2017 Q2 (April, May, June) Top Performers -
Best Actors (Male) -
- Aamir Khan (Dangal)
- Naseeruddin Shah (Waiting).
Best Actors (Female) -
- Tapsee Pannu (Naam Shabana)
- Fatima Sana Sheikh (Dangal)
- Sakshi Tanwar (Dangal)
- Parineeti Chopra (Meri Pyaari Bindu)
- Alia Bhatt (Badrinath Ki Dulhania)
- Zaira Wasim (Dangal)
- Kalki (Waiting)
Best Director -
- Nitesh Tiwari (Dangal)
- Anu Menon (Waiting)
Worst of the Quarter -
- No one made it.
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- Raees - 2.5 Stars - PG (YouTube - Movies, Netflix)
Director - Rahul Dholakia
Actors: Shah Rukh Khan, Mahira Khan, Nawazuddin Siddique. |
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If you crave an 80s potboiler I would say re-watch some of the 80s classics. Why do you want to make a 80s gangster movie again? SRK wants to play the Bachchanesque bad man with a good heart yet again. He was never great at it. Yes, if someone wants to make throwback 80s movie, probably SRK is a good choice along with Sanjay Dutt, not many are left who understand that genre.
The problem with this movie is - nothing is different, you know how you want old wine in new bottle at least? dialogues like 'माँ कहती थी...' are just forced. Only saving grace is again Nawazzuddin Siddiquie, you can give him anything and he will make it work. He is the cop running after Raees, he gives a different approach to his role, he makes it fresh and watchable. He has this 'हटेला। .. सटकलेला .. kind of eccentricity to him, which I have not seen in a cop that has a un-envious role of catching the author back do gooder hero. Mahira Khan has little role, she has a very different look to her, and does her part.
I would have given it a 0 or 1 star, but then as soon as we saw a side kick in the movie, we said - seems like this guy is ready to die after interval! I said at least if director gives me anything different (like the side kick not dying) I will rate it at 2.5!!!.. well director did it!!
- Kaabil - 3.5 Stars. PG-13. (Netflix)
Director: Sanjay Gupta
Actors: Hrithik Roshan, Yami Gautam, Ronit Roy.
| Trailer - Kaabil |
I had pretty low expectations of the movie for many reasons. Hrithik has made a habit of playing characters with some handicap. And he hams and over does it in trying to gain sympathy. The music had a feel of 80s and 90s.. that felt like Rakesh Roshan is still stuck in 'jaadu' times. Biggest one was - Director name showed up as Sanjay Gupta. The director who thinks throwing in some stylish postures and slick camera tricks are equivalent of direction. He is definitely not a story teller, but Rakesh Roshan is, somehow it all balanced out I guess.
To my surprise, movie was pretty good and engrossing. They take sometime in building it to inevitable revenge drama, a blind couple wronged, and Blind Hero going after his villians. Obviously the entire plot is impossible to pull off the way they show a blind person against the entire world scenario. But aren't movies all about that mission impossible being possible. There are twists in the tale, good old school dialogue-baazi. etc... it is a good one to watch. Don't be a party pooper and start questioning the plausibility, otherwise stop watching all super-hero movies, and all Hollywood thrillers too.
- OK Jaanu - 1.0 Stars. G. (YouTube - Movies)
Director: Shaad Ali
Actors: Aditya Roy Kapur, Shraddha Kapur.
| Trailer - OK Jaanu |
What a fall for Shaad Ali, a master of low budget romance, who could keep it simple and cute can't do it anymore. I think it is a good thing for him to get out this Genre. Trying to take a South hit movie especially a Love Story is tough. Mindless Action movies like Singham are easy, but romantic sensibilities do not cross over from South to North. Well there are exceptions like - Saathiya. But you don't create a Saathiya all the time.
Nothing jells in the movie, the actors are doing their job, but the chemistry is lacking and the entire movie has a feel of nothing happening. Pretty difficult to follow it, when you know what's going on and feel nothing.
- Dear Zindagi - 3.0 Stars. G (Not a kid entertainer) (YouTube Movies, Netflix)
Director: Gauri Shinde
Actors: Alia Bhatt, Shah Rukh Khan.
What a rise for Alia! Movies made for her as the central character. Hindi Movies starting to churn such 'Hallmark (TV Channel reference)' movies is a good sign. They need to find another avenue than just releasing in theaters, Netflix and Hallmark should produce such movies. So we can have more of these.
Girl is going through her life, young people problems, BF and what not. She finally decides to meet a psychiatrist. AND BOOM the movie takes a nose dive, once SRK enters with his typical SRK mannerisms. No one told him he is playing a psychiatrist. Yes, SRK sir you go ahead do your thing, he makes faces and over acts trying to look all DDLJ cute. I guess it was to make us believe that the girl may fall for the psychiatrist!! if that happens the entire movie's premise is compromised! but who cares SRK needs to do his thing.
Anyway it is not as bad as I make it sound. But there is enough Alia and other things going in the movie, that you will have a good time watching it.
- Irada - 2.5 Stars. PG-13.
Director - Aparna Singh
Actors: Naseeruddin Shah, Arshad Warsi, Divya Dutta.
Trailer - Irada
कभी कभी मेरे दिल में ख्याल आता है ...... why do they make these movies. Not that it is a bad movie, in fact it has everything you need out of a social drama thriller. Everything is pushed into it. Too much pains have been taken on script, selecting good actors, including every checklist, relationships - check, father - daughter = check, frustrated cop - check, bad politician - check, silent lady - check, journalistic ethics - check, underworld-politics nexus - check, unearthing a mystery - check, end twist - yea kinda..
Naseeruddin shah has lost everything, and is the old man fighting the system, Arshad Warsi is the frustrated but funny cop who is waiting to get something to get back at the system. All good and great. But yea. have seen it before. But not bad.
- Commando 2 - 3.0 Stars. PG. (YouTube)
Director: Deven Bhojani
Actors: Vidyut Jamwal, Adah Sharma, Esha Gupta.
Commando 1 was great - the sequel is not that great, but still good enough. It stays true to the genre of action thriller with Vidyut Jamal showing all the stunts in the world. As is the problem with most sequels they lack the emotional tug that the first one was based on (Like Ab tak chhappan - below). This one lacks the small, rustic basic emotion of Commando-1 where commando gets stuck on protecting a girl against the entire family, then village, then army. In this case now the commando has gone too big, international criminals, big conspiracy, bigger blowup and chases and just too much high profile than I care. 'Leave the world is ending and we will save it' formula to Hollywood, do the basics right!
Anyway.... Adah Sharma talks the entire movie in hyderabadi hindi!!... I will say it is one gutsy move, may become the single point many can't watch it. Generally heroines are not picking accents, so I would call it a commendable move to try it, but it was kinda not needed. Vidyut is another buffed up balloon but he looks good and is still young and handsome. He has time to move into other genre.
- What the Fish - 2.0 Stars. G. (YouTube Movies, NetFlix.)
Director: Gurmeet Singh.
Actors: Manu Rishi Chadha, Naresh Gosain, Dimple Kapadia.
Trailer - What The Fish
This is a low budget comedy. One house one fish that needs to be taken care of and lot of people exchange keys and fishes and lot of stories happen. Pretty good fun, but somehow nothing makes you go hahaha.... it is ok, though a lot of stuff goes on. But somehow nothing gels.
- Begum Jaan - 2.5 Stars. PG-13. YouTube Movies
Director: Srijit Mukherjee
Actors: Vidya Balan, Naseeruddin Shah.
Trailer - Begum Jaan
A good effort, but someone somewhere was confused. What are we making? Are we making a women oriented movie with a strong woman character, are we making a historic movie?, showing partition problems?, prostitutes movie (a favorite of Bollywood award craving people)? Well.... let's make all in one.
2 people who are asked to divide 2 countries according to line on a map drawn by British, are going about their business of drawing the map along with talking unneccesarily horrors of partition and how India and Pakistan are killing and raping each other. They should have removed that part, this was so forced. For no reason they would start talking about how their kin all died at hands of other's religion. it was pretty trite.
Otherwise movie is about Vidya Balan, strong operator of a brothel who keeps her prostitutes like her own... blah blah... The partition line is going right through her brothel and for some reason she won't let it happen because for some reason they cannot be shifted to another location.
- Michael - 4.0 Stars. R. YouTube Movies
Director: Ribhu Dasgupta
Actors: Naseeruddin Shah
Trailer - Michael
This is a typical Anurag Kashyap Genre (He is the producer it seems) where a movie goes from unstable to weird to whacky.... at the end. If you want to attempt it, have a open mind. Michael a police officer is manipulated into shooting at a peaceful crowd resulting in a kid's death. That incidence haunts him and he completely loses it. He can't come out of the trauma. Rest is all a blurry recollection of reality and imagination of his mind. As he takes us on his confused ride into life after a life changing event. Michael stumbles and stumbles more trying to protect his own 12 year old and himself .... from himself.
Mumbai Delhi Mumbai - 1.0 Stars. G. YouTube
Director: Satish Rajwade.
Actors: Shiv Pandit, Piaa Bajpai.
Main Aur Mr Right - 3.0 Stars. G. YouTube
Director: Adeeb Rais.
Actors: Barun Sobti, Shenaz Treasury.
Remember ASR from 'Is pyaar ko kya naam du'... no ... I thought so. If you see hindi TV serials, then you would know. The guy was a sensation back then and I think the series is being revamped and ready for second run. Speaking of TV series, number one TV series now is - Naagin-2, no, there never was Naagin-1. And yes the saas and bahus are Naagins in that show, and no it is not horrible it is pretty interesting.
Anyway back to Main aur Mr Right, Shenaz looks good, Barun Sobti does not look the heart throb he was on TV, he does good for the role. Group of friends have there problems fake friendships and relationships, etc. Shenaz fakes a BF and hires a struggling actor to play her BF in real life. Enter Mr uncouth and he teaches a lesson or two to the group of friends. It is ok, if you are doing nothing watch it in background along with surfing the internet.
Meri Pyaari Bindu - 2.5 Stars. G.
Director:
Akshay Roy
Actors: Parineeti Chopra, Ayushmann Khurrana.
Parineeti Chopra is cute. Period. (Tapsee and Parineeti are cutest kids along with Huma Qureshi.) But that can't make a movie. This movie confuses you no ends. Why are they listening to cassettes and tape recorders? and why is there so much talk and feel of 80s? there is no real explanation. The movie is set in 2000s, but for some reason director wanted to make a movie about 80s when we had cassettes, and so our hero and heroine are working on type writers and cassettes... why? This is the biggest part of the movie that doesn't make sense and results in inhibiting a good love story. Then there is this problem of jumping randomly into time periods... why? can we keep it simple? they keep jumping narration from few years back to forward to childhood to present. Very confusing, I understand you need to hold interest by doing all this. But all it does is take us out of the love story we want to concentrate on. If they would have focused on love story a simple nice love story, it would have clicked, Parineeti would make it happen.
Still it's not that bad as I make it sound, you know I am a irresponsible blogger, goes over board with things. Another problem was there was no explanation to the climax, why the end happened the way it happened. Sorry.... positives, were... a few very well done scenes that were serious and romantic and nicely done.
Noor - 3.5 Stars. PG-13.
Director: Sunhil Sippy.
Actors: Sonakshi Sinha, Purab Kohli.
Sonakshi has done something to her face that has not been done well, so if you ignore all that, the movie is about a new age kid, journalist who has a typical messed up life of a city girl. BF troubles, No fun in Job, no direction etc. Problem is as can be said about almost all hindi movies, they drag the concept tooooo long. We get it what kind of life she is living and what kind of kid you are showing but can we move on? I guess director is just too happy showing that new age concept, yes we don't see much of it in hindi movies, but nothing happens in her life except she narrating her cool but pathetic life all at the same time.
Thank god movie does get into something serious when Noor stumbles on to a serious issue with her maid. The movie suddenly gets a huge twist and becomes dark and uncomfortable. Sonakshi does her part well, the nice guy Purab excels in his nice guy role. The movie again wanders towards the end and has unsatisfactory ending, but it is ok to have that, as difficult issues don't have a picture perfect culmination. If you decide to go for it, fast forward a few parts in first half.
Director: Anshai Lal
Actors: Anushka Sharma, Diljit Dosanjh.
Trailer - Phillauri
You don't make a movie for one scene. You can make it on one idea but not just one twist you have thought about. This film is well done by working in 2 worlds, one during freedom struggle Phillauri, Punjab and other in 2000s Punjab. A NRI comes to get married, and is confused about relationships and meets a ghost (Anushka) who does not know why she is there, pretty cool concept. There is no real similarity between 2 stories of NRI or the ghost, but the movie tries to draw parallels it seems. Again like most movies it gets stuck on this novel concept for almost the entire time, and does not know how to get out of it. Later it settles on 1940s story being the main story and why the ghost is still struggling in this world.
Not a bad attempt in trying something new, but it does not go as planned. The story had one twist they wanted to show, why a lover doesn't show up. But that ain't going to make a movie. Still a novel idea and creative thought, will earn this movie a decent rating.
Dangal - 5.0 Stars. G. (Netflix)
Director: Nitesh Tiwari.
Actors: Aamir Khan, Sakshi Tanwar, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra, Zaira Wasim, Suhani Bhatnagar.
Trailer - Dangal
Everyone has already seen this movie, it has earned like a zillion dollars. So I better not waste a lot of time. But this is first 5 Star Movie for this blog in a few quarters. Also a first for Aamir Khan movie in this Blog (not that Aamir was losing sleep about the fact). Lot of firsts in this one.
Why I love this movie -
- Easy to drag this movie into Jingoism, it does not do that. Remains plain and simple ... emotional relationship oriented .. tugging at your heart.
- Beautiful chemistry between, daughters and Mom. Especially the girls when they are kids and Mom (Sakshi is awesome). The kid fighters are just as big (if not bigger) part of the movie as the adult ones. I think Zaira is the younger Geeta, she is awesome.
- Narration through the awkward cousin is the master stroke. It is hilarious coming from his perspective the entire movie. Whoever thought of that is a genius.
- Keeping Haryanvi accent in check was also good. Too thick an accent would have killed the narration, perfect amount of subtle comedy with sprinkle of tension at the same time is well done.
- My pet peeve of most Aamir movies are their didactic nature, this one has none. No moments where Aamir is teaching us how to....
- Songs are great! especially "dhakkad" I can't stop it in my head. A great story of a girl in a country and culture that does not give any voice to girls.
Go watch it! ohh... yea you already did.
Director:Ejaz Gulab.
Actors: Nana Patekar, Mohan Agashe, Gul Panag.
It came out in 2015 or sometime. I think I missed this one. The first one was a classic, this goes through same problems like most sequels, the pain is missing, the one overwhelming reason the guy is doing what he is doing is missing. Also as is the want of all sequels, it goes a little bigger than it needed. Trying to fix entire political climate etc. There is only one good dialogue in the movie at the beginning and then I kept waiting for another punch from Nana that never came.
This is about an encounter cop who is called back to duty to get rid of criminals that have taken over Mumbai, obviously everything is not what it seems. There are couple of good twists in it. If you are a Nana fan... go ahead watch it.
Badrinath Ki Dulhania - 4.0 Stars. G. (YouTube Movies.)
Director: Shashank Khaitan.
Actors: Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Sahil Vaid.
Trailer - Badrinath Ki Dulhania
Another sequel (to Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania) but unlike others this is well done. Again like most movies nowadays, Female lead (Alia) is a better actor than male lead (Varun Dhawan). Varun plays a small town North Indian character in a fashion typical of Mumbai kid playing a north Indian caricatured character, the way Mumbai kids see north Indians, not what they actually are. But that is small detail that can be ignored.
The movie is kind of a modern Raja Babu, with Varun playing a sadak chap illiterate and Alia a smart career oriented girl. The movie does address ills of dowry system but still keeping a main stream Bollywood movie feel to it. Jhansi (Varun) to Kota (Alia) is well done, at least the movie is set partly in india and characters are indian unlike most love stories that are placed in overseas locales.
The love story blossoms as twists an turns happen in love story, though the theme of the movie never waivers from Love. Director has deftly handled lot of things and still keeping 'love' at the center.
Well done.
Naam Shabana - 3.5 Stars. PG.
Director: Shivam Nair.
Actors: Tapsee Pannu, Akshay Kumar, Manoj Bajpayee.
This is a rare prequel (to 'Baby' - a movie that was closest to a Hollywood thriller Hindi Movies have gotten). Hindi movies before 'Baby' were never close to Hollywood movies in the 'patriotic thriller' genre. Baby being a landmark movie, the prequel had high expectations + there is Tapsee Pannu.
Tapsee dives into her character, what an actor!. This movie had nothing to do with cuteness, and Tapsee is this hard headed eccentric girl, she needs to be. She does not smile a la kaala Pathar Bachchan (oops... I am showing my age here, kids go figure what Kaala Pathar is). When she smiles, you notice her pain. She is marked by the spy agency as a potential recruit, they give her an offer she can't refuse. A traumatic incidence that hardens an already hardened girl and now she is ready to be an agent.
The movie has its flaws, the movie goes over board with style quotient of this spy agency. They are everywhere Omni-present, Omni-science super efficient greatest force ever made on Earth. They are just too good to be believable. Also everything happens in empty places, hospitals are deserted, all public places are just sets that some how has no one except people who are needed for the scene. Some supper kanjoosi by the film maker on the extras usage.
There are many references of Baby movie's plot in the movie, Akshay is a little over the top and has started looking old and weird, I think it is time for him to start showing his age in the roles he plays. Manoj Bajpayee is suddenly become very frail and is not at all in his element. Tapsee.... she is awesome.
Girls if given an equal chance just rock! I have started believing if the world was fair they would outshine boys so badly that it will not be fair either... Just a thought.
Girls if given an equal chance just rock! I have started believing if the world was fair they would outshine boys so badly that it will not be fair either... Just a thought.
Jolly LLB 2 - 3.5 Stars. G.
Director: Subhash Kapoor.Actors: Akshay Kumar, Huma Qureshi, Saurabh Shukla.
Trailer - Jolly LLB 2
Another sequel! Wow... sequels have become a regular in hindi movies. Why not? It is easy money, the plot is set the story needs a few tweaks and boom another movie is ready. It is like... you have cut all vegetables and made masala for Aloo Gobhi, might as well make Mattar Paneer. (umm... will need to check with my wife if that makes sense, well in her world that is blasphemy, to think of short cuts in food creation, don't tell her this analogy please).
Ok, so first movie was Jolly LLB with Arshad Warsi, clearly Arshad was a better fit as Jolly. He was the one the movie was made for, Akshay tries but he is ok. Akshay has gotten stuck in this rut. He became an actor with Khaaki and then found these comical / serious roles along with some spy/cop roles. Now they all look the same. He needs a fresh look and director who can do a makeover.
Movie is about a small time lawyer who makes unpardonable mistake and has to carry the burden of it all his life. He fights hopeless case that is not just a case but a statement. Huma in her small role is good, good to see Huma Qureshi after a long time.
Rangoon - 3.5 Stars. PG-13.
Director: Vishal Bhardwaj
Actors: Shahid Kapoor, Kangana Ranaut, Saif Ali Khan.
Trailer - Rangoon
This is the modern '1942 .. A Love Story' based partly in fact and mostly in fiction. A story about Subhash Chadra Bose's army that planned to attack British from the east. The movie has all the feel of a Vishal Bhardwaj film. It is a little slow to get going and tests your patience, once it gets all the characters defined and addressed it does pick up steam. Still like all old school directors, Vishal needs to edit his film's better. Kangana is an entertainer / girl friend of the Rich prince (Saif) who is paly with British officer and not interested in freedom struggle. Shahid is a celebrated officer in the british ranks, but is falling for Kangana. Soon all their lives will entangle in the web of war and freedom struggle. It is pretty intricate and detail oriented film. One film of this kind take 10 times more effort than a regular film I am sure.
Somehow it did not gel the way other Vishal Bhardwaj movies do. But still better than most of the crap that comes out.
Waiting - 4.5 Stars. PG-13.
Director: Anu Menon.
Actors: Naseeruddin Shah, Kalki Koachlin, Rajat Kapoor.
Trailer - Waiting
This Blogger has a rule - If Rajat Kapoor is in a movie, it is going to be excellent. This movie also proves the rule.
The movie is about 2 people helplessly waiting in hospital as their significant other is battling for their lives. Sounds pretty sad, but it is not. It is a masterpiece with nuances on coping with trauma and just life in general. Beautifully executed, and some great performances by 2 great actors. Kalki is very weird in her body language and sometimes she gets weird roles. But what an actor she is! Rajat Kapoor is also awesome as the doctor dealing with patients and more importantly with relatives. Naseer Bhai is motivated to play this role, and does not sleep walk the role, like he sometimes does in non descript movies.
Go watch it.
Go watch it.
