STATION: …deserves a watch for the freshness it brings to Bollywood crime-thrillers! [3/5]

In midst of this week’s more than a couple of bogus Bollywood A-listers, there is a small film [in budget for sure] titled as ‘STATION’ getting unnoticed by most of us. So, when I reached at the box-office at the nearest PVR multiplex in Delhi-NCR, least I had expected to hear that the show got cancelled as it’s just me who had shown some guts to go for it. Anyways; thanks to the collective love for cinema, the guys at the box-office decided to run it despite me being the only one in the auditorium. And now that I have seen it, I would like to proclaim that this small one is bigger than the rest 3 new releases from Bollywood this week.  

Saad Khan’s STATION is the first Bollywood film that comes from Bangalore. A crime-thriller in its genre; it smells fresh, clean, crisp, mature, confident and quite a fine piece of film-making for so many newcomers involved in it. Though unlike most of indie filmmakers, it doesn’t prefer to be smarter than the smartest to grab attentions from left, right and centre of the industry and opts for a safe and sound route to tell a ‘perfect for Bollywood’ tale of plotting, betrayals, dark secrets, murders in the power hungry immoral world of crime.

Introduced by the badman of Bollywood Gulshan Grover, STATION puts you in the colonnade of a crime syndicate run by a formally dressed, soft-spoken King in frameless pair of glasses. The associates too are symbolically introduced as the facets in any playing-card pack. There is a loyal Queen, a hardcore Madhuri Dixit fan but murderous Joker who loves to joke even in a heated scenario, a cool-headed Jack with balanced mind as the right hand to the king and a game-changer Ace who talks to his dead girlfriend in his state of hallucination after getting drugged. The game on the board turns upside down when the King gets killed. And now the Queen has taken the charge to solve the mystery and punish the responsible! The plan must be executed by the rest three and then starts the mind games that doesn’t make you breathe in regular motion till you come to see the clearer picture of why, how and who.

Film’s biggest strength is undoubtedly the background score. Music by Jeet Singh celebrates the western elements in singing and in the composition to give it a young contemporary urban touch. The narrative pattern scatters the plot and the events at first and then tries to solve the puzzle by putting pieces together. Sharp, crisp and confident editing! Cinematography is absolutely appropriate for the genre. Performers are mostly newcomers and it looks. Though they act raw, conscious and amateurish sometimes, it is not much difficult to ignore as Saad sure knows his craft well to tell a story as it should be.

STATION is not some extraordinary thriller but it is not just any ordinary thriller too. It is a Bollywood film that doesn’t actually come from Bollywood.  It deserves a watch for the freshness it brings to the Bollywood crime-thrillers! [3/5]

NOAH: A fiction of faith that entertains...and takes it seriously too! [3.5/5]

What can be more mystical, magical and awe-inspiring than the miracles of nature itself? Nothing else but the vast ocean of human emotions and the subject matter of a phenomenon called life. Darren Aronofsky’s NOAH tries to paint and picture both in a balanced manner but not without gluttony of having great time at powerful visual-effects machines for creating an alienated world of absolute faith, belief and trust any religious foundation advocates.

In an evocative dream, Noah [Played brilliantly by Russell Crowe] foresees hints of massive destruction of the world and civilization and that he is the chosen one to save some of it in order to re-start the course of action for evolution soon after. Though the evil forces don’t look much trouble in shaking up his conviction, it’s his own beliefs and values that drive him to a point where he doesn’t even blink from taking up dagger against his owns.        

Taken from the famous biblical tale of Noah building an enormous ark to save creatures of every kind in the animal kingdom from the anticipated catastrophic flood, Darren Aronofsky doesn’t leave any stone unturned to make an all entertaining disaster movie packed with overpowering visuals mixed well with top-notch performances. So, when Noah with his family encounters the Watchers, angles once sent from heaven to help humankind, you couldn’t stop yourself from seeking comparisons between them and the new-age transformers. They look more like the stoned version of the metallic giants. In one of the most breathtaking sequences in the film, Aronofsky produces the fast-motion evolution scene from the origin of life to the present form of human race. This could be well-described as an ode to Terrence Mallick’s THE TREE OF LIFE. Magnificently done!

Apart from giving the impression of being a larger than life story mainly in its visual grandeur, NOAH also strives to take the very humane emotional path in subduing the stature of Noah to a man of responsibilities. From a God fearing believer to much caring family man, the transition is smooth, subtle and almost blurred. Credit needs to go to Russell for an absolute believable performance. Jennifer Connelly supports him well as his wife standing by him in all. Watch her exploding in emotions when Noah makes him mind up to end human race with them as it’s perhaps the only way to protect God’s most astounding creation from being tarnished with sins only found and dwelled in humankind. In a special appearance, Anthony Hopkins lights up each frame he’s in. Emma Watson as Noah’s adopted daughter and the life partner of his eldest son Shem gets a good meaty role to shine and impress.

At the end, it is a mythological fiction of faith that not only strikes much to entertain but also takes itself seriously too. [3.5/5] 

YOUNGISTAAN: …where promises are meant to be left unfulfilled! [2.5/5]

Indian politics has become an easy target lately, to extract unforced jokes acting as nice silvery wrapper to our hopeless angst being buried down under. So, the consequences of sharing same ‘already travelled before’ path do come handy with debutante filmmaker Syed Ahmad Afzal’s political-romantic drama YOUNGISTAAN. It shows deep promises of being a potential political drama at the very start but sooner or later ends up as a progressive love-story trapped in the devious, dirty and demeaning political scenario in country at present.

Carrying strong references from real life politicians, scams and political episodes in the past, YOUNGISTAAN is a tale of transition of a young game-developer properly planned & positioned in Japan with his live-in partner, from his carefree life well-spend in night clubs to the inopportune flat & insipid luxury of roaming around in the guarded corridors of India’s most influential PM house.

Abhimanyu [Jacky Bhagnani plays it cool] is forced to sworn in as the prime-minister of India after his father [Boman Irani in a brief appearance] loses his battle against cancer. With all blurred and vague visions, where Abhimanyu is struggling his hard to make him look more sensible than being just a ‘28 years old good boy’ in the eyes of his haters, his often nagging live-in partner Anwita [Neha Sharma] is only concerned about countless protocols that come between the love-birds’ quality time together. Thank god, Akbar [Late Farooq Sheikh saab] the guardian-cum-friend-cum-philosopher-cum-guide is there with him as his PA. And more thanks and respect to Farooq Saab for making each frame a heartfelt memorial with his presence felt like this uncomplicated idol of minimalism is still with us captured in those moving reels. Alvida, Farooq Saab!

YOUNGISTAAN scores well in its nature and intent. It talks progressively about live-in culture in Indian society, it talks about necessities to bring vital changes in Indian politics, it also promises potential prospects for youth to join politics but a scattered and unfocussed screenplay minimizes its magnitude to a not-so-sharp and less-smart drama that spends most of its quality time in managing between his personal problems [paparazzi and pre-marital pregnancy for instance] and the cumulative expectations of viewers and the plot of emerging as the unquestionably confident winner all the way. After all, who doesn’t want to see an underdog playing superhero?? Sadly, YOUNGISTAAN lacks that orgasmic moment and like very much our politics, remains a self-centered average Bollywood film where promises are meant to be left unfulfilled!

As stated in a comment on Abhimanyu’s live-in relationship by a common man in a TV interview, “28 saal ke ladke se aap aur kya expect karoge? (What else would you expect from a 28-year old?), I would say something on the same lines, “Ek Bollywood film se aap aur kya expect karoge?” So, don’t expect and go for an easy watch. Politics in India doesn’t give you much to cherish but entertains in bits and parts, so does this film! [2.5/5]

आँखों देखी : एक साफ़-सुथरी, सच्ची, ईमानदार और बेहद अच्छी फ़िल्म! [4/5]

सीधे-सरल-सहज, उम्र के आखिरी पड़ाव की तरफ बढ़ते बाऊजी [संजय मिश्रा] जब एक दिन तय करते हैं कि अब वो किसी भी ऐसी बात पर विश्वास नहीं करेंगे जिसका अनुभव उन्होंने खुद न किया हो, तो हालाँकि इसके पीछे उनके अपने तर्क मौजूद हैं, एक बवाल सा मच जाता है उनके चारों तरफ। झगड़ालू तो नहीं पर लगातार कोसते रहने वाली पत्नी [सीमा पाहवा] के लिए जहां ये स्वांग उनके सठिया जाने का संकेत है, पड़ोसी-मित्र इसे मनोरंजन और बैठकी का खेल बना लेते हैं। 'होगा' और 'है' की यह उथल-पुथल चलती रहती है, जब बाऊजी के छोटे भाई [रजत कपूर] अपने परिवार के साथ अलग होने का निर्णय ले लेते हैं। खिन्न-छिन्न और नाराज़ बाऊजी ऐसे में एक दिन मौन धारण कर लेते हैं। न बोलकर आत्म-मंथन, चिंतन और ज्ञानार्जन बख़ूबी होता है।

अगर कथानक सुनकर तनिक भी लगे कि यह फ़िल्म काफी सीरियस टाइप की है तो किसी भुलावे मत रहियेगा। 'आखों देखी' एक बेहद ही मनोरंजक फ़िल्म है जिसके किरदार बहुत ही मज़ेदार, सच्चे और असलियत के बिलकुल करीब दिखते हैं। पुरानी दिल्ली के तंग गलियों में दरार पालते मकानों की अँधेरी सीढ़ियों से होकर अपने हिस्से के छोटे से आँगन में खुलती यह फ़िल्म अपने बोल-चाल, हाव-भाव, तौर-तरीके से एक अपनापन भर देती है आपके अंदर। यहाँ रिश्तों में मन-मुटाव तो है पर दूरियां बिलकुल नहीं और इमोशंस तो कहने ही क्या! यहाँ बच्चे जब नाराज़ होकर खाना छोड़ देते हैं, बाप लाड़ दिखाकर मना लेता है। अलग रहने वाला भाई, बड़े भाई के घर आने पर बीवी को याद दिलाना नहीं भूलता कि भैया कप में नहीं गिलास में चाय पीना पसंद करते हैं। लगता है पुराने ज़माने की बात है पर यही है जो हम कहीं छोड़े आये थे। 

संजय मिश्रा इस फ़िल्म के महज़ एक किरदार नहीं हैं, पूरी की पूरी फ़िल्म उन्ही से निकलती है और उन्ही में जा मिलती है। फ़िल्म संजय मिश्रा के लिए बनी हो न बनी हो, संजय मिश्रा इस फ़िल्म के लिए ही बने हैं। दोनों को अलग करना-अलग रखना नामुमकिन। उन्हें स्क्रीन पर 'दो नैना तिहारे मतवारे' गाते देखना एक ऐसा अनुभव है जो आसानी से भुलाया न जाएगा। सीमा पाहवा को जो जानते हैं उन्हें पता है किरदारों को सीमा जी कितनी ख़ूबसूरती से आत्मसात कर लेती हैं। अफ़सोस, उन जैसी अदाकारा को हम परदे पे कम ही देख पाते हैं। रजत कपूर भी अपनी सधी हुई एक्टिंग से छाप छोड़ने में कोई कसर नहीं रखते, पर उनकी असली धार उनके निर्देशन में है जो कहीं भी, और जोर देकर कहूंगा कहीं भी फ़िल्म को कमज़ोर नहीं पढ़ने देती। छोटी-छोटी पर बेहद मज़ेदार भूमिकाओं में नमित दास, मनु ऋषि चड्ढा, ब्रजेन्द्र काला निराश नहीं करते।

आख़िरकार एक ऐसी फ़िल्म जो सिर्फ कहने या गिनने के लिए भारतीय नहीं है, बल्कि पूरी तरह भारत के मध्यमवर्गीय समाज में रची-बसी, फलती-फूलती, सिसकती-सुबकती, हंसती-किलकती नज़र आती है। आख़िरकार एक ऐसी फ़िल्म जिसमें नाटकीयता नाम मात्र की भी नहीं और सच्चाई हर पात्र, हर संवाद, हर दृश्य के जरिये चमकती-महकती रहती है। आख़िरकार एक ऐसी फ़िल्म जो सिनेमा के सही मायने न सिर्फ खुद समझती है, आपको भली-भांति समझाने में भी कामयाबी हासिल करती है। हालाँकि रजत कपूर की 'आँखों देखी' आम लोगों की बीच उठती-बैठती, सांस लेती, बात करती ज़रूर है, पर एक आम फ़िल्म बिलकुल भी नहीं है, कम से कम उसके लिए जो सिनेमा को जानता हो-ज़िंदगी को पहचानता हो।

यकीन नहीं होता, साल के शुरुआत में ही इस तरह की एक साफ़-सुथरी, सच्ची, ईमानदार और बेहद अच्छी फ़िल्म! 'आँखों देखी' को न देखने का मुझे तो कोई भी तर्क, कोई भी कारण समझ नहीं आता। कमोबेश ये हमारे यहाँ की 'नेबरास्का' है, उससे अच्छी नहीं तो उससे कम भी नहीं। देखिएगा ज़रूर! [4/5]

RAGINI MMS 2: ‘Sunny’ side up! Horror gets low! [2/5]

So, how many more times exactly you want to see a possessed body [quite inviting in this case] tied in wooden chair-hanged in air, making screechy deafening sounds and one good Samaritan soul helping the needy with his/her own set of sacred chants tries to persuade the evil with, “Isse chhod do! Tum chali jao” (Leave her alone! Go away!!)? That too when we already have impactful exorcism scenes in numerous horror classics! With such plenty of ripped-off references from the past formulaic horror flicks; defined deliciously as ‘horrex’, RAGINI MMS 2 fails big time to chill your bones and ends up tickling your funny bones unintentionally with stupidity scattered allover and boredom that comes from the lack of originality in plot.

Taking clues from its previous part, RAGINI MMS 2 takes you back at the same haunted house where Uday [the Rajkumar Rao of now] has lost his life while implementing his sleazy idea to shoot his personal moments with his girlfriend Ragini [Kainaz]. Ragini is now in a mental asylum and an irritatingly over-excited filmmaker [Parvin Dabas hams like anything] wants to make a film on the same. In his explanation, this would be a well-balanced mishmash of horror and sex that will leave you in your best of confusion to either go to your mother in holy-scare or to your girlfriend to satisfy your urge for dirty pleasures. This is probably the most honest announcement for all the viewers as what to expect from it. Get confused and return unfulfilled with neither being a solid punch in the name of entertainment!

Film also has been written, as to rationalize and defend its main lead Sunny Leone’s past line of work and her way in to Bollywood. She interestingly plays herself in the film. And where everyone else in the cast & crew make comments on her real life (In one scene, the director of the film in the film reacts on her instinct to have some research before playing the character, “Research? Yeh Porno se Rituporno kabse bann gayi?”), she takes on everyone with an enactment of a fake-orgasm scene to make her point of it being all a part of one’s profession. For the rest, either she’s roaming around in her skimpy pieces of silken lingerie or being extremely physical with most (She was even made to kiss Sandhya Mridul for literally no reason to have enough justification). At best, it is a 2-hour long Sunny Leone showreel!

Talking about performances in such mediocre film would be wasting one’s time and effort but if anyone could really manage to pull it till the status of ‘likeability’, it is Sandhya Mridul. Cast as an animated starlet who adds an extra ‘s’ in each word she bound to speak, Mridul responsibly slips into the character and provides a couple of genuine laughs with her contagious flare of immense energy. Sunny looks astoundingly hot and does precisely what most would love to see her doing!

Overall, it is a bad follow-up to an impressively performed & directed first part which was again a rip-off from ‘THE BLAIR WITCH REPORT’ and ‘PARANORMAL ACTIVITY’. This one pays its tribute to ‘EXORCIST’ & ‘THE SHINING’ and many others in the most forgettable manner. Only for people with weak hearts and even weaker sense of entertainment! [2/5]

BEWAKOOFIYAAN: A film too easy to celebrate its existence! [1.5/5]

Every creation of art; be it of a pure commercial aspect or for the approval of one’s inner conscious, needs to have a motive, a reason behind its very existence. Sadly, YashRaj Films’ BEWAKOOFIYAAN doesn’t show any sign of having it. I tried looking for it, genuinely. In fact, it is one of those rare romantic comedies where you find the contagious essence of romance missing from the air. All you take out from this dull, unexciting, blatantly too easy love-story is disappointment, exhaustion, drowsiness and a sense of doubt on your sensibility as why did I make the decision to bet my money on it at the first place.

Just before getting sacked from his well-paid job in the airlines sector, Mohit [Ayushmann Khurrana] had enough convincing reasons to make his life a big blasting party. A never complaining girlfriend Mayera [Sonam Kapoor], well almost; promotion in the job, brand new car and a Gold ranked credit card with massive credit-limit! Life is smooth, fast and lavish. Until comes his soon-to-be father-in-law [Rishi Kapoor, the only relief] in the scene; a strict retired IAS officer having close connections with Home Secretary and the head of Police in the state. No prizes for guessing, the love-story takes the much expected turn to be on the ‘Meet the parents’ route. As if it was really manageable, Mohit is jobless due to recession hitting the aviation industry. Next is the potholed ride to impress the father and keeping the love alive between two.

Directed by Nupur Asthana, BEWAKOOFIYAAN is a big let down for Habib Faisal who adeptly has been a pillar in the writing for DO DOONI CHAAR, BAND BAAJA BAARAT & ISHAQZAADE. The wit, rust and textured appeal to the lingo is not a complete miss here but not sharp enough too to create some stimulation. It is a film that runs at a certain pace and forgets to take off. The only part that manages to pull my attention to add some novelty to the part is where Mayera bursts in complain over Mohit for doing her bit of ‘sacrifices’ to not go shopping for a new pair of sandals since his ‘jobless’ status. It is funny but more than that, it has a connecting authenticity to Sonam’s character. I was looking for more of this kind.

Performances here are absolutely average at the most. Sonam’s role of a less crabby-all supportive girlfriend has some unseen flares but with her limitations, it goes for a toss. Ayushmann too is very constrained in terms of exhibiting his emotions. Though, he does seem comfortable in comic parts. If anyone here is really much more than what one expects, is the inimitable Rishi Kapoor. His energy, his aura and his gifted ability to slip in the characters he plays is terrifically tranquil even in such shaky circumstances. Some relief!

Romantic comedies are judged best by the youngsters in love, provided it does have some blazing romantic scenes, an exploding chemistry between the lead, hardcore emotions and some good laughs to make their time together a pleasurable experience to cherish. Deeply dejected in my heart and with all my guts gathered at one, I announce that BEWAKOOFIYAAN lacks most of the above. Watch it on DVD, if you must! [1.5/5]   

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY: Emotionally multi-layered, gravely funny and deeply-moving at some parts! [3.5/5]

Towards the end, when a moody, erratic, unstable mother [Meryl Streep in a tailor-made role] confesses to one of her daughters that she had always known that her late husband had a secret affair with her own sister and even they both had a son together, little she knew that the daughter has already fallen in love with the same cousin who’s none else but her half-brother. Moments later, the daughter walks off the place crying and the mother asks in plain inexperience, “Who’s the injured party here?”

John Wells’ family-drama or rather dysfunctional family-drama AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY has plenty of such good black humor illustrations coming out from left, right and centre with the exposé of dark secrets everyone in the family holds. Supported well by an imposing cast, AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY is an emotionally multi-layered, gravely funny and sometimes a deeply-moving film to watch!

Soon after the accidental death; also suspected as suicidal affair of Beverly Weston [Sam Shepard], everyone related by blood and affinity to the third degree joins Violet [Meryl] in her sufferings to deal with the current loss and an incurable illness to fight for. The visitors include her eldest daughter Barbara [Played by Julia Roberts] with her separated husband [Ewan McGregor] and teenage daughter, second daughter Karen [Juliette Lewis] with her latest boyfriend, youngest daughter Ivy [Played by Julianne Nicholson] and the family of Violet’s sister. At first, it may seem and sound a strong emotional family re-union that comes together in the times of despair but soon you enter their lives, you get amazed by the dark secrets and the darker inner of their characters. The best part is that it never attacks to make you feel sorry for them, in fact the plot unravels itself in such a delectable manner that you would bound to smile till you burst in giggles.

Meryl Streep plays a drug-addict fighting with mouth-cancer and that appears totally in-sync with her loud-mouthed, mean and morose housewife who never stops being argumentative about things and blasting on others. She even doesn’t miss any of chances to put others down, no matter how close she/he is to her. Her intensive mood-swings are worth watching. 

Julia Roberts’ Barbara can equally be judgmental, dominating and ruthlessly practical. Watch her on the dining table scene where she jumps, bumps and wrestles with her mother to seize the addictive tablets from her. She is perfect to her part. On others, Juliette Lewis manages to create some comical ‘oh, how can you be so dumb’ moments. Julienne Nicholson gives a sensible performance in her cutely amusing love portions with her cousin in the film, the nervous, anxious but overtly emotional soul ‘Little Charles’ played by Benedict Cumberbatch. Though he’s there in just for a couple of scenes, still he grabs yours attention with a sincere performance.

Overall, it is a film that establishes no one is pure, no one is what he/she looks like and no one is so simple to deal with but then, that’s life. It’s complicated, intricate, difficult but in your face. Dark humor subtly weaved in the plot and a charmingly beautiful cast makes it a good sight for eyes with a constant smile! Watch it. [3.5/5]                  

GULAAB GANG: Good old ‘Good vs. Evil’ clash in a new plastic bottle! Better not taste!! [2/5]

There were times when a Bollywood film didn’t necessarily need much in the name of content and plot but definitely superstars of ‘larger than life’ stature and in numbers. The era of multi-starrers, then, was measured by how big and how many stars one could bring under one roof, supported by an impressive face of villain. You must have encountered some of those on the bygone VHS viewing. Saumik Sen’s GULAAB GANG brings back memories of the same but in a bad bad taste. It is nothing more than two great actresses of their times coming together for the first time to share the screen. That’s it.  

Rajjo [Played by ravishing Madhuri in quite a typical role] leads a group of women, deprived by destiny, dressed in pink and dogged to fight. Together they can make things work in the system. From fighting for basic necessities like education, electricity, food to standing out as a powerful judiciary system of their own, they play cool until enters a mean, wicked, heartless menace Sumitra Devi [Juhi Chawla stealing the show as her first strive in negative role]. Sumitra is a self-centered power-hungry politician who barely has left any signs of humanity and sympathy against suppressed in her, though the kind of creepy smile on her face never really goes missing even when things aren’t much in favor. The clash can’t be averted. It’s just a matter of how, where and when.

Despite the fact that the makers are in complete denial, film clearly finds indisputable similarities with the real life Gulabi Gang led by Sampat Pal of Chhatisgarh, in look, intent and in functioning too. This is a shameless dark side of the profession but that’s actually nothing in facade of the lack of earnestness while making the film. Rajjo’s obsessive dream to open a school in the village often looks melodramatic. Performing on well-choreographed songs is like the only other activity this gang is occupied with. And if it is not over, there are gravity-defying action sequences too where you witness Rajjo turning heroically into ‘Singham’ ‘Dabangg’ ‘Rowdy Rathore’ kind of mass-entertainers who could fly, jump and kick anyone from anywhere.

Saumik Sen directs well especially while creating drama [Watch out for the abduction scene of a rapist in the village pond] and even shows an impressive hand in an overall look of the film but once the gimmicky ‘Madhuri comes opposite Juhi’ factor enters the scene, the rest gets carried away. In other mentionable part, Divya Jagdale and Priyanka Bose strike and provide delightful moments as members of the gang. Their chemistry together has sometimes more sparks than the leads. Tannishtha Chatterjee is wasted. She definitely needed a better support from writing.

Subject could have been the hero but sadly it’s always the Madhuri Vs Juhi. Madhuri dons the role of Rajjo with total ease, looks smashing, acts flawless and dances to win hearts but for me, it is Juhi Chawla who beats everyone with her bravura performance. I wasn’t expecting this from her at all. Definitely writers have worked on her part well and she has done full justice. What a comeback!

At the end; if you really want to celebrate ‘Women’s Day’ and the sentiments of Women empowerment, I will leave you with two choices. Try to catch Nishtha Jain’s honest, real and an eye-opener documentary ‘GULABI GANG’ or if not anything else, go for Kangana Ranaut’s QUEEN. Saumik Sen's ‘GULAAB GANG’ is a must for only Juhi Chawla Fans! [2/5]

QUEEN: Kangana arrives…and how!...in this deliciously delightful film of the season! [4/5]

When everyone else is busy discussing the issue on news panels as 2014 supposedly being the year of Women Empowerment, Producer-turned-director Vikas Bahl has done his bit full-heartedly, loud and clear with his second and the most delightful film of the year, crowned already in its name. ‘QUEEN’ powerfully belongs to the genre called ‘slice of life’ movies where every ounce of emotions, every piece in the settings and each shade of events is authentic, appropriate, raw & relatable. And then, there is Kangana Ranaut- the gifted conductor without any baton who single-handedly orchestrates all of it to create a magnificently charming film. Make a nice cozy room for this in your hearts. It’s not going to leave any soon.

Rani [Kangana as a surprising revelation] is a typical ‘Rajauri’ girl of West Delhi who’s all excited to loose her ‘virginity ka vrat’ since it’s just a couple of days more for her to get married with his prince charming Vijay [Rajkumar Rao in a comparatively smaller but significant role]. While good things are in wait for its turn, bad knocks the door first. She’s been dumped for not being modern enough to match the status of the London-retuned eligible groom. Rani is shattered but doesn’t want to miss her last chance to taste freedom as the pre-planned honeymoon package in Paris is still on. And then, begins a fascinating yet simple journey starting with a maze of ambiguity, resistance, conflicts and winding up in the unfastened ends of independence, liberty and freedom to live happily ever after.

Sounding similar to ENGLISH-VINGLISH, ‘QUEEN’ is not more than a distant relative who never actually has met with the other. Rani here is more spirited and progressively more opened up soul than anyone you have seen on screen. Her first reactions to anything inventive towards her are immediate, simple and carefree. Her tricky tactics to deal with any unseen, enforced situation might have its own logic behind but are totally entertaining to have you in splits. So, she can be apprehensively charmed by people doing ‘lip-to-lip’ kisses. She can also recount the state of women in India where they aren’t allowed to even burp in public and that too without making it a loud protest. Well-written!!

QUEEN belongs to Kangana. She owns it as much as any legendary actresses do to their lifetime roles. She succeeds to make your heart somber in pain but does an outstanding job to bring tons of smiles on your face. Every actor needs a character he could slip into to make it alive. For Kangana, this is it.  Rajkumar Rao makes his presence felt. Lisa Haydon is good as Rani’s confidante in Paris. Actors as her friends-cum-roomies are perfectly cast.

Director’s sweet remembrance audio-visual to film’s late cinematographer Bobby Singh, Amit Trivedi’s uplifting songs & background score, delicious dialogues co-written by Kangana herself and a total breezy-fresh and funny tone to the film are added features that don’t allow you to miss it at any cost. Include it in your to-do list for this weekend, soon after finishing this review. Others can wait! QUEEN shouldn’t!! [4/5]

300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE: A Guilty Pleasure! And a fight for glory glorified!! [3/5]

Do not judge me if I find the atrociously murderous but fascinatingly choreographed, performed and designed battle sequences in Noem Murro’s photographic textbook in visual effects ‘300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE’ beautiful, awe-striking and totally engaging. As much as its super-successful predecessor, this latest in series too rides high on the finesse in the visual part where most of the elements are imagined, created and celebrated on highly resourceful ‘gigantic in efficiency’ graphic machines.

300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE is not a typical sequel movie. It does not try to connect from where the earlier was left. Instead, it throws you in different zones on the same timeline to tell you a new missed or ‘deliberately forgotten’ plot. Bathed in gold, Xerxes of Persia [A stylish fanatic played by Rodrigo Santoro] is returned from the pit of darkness as an invincible power of wrath & vengeance. His only reason to walk the path is to turn Greece into ashes in want to revenge his father’s death. Though the vocal medium is sure of his, words are clearly marked properties of Artemisia [The beautified version of evil forces played by Eva Green]. To ensure a good combat, there is Themistocles [Sullivan Stapleton] of Athens who doesn’t rest to leave any stone unturned to bring all of Greece states under one banner but as we recall from the earlier, the 300 of Spartans have been butchered by the enemy strength and now, the only hope is to fight till you die.

Jam-packed with impressive slow-motion shots with eagle-eye of detailing captured beautifully to enhance 3-dimensional viewing, 300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE is a guilty pleasure to enjoy excessive blood & gore war scenes where men are getting beheaded every now and then; one lifeless head even gets a smooch in one freaky scene, blood spatters like water in the shower and thousands are being slashed, sliced and slit in the name of glory. Considering a great job at the VFX table, film looks amazing in every frame. Action sequences are hysterically breathtaking. But where it hurts the most, is the unfulfilled requirement of a good storyline. It doesn’t rise up from a regular revenge drama with its own share of sacrifices, motivational speeches and abiding hunger of total power.

On the performances, there is nothing much to do for Rodrigo Santoro but whenever he appears on screen, you feel all charged up with what comes next. Eva Green as the evil-head Artemisia is first rate. Sullivan Stapleton carries off well in the lead role but somewhere down the line, you end up looking for a Gerard Butler in him. And that gets unsatisfactory for fans! Even though the second part falls shorter of whistle-blowing moments than in first part, this chiseled body- all shaved up men’s encounter never runs out of thrilling moments. Watch out to get mesmerized by glorified action sequences and superbly executed visual graphics. Do not look for more than what it promises and you’ll not be dissatisfied. Extremely Watchable! [3/5]

FANDRY [MARATHI]: A must-watch for its intent, content & sentiment! [4/5]

Late in the film, an ill-treated, discriminated on the grounds of caste, creed and colour, family of considerably untouchables is seen trying their guts out & sweating their blood over the capturing of pigs in the village…and the so-called privileged upper caste people enjoy it shamelessly with their lewd-rude remarks that confirm anything but the existence of humanity. One of the most humiliating scenes I have seen/felt in recent! So, when the protagonist- a teenage son of the same family decides to revolt & strike back to the dominants, even I feel like standing for him with my full conviction & certainty to demand for a vital change.

Nagraj Popatrao Manjule’s FANDRY is a crucial film that recognizes its responsibility towards society and creates a shocking, filthy and sickening mirror-image of not-so-shining India. Surprisingly, it is also a beautiful teenage romantic film with a fresh breeze of innocence, fashioned smartly in usages of metaphors.    

Jabya [Impressive Somnath Avghade in his first outing as an actor] doesn’t want to leave any stone unturned unless he gets a rare black sparrow to cast a magic spell on his dream girl-cum-first crush-cum-classmate Shalu, of higher caste, to hypnotize her and win her heart. As described by a wise old lady, “Black sparrow is like a Brahmin, if you touch it once, others will make sure it never gets returned to its community alive”, Jabya is constantly advised to keep distance of such rubbish plan and to be regular in his family’s daily working schedules. FANDRY is about Jabya’s hope to find that rare bird someday. FANDRY is about Jabya’s aspirations to have a longer pointed nose like the model has, in an apparel brand advertisement. FANDRY is about Jabya’s longing for his love that doesn’t see any hint of chauvinism over skin colour or surnames.  

Serenely shot, lyrically edited and beautifully written and directed, FANDRY cherishes on real locations and almost real characters. Kishor Kadam as the father merely looks an actor. He effortlessly slips into a suppressed character, often being mocked at for his caste. Jabya is first-rate and through his catch-22 situations where he’s reluctant about his family’s profession to join as it might destroy his reputation on the girl he’s interested in, Manjule shows a matured approach to raise the conflict of choices you make in life and the circumstances forcing you in different direction. Scenes with Jabya and his friend Piriya are charmingly sweet and funny. In other remarkable scenes, watch out for Jabya dancing hysterically in a cultural celebration to impress his girl but can be seen soon having decorative-lamps on his head as a light man to break your hearts in bits & pieces.

To sum up things, if Bengali cinema has maintained the integration of artistic values in filmmaking, Marathi cinema has always been blessed with socially relevant movies with realistic tag being celebrated in an entertaining manner. FANDRY is a must-watch for its intent, content & sentiment! [4/5]