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]

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]

डेढ़ इश्क़िया: मिज़ाज कातिलाना, अंदाज़ शायराना! उम्दा!! [4/5]

फिल्म के एक अहम सीन में, जब दबंग विधायक जाँ मुहम्मद [विजयराज अपने निहायत ही जाने-पहचाने अंदाज़ में], जिन्हें नवाब बनना-दिखना-लगना-कहलाना पसंद है, और उसके गुर्गों का सामना खालू [नसीरूद्दीन शाह] और बब्बन [अरशद वारसी] से होता है...दोनों ही गुट एक दूसरे को पिस्तौल के निशाने पर रख लेते हैं! मुश्किल ये है की अब पिस्तौल पहले कौन हटाये? इसी पेशोपेश में सुबह हो जाती है! अगर आप समझ पायें कि कहानी लख़नऊ के आस-पास की है, जहाँ की तहज़ीब और तमीज़ 'पहले आप-पहले आप' में रची-बसी है तो बहुत मुश्किल नहीं है अभिषेक चौबे की लज्ज़तदार कॉमेडी थ्रिलर 'डेढ़ इश्क़िया' का लुत्फ़ उठाना!

'डेढ़ इश्क़िया' उन चंद फिल्मों में से है जिसकी ख़ूबसूरती जिस शिद्दत से कलम से निकलती है, उसी बख़ूबी पर्दे पे भी रंग लाती है! फ़िल्म आपको एक ऐसी दुनिया में ले जाती है जहाँ के मिज़ाज कातिलाना, किरदार गुस्ताख़ और तबियत शायराना है। उर्दू महज़ लफ़्ज़ों तक नहीं रुकती, हवाओं और फिज़ाओं में रूह की तरह बेपरवाह बहती है। पिछली बार ऐसा कुछ तेवर आपने तिगमांशु धुलिया की 'साहब बीवी और गैंगस्टर' में महसूस किया होगा। सुनकर या पढ़कर अगर आपको लग रहा हो, ये एक बीते दौर की पुरानी फ़िल्म है तो आप एक बार फिर गलत हैं। अभिषेक चौबे जिस तरह फ़िल्म को एक अलग अंदाज़ से अपने बिंदास ह्यूमर और बेबाक किरदारों के साथ परोसते हैं, फ़िल्म आपको ना सिर्फ बाँधे रखती है नयेपन का भी पूरा एहसास कराती है! 

खालू [नसीर साब] पे अब उमर असर दिखाने लगी है पर जवान दिल के साथ वो अभी भी महमूदाबाद रियासत की बेगम पारा [बेइंतिहाई खूबसूरत माधुरी] का शायराना शौहर बनने की होड़ से खुद को पीछे नहीं रख पाता! ऐसे ही एक और नकली नवाब हैं विजयराज जो एक क़ैद शायर [मनोज पाहवा] की मदद से बेगम के दिल और रियासत दोनों पर काबिज़ होना चाहते हैं। जल्दी ही ये सारी कवायद परत-दर-परत साज़िशों और किरदारों के बदलते अक्स का नमूना बन जाती है...और फिर शुरू होता ही दौर, दिलचस्प हादसों का जिनकी भनक आपको कतई नहीं लगती! खुराफाती बब्बन [अरशद] और बेगम की हमराज़ मुनिया [हुमा कुरैशी] भी इस सारी जद्द-ओ-जेहद का हिस्सा हैं।

फिल्म की जान सिर्फ कहानी ही नहीं है, विशाल भारद्वाज के मजेदार डायलॉग- बशीर बद्र साब की शायरी- खूबसूरत सिनिमेटोग्रफी और किरदारों का शानदार अभिनय फिल्म को एक अलग मुकाम पर ले जाता है। जहाँ एक-एक फ्रेम आपको दीवार पे सजी तस्वीरों का गुमान कराती है, किरदारों के ज़बानी इज़हार चेहरे पे मुस्कुराहट बिखेर देते हैं, वहीं फिल्म का स्क्रीनप्ले बहुत ही संजीदा तरीके से आपको उस मौहाल के एकदम करीब ले जाता है। बेगम के कमरे में बजता ग्रामोफ़ोन, उस पर बेगम अख्तर की ठुमरी 'हमरी अटरिया पे आओ जी', शायराना जलसे में मशहूर शायर नवाज़ देवबंदी की मौजूदगी...यहाँ कुछ भी बेढंगा, बेवजह नहीं है! फिल्म के आखिर में, बेगम अख्तर की ग़ज़ल 'वो जो हम में तुम में करार था' और उस पे फिल्माया गया शूटआउट सीन लाजवाब है. इस तरह का तजुर्बा हमें अक्सर टोरंटीनो की फिल्मों में देखने को मिलता है।

आखिर में सिर्फ इतना ही, 'डेढ़ इश्क़िया' 'इश्क़िया' जितनी मजेदार या मज़ाकिया भले ही ना हो, सूरत और सीरत में उस से कहीं बेहतर फिल्म है। काफी वक़्त बाद, एक ऐसी हिंदुस्तानी फिल्म जिसमें उर्दू को एक वाजिब तवज़्ज़ो अता की गयी है। समझ में आती हो तो बेशक़ देखनी चाहिये, नहीं आती हो फिर भी देखिये! [४/५]  

YEH JAWAANI HAI DEEWANI: A journey not so refreshing! [2/5]

It feels extremely annoying & unacceptable to see what all started with a huge potential & promise to bring freshness and a certain kind of novelty to the content part in Bollywood films [How can you forget the nice, sincere, feel good, simplistic yet multi-layered, emotional to its core impressive ‘WAKE UP SID’?], getting trampled, crushed & shattered from left, right & center with a much clichéd, unoriginal, full of gimmicks, star-driven [Yes, you’ll miss the actors here] preachy & perplexed average romantic comedy ‘YEH JAWAANI HAI DEEWANI’. I didn’t see it coming from you, Mr. Ayan Mukherji…not even in my weirdest dream.

So, haven’t we met before a bunch of buddies who have their own perception and expectations from life, they spend good times together, one girl trapped in her own world falls for the fun-loving carefree guy but the guy has plans for life other than just being in a relationship [Exploring the world around the globe in this case], they get separated by their priorities, time flies & we see them getting reunited this time in a more celebration mode the Indian way…& love strikes again. No prizes for guessing, it’s time to repair & rectify damages done in the past? Nothing could more regular than this.

Now, I do understand one having hell of limitations while making ‘just another’ love-story that doesn't give you much strength with its writing to built something real good, so we have an item number by an yesteryear sensation [The ravishing Madhuri Dixit in her usual best], dreamy jaw-dropping beautiful locations, high-on style sets and costumes, perfectly polished characters, songs & dance numbers on regular intervals, forced kissing scene [between the two ex-flames in real life]…and a few unexciting-poorly executed guest appearances to save the day and flaws in the substance!

Watch it if only the charming looks of Deepika Padukone & the cuteness of Ranbir Kapoor can make you look at the screen for hours with unblinking eyes [in other words if you are a hardcore fan], other wise I would choose Farookh Shaikh’s 2-scene appearance, the ‘Ghaghra via Agra’ song, confidently cool & fresh Kalki & a few ‘buddies at best’ scenes out of this whole 2 hour 41 min of tiresomely predictable movie experience. Don’t dare take this journey! It’s not adventurous, it’s suicidal! **[2/5]