Film Review - Bewakoofiyaan

Courting Trouble
 
Film: Bewakoofiyaan
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Sonam Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor
Directed by: Nupur Asthana
Duration: 1 hr 55 mins
Rating: * *
 

Bewakoofiyaan directed by Nupur Asthana (of Mujse Fraandship Karoge fame) is a film that doesn’t sizzle and doesn’t completely fizzle either. It is harmless but certainly insipid and whatever happens in it, you can see it coming from furlongs.  The otherwise reliable Habib Faisal has written a script which is pretty much on auto pilot mode without any surprising deviations.
 

Mohit (Ayushmann) is a marketing executive with an airline company who has everything going for him. A cushy job, car and a girlfriend Mayera (Sonam Kapoor) whom he wants to marry. She is also a working woman who incidentally earns more than him. Her father V.K Saigal (Rishi Kapoor) is a retired IAS officer and he disapproves of the young man, he even tests him with a game of squash. 
 

Now our marketing bloke loses job thanks to the recession and soon faces a depleting bank balance. V.K meanwhile keeps a close eye on the prospective son-in-law who is forced to take a loan from his girlfriend. What could have been a nice drama ends up being all over the place. There is a bit of comic element, the expected breakup, bonding between the two men and finally a reunion of the boy and girl where they live happily ever after.
 

A fair bit of the film is quite convoluted and instead of delving deeper on the relationship in the time of crisis, instead it just skims the surface and unnecessarily focuses on the males. In one scene Mohit even climbs through the window to teach to his father in law about computers.  After the initial love hate relationship, they become friends before you can say Yo !
 

The character of the father who comes off more as a caricature, is the weakest link. Thankfully, he is played by Rishi Kapoor who always adds value, no matter how or good or irrational the role is.
 

The lead pair of Sonam Kapoor and Ayushmann Khurrana is sincere and likable and share a sparkling chemistry. You wish they had a better screenplay to show their skills.      


Published in The Navhind Timess on 16th March 2014
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Film Review - 3 Days To Kill

 

A Parisian Adventure
 
Film: 3 Days To Kill
Cast: Kevin Costner, Amber Heard, Hailee Steinfeld
Directed by: McG
Duration: 1 hr 55 mins
Rating:  * *
 

3 Days To Kill is a typical action film produced in the factory of Luc Besson. Like the Transporter, Taken & Taxi series there is very little in terms of plot and it tries to rely on the action mostly. Since the story is written by Besson, don’t expect much character development or a story; on that count, it is all flimsy. Plus if you think only Bollywood has clichés then you ought to watch this film. It is more clichéd than a Sajid Khan film.

Kevin Costner plays Ethan, a CIA agent who wants to call it quits and get back to his estranged family. He also learns that he has a certain form of cancer with very little time to live. From America, he makes a dash to Paris to see his young daughter (Hailee Steinfeld) doesn’t call him ‘dad’ and prefers his first name because for years, papa didn’t have time for the family since he was too busy with his work.

Since his wife is out of town for a few days (3 to be precise), he gets a good opportunity to bond with his daughter. Meanwhile he is entrusted with another mission with a quid pro quo. A rather mysterious woman (Amber Heard) has a drug which will cure his cancer but in turn he must hunt down and eliminate a considerably dangerous terrorist.  When a film has villains named ‘The Wolf’ and ‘The Albino’ you know you can’t take it too seriously.

Fortunately, there are some lightweight scenes where the film also doesn’t take itself too seriously, like the one where Costner kidnaps a man and asks him for the spaghetti recipe, while he is on the phone with his daughter. 

Our hero has to battle professional as well as personal problems – in one of those age old scenes, he even saves his daughter from a bunch of goons in a discotheque.  On the action front, some of the chases on the streets of Paris are well executed.

Kevin Costner does an admirable job (though you can’t help but think of Liam Neeson) and carries the film on his own. On the whole, if you are looking to kill some time then this one is just about okay.   


Published in The Navhind Timess on 16th March 2014
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Film Review - Queen

All Hail The Queen 

Film: Queen
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Lisa Hayden, Rajkumar Rao

Directed by: Vikas Bahl

Duration: 2 hrs 20 mins

Rating: * * * * 

Vikas Bahl’s Queen is an utterly delightful film that will bring a big smile on your face when you walk out of the auditorium. Smartly written with great attention to detail and extremely well acted, it is the kind of film that reminds you of the reason why you fell in love with movies in the first place.  And if Bollywood can make such good films sans all the A list stars, then more power to it.

This is a story of self discovery under the most unusual circumstances. Like a host of films in recent times set in the capital, this also begins as a Delhi story. Rani (Kangana Ranaut) is all set to get married to Vijay (Rajkumar Rao), even the mandatory sangeet and dancing is done when she is dumped at the altar or rather mandap in this case. Just a day before the wedding, he calls it off. 

After lying low for a day without food, the Rajouri girl stuffs and couple of laddoos meant for the wedding and decides to do the honeymoon trip, alone. The trip was intended for Paris and Amsterdam and off she goes on her own. It is almost like a French revolution for her when she meets Vijaylakshmi (Lisa Hayden) who is a carefree maid, stripper and mother. The two hit it big time in a case of female bonding. The scene where they go on a drinking spree is a hoot and not since Amitabh Bachchan has anyone carried off a drinking scene so very well like Kangana has. 

In a touristic adventure, she manages to escape from a mugger and then proudly says “Woh phir kabhi Delhi walon se panga nahin lega” (He’ll never mess around with a Delhite again!)

After the Parisian venture, the next stop is Amsterdam where she is forced to share rooms with men – a Russian, a diminutive Japanese and a black Frenchman. The Delhi girl discovers that life is so much more than she knew, or rather, was allowed to explore back home. Is it a coincidence or a smart piece of costume designing that wears a t-shirt which says Alice in Wonderland? 

With the multi-national characters around, thankfully, it does not turn into a Mind Your Language kind of an affair; instead there are some genuinely funny and touching moments. The cookery episode and the Pakistani girl in Amsterdam were avoidable but that is an absolute minor grouse.    

It is the dialogues and wonderfully crafted scenes like the one where her family wakes up everyone they know to find out “Hing ko English mein kya kehte hain?” (What is Hing called in English?) It is called Asafoetida in case you want to know. And if you don’t know what ROFL means, check out the scene in the sex toy shop where she innocently goes on a shopping spree.  

All the characters are pitch perfect – she has a family at home whom she keeps updating via internet and cellphone, her supportive grandmother reminded me of Vicky’s grandma from Vicky Donor.  

Hats off to the screenwriters Chaitally Parmar, Parveez Shaikh, and the director himself not forgetting Kangana, who is credited for the additional dialogues. With Chillar Party and now Queen, Vikas Bahl has elevated himself in the list of directors to look forward to.

Amit Trivedi compositions are music to the ears and the songs are beautifully picturized as well. 

Lisa Hayden as the Paris girl with all the oomph is first rate. Credit should also be given to Rajkumar Rao who hardly ever puts a foot wrong. But the show belongs to Kangana Ranaut who gives a stellar performance in the lead role. Her savior faire is worth a trip to the theatres and the way she dances to that old song Hungama ho gaya (Anhonee, 1973) redeems the price of your ticket.

I hope they bring back the character of Rani in a future film, it will be wonderful to see more of her. But meanwhile, please book your tickets to this Queen. 

Film Review - Gulaab Gang

                                   

Not In The Pink Of Spirits

Film: Gulaab Gang

Cast: Madhuri Dixit, Juhi Chawla, Tannishtha Chatterjee

Directed by: Soumik Sen
Duration: 2 hrs 15 mins
Rating: * *

Even though they claim that it is not, the film is obviously inspired by Sampat Pal and her real life vigilante group called the Gulabi gang from North India. Now with a story like that and a cast that comprises of two highly loved and respected actresses you would expect fireworks. But alas, this venture by Soumik Sen is a damp squib. If you want to know anything about Pal or the Gulabi gang, check out Nishtha Jain’s documentary that released recently.

The screenplay is so dull here that if you replace the two main ladies with men, you will get a film that you have seen a million times before, I can even envisage Prakash Raj as the villain in it. Madhuri Dixit plays Rajjo, who has a stronghold in the village. She even has her own gang of women who can wield the stick, axe and the sickle. Her confidantes include a woman deserted by her husband (Tannishtha Chatterjee) and a feisty fearless woman (Divya Jagdale). And needless to add, they all wear pink sarees.

When she is not busy settling scores with thugs, she runs a school to teach children. Enter the villain of the piece, a cunning and shrewd politician Sumitra (Chawla) and hell hath no fury like Sumitra being called by her first name. Not only should she be addressed as ‘madam’ everyone is also expected to bow down in front of her.

The two women are at loggerheads, they even contest an election and it is all really the been-there-seen-that variety.

Madhuri Dixit and the other ladies get to kick ass but when you see her running like Krissh in slow motion you know the dramatization is too overt. And if that is not enough, all the singing and dancing is bound to put you off. Surprisingly, even the acting from the seasoned actor is not consistent, which is the least you would expect.

Published in The Navhind Times on 9th Mar 2014

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Film Review - 300: Rise Of An Empire

A Trojan Horse

Film: 300: Rise Of An Empire
Cast: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green

Directed by: Noam Murro

Duration: 1 hr 52 mins

Rating: * * 1 / 2

The box office success of 300 has prompted the film makers to delve deeper into this Greek tale. Directed by Noam Murro (Zack Snyder is credited as the screen writer) this merely follows the blue print of the previous film as far as the action is concerned.

The film is set almost in parallel to the events that took place in 300. Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton) has the task of stopping the forces of God King Xerxes. Artemisia (Eva Green) is the naval commander of Darius who gets killed in the Battle of Marathon. She leads the Persian ships in a bid to stop Themistokles and his brave men.

You would need considerably knowledge of Greek mythology to decipher the finer details. 

Am sure most won’t bother and would rather enjoy the action instead. Some scenes are well choreographed but I haven’t seen so much digital blood being splashed on the screen before.  And like Gunday, it also has a lot of fights in slow motion, occasionally it is fine, but then it tends to drag. 

Eva Green in a villain’ish role provides a few sparks; she is the only character that has some spunk. If you are a fan of the franchise, the chances are you will be happy, for the rest, it is just another film that came and went by. 

Published in The Navhind Times on 9th Mar 2014

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Film Review - Total Siyapaa

Border Issues

Film: Total Siyapaa
Cast: Ali Zafar, Yami Gautam, Kirron Kher
Directed by: E Niwas
Duration: 1 hr 50 mins
Rating: * *

Inspired by the Spanish film Only Human (2004), Total Siyapaa had the potential to be witty film with comic situation but unfortunately, it gets lost in quick time. Set in London, Yami Gautam plays Asha who brings her boyfriend Aman (Ali Zafar) to meet her parents (Kirron, Anupam Kher) She hasn’t revealed the fact that he is a Pakistani and her family has a deep running distrust for the neighboring country. Her grandpa even brings out a rifle to boast about how many Pakistanis he killed during the war. 

In an already uptight situation, Aman drops a container of frozen soup which falls on a passerby’s head who is knocked down. It only dawns on him later that that man could well be his prospective father in law.  By the time they get there, he has vanished and the rest of the film revolves around searching for him.

The plot hits the peak in the first 30 odd minutes, after that it all goes downhill. The subplot of Asha’s sister and her husband is least bit engrossing. There are some funny lines and comic situations but the water runs dry quickly. Kirron Kher is the only silver lining in this otherwise average entertainer. 

Published in The Navhind Times on 9th Mar 2014

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