Monday 28 July 2008

Kross Konnections

Let’s get straight to the business.

Well I happened to watch 3 movies over last 2 weekends. All three were so different than each other. Reviewing 3 of them together is really a cross connection or should I say Kross Konnection??

First to go was Kismat Konnection

Kismat Konnection is a story of Raj Malhotra (Wow! what an uncommon name for a bollywood hero) he was amongst the most talented (mind you, talent mean everything... Acads, Sports, Cultural Activities, social welfare and bla blah)during his college days but end up being a BIG TIME LOOSER of all time as he could not get a decent (or rather any) job for himself. Whatever he tries to do, destiny has some different plans for him. The lost, disheartened, dejected Raj surrenders himself to Haseena Bano Jaan (Juhi Chawla, in an awfully irritating cameo). Haseena Bano is fortune teller who sends Raj on mission to hunt his lucky charm (she should have sent Aziz Mirza, Shahid and Vidya Balan too on the same quest before start of this movie) However Raj finds Priya (another uncommon name for Hindi heroine) after initial fights he discovers that she is the one (The lucky charm_Kisamt ki ghanti bajee!!!) And tries to woo her in every possible way. All this to fetch a hefty contract of new shopping mall. What happened next is Kismat Konnection.

Now there are some problem areas.
Just face it...Aziz Mirza's this movie was for Sh Sh Shhahrukh and Juhi Chawla (That is evident from every frame whenever Sh Sh Shahid emotes, cries and stammers. If not Juhi at least Rani could have done this role with more charm and with better dressing as well. Vidya Balan is portraying same Janhavi (remember Lage Raho Munnabhai??)here again trying to save house of homeless oldies (Second Inning home replaced by some community centre). There are few more characters Priya's opportunistic, practical and dishonest fiancé (but we should not blame him after all if you get howty, who would care about aunty?), Raj's loyal friend Hitesh (why should anyone venture a business with an ultimate looser ?) but they add no fun to this downright predictable and boring movie. Towards the climax, there is fundamentalism, social and moral values, global warming and Boman Irani(Bad hair day, dude?). Want to know more? take the stroke of bad luck and buy the ticket of Kismat Konnection.

Second Movie: The Dark Knight

There is Superman, There is Spiderman and then there is The Dark Knight. This was the first Batman movie I have watched (though I heard a lot about, how the Batman is so different than other superheroes) but this one is by far the best superhero movie I have ever seen. It has Class, Content and Charisma to mesmerize you to the core.
The story is quite simple; it’s an ultimate clash between the good and the bad. And also an inner war with bad within the good. Batman, Lieutenant Gordon and Attorney Harvey Dent join hands to form an army to fight against Joker (the psychopath bank robber). The thing gets really worse as Joker starts unleashing the beast within.
The first half is full of awesome action that keeps you at edge your seat and in second half is about the mind game as Attorney Harvey Dent looses his virtue and buckles under Joker's trap.
It's a must see for its action, taking and of course for Heath Ledger's portrayal of Joker. The supporting cast is equally good. But Ledger's Joker is sure show stealer. Get your tickets in theatre with decent sound system and you won't regret.

And at last Via Darjeeling

There are some movies that gives you feeling of being cheated (watch out 15th Park Avenue, and you would understand what I mean to say) Via Darjeeling belongs to same league. NFDC has a reputation of giving different and meaningful cinema. This was the NFDC release in really long time with the star cast of K Kay Menon, Rajat Kapoor, Vinay Pathak, Sonali Kulkarni and Sandhya Mridyul. I had great expectations with the movie. On top of that, my DVD retailer recommended
"Leke jao saab, bahut accha movie hain, Metro jaisa hain, IT walo pe nahi hain bass"
I took the DVD on rent; I was the first one to book it (should I get the signal there n there?)
Anyways, so the movie revolves around 5 friend's predications about the story narrated by Inspector Romu (Vinay Pathak), he tells the story about Ankur and Remli (K Kay \ Sonali) a newly married couple on their honeymoon in Darjeeling. and all of sudden on very last day of their return, husband Ankur goes on missing, There is a mystery guy (Praveen Dabas) who keeps on starring Remli every now and then.

Now this is undoubtedly one hell of intriguing plot, as 5 creative people judges what possibly would have happened with Ankur, was there some conspiracy by Remali? and who was that mystery guy? But Via Darjeeling offers nothing, its a continuous repetition of same scenes and dialogues as 5 dumb asses high on alcohol renders their versions of story, and the climax is the worst let down (that’s where you feel like cheated) Is that you called brilliant cinema? where you don't need to spoon feed everything and somethings are left with audience to decide, well then I am happy with movies like Dulhe Raja, they at least entertains.

I scratched my head to find atleast a single connection between above three movies. But tough luck. Anyways My Reco is The Dark Knight, for rest two. Well it's your call.


Monday 7 July 2008

"We are JUST GOOD FRIENDS"_JTYJN Reviewed

Kuchh Kuchh Hotha Hain (1999)

Anjali (Kajol): "pata hain Rupatbi aaj maine Rahul ko fir se hara diya"
RupatBi (Himani Shivpuri): "Rahul....Uss namakool ka naam bhi mat lo"
Anjali (Kajol): " kyuuuun? woh mera yaar hain"
RupatBi (Himani Shivpuri): "Yaar kab Dildar ban jayega pata bhi nahi chalega"
Anjali (Kajol): "Kaun Rahul, Chhee!!!"


Dil To Pagal Hain (1997)

Nisha (Karisma) to Rahul (Shahrukh): " Woh kya hain na Rahul (Again Rahul!), hum
dono ek dusare ke etane achhe dost hain ke humein ek dusre ki aadat pad gayee hain"

Meine Pyar Kiya (1989)

Jeevan (Mohnish Behl) to Prem (Salman) : "Hey Prem! yeh 4 din ki dosti kafi rang layee hain"
Background Music " Ruru Ruruururu Ruru...." Or "Hey!! Hey!!! Hey !! Hey!! " Jeevan to everyone: " Kyun dosto!! ek ladka aur ek ladki sirf achhe dost ho sakte hain?"


Ok!! So this is the moral of the Hindi Cinema. That is "Ek MARD aur ek AURAT kabhi bhi SIRF acche dost nahi ho sakte"

back to 21st Century:
Jane tu....ya Jane na! (2008)

Aditi aka Meow (Genelia): "Hey RATS, girlfriend aa gayee to kya dosto ko bhul jayega?"

But wait a minute! Who is DOST? and who is GIRL FRIEND here?


Well that's the whole story of JTYJN, Abbas Tyrewala, a highly reputed and respected writer from bollywood ( and why not he has, Makdi, Maqbool, Munnabhai, Main hu na! under his sleeves) , An AMIR KHAN Production, Mansoor Khan (maker of QSQT, Jo Jeeta.., Josh ) It can't get bigger than this.


And what we got "We are JUST GOOD FRIENDS".


The style of story telling is straight away picked up from "Chalte Chalte" where a bunch of friends narrates the story of Meoow-RATS couple(how awfully Cute!).


Aditi aka Meow(Genelia) and Jai aka RATS(Imran) hug each other at an interval of 3 minutes everyday, the BOY can hop on to GIRL'S bedroom at a stoke of midnight, he can do anything for her (provided there is no blood shed involved). Jai is Rajput from Ranjhod but unlike other Rajputs he is strickly against violence. Jai's modern day mom played by Ratna Shah (she is almost in same avtaar of Maya Sarabhai from Sarabhai Vs Sarbhai) and dead Rajput father played by Naseeruddin Shah with "Hum Panch" twist.


Jai's mom, Aditi's parents, Aditi's obnoxious weed lit' bro (played intelegently by Pratiek Babbar (Smita Patil's son) ) and their gang belives that Jai and Aditi are madly in love with each other, But hey wait a minute...They are just good friends, and to prove others wrong (or rather to prove themselves right) they decide to find out love for each oher.


Aditi finds Meghana (Manjari Phadnis) for Jai and Aditi gets Sushant (Dunno his name) but soon they figure out the TRUTH which both of them were denying all this time. yeah they are made for each other. After a dramatic climax (or should I say pathetic climax? _ which is again very much picked up from Chalte Chalte) our Tom and Jerry meets.


I neither find the movie cute nor fresh. What I like is the chemistry amongst the main lead and supporting cast. They compliment each other and act quite real (for a change I found Arbaz and Sohail Khan (as Bagheere and Bhaloo) very funny). The Ranjhod Rajput twist (or trick) did not work that well. But still those 3 conditions to prove a Rajput are quite crazzzy!


There are few glimpses of Tyrewala here and there but in a whole it's an average entertainment. The new guy Imran looks Danial Radcliff (Harry Potter) reincarnated in Khan Family. He is too chocalate face for today's cinema and I belive any new actress will look older than him (exception Amrita Rao :-) Genelia is as loud as she is in any telugu movie (thankfully here role demands that loudness),


I just loved the music of the movie. But it doesnt come as blissful in the movie. As most of the songs appeared one after the another in the first half itself with absolutely no situation. Paresh Rawal as Inspector Waghmare, and Jayant Kriplani-Anuradha Patel as Aditi's parents are quite lovable so does their GANG (Rotlu, Jigness, Bombs and Shaleen) don't know their names


As the title suggests I am also confused about the movie. Go and make your decision. Is this is good movie? ...Jane tu ...ya Jane na!