Film Review: Kai Po Che

Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Amit Sadh, Raj Kumar Yadav, Amrita Puri
Director: Abhishek Kapoor
Rating: ****

Abhishek Kapoor’s ‘Kai Po Che’ based on Chetan Bhagat’s book ‘Three Mistakes of My Life’ is essentially a story about friendship. The story is however, layered with the protagonist’s passion for nurturing sports talent and is set against the backdrop of Gujarat at the turn of the century and depicts some of the key happenings of that time.

Ishaan (Sushant Singh Rajput), Omi (Amit Sadh) and Govind (Raj Kumar Yadav) are best buddies, who have very different career objectives but are inseparable friends. Initially they pool in their resources to start a sports equipment shop and a cricket training ground but soon, differences fester and they drift apart.
Abhishek Kapoor deftly handles the narrative; the first half is an endearing tale of friendship and male bonding as each friend tries to help the other. The second half is a sensitive portrayal of how the Bhuj earthquake in 2001 and then the Godhra riots of 2002 change their lives and relationships forever. Kapoor’s craft lies in the fact that though he has picked an unusual premise, he manages to keep his audience engaged throughout. He builds a beautiful canvas but doesn’t make it formulaic at any point. Even the romantic track is completely understated, never distracting us from the main plot.

Sushant Singh Rajput makes a confident big screen debut; his performance is just right, never overdoing or underplaying his part. Raj Kumar Yadav is convincing as he essays a restrained performance. Amit Sadh’s character has shades of grey but he delivers a credible portrayal. Amrita Puri has a small role but she’s effective.

Amit Trivedi belts out a peppy track with special aces like ‘Shubharam’ and ‘Manja’. An engaging plot and strong performances ensure Abhishek Kapoor’s ‘Kai Po Che’ is a winner all the way.

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Murder 3: Movie Review

Murder 3 Film Review
***  (Thriller)
Saibal Chatterjee
Friday, February 15, 2013

 

Cast:Randeep Hooda, Aditi Rao Hydari and Sara Loren
Director: Vishesh Bhatt

The baton has been passed to a new generation, but they still seem to be stirring the same old sex- sleaze-and-suspense pot at Vishesh Films.

But don’t let that put you off. Familiarity does have its uses, especially when it comes thickly coated with a few agreeable surprises.

Murder 3, a thriller that vacillates between the taut to the toxic, packs enough punch and panache to keep the audience glued, if not sweep them off their feet.

It tweaks the formula just a tad – it goes somewhat easy on the erotic component of the Murder franchise, opts for a markedly stronger emotional spine, and gives the female characters more than usual space. And there are no maniacs on the prowl.

As a result, the twisted thriller does not feel half as manipulative as the first two films in the series.

If nothing else, Murder 3 has a busy plot that keeps ticking at an even keel. Even the less convincing moments in the film are not allowed to linger longer than is absolutely necessary.

As for the plot, recognizable ingredients are crammed into a characteristically overstuffed storyline that probes the dark, obsessive side of love and lust.

Murder 3 has plenty of visual flair, but at times all its labour might seem wasted on a tale that strains too hard for effect. It is steamy all right but tends to run out of steam at crucial junctures.

The overall structure, borrowed (officially) from a Colombian thriller (The Hidden Face), is shaky, and the surface of the edifice is marred by a deep layer of crumbly rust.

No amount of style can fully offset the lack of constancy in this creaky and derivative construct.

A fashion and wildlife photographer (Randeep Hooda) is dumped by his architect-girlfriend (Aditi Rao Hydari).

On the rebound, he forges a new relationship with a barmaid (Sara Loren) who drives him home after he has had a few pegs too many to drown his sorrow.

The woodwork of the Raj-era bungalow that the shutterbug lives in hides a dark secret.

The man’s ex-girlfriend, who has mysteriously disappeared without a trace, returns to hound the lovers.

The rest is mayhem that turns worse for the duo with each turn of the screw.

The film resorts to all the known tropes of the genre - rattling windows, hissing drainpipes, waves in the bathtub, sudden power outages and swaying chimeras in the shadows. Mercifully, there are no curtains billowing in the wind.

For all its flaws, Murder 3 is most certainly not a film in hopeless freefall. Its lapses are at worst momentary.

Debutant director Vishesh Bhatt, son of producer Mukesh and nephew of writer Mahesh, does his very best to stamp his own style on the proceedings.

He succeeds up to a point, aided primarily by unblemished cinematography by Sunil Patel, a noteworthy background score by Raju Singh, and competent lead performances.

In the first half, Murder 3 is a bit like a haunted house drama. A sinister air hangs over the male protagonist's home and the new woman in his life is frightened out of her wits.

Unfortunately, the fear factor is never more than superficial and it rarely evokes a shudder.

The second half, devoted to the unravelling of the mystery of the missing lady, has a largely mechanical feel until the shock ending salvages the package.

With an actor like Randeep Hooda heading the cast, one thing that the audience can be absolutely sure of is a subtly modulated performance capable of restoring order amid the chaos.

Hooda may not yet possess the star power of an Emraan Hashmi – that is more a reflection on the Mumbai movie industry and the audience than on the actor himself – but is endowed with a smouldering screen presence that burns itself indelibly into the film’s texture.

He plunges into the cesspool of lies, jealousy and betrayal with the sort of effortless conviction that lends the drama a certain degree of firmness even as it wobbles through its many precarious lows.

Hooda is well complemented by an equally good Aditi Rao Hydari, who etches out a tormented woman with just the right measure of fire and brimstone. She conveys a wide range of emotions without having to break into a sweat.

Sara Loren, as the unwanted angle in the love triangle, pales a tad in comparison, but to her credit, rises above the limitations of the script even when only half a chance comes her way.

Murder 3 delivers no grand moments in terms of either style or substance. But the director makes a game effort to give the franchise a makeover, no matter how cosmetic it may appear.

Murder 3 announces the advent of a director who clearly has the chops to make infinitely better films.

New wine in an old bottle but not too bad.

Jab Tak Hai Jaan: Film Review

Movies Review: Jab Tak Hai Jaan

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma

Direction: Yash Chopra

Rating: ***

There is a reason why Yash Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan are called the Kings of Romance, they have managed to weave one unforgettable love story after the other that remains etched in our memories. 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan', Yash Chopra's last directorial venture had created ample pre-release buzz and the anticipation in the theatre was palpable. 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan' is yet another impossible love story made believable by the conviction of the makers.

Samar Anand (Shah Rukh) does odd jobs in London for sustenance, needless to say our quintessential Bollywood hero is multi-faceted; he croons, he grooves, he has a heart of gold and he is charmer all the way. On a cold London night, while cleaning snow from the sidewalks, Samar falls for the beautiful Meera (Katrina Kaif), Indian billionaire's daughter who is always negotiating with God and cutting deals to accomplish her unfulfilled wishes. Quite obviously their love for each other is mired by impossibilities.

Yash Chopra romances are historically high on sacrifices and the two besotted lovers are driven apart by circumstances. Our suave odd-job man is now Major Samar Anand, nicknamed 'The man who cannot die' because of his daredevil acts of courage. Rookie documentary filmmaker, Akira (Anushka Sharma) wants to film the fearless bomb squad head and needless to say, the feisty kudi soon finds herself falling hook, line and sinker for our intense army man.

Unrequited love and loyalty, pangs of separation and characters with a propensity for sacrifice; these are all familiar tropes in Bollywood but Yash Chopra has his way of creating the perfect mise-en-scène and converting you into a believer. For die hard romantics, philosophies like 'There is a time for every love story' is sure to become a mantra, much like, 'Someone somewhere is made for you'.

At 47, Shah Rukh, still strikes the right notes as the typical romantic hero. Anushka essays her part with ease but Katrina still needs to work on getting the emotional parts right. Rahman's music too doesn't really grow on you after you have watched the film.

JTHJ doesn't quite stand out like some of Yash Chopra's previous works and the pace of the second half seems to drag a bit. It's just that when you watch the film, the canvas is picturesque, the characters are gorgeous and the story restores your faith in good, in love and in impossible relationships.

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Talaash: Film Review

Cast: Aamir Khan, Rani Mukerji, Kareena Kapoor

Direction: Reema Kagti

Rating: ****

Reema Kagti's 'Talaash' is a suspense thriller that not only boasts of a taut script but has a multi-layered structure that manages to pack in enough surprises to keep the viewer hooked till the very end. The storyteller's craft lies in the fact that the modus operandi of the plot seems as intriguing as the motive of the crime.

Surjan Singh Shekhawat (Aamir Khan) is investigating the death of actor Armaan Kapoor (Vivan Bhatena) whose car seems to have suddenly veered out of control and plunged right into the sea. Considering the actor was neither under the influence of alcohol/drugs nor was he suicidal, the death throws up a lot of unanswered questions. The plot thickens when Armaan's widow informs the police that the actor had withdrawn Rs 20 lakh on the day of his death, raising suspicion that he might have been a victim of blackmail or extortion.

One of the prime suspects in this case is a pimp and during the course of his investigation, Shekhawat meets a prostitute Rosy/Simran (Kareena Kapoor) who intermittently divulges credible information that helps the police make significant headway every time they seem to be reaching a dead end.

While the police are still trying to make a breakthrough in this complex mystery, we realize Shekhawat is a deeply conflicted man. He is struggling with suppressed grief and guilt since he lost his eight-year-old son. He also makes vain attempts to hold on to his troubled marriage as his wife Roshni (Rani Mukerji) tries to come to terms with her loss.

Nawazuddin Siddique stands out among the supporting cast with another compelling performance. Rani Mukerji as the bereaved mother essays an understated and convincing portrayal. Kareena is good as the flirtatious and slightly mysterious hooker. But Aamir Khan's performance stands head and shoulders above the rest. He delivers a complex role with complete ease, one moment he is a ruthless cop and in the next, he is an anguished father grappling with his son's death, vulnerable yet strong.

Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti weave an intricate narrative and deserve applause for the brilliant plot execution. For me, the success of any good film is measured by the degree to which it can engage the audience. In the climax when Shekhawat applies the emergency brakes, it is as if the viewer on their seat feels the sudden jolt, like they were on the backseat of his car.

The idea might not be strictly original but watch it for the way the story unfolds.

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Is Diwali always a Crackling Feat for Bollywood?

Diwali has not always brought in wealth and happiness in Bollywood.
This year’s Diwali releases look more than merely interesting and has too many expectations from them. Yash Chopra’s untimely death has quadrupled the expectations from his last directorial venture Jab Tak Hai Jaan which has been deemed as the climax and culmination of his legendary career as a film maker.
Son Of Sardaar despite seeming to miniscule in comparison to that has left no stone unturned and have ensured that this Diwali box-office entertainment will be to the hilt.

Trade Analysts confirm that both the films were walking neck to neck in terms of publicity, till the death of Yash-ji who succumbed to Dengue shortly before the ‘King of Romance’ was all set to shoot the last song sequence in the Swiss Alps, a destination he popularized in Bollywood films. Jab Tak Hai Jaan has an obvious edge as being the last gift of Yash Chopra to his audiences providing them with YRF kind of magical passion and romance.

With such buzz building around the films and the publicity hypes almost warring with each other, we can’t help but look at the Diwali releases of the past few years. Diwali doesn’t necessarily mean crackling happiness for Bollywood. 

Thankfully this Diwali does seem to be excessively appealing but taking a close look at the past Diwali releases, they have often gone a step forward in dampening the festive spirits of the audiences. Alpesh Sharma brings to you a list of the biggest Diwali flops in Bollywood –