Film Review - Dil Dhadakne Do

Cruise Control

Film: Dil Dhadakne Do

Cast: Anil Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Ranveer Singh, Shefali Shah

Directed by: Zoya Akhtar

Duration:  2 hrs 47 mins

Rating:  *  * 1 / 2

Dil Dhadakne Do is about a bunch of people who think they are going places but actually they are going nowhere and they all have some serious problems to boot. Of all places, the resolution incidentally happens on cruise ship during a holiday in the Mediterranean. That’s Zoya Akhtar’s ultra long Dil Dhadakne Do, a film that has a decent beginning and a redeeming end with a whole lot of nothing to fill up the spaces in between. 

We are introduced to the Mehra family with a voice over, that’s turns out to be of the family dog (Aamir Khan’s distinct voice). The patriarch Kamal Mehra (Anil Kapoor) is a rich self made tycoon and never misses a chance to remind everyone about that.  His wife Neelam (Shefali Shah) is not exactly suffering in silence, she makes her presence felt from time to time, but she is suffering all the same. Their son Kabir (Ranveer Singh) is still learning the ropes as far as managing their business is concerned, he has no knack for it, instead, he is interested in flying he family plane. At that point you very well know how his career is going to unfold. 

Their daughter Ayesha (Priyanka Chopra), now a successful businesswoman, was married off to Manav (Rahul Bose) who treats her marginally better than a doormat. Her erstwhile heartthrob Sunny (Farhan Akhtar) also lands on the scene and at that point, you know very well how this love story is going to unfold.  

Now the dysfunctional Mehra family is under huge debt and yet they plan this big celebration aboard a cruise liner because it is their 30^th wedding anniversary. They are also hoping to rope in some investors; their plan is to marry off their son to one of the rich businessman’s    daughter so that their company can be salvaged. If you think this “dosti ko rishtedari mein badalte hain” happened only in the 60’s and 70’s, then think again. 

It doesn’t take too long for the setting to be established but from there on, it doesn’t go anywhere. Well, physically it does, to many fancy places, including Istanbul targeting an audience that has aspirations. A serious amount of time is spent showing off all the locales while you wait patiently for the story to change gears. It doesn’t. 

It is only in the climax that it gets going, even if the proceedings are a bit illogical.

There are too many characters and you barely understand any of them. We get a glimpse of Ayesha and her mother, though the former is woman of resolve, the latter looks a bit confused. Kabir is more of a fun person who shares a chemistry with Farha (Anushka Sharma) but since other characters have to be accommodated, there isn’t enough screen time for him. 

Co-written by Reema Kagti (of Honeymoon Travels fame, another road movie about dysfunctional families, except that was in a bus this is a luxury ship) the screenplay not-so-cleverly makes way for what is coming up next. For instance, when Sunny’s name is mentioned you know Ayesha shares a past with him but yet that matter is delved upon till the cows come home.

The film touches upon patriarchy and women’s issues in a not so subtle manner - but at least it might make a point to a segment of the audience.  

On the acting front, Anil Kapoor and Shefali Shah play their parts with conviction; the latter in fact stands out among all the ladies in the film. Ranveer Singh has his moments and Priyanka Chopra is apt. 

Dil Dhadakne Do has the makings of a Bollywood blockbuster, big stars, exotic locales, romance, bit of humor - never mind if the story is a bit tedious and about an hour too long. 

When it comes to Zoya Akhtar, give me Luck By Chance, any day.  

Published in The Navhind Times, Goa on 7th June 2015

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Film Review - Mary Kom

Of Guts And Glory

Film: Mary Kom

Cast: Priyanka Chopra, Darshan Kumar, Sunil Thapa

Directed by: Omung Kumar

Duration: 2 hrs 3mins

Rating:  * * *

Mary Kom is supposed to be a biopic of India’s most popular lady boxer but what we get is a highly dramatized version of her life story. Gandhi was a biopic but Mary Kom the film is not, it fictionalizes many episodes and a fair amount of it is a figment of the writer’s imagination.

Those grievances aside, you still come out feeling reasonably satisfied and that is because even if it is exaggerated, someone has at least told the inspiring story of a sportsperson and that too a lady who fought against all odds to be on top of the world, Mary Kom is a five time Women's World Amateur Boxing Champion not to mention several other laurels she has won including an Olympic medal. 

From her humble beginnings in Manipur as a farmer’s daughter, her father doesn’t quite approve of his daughter’s love for boxing. Mary (Priyanka Chopra) was known as Chungneijang till her coach Narjit Singh (Sunil Thapa) christens her as M.C Mary Kom. With grit, determination and guidance from her coach, she makes it to the top in quick time. The screen play rushes through those moments in the first half. She marries a local footballer Onler (Darshan Kumar) and that is when the equation with her coach also falls apart. He sees great potential in her and as sure that marriage will be the end of her career. That almost happens when she gets pregnant and has to answer the call of domestic duty. 

But thanks to the support of her husband and her doggedness, Mary makes a comeback and made sacrifices in her personal life. 

The film also attempts to highlight the plight of sportspersons in the country who are at the mercy of many scoundrels who run the sports federations. From a sports point of view, there is hardly any mention about what Mary’s strengths are as a boxer, most of the fights are rushed and the ones that are not, are edited like a music video.  And why do they have to show the opponent always playing dirty tricks? Here it’s a German boxer and it is implied that she doesn’t play by the rules. The climax is also a cop out with drama in full throttle – Mary is fighting the world championship when her little son is being operated upon at the same time. It gels well in Manmohan Desai films of yore but not in a biopic. 

The problem with taking cinematic liberties is that as the audience, you never know if a particular incident is true or it is just the writer’s imagination going wild. There are some smartly crafted scenes, like the episode in the bus where a father-daughter encounter Mary without knowing who she is.

It helps that apart from Priyanka Chopra, the rest of the cast is unknown and it works in its favor because they play their roles with conviction. Though Priyanka doesn’t have any remote resemblance with Mary, she pulls out all the stops and in every scene, she is believable.  

All the blemishes apart Mary Kom is still an exceptional story of an underdog who achieved what she set out to and for that, it is worth a watch.

Published in The Navhind Times, Goa on 7th Sept 2014 

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Film Review - Gunday

City of No Joy 

Film: Gunday

Cast: Ranvir Singh, Arjun Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra

Directed by: Abbas Ali Zafar

Duration: 2 hrs 33 mins

Rating: * 1 / 2

Made by Yashraj, one of the top production houses in the country and directed by Abbas Ali Zafar, Gunday doesn’t lack in resources when it comes to production values but what is sorely missing is a story that has something novel to offer. Most of the film is set in the 80’s but sadly, it also looks like a film of the 80’s.

Not only is it predictable from start to finish, at two and half hours, it is also long enough to leave you exasperated and you can’t help but look at your watch from time to time waiting for the ordeal to end, especially in the second half.

Set during the formation of Bangladesh, two boys Bala and Bikram manage to sneak through to India after escaping from the refugee camp. Now if kids would talk like kids it would be convincing but when they mutter lines by an adult dialogue writer (in this case the director himself) it doesn’t look credible- “Marne se koi bada nahin banta, dimaag se banta hain ” says one kid and there is another line with something to do with anger and boiling milk.

They are a bit like Jai and Veeru, except that the Sholay buddies were small time crooks where as these guys grow up aspiring to become the biggest dons of Calcutta, as it was known then.  Bikram (Ranveer) and Bala (Arjun Kapoor) spawn their empire from coal to LPG and everything in between and Saurabh Shukla plays a similar role that he essayed in Satya.  A tough cop (Irrfan) is hot on their heels and vows to bring them to justice. 

As it has happened in a billion Bollywood films before, the two men fall for the same girl (Priyanka Chopra) who happens to be a cabaret dancer. The woman unflinchingly says “Main tumhe ek haafta deti hoon mera dil jeetne ke liye”(I’ll give you’ll one week to win me over), yes, the dialogues are that tedious.  The Jai and Veeru friendship goes kaput as they bay for each other’s blood, which is not a bad time for you to take a nap because this is so much been-there-seen-that.

It attempts to pay a tribute to vintage films right from Sholay, Kaala Pathaar, Deewar and there’s also Mr. India playing in a theatre where a fight sequence is choreographed (the only admirable scene). The rest is so very mind numbing and the finale which has a Salman type lets-take off-our-shirts-and fight is in super slow motion. Actually a lot of the film is in slo-mo, had it been shot it normal speed, the duration would reduce considerably.

The film also tries too hard to catch the flavor of the city by showing the mandatory Durga pooja , Howrah bridge and cops in white but that is not enough.

On the acting front, the lead men make an effort to be noticed. Irrfan is superb as usual and steals their thunder. He doesn’t get to take off his shirt though. Priyanka Chopra has become a bit lackluster lately and this role affirms that.  On the whole, Gunday is so passé; it’s time to move on folks. 

Published in The Navhind Times on 16th Feb 2014

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Film Review Krrish 3

                                 

                                          Superman Meets X Men

Film: Krrish 3

Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra, Kangana Ranaut

Directed by: Rakesh Roshan

Duration: 2 hrs 32 mins

Rating: * *

The problem once a franchise is established is that the makers just have to package a film together, with lots of publicity and all that jazz. Krrish already has a fan base in place and they are more than likely to return to watch the new installment. 

Krrish 3 directed by Rakesh Roshan looks like a mish mash of popular Hollywood superhero films – Spiderman, Superman and even X Men they are all blatantly ripped off in this two and half hour saga that mainly caters to kids and juveniles. Why else would you show something, then tell about it and then explain it, just in case you missed it the first and second time around.  Five writers have been credited and don’t be surprised if each of them was given a Hollywood franchise ‘adapt’

The first half of the film also has more product ads in terms of placements than you would see during an extra long break on television. Cars, pens, milk supplements, television – all brands are promoted here, in your face.

Meet the father and son duo of Rohit and Krishna (Hrithik in a double role), the former is a scientist working in a lab, the latter is a security guard by day and becomes Krrish when need be. Which is quite often, like when gunmen break into a jewelry store or, when he single handedly helps an aeroplane to land, just the way Superman did.

The villain though is straight from X Men, Kaal (Viveik Oberoi) has the traits of both Professor and Magneto, he is bound to a wheel chair but in the finale we also see his Magneto skills. He also has an army of mutants called maanwars, the most trusted one being Kaya (Kangana Ranaut) clad in latex suit. She can transform her self just like Mystique, so much for originality.

When the villain wants to destroy the city, Krrish saves the day reminding you of The Amazing Spiderman and that makes our villain very angry. Priyanka Chopra plays Mrs. Krrish and since they are expecting their first child, she promptly gets abducted by the wheel chair guy.  

While there is an effort made to raise the bar in Bollywood films as far as the special effects and the action is concerned, it still looks pretty antiquated. But the biggest whammy is in the form of the story and dialogues are strictly of the 80’s type. 

Rajesh Roshan’s music has forgettable tunes and only in a Hindi film will you see a mutant singing a song, that too in a dream sequence. Spare us that, please.

As for the cast, Hrithik Roshan delivers a rock solid performance both as the father and son and he is clearly the mainstay of the film. Kangana in the cat suit is sincere but it is her character that is a let down.This is a film that kids might enjoy. As for adults, if you can handle mediocrity easily only then it might be your cup of tea. Or Bournvita, in case of Krrish. 

(Published in The Navhind Times on 3rd Nov. 2013)

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