Kapil's Korner » hindi movie review

Fashion – Not a show-stopper

Kapil — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 19:03:38 +0000

Creativity is not a cut and paste formula. And I guess what works once, maybe even twice may not work again and again. That’s what Madhur Bhandarkar seems to have missed out on in his latest project – fashion.

Gay designers, the need to sleep around for work, drug abuse, alcoholism & a bit more – a very predictable story line which leaves very little to imagine and nothing really to look forward post interval. Unlike a Page 3 it gives you nothing to be aghast about and no twist in the storyline will make you twitch in the seat.

If there is something superb about the movie it’s the casting and performance. Every role has been etched out very well and each one of them has done a fantastic performance. Kangana looks the very realistic drug addict they made her out to be. Priyanka does a good mix of attitude and emotion to play her role perfect. Of course the little surprise package is Chitrashi Rawat. [She was a rough 'n' tough missy Komal Chautala in Shah Rukh Khan's Chak De India.] Just 4 little scenes but impressive stuff.

There was a an over-dose of gay fashion designers and makes you believe that if you are a male fashion designer – you gotta be GAY. People from the industry may beg to differ that the world isn’t that bad after all – and it maybe tough, but then Madhur has very beautifully shown us that the corporate world isn’t easy either.

Final verdict: Watch this movie for it’s performances and for a storyline which is different from the Bollywood masala. I won’t label it as realistic cinema and or even put in the same league as Page 3. Also I hope Madhur’s next is not another “behind the scenes” of some industry yet again.

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Letter to Farhan

Kapil — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:30:49 +0000

I watched Rock On and thought I should send a congratulatory note to Farhan & his team for a good job they had done.

Dear Farhan,

I couldn’t ask for a better treat. I watched Rock On with my wife and I think it was time well spent on my birthday.

“Multi-talented” is the word which my wife used to describe you. A fabulous director who makes a debut with Dil Chata Hai, a solid performance in Rock On and then you even sing the songs yourself. Kudos.

The incident where you decide to leave the band and walk away to Delhi reminded me of a similar incident many years ago when I too walked away from a project I started with my friends. We were young, restless with very little maturity and understanding in our heads. If it wasn’t our way it wasn’t the right way.

Arjun does a real good job in portraying that typical guitar player from the Bandra area. I am sure a lot of aspiring performers may have identified with his struggle. As always Purab is fun to watch and his image transformation from his band days to the shop owner has been done well, but I thought showing him in a full sleeve with a designer pen on a Sunday afternoon at Army Cafe was taking it a bit too seriously.

Little Prachi couldn’t have made a better choice than Rock On to be her launch pad into Bollywood. I really hope she lives up to her performance (whatever little there was for her) and does not get into the type-cast bollywood masala numbers. But when it comes to brilliance I think Joe’s wife (Shahana) does a real god job showing the young bubbly college girl turn into this frustrated house-wife. I bet she’s already got some directors on her door step.

Farhan, I don’t know if it’s your sense of fashion & design or is it the hard work of a fantastic team which makes the styling of your movie so-so desirable. Whether it’s Aamir’s room in DCH, SRK’s clothing in DON or your very own home in Rock On. Fantabulous.

Man, what were you guys thinking when you’ll wrote those lyrics. “Meri laundry ka ek bill, sinbad the sailor”. How did you convince your Dad (Javed sahaab) to write those things? But they are so sticky I was actually humming them on my way back home from the cinema hall.

Of course I am not going to let you walk away with all the credit because Abhishek does deserve the credit for having directed this wonderful movie whose DVD I can’t way to buy.

Regards,
A fan who truly loved your movie

P.S The little (but strong) message at the end made an impact and I actually went to 3 shops before I could get myself the original audio CD of the movie. It’s freaking SOLD out almost everywhere.

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Khuda Ke Liye I didn’t like it

Kapil — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:06:30 +0000

This movie has been raved and only raved. It’s indeed a powerful and bold subject for the audience to see, believe and leave an after-effect. But IMHO the production values were very poor. I think the film could do with a lot better editing. Besides Mary (the London based Muslim girl) I think the performances are below average.

Quoted in rediff – Khuda Ke Liye is a serious film and worth a watch, especially if you are interested in what Islam has to say on various issues. If not, stay away.

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Vidya Balan is wonderful in Bhool Bhulaiyaa

Kapil — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:02:43 +0000

Warning: This post is a spoiler for the film Bhool Bhulaiyaa. Please don’t read further if you haven’t seen this movie.

The movie is not something really to write about, it’s rather slow and at times gets boring. And I am not surprised why those little elements of comedy were added in there – just to keep the audience hooked. However, Vidya Balan’s performance is very commendable. She has done a splendid job playing the dual role of Avni, the simpleton bhabi and Manjulika, the revengeful classical dancer. I am sure this would have been a challenge for her after doing some beautiful work in Parineeta.

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Movie Review: Jab We Met

Kapil — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:27:52 +0000

I am not a Kareena Kapoor fan and Jab We Met was not really on my To Watch list. However thanks to some friends I went along and I am glad we watched this film. Nice entertainment is what describes Jab We Met.

Typical and predictable storyline: Stranger boy meets stranger girl. Lots of goof-ups, drama and fun. That’s about it. So what makes things interesting? Some good acting by Kareena in her “main Bathinda ki ladki hoon” role makes for interesting comedy and some really cool fundas of living life to the fullest. For a change her loud acting seemed to perfectly suit the role she was playing. Shahid the rich business tycoon looks amazingly dashing and should make girls go ga-ga with his spectacled looks. Cinematography is another area where I think the film should score some high points. Beautifully shot locations be it Kareena’s family home in Bathinda, the yellow-golden farms or the hills of Manali.

The music is nice and you really don’t need to take a toilet break when they break out for a song. The song, I think Nagada Nagada done at Kareena’s home is a very peppy dance number. Good choreography makes it fun to watch too.

So, to conclude Jab We Met is a family entertainer you don’t mind watching on a Sunday evening to have a good laugh. Enjoy it!

Ashok too reviewed the movie.

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Jhoom Barabar Jhoom

Kapil — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 13:29:59 +0000

I saw Jhoom Barabar Jhoom last night. Although I don’t do popular movie reviews I thought this would be worth sharing because it’s released only last Friday. So a couple of quick thoughts on seeing this movie:

Shaad Ali disappoints on the story line. After a very engrossing Bunty Aur Bubli – JBJ is weak when it comes to keeping the interest levels high.
Music = SAD. I had honestly not heard any songs from the movie except for the title song before it’s release. None of the songs are something which can catch your fancy. They come with funny lyrics like “ticket to hollywood” and “kiss of love” – Is this a desperate attempt to connect with our Indian brothers and sisters in the UK and USA?
Whatever went wrong with jr AB’s dresses? I can understand creative freedom for the big screen but they were in no ways suiting him. The character demanded it? Well maybe…. but not pleasing at all.

Ok, now for some good things: senior AB rocked in the new get-up. The man can carry off anything so smartly I am sure he puts a lot of the young lot to shame when it comes to adaptability. Shaad’s obsession with Delhi is once again evident from a very beautifully shot (but nonsensical) song “Bol Na Halke Halke”. The clothes, cars, camera work was wonderful. The location hunting team did a wonderful job whether it was the waterloo station or the streets of London and even the so beautiful Paris. And yes, don’t forget to notice the huge green car which AB and Hanif Bhai ride on the streets of London.

My Suggestions: They could have got a much better performer to do “Hanif Bhai’s” role – it demanded more justice.Â Also I think the 2 minute on-screen chemistry between AB and Bobby Deol was interesting – Maybe some director should cast them together in a laugh-riot comedy.

PLUS: During the interval we also got to see the cinema trailor of Yash Raj Film’s next big release – Chakde! India. I thought I would write about it but then this article sums it up pretty well.

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Movie update

Kapil — Thu, 04 May 2006 18:07:12 +0000

Last weekend I had to stay indoors to nurse my sick granny. With nothing much to do when she was resting, I spent some good time trying to catch up on my un-watched list of movies. Two flicks knocked off.

Stealth – A total sci-fi movie, this one made for some interesting visual and special effects appeal. The plot somehow gets you thinking, what if there was actually a day when machine became more powerful than the human mind. Also will we ever be able to build in emotion into the minds of a mahcine? Reminded me of a Robin Williams movie Bicentennial Man.
Zinda – This Sanjay Dutt starrer is a very dark movie indeed, not only is the art direction “dark” in it’s literal words – the only little colour I think I saw was when Sanjay and Lara Dutta checked into the hotel while on the run. That time it was a red background room or else the movie is total blacks, greys and silvers. I think it was a well-done movie, but for the core of the movie – John’s motive could just be a little more stronger and that would make it more effective. But all said – Mr.Gupta seemed to have done a nice job on this one.

And there is more to catch up on. I am yet to see Basic Instinct 2 from my other day’s list. And there is one more DVD which I have borrowed – B13. Need another relaxed weekend.