POPULAR BOLLYWOOD
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JUGJUGG JEEYO: 3.5 Stars. G.
Directed by: Raj Mehta
Starring: Neetu Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Kiara Advani
The Story - A typical Bollywood Movie but with some unexpected twists to it. A nice couple of love stories with plenty of drama. If you were missing one of those shaadi waali bollywood movies. This is the one for you.
The Characters - Anil Kapoor is suddenly in every movie, he looks good and he was always a great actor and knows what it takes to elevate a 'bollywood masala movie'. He carries this film on his shoulders for good or the bad. Kiara is always good though she does look more comfortable in non glam scenes. Varun Dhawan is ok in the movie and probably a weak link.
The Verdict - Go watch it. Nothing like a good Bollywood masala, drama, emotion, comedy and dances.
JAYESHBHAI JORDAAR: 4.0 Stars. PG13
Directed by Divyang Thakkar
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Shalini Pandey, Ratna Pathak Shah, Boman Irani
The Story - Jayesh Bhai is no Jordaar, he can't speak a word against society or his Dad as he sees his daughters being killed in the womb. Until Jayeshbhai tries to be Jordaar, instead he whimpers hilariously through the movie trying to be Jordaar but he has his other daughter and some big burly men who could never get married to support him.
The Characters - Ranveer is a great actor and a superstar and it speaks volumes of his confidence and how secure he is when he does films like this one. Shalini has a one dimension role, Ratna Pathak is annoyingly good supporting the patriarchal horror going on around her. Boman Irani is villanous comic who actually is good after a long time.
The Verdict - A film with a low budget feel with a collossal star like Ranveer! A great movie staying within framework or a entertainer and strictly bollywood, and still manages to pack a hard Punch in your gut about what is casually done and accepted in India in name a culture. A great balancing act!
RUNWAY 34: 1.0 Stars. (G)
Directed by Ajay Devgn
Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn, Rakul Preet Singh, Boman Irani
The Story - A legendary Pilot lands a plane to safety under impossible odds, but still he has to undergo scrutiny of aviation authorities. Facts and drama in unearthed as Pilot fights the court room drama to save his career.
The Characters - When you think Ajay Devgn cannot fall more, he digs a hole and falls some more. He is living in an era of chain smoking, putting on shades, and trying to look cool as if he is playing a 90s Hero. There is nothing like a pilot in that role. The moment it is a Ajay Devgn productions the movie is going to be bad, that is a sad fact. Amitabh at this age can sleep walk through a role and we should be fine with it. Boman is bad at playing a very typical airline boss. The only actor who is trying to put some effort is Rakul Preet Singh but she has a very confusing half baked role at her disposal.
The Verdict - Horrible special effects. Everything looks fake in all Devgn movies, I don't know why. Maybe he has found a way to make super cheap movies which even when flop are hits like what Mithun Da did in 80s/90s. Don't watch it.
BHOOL BHULAIYAA 2: 3.0 Stars. (PG)
Directed by Anees Bazmee
Starring: Tabu, Kartik Aaryan, Kiara Advani
The Story - It is second edition with Kartik Aryan replacing Akshay Kumar. A regular bhoot type movie with a comic touch. Story is about a bhoot trapped for years in a room of a haveli who is related to allt he characters of the family. The daughter returns with a boy friend and bhoot is out and the fun begins.
The Characters - Kartik Aryan is a non-acting Star. He has same 'not taken a shower' shabby cool dude look in every movie no matter who he plays. He also does not know how to act. Kiara Advani is also nothing great in this one, obviously when you have old timers like Anees Bazmi still trying to make movies how much are they going to inspire people to act? Tabu obviously carries the film as far as she can but she also can't do it after a point.
The Verdict - An insipid production which had to be made because the bhoot franchise makes money. So they will keep churning the same stuff till it is profitable. Bad comedy and slow pace keeps the movie strictly in mediocre category.
RRR: 4.0 Stars. G.
Director: S. S. Rajamouli
Starring: N. T. Rama Rao Jr., Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Shriya Saran, Samuthirakani, Ray Stevenson, Alison Doody, Olivia Morris
The Story - A fantasy setup in real British rule of India. 2 superstars come together as best friends to defy the mighty British empire. Not much of a story it is just a lot of pyrotechnics and unbelievable creative scenes and stunts. What do you expect? It's a follow up to Baahubali.
The Characters - From the looks of it, seems like NT Rama Rao and Ram Charan are 2 superstars in south and they are still running with the 80s superstar formula. As has been the case in most south Indian blockbusters the male superstars take the Oxygen out and there is not much room for any other character forget a presence of a female character. They still are relegated to some song and dance or someone who the great male actor decides to love.
The Verdict - Though this blogger is not a fan of these big South Indian blockbuster movies, but I enjoyed this one. It has all the 'don'ts' of a south movie. Too much testosterone (Check). Over the top acting (Check) Over the top physics defying macho fighting (Check) Over the top dancing (Check) No intricacies in the plot (Check). BUT inspite of all the above the movie had an awesome pace, it declared itself an out and out fantasy from scene one. It had mind boggling CGI. What I was blown away with is - every scene was a creative genius! Every action scene and every over the top gimmick was a new one. Nothing was borrowed from anywhere else it was all fresh and new. Go Watch it. ohh.. you already did!
JERSEY: 2.5 Stars. G.
Director: Gowtam Tinnanuri
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Mrunal Thakur, Pankaj Kapur
The Story - A struggling cricketer wants to play for India but he just can't get the 'Jersey' for India nor he can get an Indian Jersey for his son as he falls into depression. He wants to play cricket even when people want him to coach. After a lot of melodrama we find out the truth! But it's too late in every sense of the word.
The Characters - We talked about how a Ranveer Singh is so secure that he can do a Jayeshbhai Jordaar, the opposite is Shahid Kapoor. He wants to play it safe, like Salman and others he wants to do only hit south movie remakes to make sure he gets a success. Also whenever real life relations play reel life it never works. Pankai Kapur and Shahid Kapur behave more like father-son with internal jokes than their actual characters should. Mrunal Thakur is wasted, and like all south Indian movies this one also somehow manages to point the blame to the only sane person in the movie. The wife! the female lead. Mrunal does her job very well but her role doesn't let her do much.
The Verdict - I blame it on Shyamalan! Damn you... since you gave us Sixth sense. All people do is keep us in the dark till the last scene and reveal that all we saw was a lie! Why! The movie hurtles around with this stupid cricketer not playing when in his prime and trying to play when his days are gone. Just irritates the heck out of you. Skip it.
THAR: 3.5 Stars. PG13.
Director: Raj Singh Chaudhary
Starring: Anil Kapoor, Harshvardhan Kapoor, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Mukti Mohan
The Story - It's a hindi version of Wild Wild West. It is a pretty creative take, setup in a small town in Thar desert. A city kid comes looking for old artifacts and looks suspicious. The mystery thickens as brutal murders start popping up all over the town. An aging cop investigates with almost no force at his disposal.
The Characters - Old timers know how much this blogger loves Harshvardhan Kapoor, but this time he fell flat in carrying this one. It is sad as this was a perfect movie to emote and take the movie to a different level but he decides to underplay to the point that he is blank. I think it was too much to ask out of him. Anil Kapoor on the other hand is enjoying his second stint in acting, he is great mouthing bad words, chatting it up with his out of shape buddy, planning retirement with his wife and trying not to die. Fatima Shaikh is ok and does not have much to do.
The Verdict - It could have would have but is not. Awesome plot and great script but the pace is slow and things just don't happen quickly. I so hope it was just somehow a little more entertaining. Not a bad product. If you want to see something you haven't seen in Hindi movie, watch it.
GANGUBAI KATHIAWADI: 3.5 Stars. R
Directed by: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Shantanu Maheshwari, Vijay Raaz, Indira Tiwari, Seema Pahwa
The Story - A typical story about the rise of a prostitute as a political power, supposedly based on a real life person called Gangubai. She started as a teen and ended up ruling the red light area and hob nobbed with politicians trying to make life better for victims.
The Characters - It's an out and out Alia Bhatt movie. A subdued Sanjay leela Bhansali movie, which probably is a good thing. This is Alia's 'Agneepath', one liners and stylish acting all together in a wafer thin plot. Alia throws her best punch at it and comes up with a great performance.
The Verdict: Its a grand movie, with good music. The pace ebbs and flows but it does the job. If you are Alia's a fan watch it!
PUSHPA: 2.5 Stars. PG
Directed by Sukumar
Starring: Allu Arjun, Fahadh Faasil, Rashmika Mandanna
The Story - Another typical south Indian blockbuster with the hero being a HERO. One man show. The story of a great Pushpa with all the style possible. A low level guy rises from the ashes to become a big black wood smuggler. Nothing complicated about the story.
The Characters - Allu Arjun is Pushpa and Pushpa is Allu. He is Bachchan of 80s, and Rajni of 90s. He will have mannerisms that people will copy. All the one liners are delivered with a punch etc etc. There is no room for any other soul to exist in the movie. I am too old to enjoy this old wine in new bottle but probably people did love it. Samantha has an Item number in it, and I am like why would such a bundle of talent do an item number? Then I went to one of my cricket team's party and all they put on was ... o Antava Mava .... all day long. So I guess the decision was the right one.
The Verdict - How much testosterone is too too much testosterone? That's the question. Why are these south Indian potboilers hell bent on taking us back to era of one man army with no room for others. Women as item numbers and villain supporting the one liners of our hero. Same stuff from 80s put together again with a new actor. I would skip it, it is long and endless sequence of the same thing.
ANEK: 4.5 Stars. PG13
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Andrea Kevichüsa, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, J.D. Chakravarthy
The Story - aNEk is a story about insurgency in North East. A spy is in thick of it and may or may not have a major breakthrough in ending the insurgency. All this is regular stuff for all insurgencies, when like Arjun in Mahabharata, the Spy starts having doubts what the whole thing is and what this is all about!
The Characters - Ayushman is a favorite of Anubhav Sinha and he again delivers with a nice controlled performance. The Star and My Hero is the Director Mr Anubhav Sinha. I can sum up the entire movie in 4 words - I love you, Anubhav! He is easily my favorite Director of this era. The Girl does not fit as a aspiring Boxer at all but then that's a small compromise for a movie that is a thesis on all insurgencies.
The Verdict - Just like Article 15 and Thappad, Anubhav makes you sit up and think. This is a deep dive into all the troubled areas of the world. The only thing that is sure is - People are hurting. (Lekin logon ka kya sir?) rest all pieces are doing what they want to do. Governments generally are short sighted and trying to Quell and appease, the opposition is always divided into people who have different ways to attack the government and on and on it goes. The dialogues are just great! Especially - what is peace! Awesome discussion about Peace. Watch it, if you want to learn something.
HEROPANTI 2: 1.0 Stars. G.
Directed by: Ahmed Khan
Starring: Tiger Shroff, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tara Sutaria
The Story - I don't know. Tiger is a software geek? then he hacks into various systems for the Villain Nawazzuddin because he is brother of his Girl friend? Whatever who cares! The movie has some action scenes and yea... I think I forwarded most of it.
The Characters - I don't like to trash people, but come on Tara please don't sign for these movies and don't act like you have no clue. Nawazuddin tries to play the Joker as a villain. Tiger needs to find better projects to be part of. He is a star and he can be an Okay actor, if he gets a good director. Come on guys!
The Verdict - umm... I watched it, so you don't have to!
INDIA SWEET AND SPICES: 4.0 Stars. G
India Sweet and Spices - Trailer
Directed by: Geeta Malik
Starring: Sophia Ali, Manisha Koirala, Rish Shah, Adil Hussain
The Story - Set in US immigrant community of rich successful Indians. Story of a family's internal struggles and growing and learnings from their past and present. It is a typical cross over immigrant movie the kind that exploded a few years ago but are now seen only once in a while.
The Characters - I being an immigrant and relatively living in similar life styles enjoyed it thoroughly. A little over the top depiction of the Uncle and Aunties was necessary to bring the comic side of it. How Indians are so typical competitive and jealous but still want to hang out with each other. How kids hate it but still want the rich lifestyle that they gamely hang around. How no matter what generation you are - you are lying to yourself. Manisha does a great job of acting, actually I was surprised at her acting skills! Sophia was pretty good too and carried the movie with effortless ease.
The Verdict - I laughed out loud at many scenes only because I know I have seen Uncle and Aunty like me do it. It's a great one if you don't judge it too much. A good small budget time pass.
TOOLSIDAS JUNIOR: 4 Stars. G.
Director: Mridul Mahendra Toolsidas
Starring: Sanjay Dutt, Rajiv Kapoor, Dalip Tahil, Varun Buddhadev
The Story - A Dad is a great snooker player, but he is also an addict. He loves his son and son loves his dad but the alcohol spoils all the fun. Son decides to carry on the legacy of snooker and wants to beat his dad's nemesis.
The Characters - There are many known names like Sanjay Dutt and Rajiv Kapoor but the show is stolen by the big brother of Toolsidas Jr. The scheming big brother has outrageous schemes to make his younger brother a star so he can manage his funds. The young Toolsidas is also a pretty good actor himself. Sanjay Dutt fits the role and brings a uniqueness to it that helps the movie. Dalid Tahil is awesome as a villain, it still makes me crack when I think of his first dialogue to journalist. I win! that's the answer to all your questions! Hilarious.
The Verdict - An awesome family entertainer. The kids are awesome, the brotherly love is cute. What else you want in a movie? Kid has an adventure of his lifetime and you feel good watching a cute movie.
MINNAL MURALI: 4.5 Stars. G
Directed by Basil Joseph
Starring Tovino Thomas, Guru Somasundaram
The Story - A super hero movie seeped in indian-ness. A beautiful story of a bizarre incident that affected 2 people in different ways. Heroes and villains are formed. The village in unaware of it but slowly the affected understand. How will they use their powers? How should they use their powers. A super Hero in a lungi, perfect recipe for a great movie. Malayalam movies are definitely a cut above the rest it seems.
The Characters - Tovino and Guru are great actors! They put life into these characters. Bring so much honesty to their characters great jugal-bandi between the two. The entire movie revolves around these 2 and they take us for a great ride.
The Verdict - Probably the best super Hero movie ever made in India. It is creative, it is Indian and it is 100% authentic. Whoever thought of it and then whoever implemented the setup in a village, they are genius.
WEB SERIES
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HOUSE OF SECRETS - The Burari Deaths: Limited Series: 4.0 Stars. R.
Genre True crime docuseries
Created by: Leena Yadav, Anubhav Chopra
Director: Leena Yadav, Anubhav Chopra
The Story - A true story in a docuseries. 11 bodies were found from a home in a crowded Indian town. A lot of gossip and drama happened. Media is never helping and relatives are twisting their own tale. Cops actually can do a good job if you let them as they solve the mystery.
The Characters - It is a documentary that has all the family clearly defined and hierarchy presented. Horrific tragedy and the more you think the more absurd and unfortunate it looks.
The Verdict - One of the better documentaries I have seen, Though I avoid documentaries. But I will give it a green.
