Movie Review ->> Rakht Charitra 2

Starring: Suriya, Vivek Oberoi, Priyamani, Radhika Apte Directed: Ram Gopal Varma Rating: *** ½ In this sequel to Ram Gopal Varma's month-old film about gangwars during the time of politics and elections we get to see for the first time in a Hindi film Suriya, an actor of searing intensity and devastating emotional velocity. Suriya takes the frontseat in the sequel to create an ambience of implosive violence. Yes, we've never seen an actor so controlled in his intensity for a long time. Suriya's vendetta spree certainly lends an added sheen to the proceedings. Whether expressing his love for his wife (Priya Mani, over-madeup) and baby or hatred for his opponent Paritala Ravi (Vivek Oberoi, not able to add to his performance from the first part), Suriya's eyes convey a smouldering universe of indignation injustice grief and anger. Cleverly Varma has given Suriya long stretches of silence in which the star-actor negotiates his angst-filled journey from betrayal to redemption. Suriya's lengthy introduction sequence, the even lengthier attempt to kill him in the court house and the long fight sequence in jail are all 'items' constructed to spotlight the star's agile histrionics. "Rakhta Charitra2" goes a little slower on the body count than the first part. It is still one of the bloodiest, most violent films in living memory. This must be the quickest sequel ever. "Rakht Charitra2" is better, more engaging and riveting in terms of content and drama. Full credit to Ram Gopal Varma for re-creating the savage world of politics and bloodshed in the Andhra hinterland. With skilled hands, Varma weaves the theme of an internecine war between two Men Who Would Be King In The Concrete Jungle. The background score and editing highlight the ruthless profile of the hinterland. "Rakht Charitra 2" goes beyond the first part in pursuit of the savage impulses that accentuate the hunger for power. Suriya has the most pained eyes since Om Puri in "Aakrosh". Between the pleading and the bleeding that are projected into his character, Suriya proves himself the discovery of the year. Watch "Rakht Charitra2" for Suriya. And then watch it for the parable of violence that Ram Gopal Varma continues to construct in search of a meaning for the cinema beyond surface beauty.

Movie Review ->> Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Se

Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Sikandar Kher, Vishakha Singh Director: Ashutosh Gowariker Rating: **** There's ongoing sense of serenity compounded by a feeling of sincerity and transparency in the cinema of Ashutosh Gowariker. This filmmaker never hides life's most essential truth in cinematic subterfuge. Rather, Gowariker goes the other way. He strips the emotional content of cinema of its accessories and trappings and leaves the screen with just that right amount of drama that does complete justice to the characters without making them a casualty of excessive creative freedom. Celebrate the creative freedom of a fearless and honest cinema. "Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey" (KHJJS) is an inherently dramatic story about a large group of young people who fought an unknown chapter in India's freedom movement, told on screen with a minimum amount of flag-waving bravura. The source material, Manini Chatterjee's novel, is open to an acutely pompous and self-important treatment. But when has Gowariker's cinema ever been a prey to pomposity? If he can make Akbar's court look so cool, casual and muted in spite of its inbuilt flamboyancy, the super-committed sepoys of self-government in KHJJS are not capable of even a second of verbal or visual overstatement. Going to a world that is strongly redolent of historic ramifications, Gowariker pulls the real-life material out of the textbook and transforms it into an eminently engaging story about anti-colonialism. This is certainly not Gowariker's first visit into Colonial India. Who can forget the director's neo-classic "Lagaan" where one villager gathered a whole team of ragged villagers to beat the Brits at their own game. KHJJS is not as playful, lyrical and lush as "Lagaan". This time Gowariker tells his story with brutal straightforwardness, a quality that is a hallmark of this exceptional director's cinema, here more prominently on display than in any of his earlier works. The epic satire of "Lagaan", the grandiosity of "Jodhaa-Akbar" and the transparent nationalism of "Swades" peep out of Gowariker's latest work in measured doses, though never in a way that suggests any calculated attempt to create a pre-given ambience. The setting, Chittagong in Bengal in the 1930s, is created with a fluency, virility and scrupulousness that make us believe in the characters and their mission from the word go. Watching out for those sleeping-dogs of over-statement, the narrative moves across a an artless criss-cross of patriotic plotting without tripping over in anxiety and nervousness. A sense of calm camaraderie prevails even during moments of unsettling bloodshed. This is no one-day mataram. The patriotic zeal never felt more tranquil before. This is history without hysteria. In KHJJS, each one of 70-odd characters seems born into his or her respective parts. Much of supporting cast does what it is expected to. It supports the drama and the tension with restrain and skill. Standing tall in the supporting cast is Sikandar Kher expressing indignance and ire without going over-the-top. Deepika Padukone sheds her pouty movie-siren's image confidently. She gets unexpected competition from debutante Vishakha Singh who seems to get under the skin of her character. But the film finally 'belongs' to Abhishek Bachchan in the way that films become the property of actors who own characters not for a display of histrionic vanity but because they grasp instinctively the world which the character inhabits. Abhishek's empathy with his character is complete and unimpeachable. As Surjya Sen, he conveys a muffled but obstinate idealism. Abhishek's eyes become his window to a world where pain governs the journey to a greater glory. Just as it's impossible to imagine Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Black" and "Guzaarish" without Amitabh Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan, or Gowariker's "Swades" without Shah Rukh Khan, what, we wonder, would Surjya Sen be if Abhishek had not played him with such quelled anger, dignity and grace? Or for that matter where in our cinema today would history find a place if Gawariker was not committed to making compelling films on the indelible relationship between the present and the past? On the technical front, Kiran Deohans' cinematography and Nitin Desai's art direction are subtle delicate but evocative. Sohail Sen's music fits in like a glove with the film's theme and mood of restrained revolution. Don't expect the bombastic patriotism of Manoj Kumar's "Kranti" or the tax-exemptible desperate nobility of "Gandhi - My Father". The effectiveness of Gowariker's drama is drawn from the director's determination to keep his drama denuded of exhibitionism. "Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey" is the kind of rare and precious cinema on the theme of idealism, nobility and nationalism that is being progressively pushed out of our cinema by crass boorish comedies. It must be seen not because it retrieves a forgotten chapter from our history, but simply because it's a story so well told you forget it's a true story. The truth of the moment in the cinema of Gowariker is the only truth that matters for the audience. The rest is history.

Movie Review: West Is West

The South Asian International Film Festival came to a close in New York City last night. To end this year with a bang, West Is West made its U.S. premiere. The audience was filled with fans, critics, and movie makers -and everyone was excited to see the sequel to the 1999 hit film East Is East.

Many of us wondered if a decade later, West Is West could live up to such a good flick. After a delayed start and a quick introduction with touches of Hindi from the film's producer Leslee Udwin, the audience was treated to quite an amazing film.

The Story:

West Is West continues to follow the lives of the Khan family who are settled in Salford, England. George Khan is a proud Pakistani. He has made his life with wife Ella and the two run a local chippy together. Sajjid, the youngest son, is subjected to bullying at school because of his mixed blood.

Sajjid is miserable at school and continues to miss classes. One day, Sajjid gets himself in a bit of trouble and crosses the line with his father. George is convinced that if he takes Sajjid to Pakistan he will learn a lesson or two and become more respectful.

George and Sajjid go off to Pakistan where Sajjid is in for a culture shock! George and Sajjid return to Punjab where George comes face to face with his first wife and daughters whom he had left behind 30 years ago. As the story unfolds George has to face the reality he has created, while Sajjid goes on a journey to find himself.

Cast:

Om Puri as George Khan
Linda Bassett as Ella Khan
Aqib Khan as Sajjid
Jimi Mistry as Tariq Khan
Ila Arun as Basheera Khan

What We Think:

For people expecting something along the lines of East Is East, West is West will not live up to those standards. But West is West is still a brilliant film! The story is quite heart wrenching, the humor is different, but the audience will laugh plenty!

The delicate subject of a man having a family in Pakistan and one in England was handled very well and Ila was cast perfectly for the role as the original Mrs. Khan. The subplots between Sajjid and his new mentor, Sajjid and his father, George and each of his wives were effortlessly portrayed and there was constant chemistry between the co-stars.

Movie Review - We Are Family

We Are Family is a Hindi film directed by Siddarth Malhotra and produced by Karan Johar. The Bollywood drama is a remake of the 1998 American film Stepmom starring Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon. In We Are Family Kajol plays Maya, a perfect mother of three children who tries to keep the family a happy unit despite the divorce from her husband Aman, played by Arjun Rampal. The ‘happy family’ façade reaches an obstacle when Aman introduces his new girlfriend Shreya, played by Kareena Kapoor.

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Shreya and Maya couldn’t be any more different. Maya is a stay at home wife who gave up her career to be the best mother she could to her children while Shreya is a career-orientated woman who knows very little about kids. The two women constantly clash because Maya continues to point out that Shreya does not know how to take care of her children and Shreya accuses Maya of over-stepping her boundaries. Things change when Maya becomes diagnosed with cancer that proves to be life-threatening. Now the family must work together to raise the children and live peacefully together so they can really say “We Are Family!”

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The movie brings together Kareena and Kajol, the ‘sister’ pair from Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham. Originally slated to play the role of Aman was Bollywood heartthrob John Abraham, but as soon as John turned down the role the directors found the perfect actor for the part - Arjun! Producer Karan Johar wanted fans to participate in creating the film, so he let them vote on a title over Twitter. The winning title was of course We Are Family!

The soundtrack was composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and features ten songs, including “Dil Kohl Ke Let’s Rock,” “Kal Ho Naa Ho” and “Aankhon Mein Neendein.” We Are Family is set to release on September 2, 2010.

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Movie Review - No Problem

Anil Kapoor is back with a new home production, No Problem - a Hindi movie written and directed by Anees Bazmee and produced by Rajat Rawail, Anil Kapoor and Dr. B. K. Modi. The music is composed by Pritam Chakraborty and Bosco Martis, Caesar Gonsalves, Chinni Prakash as well as Vaibhavi Merchant are responsible for the choreography.

Anil Kapoor stars as Sr. Insp Arjun Singh, Sanjay Dutt plays Yash, Akshaye Khanna portrays Raj, Suniel Shetty plays Marcos, Neetu Chandra portrays Sofia, Sushmita Sen plays Kajal and Kangana Ranaut portrays Sanjana. Other actors include Bipasha Basu, Saloni Daini, Shakti Kapoor, Mukesh Tiwari, Vishwajeet Pradhan, Ranjeet and Suresh Menon.

The cast and crew began filming the sequel to No Entry in July in South Africa and Suresh Menon told reporters, “I can’t divulge much about the film. All I can say is that I am playing a cop with Anil Kapoor. As of now, we are busy shooting for the same in Cape Town.”

The film has been described as similar to Rohit Shetty’s Golmaal 3 with Ajay Devgan and Kareena Kapoor. It is being marketed as a hilarious comedy with fast-paced action scenes and funny encounters. Despite a comforting title, No Problem promises madness, problems, never seen before solutions, comedy that crosses new limits, and farting gorillas!

When Sushmita Sen was filming a scene with Anil Kapoor at Fortis Hospital in Vashi, things got real as the actress accidentally hurt Anil while throwing objects at him. Luckily Anil was already at the hospital because he needed five stitches!

There have been rumors circulating that international songstress and famous hip shaker Shakira, who loves all things Desi, might make a cameo in one of the film's item numbers, which surely would get moviegoers fired up.

No Problem hits theaters on December 10.

Movie Review - I Hate Luv Storys

I Hate Luv Storys is a romantic comedy starring Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor. Imran Khan plays Jay, an assistant director to the most famous romantic filmmaker in the Indian film industry. Jay lives by the principle ‘I hate luv storys’ yet has no choice but to encounter it on a daily basis. Despite his distaste for romance, Jay portrays a classic flirt in the film. "Imran plays a flirt or womanizer in my film. He's a 23-year-old boy who looks at, and flirts with every pretty girl that comes his way," director Punit Malhotra told reporters when asked about the movie.

Things get worse for Jay when his boss Veer, played by Samir Soni, assigns Jay to work with the new production designer on the film, Simran, played by Sonam Kapoor. Simran and Jay are total opposites. Simran loves ‘luv storys’ so much that her life seems to resemble one. She has the perfect job, the perfect boyfriend, and presumably the perfect life. Her meeting with Jay changes all that. Their on-set relationship begins to replicate that of the ‘Luv Story’ they are working on, forcing Simran to choose between her boyfriend and Jay. “Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor make a very fresh pair and look good with each other," producer Karan Johar told reporters.

Music composers Vishal and Shekhar provide the movie with a variety of great tunes. The soundtrack opens up with “Jab Mila Tu.” The romantic ballad sung by Shafqat Amanat Ali and Sunidhi Chauhan is a fresh mix of a classical tune with a fresh new-age techno type beat. Other songs include “Bahara” and “Sadke Hua” and “I Hate Luv Storys.” The movie is written and directed by Punit Malhotra and produced by Karan Johar and Ronnie Screwvala. It is set to hit theaters on July 2, 2010.

A Flat

Starring: Jimmy Shergill, Sanjay Suri, Kaveri Jha Director: Hemant Madhukar Rating: ** A Flat is yet another typical Bollywood horror flick that falls flat without much to get frightened. Director Hemant Madhukar has tried to collect matters from several previous Bollywood horror movies and then compiled them and have put them together with some new faces under a new title. The film has been co-written by Hemant Madhukar and Ajay Monga. If you expect to get some thrilling experience A Flat is not the right choice of movie for you provided you have watched Bhoot, Phoonk or Vaastu Shastra. Rahul (Jimmy Shergill) is the protagonist, who is an NRI and comes back to India to appease his lady love Preeti (Kaveri Jha). However, Rahul gets trapped in his own apartment in India and discovers a diary that discloses the secrets of the ghost. With the development of the story, he comes to know that his friend Karan (Sanjay Suri) is the main culprit behind all these. Karan impregnated a simple village girl even after being a married man. He brought the girl to Mumbai and forces her to undergo abortion even when the doctor warned that this may involve risk. Now, the film will revolves around how Rahul brings out the truth about his friend. Jimmy and Sanjay have given great performances but this was not enough for a movie to strike with a prototype story of many other earlier horror movies. The flat in which Jimmy stays has close similarity with the one used in Bhoot. You can enjoy some good music by Bappa but don’t expect to relate with the main storyline. Madhurkar has tried to bring out some horror factor with Jimmy’s realistic acting capability but the repetitive storyline takes away all the effort. You can go for the movie for Sanjay and Jimmy, the rest is nothing to get curious about.

Guzaarish Movie Review

Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai, Aditya Roy Kapoor, Monikangana Dutta, Suhel Seth Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali Rating: **** Breathe a sigh of relief. During a year when cacophonic crassness masquerading as comic entertainment has been sanctioned by critics and the masses, "Guzaarish" comes along to remind us that excellence is alive in our cinema. Ironically this wonderful work of art, nuanced and magical in its portrayal of an unstoppable spirit's quest to juice life to its fullest, is about dying. If the journey towards death in art can be so mystically explored, then let's embrace mortality as a stepping stone to immortality and a film about dying as a sign of cinema not dying on us. Not yet. Only those who suffer the numbing pain of isolation would know what it feels like. Dilip Kumar in "Devdas", Guru Dutt in "Pyasa", Meena Kumari in "Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam" and Nutan in "Bandini" communicated to the audience the indescribable pain of solitude. Ethan, as played by Hrithik Roshan in "Guzaarish", is so bemused by adversity that he can actually look at his own suffering with dispassionate humour. "Guzaarish" is a joyous, rapturous and ecstatic celebration of life. Those familiar with the art of Sanjay Leela Bhansali know how ably and ecstatically he transports his characters into a universe of seamless drama played at an octave where most cinematic symphonies crack up and topple over into high-pitched extravagance. Not Bhansali's cinema. Played at the highest possible scale, his drama unfolds in wave after wave of rapturous splendour. His characters occupy a space that defies definition and seduces audiences into celebrating a state of sublimity and splendour. Ethan's inert physicality is alchemized into an ambience of animated joy. His spirit dances and sings at the sheer pleasure of every moment that is given to him to live. He radiates joy. We feel his profound happiness at the gift of life. No film in living memory has brought out the sheer blessing of being alive with such spirit and glory. While Shah Rukh Khan's "Devdas" in Bhansali's opulent opera was a character broken in spirit, Hrithik's Ethan in "Guzaarish" is irreparably damaged in body. But his spirit soars, his eyes light up like thousands of stars every time Sophie walks in. That Sophie is played by Aishwarya Rai is a stroke of genius that goes a long way in giving "Guzaarish" its flavour of exceptional elegance. No other director brings out the quiet grace and the understated beauty of this screen diva's personality with as much intelligence and spontaneity as Bhansali. In "Guzaarish", Aishwarya is far more delicate and nuanced in conveying the unspoken pain of a love that has no tomorrow than she was in "Devdas". Aishwarya imbues her role with a resplendent grace. Love in "Guzaarish" is expressed with subtle smirks, gentle smiles and hints of a smothered passion that could erupt any time, if only destiny didn't choose to be so mean to the spirited. The scenes between Ethan and Sophie, the backbone of Ethan's spine-challenged life, radiate an inner beauty and wisdom and underline the director's enormous understanding of the self-negation that a love relationship requires. "Guzaarish" is Bhansali's most tender and evocative film to date. It layers the pain of a dying body with the passion of an unstoppable spirit as manifested in Hrithik's skilled and effortless performance as a quadriplegic who pledges to make every moment of his limited "sau gram zindagi" pleasurable for himself an those around him. Barring Amitabh Bachchan in "Black" there has never been a better performance in a Bhansali film than Hrithik's in "Guzaarish". He grabs Ethan's role and makes the dying character come alive in delightful waves of provocative histrionics. And if we're talking chemistry between Hrithik and Aishwarya, then let's get one thing clear - this ain't "Dhoom". It's something far deeper and satisfying. The other performance that catches your attention is Aditya Roy Kapoor's. He is natural and vivacious and in-sync with the film's spirit of celebrating life. Monikangna Dutt is a looker. In her limited space, she lends some appeal to the proceedings. Suhel Seth, Shernaaz Patel and Rajit Kapur also make a lingering impact in a film that you carry home with you in an inviolable place in your heart. A word about Bhansali's music score. The songs communicate the rich tapestried emotions of lives that are determined to smile through an extraordinary tragedy. Every piece of music and song in "Guzaarish" echoes the film's incandescent soul. The film's technical excellence, particularly Sudeep Chatterjee's cinematography, is not dazzling and flamboyant in the way it was in "Devdas". In "Guzaarish", the appeal is far more delicate and subtle. The deep but sober colours on screen reach out to you to enrich your life in ways that cinema was always meant to, until it was waylaid by the hooligans and imposters posing as filmmakers. "Guzaarish" is the real thing. A big, beautiful, dazzling emotional movie experience. You won't see a better film this year.

Raat Gayi Baat Gayi

Starring: Rajat Kapoor, Neha Dhupia, Irawati Harshe, Vinay Pathak, Anuradha Menon, Dalip Tahil, Navneet Nishan, Aamir Bashir Directed by Saurabh Shukla Rating: *** Somewhere on the second-half of this slightly seductive jigsaw about a one-night scam, filmmaker Sudhir Mishra shows up as Neha Dhupia’s father who drops in to have a chat with his sullen sultry daughter on the way to the airport. Little does the stoic Mishra know beti-babe has two men stashed away in a cupboard in the living room that looks consciously like a prop on a stage- set. Quirky sex comedies are allowed their moments of eccentricity. Last time we saw a benevolent patriarch stop over in transit was Sanjay Dutt in Rohit Shetty’s comedy All The Best. Maybe at this point Shukla deliberately wanted to introduce an element of staged comedy.After all, isn’t the world a stage? Shakespeare got there first. But hell. Saurabh Shukla is panting from behind to catch Sheakespeare’s comedy of ‘eros’ in a modern context. Saurabh Shukla (who can be quite a funny-guy on demand) has made a quirky sometimes-crisp sometimes-placid look-see at marriage and infidelity. The seductively - paced work is set at a party hosted by a loud Punjabi clueless woman (played with much gusto by Navneet Nishan) whose amiable husband Dalip Tahil we soon come to know, is cheating on his plump wife with the svelte seductress on the block played by Neha Dhupia who seems to invite more male attention than is healthy for any girl with a respectable appetite. And we aren’t talking about her tummy. Tahil isn’t alone. Vinay Pathak (playing the goofy slightly stupid and undiplomatic regular guy once again) is cheating on his wife Anuradha Menon (the hilarious Veejay Lola trying hard not to be funny, and succeeding) by checking out porn on the internet. “At your age?” tut-tuts Tahil before himself being caught with his pants down. Though nothing much up at his age. But our main potential philanderer is Rahul (Rajat Kapoor, as suave in his sleaziness as ever), married to the sullen Irawati Harshe who befriends the all-round resident siren (Dhupia) at a party, gets drunk and then forgets whether he actually did anything naughty or not. Hangover, anyone? “I can do it even when I’m drunk, no problem there, ” Rahul (Rajat Kapoor)says vainly to his porn-fed pal. One of the problems here is that everyone speaks in Hindi because…well, they’re part of a Hindi film when they’re characters who would be comfortable in English. Having said this and that, the characters seem to be effortlessly conscious of their authentic bearings. None of the performers strays from the not-so-straight and borrowed path of betrayal, deception and infidelity. The Rahul-Mitali marriage has a twist in its tail at the end. It doesn’t shock you. It just makes you sigh. Saurabh Shukla’s direction embarks on a journey through one night of steamy sensations. The revelations are hardly shocking, just diverting. Stylishly cut (Sankalp Meshram’s editing is amazing in its austerity) the material’s chic movement doesn’t quite justify the content. But the narrative has moments that spill out the acerbity underlining urban marriages which are at best functional and at their worst, lies told to keep up an appearance of domestic smoothness. The film exudes the scent of intelligence and competence. The actors all know their jobs. Most of them have earlier been through this kind of sexual-moral dilemma in some form or the other. The cutting edge is missing. But the proceedings never get cumbersome.

Accident On Hill Road

By Ashfaq Ahmad Starring Celina Jaitly, Abhimanyu Singh, Farouque Shaikh Producer: Nari Hira Director: Mahesh Nair Rating: ** There’s a man stuck on your windscreen! You want to scream to Celina Jaitly. But gosh, she does so much of that screaming thing herself you don’t really want to add to the din in this gory tale of the raat. In fact ‘Raat aur bahut sara din’ could well be the title of this noisy shiver giver adapted from a b-grade Hollywood horror flick. Celina Jaitly, spilling oomph all over as though it were running out of passion and fashion, is the curvaceous backbone of this being-bad-is-good upturned morality- tale. After having knocked down a poor pedestrian(Farouq Shaikh) who spends the rest of movie stuck to the lady’s windshield(talk about extra bagge!) the nurse(ironically in a profession that fosters healing and nurturing) spend frantic time trying to find ways to get rid of the writhing man. Agony is the film’s main ecstacy. This genre of horror cinema revels in creating acute discomfort and gruesome circumstances for the characters to a point where the audience is actually supposed to enjoy the ceaseless chill spill. Accident On Hill Road is road rage in all its gory splendour, committed to creating a string of incidents that suggest a vicarious mayhem. Debutant direct Mahesh Nair lets loose an eyecatching binge of blood and gore. This is Celina’s first real opportunity to sink her teeth into an author-backed role. She gets into her meaty role although very often she is intended to be the meat. Meet her man ka meet and tan ka meat A drug-peddlar named Sid, playing with menacing aggressiveness by Abimanyu Singh. What happened to all the noble evil-warring heroes of our films? Sid is so immoral he makes Mogambo look like a cartoon hero. After Wake Up Sid, this is ‘Shake-up Sid’! Accident On Hill Road leaves you shaken by its gore-quotient. But not quite stirred. The original Hollwood b-grader Stuck probably describes not just the physical state of the accident victim but also the the psychological condition of the audience. This Accident could’ve been avoided. Since it has has occurred and with screeching tyres (none of them around Celina’s waist) it might as well be borne. It’s fun to see Celina and Abhimanyu playing a voluptuous-immoral nurse and a zonked-out sexually-aggressive drug dealer. This pair is totally freed of moral obligations. Free idiots.

Movie Review: Raat Gayi Baat Gayi

The Story:

Raat Gayi Baat Gayi is a crazy story inspired by the Hollywood releases "The Hangover" and "One Night Stand." The movie features three couples. Rahul, played by Rajat Kapoor, wakes up one morning feeling terrible. He is suffering from a tremendous hangover and the nagging of his wife Mitali, portrayed by Iravati. Rahul tries to recall what happened the night before but can only put together bits and pieces. He distinctly remembers a gorgeous, young lady named Sophia, played by Neha Dupia.

Rahul remembers that he and Sophia had been drinking together. They talked for hours and then headed back to a room. Rahul initially thinks that he and Sophia had a bit of a wild night, but did they? As he comes back to reality, Rahul faces his cranky wife and all her questions. She keeps asking him 'why?' and Rahul is left thinking, 'why what?' With so many questions and loose ends, Rahul heads out to find out what exactly happened to him the night before. Was there a steamy night with Sophia? If so, did Mitali catch him? Or is it just his terrible hangover that is making Mitali so upset?

Also on this trip are Rahul's friends Saxena, played by Dalip Tahil, and Amit, played by Vinay Pathak. They have taken a trip with their wives and have to face their questions too. As the three men are convinced to work through their marital issues, they must find the answers! Rahul is not ready to end his eight year long marriage over a night that may or may not have happened.

This movie takes you on adventures with plenty of laughs and a few tears. With four women and three guys, things are it only gets messier.

The Cast:

Rajat Kapoor as Rahul
Vinay Pathak as Amit
Neha Dupia as Sophia
Irvati Harshe as Mitali
Navneet Nishan as Jolly
Dalip Tahil as Saxena
Anuradha Menon as Nandini

The Crew:

Producer: Rangita Pritish Nandy, Rajat Kapoor
Director: Saurabh Shukla
Lyricist: Ankur Tewari
Music Director: Ankur Tewari
Cinematography: Fuqad Khan
Story: Rajat Kapoor, Saurab Shukla

What Worked:

Neha Dupia played her role quite well; she is a sexy diva and fits the persona quite well. Certain scenes are funny and the jokes did make us laugh out loud. This adult comedy features some swanky suits and sexy dresses for all characters. Looking deeper at this story, the situation and complexity were presented quite well. Being able to manage so many characters and their individual plots is an accomplishment for a writer.

What Didn't:

This movie was quite slow and confusing by the end of it all. The characters are slightly mismatched and the chemistry awkward at times.

The Soundtrack:

Though the songs featured on this film's soundtrack are less than resonating with the listener, having seen the movie, the music is more appealing. With a very situational soundtrack we didn't expect colorful dance numbers or glittery costumes, and "Raat Gayi Baat Gayi" has none. The album has rock vibes and a handful of English lyrics; a 2010 movie with music for today's generation.

Slated or Rated:

This movie promised unlimited laughs and well, quite frankly, fell short. The plot moved slowly and was quite shallow. We didn't feel that this movie lived up to the hype and it has only one similarity to the Hollywood hit "The Hangover"; no one remembers their previous night. All in all, this movie can be passed, but if you are looking for a few mature laughs, this movie is for you.

Rating:

2.5/5 Stars

'Jashn' Press Conference

Long awaited Bollywood film "Jashnn" will come out July 17, 2009. The film features Adhyayan Suman, Anjana Sukhani, Shahana Goswami, and Humayan Saeed. Check out the pictures from the press conference below. Let us know what you think.

Are you excited for the film?

New York

By Vicky Myth: New York is about 9/11. Fact: It's not. But it reflects the mood that's prevalent across the globe, post 9/11. The world is divided today. No two opinions on that! Myth: New York bears a striking similarity to KHUDA KAY LIYE. Fact: Nope. KHUDA KAY LIYE and New York may belong to the same family, of an innocent person being picked up for questioning after the WTC catastrophe, but the similarities end there. In fact, KHUDA KAY LIYE and New York are as diverse as chalk and cheese. New York, helmed by Kabir Khan, attempts to be as real as possible. A tale of friendship, with terrorism as the wallpaper, New York hits you like a ton of bricks at several points in the narrative. In fact, there was a possibility that New York may turn out to be a dry experience, a documentary perhaps, but the drama is so well structured and so gripping that you get sucked into the world of Sam, Omar and Maya from its inception. New York is a triumph for Kabir Khan, who deserves distinction marks for handling the subject with remarkable maturity. Also, this film should be a turning point for John, Katrina and Neil. More on that later... The verdict? New York is, without doubt, one of the finest films produced by this premier production house, Yash Raj. Grab a ticket today! Omar (Neil Nitin Mukesh) has gone abroad for the first time in his life and soon enough, he begins to see and love America through the eyes of his American friends, Sam (John Abraham) and Maya (Katrina Kaif). But an incident changes the world round them. At this point enters Agent Roshan (Irrfan), an FBI agent, who sets the ball rolling for a series of tumultuous events that turn the lives of these friends upside down. New York affects you like no other Hindi film has done so far (on 9/11). In fact, there are portions that give you goose bumps, especially towards the second half of the film, when John recounts his past. One of the reasons why New York works is because not once does Kabir Khan borrow from the past or tilt towards predictable stuff. You just can't guess what and where the story is headed and what the culmination would be. The director and his team of writers establish the plot and characters beautifully, but the real action is reserved for the second half. The nightmarish experience that John undergoes is disturbing, but lifts the film several notches up. But New York has its share of loose ends. The film dips in the second hour. It tends to gets lengthy before it reaches a powerful, brilliantly executed climax. Also, a few sequences only add to the length of the film, which could've been curtailed in the writing stage itself. Director Kabir Khan picks up a real incident -- innocent civilians being suspected as terrorists, soon after 9/11 -- and weaves a brilliant tale around it. The screenplay is its biggest star, without a doubt. Given the fact that New York isn't one of those routine masala fares, Kabir has injected songs only when required. Cinematography is striking. Now here's another surprise. John, Katrina and Neil, all actors, deliver their career-best performance. If the first half belongs to Neil, John takes over the second hour completely. John is superb when he recalls the past. You can feel his pain, that effective is his performance. Also, note his expressions towards the end. This is a different John, for sure. Just one word for his performance -- fabulous! Neil was remarkable in JOHNNY GADDAAR, but disappointed in AA DEKHEN ZARA. Fortunately, he's in top form this time around. Katrina gives you the biggest surprise. Known for her glamour roles, Katrina proves that she can deliver if the director and writer offer her a role of substance. She's outstanding. In fact, people will see a new, different Katrina this time. Irrfan is, as always, first-rate. On the whole, New York is amongst the finest films produced by Yash Raj. At the box office, there's no stopping this one. Go for it now!

Thank You Priyanka, with love from SRK

Shah Rukh has been taking more than a passing interest in the music for the films he produces. And Priyanka Chopra would vouch for that. If she declares from rooftops that she is Shah Rukh Khan's biggest fan then it with reason. The man just floors his ladies, without trying to be be charming. What he did for Priyanka Chopra in Billu Barbar would certify as pure magnanimity and generosity, both as a considerate co-star and producer. Shah Rukh decided to give away a large portion of his duet in Billu Barbar to Priyanka. Says the film's excited music composer Pritam Chakraborty, "Shah Rukh took very close interest in each one of the songs. He isn't a musician. But he has an instinctive ear for music. It takes him just a few seconds to approve or cut down a track." With the songs meant for Kareena Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, Pritam faced no problems. "Shah Rukh loved his songs with Kareena Marjana and Deepika Love mera hit hit. They were straightforward dance songs with shared grooves between Shah Rukh and Kareena/Deepika." The Priyanka song needed special treatment. And Shah Rukh made Pritam re-work and re-record the song. Divulges Pritam, "Shah Rukh's song with Priyanka Khuda-ae-kher is not an item song. It's a love ballad that the pair playing Bollywood superstars, emote to in front of the camera. Being a love song Shah Rukh felt there wasn't enough of the female presemce in the vocals. He made me re-record the song with more for the female vocalist (Dominique) to do since he wanted Priyanka to have an equal number of lines." Irrfan Khan and Lara Dutta who play a rustic couple will later be seen enacting the same Shah Rukh-Priyanka ballad exactly the way the village couple had seen the stars do the song. From sharing Akshay Kumar on screen in Andaaz to sharing the same love song, the Priyanka-Lara Dutta rivalry sure has come a long way. Laughs Pritam, "It was entirely Shah Rukh's idea to give Priyanka more lines in the song. He's a very generous entertainer. If you see him on screen he never tries to steal the limelight from his heroines. Even Khai ke paan banaras wala had a lot of Priyanka in Don although it was entirely Shah Rukh's song." When told about Shah Rukh's gesture, Priyanka stays silent for a while. She then sighs and says, "What do I say? Now do you know why he's my favourite?"

Raaz - The Mystery Continues

By Vicky Tanoli The team behind Raaz - The Mystery Continues have often clarified that it's not a sequel to RAAZ, one of the most interesting cinematic experiences, besides being the biggest Hit of that year. Yet, you cannot but draw parallels with the first film of the franchise. Horror as a genre hasn't been tapped to the optimum in India. We've witnessed spooky fares in the past and some of them have succeeded in making you break into a cold sweat (BHOOT stands tall in this list). Last year's PHOONK and 1920 were scary movies as well. There's tremendous curiosity to watch Raaz - The Mystery Continues, but does it scare the living daylights out of you? Fortunately, yes! The story (Mohit Suri) is absorbing and Mohit treats the subject like a veteran, as if he knows the genre very well. There're moments that make your heart beat faster, you watch the events with eyes and jaws wide open. Sure, there're blemishes as well, but they don't overpower the plusses or make you change your opinion about the film. While the beginning and the middle of the film is engrossing, it's the end that could've been better thought of. Wanna get scared? Wanna get goose pimples? Buy the ticket for Raaz - The Mystery Continues pronto. It lives up to the hype and expectations completely. A brooding artist Prithvi (Emraan Hashmi) experiences mysterious and distressing visions about Nandita (Kangna Ranaut), a woman he has never met, while he paints on canvas. Intrigued by these visions, Prithvi tracks her down and warns her that these are not merely paintings of her, but accidents that are waiting to happen. At first, Nandita refuses to believe him and dismisses him as an eccentric stalker. However, the striking resemblance between Prithvi's paintings and the near-death incidents in her life is hard to ignore. Now, one of Prithvi's paintings has revealed her as dead. The only way she can change her fate is to unravel this mystery with his help, at the risk of alienating herself from her boyfriend, Yash (Adhyayan Suman). But he refuses to believe in Prithvi's premonitions. Will Nandita risk her love and her life to unravel this mystery? Most of us have heard, witnessed or perhaps had a first-hand experience of supernatural. The present-day generation may, perhaps, term it as wild imagination or hallucination, while the believers may have their point of view. Mohit and screenplay writer Shagufta Rafique's characters in Raaz - The Mystery Continues are believers and non-believers, both. Mohit smartly builds up the atmosphere. Sample these: Emraan and Kangna's first encounter at a mall and minutes later, inside an elevator; the New Year bash when Kangna is 'attacked' by spirits; Kangna's experience in her bathtub and also when she looks at the mirror; Kangna almost jumping off a cliff; the highpoint sequence, when angry bulls attack Emraan and Kangna. Incredible sequences all! Mohit has handled the most difficult portions with panache. However, the entire flashback part, towards the pre-climax, is not as convincing. The ending too could've been better in terms of writing, although Mohit has filmed it exceptionally well. Mohit's choice of the subject as also the actors is right. This is, without doubt, his finest effort to date. Shagufta's screenplay is watertight at most times. Like always, the Bhatts come up with a lilting musical score and at least two songs -- 'Soniyo' (Raju Singh) and 'Maahi' (Sharib-Toshi) -- are first-rate compositions. Ravi Walia's cinematography is up to the mark. The effects are impressive. On the acting front, both Emraan and Kangna vie for top honours. Emraan is excellent. He conveys a lot through facial expressions and that's the sign of a proficient actor. He's just getting better and better with every film. Kangna is top notch. After FASHION, this one's another power-packed performance from the actress. Adhyayan Suman is super-confident and registers a strong impact, especially towards the climax. He shows promise. Jackie Shroff is quite okay in a brief role. On the whole, Raaz - The Mystery Continues is rich in the horror quotient and that is one of its major USPs, besides the highly competent performances by its principal cast and a lilting musical score. At the box-office, this one will continue the winning streak of Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt's Vishesh Films. The 4-day weekend (Monday, January 26 in a holiday) will only cement its status further. Go for it!

Chandni Chowk To China: Maar-Saala Arts

By Subhash K Jha Starring Mithin Chakraborty, Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Ranvir Shorey Directed by Nikhil Advani Rating : * ½ This is a film about maar-saala arts, not to be confused with martial arts which Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan practice with such splendid and subtle skills on screen. Akshay Kumar cannot be accused of the sins of subtlety. Not at all. He goes from a sweaty cook in Chandni Chowk to a cheesy fighter in China with hammers tongs and indecipherable tongues. What lies between the extremities represented by the two Oriental cultures has to be seen to be believed….or, not seen to be not borne. But then we in country love to torture ourselves. And most of us do exactly what we are told not to. So go for this one. And find out why 'Bollywood' (that horribly inappropriate wannabe term used to describe Hindi mainstream cinema) cannot compete with its technically savvy upcountry cousins from the West, or even China and Hong Kong. When Jackie Chan kicks ass, man… he really kicks! No two ways about it. Akshay Kumar divides his time between being an action hero and a comic virtuoso, tripping over the line that divides the two genres with little or no scope to contain the fall as the screenplay plunges lower and lower into the depths of inanity. Writer Sridhar Raghavan, known for his smart slick cerebral takes on formulistic conventions spins a web of incidents chronicling the journey of Sidhu the protagonist from a cook in Chandni Chowk to the satirical samurai in Shanghai is littered with laughable incidents and episodes that appear more to be part of a clumsy sitcom lampooning the Chinese than purported large-screen spectacle bringing China to Bollywood. Director Nikhil Advani (who displayed pockets of sensitivity in his innovative but over-long Salaam-e-Ishq two years ago) takes the hero into what looks like a carryover of the Chambal ravines in China. Honestly, if this film had been shot anywhere in the world it would've been just as bland and fatuous. What compounds the woefully inadequate narration is the abject lack of connectivity between the protagonist and the audience. Not even for a second do we feel a rush of empathetic adrenaline for the culturally-displaced Sidhu who encounters all kinds of emaciated goons, terrorized by a suited, booted and largely-uprooted villain named Hojo (Gordon Lieu) who is no Gabbar Singh or Mogambo. Just an aging goon in a black suit who doesn't know it's bad manners to pee in public, specially in the hero's face. Brutality when done with grace can be extremely arresting. We saw that recently in Ghajini. Chandni Chowk To China does the cause of cinematic violence a great deal of disservice. The internationally-renowned action directors who pool in their might seem unsure of where to position the action. Perched on the Great Wall Of China, Akshay Kumar and his fellow fighters (and that includes the desi Lucy Lieu Deepika Padukone) slug it out like drunken revelers on a rowdy spree. Elegance is in short supply in the film, except when Deepika playing twin sisters (told apart mainly by their hair, one of them perpetually forgets to braid it properly) waltzes in with a light step and twinkling eye. She seems to have fun. We don't. And that's mainly because the scriptwriter forgot to include the audience in his circle of entertainment. Large chunks of this 'Adventures Of Sidhu in blunderland' saga leave us cold and unresponsive. And when the final climactic fight between the hero and the villain occurs, Akshay Kumar decides to turn it into a comic romp in the middle of the climac. We are more dazed than dazzled by the baffling mood swings in the plot. Yes, there are moments that hold your attention. Sidhu's martial arts training with twin Deepika Padukone's Chinese dad (who looks like he could do with a wash) are superbly orchestrated. That touch of unstrained comicality in stressful times that the narration apparently strives to achive, eludes the film by a wide margin. Most of the time you are looking at a film that does appalling things to Indo-Chinese relations. Not to mention our traditional perception of mainstream masala-maar ke entertainment. Martial arts are turned into maar-saala arts. And you leave the film wondering what it was meant to be. A bird, a plane or just a pathetic parody of Jackie Chan's comic vendetta sagas. Chandni Chowk To China isn't just no-brainer. Its lobotomized laughter can make you wish for anesthesia. At least you'd know where the numbness is coming from.

The President Is Coming

Rating: *** Varied subjects are being attempted. And this trend is truly gaining impetus with many recent films defying the stereotype. The President Is Coming is one more film that betrays conventional thinking. The President Is Coming, helmed by debutante director Kunaal Roy Kapur, is a rib-tickling story about the President's visit to India and the Indian youth. In fact, it's the first-ever 'mockumentary' that lampoons Bush and also the desi youth. The humor here is very tongue-in-cheek and even though the making is amateurish, you can't help but break into guffaws at several points. Set against President Bush's visit to India, the film looks at the behind-the-scenes drama that occurs in the U.S. Consulate, which has been entrusted the responsibility of choosing an ideal Indian youth to shake hands with the President. The film promises plenty of laughs from the word go. Right from the introduction of each character to their interaction inside the Consulate, the sequences are simply howlarious. Director Kunaal Roy Kapur knows what he's talking and for a first-timer, makes a remarkable debut. As far as performances are concerned, every actor in this enterprise stands out. Of course, Konkona Sen Sharma dominates the show. Shernaz Patel is excellent. On the whole, The President Is Coming offers laughter aplenty and that is its biggest USP. Recommended for the multiplex junta.

Kaashh... Mere Hote

Almost a decade-and-a-half-ago, Yash Chopra's DARR catapulted Shah Rukh Khan to super-stardom. Over the years, various versions of DARR have been churned out by dream merchants in Bollywood. Kaashh... Mere Hote! is yet another twisted version of DARR. The difference is, in DARR, it was a man playing an obsessed lover. In Kaashh... Mere Hote!, it's a woman. Sadly, Kaashh... Mere Hote! relies on the age-old tricks that made masala films so popular with viewers in 1970s and 1980s. The movie throws logic out of the window (the obsessed girl is blessed with super-natural powers), unwanted songs keep popping up every 10 minutes (at times, every 5 minutes), there's a comedy track running parallel, with no connection whatsoever with the main plot. Simply put, Kaashh... Mere Hote! is archaic, outdated! Krish (Kumar Saahil) is a fashion photographer, in love with Radhika (Sneha Ullal). Krish gets an assignment to shoot in Mauritius, where Piya (Sana Khan) first sees him and falls in love. Later, Krish gets a retired army officer's (Rajesh Khanna) bungalow on rent. For Piya, the army officer's daughter, it's the perfect opportunity to seduce him. Piya will kill everyone and anyone who comes in her way. A couple of things catch you by complete surprise. B.H. Tharun Kumar, ace choreographer turned director, is a veteran, having worked with some of the finest names and also on their films. With years of experience behind him, how could he okay such a flimsy script in the first place? It's not sacrilege to be inspired by a good film (DARR), but at least update it to suit the current times. Why rely on ghisa-pita situations? Besides, the film is meant to be the launch pad of the boy (Kumar Sahil), but as it turns out, the girl (Sana) gets the meatiest part in this enterprise. Strange, isn't it? If the screenplay is listless, the direction is no better. Sanjeev-Darshan's music is the sole saving grace. A couple of songs are well-tuned, but the placement of songs is questionable. Kumar Sahil needs a lot more grooming. He's extremely raw. Sneha Ullal is a pretty face with a blank expression. Sana leaves a mark. Rajesh Khanna hams. It's sad to see the ex-superstar enacting such inconsequential roles. Johny Lever raises a few laughs, but the jokes on Bachchans are in poor taste. On the whole, Kaashh... Mere Hote! is a poor show all the way.