रंगून: ‘इस’ इश्क़ और जंग में सब कुछ जायज़ नहीं! [3/5]

विशाल भारद्वाज की नई-नवेली फिल्म ‘रंगून’ को अमेरिकी क्लासिक ‘कासाब्लांका’ से जोड़ के देखना एक दर्शक के तौर पर शायद आपकी सबसे बड़ी भूल होगी. हालाँकि इसकी पटकथा में कहने को बहुत सारे ऐसे पहलू हैं, जो ‘रंगून’ को ‘कासाब्लांका’ जैसा दिखाने-बताने की होड़ में बेसुध लगे रहते हैं. विश्व-युद्ध की पृष्ठभूमि में प्रेम-त्रिकोण की पेचीदगी उनमें से सबसे ज्यादा करीब भी है, सबसे ज्यादा कामयाब भी. फिर भी कमोबेश, यह विशाल भारद्वाज की औसत फिल्मों (सात खून माफ़, मटरू की बिजली का मंडोला) की लिस्ट में ही एक बड़ा इजाफा करने तक सीमित रह पाती है.

‘रंगून’ आज़ादी से पहले के भारत का इतिहास टटोलने और उसे दुबारा परदे पर परोसने तक तो बहुत जोश-ख़रोश दिखाती है, पर जब बात दर्शकों के सामने अपने किरदारों के दिल चीर कर रख देने की आती है, तो भारद्वाज बड़ी बेचारगी और मासूमियत से कहानी के साथ घालमेल करने में जुट जाते हैं. गनीमत है कि फिल्म में रंगीली, नशीली, कंटीली कंगना, और पंकज कुमार की दिलकश सिनेमेटोग्राफी एक फ्रेम के लिए भी अपनी जगह, अपनी जिम्मेदारी, अपनी जवाबदेही नहीं छोड़ते!

अपने स्टंट खुद करने में माहिर जूलिया (कंगना रानौत) ’40 के दशक की सबसे मशहूर फ़िल्मी सितारा है, साथ ही कभी मूक फिल्मों के ‘एक्शन-स्टार’ रहे रूसी बिलिमोरिया (सैफ अली खान) के दिल का चैन-सुकून भी. रूसी ने ही जूलिया को फुटपाथ से उठा कर आसमान की बुलंदियों तक पहुँचाया है. दोनों के रिश्ते में जमादार नवाब मलिक (शाहिद कपूर) का आना तब होता है, जब जूलिया को बर्मा में अँगरेज़ फौज के सामने प्रोग्राम करने के लिए तलब किया जाता है. मलिक और जूलिया में बढ़ती नजदीकियों के अलावा, देश में आज़ाद हिन्द फौज की सरगर्मियां भी बढ़ने लगी हैं. देशभक्ति जब हवाओं में घुल कर साँसों में आग फूंक रही हो, प्यार कैसे अछूता रह पायेगा? चेहरों पे चढ़े मुखौटे टूटने लगे हैं. इश्क अपनी ज़द, अपनी हद से पार जाने को मचल रहा है.

‘रंगून’ एक बड़े कैनवास की फिल्म होने का सारा दम-ख़म रखती है. प्रोडक्शन-डिजाईन में छोटी से छोटी बारीकियों की बात हो (फिल्म स्टॉक के ज़माने में रील पर पेन से मार्क करना, मुंबई के पुराने इरोस थिएटर का सेट), या बेहतरीन कैमरावर्क के जरिये फिल्म को ‘क्लासिक’ लुक देने का माद्दा; ‘रंगून’ कहीं से भी कमज़ोर या लचर नहीं दिखती. फिल्म में विशाल भारद्वाज का चिर-परिचित राजनीतिक व्यंग/कटाक्ष भी कम ही सही, पर असरदार तरीके से दिख तो जाता ही है. किरदारों को दिलचस्प बनाने की रटी-रटाई कवायद यहाँ भी साफ़ झलकती है. जूलिया अगर ‘फियरलेस नाडिया’ से अपने ताव, तौर-तरीके अपनाती है, तो वहीँ एक अँगरेज़ जनरल उर्दू शेर-ओ-शायरी का मुरीद निकल जाता है.

अभिनय में कंगना सबसे काबिल बनकर उभरती हैं. आपको याद भी नहीं होगा, पिछली बार कब कोई महिला किरदार परदे पर इतनी सशक्त, जांबाज़, दिलेर और उतनी ही मखमली और मजबूर भी लगी हो! शाहिद की अदाकारी आपको ‘हैदर’ की तरह हैरान तो नहीं करती, पर पूरी तरह मंजी हुई लगती है और कहीं भी परेशान नहीं करती. अपने शाहाना अंदाज़ से, सैफ परदे पर मशहूर हॉलीवुड अभिनेता क्लार्क गेबल की याद दिला जाते हैं. शायरी-पसंद ब्रिटिश आर्मी जनरल की भूमिका में रिचर्ड मैकेब गुदगुदाते रहते हैं.   

इतने सब के बावजूद, ‘रंगून’ एक ही फिल्म में कई फिल्में ठूंसी हुई लगती है. जूलिया अपने आप में एक मुकम्मल कहानी का इल्म कराती है. काश, हम उसे और जान पाते! रूसी-जूलिया-मलिक का इश्किया सफ़र भी ज्यादा वक़्त मांगता है. और अंत में; एक बेहद काबिल वॉर-फिल्म, जिसकी सिर्फ झलक ही आपको पूरी फिल्म में देखने मिलती है, और आप मन मसोस के रह जाते हैं कि बॉलीवुड को उसका ‘सेविंग प्राइवेट रायन’ मिलना अभी दूर लगता है. इश्क़ और जंग की ‘इस’ कहानी में सब कुछ जायज़ तो नहीं है, पर 2 घंटे 50 मिनट की इस महत्वाकांक्षी फिल्म में बहुत कुछ देखने और सराहने लायक है. [3/5]   

KATTI BATTI: A ‘yawn’ experience! [1.5/5]

Love-stories can be clichéd. One should never be ashamed of it or in the state of complete denial. In fact, there will always be the ‘boy-meets-girl’ design in the plot, some or the other way, but you can’t be so unimaginative, uninspired and uninteresting that no one would even try to invest their emotions in whatever story you’re telling or just cooking it up for the sake of it. Nikhil Advani’s KATTI BATTI is probably year’s most lackluster romantic film; not just because it lacks the chemistry, the spark, the romance or even the reason behind its existence but also, for being a ruthless demolisher of a proficient actor’s potential [That goes for Kangana]. This is a film where romance is judged by how competently you preserve the first 20-rupee note your ‘true love’ has offered you with her phone number on it, or how proudly you carry a piece of paper once used for writing the word ‘sorry’ as many as fifty times to brace your apology. I can hear you all going ‘Aww’ with multiple ‘W’s, girls! But this all happen, hold your breath, in a modern day live-in relationship! Growing up is a choice, I fear most of the Bollywood writers don’t like to go for.

The film is set in a world where every Madhav involuntarily becomes Maddy [Imran Khan] but Payal [Kangana] remains Payal despite being more foresighted, focused and free-spirited than the cool dude in question. No wonder, she is called ‘a good catch’, ‘chalu’ and a ‘man-eater’ who can chew men and spit out the waste, for the choices she makes in her life. On the other hand, the boy is on the loose to chase the girl until she accepts to be with him. 5 years later, they are breaking-up. And then, of course there is a bunch of supporting human angles to make it happening whatever needs to be in those circumstances! A friend who’s irritatingly always there [Doesn’t he have his own life?], a bossy kid sister with her so-called wise advices, another friend who’s shown pregnant while being already the mother of a one & half year old toddler [Though it’s not a crime, I really want to know what went wrong that night] and many others including a baddie actually being a goodie. Did I just pass a lame clue here for a shamefully twisted climax or eventually the director’s cover up for his own sins? I think I deserve a ‘thank you’ to save some of your mental exercise.

Surprisingly, the film starts with a really impressive scene where the couple is seen discussing their live-in relationship status, in bed, followed by the inventively-shot ‘lip to lip de kissiyaan’ song. It smells fresh but only till you know the writer has been briefed to make every scene a laughter-joint no matter how irrelevant, erratic or unreal it is. The film is filled with scenes when humor is forced, freaky and fatigued. As a writer, I can tell you how one sell these kind of scenes to the director. The popular expression is ‘On-screen aur achcha lagega’. We all have been made fools. While watching movies, one should always be attentive as there might be a hidden hint for your own good. Well; just before the climax, Nikhil throws a song named ‘Jaago mohan pyaare’ on us to make sure all of us are awake to notice the high-point of his film i.e. the weepy-creepy and shabbily sentimental climax.

Kangana Ranaut, on the cast, is underused for her abilities to emote and over-used for providing a gimmicky ‘different looks in one film’ formula, she apparently has mastered in TANU WEDS MANU AGAIN. On the contrary, Imran is given more screen-time, attention and opportunities to show his caliber. As a nerd, bore and one-track lover of an ambitious, smart and animated girl, he is quite watchable. So is Vivan Bhatena. Special mention to Suneel Sinha as Maddy’s father who has all the talents and looks to fill the long-awaited gap for a cool, caring and compassionate Bollywood father. Now, that’s some fresh casting I see.

There has been news of Aamir Khan seen crying after watching this dead & dull romantic affair. I can only say, crying is good but never for the wrong reasons. The makers should have an on-screen affirmation saying something like, ‘This is the scene that made Aamir cry’, it would be more helpful to incite some emotions in viewers. Otherwise, Nikhil Advani’s KATTI BATTI is an affair NOT to remember! A ‘yawn’ experience! [1.5/5]

TANU WEDS MANU RETURNS: Just for Laughs…and the ‘QUEEN’! [3.5/5]

A hushed & muted father in 40 years of marriage [K K Raina] is comforting his son [Madhavan] who’s on the edge of making the hardest decision to get out of his dysfunctional marriage; and you can clearly eavesdrop on the mother complaining hysterically about this late night discussion. Towards the end of the conversation, the agitated father gets up, picks up a floor-wiper and breaks the only lit tube light in the house. The marriages anywhere on earth can bring the same effect on any one who claims to be sane. But then, there is always a way to escape the complications. Paying no attention and enjoying your regular spell of drinking could be one, as suggested by the father in the film but divorce is just not so done. How can we not have Tanu and Manu in same frame if the film has already pictured them as a couple? We dare not.

Despite managing a wonderful plot for a sequel, TANU WEDS MANU RETURNS prefers to join the successful league of highly entertaining bollywood films that might go for a clumsy climax and a fake happy-ending just for the sake of audience’s approval. The best part is you have a pool of talents and the powerhouse herself at your side, Kangana Ranaut if you want to play straight; so definitely no one is gonna raise his eyebrows over this preferred choice of not going bold but staying regular.

Four years is a term looking too much to be in marriage for the temperamental Tanu [Kangana] and maddened Manu [Madhavan]. Their latest verbal spat has landed Manu in mental asylum and Tanu in killing loneliness. She returns to her zone, of ex-boyfriends, fewer limitations and an all flying high life with no strings attached. Manu meets a mirror image of Tanu and falls in love instantly. This new entrance [the overpowering double role of Kangana] is a Haryanvi athlete- a lot rough in her vocals but much more susceptible and sensitive within. Meanwhile, returns Pappi [Deepak Dobriyal]- the uproarious friend who never runs out of droll one-liners. Then, there is Raja Awasthy [Jimmy Shergil] adding the drama led by power, passion and attitude. Zeeshan Ayyub plays your regular mean and tricky one-sided lover who considers himself belonging to a certain ‘kandha’ type men known for offering their shoulders to broken girls to cry at.

TANU WEDS MANU RETURNS takes off from the base of its prequel and lands up in the territory of ‘RAANJHNAA’. Aanand L Rai being the powering team-lead and Himanshu Sharma the delectable writing force, it doesn’t fail as an experiment. Film guarantees uncontainable laughs especially in the first half before the ineptness in the screenplay starts bothering you soon. Be it the wedding-scene where Pappi kidnaps his ‘whats app’ female friend to marry just because she would reply on his even lamest jokes with ‘LOL’ text messages or where Swara Bhaskar sounds like she had done anything unethical in going medical way to conceive a child without telling her husband; the second half eventually becomes the rush-rush, hush-hush mission to meet the forged happy ending. When would we stop pretending that marriages are not done until the very last ‘phera’? When would we stop taking our climaxes to the ‘mundup’ at the very final moments?

Anyways, keeping my issues aside; it’s a film that establishes Kangana’s success in QUEEN wasn’t a fluke. She surfaces as a towering performer in both her roles. No matter what get up, what accent she’s into; Kangana is there to spellbind you. Her flawless performance gives you goose bump moments we rarely experience or expect from Bollywood films. Madhavan is equally competent. His charms never fade. His kind, compassionate and fragile Manu makes his own place in your hearts. The casting is superbly accomplished.

Overall, TANU WEDS MANU RETURNS is a film made for laughs! Frequent laughs! Fabulous laughs!! If only Aanand L Rai had not been so conservative about divorces, film would have been blessed with a much appreciative climax. Watch out for the ‘Queen’ whose vivacious presence alone makes every penny of yours a ‘worth it’ investment to gain super-sized entertainment! [3.5/5]

UNGLI: What a waste of a noble intent! [2/5]

Corruption has now been so widespread in our system and quite an acceptable thing in a sense that we often don’t even try to be judgmental about it. No wonder when the creative brain behind the critically acclaimed RANG DE BASANTI, Rensil D’Silva decides to bring the story of an unusual ‘fight against corruption movement’ on screen again, even he doesn’t try to sound deep, profound and sure about the solution. So, we see a group of young souls coming together to punish the ‘corrupts’ in the most absurd but enjoyable manner, of course to the viewers and not the victims. Despite showing sincerity in the objective, UNGLI stays low, average, mindless and an infertile effort, mainly because of the lack of gravity in the treatment.

A retired old man [S M Zaheer seen in a long time] is forced to make regular visits at the government office to get his hard-earned pension sanctioned as he can’t stand the significance of bribery in the system. An autowallah asks for double-fare as the distance is too short to make big money. And then, there is corruption in the police organization to get preferred profitable postings by paying heavy sum to some illicit third party. All the instances are no new but the punishments set by the new ray of hope fondly called as the ‘Ungli’ gang are sure innovative and dramatically entertaining. Corrupts are made running non-stop for their lives in the sports ground. Some go under trial to eat the money in its most literal sense. And the Mumbai autowallah is sent to Delhi in the rail-cargo with his auto to satisfy his hunger for ‘lamba-bhaada’.  

The ‘Ungli’ gang includes a medical intern [Kangna Ranaut], a crime-journalist [Randeep Hooda], a computer engineer [Neil Bhoopalam] and a pizza-loving muscleman [Angad Bedi] with the new entrance, an expert in kissing stuck in the midway to find out true colors in his personality [Emraan Hashmi]. Meanwhile, the police [Led by Sanjay Dutt playing his age for a change] are all seen treating them as the most dangerous group ever came on this planet. Come on, don’t they have enough celebrity programs to attend and provide security to the most undesirable politicians? Leave these guys alone, as they won’t last long considering their one-dimensional performances and the all uncooked mediocre lines they speak with full intensity. Picture this, “mujhe sudhaarte-sudhaarte, sudhaarne wale bigad gaye” or “Aansuon se sirf whisky dilute hoti hai”. Claps? Mention not, please!

Rensil D’Silva’s UNGLI is also a big fail in its screenplay. You always get confused with the timelines after each cut in the shots. Neha Dhupia playing a TV journalist and the veteran Raza Murad playing the Commissioner of Police come back in a regular interval only to show their disappointment in trying to catch & cover the gang but nothing to call it a success in their kitties as the gang is apparently so smart; which again they aren’t. Performances are equally unremarkable. Sanjay Dutt being the most avoidable to comment and Randeep being the most tolerable of the lot!    

D’Silva’s UNGLI takes huge inspiration from his RANG DE BASANTI in its intention but ends up abusing it in similar ways he gives the title ‘Basanti’ to the booty-shaking girl [Shraddha Kapoor tries her hands] in the most idiotically written item song ‘Dance Basanti’. What a repositioning! And what a waste of a noble intent! [2/5]

REVOLVER RANI: Loud, laborious and lethargic desi-ode to Tarantino! [2/5]

In Sai kabir’s REVOLVER RANI- an underwhelming homage to Quentin Tarantino style Filmmaking, Sai often takes his narrative to a local TV News anchor who loves to connect and end every breaking news piece with some popular Bollywood songs. Her local flavor in the diction, interesting writing and primitiveness in the enactment never goes wrong, not even for a single time. This is probably one and only element in the film that is constantly entertaining, remarkable, convinced and believably relatable. For the rest, REVOLVER RANI is a loud, laborious and lethargic outing in search of pleasurable entertainment.

The daredevil dacoit of Chambal, Alka Singh [Kangana Ranaut in form] is a tigress with gun in her hands that can walk fearlessly into its rival’s den, shoot its mouth off, shower as much bullet in the stock and return back winning all the claps and whistles. ‘Fashion, fun and gun’ is what describes her ferociously wild flashy character the best but at the same time, she is a trapped soul in the hostile world of politics, power and position driven by bullet and ballot both. If not fighting back in stride with her rival gang the corrupt politician trio Tomar brothers [Zakir Hussain, Kumud Mishra & Pankaj Saraswat], Alka loves to explore the arena of love with her lover Rohan [Vir Das in a regular but meatier role], a struggling actor in Bollywood. Things go erratic when Alka gets pregnant and that could possibly turn into a serious threat to all the prospects her mentor [Piyush Mishra saving some grace] had eyed for.

Sai sets the mood perfectly with real locations, interesting characters, local dialect and the scheming political scenario everyone can relate to. Extended shootouts weaved in with gun-shots and music, satirical approach in the narrative and the stylized action sequences are clearly Tarantino effect but it’s the lifeless story and scattered screenplay that hardly do any better to the promising premise. Entertainment comes in bits and pieces and for the most, the whole 2 hour 15 minutes looks like a never ending journey in the tiring terrain of Chambal itself. Music is another letdown as it plays one of the most prominent parts in such film and can never be less than a driving force to the film.     

Kangana Ranout, after her super-delightful performance in QUEEN is back with a character that needs guts and a certain kind of spark to set the screen on fire. Sadly, Kangana puts her best but the writing doesn’t give her what she deserves. Vir Das is likeable in parts. Watch him explaining how his situation in the film at that time finds similarities with Hollywood actor Daniel Day-Lewis and it’s all about being a true actor. Funnier than you think! Piyush Mishra shows his mastery over the art and though he’s more visible in second half, he captures your attention in total effect. Zakir Hussain, Kumud Mishra and Pankaj Saraswat as witty villains are good to watch.

In nut shell, REVOLVER RANI is a sad victim of baffled screenplay that loses its steam way before the end. Even good performances and fascinating characters aren’t good enough to make your day. Avoid this messy ride of bullet, ballot and bizarre ballet of love! [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]

KRRISH 3: Unimaginative, unoriginal, borrowed and a bigger disappointment! [2/5]

If you heard something like, “agar mera yeh experiment kaamyaab ho gaya, main yeh-main woh…” you should never be in doubts that you are watching a science-fiction movie (…from Bollywood ofcourse). But thrice?...in the whole 2 hour 33 min of duration filled with inspired yet uninspiring visual effects?? Really?? Then sure you ought to have your uncertainties on gravity of the skilled writing.

In other scene, when a superhero supposedly killed by the evil returns inexplicably or rather in a scientific breakthrough too suitable to sound plausible, a kid confronts the shocked & shaken baddie played by Vivek Oberoi as, “kyun? Phat gayi kya?”. Well, the audience laughed but I couldn’t as if we really want our kids to grow in such shape. Though eventually it is a family entertainer, Rakesh Roshan’s KRRISH 3 can’t be declared sole responsible for that but definitely for being least original, least entertaining & for shamelessly taking cues from the past hits of the west. On one hand, Sr. Roshan tries to woo you with extensive visual effects never seen before in India, but also never lets his gluttony go off to encash the Indian sentimental spree. So, the plot goes for the toss in order to swing aimlessly between the both!

Krishna (Hrithik Roshan in a tailor-made role) is trying his hard to balance his life in Mumbai with his father Rohit (Jr. Roshan again in a comparatively more charming role) & wife Priya (Priyanka Chopra in a regular), between his normal routine and the disappearing ‘superhero’ acts as Krrish to save people’s lives. Meanwhile, an evil mind named Kaal (Vivek Oberoi in a menacing character interestingly modeled on the similar lines of Sir Juda in Subhash Ghai’s KARZ) is busy creating an army of MAANVARs (Mutants from the fusion of humans with animals) to rule the world and regain his powers. Rest is all about how the two clash & collide with their own set of intentions to destroy buildings, demolish towers and make people (especially viewers more than the ones on screen) suffer not only physically but mentally and emotionally too.

Theoretically, a superhero movie needs an upper hand on the VFX front. KRRISH 3 fulfills that basic rule by creating some of the unseen effects in Indian cinema but ‘is that enough’ is the biggest question. There is not one single action/ VFX sequence in the film that comes with an ‘original’ tag…and I bet if you can show me at least one! I wish if the team of writers would have sit more on the plot to make it inspiring rather than deciding on what all effects we can borrow from Hollywood Hits to thrill the audience! KOI MIL GAYA has proved in the past that if incorporated smartly in the plot, even the emotional quotient would work as a strong share of interest, but sadly here in KRRISH 3 it was all done just for the sake of it. Novelty is gone already and now the sensibility too.

On the performance side, there is no second thought on Hrithik being the crowd puller. He maintains the level he has achieved. He charms you with his intensity, his ability and his skills as a complete performer. Vivek as Kaal is strictly average. Kangna as his one of the mutants has an interesting role to pull out. She is poised. She is confident. She is promising. Priyanka Chopra incidentally has nothing new to surprise.

In an advanced world of technology, where even kids have opened all the possible windows to access latest landmarks in the said field, I am not very sure if KRRISH 3 would be able to make it to their appreciation. It only makes you believe in an unsaid rule that medium can never rule out the message, especially if it is borrowed, clichéd, corny, tacky and unimaginative. Think twice before buying your tickets! [2/5]