Farida Jalal on her short film: It got over in a jiffy

Farida Jalal on having it short and quick, and longing for more. Here's what 'it' was

Farrida Jalal has always been vocal about scripts not being written for senior actors like her and perhaps, that's what spurred her to explore a strange territory — the digital medium. The veteran actress recently did a nine-minute film, 'Scandal Point', as part of Yash Raj's short film anthology, 'Love Shots'.

Farida Jalal
"I have been in the industry for 45 years and was keen to do something novel. Everything today is online, so I thought why not give it a try? But the film is really short. Before I knew it, it was over. I watched it twice back-to-back and still longed for more. It got over in a jiffy," she says.

A still of her short film
With Kulbhushan Kharbanda as her co-star, Scandal Point revolves around an aged couple reliving their romantic hideouts.
All these years, Jalal was used to a set-up where they had to first establish the character and then get on with the scenes, so the short film was a bit of a strange experience for her, she admits.
Now that she has got a taste of it, would she like to be part of more such projects? "My son is teaching me to be net savvy. I don't have an email account, but I am active on WhatsApp. It will take me some time to learn new technology," she says, sounding determined.
Last seen in the TV show Satrangi Sasural, Jalal's next project is Geetanjali Sinha's Karma Cafe. "There is not much for people my age. They are signed as mothers, but of stars. They have nothing much to do in their presence," she adds.

'The Divergent Series: Allegiant' - Movie Review

'The Divergent Series: Allegiant'
A; Action, Adventure
Director: Robert Schwentke
Cast: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller,Naomi Watts, Octavia L. Spencer, Zoe Kravitz
Rating: 
This first half of the artificially split two-part finale may diverge a bit from author Veronica Roth's source material- 'Allegiant', the third in her Young Adult novel series, but unfortunately, it doesn't make the experience vital or uniquely interesting

In the previous film, returning director Robert Schwentke left us with a vision of factionless Chieftess Evelyn (Naomi Watts) executing the dictatorial Janine while the dissidents swarmed toward the wall. But 'Allegiant' doesn't take-off from that point. The wall continues to stand strong and electrified and Evelyn's guards make sure that no one gets out. Yet our enterprising and skilful troupe of Divergents- Tris (Shailene Woodley), Four (Theo James), Caleb (Tris' brother played by Ansel Elgort, Woodley's love interest in 'The Fault with the Stars', Christina (Zoe Kravitz) and Peter (Miles Teller) manage to scale over to the other side. The escape journey to the outside of a electrically walled Chicago is meant to find answers that were not forthcoming from within. But once on the outside, the group realizes that their perilous existence was merely an experiment for the society that enslaved them within the parameters of 'gamey' insurgency. Furthermore, many more secrets are uncovered, some of them, vital to the survival of humankind.
In a weirdly unpalatable revelation we get to know that the Bureau fenced in Chicago, filled it with genetically "damaged" citizens and imposed the faction system to ensure peace? really? And the plot holes are just too many.
'Allegiant' does recapture the original film's sense of 'gamey' one-upmanship but it's also a little too repetitive to be exciting. The action is well-crafted but it's not all that unique either. There's tension in the foreplay too which keeps you reasonably absorbed but questions remain.
The Divergent franchise started out with promise a couple of years ago but now it's merely fumbling around in dystopia for a unique sci-fi footing. 'The Hunger Games' experience is probably hard to beat but this series appears to have lost steam after that first salvo. 'Allegiant' may still be a popular outing for the young set but I don't think it will make for a distinctive or memorable one!

Salman Khan gifts a swanky car to girlfriend Iulia Vantur

Salman Khan is slowly making his relationship public with alleged girlfriend Iulia Vantur. Head over heels in love with his rumoured girlfriend, the superstar is known to have gifted the Romanian beauty a swanky four-wheeler.

Salman Khan rang in his 50^th birthday with Iulia and the guests present at the event said that throughout the birthday party Salman kept his eyes on Iulia and made sure that she doesn’t feel uncomfortable.

Off late Iulia and Salman Khan is spending most of their time together. Just a day before the acquittal, Salman Khan was spotted with Iulia in a car. It is also heard that when court announced verdict in Salman’s favour, Iulia bursts into tears.

Despite showering so many gifts by Bhai, Iulia is still insecure about her relationship with the star. According to the latest buzz, the Romanian beauty had a major showdown with Daisy Shah over Salman Khan. She disliked the fact that her beau is so closen to the two ladies and has objected to it. When Salman Khan refused to change his ways, she tried to console Daisy but things got worse.

It is also highly speculated that Iulia and Salman would get married this year end but there has not been an official confirmation yet. Salman Khan’s family also accepted Iulia and they are happy that Sallu is finally settling down.

'Daddy's Home' - Movie Review

'Daddy's Home'
U/A; Comedy
Director: Sean Anders
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Will Ferrell, Linda Cardellini, Thomas Haden Church, Hannibal Buress, Alessandra Ambrosio, Paul Scheer
Rating: 

'Daddy's Home' poster. Pic/Santa Banta
It's meant to be a laugh riot but what it ends up being is just, barely amusing. Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell team up once again, in this attempt to bring the house down but 'Daddy's Home' doesn't quite get the mechanics right and the jaded set-ups just about pile up the misery.
A timid radio executive Brad(Will Ferrell) working for a several times divorced and remarried (Thomas Haden Church), manager of 'The Panda', a smooth-jazz radio station, strives to be the world's best stepfather, but his efforts are thwarted when his wife Sarah's (Linda Cordellini) freeloading ex-husband Dusty (Mark Wahlberg) comes back into the picture.
Familiarity and predictability jade the set-up. Ferrell is the soft-core, wimpy, easy-on-the-tears, square married to a woman whose ex-husband and biological father of her two children is more of a handy doer, with a coveted body type and responsibility issues. Trouble brews when the Ex decides to pay his former family a visit, prompted of course by Brad's sense of fair-play. But all's not fair when two grown-up men compete for the affections of a woman and her offspring.
Juvenile antics, delinquent behavior by adults and sub-plots that veer away from the main thread add to the listlessness of this product. While Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell are pretty much on the up, in terms of comic timing, there's very little for them to do other than aggressive posturing.
A few laughs can be had on that but after a point it all gets tiresome and boring. The Boss (Thomas Haden Church) gets the best lines and the handyman (Hannibal Buress) a contractor hired and then fired by Brad, ekes out a few too. The childish antics of the grown-ups get to you after a point. And it's really not funny anymore thereafter!

'Our Brand is Crisis' - Movie Review

'Our Brand is Crisis' fails to work as a convincing political satire as the pranks devised as a show of aggressive competitiveness appear childish and the performances lack dramatic heft

'Our Brand is Crisis'

A; Comedy-drama

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton, Anthony Mackie, Zoe Kazan, Scoot McNairy, Joaquim de Almeida, Ann Dowd

Director: David Gordon Green

Rating: 
This film aims to expose the chicanery involved in political branding. It's inspired by Rachel Boynton's 2005 documentary of the same name, which was based on events that occurred during the real-life 2002 Bolivian election when the James Carville's DC-based consulting firm was brought in to manage one of the campaigns for presidency. Director David Gordon Green of 'Pineapple Express' and 'Joe' fame, helms this political satire that ends up highlighting silly, childish pranks instead of getting deeper into the political quagmire for a more fulfilling experience. Peter Straughan's screenplay doesn't allow for any deeper insight other than the facile and obvious one. Presidential election campaigns have featured in many a Hollywood movie so this one doesn't have anything new to expose other than the place it is situated in and the local culture thereof.


The country may be Bolivia but the strategies and tactics are not new to the Americas. As far as the Indian audience is concerned, but for the recent elections in India where the Prime Ministerial candidate chose a presidential campaign, we've not been exposed to this form of campaigning. So it's still a novel experience for the Indian audience so-to-speak.
Former President Castillo (Joaquim de Almeida) has seen considerable vane in his popularity given that the opposition candidates are far more charming, natural orators and have a better bond with the weaker sections of the country. So whether he is good or bad is inconsequential. All that matters is whether he can bring in the votes to garner him victory. Jane Bodine (Sandra Bullock) has been hired to set his image right and shift the tide in his favor. The opponent has an equally reliable consultant in Pat Candy (Billy Bob Thornton). Both teams are willing to get down and dirty and the bad history between Bodine and Candy only adds more spice to the face-off between the two main rivals.
'Our Brand is Crisis' basically attempts a cross between 'Primary Colors' and 'Z' but doesn't distinguish itself in the process. The satire doesn't quite work, the pranks devised as a show of aggressive competitiveness appear childish, there's a little too much of talk going on ( most of it extremely boring) and the performances lack dramatic heft. The attempt to leave the audience with a tinge of compassion for the lead character also appears contrived and is in experience quite unfulfilling. At the end of it all we as an audience are left quite dissatisfied. What started off as promising ends up as indistinct.

Review: 'Wazir' is intelligently crafted cine spectacle

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Farhan Akhtar, Aditi Rao Hydari, Neil Nitin Mukesh

Director: Bejoy Nambiar

Rating: ***

"Wazir" from Vidhu Vinod Chopra's stable and directed by Bejoy Nambiar is a dramatic thriller that is artistically crafted with a gripping screenplay and brilliant performances by its ace star cast.

An original story by Chopra, it is intelligently and emotionally confronting. It is a revenge story where the strategies in the game of chess are cleverly used as an allegory and keep you riveted to the screen till the end.

The screenplay co-written by Abhijat Joshi and Chopra is interestingly layered and unfurls the mystery at the opportune moment, making it an intensely intriguing film.

It is a tale of the bonding between two disparate individuals, Pandit Omkarnath Dhar, an effervescent old man with a zest for life and chess, and Anti-Terrorism Squad Officer Danish Ali, in their common grief.



Every character is well-etched and designed to interlock the plot effectively.

Amitabh Bachchan as Pandit Omkarnath Dhar, once again in a new avatar, delivers a power-packed performance with a broad spectrum of emotions ranging from an inconsolable father who has lost his daughter, to a happy-go-lucky chess player who introduces Danish Ali, to the game of chess with, "Hamara dushman hai waqt, saat baithkar shatranj khelenge to kat jayega", meaning - our enemy is time, if we sit together and play chess, we will be able to kill time.

Farhan Akhtar in an equally dynamic role as an ATS officer and forlorn father, renders a sincere and credible portrayal. His anguish and frustrations as the emotionally drained husband and father, come across strongly on screen.

Aditi Rao Hydari as Ruhana, Danish's wife, merely contributes to the glamour quotient and fails to impress as an actor.



Manav Kaul as the politician Yazaad Qureshi also known as Badshah, although in a fairly predictable role, is convincing and brilliant.

In miniscule roles are Neil Nitin Mukesh, John Abraham and Seema Pahwa and the two child actors, one playing Danish and Ruhana's daughter Noorie, and the other Yazaad Qureshi's daughter Ruhi. The two young girls, however, are well-cast and strike an emotional chord.



In an otherwise serious themed film, the dialogues are perhaps intentionally ebullient and often arouse chuckles, with a view to making the tenor of the film light. The late-night scene, when Panditji introduces Danish to a unique chess session saying, "Vodka peene ke baad, Pandit, mahapandit ban jata hai" is one such instance.

The songs are efficiently used to propel the narration, forward, especially, "Tere bin", and "Ya maula". And the background score punctuates the narration, aptly, making the entire viewing experience exalting.

Cinematographer Sanu John Varghese captures the visuals perfectly, whether it is the action sequences or emotional turmoil. The frames are pure visual delight. What adds to the aesthetics of the frames, is the lighting, which is deliberate. It succeeds in creating the fitting effect, albeit dramatic.

What keeps you immersed to this film, is the captivating story, tight plot and powerful performances. "Wazir" is a must-watch.

Review: 'Chauranga' - Not glossing over the truths

Cast: Sanjay Suri, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Soham Maitra

Director: Bikas Ranjan Mishra

Rating: **

"Chauranga" is the story of young Dalit boy Santu and his aspirations to become educated and improve his life. Instead, he only gets to look after a pig all day, because of the rigid caste system prevalent in his village.

Writer-director Bikas Ranjan Mishra has picked up a pertinent issue of caste system and through his film depicts how in their daily lives Dalits are suppressed, meted out unfair treatment and have no right to better their lives.

Soham Maitra as Santu effortlessly delivers a power-packed performance as the rebel Dalit boy. Whether it is at the futility of his love for the Zamindar's daughter or the fact that trains do not stop in his village as it is too insignificant a place, Santu's angst and frustration are palpable.



Supporting him adeptly is Riddhi Sen, as his older brother Bajrangi, who too is a natural in front of the camera and expresses himself proficiently as an actor.

Tannistha Chatterjee as Dhaniya, the duo's mother, carries off her character of a Dalit woman with the right amount of attitude and subservience. She obviously understands that bowing down to the Zamindar is the best option and constantly urges her sons to do so.

Sanjay Suri, sadly, as the upper caste Zamindar, in a secret liaison with the Dalit woman Dhaniya, offers nothing to his role, delivering a flat and insipid performance.

Dhritiman Chatterjee renders a strong portrayal as the blind priest who exudes power.

Performances apart, "Chauranga", laced with a powerful message, is delivered in a somewhat convoluted manner, through a haphazard screenplay.

Although the characters of the two brothers are well-etched, there are too many scattered, incomplete incidents in the film, trying to forcefully drive home the message of the frustrations of the Dalits and their ignominy at the hands of the upper caste, giving the film the feel of a documentary on Dalits. The drama quotient is missing. The use of metaphors further lends an aura of unwarranted pretense.



Ramanuj Dutta's cinematography is good in parts. While the village scenes and ethos are beautifully captured, the camera movement at times is shaky and unsteady, making it look a tad amateurish. Also, the constant usage of uncalled-for close-ups and mid-shots, mars the viewing experience.

The title of the film, "Chauranga", which means four colours, does not justify itself properly. Equally limp is the film in its ability to deliver a strong message. The slow pace and lack of high octane action, leaves it looking like a slice of the Dalit life.

The sound handled by Arun Nambiar and Tanmay Das is brilliant and probably the highlight of the film.

The film fails to leave an impact on the viewers.

Review: 'Dilwale' fails to re-create DDLJ magic

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon and Varun Sharma

Director: Rohit Shetty

Rating: **1/2

"Dilwale", with Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in the lead, after a long gap, seems reason enough to go and watch this film. With the two legendary Dilwalas, one expects the same magic from this duo on screen. And they don't disappoint, albeit in a smaller segment.

Raj (Shah Rukh Khan) aka Kali lives a peaceful life with his younger brother Vir (Varun Dhawan) on whom he dotes. Together, they run a garage where they modify and repair cars, giving them a makeover. His two friends, Anwar (Pankaj Tripathi) and Shakti (Mukesh Tiwari) are an intrinsic part of his life and are privy to his dubious past of 15 years ago, which he has buried and about which no one else knows.

With King Khan and director Rohit Shetty, one expects mega entertainment. "Dilwale" is a formulaic film, replete with all the ingredients of a typical Rohit Shetty film - Goa, cars overturning, fast-paced action and bright candy coloured sets. But the film lacks soul and freshness.

The story and setting transport you back to the 1990s and the lack of novelty and newness in the script and treatment, is what lets you down. The dialogues abounding in pun, which are supposed to be funny, are really not so. A few situational comedy scenes evoke laughter, but don't really entertain or amuse you for too long.



Shah Rukh lights up the screen with this presence undoubtedly and is the rasion d'etre to watch the film, but the script does not back him enough. He fights, falls in love, indulges in action, romances his lady love, but one has seen him do all this so many times before. The fault lies with the writing and his characterisation. He delivers sincerely, what is expected of him.

Kajol too is competent as always, but as Meera - Khan's love interest, she seems to be stuck somewhere in the 1990s as her character lacks lustre. She looks radiant, performs competently and matches Shah Rukh in histrionics.

Varun as Vir, exudes energy, but overacts in several scenes. He is the stereotypical younger brother in Hindi films and makes no attempt to move away from that and offer some new dimension to his character.

Kriti Sanon as Ishita, Vir's love interest, has a strong screen presence and is natural even if she is meant to be just a bit more than eye candy.

Varun Sharma as Siddhu, Vir's buddy is a disappointment, compared to his performance in his debut film. Johnny Lever as Mani, entertains a fair amount in his usual inimitable style. Sanjay Mishra as Oscar, makes a mark as always, as he offers something new each time on screen. Boman Irani as King, takes on a comic avatar, but seems a wee bit stereotyped. Vinod Khanna as a Bulgaria-based Don Randhir Bakshi, is wasted, as he has limited screen time.



The music, apart from "Gerua", which is beautifully picturised, is disappointing. The mindless action scenes are expectedly flawlessly executed, but oft seen.

The cinematographer elevates the viewing experience, as he captures Bulgaria and all other locales beautifully, transporting you there.

"Dilwale" is strictly for Shah Rukh Khan's fans. They are bound to overlook everything else.

Review: 'Bajirao Mastani' - A masterpiece which will leave you mesmerized

Cast: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, and Mahesh Manjrekar

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Rating: ***1/2

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Bajirao Mastani", based on the novel "Rau" authored by N.S. Inamdar, is a fictionalised romance drama that encapsulates the 20 year reign of the Maratha warrior Bajirao and his relationship with his second wife Mastani.

The film begins with Bajirao's appointment as Peshwa in the court of Chhattrapati Shahu in Satara. The narration thereafter leads you into his expeditions, his encounter with Mastani and their subsequent, intense romance.

Mounted on a magnificent scale with well-etched characters, resplendent sets and period costumes, the director, intricately and flawlessly, transports you to the era of the Peshwas, circa 1720-1740.

What makes the film stand out is Bhansali's direction. He astutely manages to guide his team to deliver the best. Be it in performances, music, visuals or action, his inimitable stamp is written over every frame of the film.

Prakash Kapadia's screenplay is water-tight and engaging, keeping you riveted to the screen for over 2 hours. His dialogues are colloquial, yet, power-packed. There is no iota of excess, and embellished with the right amount of Marathi words, these sharp and taut dialogues are full of wit, messages and equally hard-hitting.



The performances by the characters are captivating. Bajirao Mastani is Ranveer Singh's canvas.

With his well-chiselled physique, bald pate with a single lock of hair, he slips into Bajirao's hide perfectly. His energy and intensity on screen is palpable.

You empathise with him when he is honest with both his wives and you root for him when he rebels against his widowed mother Radhabai and the high priest.

And most of all, your heart beats for him when he pines for Mastani. The last scene of the film is powerful and Ranveer's presence and competence, takes it a rung higher.

Deepika Padukone as the defiant and confident warrior Mastani, madly in love with Bajirao, is effortlessly convincing. Her performance resonates with the right attitude, both as a warrior and as Bajirao's love interest, making her stand out.

Priyanka Chopra in her navaris -- the nine yard saris, as the obviously hurt Kashibai -- Bajirao's first wife, though a bit dramatic, is herself, glossed-up and pretentious. But nevertheless, she essays her role ably.

Tanvi Azmi as the obtrusive Radhabai is remarkable, with the right amount of drama and restraint in her performance.

The others in supporting roles, too, are perfectly handpicked and deliver outstanding performances.



Visually, the film is mesmerising. The computer generated images seamlessly interlace cinematographer Sudeep Chatterjee's frames.

With his wide angle shots, he not only captures the locales, but also the intricate details of the tale, to perfection. His atmospheric lighting lends authenticity to the period depicted in the film. He has also managed to portray the battle scenes brilliantly, making it look natural and real.

Bhansali's music, with its theatrical background score and soulful songs, integrates well with the narration. The well-choreographed dance sequences are a treat to watch, though the song "Pinga" seems a bit forced and is reminiscent of his "Dola re Dola" in Devdas.

The action sequences by Shyam Kaushal are easily one of the highlights of the film.

Overall, "Bajirao Mastani" is a spectacular masterpiece which will stay with you much after you leave the cinema hall.

'Everly' - Movie Review

'Everly'A; Action-thrillerDirector: Joe LynchCast: Salma Hayek Pinault, Jennifer Blanc, Gabriella Wright, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Togo Igawa, Laura CepedaRating: 
This film, top-lining A-lister Salma Hayek, finds release in India a little too late in the day. The subject matter and the sheer din of unceasing violence may have been the determinant for that delay.
Everly (Hayek) is a call girl who turns approver against her gangster Boss Taiko (Hiroyuki Watanabe) - who in turn puts a hit on her and her family. Everly, therefore, has no option but to match wits and firepower against a ruthless opponent who will leave no stone unturned in his quest for vengeance.
Watch the trailer of 'Everly'

Joe Lynch helms this action-thriller in a mixed blend of styles that quite obviously takes inspiration from a wide spectrum of genre films including Japanese horror, '60s grindhouse, Manga-influenced western actioners as well as video-game blood fests.
While it all looks stylish, there's not much consistency or attachment to be had in the telling. Despite the furious pace, there's not much of an adrenaline rush to be had and that's mainly because of the incongruity in styles and looming purposelessness of the mayhem embarked upon here.
Hayek is sincere and gives it her all but believability still turns up suspect. The lack of complexity and depth is what hurts much more than the ritualistic violence and stylised mayhem on display here.

'The Peanuts Movie' - Review

'The Peanuts Movie'
U; Animation-comedyDirector: Steve MartinoCast: Bill Melendez, Noah Schnapp, Hadley Belle Miller, AJ Teece, Noah Johnston, Venus Schultheis, Alexander Garfin, Francesca CapaldiRating: 
'The Peanuts Movie'. Pic/Santa Banta
Resurrecting the decades old and not-so-familiar (in the Indian sub-continent) 1950-originated Charles M Schulz creation after a long hiatus doesn't appear to be a sound proposition even if its aim is merely to rekindle affection for an age-old brand and possibly green-light further franchise off-shoots.
Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and the rest of the beloved "Peanuts" gang had a grand run in the TV circuits and this big screen debut in 3D animation merely marks it as an opportunistic jump. There's no new story to tell here -just a rehash of the old plot points, ideas, images and dialogues from previous projects. But the underdog story central to the telling is what holds your attention. No matter how many times he fails - whether knotted up in kite string, knocked on his butt or any other grave humiliation in front of his classmates - the resilient Charlie Brown gets back up, dusts himself off and stays on track for the perceived goal. His mates might refer to him as a Blockhead but Charlie Brown is a Trier who keeps on improving to surprise himself and everyone else who never gave him a chance.
On the parallel side, his best pal Snoopy, the world's most lovable beagle (a flying ace), is on a mission pursuit of his arch-nemesis The Red Baron. Both friends have goals to accomplish and how they do it is the key here.
The narrative plays out as sincere, lovable and cute - all the qualities that attract children to a product, but the plotting is a little too derivative and quite puzzling too. For the young viewers unfamiliar with the Snoopy and Charlie Brown adventures, there'll be some glaring questions hampering their enjoyment. Questions as to why the dog tries to snatch the blanket from the kid, why the girl acts strangely around the piano-playing boy and why another girl is being called 'Sir' are puzzling if you haven't been brought up on the legend. Even Snoopy's aerial battles with the Red Baron need explanation which is not forthcoming in the movie.
The voicing is all done by child artistes and that's a plus for greater attachment. The colour palette stays largely true to Schulz's printed vision and Vince Guraldi's iconic music finds voice in the new background compositions. Missing character summaries and lack of back stories hamper the enjoyment of this flip through of a 50-year-old antiquated Charlie Brown universe. While the computer animation renders faithfully, the 3D seems pointless. And familiarity alone does not generate enough excitement for this so-called fresh run at the cinemas.

Ranveer Singh enters ‘Bigg Boss 9’ house sans Deepika

As the release date of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Bajirao Mastani’ is drawing closer, the lead stars of the periodic drama, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra is all out to promote the movie in a grand manner. ‘Bigg Boss’ hosted by Salman Khan is a popular show to promote any film and how the ‘Bajirao Mastani’ would miss the great platform to promote their film on the show. Ranveer Singh will appear on ‘Bigg Boss nau’ to promote ‘Bajirao Mastani’ but sans Deepika Padukone.

Last month, Deepika Padukone entered ‘Bigg Boss 9’ to promote her latest release ‘Tamasha’ where she had a great fun on the show but this time she skipped and let Ranveer do everything.

Ranveer Singh, who is a total entertainer will enter the house and will be seen finding his ‘Mastani’ in the house. All the female contestants have to play a game to become Ranveer’s Mastani.

The fun-filled episode featuring Ranveer Singh will be aired on Sunday.

‘Bajirao Mastani’, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, will release on December 18. Priyanka Chopra plays the pivotal role of Kashibai, Bajirao’s first wife.

Hate Story 3- Movie Review

'Hate Story 3'
A; Erotica/Thriller
Director: Vishal Pandya
Cast: Sharman Joshi, Zareen Khan, Karan Singh Grover, Daisy Shah
Rating: 

'Hate Story 3' poster. Pic/Santa Banta
This film is touted as an erotic thriller... If your idea of erotica is seeing Zareen Khan in various stages of undressing or Karan Singh Grover's biceps that show more emotions than his face or a Daisy Shah getting in and out of the pool in tacky sets of swimwear, then this one's for you.
However, must tell you that the 'erotica' part is limited to the intermittent songs that come and go as if once in a while the director (Vishal Pandya) realises that he has to heat up things to justify the genre the film is supposed to belong to. In his book, erotic is obviously defined as the camera moving in and out of the ladies' bosom and crotch areas or the gents' shirtless torso moving up and down on the woman's body under layers of bedsheets.
The story is about this ultra rich businessman Aditya Dewan (Sharman Joshi) and his wife, Siya (Zareen Khan). Their idyllic life is slowly and steadily shattered by another businessman Saurav Singhania (Karan Singh Grover). In their first meeting Singhania makes an 'indecent proposal' to Aditya, and thus begins the hate story between the two men. Kaya (Daisy Shah), is Diwan's employee and is used as a pawn in the whole game of oneupmanship between Aditya and Singhania. The story takes several thrilling twists and turns and manages to keep your curiosity till the very end.

Dialogues in this film are written clearly with one solid instruction, cram in all the jargons of business world, to make the characters look all important and hmm…businesslike. Unfortunately, those very dialogues and amateurish execution makes the characters look more caricaturish than believable.
Sharman Joshi, otherwise a decent actor, walks around with a stiff air about him as if he himself was not sure if he could carry off a successful, smart businessman's role. Daisy was stiff too, perhaps because she was stuck in clothes a size smaller than hers.

Though Grover has a good screen presence and can be quite charming, his acting skills need a bit of honing to be done. Zareen has a pretty face attached to a pair of lips that wouldn't stop moving.
This movie is definitely a front bencher's delight.

'Angry Indian Goddesses' - Movie Review

'Angry Indian Goddesses'
A; Comedy/Drama
Director: Pan Nalin
Cast: Tannishtha Chatterjee, Rajshri Deshpande, Sarah-Jane Dias, Pavleen Gujral, Adil Hussain, Amrit Maghera, Anushka Manchanda, Sandhya Mridul
Rating: 

Still from 'Angry Indian Goddesses'
The best thing about this film is that Nalin's six protagonists are brave women with no fake moralistic inhibitions, thus truly representing the urban women of today. They are justifiably hopping mad at the hypocritical society at large, which is still stuck in the medieval ages and is reluctant to evolve to be on par with their independent thinking. In Bollywood, where you rarely get to see even a chick flick, this comes as a breath of fresh air.
The intention is right, the execution is decent but the outcome is sadly not what it could have been. Genuinely spoken from the women's point of view, Pan Nalin's 'Angry Indian Goddesses' raises certain issues that should make not only women but everyone angry. However, unfortunately too many issues crammed into a two hour film makes it all confusing and diluted.
The six sexy and strongly individualistic women, Joanna (Amrit Maghera), Freida (Sarah-Jane Dias), Lakshmi (Rajshri Deshpande), 'Pammy' Pamela Jaswal (Pavleen Gujral), Suranjana (Sandhya Mridul) and Madhurita (Anushka Manchanda) are chafing with the way the world full of leering men, unsupportive husbands and fathers and cops with archaic bent of mind is choosing to treat them. They get together in Goa to be part of Freida's wedding. They are later joined by Nargis (Tannishtha Chatterjee). Even as the girls are ironing out their differences and trusting each other enough to bring out their angst, an unfortunate event happens, leading to an unforeseen outcome.
These are the women who unapologetically drink, smoke, openly talk about sex and would rather boldly attack a bunch of eve teasers than demurely slink away. Their bonding, fights and everyday girly chatter sans any forced drama is delightful and believable. What works against the film is that the women are dealing with too many issues and also a shocking, typical Bollywood kind of melodramatic climax which works against how the rest of the film is presented.
The director has hand picked a good bunch of actresses to play their individual parts. Among the others, Sandhya Mridul as a no nonsense professional, Pavleen Gujral as a Delhi housewife, Rajshri Deshpande as the feisty maid and Sarah-Jane Dias as the affectionate, non judgemental girl, stand out with their performances.
Watch it you must, for the attempt made to highlight some real issues yet presented in a light, entertaining manner.

'Kajarya' - Movie Review

'Kajarya' 
A; Drama
Director: Madhureeta Anand
Cast: Ridhima Sud, Meenu Hooda, Kuldeep Ruhil
Rating: 
Kajarya it deals with a very pertinent issue, and with the kind of grimness that the issue deserves. The film primarily talks about female infanticide but as the story unfolds, it reveals disturbing layers of more issues that women face in their day to day lives.
Meera (Ridhima Sud) is an ambitious reporter from Delhi who lands up in a village in Haryana and stumbles upon a well kept secret of the village -- human sacrifices made for a special pooja every year. In spite of resistance, Meera persists on following the lead and ends up coming face to face with Kajarya, the 'witch' who's blamed for killing female babies. Meera in her idealistic enthusiasm is quick to jump to conclusion about Kajarya being a vamp and how she deserves nothing less than death sentence. It is only later that Meera realises the folly of her knee jerk reaction but by then it's too late. But this serves as an impetus for her to look into her own life which is being aggressively controlled by her boyfriend.
Director Madhureeta Anand subtly and surely drives home the fact that exploitation of women doesn't necessarily happen in villages but can also be a part of rich, urban homes.
Dark, straight narration with excellent performances work for the film. Meenu Hooda who plays Kajarya is near perfect as the helpless woman caught in a web of loyalty for the man she loves and a drug induced haze. Kuldeep Ruhil, who plays Banwari, the man who exploits Kararya and Sood give good support.
Don’t miss this one. It is a sincere attempt to bring forth an issue that is very much a part of this country and the one we must be really worried about.

'The Good Dinosaur' - Movie Review

'The Good Dinosaur'
U; Animated
Director: Peter Sohn
Cast: Raymond Ochoa, Jeffrey Wright, Steve Zahn, A.J Buckley, Anna Paquin
Rating: 
This animated adventure has all the markings of a great and comely entertainer, coming as it does from the Disney-Pixar stable that has previously excelled with 'Wall-e', 'Toy Story 3', 'The Incredibles' and 'Inside Out.'
'The Good Dinosaur' can't be rated as Disney-Pixar's best yet but it's certainly up there with the hallowed few. While the animation is not extraordinary it's nevertheless comely and compellingly drawn. The show also has a Oscar probable short to go with it - Sanjay Bakshi's 'Super Team' a touching and interestingly driven animation that has a father-son relationship at it's core with gods and goddesses from the Hindu pantheon playing out their super-hero facets.

A still from, 'The Good Dinosaur'.
It's a beautifully designed and created fascinating computer-animated fantasy encounter with a what-if scenario set millions of years back in time. As the story/script goes, the asteroid that devastates earth and made dinosaurs extinct, actually missed striking earth. So the opening sequence has that set-up move forward into a co-existence between prehistoric humans and dinosaurs during the same era. It's several million years past that near miss catastrophe and dinosaurs have developed into anthropomorphised creatures while humans walk like animals and have not yet developed their speech so communicate more or less like dogs. Arlo (voice of Raymond Ochoa), is the youngest member of an Apatosaurus/Brontosaurus family consisting of a Dad (Jeffrey Wright), Mom (Frances McDormand), and three kids. They are farmers, who have to stockpile food for the harsh winters. But a pest problem, a human child, defeats their efforts every time. So Dad and Arlo set out to catch the pesky pest but a tragedy looms large and Arlo is left to fight his own battles and find his true self while embattling the odds that nature throws his way.
There are some truly amazing photo-realistic sets serving as true background for the adventure and it's truly an awe-inspiring sight to behold. The visuals are stunning to say the least and so are the character definitions and movements. And there's also a strong message underlining the adventure - an engaging mix to keep the young and old entertained!

'Legend' - Movie Review

'Legend'
A; Crime/Thriller
Director: Brian Helgeland
Cast: Tom Hardy, Emily Browning, Taron Egerton
Rating: 

Tom hardy as the Kray brothers in 'Legend'
The story of identical twins, gangsters Reggie and Ronnie Kray, the most notorious pair of criminals in British History, and their organized underworld empire in East End, London, bears close similarity to the recent Johnny Depp starrer 'Black Mass'. The difference being that this one is set in England and 'Black Mass', also about two brothers, one a politician and the other a gangster, was all-out American. This film is a true story about the terror unleashed by the twins in 1950's and 60's and as such gains your interest.
This biopic of the twins gains it's strength from Tom Hardy's distinctive assaying of both roles - as the psychopathic Ronnie and his punch happy, sometimes gentle thug of a brother who wears the front of a Club owner with as much ease as he does his knuckle drives and violent asides. It's an intense, well designed and credible portrayal that brings to life the brutality of those times.
The story is narrated from the perspective of Frances(beautifully put together by the enchanting Emily Browning) who goes from being Reggie's sweetheart to wife in the course of the telling. A delicate ingénue, Frances is fascinated by the attention and attraction that the suave though brutish gangster exudes and she is like a moth drawn to a flame that could well consume her whole. So basically the story is about innocence being hammered out at the altar of intimidation, power and violence. The reality of loving and living with the gangster comes home to Frances when she realizes that the heady highs that power can give pales into insignificance the love that she holds so dear- one for which she even dared to override her embittered mother's dire warnings. So obviously her life goes downhill just as Reggie's gets over the crest.
The treatment is poignant and ruthless. While you get infected by the poignancy of Frances and Reggie's love story you also feel brutalized by the twins' unsettling and unhinged quest for control. The relationship between the two brothers is portrayed with great fluidity.
The push and pull between them is depicted in full throttle. You can almost feel that umbilical cord binding them together despite their differences in perspective. Award winning screenwriter/Director Brian Hegeland does a good job bringing to life these two legendary characters from the past but it's Tom Hardy who commands credit here for getting his teeth into two tough roles, and marking them so distinctively that they remain separate and formidable even after you leave the theatres.
Dick Pope's cinematography provides the dark, forbidding atmosphere while the background score makes the usual noises to get your attention. The tone is harsh and unrelieved and therefore makes it difficult to get completely immersed in the experience.
This is a reality driven film, brutish in evocation and as such, might not be pleasing to all.

'In the Heart of the Sea' - Movie Review

'In the Heart of the Sea'
U/A; Adventure/Biopic
Director: Ron Howard
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy, Tom Holland, Ben Whishaw,Brendan Gleeson
Rating: 

'In the Heart of the Sea' poster.
Tagged as 'Based on the incredible true story that inspired Moby Dick' this film is a visual effects happy retelling of a real life survival story. It has it's 'Perfect Storm' tricks working at full blast but the heart of the matter is lost in all that competently executed grandiose grand-standing.
This film has Herman Melville (Ben Whishaw), an impoverished wannabe writer desperately searching for his own 'great American Novel' impersonate Nathaniel Hawthorne (for a bit) in order to gain access to a story of a great mid-sea adventure fraught with life-threatening disasters. So it's about the sad fate of the Nantucket ship, Essex, which was destroyed by the enormous sperm whale way back in 1820 with its surviving crew having to spend several months drifting in the ocean and alternatively finding land before they can be rescued. It's basically a story of hardships and courage and comes across interestingly if not completely engaging in nature. The story has been adapted from Nathaniel Philbrick's non-fiction account and is helmed by Ron Howard in typically variegated fashion.
Melville turns up on the doorstep of a hard-drinking former seaman named Tom Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson) and offers cash for a detailed description of the most traumatic ordeal he's ever experienced. Flashback to 30 years earlier, 1820, when the young Nickerson (Tom Holland) a mere lad at that time, was among the 21 young whalers on board the Essex, sent out from Nantucket on a two-and-half-year voyage around the coast of South America to bring back barrels of whale oil. As the story goes, Tom bears witness to a historic mid-sea struggle between man and legend, frayed on the edges by the tensions between the ship's untested 29-year-old captain, George Pollard Jr. (Benjamin Walker), and his brash and confident first mate, Owen Chase (Chris Hemsworth).
There are portions in this film which keep you completely engrossed and involved and there are those that remain listless , as though unanchored to a steady rhythm or pace. Despite the great adventure at the centre of it all, there's not much awe, surprise or suspense to be had here. And it's all to do with the inconsistent scripting and helming. While effects are top notch and visually appealing there's very little thrill in the experience. And that for an adventure/disaster movie is a great dampener.

Movie Review: 'Hate Story 3'

Cast: Sharman Joshi, Zareen Khan, Karan Singh Grover, Daisy Shah

Director: Vishal Pandya

Rating: **

This film is touted as an erotic thriller... If your idea of erotica is seeing Zarine Khan in various stages of undressing or Karan Singh Grover's biceps that show more emotions than his face or a Daisy Shah getting in and out of the pool in tacky sets of swimwear, then this one's for you.

However, must tell you that the 'erotica' part is limited to the intermittent songs that come and go as if once in a while the director (Vishal Pandya) realises that he has to heat up things to justify the genre the film is supposed to belong to. In his book, erotic is obviously defined as the camera moving in and out of the ladies' bosom and crotch areas or the gents' shirtless torso moving up and down on the woman's body under layers of bedsheets.



The story is about this ultra rich businessman Aditya Dewan (Sharman Joshi) and his wife, Siya (Zareen Khan). Their idyllic life is slowly and steadily shattered by another businessman Saurav Singhania (Karan Singh Grover). In their first meeting Singhania makes an 'indecent proposal' to Aditya, and thus begins the hate story between the two men. Kaya (Daisy Shah), is Diwan's employee and is used as a pawn in the whole game of oneupmanship between Aditya and Singhania. The story takes several thrilling twists and turns and manages to keep your curiosity till the very end.

Dialogues in this film are written clearly with one solid instruction, cram in all the jargons of business world, to make the characters look all important and hmm...businesslike. Unfortunately, those very dialogues and amateurish execution makes the characters look more caricaturish than believable.



Sharman Joshi, otherwise a decent actor, walks around with a stiff air about him as if he himself was not sure if he could carry off a successful, smart businessman's role. Daisy was stiff too, perhaps because she was stuck in clothes a size smaller than hers.

Though Grover has a good screen presence and can be quite charming, his acting skills need a bit of honing to be done. Zareen has a pretty face attached to a pair of lips that wouldn't stop moving. This movie is definitely a front bencher's delight.

'Creed' - Movie Review

'Creed'
A; Drama, Sport
Director: Ryan Coogler
Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Tony Bellew
Rating: 
Warner Bros sure know how to encash on an age-old (40 years) successful studio property. The film that transported the monosyllabic, expressionless Sylvester Stallone to big-ticket super stardom and continued to rake in the millions in all it's sequel editions since, becomes the basis for this new-gen spin-off helmed by a fresh new director. Ryan Coogler (of 'Fruitvale Station' fame) sets up story and direction credits with this formulaic revisit of the 'Rocky Balboa' story- albeit with a new and relatively fresh young player to help stir up the passions.
Watch the trailer of 'Creed'
Adonis Creed a.k.a Donnie (Michael B. Jordan), the illegitimate son of former heavyweight champion Apollo Creed is a troubled young orphaned kid who goes through the state reform process before he gets picked-up by Apollo's widow for a rehab of homely love and affection. Her only condition being that he stay away from the sport that killed his father (in an eponymous title fight with Ivan Drago). But the kid, now an adult with a well-paying job, can't resist the lure of the boxing ring. Adonis resigns from his job and moves to Philadelphia in search of his late fathers' nemesis-turned-best friend, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), in the hopes of enlisting him as his trainer. Balboa, now running a successful Italian restaurant, is not so keen but the young Creed's dedication and fire persuades him to give it a shot. And they both work up some sweat towards a one-off big-ticket title shot, while banking on the famous name to pull off the further spin-offs. It's quite obvious this film is meant to re-energise the sub-genre while instilling fresh new heritage infused blood into the franchise.
Despite the obviousness and the formulaic template that it follows, there's some fresh vitality and energy springing forth here. And thankfully, it doesn't have to get an ageing Stallone into the ring( for which we are very grateful) to do the needful. Stallone hogs the sidelines while Michael B Jordan does all the hard work. As an abandoned son out to claim his legacy, he manages to keep to the form and tenor of what's expected. A large part of the runtime is spent on getting Rocky and Donnie to connect. And with monosyllabic responses from both sides it's quite a tough ask I say. Yet the Director manages to invest enough time and effort to make that part of it credible enough. Unfortunately that doesn't leave enough room for any great fight-drama in the boxing ring. For an upstart, riding on an inherited name, to get a shot at a World heavyweight title seems a little far-fetched. And it doesn't seem reason enough even when the current heavyweight title holder stands discredited and a month away from suspension. It's a rocky formula at best and there aren't enough feints to put us off the scent. The sentimental buttons are pushed in orchestrated fashion and the revisits to former glory don't amount to any great attachment.
Romance, melodrama and fantasy-fulfillment add milestones to the manipulative plotting. A first-off fight is all too conveniently arranged to establish the upstart's potential. And then it's a fast-track to that high-stakes title fight with Conlon (Tony Bellew) - arranged for Adonis far earlier in his career than would ever be the case in real life.
It's all about positioning and Coogler sets it up quite smartly. The first bout in the East Coast is captured with fluency through an agilely held steadicam. And it comes half way through the runtime- timed perfectly to pep you up after the yawn-inducing bonding between Balboa and Donnie and stuttering romantic scenes between Donnie and Bianca (Tessa Thompson). Bianca gets our empathy right away because she has a progressive hearing defect while Donnie raises his own value by pursuing her as a love interest. The problem here is not the relationships but the fights. Though well staged it does not get you entirely involved. There's a degree of disbelief that just doesn't get overcome here. Jordan doesn't appear to have the muscle mass to fix the Big Irishman as assayed by Bellew and the staging is such that he scores big hits much before you can believe in his punches. Despite all these shortcomings, this film is a fairly decent representation of a new-gen spin-off of the age-old studio hit formula.