Movie review: PINK

Finally we understood. And Finally we triumphed.
Some years back it was QUEEN. And now it is PINK.
PINK, like QUEEN, is more than just a film. And it does more than just entertain.

While QUEEN was all about finding yourself, PINK is about realising what one has become.

PINK is actually BLACK. It is scary, unpleasant and disturbing. A reflection of the society we inhabit.

PINK is also symbolic. Symbolic of the helplessness we find ourselves in, symbolic to the feudalism we are accustomed to and symbolic to the times we live in.

"PINK is for the girls". So we say to ourselves. And many more irrational, chauvinistic and sexist taboos we tag to women.
'Independent women' remains a phrase only and nothing more.
And thus, PINK hits you right where it should. It hammers on the subject, both by being subtle and not, and in turn makes you sit up and take notice.

PINK is for everyone because it can happen to anyone. PINK walk the streets, drive down the roads, work hard and party harder.
The only thing they don't is that they don't feel safe. We don't feel safe. We don't let them feel safe.
PINK draws out the problem and projects the filth inside us. It offers us the mirror and forces us to look away. Brilliant.

Pink preaches too. But, only after practicing.

Go watch it. Do not miss it at any cost.

Movie review: SULTAN

Reviewing a Salman Khan film is always a tricky proposition. Tricky because one is not sure who to review, Him or the film. His stature against the film's substance, and the line turns ever so blurred.

"Bhai ki entry dekhi. Paisa vasool." And you can't debate about the 200 bucks you paid for.
"Bhai ke moves dekhe. Repeat value hai film ki." This when you can't even muster the courage to complete viewing it the first time.
"Bhai rocks. He is actually like this only. He doesn't need to act. He is a natural." And you get lost in the transition too.

His movies then, on most occasions, become a mere vessel to portray the length and breath of his larger than life image. They are manufactured to suit the fancies of the superstar and to cash-in on his super stardom. And in that regard, they seldom fail.
SULTAN too, though in trying to be different, ends up being not much of an alteration. Not a great film, but a big big money spinning blockbuster.

The Man has an enchanting persona and a screen presence very few actors possess, there is no denying this fact. The charm, the innocence and the sincerety he brings to the forefront is both infectious and engrossing. To give credit where it is due, he even makes ordinary scenes look stunning and spectacular.

But it is time now when one needs to separate Him from his films. Yes, he has an unmissable charm and a peculiar swagger, but will that always suffice?. What about the film at hand which boasts of having a screenplay, a story and other characters.
Just because he is brilliant in a film, doesn't mean the film is brilliant too.

SULTAN then, is an overlong, overly simplistic and way too predictable sport-romance drama which doesn't spring any surprises.
Yes, Salman khan is the life of the film. He makes you invest in his character and even root for his redemption. He makes his Man-child character lovable and shines throughout the proceedings.
He succeeds for sure but the film doesn't.
The movie ropes in every trick of the trade and every possible clichés from numerous bollywood and Hollywood enterprises to amalgamate a redemption story.
But sadly, it lacks the novelty, the depth and the sentiments associated with that redemption.
No heart warming in the romance, no heart wrenching in their separation and no adrenaline rush in his redemption. 

Unfortunately though, this won't ever matter. After all, "Bhai ki film hai, bus dekhni hai." And it won't end here. After watching his films, they would declare it a Blockbuster never ever witnessed on celluloid. The fans will go berserk painting the social media with taglines such as- "Bhai rocked,"  "The best Salman khan film ever".
What they will forget is that they said the same for BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN too and before that and before that too.
2018 EID and they will have yet another "Best Salman khan film ever".

UDTA PUNJAB : Movie review

UDTA PUNJAB could have been more penetrating. Yes, it could have been more tighter and yes, it could have been more insightful.

But still, it deserves to be seen. Because it dares to be brave, dares to be different and dares to break the norm.

Does it really make a dent on the subject it offers? Maybe not, but it doesn't die wondering.
It offers no breakthrough either, but then it wasn't meant to. It reflects a reality that has plagued the state and succeeds in displaying some great dark humor.

The film works on many levels, even though it falters in doing so. Just like a kid who has suddenly learnt to walk, it is more of a triumph  though discomforting in the process.

The film soars and soars high when it projects dark humor. It succeeds when it stays dark and dizzy, capturing the drug addicts with all their moods and nuances. Though to be critical, One would have wished more infiltration into the subject.
Also, the film could have easily done without the investigation part. Instead, it would have been wonderful if the story chewed into the turbulence and life-style of the protagonists.

Now to the other question: Does it entertain? Yes, it does. It displays a disturbing issue and yet stays light, witty and non-preachy. The characters keep you invested in the narrative and the screenplay keeps hitting you with some splendid scenes.
Though it does drag a bit more for our comfort, yet it stays away from self-indulgence. It dips every now and then, but rises with some brilliant moments.

Here are some moments of absolute brilliance.
1. The scene in which Shahid kapoor, locked in jail finds the criminals chanting him as as idol is both hilarious and hard-hitting. The youth cheering for a celebrity for all the wrong reasons.

2. Alia's outburst in front of Shahid stirs and shakes you. Alia makes the scene her own reflecting how powerful an actor she has become.

3. The dialogues at places are pure gems.
"Pehle banda to ban jaa, VIP baad mein banana", shouts Diljit to Shahid.
"Puri nasal kharaab kar di hai, Jab bhai par baat aayi to Jhatka laga", voices Karen to Diljit.
All relevant statements projecting the world we breathe in and the bubble we are used to live within.

Watch it in case you haven't.

Movie review: MASSAN

"Everyone may not be a great talent, but great talent can come from anywhere."
Good filmmaking doesn't demand or necessitate a manufactured grandeur.
All it needs is a skilled craftsman who understands the essence of the script and has a penetrating perspective and depth to his filmmaking.

MASSAN then, is an immensely natural, disturbing and moving portrayal of two protagonists faced with their biggest odds. Painted with remorse and poetry, the film has an insight and is thoroughly enriching.

Shot against the backdrop of U.P., the film has two different stories running in parallel. The female protagonist, whose sexual adventure with her boyfriend ends up tragically and the male protagonist's love and grief saga- form the film's premise.

The film has a lot to offer both in terms of its narrative and its substance.The entire ambience of a small town is beautifully captured with each character written in blood and flesh. Every character has his own turmoil, his own characteristics, his own grief making the display so compelling.

There are so many facets to the proceedings and each one so subtle and with much emotional depth.
The father-daughter confrontations feel authentic and has an alarming realistic polarity to it. The friction and the love they share are a treat to watch.
The romance has this infectious charm and innocence which is hard to find currently. For all those in their 30s and beyond will find the romance so very nostalgic.
The father-cop interactions reveals the shocking reality. No matter how defiant you stay, you have to bow down to the harsh truth.

The biggest strength of the script is that you can feel the pain of each character, their fear, their anguish and their remorse. You are smitten from the word go, and gets invested and engrossed gradually.
The beauty of the script is that by the end you have a smile on your face no matter how disturbing the circumstances were shown to be before.

There are moments of absolute brilliance too. The scene where the male protagonist gets a FB page print out of his lover, the scene where the female protagonist calls the house of his dead boyfriend to recover her money and many others are pure gems. The love, anguish and fear of the father, the resilience and defiance of the female protagonist, the sorrow and the melancholy of the male protagonist are all intertwined spendidly.

The music and lyrics are powerful and become a character in themselves. The acting is spell-binding. Every actor is terrific and succeeds in bringing out every possible emotion.
All in all, a perfect film of an imperfect world.

You will miss a lot if you miss this film. Highly recommended.

Movie review : FAN

Fans all over the world are a fascinating breed. They come in all forms, textures and  with varied emotions. Nothing unusual in their appearance but underneath that skin, buckets laden with bizarre sentiments. Passion, fixation, obsession, addiction, lunacy, fanaticism  are all terms we are aware of, but these FANS: they live them.

"Tum nahi samjhoge", voices Gaurav (aka FAN) each time he is asked a relevant question. Very true. What goes inside a fanatic, obsessed fan's mind is for him and only him to know. Difficult to comprehend and more so, tragic to watch.

FAN, then begins ever so promisingly, stays engaging for a while, but then eventually ends up falling short of what it sets out to achieve.

As the title suggests and the trailers revealed, the film hinges on the obsession of an ardent fan for his moviestar which turns into an alarming and threatening retaliation when confronted with rejection. Obsession, you see, never seeks rationality. Obsession for can turn into an Obsession against.

The initial reels projecting the making of  FAN feel authentic and have the required innocence and charm. We see Gaurav immersed head-to-toe in his idol worship and waiting for his turn to meet his icon. Not so much of insight, but nevertheless a pleasing observation.

The film stays engaging as Gaurav attempts to meet his star. Barring a needless run and chase sequence at the Delight hotel, the proceedings stay afloat displaying the fixation of Gaurav for his icon. There is this brilliant scene where Gaurav (flooded among a crazy croud) sees Aryan waving to his fans, his mind and body in awe of his star. You can feel his ecstacy and euphoria, and at that exact moment you do become him.

Post-intermission is pure standard bollywood stuff. Predictability looms large and too many cinematic liberties spoil the thrill. The chase sequences(though shot exotically) are way too long and way too exhausting. Wish there was more of some penetrating face-offs instead of long drawn chases. The writing, too, in the second half becomes incompetent and even flawed. If You'd want to do without songs, you'd better have a tighter script.

But what makes the film rise above its flaws, and makes it watchable is some self-deprecatory humor and very good dialogues.
"Sorry bol do na. Sanki hai woh", vocals Aryan's secretary to which he responds,    "To mein kya hun?"
"I will make it up to you sir", an apologetic Aryan says to the billionaire to which he reacts forcefully, "You better do, I am paying you for it".
Wish there was more of it, and more to the Celebrity demigod vs the fanatic fan duel. A celeb's ego and attitude against a fan's infatuation and fixation. Not a solution, but a perception maybe.

"Actor hai, acting hi to karta hai sirf", vocals the disgruntled FAN at one point. So legitimate, so valid a fact and yet so distant a belief.

I liked the movie, because I went in to understand it. For SRK fans, it will be a delight. For others, not a bad one time watch.

Decent enough, but not great.

Movie review : The Jungle book

Technology now can make us believe in almost everything. Not only can they create a wilderness in a man-made studio, they can even put actual wild animals to shame. If someone said we could live within a computer, I wouldn't dare argue or question.The CGI crafted virtual world seem so enticing and so engaging, that it feels very dull and tedious switching back to reality.

The Jungle book, in all its making, is yet another marvel of technology that takes up the timeless tale of Mowgli, modifies it with flair and ends up being a visually stunning display of movie making. It tells a familiar story but spectacularly and with elan.( Maybe minus the requisite humor)

For us growing up in the 90's ,reciting the Jungle book anthem 'jungle jungle baat chalo hai' and being witness to Mowgli and all his antics every sunday, the film offers plenty of nostalgia with the right dose of thrill and pleasure.

The jungle this time though, is more dark, more cynical and more dreadful. And these exact attributes make for some real edge-of-the seat thrill. No child's play when danger looms around each corner, you better hold your kids strongly. You will jump out of your seat, the first time Sher Khan latches onto Mowgli. The entire escape chase involving the buffaloes and many others will set the pulse racing.

Beneath all this splendidly CGI crafted ambience we also are a spectator to the wily wisdom of Bagheera, the goofiness of Balu, the hypnotic Kaa, the maternal love of the she-wolf and finally the innocence and exuberance of Mowgli. But to be honest, all this emotional turbulence lacks any actual depth and does not have the required layering.
Also the entire subplot involving the monstrous ape Louie is needless and  unimaginative.

But these intrinsic politics do not harm the larger proceedings. The pace stays healthy throughout and the terrific VFXs seem to consume you altogether. The humanity expressed by animals is eventually infectious and by the time it all ends, you leave with a smiling face and more so happier kids.

The film is a must watch for both kids and adults. Do not miss it.

Movie review: KAPOOR AND SONS

A Karan Johar enterprise which is everything unlike him and his movies - No larger than life characters, no improbable scenarios, no decorative set-pieces, no needless song-dance sequences. And yet a beautiful and heartfelt demonstration on celluloid which shakes and stirs you along its way.

KAPOOR AND SONS, then is a roller coaster family drama which has more highs and far less lows. Meant to explore the facets of a family bonding, it is surely predictable in its story, but the narrative is novel, enriching and heart touching.

Projecting a Dysfunctional family's modus operandi can be quite a challenge. More often than not their depiction turns bizarre, implausible and unreasonable. 
But this film stands firm and real in its presentation of the family's discourse and conflict, and thankfully doesnt go overboard. At times the conflicts( internal and external) does become overwhelming, but still have an inherent rationality attached to them. 

The clashes, the disputes, the friction and the discord the family is stuck into feels genuine and most importantly feels relatable.
There is depth to each character, and their emotional turbulence never ever feels shallow or superficial. The members are not at each other's throats here, nor shout their lungs out. Subtleness is the order of the day, which brings out the required order from chaos.

There is this natural flair sprinkled around the kapoors, making the proceedings swift and believable. The entire tale of forgiveness and acceptance is both enriching and entertaining.

The cast is in tremendous form, the dialogues apt and the backgroud score is another character. The background music makes your heart feel even more. Absolutely no melodrama and no grand monologues, only a believable ambience all around.

The last half hour or so made me misty eyed and I never felt so soothed before.
Go watch it if you havent.