The Dhoom series, so far, has been quite path breaking and interesting. This particular edition of Dhoom, clearly, breaks the momentum!!.
Right off, at the start, the movie meanders, in trying to build up the background on the lead characters. In doing so, they manage to kill the pace and make it almost tedious. The narrative is slow and laborious (though Jackie Shroff in a cameo is impressive !). The pace picks up after the interval but is it it too late??
Ok, the good part. Action sequences are great and well shot. No expense has been spared. The motorcycles are far more capable than even Batman's car!!!. Aamir's acting is excellent as usual, but I felt it to be a bit mechanical. There was no emotiona connect between him and the audience. Katrina looks fab and thats just about it. The motorcycles have more screen time than her!!
The bad part!! Where do I start? The story is weak and what is even weaker is the thrill of the robbery is missing. I mean, there are three robberies, but we are only shown action sequences post the robberies!!! How does the robbery take place, the planning etc are all missing. The movie seems to be an excuse for displaying chases with a storyline thrown in between. Abhishek and Uday Chopra are bland and repetitive.
There are too many loose ends and many things that dont make sense. Less said the better.
The so called twist is also quite obvious. Though the movie picks up pace and shows promise post the interval, it leaves us unfulfilled. Definitely Aamir's worst movie ever. Considering the fact that I caught a 10 min nap and still picked up the story line without a problem....
Definitely a miss. See Dhoom 2. Its far better and tighter. This one is a definite miss, even if you want to see only Aamir.
What hype has been created around this movie!! First, the music created a flutter with its folksy-fusion feel and energy, then the promotions with Ranveer and Deepika, literally scorching the telly with their chemistry and finally, the audience reaction post the release. Now a days, I just hear Ram-Leela (Krissh and the other movies seem to have disappeared from discussions.
Coming back to the movie, this is a Either-you-hate-it or You-Love-it movie. You know its surreal, but it still captivates you. You know its illlogical, but you still want to sit through it. You will find over 47 minutes of songs in the movie and compare it with chayyageet but you will still sit through it. The movie is compulsive, obsessive and fatally grand.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali has painted a canvas of Gujarat - Vibrant Gujarat (Modi inspired???) , with a riot of colours, music and explosive emotions. A violent gujarat seems almost a paradox, but love and violence are shown to go hand in hand. As the credits bring out - This movie is SLB's version of Romeo and Juliet - by Shakespeare and believe me, it captures the essence, the comedy, the tragedy of the original. The emotions are unrestricted in their intensity, be it hate, love or sadness.
The backdrop of the film is in the Rann of Kutch and the life of two warring clans - Sanedo's and Rajri's. Sanedo's are rich, Rajri's are poor. They both deal in arms - in fact, guns and bullets are sold in the open along with potatoes and bread. The enmity between the clans dates back over 500 years.
Ram - Ranveer Singh- the son of the head of the Rajri clan - runs a porn parlour and other such businesses and leela-Deepika is the daughter of the head of the Sanedo Clan - Supriya Pathak . The story revolves around how they meet, fall in love and overcome obstacles.. but as this is an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet , you know how this ends. We all wait for the HOW????
Herein in lies the movies weakness. Amidst the grandeur, the photography and music, the script meanders, it flounders and finally comes to life in the endgame, but fails to please as it been left too late. The twist is brilliant, but I only wish it had come near the interval. Too many songs take away the urgency and intensity of the movie and make the audience believe that the director wanted a long movie, so he stretched it. A shorter, snappier movie would have made this movie a brilliant one.
The lead pair are brilliant - Deepika is effortlessly sexy and confident, Ranveer is the Alpha Male with a soft side and together they make a potent combination. The unabashed sexual chemistry portrayed between Deepika and Ranveer is a
refreshing change from the subtle and muted scenes we are used to... :)
The songs are beautifully composed, but there are far too many of them - too much of a good thing is also bad!!! The best song is "Nagada Sang Dhol" as its a visual treat and the start of the endgame. The picturisation is a visual delight with the Sanedo's in Red and white and Ranveer in Blue. I just loved the contrast, the mood the song portrays... here's a look
Ram Leela could've been the first movie I would have given five stars to, but the script and editing have let it down - But please watch this movie on a large screen, and get immersed in it. Leave logic aside and soak in the emotions the lead pair go through. Feel the excitement, the pounding heartbeats and remember the first time you fell in love, that feeling of never wanting to let her/him go, to spend every waking moment in his/her arms, the wretched feeling of separation, the sinking feeling when you both fought, the tears, the joy..
The "leela" that SLB tried create didn't quite work out to be perfect... but hey.. just do it..
I'm back!!! After a slew of really forgettable movies for which really did'nt deserve a review, I was off movies for quite some time. Yeh Jawani Hai Diwani piqued my interest, being a Ayan Mukherji movie ( I absolutely loved the movie (review here) ). Ranbir and Deepika (my current two favourites!) also drew me towards the movie, and well I had to watch it.
The movie starts off with Naina (Deepika) and Aditi (Kalki Koechlin) meeting at a supermarket. Naina is a geek (she looks gorgeous!!!) studying hard to be a doctor and Kalki is the proverbial art student having fun. Aditi tells Naina that she is off to Manali for a trek. Naina's Tiger Mom (Dolly Aluwahlia of Vicky Donor fame) looks down upon Aditi as a bad influence but is unable to see her daughters interest has been piqued by this trek. Basically, Naina wanted to do something different for a change, rather than be just a bookworm, studying to be a doctor. She wants to have fun in life. Her solution - Logging on to MakeMy trip and joining the trek !!!! Just imagine - one night prior she expects a train booking!! Duh.. but as they say fortune favours the brave.
At the station she meets the rest of her classmates - The "Kool" gang - Ranbir as (Bunny AKA Kabir) and Aditya Roy Kapur as Avinash/avi). from thereon, its a roller coaster ride for Naina as she is learning how to have fun and hand out with the cool crowd. In turn, the kool crowd slowly discovers that though Naina is a bookworm, she has a side to her that they never knew!
The four of them discuss their plans and then realise that this trek will the last time they are going to be together. Naina realises that she is in love with Kabir but he has dreams of making it big and she does not figure in that picture- so she steps aside. Aditi loves Avi but he is ignorant of that fact... Now we start descending into Karan Johar territory.
The second half is set against the backdrop of Aditi's marriage in Udaipur (Destination Wedding). All the friends converge. The dynamics of their changed relationship is explored in detail by Ayan and the screenplay with all elements of love, anger, betrayal, Jealousy and friendship being explored.
Make no mistake - This movie is centered around Ranbir and to some extent Deepika. Ranbir is beautifully portrayed as a flirt who will not get serious because he wants to do everything in this lifetime without anyone hindering him. Deepika is the traditional, rooted girl who savours the moment without worrying about what she is missing in the process. There are a host of characters - Aditi's husband, Ranbir's dad, the flirty Lara (Evelyn Sharma) and the icing on the cake - Madhuri Dixit.
Madhuri's song "Ghagra" at the start is very well shot and choreographed. Madhuri shows why she rules Bollywood where dancing is concerned. She is truly magical and graceful and retains her dancing skills.
The performances are top class - Ranbir, I firmly believe is the next superstar. Deepika is just nsuperb and delivers a very composed and convincing performance. The direction,screenplay and production is top class. However I felt that the story was a hash of old Karan Johar movies. Reasons as follows:-
1. The names - Naina, Kabir.
2. The scenes - Naina almost missing the train for the trek, the realisation that she loves him and he something else (his dreams), the entire wedding (reminds me of Kuch Kuch Hota hai).
3. Loaded with cliches - All geeks are boring. If you have'nt done wild stuff in life, you are un cool and sidey)
However, the movie is feel good, emotional and well put together. A decent watch for a weekend.
Rating - *** (would have given it 4.5 stars for a different ending. )
I just loved the First installment of this movie - Saheb, Biwi aur Gangster. The story of intrigue, deception and betrayal was woven so beautifully in to the fabric of a small town UP Royal Family, that one could almost empathize with them. The Rich and royalty have money and servants who are fanatically loyal to them, but they have different problems. Loneliness, betrayal and a longing for the good old days when they were kings and treated like one. But, stopping my rambling and getting back to the movie, I really liked the second edition too.
This edition too has it all. Love, intrigue, betrayal, sex, despondency, greed, revenge and a lot more. Saheb is Jimmy Shergill, Biwi is Mahi Gill (Man, we are up to our "Gills" in this cast!!! ) and the Gangsta is Inderjit Singh - A poor royal whose family was wiped out by Jimmy's family somewhere in the past.... REVENGE!!!
Mahi as Madhavi is the Sozzled (and Sizzling !!) wife, who is also the MLA of Devgarh, in name. She is controlled by Saheb and he doles out favours using her as a proxy. Continuing from the last movie, he is wheel chair bound but as deadly as ever. The venom that he displays while talking to Madhavi can only be rivaled by a Cobra! Madhavi, as the neglected wife, displays a perplexing love for Saheb and is perpetually drunk. She drinks to forget her loneliness and neglect.... u almost feel sorry for her!!!
The game changes when Saheb's mother ask's him to get married again and shows him Soha's photo (Ranjana in the movie). He is floored and then plays a game to force her father to get her married to him. But there are no free lunches in life... her father starts plotting his downfall by attacking him where it hurts.. his criminal enterprise and sending Irrfan (who is Soha's lover) to work on Mahi and subvert her.
And man!!. How he subverts her..!!! But Madhavi is smart and manages to subvert Irrfan..thereby creating a weird foursome.... and setting the stage for a very strange ending.
The movie is slow, but the screenplay manages to grip you. The plots, sub plots and betrayals just add to the charm. However only the main characters are well defined.. the rest are wishy washy.. I can understand his predicament.. the movie wxyould have been too long. However,,, the acting is really really good.. Irrfan shines.. Jimmy is suitably ruthless and at the same time vulnerable. Mahi is mind-blowingly sexy, sluttish, vulnerable and ruthless. Soha is competent as she really does not have much of a part to play.. Rana as Kannaiya is strong and silent....
Btw.. the lone item song is really ghastly and spoils the mood the movie creates. Mugdha is pretty and all that,, but she was not looking sexy nor could she dance to save her life..... on the other hand, Mahi was born for this role... she has the body (or bawdy!!) language to pull it off....
I liked the movie because it is different. It is subtle and has wheels within wheels within wheels. Do go and watch it. My friends found the movie slow and were waiting for something to happen!!! The Rowdy Rathore effect!!! Maybe that's why I am known as the NERD..
It is said that Art imitates Life. Sepcial 26 is one such movie which sticks true to the saying and delivers what it promises- making it truly special - well almost !!!
The movie, most would have guessed, is based on real life incidents in the late 80's where a scamster stole crores worth of jewelry by executing a bold and an absolutely genius plan, based on Human Psychology and greed. However, the way the director (Neeraj Pandey) builds up the story up to the finale is commendable.
So, the story (or the gist of it!) . Akshay, Anupam, ---, --- -are four low key and extremely confident scamsters. The movie begins with an income tax raid on a Ministers house, complete with all the trappings of police, typewriter, official documents.. . The raid is conducted swiftly and a lot of black money and jewelry is recovered, hidden at various places in the house and car! As quickly as the raid was done, a list of all confiscated goods was made and the minister made to sign on that. When the police officer assisting the raid is told to hang around to ensure that no calls to the higher ups are made, one smells a rat. However, before one can think, the loot is transferred to another car, the four disperse by bus, train and air to their respective houses and lives, done all in a low key manner- no flashy stuff!!. Hey bingo,,, the loot is complete and everyone can get on with their lives. Except the guy who was looted!!. Now here in lies the genius of the heist. As the money and jewelry was all unaccounted for, the minister does not want to file an FIR, but only asks for the cops(divya dutta as the woman constable, and Jimmy Shergill as the Police Inspector) to be suspended - which they are!. Finished.
The script then builds up upon the lives of the four scamsters. Akshay is a single guy, living alone in Mumbai. He is in love with a beautiful girl , Kajaal Agarwal, who lives opposite his balcony. Why no beautiful girl ever lived across by balcony!!! Boss, it only happens in the movies!!. Kajaal is betrothed to another guy, Tukaram (not seen in the movie- virtual ) and is pestering Akshay to marry her. He promises her but she is scared that he will get caught one day, executing his scams. Akshay tells her that The man who can catch him hasn't been born yet..!! But she still is scared....
Anupam Kher is a married guy with some 7 children and one on the way. He uses the money to marry off his daughter and in general have a good life. He seems scared and under confident but is in his element when conducting a raid.
Rajesh sharma is shown as a henpecked husband and Mukesh Bhatt as a devotee of some sadhvi.. thats it!!. Not much footage is wasted on them. But every good thing has to come to an end.
Enter CBI Officer Waseem Khan. He is introduced by showing him ferrying his kid on his shoulder to the bus and in the next frame making a dash to Connaught place on a lambretta/Vijay Super scooter to catch a criminal. He catches his man after a nice chase... well executed and taut. The end is near, when Jimmy shergill, as the suspended cop, appraches Waseem Khan with a list of fake raids conducted by the scamsters and wanting to catch them. Waseem is intrigued and setups up an operation to catch the four in the act.
Well, thats all I am going to say about the plot!!! You should watch it for the execution (even if you know what the ending is going to be!) After a long time comes a movie with a well written, well executed and believable script. The screenplay is pretty good and so is the acting by all the guys. What stands out is the how one's fears can be played upon by scamsters to part you from your assets.
Highlights - Anupam Kher is very good as the nervous old man, Akshay is great and play his role with a lot of restraint... very believable, Manoj Bajpai is also brilliant in his zeal to catch these guys. Kaajal looks heart achingly beautiful (yeah you guessed right - she is the new heartthrob). Even with hardly any makeup, she looks every part the role of a teacher, in love with a scamster. Would have loved to see some more footage dedicated to her but......
In conclusion, an excellent movie that does not drag a bit (only when the songs start-- but that is still ok). Well executed and acted. A must watch!
