Movie review: Tanu weds manu returns

Small works when it stays simple, natural and doesn't try and act big. It becomes endearing when it is unpretentious and stays rooted.
TANU WEDS MANU RETURNS is one such sweet, ribtickling and harmless romantic comedy offering laughs consistently and orderly.

Sequels all over the world have a bad history. They somehow tend to be unimaginative and quite often seem redundant and repetitive. But this sequel does better. Infact much better than its predecessor. It brings freshness to a predictable story and stays funny and entertaining till the very end.

Small town love stories have their own intrigue and have a bizarre way of modus operandi. They seem to lack the basic sensibilities and understanding of a relationship. They appear chaotic, illogical and fogged by insanity. And  Anand Rai (director) understands the exact sentiment and skillfully masters the art of showcasing it on celluloid.

This film makes you laugh and laugh out loud. Weird characters, nonsensical situations and stupendous performances  makes for some great viewing.
The film succeeds largely because of its brilliant dialogues, great humor and magnificent acting. The dialogues are pure gems and bring the house down on several occasions. The humor, often in the most unexpected scenarios gets you the best laughs.The small town ambience, the natural flair and the desi flavour add warmth and charm to the ongoing proceedings.

The highlights are many and ROFL moments are plenty. The opening scene, though over the top, is extremely funny. The conversations between Madhavan and his father while his mother keeps uttering semi-audible vocals is hysterical.
Almost every second dialogue mouthed by Deepak dobriyal ( Madhavan's friend ) is side-splitting.
The confrontation between the two Kanganas is clapworthy and calls for a thundering applause. The end credits too are craftly done.

The film works largely because it doesn't take itself seriously and stays far away from self-indulgence. Minor contrivances and clichés weigh down the film somewhat, but in all the film manages to stay afloat maintaining the swift and breezy approach, never overstaying its welcome.

A last word for Kangana ranaut. She is exceptional and brings a terrific charm to both her characters. At times, she overshadows everything and in most cases, becomes bigger than the scene itself.

Go watch the film. Absolute paisa vasool

Movie review: Mad Max fury of road

A distant future, Desolated and deserted.
Barren, lifeless and hopeless. A bizarre state of ravaging people in command. Insanity all around. Any form of sanity only sticking out like a sore thumb.

MAD MAX gives you a gripping action adventure amidst a magical setting which is ridiculously entertaining and for most part,gets you sucked into it.

The world is all dust and dirt. But there is no alien invasion or extra-terrestrial force looming large and sucking life out of the people. No virus pandemic either and thankfully, no zombies.
Rather, a self afflicted and self-devastating ramifications bringing the world to a wasteland.

The plot- plain, linear and lucid. The protagonists on the run from a ferocious gang led by a man named Joe who happens to control the oil and water in the region.

But what makes it all roll, is the breathtaking and relentless action which is on display. Big and bombastic it is, absolutely original and raw. There are plenty of crashes, blasts, flames, men on poles swinging between vehicles, vehicles shaped like porcupines and more. There is hardly a breather in between as sand swirls around and storms engulf the area.
So much of mayhem, but perfectly orchestrated.

There is no sophistication and technical mumbo-jumbo on view, only hyperkinetic mechanical and brilliantly crafted chase sequences. All done with precision.

There is genuine urgency in the proceedings, minimal dialogues and no self indulgence whatsoever.

You seem to care for the protagonists, you want them to get away and surely, you want the wild and savage leader to be decimated.

Also, certain validations dealt with, though very faintly and vaguely. Firstly, The powerful and resourceful manipulating the commoners, more so in times of despair. Secondly, the elemental needs transcending all human emotions. Who has time for love or sympathy, when the entire essence is on survival.
Hope is to stay on, no matter how unfortunate the world seem.

In the end, it is a film not meant for everyone. Strictly for ardent action lovers and for people looking for unorthodox and inventive viewing.

PIKU: Movie review

And we assumed that an intelligent script and good writing in bollywood got lost in the woods. Thankfully, Piku reinstates the value of credible cinema and restores our faith in this promising enterprise.

The story of a cranky, cribbing widowed bengali father and his able, independent daughter;  Piku is an original, refreshing, endearing and straight from the heart tale which wins you hands down and never lets the smile fade away from your face.

The movie revolves around the eccentric relationship the father-daughter duo share, owing mostly to the abnormal bowel the father suffers from. The discussion is mostly regarding the cause and effect of the faeces, going to the extent of its texture and form. Gross and stinky it may seem, but far from it, the writing makes it charming and appealing. It is the sheer brilliance of the writing and the narrative which infuses so much wit and humor in the proceedings, never making the drama look repetitive, boring or even mildly annoying.

The first half is breezy and has many genuine laugh out loud moments. One or two are absolutely hilarious. A handful of dialogues are pure gems, the rest pretty relevant.

The second half, too has its moments of spark. The chemistry between Irfan and Deepika is a joy to watch, their romance intentionally staying away from the stereotypic clichés. All the characters written in pure flesh and blood, and magnificently enacted.

Though meant to be a swift harmless comedy, the film for me, on a personal level seemed layered with different strata:

Firstly, The character of Amitabh's Bhaskor Banerjee, with all of its obsession, reflects the ageing phenomenon as a sort of Deja vu: The declining years being just like the juvenile phase. Growing old to be a child again.
His selfish, stubborn, demanding and unapologetic demeanour is everything one associates with a child. A 70 year old being childish, getting older and longing for attention.
The film makes a very strong point on the ageing and ailing Parents, who long for the same affection and care they once showered on their children. Life, for them comes a full circle.They are not to be judged, just to be looked after and loved, not to be left alone, but tugged in close.

Secondly, There is a strong undertone of women empowerment in the manner Piku gets all her priorities straight. 'Financially independent, sexually active', Amitabh describes her, but she is so much more.
She knows her way in a man's world, is intelligent, understands her responsibilities and strikes a balance perfectly. The concern towards her father is one of the highlights. Never forced or melodramatic, the tenderness and care for her father is a pleasure to watch.

In the end, there is so much to love, and so much to enjoy. Nothing cosmetic, nothing flamboyant and nothing heroic. Just a warm and emotionally enriching experience.

Forget the constipation, this is pure roughage to your bowels
A must watch

Movie review : Gabbar is back

Corruption, so it seems, ain't dying anytime soon. Up until then, it only seems plausible that we take joy in watching it die on screen, time and again, subtly or forcefully. 

The movie Gabbar is back, is one such offering. Though it doesn't offer any insights or solutions we don't know of, nor it makes us stand up and take notice, and also does not make an everlasting impression on our minds, it still has its moments.
It feels rhetoric and clichéd too but most importantly, it works because it is
entertaining and unabashedly massy.

Gabbar entertains because it tries to stay honest, because the scenarios seem so relevant and because the mood it projects, is so easily relatable.
It works, because the protagonist preaches less, and executes more. And executes in a manner we want. It does so,  occasionly sprinkled with hard hitting dialogues and some flair.

'He is Gabbar not Gandhi' remarks a Policeman, at one point responding to the threat, and you can't help but chuckle in your seats. You know this, the feared fears the same fate, they fear the taste of their own medicine. The viewer loves when the untouchables get their egoes dented, when the affluents are taken down and even so when the dishonest and deceitful have every reason to panic and feel jittery. It is for the very reason, the movie scores above average points.

We all, inherently are fed up with our own existence and the prevalent disreputable system. So we seem to rejoice every time  the unholy system takes a beating. The film too banks the same emotion.
In one scene, the villain mouths, " humare tak logon ki arziyan pahunchti hai, awaaz nahi". Exactly, what we witness, exactly, what hurts us. Exactly what one feels sorry for and wishes to fight against.

The first half is breezy and has a handful of impressive pieces. The entire hospital episode where Gabbar deceives and tricks in the doctors to keep operating on a dead body is a delight to watch. Also there is much fun to be had, especially in a scene where the amoral government officials admit to their corrupt behaviour in order to avail police protection.

That is to not to say, there are no flaws in the proceedings, infact they are plenty. Not everything is exciting and not everything works.The characters are badly underwritten, the intelligence is lowbrow and the ramifications very poor. The dialogues, barring a few, are corny and makes you cringe. The constant screaming and imbecile behaviour of the police, a filthy item number pre-climax and a forced back story of the protagonist weigh the film down.
The entire second half is sluggish, predictable and stagnant. What should have escalated, both the mood and the consequences, is reduced again to the old 'One man army' form. The only answer our filmakers can come up with is the same old One man bashing, thrashing and punching his way out through the system. Can only a grief stricken man take on the system? Utter nonsense. Wit's end only this far?

What needed a mass movement and a  stimulating statement, instead falls flat and looks hurried and contrived.
Sadly, Gabbar stays only a filmy hero, never transforming into anything symbolic. In the end, this only makes for an average one time watch.

The film stays entertaining, but falls way short of greatness.

Pursuit of happyness : Moving and so relevant

Happiness is not mere an emotion, not just an expression but a state of being. A state where the mind and the complete self is in equilibrium, in complete sync with everything around.
What can guarantee you this happiness? 
Family, friends, spirituality, love? Arguably, Money. Money seems the primer, a facilitator, a primary foundation and more importantly a platform for pursuing happiness in any which form.

This mutualism between money and happiness makes me recall one of my all time favorite movie: THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS. It is a special film for varied reasons. It is about a homeless father who finds extremely difficult to make ends meet. He is a struggling salesman selling bone scanners and barely manages to make a living. He is pretty intelligent, just devoid of an opportunity. His responsibility towards his son further compounds his predicament.

The film is a deep insight on how a financially deficient man craves and longs for a decent living. Money for him is oxygen, a necessity for him and his son to exist. He doesn't want the riches of the world, he just wants a home to go to everyday. His emotional turmoil simmering underneath needs solace, solace only money can provide. He aspires to be happy, banking on money. Money kicking emotions?
Absolutely, The human emotions rub their shoulders to the materialistic facet.They only become relevant, when the elementary requirements are taken care of. The heart feels and the mind thinks logically only when one has the basic necessities covered. You only think of the world, when you have a roof on your head, meal in your stomach and money in your pocket. The entire rationality of our existence makes sense only when one is sure of his security the next day.

Speaking differently, The film projects the grit, the resilience and the never say die attitude of the protagonist. The odds are always against him but his determination is at display each moment. His efforts are inspiring, his mettle and tenacity unbreakable and his endeavours uncompromising. He is never found sulking, though tears roll down his eyes in despair, he is never found complaining, no matter how unfortunate the circumstances be. His immunity towards giving up is so very contagious. Every strength he musters feels so elevating.
No matter how hard life keeps hitting him, he still manages a few laughs for his son and carries the same honest and earnest approach to his work.
Your sympathy goes out to the man, your affinity towards the father-son team keeps growing, their every discomfort and distress hurts you and you get sucked into their lives. The biggest victory of the screenplay is that 'You' become 'them'.
There are instances when the viewer wants to give up, but the man doesn't.
A scene in which the father-son duo,  exhausted of all options, spend the night in a public toilet at a Metro station is absolutely heartwrenching.

The film is filled with deep, incisive and penetrating scenarios offering us to form an outlook and a perspective. The world is not forgiving, it shows no mercy. It has this pseudo charm, false sense of generosity. The only way to make a mark is to dig it out. You can't find a place to fit in, make one. And once you do, you feel happy.
The final scene is so emotionally stimulating, you just want to cry your heart out. The triumph is not only his, his rise as the Wall Street legend is symbolic, deeply invested within us for long.

Grab a DVD quickly,  if you haven't seen it yet. You won't want to miss out on this one.

Money will always be a dimorphic entity. It is a necessity in one form and a luxury in another. When one said, Money can't buy you happiness, he probably meant the luxury part. 

Money sure can't buy you happiness, but it can definitely provide you with the options and means to choose from. It functions in the form of an impetus, driving you smoothly in your pursuit for happiness.

Movie review : Avengers 2: Age of ultron

Superheroes saving the world never gets out of fashion and better still, never gets redundant. It is a delicious recipe for cooking some extravagant, imaginative and compelling storytelling, even though it gets outrageous and implausible many a times. Who cares even if it gets preposterous as long as it keeps delivering unabated fun.

Avengers 2, for the very same reason fuelled very high expectations. Also, an assumption that an ensemble superhero brigade that had such a marvellous beginning might just enhance their repertoire and surpass its predecessor.

The film, though far from being disappointing, falls short of its prospects. It has the same old strengths from the earlier franchise and even better: bigger spectacle , the stakes higher, the action enthralling but sadly, the premise offering no novelty, the consequences none, the tension miniscule and the end result: just about faintly tickling your senses.

The movie, for most parts, is enjoyable if you have your expectations restricted. There are moments of genuine humor, charismatic flair of protagonists, unusual but endearing romantic track and brilliant set pieces. Also, there is an absolutely brilliant action sequence which has the Hulk and Iron man battling each other out. Sheer joy to watch.

But rest just ain't stimulating. No urgency in the proceedings. Nothing captures your imagination and never for once, you feel the adrenaline rush. Cities being demolished, and you don't even feel an itch. Heroes saving the world, and you don't feel the triumph. There is fun but it feels adulterated.

You can't dismiss the director for not trying. He tries hard, gives every character ample screen time and even succeeds in giving each of them their characteristic charm. But he fails in keeping up with the flow intenity and above all fails to spring up any surprises.

Still, it isn't a bad way to spend your money and your time. For the franchise lovers, surely nothing to complain either.

Indian filmmakers to watch out for

A medium so captivating, a vessel so elaborative and an idea so poignant : Movies being one such enterprise, in all essence amalgamate all the above mentioned facets and hence weigh their worth in gold.
But more than movies themselves, it is in the cerebral hemispheres and the motor skills of brilliant filmmakers, where the talisman resides.
Good movies, like fine art crave for imagination and innovation. And who better than a filmmaker delivering the exact recipe, garnished with his exuberance and perception.
Movie making is no walk in the park. It is mentally, physically and financially exhausting. It demands a broad spectra of specialised skill and talent, microscopic view and magnified understanding of the subject and bucketful of temperament and patience.
Unlike art, movies are not exactly abstract and does not amplify via interpretations. But still, they are viewed and scrutinised, are subject to criticism and analysis, and eventually detested and applauded. A filmmaker, for the same reason, needs to strike a balance. He needs to be imaginative yet rational, innovative while being contemporary, he needs to be classy, yet target the masses. You might have a message but you can't be preachy. You need to make a point, but can't be in the face. You need to make a meaningful film, but it must also entertain.

An able filmmaker is a scientist in pursuit. His idea once reproduced, needs to be nurtured into a story and then developed into a film. The idea needs to function as a virus, replicating and spreading prolifically and targeting what it is meant to strike. His work needs to make sense and needs to be enjoyed by a wide array of the public. People need to Accept, their denial will be fatal.
Belief, trust and faith drives a credible filmmaker. Belief in his craft, trust in his endeavours and faith in his audience. Any of the virtues missing, writing pretty much on the wall.

Here are some Indian filmmakers who have shouldered the responsibility of good, sensible and engaging cinema. Personally speaking, these are a few rare species that have kept my hope alive in bollywood:
1.Rajkumar Hirani : The man is nothing short of a genius when it comes to movie making. He understands the pulse, the emotions and the sentiments of the Indian audience better than anyone. Be it the human connect, selfless warmth or the harsh reality, his sublime treatment makes for a compelling watch.
Man with the Midas touch.

His gems:
Munnabhai MBBS
Lage raho Munnabhai
3 Idiots
Pk

2.Shimit Amin: Powerful filmmaker who has carved a niche for himself with arguably the most brilliant films made in the country. His narrative style and shot taking are second to none. The urgency, the build up and the finale is all so very exciting.

His work:
Ab tak chappan
Chak de
Rocket singh: salesman of the year

3.Zoya Akhtar:  A cerebral filmmaker who understands the dark, visceral and obscure human psyche. Her films are a reflection of the modern society, with their promises and let offs, their credentials and debacles. All with her very own perception.

Her movies:
Luck by chance
Zindagi na milegi do baara

4.Vikas Bahl: Though only one film old, the man has been quite a revelation. His first and only movie Queen had almost everything from women empowerment to male chauvinism to hypocrisy and eventually culminating into a celebration of life.
Debut film:
Queen

5.Anurag kashyap: An unorthodox and inventive filmmaker whose unconventional approach on screen is a joy to watch. The rawness and streetsmart projection is his biggest forte.
His flicks:
Black Friday
DevD
Gangs of wasseypur
Ugly

6.Anurag Basu: A sensitive filmmaker who has mastered the art of exploring relationships and their adversity. Though many of his films have been bit of a mixed bag, one must not forget that he was the man behind the epic Barfi.

His films:
Barfi
Life in a Metro
Gangster
Kites

7.Imtiaz Ali: If it is a love story: nostalgic, intoxicating  or unconventional, it just has to be an Imtiaz Ali film. He has redefined romance and restructured the expression of love. His films are straight from the heart and absolutely liberating. 

His films:
Socha na tha
Love aaj kal
Jab we met
Rockstar
Highway