Shahrukh vs Ajay: Why Bollywood can’t afford a Diwali clash!

Let’s get straight to the point. Bollywood just can’t afford two big films. Not yesterday, not today, not tomorrow. It is as simple as that. While the media is going berserk ‘worrying’ about whether Shahrukh Khan’s yet untitled film with Yash Chopra would indeed have competition from Ajay Devgn’s ‘Son of Sardar’ this Diwali, it seems nothing more than just a fantastical feeling to actually foresee this happening.

No, the clash is definitely not happening and if one would have to ask Shahrukh or Ajay about it, they would say the same. Well, under their breath at least if not out in open.

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My review of Housefull 2 | ****

Extracts:

- Playing the son of ‘vaasna ka pujari’ Ranjeet, Akshay is a complete riot with his lusty mannerisms and overtures. Watch out for his opening scene in a shaking van, parachute landing over his prospective mother-in-law or the bedroom scene with Asin.

- John Abraham who lets go of his macho and masculine side here and (surprise-surprise) brings in a slight feminine streak in his walk, talk and body language. He clearly seems to be enjoying doing everything that he has never done before.

- What doesn’t quite cut much ice though are a couple of action sequences, one in each halves of the film, which are totally forced into the proceedings.

- Moreover in the middle of the second half, the emergence of third and the fourth Jolly leads to the narrative become a little confusing due to which you just give up as an audience to keep track of the actual happenings and just concentrate on fun on the screen.

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My review of Agent Vinod : ***1/2

While of late style and technique has seen a manifold increase in Bollywood, filmmakers are also pushing the boundary when it comes to challenging the audience. Yes, there are escapist films being made (and loved as well). However there are filmmakers who are aspiring to merge hardcore commercial cinema with elements that require one to think hard and grasp the context of a scene rather than being spoon fed. ‘Agent Vinod’ is an example of one such cinema. Though there is always a risk element associated with such endeavours, Saif Ali Khan and Sriram Raghavan seem to have taken a conscious call in this direction.

One has to be very attentive while watching ‘Agent Vinod’, especially its first half. There are country settings that change every 10 minute while newer characters are also introduced at a rapid pace. It is in fact difficult to keep track of which character is doing what, where and in which time zone. Now while a section of audience is expected to grasp such a challenge with open arms, those used to getting entertained in an effortless manner are bound to feel a little restless.

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My review of Agneepath: *** – Not quite iconic

‘Agneepath’ turns out to be a film that starts off well, builds great momentum, has a wonderful interval point but then starts going down in the second half in a big way. So much so that by the time the moment of reckoning arrives, you have been so exhausted with at least 30-40 minutes of extended storytelling that you don’t really give out a cry of euphoria when Vijay Deenanath Chauhan eventually emerges victorious.

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Reflections – Are awards a sham?

By Joginder Tuteja

1995 – That was the time when I was a school going teenager and there were only one recognised awards – ‘The Filmfare Awards’. Nominations were eagerly awaited, bets were placed on the eventual winner, homework was finished well in advance to watch the coveted awards ceremony (albeit it was ‘deferred live’, but the who cared) on Doordarshan and phone calls were made during advertisement breaks to share notes on what was the winning score by now (on the bets being won when nominations came spot on).

2012 – The scenario has changed. Well, completely.

This week’s ‘Reflections’ is about the innocence lost with commercialisation taking over everything and everyone.

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Reflections: Is Bollywood heading South, turning ‘desi’?

‘Desi’ is in. Now haven’t we heard that way too often right through the year gone by? Ever since Ghajini turned into a huge success, Bollywood has been accused of picking up rights of South films (which pride themselves at being ‘desi’) left, right and centre at a feverish pace. Super success of films like Bodyguard, Ready and Singhamfurther resulted in rights of many other South films being picked soon after their release (or at times even before that). It is being also said that Bollywood is short of original ideas and South seems like the only resort. Also, it is being reaffirmed that going ‘desi’ is the only way out!

But wait, is that really the case?

The way I look at films lined up ahead, that doesn’t necessarily seem to be the case. Yes, of course there are close to a dozen odd ‘desi’ films (either remakes or originals) in the making but then well, these are not the only ones on which industry is pinning it’s hopes on. There are ‘videsi’ influences as well which not just defies the myth around ‘desi’ being the key to success but also conveys loud and clear that there are different genres and setups being explored.

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Shahrukh Khan’s 20 year old secret out in open

To know more

http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/76452.html

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My list of Top-10 most anticipated albums in 2012

2011 was just about good when it came to music in Bollywood. There weren’t many earth shattering albums hitting the stands which worked in entirety and those which were lapped up did come with an expiry date. One hopes though that the scenario changes in 2012. Here is presenting the list of Top-10 most anticipated soundtracks in year to come.

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Top 11 soundtracks of 2011

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If SRK can, why can’t Bittoo?’ ask Bittoo Boss makers (the people who made Pyaar Ka Punchnama)

Reflections: Will filmmakers stand up for Shah Rukh Khan?

‘Jitne moonh utni baatein’ – Shah Rukh Khan could well be muttering this under his breath right from the time promotion of Ra.One kick-started till the time Don 2 was eventually declared a hit. In fact in his two decade of movie making experience, … Read More

Happy New Year friends :-0)

All u Players from the Department, eat some Barfii and enjoy a Housefull party before 2012 starts a Race for a new Kahaani to be told. A Heroine will rise, a Raaz would be told and a Joker will laugh … Read More

SRK silences detractors as Don 2 turns into a hit

Shah Rukh Khan must have gone through some real anxious times when the Thursday evening press show resulted in select mischief mongers spreading negative word of mouth about his latest releaseDon 2. Critics in general weren’t really kind too and … Read More

First Look – Our verdict [Agneepath, Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya, Ferrari Ki Sawari, Ekk Deewana Tha, Gali Gali Chor Hai]

Christmas weekend was quite eventful for Bollywood not just because it saw the release of Don 2 but also due to a handful of promos that flooded the world of web as well as theatres. While some of them pretty much arrived … Read More

Reflections: 2011 – The year that was

Great, so with Don 2 managing to get that much needed ‘opening’ at the box office, 2011 is ending in a positive note. It started off well with No One Killed Jessica and ending too isn’t the kind that one would really complain about. … Read More

My take on Don 2: ****

‘Wow’ – Now this is what you end up exclaiming not just around the time when end credits start rolling for ‘Don 2′ but quite a few times during the two and a half hours narrative of the film. Now … Read More

Happy Diwali folks!

This Diwali, be a ‘Rockstar’ and make sky lit up like an ‘Agneepath’ so that there is full-on ‘Damadamm’ for ‘Ladies v/s Desi Boyz’ which would keep ‘Ra. One’ entertained as he watches ‘The Dirty Picture’. Signed : ‘Don’

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Reflections – Does Bollywood need Censor board?

Picture this. ‘DK Bose’ is the talk of the town, for right as well as the wrong reasons, and even as the parents and their 9 year old kids (ref: Anubhav Sinha’s tirade against the song) totally understand the connotations … Read More

My review of DTBHJ – ***1/2

By Joginder Tuteja

***1/2

A couple of years back Amitabh Bachchan had commented that if there was one film maker who had the potential to carry forward the legacy of Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee, it could be Madhur Bhandarkar. … Read More

Happy New Year guys!

THANK YOU 2010 for being a ROCKSTAR year. As a new GAME begins and MAUSAM gets colder, get READY as PATIALA pegs are served on the HOUSE. Have fun because aaj raat 7 KHOON MAAF. Don’t act FALTU, stop being … Read More

Akshay and Farah enjoy biggest opening ever (14 crores) with TMK

Akshay Kumar has all the right reasons to smile. His TEES MAAR KHAN has now taken the biggest ever opening of his career with the first day netting over 14 crores (as confirmed by the makers UTV Motion Pictures). Before … Read More

Reflections – Main aur meri tanhai (Watching films alone in theatres)

This Friday, I saw Shahrukh Bola Khoobsurat Hai Tu all alone in a theatre. And also Diwangi Ne Hud Kar Di (yes, I ‘actually’ saw it and am perhaps the only person in the globe to have reviewed it as well – check Google!). Last week it was Raama – The Saviour, the week before Nakshatra and the one before that Dus Tola. I watched each of these films. ALONE.

Main.

Meri tanhai.

Aur ek 200 seater auditorium.

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My review of Golmaal 3 | ****

‘Golmaal 3′ is not a great piece of cinema. It’s purpose of existence is simple, give audience those two and a half hours of non-stop fun, come what may, and ensure that there is no dull moment that goes past … Read More

Exclusive | My review of Action Replayy

Forget the flamboyance or the energy that one expects from Akshay Kumar, he actually gets into a garb as never worn before. Donning an ill fitting ‘kurta-pyajama’, a pair of TV screen style glasses, a ‘champu’ haircut, an awkward walk … Read More

Akshay-Farah-Shirish come together for Tees Maar Khan 2

Roll out the red carpet and let the celebrations begin. Even though Tees Maar Khan is still a couple of months away from release, the makers have already set up the film as a franchise. Not just considering it to … Read More