'Yeh Faasley' Review

'Yeh Faasley' Review: What could have been an intriguing tale of a daughter inquiring into the mysterious death of her long dead mother turns out to be unqualified hodgepodge of forced sentimentality and lacklustre suspense because the writer-director embarks upon what has become the mantra of a lot of teams playing the present cricket world cup: self destruction.

Father-daughter stories are few and far between in Hindi film industry and Yeh Faasley did have the potential to be a fine thriller with emotional complexities between a daughter and a father who’s not what he appears to be.

Arunima (Tena Desae) returns to her father Dev’s (Anupam Kher) home after completing her studies. Her mother died when Arunima was a kid and therefore she hardly has any memories of her and totally relies on the account of her mom given by her father.

But then, slowly and slowly, skeletons begin to tumble out of the closet as Arunima chances upon a will written by her mother and also meets an old friend (Pawan Malhotra) of her mom, leading her to believe that her father could have a hand in her mom’s death.

A nice premise certainly, but how one wishes that director Yogesh Mittal hadn’t botched it up. The film begins promisingly, but then stretches on painfully as it slips into flashbacks. Even the courtroom scenes fail to enliven the proceedings.

Anupam Kher pitches in a sincere performance but is let down by a poorly written character. Tena Desae shows a few flashes of good acting but hams it up when she has to look hysterical. Pawan Malhotra and Seema Biswas hardly have a role to write about.

Final word: keep distance from Yeh Faasley.

'Tanu Weds Manu' Review

'Tanu Weds Manu' Review: A seedha saadha NRI doc Manu (Madhavan) who claims to have resided more than a decade without any close friends in London comes to India on a bride hunt and finds a suitable one in the wispy form of a pot-smoking, vodka-guzzling Kanpuri kudi Tanu (Kangana Ranaut). It’s a mismatch as odd as it gets, because though he falls head-over-heels for this foul-mouthed chatterbox, she is dead against the arranged match and instead wants to hook up with a Lucknow gunda named Raja (Jimmy Shergill).

Manu, the poor soul, nurses the heartbreak and even helps Tanu and her goon beau elope. The plot thickens when Tanu and Manu cross paths against the backdrop of a big fat Punjabi wedding. Love for Manu seems to be taking root in Tanu’s heart, but then Raja rears his head. Drama, peppered with clichéd emotional conflicts and standoffs between the two suitors follow, and, given the film’s title, we know whom Tanu will eventually choose.

The predictability of the plot is well compensated by the melee of oddball characters that director Anand L Rai crowds the story with. There’s is an utterly likeable sidekick (Deepak Dobriyal) and a Sikh friend (Eijaz Khan) of Manu adding fun to the proceedings. There’s Raja’s crony (Ravi Kishen) and Tanu’s best friend (Swara Bhaskar) chipping in from the margins. And full credit to director Rai for the brisk pace at which the first half unspools. Alas, the same can’t be said of the second half, when the story stagnates and we see more of Jimmy Shergill than would have liked to. It’s a clear case of a story losing its steam after a triumphant start. Even the build-up to the climax is somewhat overblown.

Warts and all, Tanu Weds Manu still remains a watchable fare thanks to the wonderfully realistic milieu of India’s crowded, dusty small towns and their middle-class families with their colourful characters that remain pivotal to the story until the very end. On top of it, music by Krsna breezes with vim and vigour. The humour mostly remains light-hearted, sometimes evoking laughs, sometimes falling flat.

Kangana performs well as a small town rebel without a pause. Her body language is decidedly bratty, her dialogue delivery, at times bordering on lisp, creditably raw and edgy to suit her character. Madhavan shines as a submissive, love-struck NRI with no firangi airs. The actor’s naturally charming persona adds tons to his character’s credibility.

On the sidelines, Deepak Dobriyal impresses the most while Ravi Kishan is reduced to a caricature. Jimmy Shergill is all frowns but Swara Bhaskar does leave a mark as Kangana’s friend who tries to hammer some sense into the reckless Tanu.

All in all, Tanu Weds Manu is like the shaadi ka laddoo that you can neither resist nor happily bite into. Make time for this matrimonial comedy if you haven’t yet tired of watching the reruns of Jab We Met.

7 Khoon Maaf Review

7 Khoon Maaf Review: Jesus! I feel bored to death. There’s no bell tower nearby to rush to and vent my indignation nor any spouse to bump off. And though I don’t exactly feel like being punished for someone else’s sins, I am overwhelmingly disappointed to see that Vishal Bhardwaj -- the bellwether of the herd of new-age Hindi film-makers, the auteur who so convincingly brought the Bard of Avon to the badlands of UP -- has now strayed into mediocrity with so artless and heartless a film as 7 Khoon Maaf, his seventh directorial work certainly not deserving of a pardon.

Based on a short story by Ruskin Bond, the movie tells the tale of a woman named Susanna (Priyanka Chopra) who’s decidedly unfortunate in love and matrimony. In her fatal quest for love, she marries six times and every one of her hubbies turns out to be a rank scumbag: be it a lame chauvinist Major (Neil Nitin Mukesh), a junkie rockstar (John Abraham), a sadomasochistic poet (Irrfan Khan), a Russian double agent (Aleksandr Dyanchenko), a Viagra popping lech (Anu Kapoor), or a money-grubbing, mushroom-loving quack (Naseeruddin Shah). Jesus knows who Susanna’s seventh casualty is for Bhardwaj leaves an open strand in the end and gives the bored viewers a teeny quiz to hair-split. That’s the only intriguing part where you snap out of the slumber but soon see the end credits roll.

Granted that a story so episodic as this could not have been told but linearly. But why, pray, is the jumble of Susanna’s matrimonial misadventures reduced to the incessant yo-yoing between her elation at finding the ‘right’ man and her subsequent dejection at the discovery that he’s actually a scumbag. So while the hubbies are kicked to the famished man-eating panthers, or are drug-overdosed, or snake-bitten, or buried alive, or shot point blank, not once does a yawning viewer see a scrap of ingenuity so expected of a Bhardwaj film.

Of course, the bleakly-lit frames and Susanna’s own darkening complexion serve as metaphors to the dark side of her personality, and Bhardwaj does throw in time-references in the tale -- from the falling of the Berlin wall to the Mumbai terror attacks -- but come on, a viewer expects more than such customary symbolism. Even the film’s music gives the impression that its composer (Bhardwaj) was battling a creative block.

A little heart can be taken from the fact that the actors don’t disappoint. Priyanka sinks her teeth into the complex character of Susanna and delivers a performance that makes you forget the film’s flaws for a while. Ditto for Neil, Anu Irrfan and Naseer. Vivaan Shah, who is Susanna’s protégé and the story’s narrator, makes a confident debut.

After hitting the peak with Blood Brothers (a short film I consider Bhardwaj’s best work to date), Vishal has been on a downslide, first marked by the utterly ordinary Kaminey and now cemented by 7 Khoon Maaf. Is the genius of the maverick careening into mediocrity? Was the dream of a bold new Hindi cinema just a chimera?

One thing is for sure. There’s much worthwhile to do with your time than to watch the gloomy tale of an unscrupulous hubby-slaying woman whom you see whirling like a dervish with no less than the Redeemer in the end.

'Patiala House' Movie Review

'Patiala House' Movie Review: From 'Kal Ho Na Ho' to this Kahlon saga about baap-beta stand-offs, director Nikhil Advani has remained an undeviating votary of melodrama. With dogged determination, he has followed the one-point formula through one hit and two massive flops in his career: piping in as much melodrama and tear-jerking moments quintessential to the Hindi cinema genre that’s been dying for years but is yet not fully dead. Patiala House, in that sense, is another salaam-e-kitsch by the director who refuses to throw in the towel or change course despite two rude awakenings from the box office.

'Patiala House' Movie Stills

Times change, people don’t. That’s precisely also the case with Gurtej Singh Kahlon (Rishi Kapoor) -- a proud Sikh in Southall, London -- who has nurtured a visceral hatred for the goras ever since a fatal racist attack on his late mentor (Prem Chopra) two decades ago. Over the years he has grown (rather degenerated) into an autocratic figure whose diktat is the final word in the household called Patiala House, bustling with daughters, ghar-jamais, cousins and a sheepish, servile beta Pargat (Akshay Kumar) who toe the line etched by their bigoted bauji.

Everyone has had to sacrifice some dream. Someone wanted to be a rapper, but is now doing kirtans; someone wanted to be a chef but is making jalebis; someone wanted to be a film-maker but is a cabbie. Most of all, Pargat has smothered his dream of being a pace bowler for England and is now content with an utterly boring and humdrum existence as the keeper of a provision store in Southall. All because of the gora-hating, venom-spewing, domineering bauji.

But then, a young girl Simran (Anushka Sharma) with a questionable reputation prods and dares Pargat to realize his dream and play for the English team against the wishes of his father.

For most of its running time, Patiala House keeps zigzagging between melodrama and light humour. One moment, Advani wants you to yank out your kerchiefs to dry the moistened eyes, the next he tries to regale you with the antics of the Punjabi brood with its bunch of wannabes. That’s the course the film charts for the first half before slipping into a somewhat silly zone in the second half, as the odds and sods of the Patiala House literally run from pillar to post to keep the truth hidden from bauji.

Utt Pataang Movie Review

Utt Pataang Movie Review: Everything’s topsy-turvy in director Srikanth Velagaleti’s first film Utt Patang, starring Vinay Pathak in a contrastingly double role: an honest, lovelorn simpleton Ram, and a sly, slick, French-spouting underworld don Lucky.

Ram is dumped by his foul-mouthed girlfriend (Mahi Gill) and she now wants to take back her belongings from his flat. Koyal (Mona Singh) is a heartbroken girl Ram meets at a bar and takes her home as she has nowhere to go. And then there’s Ram’s detective friend (Saurabh Shukla) pining for some piece of action. The picture is completed with Ram’s lookalike Lucky, who is a fashionable gangster.

What sets the cat among the pigeons is a lost bag full of Rs. 5 crore. Everyone runs pillar to post to get their hands on the moolah.

Utt Pataang starts off quite intriguingly in the first half, with assorted sequences tacked together inexplicably. It’s in the second half that the things begin to get clearer.

Alas, the variety of humour in the film is strictly mediocre. There’s a sequence where Vinay takes Mona to her apartment and switches on the TV and there’s a C-grade porn film running. More such juvenile gags unravel but fail to amuse you. Moreover, Vinay Pathak hams up his part as the gangster, though he’s pretty likeable as the simpleton Ram. Mahi Gill is given the most acerbic dialogues and she delivers them with a punch. Mona Singh as a brief role. The stocky Saurabh Shukla chips in some fun moments.

To sum it up, Utt Pataang is entertaining only in parts.

Movie Review - Yeh Saali Zindagi

Movie Review - Yeh Saali Zindagi: Getting your head around the maze of director Sudhir Mishra’s Yeh Saali Zindagi could be quite an ask and task. Taking a plot bursting at its seams, Sudhir Mishra plonks in it so many characters, with many a voice-over and flashbacks, that keeping the count after a while becomes an exercise in maths. But, given the reputation of the director, you are willing to sit back, play along, and let the movie grow on you. And it does.

Simply put, Yeh Saali Zindagi is a romantic thriller with too many sub-plots unspooling at a breathless pace. Arun (Irrfan Khan) is in love with the singer Priti (Chitrangada Singh) but she loves Shyam (Vipul Gupta) who is set to marry the daughter of a politician.

On the other hand Kuldeep (Arunoday Singh) is a criminal on his last assignment. Thanks to his feisty wife (Aditya Rao Hydari) who disapproves of his shady, deadly profession, he’s set to reform and start life afresh. But his last assignment embroils Shyam, Priti and Arun in a deadlock where each character’s love is tested against the grime and crime of Delhi’s underbelly.

A whole lot of oddballs are entangled in the ruck. There are gun-toting hardy criminals, corrupt cops and opportunistic politicians. At first the characters remain mostly isolated, like an assorted bunch in a puzzle that begins to make sense as each piece falls into its place. Yet, the overwrought and complex structure of the plot does challenge your grey cells.

The story-screen writing (Mishra and Manu Rishi) is one of the strengths of YSZ. The dialogues, liberally sprinkled with expletives of choicest variety, are witty gems that keep you amused throughout the frenetic pace of the story.

Another strength is the cast ensemble. Irrfan Khan comes up with the most winsome performance as the man who goes out of his way to help the woman he loves without his feelings being reciprocated. Chitrangada Singh is naturally glamorous and pitches in a fine performance. Arunoday Singh shines as the rowdy criminal trying to mend his ways for the sake of his wife and kid. His torrid, almost violent love story with Aditi Rao does prove a mild distraction in the plot but is quite finely etched. From the sidelines, Sushant Singh and Saurabh Shukla leave an impression.

More than anything, YSZ is a testimony of Mishra’s craftsmanship as a writer and director. With its many unpredictable twists and twirls and a climax that some might take with a pinch of salt, YSZ is a delightfully different film that attempts to break all set formulas and leave you with a smile on the face in the end.

7 Khoon Maaf Music Review

7 Khoon Maaf Music Review: Darrrrling…Vishal Bhardwaj returns with his acoustic treat in 7 Khoon Maaf. This powerhouse of talent is also a terrific music composer, that we all know. Nevertheless, this man never ceases to surprise himself as well as the audience when it comes to his films and their music.

Vishal gets his all-time hit and favourite Gulzar saab to pen the lyrics for 7 Khoon Maaf. Though the film is a murder-thriller, music buffs, including me, were not expecting much from the album. But if it’s Vishal and Gulzar, don’t we know it’s going to be a jewel of a music album. Oops! did we spill the beans!

Let’s cut to the chase straightaway. You are guaranteed to get hooked to Darling, the only song currently on promos, but you will be shocked to learn who has sung this incredible number? It’s Usha Uthup, who begins the song with Darrrrling and later the tangy voice of Rekha Bharadwaj takes the song forward. The song takes its time to build the tempo and hence drama. By the time it ends you are into it, drenched in its music. The song is reportedly inspired from the Russian chorus song Kalinka, but it’s not devoid of Indian or Bollywood feel. It won’t be less than an explosion when it comes alive on screen with the feisty Priyanka Chopra crooning this addictive number.

Another version of Darling is more dramatic and romantic in its mood. Rekha and Usha Uthup again get a chance to influence us with their dynamic vocals. Like the original, Doosri Darling is also a delight for your auditory senses.

It’s not always a female voice that entices and beguiles. Here is Vishal Bhardwaj singing Bekaaran and drifting you from this materialistic world to the other realm where only beauty holds meaning. The song, a quasi-ghazal soused in classical music and yet very contemporary, will lure with its beautiful, poetic lyrics. As Gulzar writes, aapko dekh kar bade der se meri sans ruki hai; the song also has same impact, it will take your breath way.

Next in the album is O’ Mama which can sound very disturbing after hearing the Darling and Bekaaran. But as 7 Khoon Maaf is a dark film, songs like this are justified even if its offbeat lyrics and haunting music spook us. But at the same time the song’s distressing mood and its lyrics sounds entertaining and truly rocks us. The O’Mama Acoustic is another version which is restrained and surreal. The small track of just one-and-half minutes, with just the guitar strumming in the background, can smooth your senses after the racy rock beats of the original O’Mama.

The album continues its melancholy strain with Awaara in the voice of Master Saleem which echoes the pathos of a wanderer, his fear of loneliness. Yes, it sounds very much like Albela Sajan from Hum Dil Chuke Sanam, but it’s just because of the raagas.

7 Khoon Maaf throws another shocker: after Usha Uthup you will listen to singer Suresh Wadkar in Tere Liye. This soft number is easy on the ears and is like a typical Vishal number apt for a quiet evening. A must-hear track with words like, Tere liye Kishmish chune, pistey chune, kaaju ke saude kiye. Make believe!!

After Dil Dil Dilli from No One Killed Jessica, it’s the turn of Dil Dil Hai. Yes both the songs rhyme and have got the same rock feel. This number is the only song of the album which lacks the spunk.

Susanna’s prayer Yeshu pierces your heart. She is alone, troubled and has no one to soothe her. Who else than Rekha Bhardwaj to sing this number which is not a church song or a religious one but defines the moment of crisis in the protagonist’s life; she is crying for help to God, yet complaining. The album ends in a serious, sad mood.

As said earlier, Vishal likes to surprise the music buffs and with the somber, dark numbers, he has done it again. Bewildered, we are not going to forgive him for this stupendous 7 Khoon Maaf album.

'Yeh Saali Zindagi' Preview

'Yeh Saali Zindagi' Preview: After quite a gap, director Sudhir Mishra returns with his latest film Yeh Saali Zindagi, starring Irrfan Khan, Chitrangada Singh, Arunoday Singh, Aditi Rao and Sushant Singh.

The film is a quirky love story in the guise of a thriller. It’s an obtuse take on how far they both the heroes go to get the women they love and how sometimes one screw-up can set everything right!

Synopsis:

Some bullets kill you, some save your life; some women kill you, some save your life.

Arun (Irrfan Khan) has to save Priti (Chitrangda Singh) the woman he loves, but for that he first has to save the man Priti loves- Shyam, the future son-in-law of a powerful Minister.

Meanwhile, time is running out for Kuldeep (Arunoday Singh), the young gangster who is on his last job as his wife is threatening to walk out on him completely, and he begins to suspect she is leaving him to go into the arms of another man. The job has gone haywire for it is still unknown to Kuldeep that the Minister daughter’s engagement with Shyam is off and now she doesn’t care whether Shyam lives or dies and more importantly neither does the Minister who Kuldeep hoped would pay the ransom!

Priti finds herself inextricably caught in this mess and Arun has to save her life. But for that he has to risk everything, and put his own life at stake, he wonders why he should do it at all, if she still loves another. He’s torn, but love knows no reason. Meanwhile, Shyam is trying to make deals in captivity, and his goodness only seems superficial and as Kuldeep tries desperately to save his situation, there are dons coming from Bangkok, who have their own plans.

The film rides a roller-coaster towards a shattering climax, where all the players have to fend for their lives and loves. Who gets the girl, and who gets the money, and who escapes by the skin of his teeth, is now anybody’s guess. But hold on, there are still jokers in the pack, and aces up some sleeves.

Expect the unexpected!

Yeh Saali Zindagi is set to release on February 4.