DRONA

It's only when you expect a moon out of something or someone you feel very disappointed. However take a flop director like Goldie Behl, whose Bas itna sa khawb hai was 'terrible' to say the least and Abhishek Bacchan whose last couple of films haven't set the box office afire, and you expect nothing great, then why do you come out so disappointed after watching a film like Drona?

Actually disappointment is an understatement...the film is thoroughly a shoddy work...in last four years this is perhaps the only film that's got a bad review on my blog, and I assure, it really deserves it.

Hackneyed, characterization of Abhishek, orphan, neglected by caretakers, presented in a manner no sympathy is derived if that was the intention, supposed to be blue blood royal enthrusted with task of guarding elixir 'amrit' from demons...sounds like a fairy tale stuff? No...it dosen't belong to that genre also.

Most idotic thing that has been done is that Priyanka has a better Introduction and better action scenes, even KK has better introduction, it seems Abhishek and Goldie worked hard on everything else except Abhishek & script. After lot of borrowing from batman movie trying to pass it as quasi mythological stuff, with swishing special effects, the net result is a yawn.

Supposed to be a superhero film, this effort makes Abhishek dosen't even look a hero...and that's speaking a lot when today Abhishek is a leading hero of the Industry, and if he does a few more films like this, he will lose his even his dedicated fan following, which is plenty still.

I have never seen a single film fall so flat in last many years, and i will be surprised if it does well. I am not sure what the target audience of the film is...kids certainly will reject it, they have much more intelligence than this film assumes they possess.

There is a line in the film "Humhe Shristi Ko Bachana hoga" it makes you laugh after few repititions...so watch it if you like special effects...there is nothing else.

I had heard that there are three types of films, one, that make you laugh, second that make you cry, and third type that provoke you to stand up and take action... this film makes you laugh for all the reasons, cry, that you wasted money and you'll take action that you will take care before shelling money on Goldie Behl and Abhishek combine once again.

JAANE TU...YA JAANE NA

It's a while since I have reviewed a film. Jaane tu...establishes one fact that Abbas Tyrewala is the most talented writer we have in Bollywood since a long, long time and I hope in maze of directorial success a writer is not relegated to background.

Jaane Tu is an entertainer par excellence, it's not a classic in mould of Taare Zameen Pe, nevertheless it is not lacking in any department.

I laughed heartily, i enjoyed the theater experience very much, it was wonderful to have been transported back to my youthful days.

The story is nothing new, but definitely new for this generation, successful people don't different things but they do same things differently. The treatment of the film is unique and Abbas Tyrewala has pulled off a great show hats off to him.

Newcomers are damn good...who say they are newcomers, they all put in a good show.

Three cheers for AK Productions...keep the banner flying.

TAARE ZAMEEN PE

After a flawed film by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and a mad cap no brainer masala entertainer comes a film by Aamir Khan "Taare Zameen Pe" It a film that makes you laugh, it makes you cry, it makes you think.

When Aamir in his brilliant portrayal of Nikumbh convenes an art Mela the whole audience knows who is going to win, but when Ishant wins everyone cries, for a change i saw people overlooking a predictable end, but connecting with the characters, all of us in the audience were one with Nikumb and Ishant. This was the brilliant stroke of genius of Aamir as a director.

Never before anyone has made a greater film in India and it will take a long time for someone to better this film unless it's Aamir Khan himself. After the release many film industry people came out and said, it's a long film, boring, dragging and with lot of sermons. I think they were just humbled with the greatness of this film.

I am not sure if TZP will be a blockbuster, but if it isn't I will be disappointed. In these blogs I have praised many other movies that are taking Indian cinema forward in their own way, some efforts have been a giant leap. However Taare Zameen Pe surpasses them all. This is what movies should be like, this is how movies should be made, it's not Shahrukh starrers which make a mockery of logic in order to entertain or a Krishh which despite all the technological revolution is chained in a sixtiesh screenplay.

Taare Zameen Pe is like a breath of fresh air, its just takes forward movie making to a level where maybe only Raj Kumar Hirani has made it to apart from Aamir Khan.

Kudos...

P.S. Maybe one day I will become a filmmaker, maybe a great filmmaker, but sadly I will never be able to make a great film Like Taare Zameen Pe.

QUEEN KHAN

(QUEEN KHAN)

There is always a method to madness, Manmohan Desai proved it, and Farha Khan has proved it once again. OSO is biggest hit ever in Bollywood, and its two in a row for Farha. If we saw a cycle rick chasing a van in MHN, we have King Khan with no working body parts going in dream to shake a leg and display six pac abs in darde disco!!

OSO is a mad film, it needs real guts to make a film with already known scenes and story lines, heavily borrowed pre climax from Karz and the climax from Madhumati and then actually pull it off, and what a pull at box office it has been.

There is a little science to this madness perhaps...what's it Farha? How can one make a madcap no brainer with the biggest star and make it a hit...

Well let everyone analyse that, to me if today Shahrukh is King Khan, then Farha Khan is undisputed Queen Khan of the bollywood.

I hope like Shahrukh she remain humble about her success and keeps her head right, and something tells me she will, as she aint no Shirish Kunder.

New Star 'Ranbir Raj Kapoor'

(The Most Dashing Kapoor ever)

In the times when new benchmarks are being created by leading film makers and films like Rang de, Munnabhai, Krish, Black, Dhoom, KANK are all taking story telling to another level, I deserve a big award for having watched Sanwariyaa twice which is way below the benchmarks established. I didn't like the film at all, it is the weakest product of Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I liked Ranbir Kapoor, he has the charisma, style and persona of a superstar. Ranbir Kapoor has the looks, body and voice of a superstar and he also has the acting and dancing capablities to back it. Ranbir lights up the screen and can carry weak films also own his shoulders.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali whose two films figure in my all time top five list has done a perfect job of creating the look and ambience of the film, he has two perfect new stars but first time he doesn't have a plausible story to tell and has made cellouid painting without a soul.

The interpretation of a sentimental story from the diary of dreamer by Fyodor Dostoyevsky is totaly flawed. There are no sentiments! Dostoyevsky dilemma (a 'whole' moment of happiness, is that too little for the whole of a man's life) remains unexplored, a weak translation in hindustani is uttered by Ranbir.

The most touching part of the story of white night is the scene when it appears that Hero & Nastenka are getting real close, the dialouge goes like this "Nastenka, only I shan't sleep tonight; I am not going home." "I don't think I shall sleep either; only see me home." "I should think so!" "Only this time we really must get to the house." "We must, we must."

Now the other man appears and looks at the two intently, and in a hushed tone he asks Nastenka who is he? The reply of Nastenka is "it's he"

This reply hits the reader hard who has made a imagery of the scenes to come and shakes them up with a shudder thrust. A moment ago reader was imagining the lovers getting close, into the house and maybe... but it's parting time! What a turn of event that was, what a vivid renderance of imagery and emotions, what a liberty to the reader to transport himself into the situation and dream on...but the dream was over!

In Sanwariya there are no such moments. However Sanjay Leela is much too a great and true filmmaker to be ignored by his loyal fans like me, so the film will be still a huge hit, but next time I hope Sanjay Leela Bhansali should realize we fans have come to expect the moon out of him, maybe he is the only one we think who can get oscar for us, but still, for his next Bhansali must insure he doesn't disappoint us once again.

No apologies expected-Shahrukh

(EMPEROR OF OUR PLANET)

Shahrukh & Farha apologize to Manoj Kumar.... should it have happened? Well finally apology was mighty magnanimous gesture from King Khan. King Khan with folded hands, with right choice of words and immense humility did what a successful and a responsible leader of Indian film Industry should have done.

Question is was it necessary?

And i don't mean the apology, but the objections raised by Manoj Kumar.

True its every person's right to voice their opinions, their hurt and feelings in this free country. So Shahrukh expressed his feelings and Manoj Kumar expressed his. In the end both did what was right.

Om Shanti Om is a success that Shahrukh needed in his home banner. We have seen how good a actor he is, now we know how good a producer he is.

Farah Khan is a masala movie maker a la Manmohan Desai, however responsiblity of Shahrukh has increased post OSO. Shahrukh must display the technical expertise and production capablities in a more universal manner. By 2010 Leading actors in India will be raking 100 crores per film the business is growing and Shahrukh has to take his films to even a more wider audience.

Come on Shahrukh, let Farah make masala with other actors, the younger ones at that, while I would happily watch King Khan invading mass of Americas, what more capabilities Shahrukh wants, and if he cannot do it who will.

Forget making a spoof of yesteryear actors Shahrukh, make a platform for the upcoming actors, and take this Industry to another level, no one will apologize for it.