Sunday, June 30, 2013

THE MALE VERSION OF ENGLISH VINGLISH –PART 4 – THE STORY CONTINUES


THE MALE VERSION OF ENGLISH VINGLISH –PART 4 – THE STORY CONTINUES

After the stand-up comedy tour, Mr.Dad was a hit at home and office and when most people think that this was the ending, it was not to be. Once a fire starts burning in your belly to achieve something then it is very similar to the fire in a forest, it just goes on and on till it conquers all that it feels like conquering, be it the trees in the forest or the quirks in life.
Mr.Dad was a stand-up comic as he had the flair for comedy but he also wanted to do something which he really loved, he wanted to SING……that too in a ….BOY BAND.
Now a 40 year old male trying to be the lead in a boy band is hilarious and catastrophic at the same time, but what to do - the fire in the forest was at its peak.
Mr.Dad was a great fan of some of the finest European boy bands in his 20’s and always wanted to sing like them, melodious love ballads.
However the question which arises here is that for a BAND you need other people, so where are the other members of the team, the DRUMMER and the GUITARIST.
Mr.Dad was anxious and was not able to sleep, thinking about his partners in rhyme. Also it was his son’s parent teacher meeting the next morning, and he did not want to turn up as a sleep deprived high flying corporate executive, so he slept.
The Parent teacher meeting went well and he got to meet the headmaster Mr.Jose for the first time, as they were chatting about life in general it came to his notice that Mr.Jose was an excellent bass guitarist, Mr.Dad felt as if he has solved the Rubik’s cube in 30 seconds.
However the real problem was the drummer, who was nowhere to be seen and heard……………………To be contd............

Saturday, June 29, 2013

GHANCHAKKAR-SERIOUSLY...


GHANCHAKKAR was on my recommendation list since the beginning of the year because of the two beautiful stories that RAJ KUMAR GUPTA had weaved in AAMIR and NO ONE KILLED JESSICA, but after watching the movie I feel it is not EMRAAN HASHMI who has lost it in the movie (Amnesia) but RAJ KUMAR GUPTA and the guys at creative/production- who have lost the plot big-time.
VIDYA BALAN is the sole silver lining in this odd cloud and she just lights up the screen whenever she comes on, VIDYA has become like the hot chocolate fudge of nirulas in Delhi or the vada pao/pao bhaji in Mumbai –means you can never go wrong with her, but unfortunately her brilliance alone can’t save the movie.
This is the golden period for all young and aspiring scriptwriters to make it in the Indian Film Industry, however this movie shows how sad things can become if you get it wrong (Talaash comes to mind).
AMIT TRIVERDI’s music is the saviour along with brilliant lyrics from AMITABHA BHATTACHARYA, LAZY LAD is a masterpiece but the movie unfortunately is not.

Friday, June 21, 2013

2013- THE YEAR OF THE COMEBACK /RETURN /SECOND ATTEMPT


2013- THE YEAR OF THE COMEBACK /RETURN /SECOND ATTEMPT

The 9 directors listed below are people who entered 2013 with just one Notable movie outing and loads of promise, here is an introduction of what they have done so far and what they have on offer.
1.       NEERAJ PANDEY –SPECIAL 26 and A WEDNESDAY

Neeraj is a special talent, in terms of narrating very different stories, after delivering a delight in A WEDNESDAY, he lived up to the expectations with the entertaining SPECIAL 26 this year. 

2.       ABHISHEK KAPOOR – KAI PO CHE and ROCK ON

He is our answer to USAIN BOLT, he won gold with ROCK ON and followed it up with a double gold in KAI PO CHE which might be the movie of the year. 

3.       AYAN MUKHERJEE – YEH JAWANI HAI DIWANI and WAKE UP SID

Ayan slipped, WAKE UP SID was genius and gold but YEH JAWANI HAI DIWANI was a silver, despite the huge box office collections, it was more like a retake on LOVE AAJ KAL, better was expected from him. 

4.       MRIGDEEP SINGH LAMBA – FUKREY and TEEN THEY BHAI

He is the only person on this list out of the 9 directors whose first outing (TEEN THEY BHAI) did not do well, but people still backed him and this year he showed his mettle in the hilarious FUKREY. 

5.       ANAND.L.RAI- RAANJHANAA and TANU WEDS MANU

TANU WEDS MANU was a masterpiece of sorts and people are already saying that DHANUSH is to RAANJHANAA what KANGANA was to TANU WEDS MANU. ANAND is the most sensitive director, not only on this list but in the Indian film industry. 

6.       RAJ KUMAR GUPTA - GHANCHAKKAR and NO ONE KILLED JESSICA

He is the only person on this list with two movies under his belt before entering 2013, AAMIR was his first - a low budget movie starring RAJEEV KHANDELWAL which won a lot of critical acclaim, he followed it up with NO ONE KILLED JESSICA which re launched the career of RANI MUKHERJEE and now he is back with VIDYA BALAN and EMRAAN HASHMI in GHANCHAKKAR. 

7.       VIKRAMADITYA MOTWANE –LOOTERA and UDAAN

UDAAN remains my favourite movie out of all the movies mentioned here because of the intense-light-intense moments it created throughout. VIKRAMADITYA has been groomed at the ANURAAG KASHYAP school of filming and now he branches out to do LOOTERA, I am neither a fan of SONAKSHI SINHA nor RANVEER SINGH so lets wait and watch. 

8.       ABHINAV KASHYAP –BESHARAM and DABAANG

DABAANG is one of the most original, entertaining and successful films of the last decade. It is SALMAN KHAN’s piece de resistance amongst all his mega blockbusters. ABHINAV now directs the crown prince of the film industry RANBIR KAPOOR along with his parents RISHI and NEETU KAPOOR (a casting coup of sorts) in BESHARAM. 

9.       SAKET CHOUDHARY –SHAADI KE SIDE EFFECTS and PYAR KE SIDE EFFECTS

PYAAR KE SIDE EFFECTS was entertaining as hell, the catchy lines just ripped you apart, but wait as SHADDI KE SIDE EFFECTS brings to you the first time dynamite pairing of FARHAN AKHTAR and VIDYA BALAN, no prizes for guessing what the marriage would be like. Ouch.

 

 

 

Friday, June 14, 2013

FUKREY (DELHI BELLY PART 2) - A LAUGH RIOT


FUKREY (DELHI BELLY PART 2) - A LAUGH RIOT
MRIGDEEP SINGH LAMBA is back with his second directorial venture after the not so successful TEEN THEY BHAI, in the movie FUKREY produced by FARHAN AKHTAR’s EXCEL ENTERTAINMENT.
The movie can be attributed to the style of OYE LUCKY LUCKY OYE and KHOSLA KA GHOSLA but the dialogues take it to the level of the creative genius that was DELHI BELLY.
The movie is a story of 4 men who are good for nothing but want great shakes out of life and the rest can be imagined.
VARUN SHARMA is the star of the movie as the hilarious CHOOCHA, MANJOT SINGH  and RICHA CHADHHA are the other two shining lights of the movie, RICHA has taken her craft to a level where even if she doesn’t speak, her eyes do the talking and here she is a riot as the notorious local pimp/ drugster/ don –BHOLI PUNJABAN.
The actual hero of the movie is VIPUL VIG -Story and screenplay which is tight and hilarious. Some of the dialogues had people laughing out so loudly in the theatre that you run the risk of missing out on the next dialogue. Don't remember the last time I laughed so much in a cinema hall.
4 STARS.

Friday, June 7, 2013

RAKEYSH OMPRAKASH MEHRA


RAKEYSH OMPRAKASH MEHRA
As one of the most anticipated films of the year BHAG MLKHA BHAG approaches its release in July, the mind goes back to the creator of the movie - RAKEYSH OMPRAKASH MEHRA. The impact that RAKEYSH has had on Indian cinema and the psyche of Indians is tremendous.
Rakeysh started his career as an Ad filmmaker directing the likes of Amitabh Bachchan in television commercials, there is not an iota of doubt in the fact that advertising has given us some of the best filmmakers of our times, be it the common man’s crusader Raju Hirani or the simple stylist R.Balki.
Not many people know that it was Rakeysh who gave Mr.Bachhan his much celebrated look of the silver French beard in his first directorial venture AKS (2001), KBC was offered to AB in 2000 and the beard stuck and the rest they say is history, KBC and the look of Bachhan captured hearts and is still going strong even after 13 years.
However real history still beckoned Rakeysh as he embarked on a journey by the name of RANG DE BASANTI (2006) to create a story by mixing the past with the present, the bonhomie with the tears, the struggle with the sacrifice. He indeed created history; moreover he created hysteria by showcasing the problems of today’s youth 60 years after the battle of independence and the power of the people on the streets. It was a theme that many playwrights had talked about before him but DJ and gang brought it to life and placed the name RAKEYSH OMPRAKASH MEHRA in the celluloid hall of fame forever.
It is always difficult to come up with something different after creating a masterpiece like RDB but Mehra wanted to showcase to the world, the place where he grew up- his roots in DELHI-6 (2009), it was not celebrated like RDB but for people who have lived there and I proudly say that I am one of them, it was pure magic, how the two main religious communities still coexist in the narrow lanes of Chandni Chowk is an example for all to emulate across the country.
Now the sporting legend Milkha Singh has given permission to Rakeysh to make a biopic on his life- a life which has seen great highs and lows , the expectations are huge just like Milkha Singh’s achievement’s in life, but if there is one man who could live up to this challenge it is Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

SUMMER DIARY


SUMMER DIARY
 
Summers are here and the heat poses some very interesting questions which I will have to answer (Have got no choice at 45c)

1. How will you cope with it

a) I will go for a SWIM
b) Will drink loads of BEVERAGES
c) Will plan a getaway to the HILLS

2. WHAT ABOUT SWIMMING

a) I will do at least 10 laps freestyle and 5 laps backstroke, rest of the time I will float like a buffalo in the pond oops pool
b) I will go either in the morning or evening

3. AND THE DRINKS

a) Aam Panna -If I leave some mangoes alone in the fridge
b) Roohafza - Both with milk and water
c) Beer-Corona, Miller, Tuborg and Erdinger
d) Rasna- I love you rasna
e) Orange Squash/Tang- Before Tang arrived on the scene there was Kissan squash rooling the roost

f) Sattu and Saunf ka paani are traditional drinks that give you more options

4.WHERE IN THE HILLS -ANANDA SPA RISHIKESH or WINDFLOWER HALL SHIMLA

a) Have been eying both for a pretty long time
b) However my travel advisor will take the final call
c) Will it be the palace of the Indian Maharaja in Garhwal or the House of a British Lord in Shimla?

d) My heart is fixed on the SPA at Ananda but the view from the Windflower hall is as enchanting as some of the therapies at Ananda

Summers can be really hard and you need to beat them by counter punching and arranging for new cocktails and newer destinations. Till then just enjoy your SATTU.