chutneylix Reviews

Zakhm (1998)

A deeply moving story

[10/10 · 3 June 2006]

Indian movies are said to be known for their emotional stories. Yes there are movies like Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham that pull on your heartstrings and make grown men reach for tissues, but there are also movies like Zakhm that are genuinely heart-wrenching tales about characters that you connect with.

Zakhm has to be one of the most touching Hindi films I've ever seen. Its a brutally human story about the relationship between a mother and her son. It is a unique and engaging story that will not disappoint fans of good cinema, especially those about the human experience.

The soul of the story lies in the character of Ajay, portrayed as a kid by Kunal Khemu and as an adult by Ajay Devgan. Both actors do a brilliant job of conveying the combination of struggle and patience that defines Ajay's relationship with the world around him. While Khemu's Ajay faces situations that most adults wouldn't be able to cope with, Devgan's Ajay faces the world and its people with a wisdom and love that is sometimes hard to understand. Both actors work to create one of the most complex and captivating characters ever seen on the Indian screen.

At the center of Ajay's world is his mother, a damaged but brave woman. Life has not been too kind to her but her belief in love and salvation is what keeps her going. Pooja Bhatt portrays this character with so much heart and honesty that you can't help but love her as much as Ajay does. The rest of the cast doesn't get much scope to perform but is adequate. Apart from Devgan, Khemu and Bhatt, the other important player is the director Mahesh Bhatt, who directs Zakhm with passion that is hard to ignore. I haven't seen all of his work to say that this is his best, but I will say that it is one of the best that India has come out with.

Although I've given it a 10, Zakhm is not without flaws, mostly having to do with supporting actors who don't quite hit the nail on the head. However, they do nothing to diminish the essence and heart of the story. All I have to say now is: watch it, Zakhm is truly one for the ages.

Koi... Mil Gaya (2003)

A below average film with a commendable performance

[5/10 · 3 June 2006]

Okay so Koi Mil Gaya came out during a time when Hrithik Roshan's career was in a nosedive. After its success, everyone talked about how Rakesh Roshan saved Hrithik's career.

Then I watched this movie and all I have to say is that Roshan Sr. should be the one thanking Hrithik. I will, however, give Rakesh Roshan credit for bringing a novel idea to Indian audiences. Science fiction stories are not common in Bollywood, and the director has helped in moving the film industry in a new direction.

Apart from this, the only other asset of Koi Mil Gaya is Hrithik Roshan. He brilliantly plays the part of a mentally disabled man who is a child on the inside. He is able to add layers to the character despite gross oversimplification by the writers. However, as Rohit is slowly cured by Jadoo, Hrithik's performance slides into mediocrity alongside the rest of the movie, mainly because the character ceases to be interesting.

Apart from this the movie has nothing else to offer. The rest of the cast overacts and the story itself is boring and predictable. Its sad when a director can't make a movie about an alien, interesting.

Rakesh Roshan has always been a below average director. Adding a science fiction angle with new special effects (for India) will not make him better. A talented son doesn't make the dad a better director either. We all know that Hrithik is a star but he also has a lot of potential to be an 'actor'. I hope he begins picking better projects both inside and outside his own production house.

I Did Not Kill Gandhi (2005)

A wonderfully understated film

[9/10 · 3 June 2006]

Subtlety is rarely seen in Hindi movies. Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara has plenty of it. The humor, the score, the acting and the story, all come together to make this wonderfully understated film. Yet this movie shows so much depth and understanding of human nature that its able to elicit from the viewer, genuine regard for its characters.

A lot of other reviewers have already talked about how excellent this is. So I will only urge you to watch it. The highlight is certainly Anupam Kher's performance which is layered and brilliant. The day that the Indian audience and critics are able to recognize performances and films like these is the day India can once again be proud of its cinematic history.

Yuva (2004)

Forget the Box Office, watch this film!

[10/10 · 26 September 2004]

Okay so when the music of this movie came out, I was hopping around in hopes that Mani Ratnam will finally be successful in the Hindi film industry. But of course the film released and tanked at the box office. I was quite depressed afterward and unsure of whether to watch the film, but recently, upon a friend's recommendation, I rented it. After watching it, all I have to say is that box office says absolutely nothing about the merit of a movie (I'm sure a lot of people knew that already). Bottom line: YUVA is awesome.

Sure it isn't perfect, and not near most of Ratnam's tamil movies, but it is definitely worth watching. The story is about 3 young men who come from vastly different backgrounds and schools of thought. One incident on a bridge brings them together, changing their fates forever.

Abhishek Bachchan is definitely come into his own with this role. His "Lallan" is both menacing and pitiable (like the song Kabhi Neem Neem, Kabhi Shahed Shahed aptly describes). Its quite unreal how he gets into the skin of his character. He not only picked up the mannerisms but managed to capture the volatility, anger and ambition that defines Lallan. Rani Mukherji has really become my favorite actress these days. Her performance as Shashi (Lallan's wife) really compliments Bachchan's and together they make their story the most interesting and compelling aspect of the movie.

Ajay Devgan and Vivek Oberoi are decent and do their jobs. Its not really their fault that Bachchan got the strongest part. Esha Deol and Kareena Kapoor don't have roles big enough to impact the movie in any way. Ajay's story as a student leader is good but might have been better. Its not super powerful but at the same time, that aspect makes the story a lot more real. Ajay's "Michael Mukherjee" doesn't overdue the preaching and the patriotism, he simply believes that his country can do better and he wants to lend a hand. Vivek Oberoi's Arjun is a simple soul until he crosses paths with Michael. Arjun's transformation from a carefree youth to someone finding a cause is not particularly powerful and could have been expanded a little. But again, this only makes it a little more real. Nobody makes that transformation overnight. Sure he found a purpose, but he's not immediately going to become the second coming of Michael Mukherjee. The scene where he quietly volunteers to stand elections with Michael is very subtle but made me think of how other directors might have dealt with that situation. You would get Arjun shouting patriotic verse at the top of his lungs with tears in his eyes. Just a tad unrealistic.

I wholeheartedly recommend this film to everyone not only because its worth your time but also so we somehow send a message to Ratnam not to get discouraged. Please continue to tell your stories (in Hindi). We are listening.

LOC: Kargil (2003)

A decent effort at a noble story. But the strength of the movie is due to the strength of the true story and one or two performances.

[30 December 2003]

*Story*

Line of Control (LOC) is the story of the Kargil War of 1999, more specifically the individual stories of a few of the soldiers who fought and died for their country. The Line of control is basically the borderline between India and Pakistan and both nations have posts on either side monitoring and defending the borders. The film starts of with several of the Indian posts being captured what at first seems by certain militant groups but later on the army learns that the Pakistan army is either involved in the capture or backing it because of the artillery with which the enemy is attacking. Several battalions are sent off to take care of the situation. But these soldiers face an incredibly challenging and dangerous task since they have no idea how the enemy is positioned or how many of them there are. In addition, the hilly terrain is harsh. The soldiers have to attack uphill while the enemy has the advantage of surveying the Indian soldiers from a height therefore knowing exactly how many and how strong they are.

With such a challenge facing them, the Indian army soldiers face an almost impossible war that they MUST win in order to protect the borders of Kashmir and the country. There are three main battalions: the Gorkhas, 18 Grenadiers, 13 Jakrif. And each is assigned to capture a vital post. The film tries to tell the true stories of many of the soldiers who fought and died doing their duty.

*Review*

I went into the theater expecting a good war movie since I read quite a few good reviews. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The true story on which this film is based is one of courage and sacrifice. In any case, it is a noble effort to remember those heroes who gave up so much for the people of their country to be safe and continue living their lives. But for the most part I was lost. It took me about half the film to get straight who was in what battalion and even now haven't understood which hill they were trying to take.

I had heard about the Kargil war, but knew nothing of the details or locations going into this film. I wish that the director had used some sort of map to explain where each battalion was located and what hill they were trying to take. This would have also been a good transition from one battalion setting to another. The only visible map was the one in the General(the guy giving the orders)'s office on which I could only make out Kargil and a few red and blue lines. Also a few aerial views of the hills during the actual battles could have helped as well. But I do understand the absence of the latter because it effectively conveyed how in the dark the soldiers were and basically didn't know what evil lay ahead.

Technically the film is quite good. However the scenes moving from battalion to battalion and story to story were sometimes abrupt and crude. The background music is loud and obtrusive ruining some good emotional scenes. The songs for the most part are unnecessary except for the last one which had moving lyrics.

The whole romantic thing was utterly ridiculous. Apparently the minds of the characters were programmed to think of their loved ones in a row, one after the other. Which became even more redundant as they basically exchanged the same few sentences. And then right before the last big battle, everyone calls home in a row. The scenes had nothing to offer in terms of emotional quotient since they were all very generic. The loved ones track was done much better in Border. I think J.P.Dutta was a little too ambitious in trying to tell so many stories and finding that he had to give each character a sweetheart and some cheesy love story. Also the relationships between soldiers is probably the single most important aspect of a war movie and the most touching as well. The director tried to create scenes that would establish this but they mostly seemed forced and in consequence many of the death scenes weren't as effective as they could have been.

The performances were below average to decent. Ajay Devgan, Saif Ali Khan and Manoj Bajpai were good. Ashutosh Rana and Abhishek Bachchan went a little overboard but were otherwise alright. The girls had no parts really, and thankfully so, the little they had was already much more than I could bear. All except for Rani Mukherjee (as Hema, Devgan's fiance) who was good. Every thing related to Ajay Devgan was good actually.

If you think my review is long, you may not make it through the 4 1/2 hour LOC. In conclusion, the strength of the movie comes from the strength of the real story. But what I took away was, in the heart-rending words of the last song: "Bas Itnaa Yaad Rahe Ek Saathi Aur Bhi Tha."

Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003)

Warm, fuzzy and completely lovable

[10/10 · 1 December 2003]

*Story*

Naina Catherine Kapur (Preity Zinta) lives in New York with her half-Punjabi, half-Catholic family. Her life is burdened with financial problems, bickering among family members, and memories of a dead father. She is a almost always grumpy and cynical, finding nothing to smile about. The only part of her life she likes is her friend Rohit (Saif Ali Khan) who is a fellow student in an MBA program.

Into this drab life of Naina's comes a waft of fresh air in the guise of Aman Mathur (Shah Rukh Khan). Aman, the eternal optimist is the anti-Naina. He invites himself into the homes and hearts of the residents of the cozy Indian neighborhood and eventually, into Naina's life as well. What they don't know is that Aman is harboring a painful secret.

The rest of the movie is about Aman, Naina and Rohit finding love, hope, happiness and ultimately the joy of living.

*Review*

The feeling I had as I left the theater can be best described as the feel of a woolly blanket on a chilly night. The woolly blanket in this case was around my heart. Kal Ho Naa Ho is by no means perfect. It has its share of illogical moments and cliched scenes. But while watching Indian films, one must get over such hurdles to appreciate them. Or like Naina, we'll be left criticizing everything in sight and forgetting to enjoy the moment. Also we must remember that although its important for the film industry to grow and evolve, its equally as important not to lose what is inherently our Indian identity which is apparent in the songs and the emotional quotient of hindi movies.

That said, for me Kal Ho Naa Ho will go down as one of my all time favorite movies. The performances were wonderful. Shah Rukh Khan gives another performance that will be remembered. He may not be the greatest actor who ever came out of Bombay, but he is one of the few who manages to create characters who seem so friendly and lovable, you would think of him as your own. No one else in the industry has this knack of creating an atmosphere of 'apnapan'. Preity Zinta as Naina is wonderful and a perfect choice for the role. I have no idea how Dharma productions even considered Kareena Kapoor for the role of Naina. Saif Ali Khan is also incredible. Rohit is very similar to Sameer in Dil Chahta Hai but with a lot more emotional depth. I don't care how many times Saif plays that character, I still love him for it and I don't think I'll ever tire of seeing it. Jaya Bachchan who plays Jenny, Naina's mother is incredible in this small role. This character is very real and you can really sympathize with her because of Mrs. Bachchan.

I was very disappointed with the music when it was first released. But the songs grew on me after watching them on screen. The title song is especially good as are Pretty Woman and Mahi Ve. Kuch To Hua hai is also much better on screen. Cinematography is wonderful, another aspect that makes this movie magical. Direction by Nikhil Advani is surprising to say the least. He did an excellent job bringing the story to life. And I will look forward to his next movie. It must have been hard for Karan Johar to give away his story, but Nikhil justified Karan's confidence in him and possibly made a better film than Karan might have. One of the many things I loved about the movie was that it was quite funny. Even during the dramatic moments, I was either laughing or smiling. The screenplay and the dialogues were excellent. Nikhil Advani must have a real talent for comic scenes because they were terrific.

And finally I'd like to commend Karan Johar for writing such a wonderful story with characters that are very down to earth and real. Even though I loved his previous films (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai & Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham), Kal Ho Naa Ho is definitely my favorite. I hope we get to experience many more of his wonderful stories that are hopefully made with SRK :) because they are the dream team. If I ever meet Karan Johar, I will shake his hand and give him a hug for creating such a heart warming film.

Saaya (2003)

Thoughtful and mature

[20 August 2003]

So the story goes like this: Akash Bhatnagar (John Abraham; a.k.a Akki) is a doctor who loses his wife Maya (Tara Sharma) in an accident. Unable to cope with his loss, he begins to see and hear things that convince him that his dead wife is trying to contact him. His friends, like Tanya (Mahima Chaudhary) try to convince him that his mind is getting affected by the tragedy and advise him to move on with his life. Nevertheless the strange happenings continue and eventually lead Akash to what his wife was trying to tell him.

One of the strongest points of the film is its short running time. But the beginning of the movie starts out slow and it takes awhile for the viewer to get into the story. But once in, it keeps you hooked. The scenes just before and just after the intermission are excellent. There are some scary scenes, not horror but just unexpected happenings. Otherwise, Saaya is basically a drama and a good one at that. Although the story has been copied from Kevin Costner's Dragonfly, it still seems novel when compared to the run of the mill love stories (that we all still love to watch, no matter how overdone).

Direction is good. Screenplay could have used a teeny bit of help but some dialogues were thoughtful, especially the ones about faith. Music is excellent: dark, brooding, thoughtful and haunting. Performance wise, Tara Sharma thankfully has a very small role. Although pretty, she is wooden and impassive. Mahima Chaudhary in a supporting role is good. She has this wonderful way of morphing into different roles. Here she looks very much like the young widow she plays. Lastly, John Abraham is surprising. He does well in the complex role of a widower whose faith is questioned. Of course it doesn't hurt that he is major eye-candy. I can't wait for his next movie. There is still room for improvement though.

Aapko Pehle Bhi Kahin Dekha Hai (2003)

A decent movie that deserves a chance

[30 April 2003]

SYNOPSIS: Sam (Om Puri) is a single father raising his only daughter Pakhi (Sakshi) in Canada. As a consequence he is extremely protective of her and they share a very special bond. Sam's biggest fear is that his baby girl will have to get married and leave someday. He is of the firm belief that no man can love his daughter as much as he does. But unfortunately for Sam, his worst fears come true when Pakhi meets and falls in love with Samar (Priyanshu). Samar is a suspended cop who comes to Canada to solve some case which will prove his innocence. The rest of the movie focuses on how Sam comes to terms with the situation and accepts Samar as part of his daughter's life.

REVIEW: APBKDH is Anubhav Sinha's second venture after Tum Bin. He returns to Canada for the setting. Believe it or not, this time he manages to capture the scenery even better than in Tum Bin. The story itself is inspired from Father of the Bride and Meet the Parents but thankfully this doesn't take from the merits of the movie. Mainly because Anubhav Sinha is a good storyteller. My only complaint about the story was Priyanshu's suspended cop track which was a little confusing and lengthy. Also the fact that Pakhi's family cut ties with him because of it is hard to believe. He lied, yes and they had a right to be mad but not kick him out altogether.

The cinematography as I've mentioned before is breathtaking. The music however is disappointing. After Tum Bin, the expectations were high. The best song in terms of picturization and music is the title song. The rest are only slightly above average. Performances wise, veteran actor Om Puri takes the cake. Playing a worried, protective yet doting dad to the hilt, he is an absolute delight to watch. Priyanshu as the other pillar of the movie is also great. He has improved a great deal since Tum Bin. Here he gets to play a lighter character and gets to show us his action, comedy as well as romantic sides. He looks extremely handsome especially in all the trendy clothes he wore. Sakshi as Pakhi makes a decent debut. She looks pretty in almost every scene. Her best scenes are with Om Puri.

BOTTOM LINE: Definitely recommended for Canadian scenery and the performances but mainly for the depiction of the relationship between a father and his daughter. Also the tug of war between Sam and Samar is fun to watch. Om Puri and Priyanshu are hilarious.

Also I'd like to mention that the song 'Aisi Aankhen Dekhi Nahin' (I've never seen such eyes) should have been picturized on Priyanshu instead of Sakshi. His eyes are way prettier than hers.

Tum Bin...: Love Will Find a Way (2001)

Overall an entertaining movie.

[30 April 2003]

Warning: May contain a spoiler

SYNOPSIS: Shekar (Priyanshu) is a sought after something or other in the business world of Mumbai. At some social gathering, he meets Amar(Rakesh) who is the owner of Shah Industries in Canada. Amar tries to recruit Shekar for his company but is unsuccessful. On the way home a tragedy occurs as Shekar's car hits and kills Amar. Shekar's friend manages to pull him away from the scene as the police arrive.

Shekar's conscience keeps bugging him and doesn't let him live in peace. In the end he decides to go to Canada, to find Amar's family, apologize to them and leave his punishment up to them. Shekar's strength fails him and keeps his past a secret as he applies for a job at the now sinking Shah Industries which is now managed by Amar's broken-hearted fiancée, Pia (Sandali Sinha).

Shekar then manages to bring Shah Industries back from the slums. He also fills the gap Amar left within his family and with Pia. Shekar falls in love with her. A twist in plot comes in the form of Business tycoon Abhigyan (Himanshu) who in the process of helping Shah Industries, falls for Pia. The rest of the story deals with Pia's complicated love life and how Shekar finally reveals his dark secret.

REVIEW: The story although familiar, shows originality at points. Scenery is awesome. Canada never looked so appealing. Credit goes to Anubhav Sinha for picking a place besides the Swiss Alps. The cinematography is excellent especially in the songs which are picturized really well. Also the music by Nikhil-Vinay is a pleasant surprise turning out to be the strongest point of the film. Anubhav Sinha being the second strongest. Even if you don't watch the film, make sure to get a hold of the songs. Most notable among them being Koi Fariyaad and Zoom Bumbura.

I did not expect much from the lead actors, this being their first film. Sandali Sinha aside from being a pretty face, was below average in the acting department. Also her voice started to hurt my ears. Himanshu as Abhigyan is the worst of the lot. He has a lot of trouble delivering his lines. He seems to be reading the script for the first time. And seems to be in pain while trying to relay emotion. Rakesh, who doesn't have a very big part is pretty decent seeming very natural. Priyanshu by far has the best role and also does better than any of the other players. He is the only one that I would like to see more of.

BOTTOM LINE: Tum Bin is an entertaining film, a good way to pass a few hours. Don't expect too much but it is by far the best of the projects coming out nowadays with all those newcomers. Hopefully Anubhav Sinha will get a chance with a bigger unit and better actors. Watch Tum Bin for the music and scenery.

Kehtaa Hai Dil Baar Baar (2002)

A MUST SEE!!!!

[28 April 2003]

Note: The above recommendation refers only to people trying not to start counting hairs on their head for entertainment.

Kehta Hai Dil Baar Baar (KHDBB), another creative title from Bollywood also follows in the great tradition of copying Hollywood movies. In this case it is Meet the Parents which was a big hit in the United States. To their credit they at least picked a good movie to rip off.

The story goes like this. Sundar is a certified doctor who instead of curing people of diseases and such things, wants to attack diseases at their source: FOOD! Yes food. So he becomes a 'bawarchi' (chef) and sells healthy (!) Indian food on the streets of New York City. One day he spots Ritu Patel (Kim Sharma) who is also a doctor. The typical love story ensues after which we find out that Ritu has a very protective papa, Roger Patel (Paresh Rawal) who will only let her get married to a '3 P wala' : a Professional Patel owning Property.

Unfortunately for Sundar, he is a punjabi cum south Indian, who cooks for a living and lives in his 'India on Wheels' truck. He just does not fit into Roger's mold. And so follows the tug of war between Roger and Sundar. Things get crazier before ending, Bollywood ishtyle.

Although the story is a good one, the rest of the film is not upto the mark. Instead of being filled with jokes, the screenplay turns out to be a big joke itself. The lines are overused and simply not funny. Acting is also below par. I actually liked Jimmy Shergill in Mohabbatein. I thought he had some promise, but as Sundar he is below average. Kim Sharma is also below par but I didn't expect much from her so it wasn't a great disappointment. Paresh Rawal is one of my favorite actors. He usually brings his everything and manages to save even the worst of films (case in point: Awaara Paagal Deewana). But as 'The Roger Patel' he is also disappointing. I couldn't blame him too much though, he didn't have much to work with. Music is also below average. Some songs are hummable but have no long term potential.

So as I've said before, you don't want to watch this movie unless you have absolutely nothing else to do, taking into consideration that admiring your nails is something.

Anari (1959)

Classic tale of a bumbling fool

[28 April 2003]

Anari is the story of Raj (Raj Kapoor) a poor 'anari' (simpleton) who rents a room with Mrs. D'Sa (Lalita Pawar). Raj and Mrs. D'Sa have a strange relationship. They love each other dearly but choose to show that love in unique ways. Raj makes mischief and jests with Mrs. D'Sa while she constantly yells at him.

Raj is a painter who doesn't make enough money. One fine day he meets Aarti (Nutan) a rich man's daughter. But Aarti, afraid of class differences coming in the way of their friendship/budding love tells Raj that she is actually a servant in her own house. Gullible Raj believes her and they begin to fall in love.

They sing a few songs around town and then things get serious when Raj discovers who Aarti really is. Saddened at being lied to, Raj wallows in his misery and sings a few sad songs. His life gets even more complicated when Mrs. D'Sa falls sick and eventually dies. The police find that her demise was caused by the medicines she took. Raj is accused of poisoning her.

What really happened? Is Raj guilty? Was he just pretending to be an anari? Watch the movie to find out!

Overall this is a good entertainer. Coming from the likes of Raj Kapoor and Hrishikesh Mukherjee, we don't expect any less. The performances are also very good. Raj Kapoor is perfect in his now famous role of a naive village boy. Nutan is charming and Lalita Pawar is fun to watch.

Music is excellent, simple tunes set to some wonderful lyrics.

Definitely recommended.

Pardes (1997)

Patriotism is great until you stuff your face with it so much that your eyes are too small to see whats in front of you.

[12 April 2003]

Briefly, the story goes like this. Kishorilal (Amrish Puri) is an NRI whose heart belongs to his homeland, India (or so he says). On a trip back home, he meets his old friend, Alok Nath (forget his name). Kishorilal is impressed with the traditional values his friend has instilled in his daughter, Ganga (Mahima Chawdhry). So he requests Ganga's hand in marriage for his westernized son, Rajiv (Apoorva Agnihotri) who he hopes will become more Indian with Ganga in his life.

To prepare Ganga and her family for Rajiv's visit to India, comes Arjun (Shahrukh Khan), adopted son of Kishorilal. Arjun is a struggling musician who even though has lived in America for a few years is completely Indian at heart. After Rajiv's visit, Ganga is sent off to America to experience and understand the life there before she gets married. There she is entrusted to Rajiv who exposes her to the so called American culture. She is shocked and runs to Arjun for comfort. She begins to get closer to Arjun who is already in love with her.

The elders misinterpret their friendship and with the help of Rajiv's skewed mind label Arjun as the enemy. A highly melodramatic climax leads to an obvious ending.

So whats the problem with Pardes? Why has it raked up so much controversy you ask. Well the answer lies in the director/storyteller of this enterprise, Mr. Subhash Ghai. His portrayal of Americans and Indians living in America is completely one-sided. He shows them as drunk, sexually obsessed individuals with no values or principles.

Mr. Ghai did have a message to send to his audience but somewhere on the way it got lost in all the melodrama. His message was to be careful that we don't let foreign influences ruin what is India's most valuable entity: traditional family values and principles. What he fails to do is show all sides of the coin. There exist people in America, UK and other such countries who hold onto their values, following them to a fault. Also, he should have taken a closer look at India. There are some aspects of Indian culture that are utterly ridiculous, and we might do well to take some advice from outside and NRI's are our link to such changes. The world is not black and white, there's a lot more gray than Mr. Ghai seems to want to acknowledge.

Patriotism is a wonderful thing until you begin to stop using your brain because your blinded by it.

Everything else in the movie is average and sometimes below average. Nadeem-Shravan's music is hummable at points and loud at others. Mahima Chawdhry, the new find is pretty and decent for a newcomer but is guilty of overacting at points. Apoorva Agnihotri, although a good-looker is below average. His dialogue delivery is his downfall. Amrish Puri and Alok Nath are also guilty of overacting. I'm guessing this overdose of melodrama has to do more with the director than the actors. So they are forgiven.

Shahrukh Khan is the saving grace of this film. Coming up with one of his most subtle performances of his career, he is simply outstanding. His silence and subtlety have so much more effect than the rest of the cast's yelling and preaching. He is the only reason I own the DVD of this film. Watch Pardes, if only for the King Khan.

Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1994)

One of SRK's most underrated movies.

[7/10 · 12 April 2003]

Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa is the story of Sunil (Shahrukh Khan), the girl he loves, Anna (Suchitra Krishnamurty) and the guy she loves, Chris (Deepak Tijori). Sunil, realizing the budding relationship between Anna and Chris decides to take things into his own hands by trying to create rifts between the two and taking advantage of the situations to woo Anna himself. Supporting these three are Sunil's family, his musical friends (look a little closer and you'll see Ashutosh Gowarikar among them) and also the local Father (Naseeruddin Shah) who acts as Sunil's mentor.

This may sound like a very simple and typical love triangle, which it is. What makes it different is Sunil. His character is one that is rarely seen in Indian cinema, yet not unfamiliar to us because we've met hundreds of Sunils in our lifetime. We ourselves might be a Sunil. He is that real. He has no great physical strength (Shahrukh in 93? puny!), or great intelligence (he failed the same class several times)or great wealth (his father is a mechanic). He is a regular Joe trying to get the girl he loves.

Sunil happens to be Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa's greatest asset. We see everything and everyone through his eyes which makes his world real to us. The things he does are things we might do when in love. What he ultimately does in the end might reflect on who many of us really are on the inside: simple people who love their family and friends.

A lot of people believe Shahrukh Khan became an actor with Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge in '95. The truth is that he was well on his way to becoming a legend in Indian cinema with this movie. He IS Sunil. He breathes life into the role making it much more than just a character in a story, he brings Sunil to life, he brings Sunil to us. He is brilliant. Just watch the film.

Padosan (1968)

One of the greatest comedies of Indian Cinema

[12 April 2003]

Padosan, who hasn't heard of it? Well if you are one of those unfortunate souls who hasn't, I feel terribly saddened for your state. You my friend, need a good lesson in Indian Cinema. I suggest you start by watching this film.

Padosan, which means 'Neighbor' is the story of Bhola (Sunil Dutt) who li ke his name is a very naive and innocent soul who happens to see Bindu(Saira Banu) and falls in love with her. He later finds out that she is his neighbor. We find out that Bindu is enamored with music and into the picture comes her music teacher, Masterji (Mehmood) who aside from being a bumbling fool who speaks in Tamil accented Hindi, is also in love with Bindu. So back to our Bhola bala hero. He tries to woo her but to no avail until he enlists the help of his friend and mentor Guru (Kishore Kumar) who owns an acting troupe of which Bhola is a part of.

After much investigation, Guru and his friends discover that Bindu's soft spot is music. But unfortunately our Bhola is quite the novice when it comes to singing, sounding more like a braying donkey than a singing suitor. And so begins one of the whackiest cons in cinema. Guru sings, and Bhola lip-syncs. Guru's (Kishore Kumar's) voice being what it is, bewitches Bindu and she starts falling for Bhola. This development thwarts Masterji's master plan of marrying Bindu. So now begins a jugal-bandi between Masterji and Guru (ahem Bhola) for Bindu's affections.

With such a whacky plot, there are laughs aplenty. Add master comedians Mehmood and Kishore Kumar and a funny looking Sunil Dutt, you have the perfect recipe for a hilariously whacky romantic comedy. Saira Banu, oozing of charm is quite good as the spoilt Bindu. Music is also excellent. R.D. Burman masterfully comes up with songs fit for the situations. The most famous of all being "Mere samnewali khidki mein" which is hummed even today. "Meri chatur naar" is extremely fun to watch and kishore kumar's vocals are excellent. All this making Padosan an exquisite classic that MUST NOT BE MISSED!!

Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya (1998)

Romantic Comedy at its best

[10 April 2003]

Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya? Another boring love story you think? Oh no my friend, not this time. The story although far from original is nevertheless quite entertaining. Coming from the Khan brothers' camp, PKTDK comes with alot of publicity and hype. The story is pretty simple and old, rich boy meets poor girl, they fall in love, parental opposition but ultimately love triumphs. Woops! Hope I didn't give too much away!

But PKTDK is much more fun than it seems at first. Muskan (Kajol) lives in a small village with her overly protective and severe brother Vishal (Arbaaz Khan, boy does he look scary) and loveable 'Chachu' (Dharmendra). Also in the extended family is a strange cook, a best friend (Anjala Zaveri) and her extremely eccentric father. Muskan's life is quite strange, due to her brother. Every time he shows up on screen, there this eery music in the background just in case your bunny slippers didn't already run away after seeing Vishal's face. But anyway, so everything is normal until Muskan asks to go run with the times by going to a college in Mumbai. Being Rakshabandhan (brother-sister day), Vishal agrees reluctantly.

So Muskan is off after much bidding. At college she meets Suraj (Sallu miyan...Salman Khan for the less aquainted) and his strange friends. Eventually they fall for each other, but Big Brother shows up and discovers the situation and takes Muskan home. Suraj saheb is not far behind. Suraj soon makes friends with Chachu and enters Muskan's home to try to win the family's hearts (DDLJ anyone?) Of course there are some obstacles such as local gundas trying to get Vishal's land. Vishal. Suitors for Muskan. Vishal. Umm...did I mention Vishal? From here the story progresses not so peacefully to its finale. But all ends well in film land as always.

Now, before you run around the room doing the 'I told you so dance', let me finish. Hold on to your pantyhose! I give you Salman Khan, well known to take of his shirt, not so well known for acting. He is a great surprise here. Donning his 'I'm a silly fool' getup, he is just a riot! Whether its on purpose or not, is anyone's guess. All the noises, facial expressions and body movements are awesome. This is physical comedy at its best. Kajol is good as usual. She gets a little scope to perform her silliness. Arbaaz Khan is quite grim and mean as he should be. Dharmendra is reliable. The rest of the cast supports well. Music is wonderful, especially Deewana Main Chala and Tum par hum hai atke, where we get to see more silliness.

So bottom line, Silliness is cool! And so is this movie. If you are a Vishal (aka Shaitaan..ahem..Bhaijaan: gonna have to watch the movie to find out), don't watch it. Otherwise, definately give it a watch, leave your brain at work and enjoy a few hours of fun and Shirtless Salman. (just joking, he doesn't take it off that much, well......just watch the movie!)

Jungle (2000)

Great offering by a master of cinema.

[9 April 2003]

Ram Gopal Varma movies are always interesting to watch as they usually offer something different yet entertaining. This particular movie starts of as a routine love story as Siddhu (Fardeen Khan) and Anu (Urmila Matondkar) meet, fight, hate and miraculously fall in love somehow. Thankfully all this excitement happens in the first few reels.

Before the two lovebirds can confess to their parents, Anu's family decides to go on vacation in a jungle somewhere. Siddhu, being the hopeless romantic follows his 'Mehbooba' into the depths of greenness. This is where things get interesting. One fine day the family and their tour group decide to go on a safari. While riding through the jungle, bandits or whatever those dirty, smelly ruffians are called attack the bus, kill a few people and kidnap the rest. Siddhu dearest is duly notified and distressed as any proper hero should be.

Here the police and all the useles people come in. Here we find out the head smelly bandit is this hairy guy called Durga Narayan. They try to do all kinds of stuff but aren't successful. After some bargaining, the bandit fellows release all the prisoners except 1, guess who? Anu of course. So it seems Hairy Durga has become smitten with her charming screams. Now back to Siddhu dearest who gets really really worried this time on not seeing Anu among the freed people and decides to take matters into his own hands.

So then he finds her and escapes into the jungle where they are followed by Durga and his smelly comrades. Now they are stuck in the jungle, not knowing where to go.

The movie is just fantastic. Enough thrills and chills to excite any viewer, its thoroughly entertaining. Fardeen and Urmila do their part dutifuly. I must say that Fardeen has improved significantly but still has to work on his extremely fake laugh. Sushant Singh as Hairy Durga is quite hairy but more importantly quite creepy. Never heard of this guy before this movie, but he was good. Watch him in Raj Kumar Santoshi's The Legend of Bhagat Singh, he is awesome.

Also notable is the background music, Sandeep Chowta as usual is brilliantly chilling. The jungle is captured beautifully by the camera. Overall, a great product, definately give it a watch. If you like good entertaining cinema, you'll love this one.

Brahmachari (I) (1968)

Terrific movie with a socially conscious story and great performance by Shammi Kapoor.

[27 October 2002]

Synopsis: Brahmachari was a poor young orphan who grew up to start a home for other orphan children. A struggling photographer trying to support the children. Once in awhile, with the help of the kids, manages to extract money from the landlord next door who keeps trying to sell his plot. But the prospective buyers always run away when they hear the noise made by the children. This makes for some hilarious scenes.

Life goes on this way for Brahmachari and his kids until one day he meets Rajshree who is about to commit suicide because the rich playboy she was betrothed to and is in love with will not marry her. So our Brahmachari brings her back promising to transform her into the kind of beauty rich playboy (Pran) would fall in love with.

What happens when brahmachari realizes he has fallen in love for the first time? Will he let her go to rich playboy? What happens when he realizes that he has to choose between his love and his children? Watch to see what happens.

Review: Brahmachari is thoroughly entertaining movie with all the necessary ingredients: laughs, drama, romance and fighting. The kids are a riot to watch. The best scene in the movie is when one of the kids does an impression of mehmood in the classic song by mukesh, Hum kale hai to kya hua, dilwale hai. The music is also wonderful. The most notable being the immensly popular Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyar ke Charche as well as the touching Main gaaon tum so jaao. Rajshree doesn't have too much to do in the film, but is decent. Pran is well Pran, reliably evil as always. Mumtaz is good. The movie is Shammir Kapoor all the way. Giving the best performances of his career, he got the best actor award for this film.

In conclusion, Brahmachari is wonderful movie for the whole family. Definately recommended especially for the Aaj kal tere mere pyar song and Shammi Kapoor's performance.

Hera Pheri (2000)

A light comedy everyone will enjoy

[10/10 · 28 March 2002]

I never expected much from this movie, because of the cast: Fading Sunil Shetty, sabseboringKhiladi/monkeyboy Akki and serious Tabu. The only hope i had was in Paresh Rawal. After seeing him in the hilarious Andaz Apna Apna (Highly recommended), he was to be taken notice of.

So when I did watch it I was shocked to say the least. I found Hera Pheri to be one the best comedies of the decade. Just forget about the cheap attempts of David Dhawan called comedy. This is the real deal.

The story is simple (as is with many good movies). The 3 protagonists Shyam (Sunil Shetty), Raju (Akshay Kumar) and Babu Rao (Paresh Rawal) are all in dire need of money. Shyam needs it to pay back an old friend (Om Puri) so he can get his(as in Puri's) sister married. Raju needs it for his mother and Babu Rao to pay back loans his father took. When a local rich man's grand daughter gets kidnapped by 'dangerous' gangster Kabira (Gulshan Grover) calls Babu Rao's number by mistake, Raju sees an end to all their problems. He suggests they play a game, do some hera pheri. And the movie is off to take you for an awesome ride.

Performances by far surprised me. Sunil Shetty I never liked, but his performance as the somewhat naive do-gooder was wonderful. Akki ape also surprised me in his sense of comedic timing. But Paresh was the biggest surprise. Even though he was my only hope for this movie, he came out ten times better than I expected. He deserved the best comedian Filmfare Award, that he did receive for 2000. Tabu (Anu) as another person in need of money who fights with Shyam for a job is also competent. It is a small role but as always she leaves her mark. Asrani in a tiny role also gives some laughs. Om Puri was also excellent in his small role.

So Bravo Priyadarshan saheb! Once again you've shown that you are a unique and intelligent filmmaker with a lot of tricks up your sleeve. One tip though, don't think too much about the logic of the story or the probability. Just turn off your brain for a few hours and enjoy. You'll find yourself cracking up every time you think of "Kabira speaking". Watch the movie and you'll know what I mean.

Andaz Apna Apna (1994)

One of the funniest movies in the last few decades. MUST SEE!

[9/10 · 28 March 2002]

Andaz Apna Apna is by far my second favorite comedy of all time, first being Namak Halal (even though that was technically a drama). Story is nothing groundbreaking, but the complications that are added to it make it awesome. Aamir Khan is a total cartoon. Just watch his expressions in the song Yeh Raat aur yeh doori. He is amazingly good at comedy, I never knew. Salman Khan was also good as the somewhat dimmer of the two characters. The noises he makes are almost as funny as Aamir's faces. Raveena and karisma serve their purpose but are nothing amazing. The real pick of the lot is Paresh Rawal as usual. The plot is rather simple, Amar (Aamir) and Prem (Salman) are useless sons of poor fathers. They don't believe in hard work and just want to get rich the easy way. So both their brains come across an idea to woo a rich man's (Paresh Rawal) daughter (Raveena Tandon) who comes to India to look for a husband. So Amar and Prem meet on the trip and join hands to drive off the hundreds of other men trying to marry this girl. When they succeed, they now have to get rid of each other. Somehow both of them get into Raveena's house, Amar as an injured guy and Prem as his doctor. From here on they try to oust each other. But things are complicated as Raveena's friend (Karisma Kapoor) falls for Prem and pursues him. And rich man's evil twin brother (Rawal also) tries to get rid of the heiress and her father so he will inherit the money and sends in his two most trusted but bumbling fools to do the dirty work. This is a movie you do not want to miss. Watch it! It will be worth it. I even own the DVD, its that good. And if you like this movie, I'd also recommend Gol Maal if you haven't already watched it. Other good comedies are Namak Halal and Hera Pheri (new).

Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994)

HAHK is classic Indian cinema that no one must miss!

[13 March 2002]

No Spoiler but is rather lengthy and maybe too much detail for some people.

Hum Aapke Hain Koun, what can I say about it. I'll start with the fact is my favorite movie of all time. Why? I really can't say. Because believe me when I say that there have been much better movies made before and since it. I know this and yet this remains my favorite.

The story is quite simple, too simple some people say but thats not necessarily a bad thing. It's about Prem (Salman Khan) and Nisha's(Madhuri Dixit) love story. Prem is from a loving family and home, appropriately called Prem Nivas. Everyone loves everyone else including the servants and pets who are treated as one of the family. When Prem's older brother Rajesh's (Monish Behl) marriage is arranged with Pooja (Renuka Sahane), the oldest daughter of a Professor Chaudhary (Anupam Kher) and his wife (Reema Lagoo). The Professor and his wife are also school friends of Prem's kaka or uncle (Alok Nath) who has brought up the two brothers after the death of his sister and her husband.

During this 'rishta' Prem meets Nisha who is Pooja's younger sister. He immediately falls in love with her, but Nisha develops a strong dislike of him. What follows is a sweet and mischievous intercourse of jokes and pranks that they play on each other during the marriage ceremonies. While taking his bhabhi (sister-in-law) home, Prem apologizes to Nisha for anything he has done. Nisha is extremely surprised at his sensitiveness and also begins to like him.

Following this are many sweet sequences of how their love blossoms with songs aplenty in between. While the two are lost in each other and their new found relationship, fate takes a nasty turn as tragedy strikes both the households. Prem and Nisha find themselves in a delicate situation. And they call upon themselves to sacrifice their love and happiness for their families.

Music is excellent. No ground-breaking stuff nor any A.R Rahman genius of any kind. But it is entertaining, catchy and sweet and some numbers such as Didi tera dewar will remain in our memories for ever. Picturization is also excellent. Not one song should be skipped in the movie. Not even the two minute long babul song.

Performances are of course excellent. Madhuri Dixit excells as Nisha and completely convinces the audience as the sweet-hearted but mischevious sweetheart of the house. Nisha's character reminds me slightly of Rekha's Manju in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Khubhsoorat. This is Salman Khan's best performance to date. Even though I'm quite obsessed with him, I own that he is not a very good actor. But in this movie he is flawless as the sweet and lovable Prem. The rest of the cast was also well chosen, every single one of them from Pooja to Tuffy the dog. They gave us the impression of being a real family. Many movies since have used almost all the members of this cast for other family movies.

Direction is also excellent. Sooraj Barjatiya excells at romantic cinema. The scenes between Prem and Pooja and Prem and Rajesh show the love between bhabhi and her devar and two brothers. The sweet moments between Prem and Nisha are also fantastic as they hold your heart still for several minutes. The intricacies of love, from first attraction, to love slowly growing in a young girl's heart to deep understanding are shown with intricate and realistic detail.

The one letdown is the screenplay by Sooraj Barjatiya. Some lines given to Salman are embarassing, especially the english ones where the sentences are not sentences. Pretty sad for someone who has an MBA.

HAHK was a landmark in indian cinema for many reasons. First was that it was the first movies with no violence at all. The whole marriage song craze also started. First full-fledged family drama. Since then we've had many such movies and most of the audience has become bored of them. I think the last one of this genre we'll be seeing is Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. I personally love these non-violent family dramas, I don't think I'll ever get sick of them. Today, many people will say that HAHK wasn't a good movie, and I think it is because they have seen too many of the copies made after it. I still maintain that it's my favorite movie and that not only should you watch it but also own it. It is the Sholay of our times although I never liked Sholay :)

Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992)

Overall a highly recommended film for audiences who appreciate a little drama, good performances and an entertaining few hours.

[13 March 2002]

Long Review:

Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander (JJWS) is a heart-warming story of a young man, Sanju, his buddies and his family consisting of his father (Ramlal) and an older brother(Ratan). The story is set in a hill station where the richest families send they're kids to school. Apart from top notch schools, there are also a few local ones like Model in which Ramlal is a coach and Ratan, Sanju and their friends attend.

The biggest thing for the people here is the interschool sports competition held every year. Ever since his one cycling victory against the Rival school Rajput, Ramlal has been obsessed with Model beating them, through his obedient older son Ratan. Ratan is Model's model student, in studies, sports and character and the pride of his father. Sanju on the other hand is a happy-go-lucky bloke who loves hanging with friends and having fun in life even if it causes him to fail classes and disappoint his father.

Sanju's friends consist of two good-hearted but not so bright boys and a tomboyish girl, Anjali who is also secretly in love with Sanju. A fact that Sanju is unaware of. When an sudden tragedy occurs, Sanju is transformed from a guy with not a care in the world to a responsible friend, brother, son and athlete.

The stage is now set for a tale of friendship, love, family, sports and competition told beautifully by Mansoor Khan. The music is light and sweet especially Pehla Nasha (amazing job by Udit Narayan) and the title song which is uplifting.

All the performances are in top form. Aamir Khan is as adorable as ever as Sanju. You can't help but love him in this sweet role. Ayesha Jhulka is also very good as the loyal friend. Deepak Tijori is also quite despicable as the bad guy. The rest of the cast is also very competent and fit their roles well. Special mention should go to Mamik who plays Ratan. He put in a very sincere performance. It is too bad he wasn't seen too much after JJWS.

Overall the movie was excellent. Amazing story, great performances and sweet music. Definately recommend it to everyone, young and old alike will enjoy this movie thoroughly.

Ram Balram (I) (1980)

Average film that tries to recreate the Sholay chemistry between Dhamendra and Amitabh but fails to do so.

[13 March 2002]

May contain spoiler, but not too sure how much detail is too much.

Ram Balraam is the story about two cousins Ram (Dharmendra) and Balraam (Amitabh) who are closer than most brothers. Being orphaned at a young age, they are raised by their Mama or uncle (Ajit). The mama's purpose is to use the two boys to his own evil ends. He raises Ram as a thief and Balraam as a police officer. When the boys protest he would threaten to harm them. Mama's plan to have Ram do his dirty work and for Balraam to protect him from the law.

All is going well until he reveals his plan to the two boys after both have grown up. Unfortunately for the Mama, Balraam has become an honest police office and Ram an unwilling thief. So the brothers put their heads together and try to get out of the mess their in.

The rest of the story focuses (or tries to) on how the brothers discover what happened to their parents and avenge them. And as in every hindi movie, there has got to be some romance. In Ram Balraam, this comes in the form of Zeenat Aman (don't recall the name of her character) and Rekha (Shobha) respectively. Ram's romance is quite bland. But Balraam's is entertaining in some spots. The scenes between him and Shobha are quite likely the most entertaining in the film which is quite sad. The only reason for this was the chemistry between Amitabh and Rekha which surfaces in the worst of situations.

The film might not have so bad as I have made it out to be. It's just that i've seen the same sort of story many times before. And it hasn't even been treated in a different way. Same dialogues, same songs, same faces, same evil guys, you get the picture.

Music is not at all notable. Thats why cannot remember any of the songs. Seriously!

Performances are quite disappointing. Dharmendra is getting old and looks very bored with the film himself. Amitabh is good, although I like his comedy much better than his drama. The girls are girls. All they have to do is sing and dance around trees. Rekha is the better deal of the two. She is, as always charming, funny and sweet. Her facial expressions are a delight to watch. She can never disappoint, not me at least, except maybe in her choice of this film.

The most entertaining thing in the whole movie has to be everyone calling Balraam, Ballu. Everytime i heard that i was rolling on the floor. For some reason. I guess it was only because Amitabh is so tall and big and he is...Ballu (hilarious!)

Anyway, overall very average. Wouldn't say I recommend it but if your really bored one night and have watched every thing else in the video store then Ram Balraam might be a decent passtime.