(Crisp) Movie Review: VISHWAROOP by FENIL SETA

Movie Review: AKAASH VANI by FENIL SETA

Since an early age, we are hammered with the fact that Man is a social animal. Most of the things we do, endorse or believe in are in synch with what is acceptable in the society as well. Few don’t care a damn as to how society perceives them but most of them are constantly bogged down by ‘log kya kahenge?’ phenomena. Akaash Vani throws light on it and indicates that lives are ruined because of societal pressures. The film is made with the right intentions and does make a mark, but excessive length however dilutes the impact.

The story of the movie: Akaash (Kartik Tiwari), a Chandigarh dude and Vani (Nushrat Bharucha), a sweet happy-go-lucky girl from Dehradun, get enrolled in a college in Delhi. Sparks fly the moment they set their eyes on each other. Soon, they get into a relationship and spend the four years of their college life in bliss and contentment. After they are done with their graduation, tragedy strikes and Vani is compelled to end the relationship. After a gap, Akaash and Vani meet again. Both are woefully unhappy with their lives. Getting back in a relationship is a remote possibility now since times and situations have changed. Will they still go ahead and make it happen?

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Movie Review: RACE 2 by FENIL SETA

Director duo Abbas-Mustan has carved a niche in Bollywood with their brilliant filmography and track record. They enhanced their credibility with Race, considered as one of the best suspense thrillers to have come out from Bollywood. The manner in which every character had hidden agendas up their sleeve and the manner in which the twists and turns were executed gave a brilliant thrill to the viewers like never before. And as the sequel, Race 2, hits the theatres, expectations are bound to by skyhigh. Viewers after all would expect much more than what Race had offered. Unfortunately, Abbas-Mustan fails to reach to the level or outshine Race. Having said that, Race 2 has its moments, plenty of them, and the typical Abbas-Mustan brilliance aided by glitz and glamour makes Race 2 a superbly entertaining watch!

The story of the movie: Ranvir Singh (Saif Ali Khan) is having a great time in Cyprus when tragedy strikes. To avenge, he travels to Istanbul and with the help of his trusted aide, R D (Anil Kapoor), comes across a wealthy tycoon Armaan Malik (John Abraham) and his sister Aleena (Deepika Padukone). He finds himself attracted to Aleena and on the other hand, he is also not able to resist Armaan’s girlfriend Omisha (Jacqueline Fernandez). Ranveer waits for the right opportunity and soon chugs his plan into motion. However, Armaan is as smart (or maybe smarter). Hence, although Ranveer is a brilliant planner, locking horns with Armaan might not be a good idea and can prove fatal as well.

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Movie Review: INKAAR by FENIL SETA

Times are changing and women are entering into fields and taking over positions that were predominantly male bastions. Naturally, the alpha male is bound to feel slightly uncomfortable especially when women get the charge of ordering them and even saying ‘no’ (or rather doing ‘inkaar’) to their advances. And when the stakes go too far or limits are crossed, repercussions can be disastrous. But who decides that a particular person has crossed a line? Inkaar deals with complicated matters like these, and throws light on the sexual harassment in workplaces. It neither offers any concrete answers nor makes judgment as to who’s right and wrong. It attempts to be as real as it can be and be innovative and while that brings lot of freshness to the film, somehow the film fails to work as a whole.

The story of the movie: Maya Luthra (Chitrangda Singh) is an aspiring advertising professional who one day bumps into Rahul Verma (Arjun Rampal), CEO of one of the biggest advertising agencies, KK & Doyle. He enrolls her, moulds her and makes her confident enough for the tough advertising job. 7 years later, Maya, now the National Creative Director of KK & Doyle, files a sexual harassment complaint against Rahul. A committee is set up by the management to decide whether the accusations of Maya are sufficient to nail Rahul. But as Rahul defends his stand and Maya talks about what she went through in the seven long years, it becomes difficult to conclude who’s right/wrong and also who’s lying or revealing the true facts. The only thing which is clear is that – only one will emerge clean, or rather the winner. Who will it be?

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Movie Review: MATRU KI BIJLEE KA MANDOLA by FENIL SETA

It’s not uncommon to read about vast stretches of farmlands coming under the government’s plan of ‘special economic zone’ and the agitation that follows as hundreds and thousands of villagers fear eviction from their own homes and farms. Many films have been attempted on this core idea since more than half a decade. But when it comes to Vishal Bhardwaj, expecting something conventional and predictable would obviously be wrong. In that regard, Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola does succeed. Moreover, the humour in the film is witty and at places, never-before-seen. But the film comes with a baggage of glitches which prevents Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola from becoming a classic satire of Bollywood, in the lines of a Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro!

The story of the movie: Hariya aka Harry Mandola (Pankaj Kapur) is the richest man in his village in Haryana, named after him – Mandola. The gentleman is a chronic alcoholic and suffers from terrible hallucinations if he doesn’t get his daily (over)dose of popular local liquor, Gulabo. His daughter Bijlee (Anushka Sharma) and Man Friday Matru (Imran Khan) are fed up of his drinking habit and the change of behavior and mindset he undergoes when he’s drunk. But their efforts of getting him away from liquor prove futile. Things turn sour when Bijlee is all set to marry Badal (Aarya Babbar), son of a powerful manipulative politician Chaudhari Devi (Shabana Azmi) and on the other hand, Mandola villagers refuse to allocate their land to the government for ‘development purpose’.

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Movie Review: TABLE NO.21 by FENIL SETA

They seemed like an ideal married couple. They had their own dreams and hopes for a better future. They looked cute together and were game for some cutesy and naughty stuff, in private. Most importantly, they looked innocent. However, a good old saying holds true – don’t judge a book by its cover. One never knows the kind of brutal and shocking past a person have had, even though his present state might not be giving even the slightest inclination of the same. Table No. 21 deals with this notion though it is essentially a thriller. Not a great piece of cinema…but a well-executed 108 minutes of entertainment…and surprises and shocks too!

The story of the movie: Vivaan (Rajeev Khandelwal) and Siya (Tena Desae) are thrilled as they win a trip to Fiji. Their marriage anniversary coincidentally falls on this trip and on this special day, they meet a suave Mr Khan (Paresh Rawal) who runs a lavish resort and hosts an exciting live game – Table No.21 – which is seen by millions of viewers worldwide. Khan invites the couple to play the game and they accept. The rules are simple – there will be eight questions and the answers should only be in ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ and there will be a task associated with this question. They get a chance to win Rs 21 crore if they successfully answer all questions right and complete the tasks. However, there’s a catch – they can’t lie while answering for if they lie, they die! Initially, the questions seem easy and Viaan-Siya enjoy the game. But as the game progressed, the questions get more and more personal and even disgraceful. The tasks get even more shocking and in some cases, near-fatal. However, Vivaa-Siya can’t quit mid-way and the only way they can get out is by completing the game till. Will they succeed?

Table No. 21 has a crisp and fast-paced narrative although at places, the film could have saved more time. There are plenty of flashbacks in between but is well shot and doesn’t delay the proceedings. The initial sequences are breezy, romantic and even funny. But the film gets into serious shocking zone from the fourth question. The thrill continues in the second hour too. After a point, it does get too heavy and didn’t seem convincing. The final flashback in the climax was too shocking and registers impact. But at this point, one loses sympathy for a principal character in the movie. A conventional ending would have just not worked after that. And very thankfully, the film ends on a much unexpected but extremely justified note.

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Movie Review: DABANGG 2 by FENIL SETA

Chulbul Pandey is back and this time, with more style, romance and action and yes, this time he has more laws…err…jaws to break! Dabangg 2 turns out to be one helluva ride which has tons and tons of entertainment to offer despite limited content! The film presents Salman Khan the way his fans would like him and in that context, the masses would be thoroughly entertained!

The story of the movie: After eliminating Cheddi Singh (Sonu Sood) in his hometown Lalganj, charismatic and dynmanic cop, Chulbul Pandey (Salman Khan) is transferred to take charge of Bajariya Police Station in the city of Kanpur. Soon, Chulbul gets into conflict with the most dangerous chap in the city, Bachcha Bhaiyya (Prakash Raj) and his two brothers – Chunni (Nikitin Dheer) and Gainda (Deepak Dobriyal). Problem arises when Chulbul keeps challenging Bachcha and his family members and in a decisive situation, even kills one of them. Bas aur kya…it turns out to be the ‘aata maajhi satakli’ moment for Bachcha and he decides to straighten up Chulbul once and for all.

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Movie Review: KHILADI 786 by FENIL SETA

I strongly believe that it’s not the plotline that makes or breaks a film. There are films boasting of skeletal and beaten to death plots but have worked wonders thanks to an effective script and execution. Khiladi 786 sadly isn’t one of those films. When one is attempting to present a fairly predictable story, it’s important that the dialogues and one-liners entice loads of laughter. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen and what one gets to see are the same old sequences/jokes repackaged to the viewers!

The story of the movie: Mansukh (Himesh Reshammiya) is the worthless son of marriage bureau owner Champak Lal (Manoj Joshi) who has unintentionally ruined many marriages fixed by his father. To prove his worth, Mansukh takes up a tough challenge – he attempts to get Indu (Asin), sister of dreaded don Tatya Tukaram Tendulkar (Mithun Chakraborty) hitched with the Khiladi 786, Bahattar Singh (Akshay Kumar), a cop in Punjab police. Realizing that nobody is willing to marry Indu because of his gangster image, Tatya or TT as he calls himself accepts Mansukh’s suggestion and masquerades as ACP in front of Bahattar and his family. On the other hand, Indu is a firebrand lady who decides to try every trick in her book to scare off Bahattar. How these mad characters create problems and come out of it is what Khiladi 786 is all about.

Himesh Reshammiya’s plot gives a déjà vu of No Entry, Welcome, Ready, Housefull 2 and many other films that focused on a bunch of characters hiding a terrible truth from a dreaded person, leading to hilarious situations. Only few dialogues work here and there. Otherwise, the one-liners are not impressive and don’t entice laugh. Even the situations are ordinary and one knows where the film is heading. Hence, it’s not the waferthin plot that’s the culprit…it’s the substandard script that makes Khiladi 786 a disappointment.

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India Today Review Khiladi 786: true dhamaal, Akshay style

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/khiladi-786-true-dhamaal-akshay-style/1/236496.html Film: Khiladi 786 Cast: Akshay Kumar, Asin, Mithun Chakraborty, Himesh Reshammiya, Raj Babbar and Rahul Singh; Director: Ashish R.Mohan Rating: *** What can be said about a film where a couple named Mili and Bhagat conspire … Read More

Movie Review: TALAASH by FENIL SETA

When Aamir Khan was last seen on screen as a lead actor, in 3 Idiots, history was created. The film broke box office records but most importantly, gave us an experience that we can cherish and remember forever fondly. Aamir Khan became synonymous with entertaining, meaningful, sensible cinema and his forthcoming films became eagerly awaited. Surprisingly, Aamir vanished from Bollywood scenario and didn’t even sign a film for a long time, instead devoting time to his television show Satyamev Jayate. And finally, when Aamir chose Talaash, the fans and industry heaved a sigh of relief. The ‘thinking Khan’ will be back soon after all! Again, Aamir made us wait, postponing the film to almost 5 months and finally, here comes November 30. And here comes Talaash, easily one of the most talked-about and anticipated films in the last 2 years! Promos never promised any masala entertainment or humour and in that regard, Talaash doesn’t mislead or cheat audiences. The film keeps one hooked although it moves at its own pace. More about it later!

The story of the movie: Inspector Surjan Singh Shekhawat (Aamir Khan) is assigned the case of the accident/murder of movie star Armaan Kapoor (Vivaan Bhatena). The case is bewildering and Suraj is not able to find a single clue. On the other hand, he’s battling problems in his personal life as well. His son Karan has passed away in an accident and Surjan fails to come to terms with this loss. Moreover, he is also finding it difficult to emotionally connect with his wife Roshni (Rani Mukerji) post-tragedy. At this point, Surjan meets Rosie (Kareena Kapoor), an attractive sex worker, operating in the same area where Armaan loses life. Surjan gets drawn towards Rosie to find answers to Armaan’s mysterious death and also to get over his personal grief.

It’ll be wrong to reveal much about Talaash since as we all know, that it’s a suspense drama and unveiling anything can kill the joy of the viewers. However, one should be aware of the fact that it’s an engrossing film but not fast-paced. It’s around 135 minutes long and takes its own time to reach the culmination. But from start to finish, the film has several moments that are deftly executed, performed and written and which will find appreciation. Characters are brilliantly sketched and one instantly gets drawn into the troubled world of Surjan and Roshni. Songs are minimal but smartly incorporated into the film. The first half is superb and wonderfully builds up the mystery and leave the viewers asking, ‘what next?’. The second half commences well and Aamir-Kareena’s scenes are nicely executed. The film does drag somewhere in the middle of the second hour. But it gets back on track during the pre-climax. In fact, the last 25 minutes is the best part of the enterprise. But at the same time, here lies a catch – many viewers will be able to guess the suspense before it’s unveiled! This is not something that should not happen in a film promoted as a whodunit. But still one doesn’t mind! Talaash, after all, is more than a suspense film. It’s an emotional film at its core and deals with issues like forced prostitution and more importantly broken homes, strained marital relations, coming to terms with loss of a loved one etc and in that context, the film is an excellent and satisfying experience. But somewhere, thanks to these bloody expectations, a lot is left to be desired!

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Movie Review: JAB TAK HAI JAAN by FENIL SETA

‘A Yash Chopra Romance’…that’s what the poster of Jab Tak Hai Jaan reads. And that was one of the hugest reasons to catch the film ASAP, besides of course the wonderful cast comprising of Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma. A R Rahman’s music, Gulzarsaab’s lyrics and Aditya Chopra’s touching poem added to the excitement. And not to forget, the untimely demise of Mr Chopra couple of weeks before the release of the film gave a huge shock to moviegoers and a further impetus to catch the film as soon as it’s in theatres. After all, it’s the master director’s final stroke of brilliance! And thankfully, Jab Tak Hai Jaan does fulfill the expectations. It’s 179 minutes long but keeps one hooked effortlessly. Several scenes touch viewer’s hearts immensely. But alas, the film has its share of glitches that dilutes a bit the impact of Mr Chopra’s final directorial venture.

The story of the movie: The makers haven’t revealed the plot of the film. Then who am I to spoil viewer’s fun and curiosity? So for a change, no revealing of story!

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Film Review – Skyfall

Here’s my latest update from my blog. Again, my humble request that you comment on it (in the blog).

http://jtwmovieworld.blogspot.in/2012/11/film-review-skyfall.html

I’ll give the first few paragraphs.

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That Sam Mendes has proved himself as a quality filmmaker is in absolutely no doubt. With titles like Road to Perdition and the Academy Award-winning American Beauty, he has carved himself a solid brand recognition without being splashily famous like Christopher Nolan or James Cameron. So when he was announced as the director of the (then untitled) Bond project, everyone was up in the air. An Academy Award winner would definitely turn around the franchise after the faltering step that was Quantum of Solace. Right?

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Music Review – Jab Tak Hai Jaan

Guys, please comment on my blog; its a part of a competition and I need it to get a large number of comments.

My music review of Jab Tak Hai Jaan can be found in this link (from my blog) … Read More

Movie Review: LUV SHUV TEY CHICKEN KHURANA by FENIL SETA

Every second person I know well is a foodie. Food is an intrinsic part of our lives in our country. Guests are not expected to leave the host’s residence without having the customary meal. Food assumes maximum importance in weddings. One will forgive the ladkewaale and ladkiwaale for apology in the name of marriage venue, lights, flowers, seating arrangements etc but would not forgive them for apology in the name of food. Then there are restaurants that turn legendary for serving the most delicious and ‘exclusive’ food dishes. Many of them have their own recipes which are kept secret and any rival restaurateur might be ready to go to any length to get hold of that secret. Funnily and strangely enough, in a country so obsessed with food, there are hardly any films that completely revolved around khana khazaana. Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana attempts to be the first one in this regard and does a fairly neat job. Interesting watch!

The story of the movie: Omi Khurana (Kunal Kapoor) is based in London. After getting into the wrong books of gangster Shanty (Manish Mukhija), Omi goes back to his hometown – Lalton, Punjab – and gives a totally false picture about his financial status to his family. Omi soon realizes that times have changed for the Khurana family. Darji (Vinod Nagpal), Omi’s grandfather, who used to run a popular dhaba, has gone senile and has lost memory as well. As a result, the secret recipe of Darji’s Chicken Khurana – the mouthwatering dish that made their dhaba ‘world famous in Punjab’ – is lost too. Subsequently, their much-adored dhaba had to close down. Omi can solve all his problems and end confrontation with Shanty if he finds the lost recipe of Chicken Khurana. Would he able to do so, especially when time is running out?

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Movie Review: FUTURE TO BRIGHT HAI JI by FENIL SETA

Small-town residents with big dreams descending to Mumbai and facing hordes of struggles is a great recipe for a heartwarming, funny and touching film. Many memorable films have been based on this plot, from Raj Kapoor’s Shree 420 to Farhan Akhtar-starrer Luck By Chance and many more. Future To Bright Hai Ji is an addition to the long list of such films. The makers seemed clearly inspired from Hrishikesh Mukherjee brand of cinema and have done a decent job, but only at places. Overall, the execution, script and most importantly, humour is plain average.

The story of the movie: Ajay Kumar (Aamir Bashir) is an assistant writer of a daily soap and is married to Sonia Singh (Sonal Sehgal), a small-time television actress who plays the role of a character twice her actual age. Both are unhappy with the way their career is progressing and are also not content with their rented place. One fine day, they manage to meet a world renowned astrologer who predicts that their life is going to change in the next 7 days. The same day, Ajay meets Verma (Vipin Sharma), politician-turned-builder-turned-producer who assigns him the task of writing the script for a film that will launch his son. However, he is supposed to submit the script in a week or else… The next day, the loud-mouthed Sonal fights with their landlord and pressurizes Ajay to move to an upmarket housing society. While Ajay gets busy in adhering to his wife’s wishes, he doesn’t get time and chance to script for Varma. On the other hand, getting possession of their new house becomes problematic with each passing day. Will they come out of the mess soon? Will Ajay be able to script for Varma in time? Will their future indeed turn bright within 7 days?

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Movie Review: RUSH by FENIL SETA

KHILADI 786 REMAINING SONGS PREVIEW

Long Drive Seems Instant hit . a chartbuster .. this will be heard in cars full volume

http://mymp3song.com/siteuploads/files/Bollywood/J%20-%20K%20-%20L/K/Khiladi%20786%20[Promo%20Song%20Only]%20-%20(2012)/03%20-%20Long%20Drive(MyMp3Song.Com).mp3

Hukka Bar Love this osng .. CATCHY .. i think it will rock discs and baar

http://mymp3song.com/siteuploads/files/Bollywood/J%20-%20K%20-%20L/K/Khiladi%20786%20[Promo%20Song%20Only]%20-%20(2012)/05%20-%20Hookah%20Bar(MyMp3Song.Com).mp3

PALKAN DI CHAWAAN Sad song .. unable to decide whetehr its good or bad .. i will put it in avg category .. i think the kind of video will tell where this song will go

http://mymp3song.com/siteuploads/files/Bollywood/J%20-%20K%20-%20L/K/Khiladi%20786%20[Promo%20Song%20Only]%20-%20(2012)/04%20-%20Sari%20Sari%20Raat(MyMp3Song.Com).mp3

TU hoor pari – This song looks like straight lift from some punjabi movie .. i dont like this one

http://mymp3song.com/siteuploads/files/Bollywood/J%20-%20K%20-%20L/K/Khiladi%20786%20[Promo%20Song%20Only]%20-%20(2012)/07%20-%20Tu%20Hoor%20Pari(MyMp3Song.Com).mp3

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Movie Review: CHAKRAVYUH by FENIL SETA

A couple of years back, when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh quoted that Naxalism is the biggest threat to India, even bigger than the terrorist activities from across the border, the whole nation and even the world sat up and took notice of the grave issue. Till date, very few Bollywood films have thrown light on this situation (Lal Salaam, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi and Red Alert are the only films that can be recalled). Add Chakravyuh to the list. Director Prakash Jha makes a sincere attempt in presenting the grave problems that exist in our country and although messes up a bit, the film does leave a mark.

The story of the movie: The situation is bad in Nandighat, a remote area inhabited mainly by tribals. Rajan (Manoj Bajpayee) heads a group of Naxals and has wrecked havoc among the police force and government. A young brave officer tries to eliminate Rajan and his gang but he is killed along with almost 80 other cops. Adil Khan (Arjun Rampal) is then given charge of Nandighat and he soon realizes that Rajan enjoys the confidence of the locals and it’ll be difficult to nab him. At this point, Adil’s close friend Kabir (Abhay Deol) comes to his rescues. He becomes Adil’s informer and joins Rajan’s gang. In no time, he wins the trust of Rajan, Juhi (Anjali Patil) and everyone else. However, he soon realizes that Naxals aren’t as villainous as projected and undergoes a change in mindset. Will Kabir change sides?

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Movie Review: DELHI SAFARI by FENIL SETA

Mumbai is proud to be the only place in the world to have a national park in the city limits. However, this world record comes with its set of challenges as well. Reports of leopards and other wild animals entering into human habitat have become very common. Humans are to blame for most of these man v/s animal conflicts. Forests are being cut down to make way for human settlements. With increasing awareness about this sensitive issue, the incidence of such occurrences should have lessened. However, it’s increasing day by day and more and more residential and commercial projects in forest areas are being okayed by the government. Animals can’t speak language of humans and hence suffer silently. But what if they are able to put their problems across to the lawmakers? This is the idea on which Delhi Safari is based on and turns out to be a decent fare!

The story of the movie: One fine day, Sultan the leopard (Suniel Shetty) is roaming in his home – Sanjay Gandhi National Park – with his cub, Yuvi (Swini Khara) when suddenly he almost gets killed by a giant bulldozer. He runs away from the ‘monster’ and enters a construction site of a residential building, situated within or maybe at the periphery of forest premises. Yuvi gets saved but Sultan is shot dead by the construction supervisor. Yuvi’s mother and Sultan’s mother Begum (Urmila Matondkar) gets a shock and decides to leave the forest immediately. But Yuvi, along with Bajrangi the monkey (Govinda) and Bagga the bear (Boman Irani) convince Begum of not leaving their home and also come up with a plan – the animals should meet the concerned humans at the union ministry in Delhi and voice their problems to them. But who’ll communicate with the humans? Enter Alex the parrot (Akshaye Khanna) who is kidnapped from his master, a film director, who can speak human languages and who reluctantly becomes part of the ‘Delhi Safari’.

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Movie Review: STUDENT OF THE YEAR by FENIL SETA

There’s large kid and teen population in India and unlike many other countries, cinema in India (esp Bollywood) fails to churn films for them regularly. Just like there’s a dearth of animated and children films, likewise there are very few films one can recall that has the under-25 as the target audience. In such times, Student Of The Year comes as a breath of fresh air. It boasts of three new exciting faces, all young, looks visually stunning, has catchy tracks and most importantly, it’s made by one of the premiere production house of Bollywood (Dharma Productions). Taking newcomers as protagonists could be a risky proposition. But the efforts seem to have paid off! The debutants – Varun Dhawan, Sidharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt – became the new heartthrobs of the nation while the movie turned out to be a total timepass fare!

The story of the movie: Rohan Nanda (Varun Dhawan) is the most popular guy in St. Theresa’s High School, Dehradun – India’s premiere academic institution. But he’s confused about his relationship status with Shanaya Singhania (Alia Bhatt). Enter Abhimanyu Singh (Sidharth Malhotra). After a shaky start, Rohan and Abhimanyu become the best of buddies. At this point of time, Dean Yogendra Vasisht (Rishi Kapoor) throws open the much-awaited ‘Student Of The Year’ competition. Abhimanyu comes from a middle-class background and wants to achieve dizzying heights and feels that winning the ‘Student Of The Year’ can be a great start. On the other hand, Rohan is the son of the business tycoon Ashok Nanda (Ram Kapoor) and both can’t see eye-to-eye. For him, winning ‘Student Of The Year’ competition will help him prove his worth to his dad. While all is going great, the competitive streak and love matters complicate things between Rohan, Shanaya and Abhimanyu. Who’ll be the ultimate winner?

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Movie Review: BHOOT RETURNS by FENIL SETA

Bollywood has dished out many horror films over the years and a common element in most of them is a family moving into a large house that is haunted. Ram Gopal Varma himself has come up with films like Raat, Bhoot and Vastu Shastra and now comes up with Bhoot Returns, all of which having the haunted house as the common element. Yet, all 4 are distinct thanks to content and execution and Bhoot Returns is no exception. And this time, RGV uses the 3D to his advantage and the results are extra-ordinary! Worth a go!

The story of the movie: Tarun (J D Chekravarthy) moves into a luxurious bungalow at a rather cheap rent. His wife Namrata (Manisha Koirala) is initially hesitant but she decides to give in when their children, Taman (Kaushank) and Nimmi (Alayna Sharma) readily approve of the new house. Tarun’s sister, Pooja (Madhu Shalini) drops in during the vacation who givers a thumbs up to the house as well. While exploring her new home, Nimmi comes across a doll. Soon, strange occurrences start happening in the house. Nimmi claims to have an ‘imaginary’ friend called Shabbo. At the middle of the night, the family hears strange sounds and knocks on the main door. Nimmi claims it’s Shabbo who’s doing it! Tarun rubbishes Nimmi’s claims but as more and more eerie and strange incidents happen in the house, Tarun and family start to think otherwise. Will they able to get to the bottom of the issue and come up with solution before it’s too late?

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Movie Review: AIYYAA by FENIL SETA

There’s nothing wrong in opting for a plot beaten to death zillions of times, as long as one is able to incorporate it in an interesting characters amidst interesting setting and is deftly executed. Aiyyaa fits the bills perfectly. The basic plot is nothing new but characters are damn interesting. Music is another plus point. Even Sachin Kundalkar’s execution is marvelous at places. At places, only! There are junctures where the film is unnecessarily stretched. Even the characters get on your nerves after a point. Aiyyaa hence is a disappointment!

The story of the movie: Meenaxi Deshpande (Rani Mukerji) lives with her madcap family in Pune. She loves to be in her dream world and is not okay with her family’s idea of getting into an arranged marriage. She gets a job in an art institute where she comes across a painter, Surya (Prithviraj) and gets attracted to him because of his smell! She fantasizes about him and even learns Surya’s mother tongue – Tamil! But she’s hesitant to even strike a conversation with him. On the other hand, Meenaxi’s parents fix her marriage with kind-hearted Madhav (Subodh Barve), who’s diametrically opposite to Meenaxi in many ways. Watch Aiyyaa to find out what happens next.

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Movie Review: KISMET LOVE PAISA DILLI by FENIL SETA

Movie Review: ENGLISH VINGLISH by FENIL SETA

Although English is the link language and more and more children are increasingly being admitted in English-medium schools, there’s still a large population that still can’t speak English fluently. When they are compelled to mouth few words in English owing to social pressures, they at times make a mess of it. This has been reflected in cinema as well and the recent example being Ajay Devgn’s character in Bol Bachchan. But the character was more like a chieftain and hence his mistakes weren’t corrected or laughed upon. But in real life, such mistakes are pointed out and become butt of jokes, which can be extremely humiliating. English Vinglish also deals with this aspect and since the plot was relatable, half of the battle was already won. And thanks to debutant director Gauri Shinde’s direction and script and of course Sridevi’s bravura performance, English Vinglish turns out to be a beautiful and enriching experience. A must watch!

The story of the movie: Shashi Godbole (Sridevi) lives in Pune with hubby, Satish (Adil Hussain), mother-in-law (Sulbha Deshpande) and children Sapna (Navika Kotia) and Sagar (Shivansh Kotia). She’s an expert in making laddoos and even runs a small ‘in-house business’ of the same. Her customers swear by her laddoos but this means nothing for her family. Moreover, she isn’t fluent in English and that is a deterrent as well. The usual ups and downs were going on in her life when suddenly she is called by her sister (Sujata Kumar) to New York for the wedding of her daughter Meera (Neelu Sodhi). Circumstances compel Shashi to travel alone to New York and her family decided to join her few weeks later. How will Shashi, who has always been with her family and isn’t articulate when it comes to English, travel all alone to a foreign country, handle the immigration procedures and interact with the inhabitants?

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Raja Sen: English Vinglish is a winner all the way

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In India [ Images ], our post-Colonial hangover includes a peculiar English-language elitism, where those even halfway in control of the language thumb their nose at those unable to speak it.

Where folk routinely, and with unforgivable curtness, cut folk off mid-sentence to snappily correct pronunciation. Which is why a scene in Gauri Shinde’s new film — where a simple Maharashtrian woman is castigated by her family for calling jazz “jhaaz” (even as they proudly call it “jhazz” themselves) — rings so true.

They don’t intentionally mean to humiliate the woman with their constant use of English, but appear befuddled by her lack of what they imagine to be the most basic of linguistic skills.

Shashi, the devastatingly unassuming heroine of English Vinglish, is a homemaker and crafter of much-adored laddoos, a fledgling entrepreneur doing what she does because its the only thing she’s applauded for. Not knowing English, however, cripples her at nearly every turn, till the fact that she can’t speak the language becomes her not-so-secret shame, not unlike Kate Winslet’s [ Images ] illiteracy in The Reader. And here’s the thing: Sridevi does far better.

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