Tag: review

Jolly LLB- My review

On March 17, 2013

It is amazing how Arshad warsi, fills in the jolliness and simplicity in order to display the complexities of the system and being a small town lawyer. It is sheer joy to watch him perform and he is no doubt one of the finest performers out there. It is his part that puts in the extra punch in this Subhash kapoor directed film.

Boman Irani (Tejinder Rajpal) , playing a shrewd lawyer who has a stature and power of the system in his pocket, which makes him manipulate anything to suit his taste buds.

Amruta rao (Sandhya), playing Jolly’s love interest and support in the movie, has a short role where she is a school teacher.

The plot involves a hit-and-run case of a rich dad’s kid, and how with influence and a lawyer like Rajpal (Boman irani), he gets away. The story takes a turn, when Jagdish tyagi (Arshad warsi) decides to file a PIL to open the case again, purely on the basis of media reports and zeal to be famous. But his idea actually gets remote controlled by the terrible law and order system. With a little hurdle where he is faced to choose between what’s right for him and what is actually right, he finally decides to fight for the cause of justice and prove that “justice milta nahi hai, ladna padta hai”. The story takes a hilarious yet introspective look at the judicial system of the country and how influence, power and money is used to change or completely kick it out.

Saurabh shukla stands out with his performance as a judge. The scene where he loses his cool is both hilarious as well as impactful. He presents with him, the character without holding back anything. Be it the dialogue delivery or the little miniature showdowns then and now.

Songs are okayish, but the movie didn’t need them at all. Rather could have benefitted better of leaving them out. Songs push in themselves between scenes, one song, “ajnabi” starts off when our lawyer Jolly is manaoing his lady love, whom he calls Sandhu (prem se) inside the school where she teaches. Now the precursor to the song involves a lot of nakhre from our heroine which takes place when she happens to be inside the school!! Imagine a teacher doing all that, in our school??!! But then, it’s a movie right??

One very important thing that was missing from this film was the shelf value of the characters. All of them did worked on to give you a decent movie, yet the idea of each character being there in your mind like Munna bhai’s parsi doctor, that sweeper in the hospital getting a jadoo ki jhappi from Munna or the patient Anand or be it the milimetre from 3idiots. These small characters are the backbone of a movielike this. and that’s what makes it fall short of a masterpiece. For instance, a notable actor like Sanjay mishra, who is seen playing a head constable conducting an auction involving lacks of rupees for senior inspector’s promotion!!!! There seemed to be something missing in terms of collaborative input and hence that is visible in the output. Although, with performances of Saurabh shukla as the judge and Manoj pahwa as Arshad’s onscreen brother in law adds value.

The best part of the movie lies between three characters. The judge, the prosecution and the opposition, played by Saurabh shukla, Arshad warsi and Boman irani respectively. The movie could have benefitted by developing other characters a little more to highlight the system’s inadequacy and plaguing nature. Yet, there is a silver lining in everything, and glimpses of good, even in places where it cannot be are shown every now and then in the movie.

I’ll give a “3 out of 5” for Subhash kapoor’s Jolly LLB and recommend you to take time out and watch a hilariously insightful film.

Kai Po Che Movie Review

By farooq

On March 4, 2013

In Movies & Entertainment

They say the film cannot be better than the book. “Kai Po Che” is one movie that proves otherwise.

Although, I must add the bar was not raised that high by Chetan bhagat in his book, “3 mistakes of my life”, on which the movie is based.

“Kai po che” is a Gujarati term used in Kite flying. When someone cuts a kite, thsi expression is cried out in excitement. The movie tries to co-relate this with the bond of friendship and their ups and downs.

Introducing Sushat Singh Rajput and starring a young cast, comprising of RajKumar Yadav, Amit Sadh and Amrita Puri being the female lead, the film is seriously one of the best offerings of this year.

The film, as the name is from, is based in Gujarat and the story revolves around three childhood friends and their ambitions. Govind (Raj Kumar Yadav), is someone who wants to be something big and has huge entrepreneurship goals but money is something that he falls short of to start off. Ishant (Sushant singh rajput) is a cricket-crazy lad, who was a district level cricketer too, but failed to make it further and Omi (Amit sadh), son of panditji whose mama(uncle), played by Manav kaul, always tries him to pull him in the Saffron party-fold of which he is a part of.

With family expectations and eyes on future, their business idea starts off with a sports equipment and cricket coaching centre , where Ishaan gives cricket coaching. Sabarmati Sports centre kicks off quite nicely, although to start it off they had to take help from Omi’s mama who belonged to a hindutva-ideology supported party. On Ishaan’s request, Govind, a part-time tutor had to take private tuitions for Divya (Ishaan’s sister played by Amrita puri). With an “over-active” and good looking student and with the Bro-code to keep intact, being the teacher becomes tough.

Even with issues, their lives were flying like a kite, but with an earthquake and a subsequent Hindu-Muslim riot, things turn ugly. With nature and situations taking regular tests of their ideologies, thinking, ambitions and more importantly friendship, they try to steer their kite. The film is all about that.

It raises a lot of issues in just a 2-hour stretch of a movie and its treatment is something that Abhisek kapoor has done brilliantly, with the cast giving it great support. Sushant Singh Rajput makes a great entry to the silver screen by being natural yet affirmative. Raj kumar yadav, whom we had seen in smaller roles before, makes a case for him by being the shy and low-key Govind. While, Amit sadh and Amrita puri too, do a commendable job in the movie. It’s not just the lead characters that fill in the movie, but actors like Manav kaul and Asif Basra who pitch in with performances.

The film doesn’t try to overdo anything and that is what stands out. The hindu-muslim equation and its complexities are depicted in a sensible manner without much drama. The sweetness of the story dealt with innocence is something that you would bring back, although there aren’t enough dialogues for which one can say the same. The music by Amit trivedi is amazing, with all the songs helping build the flow instead of being any sort of distraction. He is sure to give A.R rahman run for his money in the future.

Scenes involving cricket, are a treat to watch and instead of being any melodramatic, one enjoys it. The last scene, where Ishaan’s favorite student plays the cricketing shot in Team India colors, is something that is sure to make your eyes go wet.

A 4-out-of-5 for Abhisek kapoor’s Kai po che, which takes you back to Dil chahta hai and Rock on!!

A treat in the offing!!

David- My take

By farooq

On February 23, 2013

In Movies & Entertainment

Director: Bijoy Nambiar

Cast: Neil Nitin Mukesh, Vikram, Tabu, Vinay virmani

3 lives. 3 names. 3 same names. 3 different, yet intermingling to give out a message that they try to convey by not being either black or white, but by just showing shades of grey.

The opening scene, or to say the scenes of the three lives, deals with the ultimate decision in changing certain things that the Davids need to make. And then the story begins.

The fight scene involving a drunken Vikram with the backdrop of a song, only makes it less violent and intresting. Although, with the kind of role that vikram plays, would make you feel as if the whole of Goa only does one thing, Drinks, drinks and drinks. The scenes involving him and his dead father (played by Saurabh shukla) are funny and sweet at the same time, where his father comes in various point of time to “advice” him as to not interfere in his friend’s marriage plans with Ishaa sherwani, while Tabu advices him otherwise.

Our second David, Vinay virmani, is from Mumbai, who aspires to be in the music industry and struggles out by even doing odd guitar lessons, performances in restaurants, etc while his father is a priest trying to help the poor in the city. Life, even with little difficulties was going good. Until, a Hindutva-fudamentalist organization’s leader accuses his father of forceful conversions to Christianity and life takes a sorry turn.

The other David, played by Neil nitin Mukesh, essays a complex story of an orphaned kid being adopted by a Don in 75’ London and his past life. David is one of the most important of the lot, that the Don Ghani has fires bullets with ease of a no-nonsense Don and the attitude of one too. The love of his life, Noor, played by Monica Dogra and their love story suffers as she gets forcefully married to Don Ghani’s womanizing-and-drunk son as a face saver and at the same time Neil discovers some old history about his mother .

David is about the lives of three different people who face a situation where their one decision can completely change things but in making that change they need to do something wrong. Their journey towards this decision-making process is what you are going to see. Bijay does a commendable job in bringing out all three stories as almost one and continues his Shaitan-like show of making it realistic and not completely good or bad. There are things that could have been better, like a little more depth in Vikram’s character and story. Tabu was underutilized to some extent too.

But, even with its little shortcomings, David fares well, with good music to support its cause of giving out a good story. The movie also raises issues of religious fundamentalism and Rohini hathangadi plays the role of one such politician with quite an ease. Neil nitin plays the role with elan and stands out from the rest of the cast.

The film is almost like a book, which you remember before watching it the second time.

A 3/5 from me for this titular, David.