With great power comes great responsibility. These words, uttered by Peter Parker in Sam Raimi’s Spiderman, spell out, more or less, the hubris of a superhero. Superheroes are a tricky breed, and haven’t we seen much of them of late. Hollywood is slowly coming to terms with the inherent dark gloom of the life of a superhero- a life which has all the powers that may make one envious, but also a life which is unimaginably full of challenges; beyond the call of duty, and beyond the seemingly easy line between good and evil. Those dilemmas are the easy ones, left to choice for us mere mortals. The problems of superheroes are of an existential nature.

That the quote I opened this piece with was mouthed by Peter Parker, and not Spiderman, is an indicator of the wrangle that being a superhero comes saddled with. And it is this wrangle that is absent in Drona, this week’s Bollywood offering about the supposed birth of a superhero. Only, this superhero is destined to be one. His status is ascribed, not achieved. And this is another problem with this film, which tries to play with filial subtext, handled much more effortlessly in Sarkar and Sarkar Raj.

Aditya(Abhishek Bachchan) belongs to a lineage of Dronas- warrior kings chosen by the Gods to protect the elixir of life- amrit – brought about by the churning of the ocean(sagarmanthan). This is about the only ingenuous aspect of this film, which borrows from Harry Potter, The Matrix, The Mummy, etc., etc.- falling back on one of the more interesting legend of Hindu mythology. Of course, there are demons(asuras) after this elixir, and in one of the many battles between the dronas and asuras, Aditya’s father loses his life. His mother Jayati(Jaya Bachchan) packs him off to foreign shores, lest an asura find him. Aditya grows up, oblivious to his destiny and his inherent superpowers; until a chance meeting with the magician Riz Raizada(KayKay Menon), the most recent of demons, propels Adi on a journey of discovering that which he is chosen for.

All this is fine- but where’s the wrangle? Adi seems reluctant to accept his role, not because he is overwhelmed by the role posed to him, but simply because…well, neither Goldie Behl nor the script bother to invest any thought into that. Adi meets his mother, and in a recreation of the Deewar moment of “Mujhe meri maa waapas de do”, almost proves that superheroes(or even heroes for that matter) cannot and should not be pre-ordained. Having faced his moment of weakness, Adi accepts his role as Drona. But even then, where is the ‘responsibility’ that comes with the acceptance of such a ‘role’? Part of the reason is also because in Riz, Drona has a rather tepid and feeble nemesis. Riz never seems to pose any threat to the world at large, and hence the stakes are never registered. Also, like all good superheroes and their villains(think Batman and Joker), Drona and Riz never feed off each other. It’s almost as if these two could survive in the absence of the other, and happily so. There’s nothing that binds their fates together.

DOSTANA
Music Review

Source:  avstv.com
By Aakash Gandhi
Reviewer’s Rating:  8/10
DOSTANA
Music Review

It’s a well-known fact that Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions is perhaps the most successful production house in terms of Box Office popularity during the past decade. Let’s not overlook the fact that the banner has also lit the music scene on fire with some of the most admired soundtracks, featuring tracks that will be remembered for generations. First it was the Jatin-Lalit hook-up that brought us the widely accepted scores of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) and Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001). Then it was their relationship with the trendy trio of Shankar-Ehsaan Loy in the unbelievably popular soundtracks of Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna (2006). And changing gears for yet a third time, Dharma has shaken hands with the in-vogue duo of Vishal-Shekhar.

It shouldn’t come as a any surprise when I say that Vishal-Shekhar, the duo that ended 2007 with a BANG (Om Shanti Om), are having real problems in 2008. They started the year off quite miserably with Bhootnath, then slowly inched their way back up to mediocrity with Tashan. The silver lining is, however, that they have been improving ever since, as De Taali was slightly above-average, and Bachna Ae Haseeno was even better. And even though this has been a down year for the hip-hop fakers, they are given yet another grand opportunity to redeem themselves, as they make their debut foray into one of India’s most renowned cinematic homes, Dharma Productions, in DOSTANA.

My friends, for the first time this year, we see shimmers of the Vishal-Shekhar of old. They return to their stylish mannerisms, with that potpourri of sound that differentiates them from the rest. It perhaps won’t quite live up to their best work (Jhankaar Beats, Om Shanti Om), but they are able to keep the quality rising in 2008; and that’s a huge personal victory for these guys. Enough small talk…let’s get on with the music!

Drona high on special effects low on quality!

Indicine Review -> Drona Review

WELCOME TO SAJJANPUR
Film Review

Source:  avstv.com
By Aakash Gandhi
Reviewer’s Rating:  8/10

Shyam Benegal, the name that revolutionized Indian Cinema in the 70s, returns to the silver screen after over three years to bring us a film that is beautiful in its simplicity, WELCOME TO SAJJANPUR. Those who are familiar with realistic Indian cinema know that Benegal is a man who relishes the opportunity to delve into hard-hitting social commentary through the persuasive instrument of the motion picture. However, with Welcome To Sajjanpur, we get to experience the rarely-seen lighter side of Benegal, as he brings us a softly written film, peppered with a potpourri of colorful characters, strung together by an effortless, yet revealing story.

Benegal’s production is one that hinges heavily on its characters. From afar, it appears that WTS’s screenplay is one that does not go very far. However, the closer you look, the more you realize that the film has been written like a web. Although the central character seems to stay stagnant, it is through his peculiar connections with the other characters that branches out into a rather engaging state of affairs. Character-centric, don’t expect the script to be larger-than-life or even constantly active. Just open your eyes to the clever character interactions and identifiable human emotions, and you will surely reap the rewards of this very down-to-earth film.

We are introduced to players of this film through the eyes of Mahadev (Shreyas Talpade), one of the few educated and literate residents of the village of Sajjanpur. An aspiring novelist, he earns his bread as the village letter writer/reader, who sets up shop outside the Post Office. Thanks to his poetic and persuasive style, he gains popularity far and wide throughout the village. It is through this set-up that we witness his interactions with various characters; characters that ask him to write all sorts of things, from street plays to political songs, from chain letters to love letters, from letters of espionage accusations, to letters from an innocent wife to her estranged husband - all of which have profound consequences.

All NG members are requested to put up all the critic’s reviews of “Welcome to Sajjanpur”, “Saas Bahu Aur Sensex” and “Hulla” in this one thread instead of posting them on separate/individual thread. Thanks!

DNA’s review of  Welcome to Sajjanpur

INDIAFM’s  (Taran Adarsh) reviews :

Welcome to Sajjanpur

Tabeer is an extraordinary solo debut from Shafqat… Complete review here

One of the best albums of 2008. Khairheyan de naal is one of the contenders for the ‘track of the year’ title.

This award winning film on the life of the legendary Paramount Pictures producer Robert Evans is a must for those interested in the inner workings of cinema.  The film is based on an autobiography by Evans and traces his life from the time he came to Beverly Hills to set up the LA branch of Evan Picone, fashion designers who got women into slacks!  At the poolside he was spotted by Norma Shearer, convinced by her to act in a film.  He then juggled the clothing business and an acting career for a few years.  He was offered an acting gig to play a matador in The Sun Also Rises and put in lots of practice in Mexico.  But Hemingway was horrified to hear that a two bit actor would portray a character he had based on himself.  A telegram flew from the man, was co-signed by Tyrone Power, and Ava Gardene,r asking that Evans be fired from the film.  But the 20^th Century production giant Daryl Zanuck saw his matador act and shouted into his megaphone “No way!  The Kid stays in the picture!”  Evans was smart enough to know that his acting career was pathetic and going nowhere.  He thought he’d rather be the one deciding that the kid could stay in the picture.  Thus began the hunt for a product he could sell – he finally found s story and pitched it to 20^th provided he could produce it, and got the job.  But even before the film could begin he was called to the Big Apple and offered the job of CHIEF of Production at Paramount pictures, a near defunct outfit that was the lowest on the rung of production houses!

 The film traces the meteoric rise of Evans as he first identified a riveting story (Rosemary’s Baby), then found a suitable producer (the “Polack” Polanski) and started off on his first production.  Roman was a maverick and the film ran into delay after delay.  Mia Farrow was to star in a film with Frank Sinatra (and she was then married to him), but she needed to finish Rosemary’s Baby before that.  Frank threatened divorce if she did not show up on the appointed date, Mia went into hysterics!  Evans then showed her the rushes and convinced her to stay as she “was a shoo in for an Academy Award”.  She stayed, was served divorce papers, but the film was completed and turned into a mammoth success.  To Mia’s glee it was much bigger than the Sinatra venture that had ended her marriage.  The film is peppered with such vignettes and actual footage of these individuals – Mia bouncing off the walls as she hears of Rosemary’s success.  

 Then Chinatown was made with a unique story and Jack Nicholson in the lead.  Jack went to bat for Evans later in life and help him over a tremendously rough patch.  Evans was to be associated with such films as Love Story – and to marry Ali McGraw before the filming even began.  He also produced Godfather – and talks of the pitched battle with Coppola in the making of that film.  The rough cut was 2 hrs long and he recalls telling Coppola to go and turn this trailer into a movie!  Their later collaboration on The Cotton Club led to lawsuit where Coppola tried to restrain Evans from “interfering” with the film.

 The film utilizes pictures and makes them move in ingenious ways, but also has ample actual footage of the personalities and events.  But the most amazing part is the narration by Evans, and his voiceover for all the personalities involved!  There are gems from Evans on the cyclic nature of film production, where big budget films with big stars eventually start to fade in appeal, and new material that can capture the imagination of people has to be discovered.  He talks at length of the primacy of the script, helping in the creation of writing for films that went on to become bestselling literary material (like Love Story and Godfather), and the process of juggling priorities in the making of a film. This film provides incredible insight into a brilliant mind with an acute sense of what will work, and also into the making of some of our most cherished movies.   It is also a tale of hope and despair, and the eventual clawing back to the top by a fighter who starts in the picture and stays in the picture.

Milliblog

ok so some scattered thoughts about the movie..very random

Movie: I loved mahi’s and radhika’s stories but gayatri’s wasnt that convincing/substantial. I think the film flew uptil the point where he lands in australia, there it got a little ho-hum but only for a while. After the intermission (which never happened for us ) it picked up again. Kunal was fantastic in his scenes, tera goda ya moda agar mahi ke paas dikha and then him in a patka scene was really cute
and then RK going ek aur chaped padi I am a sucker for romantic movies and I think raj-mahi-jogi could have been made into a full-fledged movie..sort of like Kabhi Kabhie Even the radhika track was really nice, the scene where he leaves her while she waits at the court could was emotional though RK could have been a little meaner there ( girl’s POV ) everyone went hawwww at that point haha. Gayatri track offered nothing really..I mean it was required to make him realize his mistake and also get a girl in the end but other than that you dont really care for it. How was he away for one year? we went like huh when he got those letters. All the songs were good but my favs are aahista aahista for its zest and small town girl for the fun element haha

RK: Jai ho RK baba ki The man is an eye-ball-magnet, you just cant take your eyes off him! Like even when someone else is talking, you want to stare at him haha or maybe thats just me :looney: His transitions between different ages were very convincing, he totally looked and acted the part. Like in his introduction scene in the train he was really cute, (not so much in the scene where he reads the poem ), then the neighbor scene with bipasha hahaha…main gym bhi jaata hoon, achche ghar ka hoon hahaha..we were in splits Loved his scenes with mahi in amritsar But when Kunal hits him, he gets a black eye right..and then suddenly in the bar, his mouth is twisted too and then all of a sudden its alright He was really really good in emotional scenes, fantastico!!!!!! Did the film have any real lovey-dovey scenes. His comic timing is really good too. I think he could have been a little meaner, maybe that was not in the character sketch..coz even if he was supposed to be, his smile would turn a thousand frowns into a smile haha …oh and he looked good everywhere!! ok except when he goes to Hiten to tell him that he’s getting married and someone put some red makeup on him or something..was it supposed to be night makeup for the park? other than that there wasnt one place where he wasnt picture perfect. oh I just remembered, in khuda jaane when he sings that 3rd para or so..he was really good..like a true blue romantic hero. so all in all, RK is brillaint in ALMOST all the scenes, sometimes his –> got repetitive but other than that

Minissha: He acted good but her look was off in the first half I think..her nose was always red were they trying to be too realistic hahah but she was fun and she acted well in the second half too.

Bipasha: ok she totally acted the part and her transition from radhika to shreya was very convincing!! She looked stunning and u actually feel for her when she’s left at the altar (even though its just candy floss). The second half where she makes RK dance to her tunes was good until the scene where she decides to forgive her..at the airport..she just comes and starts off that emotion-heavy dialogue..it starts off weird but by the end I think it got ok..but I felt it was too abrupt.

Indiatimes reviews Mumbai Meri Jaan

“When you feel like crying, just urinate”, says a senior constable to his subordinate in the film adding, “That way you drain the excess water from your body”. This line acts as a metaphor to the pissed-off attitude of an average troubled citizen, about which he chooses to do nothing. That gives the gist of Mumbai Meri Jaan , a film that touches the lives of an assorted array of cosmopolitan citizens, in a way never witnessed before.

Amidst formula-driven films, only once in a while do you come across a movie which strikes chord with a social theme and is enormously entertaining at the same time. Only once in a while do you come across a movie that has an outstandingly original screenplay and more importantly it connects with the viewer convincingly. Only once in a while do you come across a movie that incites you emotionally and is technically flawless simultaneously. That’s Mumbai Meri Jaan!!!

In terms of theme and format, the film is reminiscent of Naseeruddin Shah’s Yun Hota To Kya Hota where multiple stories ran in parallel episodes and converged at the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Twin Towers. This one, too, has several tracks but the individual stories ‘emerge’ from the 7/11 train bombings in Mumbai. Much against your predictable perception, the film moves away from any opinionated or political argument on terrorism and traverses a more atomic approach by representing the ordeal of the violence in five individual lives.

I caught this film last night in Philadelphia; went with reasonably low expectations, but Woody Allen’s latest is a funny and charming film, and while I can’t say it has much that is new on the twisted ways of the human heart, it represents those caprices very effectively.

In large part, the film is a spoof — of a certain American romanticization of Europe, of the “romance of Europe” — and indeed the film has a mock-earnest voiceover (by, as far as I could tell, Woody Allen himself), as well as “stock” characters too hackneyed to be taken seriously — such as Javier Bardem’s Lothario of a painter Juan Gonzalez, his fiery ex-wife Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz), and the strait-laced American Vicky (Rebecca Hall), not to mention her free-spirited friend Cristina (Scarlett Johansson). But the film is more than a spoof by the time it ends, and it is to Allen’s credit that he makes us care about the film’s ostensibly cardboard characters (certainly about the two women featured in the title), and appreciate the sheer messiness that romance entails.

And this romance is certainly messy: Gonzalez propositions both Vicki and Cristina; the latter is charmed, the former appalled, at the painter’s boldness, but one thing leads to another and both women end up losing their hearts to him. He, in turn, is utterly unable or unwilling to get over his ex-wife, the combustible Maria Elena. To add to the complications, Vicki is engaged, and Cristina moves in with Gonzalez, only to be joined by Maria Elena in an uncomfortable threesome (if seeing Penelope Cruz and Scarlett Johansson lock lips is something that lights your fire, then this is the film for you).

As should go without saying, the shadow of Jules and Jim hangs over this film, and Allen’s latest effort certainly cannot approach the subversive playfulness, the sheer sexiness, of Truffaut’s masterpiece. But Allen offers us scathing comedy, perhaps at the expense of an American audience (Vicky’s field of study is “Catalan Identity”, yet she doesn’t bat an eyelid when Gonzalez tells her his dad refuses to speak any language other than Spanish — surely an odd stance for one identified as “Catalan”); Barcelona seems as Spanish as Spain can be to the American characters in this film — which would be news to a population so attached to its non- (Castilian) Spanish identity that the provincial government famously took out ads in international magazines on the eve of the Barcelona Olympics, announcing that the games would be held in Catalonia, no more and no less. Barcelona, and perhaps more broadly, Europe, is not so much a state of mind in this film as a fantasy, perhaps even a delusion.

I was ruing the fact that I had already read so many reviews and knew almost all of this tale before stepping into the theater. Opening with that title track music video to effectively introduce the major players, the film rapidly snaked back to a train journey through the Swiss Alps. The same Raj and his buddies on the prowl for girls, the same girls (except Mahi replaced Simran) looking for cute boys, it was a flashback to 1995 with the same huts among Swiss meadows!   Except that Raj has a surprise in store for us – his Rajgiri is of a different kind that includes lying and deceit.  Raj cuts and runs in the end – he is only 18 after all and commitment is not for him.  Five to six years later Raj is in Mumbai and meets Radhika, a small town girl with stars in her eyes.  He manages to win her heart and the wall between apartments is torn down.  But then Raj and his buddy (played wonderfully by Hiten Paintal) are transferred to Sydney – that land full of Gori babes cavorting on beaches!  Radhika settles on a quick wedding and Raj desperately seeks a way out.  After trying infertility (a most hilarious situation), a wicked Mummy, and debauchery at the bachelor’s party, all with no success, he has no choice but to elope with Hiten to Sydney. 

In Sydney a few years later Cupid’s arrow finally finds a mark when he encounters the taxi driving, supermarket checkout girl Gayatri.  But the Karmic wheel strikes and what goes around comes around.  This sets Raj off on a tour of redemption.  He finds that Mahi is unhappily married to a true “Raj” (Kunal Kapoor) and tries desperately to set things right between the duo.  The only thing missing from this track was seeing our Raj hanging upside down from a tree – that would have made my joy complete!  Next Raj finds Radhika who is now a superstar, a ballbuster sort.  She makes Raj work hard for the forgiveness she is not about to give.   In one particular sequence he is at Radhika’s feet taking off her nail polish as a little girl in the theater insistently asks “What is he doing Mummy?”  In the end Radhika forgives herself for being obsessed with her anger at Raj, and he can move on to complete this cycle of getting what has now got to come to him.

 I had hated Salaam Namaste but here Siddharth Anand creates a delightful potpourri of relationships that are a little off the beaten track and destroy all our stereotyped views on romance, and the dynamics that men and women are supposed to share.  The reference to that juggernaut of romance DDLJ, and the careful destruction of the Raj persona is done in a ‘wink wink nudge nudge’ way of saying ‘yes that was all great for its time but a new order is here now’.   The story is attributed to Aditya Chopra, the creator of DDLJ – and that in itself signifies the coming of a new order for Yash Raj films.  The film is peppered with songs that do not feel forced (except Lucky Boy perhaps – coming so quick on the heels of the lovely Jogi Mai).  They are easy on the ears and most appropriate in setting and situations.  The dialogs are hilarious for the most part, and have many laugh out loud moments.  Much of the hilarity comes from the bad boy duo of Ranbir and Hiten as they negotiate Raj’s many entanglements. 

The girls are easy on the eye – and how!  From the extremely cute Minissha, to the sultry dusky Bipasha, to the glowing classy Deepika, the girls look and act like a million bucks.  The crown of course goes to Bipasha – she has the meatiest role and she is like she was never before.  It is time to sit up and take notice of Ms. Basu as she displays her acting chops.  Minissha has less to do, but is still quite effective as the filmi romance struck teenager, and then as the repressed housewife.  Deepika has even less to do as the cabbie+check-out clerk, and does it most effectively by merely looking stunning and smiling that beautiful smile.  Hiten Paintal will now be the favorite “friend” in films.  He brings the comic side-kick back with a bang.  Kunal Kapoor delivers a powerhouse performance in a brief role where you feel his pain and then his joy at finally getting a chance at real love.  Last but not least, Ranbir Kapoor delivers a perfect 10 performance as Raj – excellent whether doing his teenage or adult Rajgiri, being plain silly, or showing his emotional or vulnerable side.  This young man is ready to be the Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna, Shah Rukh Khan of his time in romantic films.  With a physical presence that far exceeds the Dad’s, and talent in such ample evidence, a star has arrived.  Finally a well deserved success for Yash Raj – a fun filled film that should strike a chord with those who loved DDLJ, pokes enough fun at it to keep the haters happy, and creates a replacement of that one for the teenagers of today.