Q3 (July, August, September) - 2016 Finally comes to Life and NETFLIX 4.

2016 Q3 Top Performers -

Best Actors (Male) -

1. Manoj Bajpayee (Aligarh)
2. Amitabh Bachchan (Pink)
3. Sushant Singh Rajpoot (M.S. Dhoni)
4. Rajkummar Rao (Aligarh)
5. Shah Rukh Khan (Fan)

Best Actors (Female) -

1. Ritika Singh (Saala Khadoos)
2. Geetanjali Thapa (I.D.)
3. Taapsee Pannu (Pink)
4. Anushka (Sultan)

Best Director -

1.  Anirudh Roy Chowdhary (Pink)

Worst of the Quarter -

1. Farhad, Sajid. (Houseful 3)

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• PINK - 4.5 Stars. (R)

Pink Trailer

 

Director - Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury.

Actors - Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu.

A movie with a social message is tricky. It may become too didactic, or may become pseudo-progressive. Kudos to the Director, none of that was a problem with this one. This one just shows how far has Indian films come, they can make a movie that hits the right notes without compromising for the so called essentials to make the movie saleable. For all the progressives who go into the movie thinking this movie is for people who are not - you are the problem. The movie makes you sit up and think, and I felt every molecule in my body cringe, because I too am a product of that culture that makes the playing field an uphill task for girls. I can see how it all takes effect. Bachchan's performance is great and I think he manifests what Director feels for the - slow to change culture. Bachchan's character can't breath in the air / culture, that is shifting ever so slowly towards change. Even when he wins he stares in the nothingness because that is not a win in the over bearing culture. Taapsee and all girls act natural and perfect, the dialogues are perfect and not loud. Rules of society are aptly stated and the fact that everyone needs justice irrespective of whether they pass the moral code or not, is the message of the story. It is not just about women but for all those instances when you feel helpless against a over bearing system that always makes victim the problem. Just go and check it out, this is a movie you got to see and don't think you are not part of the problem, because we all are.
 

• M.S. DHONI - 3.5 Stars (G - For Kids who are into Cricket)

M.S. Dhoni Trailer

Director - Neeraj Pandey
Actor - Sushant Singh Rajput, Anupam Kher, Bhumika Chawla, Disha Patani, Kiara Advani.

I had no expectations from this movie, but it turned out pretty good. Even though I am not a huge fan of any celebrity, and I don't find them Demi-gods. The movie's biggest negative is it's length, sitting for 3 hours is a little too much for today's movies. there may be 3-5 instances they wanted to show which people don't know about Dhoni and they took a long time showing that, also very few details are really shown. The movie impresses in execution. Technically Indian movies are being made at a very high level. Sushant Singh Rajput shows his mettle as an actor, and as Dhoni struggles before coming out as a great cricketer Sushant has come out in this movie as an actor to stay. He got into the skin of Dhoni and it was hard to see that he is not Dhoni, only if they had just gotten a better wig for his  scenes for the long haired Dhoni. The movie is low on histrionics and that keeps it real. Somehow new movie directors and actors are very confident in their craft and hence don't care to over do things. Great Job guys.

 

• HOUSEFUL 3 - 0 Stars. (Unhealthy for everyone)

Director - Farhad, Sajid.
Actor - Akshay, Abhishek, Riteish, Nargis, Jacqueline, Lisa.

Don't get carried away, there are loads of crap flowing out of the industry. In case you were wondering. Showing stupidity is funny, but you still need to be creative. This franchise keeps on going, there are people who want to watch the same jokes, and same over the top cartoonish acting. You want to be brave? go ahead and watch it, mind you - there is a small difference between Bravery and Stupidity :)

• SULTAN - 1.5 Stars. (G - Kid Friendly)

Director - Ali Abbas Zafar.
Actor - Salman, Anushka, Randeep Hooda.

I think I read somewhere that this is the best sports movie in India, that probably made my expectations higher than what I have from any Salman Movie. So sorry for giving it a low rating. The movie has nothing in it. Wrestling movie, with Salman looking 50 years old uncle but acting like a child. Sallu uncle start looking at some age appropriate roles, time has come. Movie is very predictable and obviously regressive in it's outlook (which doesn't bother me - you should know what you are getting into). What the movie showed me was - how a good actor can light up a movie, Anushka is an actor par excellence, what a punch she puts in her role! and then if you want style and smug - there is Randeep Hooda, the guy always has an awesome way to present himself.

• ALIGARH - 4.0 Stars (R)

Trailer - Aligarh

Director - Hansal Mehta
Actor - Manoj Bajpayee, Rajkummar Rao.

As I was talking about how good these new kids are. This kid - Rajkummar Rao is awesome, earlier he stunned me with his performance in "Shahid" and now he comes up with this. A journalist decides to take up the story of a Marathi Proff in Aligarh university who is gay. This probably is the best performance of Mr Manoj Bajpayee and that's saying a lot! The guy has a great resume, from Satya, Gangs of Wasseypur, and Aks. Both these actors just do a jugalbandi and take this art movie to a new height. I need to warn you-  yes this is the so called "Art Movie", one scene continues for 5 minutes showing a door and nothing happens! So be careful - sit back relax and think.

 

• GHAYAL ONCE AGAIN - 3.0 Stars (PG-13)

Trailer - Ghayal Once Again

Director - Sunny Deol.

Actor - Sunny Deol, Rishabh Arora.

The man himself is directing! Yes Sunny papaji directs this selfie. I was all set for an unintended comedy from the deols. I was surprised! it is not a bad movie! It is a good action flick with all the cheesiness possible. The movie ties to the original Ghayal and has a lot of old Ghayal scenes. If you remember Sunny goes to jail in Ghayal and now he has come out of jail and living a troubled 'post trauma filled' life. Not for long! as a bunch of kids get stuck trying to unveil truth about a powerful business man and there you go, Sunny papaji has to get them out of trouble. But the action is not bad and it is a movie that is pretty engaging.

• BAAGHI - 2.5 Stars (PG13 - Kid Friendly)

Trailer - Baaghi

Director - Sabir Khan
Actor - Tiger Shroff, Shradhha Kapoor.

What kind of a person names his Son Tiger? Anyway... just a random thought. Baaghi is the old school movie with loads of good marshal arts. Tiger Shroff is pretty good at that stuff, but he should do less of his 360 degree kicks, they get boring after the 1000th time. He is getting better, last movie I think he was bad now he is ok. He needs to get out of these old school action movies and do something else. The movie is not bad, lot of action, no story, everything can be predicted so all you need to do is pay attention on the 'action'. Shradha Kapoor is the prize in the match - Hero Vs Villain.

• AZHAR - 2.5 Stars (PG)

Trailer - Azhar

Director - Tony D Souza
Actor - Emraan Hashmi, Nargis Fakhri, Prachi Desai.

The movie is made on shoe string budget and none of the 'perfection' showed in Dhoni is in this movie. All the cricketers look like comedians playing the actual players ( and there are lot of them). Emraan is ok and did not get into the character. Obviously Azhar is yesterday's news and not today's like Dhoni. I thought movie was just made to make sure people know that Azhar got acquitted by court of any wrong doing. But public opinion is I guess set. I would have liked, if they would have showed more of Azhar and less of the court room drama and how he got acquitted. Anyway only hardcore movie buffs will go for this one.

• NIL BATTEY SANNATA - 4.0 Stars (G)

Trailer - Nil Battey Sannata

Director - Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Actor - Swara Bhaskar, Ratna Pathak, Riya Shukla.

Women power for you. All female cast. Quest of a mother to make sure her daughter has a better life than hers, sounds a little boring, but it is not. The story has pretty good depth to it, the characters are full and not one dimensional. It is a little slow, but later half it does catch steam. It is not a theme that you won't relate to, most parent-kid relationship falls in this category and the movie does a good job explaining it.

• TRAFFIC - 3.0 Stars. (PG13)

Trailer - Traffic

Director - Rajesh Pillai.
Actor - Manoj Bajpayee, Sachin Khedekar, Jimmy Shergill.

It is not what it sounds like. When you see Manoj Bajpayee standing as a constable you somehow think it is some hard hitting movie about social issues, it is not. It is just a thriller where a traffic police somehow ends up driving a car from Mumbai to Pune to save a life. The entire movie is very tacky, it just doesn't look real, all scenes seem to have been made up, the soul was missing, probably it just didn't jell properly. But all said and done it is good timepass movie, it's ok to forward a little bit.

 

• Ki & Ka - 4.0 Stars (PG)

Trailer - Ki and Ka

Director - R. Balki.
Actor - Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor.

It is Balki, and he comes with a few rules. The movie won't be your regular movie, it will have a very different concept and the negative of all Balki movies is - after the introduction of that novel concept the movie does not go anywhere else. This movie does follow similar pattern, but before you are going to lose interest it does give you enough twists that you are engaged. The let down are the 2 actors, Arjun Kapoor has some problem with his looks, he has problem carrying his body. Kareena looks really bad, and both can't act. Inspite of all that the movie is very good, the concept that 'ki' (Ladki) has some preset functions and 'ka' (Ladka) has set of norms is interesting. Also later on when they humanize both the characters it becomes interesting some more

• FAN - 3.5 Stars (R - Not for kids)

Trailer - Fan

Director - Manish Sharma
Actor - Shah Rukh Khan

I like it that SRK understands that he has to do different stuff and does not look good in same old 'big budget' movies he has been doing. He cannot be a Salman or a Rajneekant, I think he has way more potential than that. Doing the same thing for decades should be left for Salman and Rajni, because they won't look good doing anything else anyway. This movie has SRK and SRK as a SRK Fan. Once you get over the looks of the 'Fan SRK' you wonder if the movie will progress further, but then after some delay it does. The movie suddenly turns into a thriller with 'Darr kind of SRK' re-surfacing. It is SRK (the superstar) Vs SRK the fan. The fan challenges the superstar and vice versa. The 'chase sequences' are unnecessary and too long. especially when you are showing an ordinary kid on the streets and an aging superstar, they cannot be having chase sequences straight out of a Bond Movie. o well... over all... movie is pretty engrossing and something different from SRK. But chances are you want to see the same SRK who opens arms and makes faces, then wait for a few months.

 

• SAALA KHADOOS - 4.5 Stars (PG)

Trailer - Saala Khadoos

Director - Sudha Kongara
Actor - R Madhavan, Ritika Singh.

You want a sports movie? Skip Sultan and watch Saala Khadoos (On NETFLIX). This is probably the best sports film I saw coming out of India. Madhavan is buffed and looks good, the girl is absolute powerhouse of talent (Ritika Singh). She is just awesome, she really looks and feels exactly like the character of an eccentric boxer she is playing. The trial and tribulations of coach and student through the corrupt system, you start rooting for her with all her flaws and passion. Go watch it.
 

• NETFLIX 4 -

1. I.D. - 4.5 Stars. A 2012 film about a girl trying to ID a painter who collapses at her home. Beautiful depiction of life in general, in slums in Mumbai. A perfectly cut slice of life, the camera work is superb, and I am sure all the shots are real and not acted. the settings are authentic and the story is a beautifully carved reality. Loved it.
2. Saala Khadoos - 4.5 Stars. As I said above, a great find!
3. Delhi in a Day - 3.0 Stars. A movie about a Indian American who comes back to India for "Arranged Marriage". Discovers India, US and himself.
4. Stories by Rabindranath Tagore - 4.0 Stars. This is not a movie, but episodes. Choker Bali is awesome and so are others. You can tell why Tagore was a class apart. After 100s of years the stories are still 'alive'.