Tag: amitabh bachchan

Pink Movie Review: Why Pink is a must watch!

The best thing about Pink is that it isn’t melodramatically over-zealous nor does it solely rely on the emotional appeal of the subject at play. It captures the deeply entrenched male chauvinism of our society subtly and yet packs a powerful punch. The message isn’t just another footnote in the ending but the entire movie itself.

Powerful performances from Tapsi Pannu (who plays the role of Meenal) and the seasoned Amitabh Bachchan who bests his Piku and Wazir performance. Kirti Kulari (plays the role of Falak in Pink), who had previously acted in Shaitan, also adds in a powerful performance.

Related: You can check Amitabh’s Piku and Wazir reviews here

The movie’s story follows an after-concert party-gone-wrong resulting in an assault case filed against the “outgoing” and “independent” girls. Pink is about the struggle of women against law (and society) and how a retired lawyer, who’s battling his own illness, comes to their rescue.

The story isn’t limited to the plight of the girls but is also about the society’s reactions. Reactions, deeply embedded with chauvinism, directed against them. It describes the general perception of our men-centric society and how they measure the ‘character’ of the women by the length of the clothing she chooses to wear. This attitude has seeped too deep in our society and has made even the women become part of it. This, among other things, is what Pink tries to uncover.

The film is a mirror for the society and to every viewer to watch and introspect. How loosely used terms, for e.g., calling every random girl a “slut” (or an equivalent term in their own regional language) just based on what they wear, how they speak or whom they chose to befriend, is bizarre.

Apart from the story, the strong performances, and the message, there are a few issues that did irk me. Is the world around so superficial that no one comes to stand alongside the girls in this fight? Sure we as a society have deeply rooted favoritism for men but does everyone lack even this much of an empathy towards the female gender?

Definitely, the makers might not have wanted to tread down the same path of media activism and public outcry and the strong story doesn’t let you think of any of it. More than anything the way every emotion, frustration and the pain, has been captured and brought out by the characters, is powerful.

This happens to be Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury’ first Hindi movie and I’m intrigued to start watching his Bengali movies. Yes, Pink is that good.

Any movie which has Shoojit Sarcar’s name attached naturally adds certain expectations and each time he surpasses those. Credits to Ritesh Shah for a binding story and screenplay. Interestingly, we are only shown as to “what actually happened that night” in the end credits. This keeps us, as viewers, to keep questioning the narrative and be involved.

The movie Pink makes you think of the society, while you’re watching it, but also makes you take away a part of it, long after you’ve left the theater. Pink is a must watch for all men, all women, and even the grown-up kids to realize why “NO means NO”. It strikes hard where it should.

Final Ratings: Pink Movie Review

I’m going with 4/5 for Aniruddha Roy Chowdhary’s Pink. Without a doubt, it’s a must watch. Go catch it in a theater near you. It is hauntingly tensed and wakes you up with a strong message.

Wazir Movie Review: It makes the right moves

By farooq

On January 9, 2016

In Movies & Entertainment

Wazir plays out like a game of chess, every move played in a symphony akin to the game, as the story unfolds towards the amazingly crafted climax. The build-up is strong enough to make you believe that you’re in for a good ride in this amazingly well written story. By the time you’re nearing the end, you’ve already enjoyed an amazing story which captivates you from the first shot. And then, in the end, Wazir hits you, you’ll end up replaying the movie from the start to grasp-in the beauty.

Wazir is like a puzzle which is interesting while you’re out solving it, but only becomes perfect when you’ve finally finished it.

[Picture courtesy: BollywoodCat]

How wrong can you go when Sonu Nigam fills the life into the slow-motion prologue for the romance between Farhan and Aditi, with “Tere Bin”, playing in the rain-filled backdrop. The song sequence brushes you like how a calming drizzle makes you feel on a hot day. The camera work is brilliant in the movie, but this sequence remains my favorite. Terming Ruhaana and Danish’s love story sweet would be an understatement.

ATS Officer Danish Ali , played by Farhan Akhtar, redefines the Angry young man with charm and earnestness, while essaying this role alongside the original Angry young man. Farhan ensures you’re by his side as he makes you travel through the transition of how a happy family man’s life goes downhill with just one wrong move. There is a certain easy-to-the-eye effortless performance delivered by Akhtar through Danish Ali’s character. You won’t find Farhan but only Danish.

[Picture courtesy: Indianexpress]

Pandit Omkar Nath, played by Amitabh Bachchan, moves around in his wheelchair due to his paralyses. His eyes bring out the pain irrespective of whether he’s joking around with his friend, Danish, while playing Chess or being angry while remembering his daughter. Amitabh gets the best dialogues of the movie. This man, delivers another splendid performance after Piku.

Aditi Rao Hydari acts as gracefully as she looks, and her chemistry with Farhan is effortless. With Wazir, she finally gets a good role to boast about.

[Picture courtesy: Indianexpress]

Roles played by Manav Kaul (Yazaad Qureshi) and of course the mysterious Neil Nitin mukesh (Wazir) convert the storyline into a powerful narrative.

But the real hero of the movie is in its direction by Bijoy Nambiar. The entire buildup would have been lost, the great content could have been wasted, actors like Mr. Bachchan and Farhan not utilized, but no, none of this happens (thankfully). We can all thank Bijoy for that. From showing the happy side of the rains when the film startsoff, to a weeping father about to shoot himself near the graveyard of his daughter, the contrast value of rains has been effectively captured by Nambiar.

The beauty of the movie is when you’ve seen it all, and you just replay it in your mind and you immediately understand how solid an effort this was. It sets a benchmark for dramatic thrillers for Bollywood movies. The dialogues are intelligent and not pushed-in. The camaraderie between Farhan-Bachchan, or Atrangi Yaari, as they call it, brings out some of the best dialogues from the movie.

The Background score lends the perfect balance to the story as it moves from one Chess move to another. The fight sequences have been done brilliantly. The first fight features a sleepy-headed Farhan who completely owns it with his performance. This is his first action movie and he just hits the right notes.

The only visible flaw is how a few scenes have been dumbed-down to suit the audiences for a mass appeal. An extra dialogue to explain a few things or an extra scene to make sure everyone is on the same page. Something which the Hindi remake of Drishyam is also guilty of doing as compared to its original, Malayalam version.

But even with that, this is a movie which is based on a powerful story and can be appreciated in its entirety. Expect a good climax in this action-packed thriller. Believe me, you won’t be disappointed.

I’m going with a 4/5 for this Farhan-Amitabh starrer Wazir. Khel Khel me, khel khel ye aajaega!

Piku : My review

By farooq

On May 11, 2015

In Movies & Entertainment

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Irfan Khan

Director: Shoojit Sircar

Runtime: 122 Minutes

The trailer was good enough to know what was in store, or rather what was still in stomach and creating troubles. If I was at all looking for faults in the movie, I just could not have found any!! I was immersed into the saga of an old man and his “motion”. To my surprise, the humour is not at all crass, as one can imagine with such a subject( It is about shit, literally!!) The whole subject has been dealt so well. I loved watching the movie as well as writing this piku movie review.

The story is about Piku (Deepika) and about how her relationship with her father just doesn’t let her live her own life. How his father’s constipation issues and old age are stuff which have made her cranky and someone people are afraid of. In a way, lot like her father.

Rana Chaudhry (Irfan Khan’s character), plays the role of a gulf-returned cab service company owner, battling his own family issues. Moushami Chatterjee and Jishu Sengupta also have supporting roles.

The writer tries to draw a blurry similarity into two lives, Deepika and Irfan’s, and how both are a mirror for a generation for whom their parents have now become their children. Although much of the focus is on Piku’s father in the story.

But the real star of the movie is Bhaskor!! Played amazingly well by Amitabh Bachchan!! If you’ve been with your grandfather in their old age, he is bound to take you on a nostalgic dive deep into that. For me, his was the best written character in a long time. The detailed approach and the into-the-cranky-constipated-character which he plays, is simply the best you can see. It is a treat. Each frame, each scene and each dialogue.

Irfan Khan is a seasoned actor, and he is simply at his A-game like always. It also amazes me, how well Deepika keeps getting better with each movie!! I mean, she is polishing off edges with every movie. She was impressive in YJHD, Ramleela and then Finding Fanny, but this is on a different level.

[Image courtesy: Littleredtote]

The songs are good, nothing spectacular. Loved the Road song though. The cinematography is another very interesting aspect of the movie, especially the way they have shot Kolkata. Best part is, it is not exaggeratedly highlighted. Everything is kept simple, while the focus just remains on telling the audience about Piku and her father.

It is the best Indian Cinema has offered in a long time. It is so good, that I’m already making plans to catch another show. Just go, watch enjoy. I’m sure, you won’t regret. Shoojit Sircar, Respect!! Have loved, Vicky donor as well as Madras Cafe. The way this guy deals with the subject, is class.

I’m giving a 5/5 (Ohh, Yes!!) for Shoojit Sircar’s Piku. Watch it for everything.

[Here’s another movie I gave a 5/5]

Satyagraha: My Review

By farooq

On August 30, 2013

In Movies & Entertainment

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgan, Kareena kapoor, Manoj Bajpai, Arjun Rampal

Director: Prakash Jha

Runtime: 153 Minutes

It starts off abruptly and then does the same treatment with its’ ending as well, Satyagraha shows some promising sequences in the start but more or less ends up becoming a big boring party, where you have to check your watch several times, thinking as to when the movie will finally end.

Based on the caricature of the “Jan Lokpal samiti” fondly remembered for the euphoria that Anna Hazare and his fast created, the film starts with definitive roles, Amitabh Bachchan as Dwaarka Anand (Daduji) essays the role of an old and frustrated Indian citizen having strict desi principles effusing out of every pore. Ajay devgan represents the Hypocrite Youth, who is willing to tamper with the system in order achieve success but finally his Conscience wakes him up. Arjun Rampal as the wannabe-opportunistic local gunda-cum-politician, whose only work is blurting out dialogues like “saalon ko phod denge” and being a side-kick to Ajay, Kareena Kapoor plays the TV Journalist, a very high profile one who conducts a sting operation on the Telecom minister and takes the trouble of showing it live on a tablet to him in the midst of a party, but just after the start of the “Satyagraha” movement, leaves aside all her important work to be counted as a permanent resident first as a guest and then as the Committee member for Satyagraha, all the while still being a reporter. (Wow!! Journalism at its best). Manoj Bajpai plays the cunning, but often used as the fun element that the movie somehow feels required for. It also adds up Amrita Rao as part of its initiative to do something good towards the societies downtrodden.

The plot revolves around the common man’s frustration because of Corruption and Red tapiesm in the system, with a dash of Indian politics in it. An ex-school principal’s struggle to get the compensation awarded due to the death of his son dying in a road accident. The issue becomes a sensation due to the inter-party politics, the common-man’s frustration finally oozing out and of course the Director Prakash Jha’s insistence on turning a rural district to be the centre of the country’s attention, more so in the Social media gang. Twitter and Facebook may also be included as part of the star cast here.
The only positives in the movie are the scenes involving Manoj Bajpai and Vipin Sharma (playing Opposition Leader), they highlight the dark and dirty political game with putting too much of over-the-top drama into it.

Music is decent, but picturisation has been real bad. The old-style love-making scene between Ajay and Kareena was unnecessarily added, as if they have all the time at their disposal, enjoying each others’ company while Satyagraha is still ON.
Prakash Jha again commits the mistake of including “stars” where actors were needed. Reason for the success of movies like Gangajal and Apharan were the apt casting, which he seems to have forgotten.
Among the many flaws in the movie, is the abrupt ending, although what leads into the same is equally terrible. The second half was shot on a treadmill while still trying to complete all the exercises in a gym, not to mention failing miserably in doing so.

I’m going with 1.5/5 for Satyagraha and strictly advice you to not invest time and money in being part of this Movement, rather the Media coverage of the Anna hazare movement would be more entertaining.