Film Review - Drishyam

 

Buried Secrets

Film: Drishyam

Cast: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shriya Saran

Directed by: Nishikant Kamat

Duration: 2 hrs 42 mins

Rating:  * * *

Based on the hit Malayalam suspense/thriller of the same name directed by Jeethu Joseph and starring Mohanlal, Drishayam was also made in Tamil as Paapnasham with Kamal Hassan essaying the lead role. The Hindi version directed Nishikant Kamat is a frame to frame remake of the original with no additional contribution whatsoever, except for changing the location – this one is set in Goa.

With the core story inspired by the Japanese novel The Devotion of Suspect X (Ekta Kapoor has officially bought the rights for it) Drishyam has enough fodder to keep you entertained for a large part of the running length which is slightly long. It also belongs to that endangered genre of suspense and mystery movies.  So if you don’t know whether the butler did it or not, you are in for a few thrills.

Set in the fictional village of Pandolim in Goa Ajay Devgn plays Vijay, a cable operator who lives happily with his wife (Shriya Saran) and daughters. We are told more than once that he didn’t study beyond 4th standard and his wife managed to finish her matriculation. 

Life is a breeze till calamity strikes. A young man gets killed his body buried and their peaceful lives are threatened. The man happens to be the son of the top cop (Tabu) who will leave no stone unturned to find out the fate of her son. She also gets to make an entry usually reserved for males. Sitting in darkness while torturing two suspects, she walks towards the light and that happens in slow motion - enough indication that we are being introduced to an all important character.

The cat and mouse chase begins - a police inspector (Kamlesh Sawant) with whom Vijay doesn’t get along, is hot on their heels but the chauthi paas common man is not one to give in easily. It all comes to an end after some engrossing twists and turns.

The Malayalam version had a bit of flab which is also seen here – both the film clock the same time, even though it looked like the original film took longer to establish the plot and cut to the chase. While the family bonding element it essential it should not take almost an hour to set it up.  In the end, Drishyam comes across as a thriller and not so much as a family drama. 

In many shots even the way the camera pans and tracks is the same though thanks to cinematographer Avinash Arun, the Hindi version has some brightly lit interiors.

The only other creativity shown by the film makers here is a nod to the director of the original film Jeethu Joseph where Devgn signs a register with the director’s name.

The acting is just about passable. Devgn seems to be following a template and doesn’t bring anything new to the table. Shreya Saran and the reliable Tabu have their moments. 

On the whole, Drishyam is worth a watch because it has many positive elements. 

Published in The Navhind Times on 2nd Aug 2015

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Film Review - Haider

A Chutzpah To Admire

Film: Haider
Cast:Shahid Kapoor, Tabu, Shradhha Kapoor
Directed by: Vishal Bharadwaj
Duration:2 hr 23 mins
Rating: * * * *

After dabbling with other subjects, director Vishal Bharadwaj returns to his favorite milieu, Shakespearean tragedy.  This time he has opted for Hamlet, one of the Bards longest works. The result is stunning - Haider gives a lot to talk about and raises the bar considerably on just about every count, especially political cinema.

Co-written by the Kashmiri journalist Basharat Peer, Haider is poetry in motion, which is also sprinkled with the verses of Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Gulzar. Most of Shakespeare’s tragedies have betrayal and conflict so Kashmir is an apt place for the latter. It should be made amply clear here that the story is set in Kashmir and it is not about Kashmir per se.

In 1995, militancy was growing in the valley and so was the army’s presence. Paradise was on the verge of being lost for everyone concerned. Haider (Shahid Kapoor) returns home after studying in Aligarh only to discover that his house has been burnt to the ground. His father, a doctor shielded a militant and ends up in the hands of the army.

Tabu plays Gertrude or Ghazala as she is known here, who may or may not be responsible for conspiring with her husband’s brother (Kay Kay Menon), a lawyer and aspiring politician, for her husband’s fate.    

In the snowy mountain caps, there are fumes of deceit and revenge.  Bharadwaj has got all the characters from Hamlet in place, Irrfan Khan plays a militant who has crossed over to the other side, he is the ‘ghost’ who reveals the fate of his father, leading Haider to seek vendetta.

There is some crackling humor as well in the form of two Salmans, who are fans of Salman Khan.  As a native of the valley, the final encounter between Haider and the duo was almost allegorical. What doesn’t work very convincingly was how and why Haider slides into madness although that scene in the public place where he first shows signs of going off his rockers is pulled off with élan.

Although there are many remarkable scenes but the pièce-de-resistance would be the grave digger’s song and you can only marvel in admiration at it.
The finale deviates from the original and in the changing times, it is only fair – after tying so many knots, the climax on the whole is not as engrossing as the rest of the film. There is also a forcefully induced romantic song in the latter half which only makes the film longer.

As for the politics of it all, this is one side of the story, the director is by no means is compelled to tell the whole story, this is a film after all, not a documentary.  The Kashmiri Pandits and the good work done by the Indian army during the recent floods, gets a mention in passing.

Technically, this is the most accomplished feature of the year. Pankaj Kumar’s cinematography, Aarif Sheikh’s razor sharp editing contribute immensely. Even the background score adds to the effect, take the scene where Irrfan Khan makes an entry for example.
 

The cast is in splendid form. Narendra Jha may not be a well known name but he contributes a great deal to the character of the doctor. As for the rest, Tabu, irrfan and Kay Kay Menon, such roles are another opportunity for them to show their acting prowess.
 

Haider is eminently worth a watch. Above everything else, it has the chutzpah.    

Published in The Navhind Times on 5th Oct. 2014

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Film Review - Jai Ho

It's All Jai Ho Hum

Film: Jai Ho
Cast: Salman Khan, Daisy Shah, Tabu
Directed by: Sohail Khan
Duration: 2 hrs 25 mins
Rating: * 1 /2

For fans of Salman Khan, it doesn’t matter if the review accords the film one or five stars, bhai’s films are critic proof. But for all those who care about cinema and sanity, get this straight – this is the worst Salman film in years (yes that includes Veer and Main aurr Mrs. Khanna) simple because the film maker (in this case his brother Sohail Khan) takes the audience for granted and dishes out a film that looks older than an Egyptian mummy on just about every count. Officially, the film is a remake of Chiranjeevi’s Stalin (2006) which in turn was inspired by Kevin Spacey’s Pay it Forward (2000)

If you must know the story, the superstar plays the latest flavor of the season, a common man. This common man has extremely uncommon powers though; he can beat up goons dime by the dozen without even so much getting a scratch. Maybe that Revital thing that he endorses, works after all. You’ve seen people kick start a scooter but bhai can even start an ambulance with a kick.

He is a good Samaritan helping people, including an amputee (Genelia Deshmukh) who needs help to write her college exams (the actress is only 27 years old and her character is that of a ‘bright’ student). When he was in the army, he also saved a bunch of children from terrorists and for not obeying orders he was dismissed.

For the life in me I can’t figure why and what was Tabu doing in the film. She plays the common man’s sister and when some good try to put a hand on her izzat he beats them to pulp.

Among other skills, he can also scare his opponents by roaring like a tiger, after all,  Ek tha you know what. Since a heroine is necessary for some song and dance routine, we have Daisy Shah to fulfill that quotient and since it is a Salman Khan film, actors need acting skills like a fish needs a Harley Davidson. 

The ‘humor’ comes mostly from jokes about the heroines pink underwear and other oddities include a kidney that gets damaged when a woman gets run over by vehicle and needs replacement (all other parts of the anatomy remain intact). But then who cares of logic or common sense.

There are plenty of actors here to remind you that they are still around – Mohnish Behl, Aditya Pancholi, Ashmit Patel, Mahesh Thakur, Mahesh Manjrekar, Nauheed Cyrusi, Tulip Joshi, Vatsal Seth and even good old Danny Denzongpa. If that is not enough, Suniel Shetty also pops up on an army tank. Enough endured.

Oh just one more thing, Salman also takes off his shirt and you could go to Mars and come back by the time the last fight can get over.

With such a hackneyed plot and antiquated plot there is nothing much you can do except grin and bear it in your seat. Technically, the films of the 80’s were much superior and as far as the music goes, it is pretty much like kids banging pots and pans.

The film exhorts the values of helping other people but it is repeated till the cows come home. Here’s my humble way of helping others- avoid this film and save your money. And please spread the word. 

Published in The Navhind Times on 26th Jan 2014

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