MAINSTREAM BOLLYWOOD
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Stree - 4.5 Stars. PG. (Horror Comedy)
स्त्री तू बार बार आना
Director - Amar Kaushik
Actors - Rajkummar Rao, Shradhha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi.
Writers - Raj Nidimoru, Krishna DK.
What a concept and well executed. For decades we see this genre relegated to B-grade movies, because of same limited concept of a 'bhoot'. Someone decided to flip the script and make 'horror' into a 'comedy'. Great writers can do anything! The movie has couple of winners - writers and then there is Mr Pankaj Tripathi. The rule has been written - if there is a movie with UP backdrop - you need to have Pankaj in it. The guy is on a purple patch, you can tell his confidence in his comic timing - when he says in the movie - हम सब जानते हैं.
The movie is about 'stree' a ghost who is taking away men during 4 day festival season. Rajkummar Rao is excellent as usual (it is his genre) Shradha Kapoor does very well to underplay the character to keep the mystery alive. Lots of laughs and hugely entertaining. Go watch it.
Parmanu - 3.5 Stars. G. (Thriller)
बम का खेल
Director - Abhishek Sharma
Actors - John Ibraham, Boman Irani, Diana Penty.
A low key thriller with backdrop of India's foray into becoming a 'nuclear state'. It checks all the boxes for being a great thriller, to make a simple story into a thriller is pure art. Great direction and keeps you on the edge, even though you know the outcome. Well done Abhishek Sharma. I can't believe how John has re-invented himself, #anythingispossible.
Nawabzaade - 0 Stars. PG. (Comedy?)
नाचनेवालों की घर की पिक्चर
Director - Jayesh Pradhan.
Actors - Raghav Juyal, Punit Pathak and Dharmesh Yelande
If you have seen ABCD or the Dance-Plus show on TV, you know these 3 judges/MC. So now sitting idle inbetween the filming of the show they say - we should make a movie, same way everyone in their free time wants to make a youtube video. But somehow these people also act on that thought and waste someone's money. Why would you do that? huh. The entire thing is cheesy and cringe worthy. I am sorry, I should not write the review because I did not finish the movie. It was supposed to be comedy with jokes that people think they are funny but when you put it in a movie they are not. In case you want to know the storyline - 3 friends fall in love with one girl and then it goes on and on. Good Luck.
Saheb Biwi aur Gangster 3 - 3.0 Stars. R.
एक चाय को कितनी बार उबालोगे?
Director - Tigmanshu Dhulia
Actors - Jimmy Shergill, Sanjay Dutt, Mahie Gill
This is the third installment of a great first episode. After that this has really gone down hill. Jimmy Shergill in a movie that is going nowhere. This is a first, Jimmy ... we are disappointed in you. The movie starts as if everyone remembers and watched the first 2, in fact they behave as if we just watched a rerun of first 2 and have entered the theater giddy with excitement for the third one. A note to the director - NO ONE remembers the first 2, they were ages ago! Anyway, there is Saheb (Jimmy), there is Biwi (Mahie Gill) and this time the gangster is Sanjay Dutt, who has completely lost any motivation to work in a movie. He sleep walks through the entire role, no not the sleep walk that is his trade mark walk, which he used to do instead of dancing because he did not know how to dance. He really does sleep walk through the movie.
The movie is about How Saheb and Biwi play games and use a gangster to get back at each other. The movie does keep you guessing, who is going to win in their games? Is gangster being used? Or will he pull a fast one on them? etc etc... its a pretty ok thriller but the pace is slow, if you have the fast forward button and know how to use it, it can be a good movie to finish in an hour.
Race 3 - 0 Stars. G. (Thriller??)
यह क्या बकवास है
Director - Remo D Souza.
Actors - Salman, Jaqueline, Daisy Shah, Anil Kapoor, and Bobby Deol.
Though it is a 0 star but it is a must watch. Sallu has lost it and so has everyone else in the movie. Over the top hamming from Anil Kapoor and the most disinterested Sallu (competing with Sanju baba) are leading this disastrous Race, which has no Race in it. For the interval scene which was just shot for the interval they for no reason stood in a Race Coarse mouthing stuff like - wo nahi jaante is race ka badshah kaun hai. Does not make any sense. Well that should be the movie tag line. Daisy Shah is the best part of the movie, yes Daisy is. She looks good, acts with purpose and fights well. Everyone else.... OK... If you are going to give a movie to Remo to direct you know you are going to create crap. I think around 1/5th of the movie Salma is either flying in a flying suit or fighting topless with Bobby Deol! Yes .. Bobby is now joining the act of drug filled bodies bloated stars. You better watch the last scene which goes on for ever. Then there is this thing of breaking into Haryanvi / western Hindi / Bhojpuri... or whatever they thought should be the language between Anil and Salman's hometown. O boi... there is a lot in this 5 Starrer.
Veere Di Wedding - 2.5 Stars. R. (Drama)
सिर्फ लड़के ही नीचे नहीं गिर सकते
Director - Shashanka Ghosh
Actors - Kareena, Sonam, Swara Bhaskar, Ekavali Khan.
I have to admit, I never liked the new age bromance movie like - ZNMD, so how can I like the inferior version of it? Well this one is a sis-mance, I dont think that is a word. Story is about 3 friends who are going through their various relationship problems in life, one can't find a guy, one is having a white Boy Friend (Seems like a new trend in India), one is marrying but don't know why etc etc. Its all good but somehow all that does not jel well. The movie overdoes it's USP of making sure to prove the point that girls can also use cuss words and talk dirty and do gross stuff. It looks more forced than natural. Maybe it is the fact that it's a first or the fact that the girl's couldn't keep a straight face while doing it. Whatever it was, it didn't work for me. But I have heard it has worked for girls, so more power to such movies if that makes people happy.
102 Not Out - 4.0 Stars. PG. (Drama)
बच्चे का बचपन याद रखो
Director - Umesh Shukla
Actors - Amitabh, Rishi.
On the surface the movie seems to be pretty dumb but that works in favor of the movie. It is not a stupid comedy where a super old Dad is making fun of his Son and trying to send him to 'Old Age Home'. Sometimes movies just have that premise and then they show this one Joke they conjured up for the entire movie. Not the case, the movie after it's initial jokes of Older Dad being cool and Son being Old School, does move on and forms into a beautiful story of Dad-Son and Son-Dad and Son-Like Person and Dad. It goes on a roller coaster ride of fun times, and Sad times and happy times all mixed into one. The old hands at histrionics Amitabh and Rishi, again create magic when it's needed in some crucial scenes, that makes you realize why they were such a hit pair few decades ago.
Raazi - 3.5 Stars. PG13. (Thriller)
घर का भेदी बहार का होता है
Director - Meghna Gulzar
Actors - Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal.
Moment of another confession - I don't like India - Pakistan type movies. Another confession - this is not your typical Sunny papaji style India - Pakistan Movie, obviously it is way more mature and subtle and layered because the Director's name is Meghna Gulzar. The movie is a spy story. A spy puts his responsibilities on his spy daughter. He ships her to Pakistan and asks her to work as a spy by getting married in Pakistan. Pretty darn difficult position to be in. The movie revolves around the Spy being torn between her Spy duties Vs being a wife.
I could not get any sympathy for the spy, which probably the movie was trying to get at. I could not feel the pain of her the way the movie unravels, I found her 'out and out' villain rather than any kind of hero. But I am sure most people don't see her that way. It's definitely a good movie that did not work for me.
NEW AGE HINDI MOVIES
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Kuchh Bheege Alfaaz - 3.0 Stars. PG. (Drama)
शायरी और whatsapp के बीच एक प्रेम कथा
Director - Onir
Actors - Zain Khan Durani, Geetanjali Thapa.
Mausaki, aashiqui etc etc.... the movie starts with some poetry which is kind of different in today's movie. The movie has it's own different slowish pace which you don't mind. On the other hand it disturbs you with the lead female actor having some skin problems, which is another unique thing to see in a movie. Finally it shows WhatsApp and who makes these forwarded memes. So the movie has lot of different things to see. At the crux of it, it is society and a person dealing with societal problems. It is not a great entertainer but it is a good unique one.
Tikli and Laxmi Bomb - 3.0 Stars. R.(Thriller / Drama)
धंदे का भी तरीका होता है
Director - Aditya Kriplani.
Actors - Chitrangada Chakraborty, Vibhavari Deshpande.
Sex workers go on strike and want to start their own 'sex worker corporation'. Tikli is the new kid who wants to revolutionize the business and Laxmi bomb is the older one who has been carrying the burden for some time. Both get together to do something special. But remember there is something called reality of life.
PS - Actors - can you make these name a little easy to type?
For Here or to Go - 2.0 Star. PG. (Drama)
जाओ तो मरो, न जाओ तो मरो
Director - Rucha Humnabadkar.
Actors - Ali Fazal, Melania Chandra.
Some movies are made to satisfy the 'movie making itch'. That is the reason this movie was made. Someone had enough money to throw some to make a movie. One known actor was pulled in and then the girl who probably lives in US was given a chance to make this movie. I am not against it, but obviously the movie did not work.
It is about the struggles of immigrants who come to US as software coolies and keep jumping hoops of visa status. In that backdrop is weaved a love story. I liked the actor's north Indian friend who was pretty hilarious.
Brij Mohan Amar Rahe - 3.5 Stars. PG13. (Comedy/ Thriller)
भाग कुत्ते भाग
Director - Nikhil Bhat.
Actors - Arjun Mathur, Nidhi Singh.
A Netflix original movie, this unknown actor is pretty ok at his craft. The entire movie revolves around him. The guy jumps from one problem to next and keeps digging bigger and bigger hole for himself. Can he ever get out of it? This is kind of a comedy thriller. In the backdrop of Delhi the guy keeps dodging his death. Good part of the movie is - no one is good, I think all characters in the movie are villain-ish which makes the movie a different experience. It has a good ending too.
Bhavesh Joshi SuperHero - 4.0 Stars. R. (Thriller / Drama)
जो अन्ना न ख़तम कर पाए वो भावेश ख़तम करेगा?
Director - Vikramaditya Motwane.
Actors - Harshvardhan Kapoor, Priyanshu Painyul.
A serious movie about a boy and his friends who are fed of corruption want to do something about it. They do somethings, but then they keep at it. Obviously corruption is in the society in the system and everywhere. There effort take serious turns and they decide not to back down. Bhavesh Joshi becomes a thought and not a person. A good but disturbing movie to watch.
Harshvardhan Kapoor does a good job in the movie. He is son of Anil Kapoor, and has been panned before, I think he does a pretty decent job. Sometimes people are hard on star kids, hey! they are kids! Obviously they won't be here if they were not star kids. But think about this - you won't be where you are if you were not your parents kids. So? Get over it! That's my take on nepotism debate.
Once Again - 4.0 Stars. PG13. (Love Story)
प्यार किया नहीं जाता हो जाता है
Director - Kanwal Sethi
Actors - Neeraj Kabi, Shefali Shah.
Shefali Shah is an actor par excellence. She takes an ordinary reular love story and heightens it to a high level. Beautifully portraying a mom of adult kids who are themselves looking to get married, but she her self is getting involved with someone. She makes it look so natural as she plays a lover with twinkle in her eye, and at a moment's notice becomes a old tired mom who is carrying the entire burden of family.
Angrezi Mein Kehte Hein - 3.75 Stars. PG. (Drama)
प्यार अंग्रेजी वाला वार्ना...
Director - Harish Vyas.
Actors - Shivani Raghuvanshi, Anshuman Jha.
The movie has a very simple goal, which it beautifully explains in the title. As the song goes - Angrezi mein kehte hein ke - I Love You. It explains how the 'I love you' love is better than the traditional old school Indian love mentality. There is a distinction between Responsibility, Duties and Love. Love is above and beyond the structure of Duties. Very well done.
Black Mail - 4.0 Stars. R. (Thriller)
कौन किसके साथ क्या कर रहा है?
Director - Abhinay Deo
Actors - Irrfan Khan, Kirti Kulhari, Divya Dutta, Arunoday Singh.
This is a cat and mouse game, which has its moments. The crazy guy (Arunoday Singh) really really plays the character 'crazy' he is good, he is the life of the movie, in fact him and Divya Dutta that this movie to whole another level. Arunodaya jumps from hot pan into the fire!
The story is a winner, it is fast and it changes and it is original. It is entertaining, it if thrilling but it has it's awkward moments too. The story is about a husband who wants to black mail his cheating wife or wife's BF or both. Other people also have ideas about black mailing, lot of blackmailing starts happening that makes black mailing not a rare thing. Then things go crazy and crazier. One downer is the lead actor has a gross obsession of stealing other people's wife's pictures and go to restroom.... Why would you gross us out when you have a great story to tell!!
Vodka Diaries - 2.0 Stars. PG 13. (Psychological Thriller)
Diary कहीं से तो मारी है.
Director - Kushal Shrivastava.
Actors - Kay Kay Menon, Raima Sen.
The psychological thriller is a Genre that is not very Hindi movie thing to do. So I am guessing they lifted the story from somewhere and tried to fit it in to hindi movie scene. Actually they don't do a bad job, and Kay Kay Menon has always been a good actor to lift anything to a level of intensity. These movies always keep you in the dark and you keep guessing what is going on and sometimes you get bored too. All that will happen, the movie won't move but it is not a bad watch. If you know how to use the forward button efficiently you can do it.
Again ... a request to all Hindi movies, you are not serving buffet, the more you show the more audience you get. People I hope don't look at the length of a movie and say - wow I get to see TV on pirated site for 2 hours!! so i will watch this movie. Reduce the length of your movies please!
Post Graduate - 0 Stars. (Drama)
फिल्म चैलेंज - पूरी देख के बताओ
Don't watch it. Some one on their handycam decided to make a movie. Sorry did not complete it.
ARTSY
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My Birthday Song - 0 Stars. PG13. (Psychological Thriller)
कोई समझा दो क्या हुआ!
Director - Samir Soni.
Actors - Samir Soni, Nora Fatehi,
Sometimes you come across movies that make no sense and you love the magical ethereal sense that you could not put together but you understand. AND then you come across a movie like this one. Which in the end you get up and slam your remote and say - what the ..... yeh kya bakwaas hai, saara time waste ho gaya. Maybe it was beyond me, I don't know what happened. Some psychological stuff that stays in the mind and some is reality some is not. some goofy stuff like that.
Beyond the Clouds - 4.5 Stars. R. (Drama)
ज्यादातर लोगों की ज़िन्दगी ऐसी है
Director - Majid Majidi
Actors - Ishaan Khattar, Malavika Mohanan.
Theory is the actor got famous because of the movie 'Dhadak' and this movie could be released, which was made before Dhadak. The dude is a stud, what an actor. The kid has screen presence and has a cool confidence about him. Good actor.
The movie is one depress fest which all who are reading this blog should see to get used to the idea of what life is for most of the world. The story is of Brother and Sister who are trying there best to kick the life they were born in. Living in slums, drugs, prostitution, society, cops and hope. Audacity of Hope is it still tries to pull you into living. Living for something good to happen. The movie has some beautiful moments when our hero becomes the savior and best friend of the villain. Ahh... what a beauty of a plot.
