange, who in a supporting role as one of Sidharth’s relatives, was hilarious with his small-town, aspiring Indian Idol act. Adah looks pretty. Ish. And that is pretty much that.

With an item number to begin the movie, another in the end, a shaadi song in the middle and a ‘dard-bhara’ geet in the middle, you know you are in for something completely formulaic, more marketing / packaging than actual content. There were several interesting threads that could’ve been explored, a film made on either a mad scientist angle, or of two good for nothings coming together or of a girl who constantly steals from her parents…all ideas that merit exploring…pity they chose to mix it all up, keep it as soul-less as possible and delivered this unpalatable mish-mash !

One By Two

Rating : 3/10
Release Date : 31st January, 2014
Time : 139 minutes
Director, Writer : Devika Bhagat; Music : Shankar Ehsaan Loy
Starring : Abhay Deol, Preeti Desai, Rati Agnihotri, Lillete Dubey, Jayant Kriplani, Darshan Jariwala, Anish Trivedi, Geetika Tyagi, Preetika Chawla, Tahir Bhasin, Netrapal He-Ra Singh, Yashika Dhillon



A movie about two confused characters falls completely flat on its face as the most confused person turns out to be the story writer. The stop-start pace of the film doesn’t help either as we follow our lead pair, who, instead of being thankful for what they do have, choose to be miserable, and sulk / frown for the ultra-long duration of the film. There are a few moments which resonate, but are too far and few in between to salvage the movie.

Abhay Deol is in an IT firm, well thought of by his boss, has two good friends as colleagues (Preetika, Tahir), a doting Mama (Darshan Jariwala) and loving parents (Rati, Jayant), so everything should be hunky dory, right ? Nope ! He has just been dumped by his long time girlfriend (Geetika) and he spends the first half moaning about it, trying to get her back. His highly intrusive mother also wants him to get married and finds a cute girl (Yashika) for him to meet. And he picks up the guitar and begins to strum after ages.

Preeti has been brought up in England, has studied dance in New York and pursues the same as a career, while living with her mother, Lillete, in a plush apartment in Mumbai. Again, lots to be happy for, but a succession of fruitless one night stands, her mom’s alcoholism, the rigged voting of the dance competition she enters and her abortive attempts to bring her rich, industrialist father (Anish) back into her life give her cause to be unhappy.

The music is good, probably the best thing about the film. And some of the dance sequences are imaginative, executed well. A few stray remarks – a comment by Abhay’s boss about 25 years, one by Preeti about her thong adjustment, one by Abhay’s colleagues towards the end at his arranged marriage meeting and the whole cops kavi sammelan with its rich poetry inspire some smiles but otherwise the writing and the characters are too weak, too confused to sustain the film. The idea behind the film is interesting but its just too painful to watch, with the characters doing things you just don’t understand, especially in a very stretched second half…

The American Hustle

Rating : 7/10
Release Date : 17th January, 2014
Time : 138 minutes
Director, Co-Writer : David O Russell; Co-Writer : Eric Singer; Music : Danny Elfman
Starring : Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner, Michael Pena, Louis CK, Alessandro Nivalo, Elisabeth Rohm

It was nice to see people in different roles than what we are used to. And the story wasn’t bad too, though, honestly speaking I was quite distracted by the amazing cleavage on constant display by Amy Adams (and by Jennifer Lawrence when she was on screen).

Con artist, Bale, and his partner, Amy, enjoy playing in the small leagues. Going after desperate men, promising them a loan, using Amy’s non-existent royal English banking connections. Until they are trapped by the Feds. Forced to work for them. And play in leagues where people get hurt.

Bradley is really good as a hyperactive FBI officer, looking to clean up the country, Louis CK is even better as his long suffering boss. Jeremy Renner plays the well meaning Mayor to near perfection. And Jennifer Lawrence is eminently believable as Bale’s ditzy blonde wife, who lives on a slightly different planet from the rest of us – and may cause the world to come crashing around everyone else – much as she does the scientific oven.

There is enough going in the film to keep you engrossed. On a personal front – Bale is torn between his love for Amy and his adopted son. Amy is similarly torn between Bradley and Bale. And then, of course, there is the big con they are setting up. Involving various congressmen, senators. And The Mob.

The film is set in ’78, New York and the look, especially given the normal look for these stars, is almost as interesting as the story. Bale is a hairy-chested, balding, hopelessly unfit, nervous kind of bloke. Bradley Cooper as a curly haired, creepy looking guy, is simply out of control, fuelled high on drinks and drugs. Jennifer Lawrence, a blond in every sense of the word. And lastly, normally good girl Amy Adams, who, in this film, simply lets it all hang out !

The film drags a bit in the second half, the end is slightly too pat but its good viewing nonetheless. Its remarkable how real the emotion, the angst of Bale dealing with the women in his life is portrayed in the film – I like the way most English films manage to do this without too much drama…love, life and the art of luring people in easy chewable-sized bites…

Dedh Ishqiya

Rating : 8/10
Release Date : 10th January, 2014
Time : 152 minutes
Director, Co-Writer : Abhishek Chaubey; Co-Writers : Vishal Bhardwaj, Gulzar Music : Vishal Bhardwaj
Starring : Naseeruddin Shah, Madhuri-Dixit Nene, Arshad Warsi, Huma Qureshi, Vijay Raaz, Manoj Pahwa, Salman Shahid

Naseeruddin Shah grandly rattles off the seven stages of love. Arshad Warsi listens intently, obviously impressed with the big sounding Urdu words like ‘Dilkashi’ and ‘Ibaadat’ rolling of his Uncle’s tongue. A while later, though, not able to contain himself, he asks the question which has probably been on his mind since he’d heard this “Par Mamu, isme sex kahan hai ?”

That probably is a great encapsulation of what this film is about – a mix of what is modern and brash, with the ancient, almost forgotten world of Urdu poetry, couplets and sher-o-shayari. A caper film set in the realm of romance, in a world where time seems to have stood still. The nuanced Naseer sahib with the brazen Arshad. The delicate Madhuri with the forward Huma.

The widowed Begum of Mahmudabad, Madhuri, has to fulfill a promise made to her husband on his deathbed. And remarry. A poet. She has held a kavi sammelan for the last couple of years but neither she, nor her constant companion, Huma, have been impressed with the suitors. The most persistent one is Vijay Raaz, local MLA, thug, boss but, despite his best efforts to learn poetry, he doesn’t seem to be getting anywhere. Along comes Naseer, fresh from a heist gone wrong, pretending to be the Nawab of Chandpur, spouting shayari and pleasing poetry, all set to woo the Begum.

Mahmudabad is a town of haveli’s, Nawabs, shayari and a knowledgeable crowd who say Irshad in the right places and also, more out of fear, even cheer Vijay Raaz’s stuttering attempts at poetry. Arshad Warsi and Naseeruddin are at hammer and tongs for most of the film – over how the previous heist ends and a perceived betrayal – but it is partially overcome by the attraction / lust they have for Huma and Madhuri respectively. Salman Shahid, as the man who bankrolls Arshad and Naseer, and wants to cut off their balls for not delivering, and Manoj Pahwa, as a great poet, who is stuck in a peculiar situation, are the other notable roles.

The film belongs to Naseer, for his ability to look like a seventeen year old while playing a seventy, while courting the Begum and Huma, for looking beautiful, hot and feisty at the same time. A delicate veiled look, quickly replaced by a cleavage showing damsel in distress, when appropriate. Arshad is good too, he has most of the funny lines but plays a more uni-dimensional character. Vijay Raaz is excellent as always, the softness of his love contrasted well with his thuggish ways. Am going to reserve judgement on Madhuri, she came across as a little stiff, though it could just be her interpretation of her character.

It’s a wonderful film of contrasts, full of beautiful moments (lovely sets, cinematography), love, romance, classical songs and old-world charm and poetry set off against naked lust, greed, mobile phone lingo and treachery. The humour, of course, is brilliant, rustic and non-stop. We could’ve seen one of the best films of the year in the first year itself !