DEAR ZINDAGI REVIEW - Love You, ‘Dear Zindagi.’

⏩ Genre :- Drama.
Most of the critics are calling this a Romantic flick. It's not. Until you are talking about romancing your life. Then yes, it is. ❤

⏩ Runtime :- 2 hrs 30 mins

⏩ Cast :- Alia Bhatt, SRK, Kunal Kapoor, Siddharth Nigam, Yashaswini Dayama, Ira Dubey, Rohit Saraf, Ali Zafar.

⏩ Director :- Gauri Shinde.

⏩ Plot :- Dear Zindagi is the story of Kaira (Alia Bhatt), a talented young Cinematographer in Mumbai who is going through a lot of problems faced by many of us from her age group.
Her family doesn't approve of her job (especially the relatives);
She has a fear of being left in a lurch by her boyfriends, so she dumps everyone before they dump her;
She has been kicked out from her apartment by her landlord because she is single;
This leads to a lot of emotional turmoil in her life and she couldn't sleep. Therefore, she decides to seek help from a Psychological Counsellor (played by a sober, toned down version of SRK) and with his help, eventually, she finds all the answers by herself.

⏩ Direction and Screenplay :-
After English Vinglish, which was both commercial and critical success, this is Gauri Shinde's second directorial venture and she has totally nailed it. I couldn't find a single glitch in the direction. Gauri Shinde, we don't expect anything less from you. ❤
Speaking of the screenplay, it's very thought provoking. It changes the way you look at your life and relationships. Kudos to Gauri Shinde for the way she has tried to portray the unconventional version of hero and heroine. There is such warmth in Kaira's interactions with the Dr. Jehangir that it envelops the rest of the narrative in a soothing manner and serves us with a delightful experience.


⏩ Editing and Cinematography :-
The Editing is a flaw in this movie. It could've been more sleek and crisp sans a few song and repeated sequences. But nevermind, the film looks engaging and fresh – with beautiful set ups, locations and lightings. Cinematographer Laxman Utekar glides the camera smoothly to shoot pretty frames of Goa that's unlike what we are used to seeing, Watch out for his magic while capturing focus-shots of Bhatt and Khan and the climax scene of Bhatt on a beach. So alive!

⏩ Music :- Well, it's known to everyone that Amit Trivedi never throws massy Chartbuster Albums, but his is the kind, that supports the screenplay, feel and theme of a movie. 'Just Go To Hell-O Dil' is situationally appropriate. 'Love You Zindagi' is mesmerizing and soulful. 'Tu Hi Hai' is hummable. Others are forgetful.
The background music is so refreshing if never allows you to even think of parting your attention from the movie.

⏩ The Highs –

▶In a male-ridden industry still tending to sideline women in most mainstream projects, this is a decision that shows guts on Shinde's part and Khan's evident willingness to experiment by not being the center of the movie. It goes without saying that this is an extremely unconventional film. King Khan appears about 45 minutes after the opening scene and and is nowhere to be seen in the concluding scene. Just 50 mins of screenspace in a 150 mins movie. Seriously? That's commendable. *claps*

▶Most of the scenes in this movie are either witty or insightful or both. Be it Kiara's conversation with her exes, friends or bitchy relatives. But the best part is, it never goes OTT.

▶From an industry that usually treats parents as deities (*Quotes Karan Johar* “It's All About Loving Your Parents.”) that are to be worshipped, are always right, knows what is best for you; It's unusual to come up with a story that shows the other side of the coin – *They can go wrong too, sometimes.* Shinde has managed to depict this so beautifully. Full marks on that.

▶ Performances by both Khan and Bhatt are top notch. Not even a single feather flaw.

▶ The Cinematography is one of the strongest points of this movie.

⏩ The Lows –

▶Towards the end, Dear Zindagi succumbs to the pressure of the mainstream public and throws an ending that is now considered inevitable in every Hindi film.  (not giving away any spoilers, chill.) But don't you worry, the ride upto the end is so damn good, you would happily digest the needless angle. Dear Zindagi is a perfect example of a journey that's more beautiful than the destination.

▶There are some glitches in the movie that closed the gateway to becoming a classic –Character Development.
- Who is Fatima (Ira Dubey), apart from being a mom and Kiara's bestfriend? We get to know her
husband's profession but her.
- Another bestfriend, Jackie (Yashaswini), what about her? All we get to know is, she is the optimistic one, and she goes on to date a guy Alia refers as a wierdo.
They are supporting characters, right? Where's their support?
Same goes with other supporting actors.
But these two, above, were important.

▶Also, the film had too many extras. I mean, seriously, you could've easily edited out 2-3.

⏩ Performances :-

▶ SRK gets lesser screentime than Alia but he owns every scene he is a part of. In fact, Dr. Jehangir enters the picture just as the film starts to sag and appears somewhat stretching. His arrival immediately lits Dear Zindagi. It goes dull occasionally thereafter, but never when he is around. Now that Khan is in this new phase of his career where he is acknowledging his age gracefully, showing us a tinge of gray and a whiff of wrinkles, unkempt hair and oh boy is he looking hot! Its about time we got to see SRK the actor and not SRK the Super Star in a film (Last seen - Chak De.), with no outstretched arms, no larger than life persona; And this movie, does exactly that. This is a new inproved SRK, who is a feast to the eyes with all that cotton and linen shirts, vintage lingo. That’s a rather nice avatar to have graduated to, SRK. We Likey! *winks*

PS - Even I have many problems in my life ya. Even I can't sleep some nights. Why can't I get a therapist like SRK? Then toh, I wouldn't even mind giving up on sleep. Lel.

▶ Alia Bhatt's Kiara is a perfect representation of who Alia is, who I am, who my friends are, and probably who you are. That's why the connection with the reel character is surreal, it touches your soul. She portrays her character so well, it's no long a wonder how slowly and steadily she is slipping into our "Favorite Actresses" bracket. She adds all the quirk, chirp, maturity and determination that her character demands. So much that you smile and cry along with Bhatt’s Kaira and at times want to just reach out and give her a tight hug, reassuring that all will be well

PS - Dear Alia Bhatt's makeup team, Stop making her wear bright red lipsticks and too much makeup as our natural beaut looks dull and made up because of it. Take a note.

▶ Angad Bedi and Kunal Kapoor as Kiara's exes play their parts really well.

▶ Ira Dubey and Yashaswini Dayama (Phobia fame) as Kiara's best friends are "BFF Goals."
The former is a mature mother figure while the latter is the goofy-but-sensible-when-required one. And both of them pretty ladies, do justice to their roles.

▶ Rohit Saraf as Kiara's younger brother Kiddo is cute and comes out as a fine actor.

▶Ali Zafar's (Yes. He has not been replaced by anyone and is STILL in the movie.) character Rumi is one of Kiara's flings and 5 minutes into his screentime you'll understand why. he. wasn't. replaced. He sweeps you off your feet by a beautiful song and his innate boyish charm. (I am not saying anything more because then, I'll be politically incorrect and people will label me as a "Deshdrohi." *sighs*)

▶ Aditya Roy Kapoor also has a very small cameo in the movie. Yes! Now you'll be paying attention to the movie. I know that.

⏩ Watch O Not ? – Arre! Yeh bhi koi puchne ki baat hai? Definitely. If you have enjoyed movies like Wake Up Sid, Kapoor and Sons Rockstar, Queen, English Vinglish, you are going to love this. Even if you aren't a fan of these movies, (I mean seriously? Upar se ek bhi pasand nhi ayi? Kaunsi duniya se ho bhai? Kidding. XD) give this one a try, and thank me later. *winks*

⏩ Verdict :- Dear Zindagi is a sweet one time watch. ❤⛄Watch it for Alia and SRK. Watch it for Amit Trivedi's calm and composed music. Watch it for Gauri Shinde's direction and screenplay. Watch it for YOU. Every broken heart wants a nurture, and Dear Zindagi will provide you that. That is explained by a perfectly written dialogue in the movie, delivered by SRK - "Don't let your past blackmail your present to ruin your future." Geddit? Geddit.

Dear Zindagi is all about finding comfort and happiness in life's imperfections. ❤

Love You Zindagi! ❤⛄❤

Ratings :- 3.7/5 :)

Doctor Strange Review – Jaw-Droppingly Beautiful! ❤

⏩ Genre :- Fantasy/Science-Fiction.

⏩ Runtime :- 2 hrs 10 mins.

⏩ Cast :- Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, Mads Mikkelsen, Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Benedict Wong.

The piling up of superhero films has led to a tiresome atmosphere in the movie geek crowd. We are all bored of seeing the same shit (with different names ofcourse) again and again. A little originality never hurts, eh! Remember Deadpool? Yes. We're talking about films like that. Breath of fresh air, wasn't it? And Dr. Strange is no exception when it comes to stale old storyline. But yes, it's more fancy, magical and more visually appealing. It introduces us to a new character and does the absolute best it can to keep the rest of the MCU from creeping in at the edges and flooding the whole movie. 

⏩ Director :- Scott Derrickson.

⏩ Plot :- Stephen Strange is a neurosurgeon with miraculous hands and a gargantuan ego; He won't even treat patients he thinks he can't cure. Doesn't it remind us of someone? Tony 'Egoistic Charmer' Stark! Hmmm. One dark night, Strange – texting while driving, (Read : DO NOT TEXT AND DRIVE - Issued in Public Interest. Lol.) crashes his Lamborghini, later emerges with hands too crippled to be healed by conventional medicines. In search of a cure, he reaches Nepal and learns the mystical art by the "Ancient One" (Swinton) and thus realizes that he was born for bigger things. Hesitant at first, our sorcerer summons all the skills required to save the world from the dark dimension.

⏩ Direction and Screenplay :- 

Scott Derrickson who has giving us terrific horror flicks like ‘Deliver Us from Evil’, ‘Sinister’ and ‘The Exorcism of Emily Rose,’ has upgraded his pallete to serve us, a magical and colorful canvas of the world of Dr. Strange. This is indeed a rare case in which Marvel has freed a director’s imagination instead of  straitjacketing it. As far as the selling point is concerned, this is the same studio that made us weep over the death of a tree that said just three words. (GOG reference - "I AM GROOT!!" *sobs*) So no doubt about it. The screenplay, by Jon Spaihts, Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill makes it quite clear that Dr.Strange and his world is quite different from that of the Avengers. Strange can teleport to different locations, create strong magnetic fields, alter the path of time. Cool group of magic tricks, eh!

⏩ Editing and Cinematography :- 

Running for a short 2 hrs 10 mins, the editing by Wyatt Smith and Sabrina Plisco is crisp and fast paced. No unnecessary elements drag the scene or creates a lag. Cinematography by Ben Davis and the VFX by the Team is hands down the best in all the Marvel Movies. Some serious mind-bending stuff combined with great visuals to let it manifest itself to the audience. It takes you to an alternate universe and makes you lose your sense of judgement into what's real and what's fictional. 

All you are left with, are JawDrops, GooseBumps and WTFS!

⏩ Music :- 

Michael Giacchino, (the composer of 'Jurassic World', Ratatouille', 'Lost', to name a few) has done a fine job in the music department. He has added new, additional layers of meaning and emotion to the film through songs that vary from dark, hypnotic and mysterious to some tracks even having a psychedelic ‘70s and ‘80s rock feel to it. 

⏩ The Highs :

▶ The introduction of the Cloak of Levitation, Strange's encounter with the Dark Dimension, and the opening scene – wherein the Ancient One uses an Inception-style shifting of time and space in which buildings are turned upside down and dropped on combatants’ heads – are the best scenes in the entire movie.

▶ The movie has, without question, the most stylish and experimental CGI I’ve ever seen in a Marvel movie. The sorcerers conduct their battles in some sort of mirror-universe, which allows them to manipulate reality in some pretty freaky ways.

▶ You won’t soon forget the image of Cumberbatch having hands grow out of his fingers that grow out of his hands that grow out of his fingers /ad infinitum/. And the film has a clever, deadpan closing sequence that plays smartly with the idea that Doctor Strange, unlike many other Marvel heroes, wins his battles far more with his mind than his fists. No offense, Hulk!

▶ Making it grounded but still trippy really helps give it a flavor unlike any other comic adaptation.

⏩ The Lows :-

▶ Some scenes seem bland and repeated. Like, for instance, the spinning flaming circles in the air and disappearing into a vortex or portal, turns into a cosmic farce when the characters create their own doors for running in and out of. So much, that it reminds you of the anywhere door that Doraemom uses frequently to save Nobita's ass. 

▶In introducing so many things, it actually weakens any type of development the antagonist has. (Not Kaecilius, there is someone else too. *winks*) It seems we'll have to wait until the inevitable sequel to have a villain that we give a damn about, and that sucks. 

▶ Rachel deserved better. Strange kicks her out of his life in the first act of the movie, yet she is ready to forgive him at the drop of a hat when he barges back into her life for a favor. 

▶ The primary antagonist, Kaecilius, gets less screen time, murky motivations, and literally no character development. Which is kind of a let down, but this is almost becoming a cliché in superhero movies.

⏩ Performances :-

▶What Robert Downey, Jr. is to Iron Man and Ryan Reynolds is to Deadpool – Benedict Cumberbatch is to Doctor Strange. The British actor, flashing an American accent that's galaxy apart from the aristocratic tones of Sherlock, is the creative spark that ignites this new entry in the MCU. He played the character that's witty, super genius and has a wry sense of humour - with precision and a peculiar body language that's complimented with his eye-rolls and delivery. Take a bow, Cumby! 

▶ Tilda Swinton plays the "Ancient One", whose dome seems to have been carved by computers to make it smooth as a baby’s butt – with her crisp diction makes every Buddhist blah-de-blah sound great which you'd otherwise yawn at. A world-class mesmerizer she is. 😻

▶ Rachel McAdams plays Christine Palmer, the ER doc who loves him, despite the fact that the idea of romance for Strange is making her sit through his lecture on neurology. Aww. Also, her character is the most underwritten one after Mikkelson. Unlike Natalie Portman in Thor, she at least gets a few good scenes before being forgotten. Yayy! 

▶ Mads Mikkelson as Kaecilius, a trained sorcerer, goes rogue and wants the evil to take on the good. The character development of Kaecilius is poor but Mikkelson manages to hold the bar with his deadpan and scary delivery. 

▶ Benedict Wong as Wong, the protector of the Ancient One's secret books is the perfect fit for the role. This poor librarian is at the receiving end of most of Strange's dry sarcasm. For instance, "What, just one name," asks Strange sarcastically. "Like Adele or Beyonce?" *chuckles*

▶ Chiwetel Ejiofor, as Mordo to Strange, is what Falcon is to Capt. America – 'Imma save yo ass wheneva yo playy dumb.' Although he has nothing great to offer in this origin, he surely will have a meatier role in the next installment of the Strange franchise. (Post credits, bro.)

⏩ Watch or not? Defifuckingnitely. 

***DO NOT MISS IT.***

I insist you spend a few more bucks and watch it in 3D for the amazing kaleidoscopic effects and Benedict ofcourse.

⏩ Verdict :- Ansnskdokdnfnrjdjj. 

Translation : Still looking for the verdict. As if all the shit said above wasn't enough? Book your tickets rightaway!!

>>PS - THERE ARE TWO CREDIT SCENES. Don't miss out on any of them.<<

⏩ Rating :- 4.5/5 ❤

Shivaay – Shivaay, We Needed More Of Shiva-ay! 👀

I couldn't resist myself watching this movie first day after watching the amazing trailers which has astounded audience worldwide. And, I wasn't disappointed. 🙈

⏩ Genre :- Action/Drama

⏩ Runtime :- 2 hrs 52 mins.

⏩ Cast :- Ajay Devgn, Abigail Eames, Sayyeshaa Saigal, Erika Kaar, Vir Das, Girish Kamad, Saurabh Shukla.

⏩ Director :- Ajay Devgn

⏩ Plot :- Shivaay is a Himalayan mountaineer and guide who is innocent but is capable of transforming into a mean destroyer when he needs to protect his daughter.

⏩ Direction and Screenplay :- Directed by Ajay Devgn, the direction is not the best part of this film. The frame is quite shaky in few action sequences. But cut him some slack people, Shivaay is only his second directorial venture—the first being 'U Me Aur Hum.' (2008). As far as the screenplay is concerned, it may seem like 'Taken' and 'Rocky Handsome' in some aspects, but  co written by Sandeep Srivastava and Robin Bhatt, Shivaay has a deeper emotional connect, distinct execution and an amazing visual appeal. 

⏩ Editing and Cinematography :- 2 HRS AND 52 MINS!! It could've easily been toned down by 15-20 minutes by editing the "love blossoming" scenes between Shivaay and Olga. The cinematography by Aseem Bajaj is exceptionally good. The usage of electrifying blue, grey and white colors in the frame adds to the tranquility and refreshment factor. The breathtaking views of the Himalayan mountains and the cobbled streets of Bulgaria are so well shot and used to maintain the balance of the film. 

⏩ Music :- Music is the one of the best things of Shivaay. The music is extremely powerful and perfectly blends into the narrative.  'Darkhast' and 'Raatein' are soulful and hummable. But the title track 'Bolo har har' is mind-blowing and has the power to produce intoxication into one's being. It takes you to the level of extreme exhilaration. 

⏩ The Highs :-

▶ The story isn't something you haven't seen before; however, the execution and performance by the protagonist is thrilling.

Ajay's character depicts two phases that's parallel to that of Lord Shiva – The server of mankind and the destroyer of evil.

The character savoured with mythological tattoos of the Trishul, Naag and Chandra. –Also, few close-up shots of his eyes. (Remember the Third eye?)

▶ In a world where all the attention is given to the mother-child relationship, it's good to see a film reminds us that a loving and a responsible father too can mean the whole world to his child. Sweet. 

▶ The movie is 172 mins long since the makers take time to set up the plot, but the adrenaline-pumping action picks up from the word go (after 40-45 mins into the movie). Also, if you are an action enthusiast, you would love every bit of it. 

The second half is more entertaining and the background score and chase sequences keep you engaged and refrain yourself from yawning. 

▶ The music blends in so perfectly, you would even fail to recognize whether a song/music is going on in the background or not.

▶ Shivaay’s USP is its cutting edge VFX, which makes the film a reality. 

⏩ The Lows :-

▶The love making scenes between Ajay and Erika (who is just in the starting 30 mins of the movie) are awkward and you feel no chemistry.

 

▶ There are a few scenes wherein actors like Girish Karnad and Saurabh Shukla mouth dialogues that have no or least connection with the central theme. Sighs.

▶ It would've been better had they shown much reference to Lord Shiva's antiques by adding more flavour to Shivaay's character.

Instead what we see is a travel guide/mountaineer (whatever you'd like to call him) jumping from cliffs, constantly smoking a chillum – extremely self-consciously at that, looking meaningfully at the audience as though telling them : Stop me if you can. 

Even the Censor Board couldn't stop him from getting away with weed; since he was sanctioned by Shiva himself with the chants of 'Bolo Har Har' playing in the background. Smart. 

⏩ Performances :-

▶ While his last film 'Dhrishyam' was the psychological thriller, Shivaay marks the return of Ajay Devgn in his action mode. 

Ajay gives a stellar performance in the role that is totally tailor made for him. And as usual, does his signature 'emoting with eyes' thing perfectly. Also, the on screen relationship that he shares with the child actress Abigail Eames is extremely natural and flawless.

▶ Erika Kaar as Shivaay's love interest is beautiful but goes OTT with her accent. Dear makers, we would've been okay with her speaking English as we know she is not an Indian. Her hindi seems too forced.

▶ Abigail Eames as Gaura, who plays Shivaay's vocally impaired daughter is sweet and charms us with her acting skills.

▶ Sayyeshaa Saigal as a diplomat, does fine for her Bollywood debut. (She is already a renowned name in Tollywood.) 

▶ Vir Das has been roped in as an "Ethical Hacker" for the sake of comic relief and he proves his mettle once again through his perfect timing and killer expressions.

▶ Girish Kamad as the diplomat's father does an impressive job in whatever little role he's been given. (Although his character seems unnecessary.)

▶Saurabh Shukla as the chairman of Indian Ambassy in Bulgaria has a screentime of merely 5 minutes with dialogues somewhat like :

"Shakkal se firangi ho, par dil se ekdum Hindustani. Ghoos kaha deni hai sab jaanti ho." *sighs*

⏩ Watch or Not? Definitely. Shivaay deserves a watch for it's visual appeal, perfect soundtrack and powerpacked performance by Ajay and the cute kid.

⏩ Personal Note – It's indeed disturbing to learn about the paid propaganda unleashed by a lobby to demean a groundbreaking film like Shivaay! Don't go by the critics this time, you know who is funding them. No offense. *winks*

⏩ Verdict – With crisper editing and less melodrama, Shivaay could’ve been the best of the year. But it sure as hell, is worth all your money and time. So grab a popcorn and enjoy the visual canvas that Shivaay is. ❤

⏩ Ratings :- 3.5/5

🙏 Har Har Mahadev. 🙏

Happy Diwali and a prosperous New Year. 💁

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil - Waqayi, Yeh Movie Hai Mushkil

Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (ADHM) has been one of the most awaited movies this year.

The film’s teaser, trailer and songs have already been a hit amongst the audience. After a lot of controversies, ADHM has finally hit theatres yesterday. 

Let's take a look at how we found it. 

⏩ Genre :- Romance/Drama/Musical.

⏩ Runtime :- 2 hrs 38 mins.

⏩ Cast :- Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Fawad Khan.

⏩ Director :- Karan Johar.

⏩ Plot -  Ayan (Ranbir) and Alizeh (Anushka) start off as friends, both coming off breakups, one a serious relationship while the other a casual affair. Eventually, Ayan falls for Alizeh while what Alizeh feels for him is not "Ishq wala" but "Dosti wala" love. Fawad Khan (DJ Ali), Alizeh's ex, begs her to give their relationship another chance resulting in marriage. A heartbroken Ayan finds lust in the arms of a divorced poet Sabah (Aishwarya) who convinces him for a "No Strings Attached" relationship. But Ayan still loves Alizeh and turns into Justin Bieber. Things get seriously complicated in the second half and... (Well, I know what you are thinking - "Isn't this complicated enough?" No. There's more to it.) Ayan gets transformed into the Ranbir from Tamasha while Aishwarya falls for him. Enter, SRK. Then there's some more drama. Few mellow songs. The end. (Deliberately written that to avoid giving away any spoilers. Thank me later.) 

⏩ Direction and Screenplay :- Karan Johar  surely knows how to tug at your heartstrings. Especially, when the target audience are Indians. The direction is top notch. Karan does an amazing job at ensuring that the pace never dulls, by painting in dialogues that keep you engaged. There are enough references to pop culture favs and films that we have grown watching and loving. (Yes. Most of which are his own.) Basically, the movie deals with the fine line between love and friendship and the fact that the former cannot be enforced. 

⏩ Editing and Cinematography :- 2 hrs 38 minutes is slightly more for a romantic film and that could have been avoided with a few cuts in the initial 15 minutes.

Well it's a Karan Johar movie, so it's pretty evident that the cinematography is going to be of top class. Like his every other movie ADHM is beautiful and glossy like a model from the cover of an A class mag. The movie has been shot in exotic locations like London, Paris and Vienna. Also, the majestic grandeur and simplicity of our 'Nawabo ka sheher' Lucknow has been depicted by shooting two song sequences there. 

⏩ Music :- The music by Pritam has already taken us into an euphoric high.

The soulful 'Channa Mereya', 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' and 'Bulleya' being absolute favourites. Also, 'Breakup Song' and 'Cutiepie' are peppy but good.

A big thumbs up for the background score which is scintillating and clever. Also, there is a very smooth transition from serious to funny scenes which is commendable. 

⏩ The Highs :-

▶ The first half is fun and the banter between Ranbir and Anushka is extremely engaging. 

▶ The highlight of the movie has to be the smart one-liners and jokes that too using words and language that's not only current but also entertaining. (It made me remember the friendly banters between the trio in Kal Ho Na Ho. Sweet.)

References to other films, dialogue-baazi namely the ones from the 80s makes you glee. 

▶ Johar does not season his film with supporting characters – Like no unnecessary best friend or overly protective parent or villain. 

Except for few cameos by his best friends.

Yes, We've SRK... And ek "ladki beautiful."

Guess? 

▶ Also, there are a lot of philosophies being thrown at you right from the beginning but you may very well connect with them.

A lot through shayris to be specific. 

Also, some lines are as good as an honest slap - Why go through it, when one can be friends: "Pyar mein junoon hai. Dosti mein sukoon hai." Corny, but true.

▶ Performances. Performances especially by the lead pair Kapoor-Sharma. They are so good you can't take your eyes off them.

▶ THE SONGS. THE COSTUMES. THE LOCATIONS. Need I say anything more? ❤

▶ The movie is so very relatable for people

who have been through heartbreaks or one sided relationships. 

⏩ The Lows :-

▶ In the second half, the scenes gets heavy on the head and that cloud of ‘been there seen that’ looms till the very end. We start getting Déjà Vus from different films like Tamasha, Katti Batti, YJHD to name a few.

Also, the filmy dialogues start irritating you by the end of the film. Not too much, but yes.

▶ The execution of the narrative gets lost in translation. By the end of the movie, you feel there are many unresolved feelings between the lead pair. Also, Aishwarya's character lacks depth. The reason of her divorce being unknown, her whole persona being a mystery till the end. 

▶ The lame twist in the end, annoys. Couldn’t there have been a better way to work it out? Can't we for once, make the reel-life scenarios like that of the real ones? Ffs.

Thousands of people live with their 'one sided' love story everyday. "Ek Tarfa Pyar Ki Keemat, Tum Kya Jaano Johar Baabu." *Pffts*

⏩ Performances :-

▶ Ranbir is the stand out performer of this movie. He owns Ayan like he’s felt every emotion of the character. Right from the long monologues to the short subtle reactions to his co-actors make his performance much more endearing. He is the soul of the movie. Plus, it’s an excellent return to form for him after a spate of failures recently.

▶ Anushka Sharma is so vivacious and vibrant, she keeps your eyes glued to her all the time. So much so that post-interval, you begin to miss her natural and unconstrained piece, even though the femme fatale Sabah (Aish) is in the centre. 

Stole your thunder, Aish! *smirks*

▶ Aishwarya 'Beautiful' Rai Bachchan looks like she’s strutted out of a beauty pageant with all the exaggerated movements of the hips and shoulders. Also at one point, you feel as if you are watching one of the Ads of a brand she endorses. 

(I maybe wrong, but the pouts, pucker, hair flips, eye rolls say otherwise. *Ahems* )

Speaking of her character Sabah, an alluring poetess, her moments with Ranbir have INTENSE sensuality and passion. But her role doesn’t go beyond what you see in the trailer. Also, was she high the whole while? Or maybe that's what was asked of her. Hmm. (I know most of you boys won't care about whatever has been written about her above. Even I would go watch her for her Oh-So-Beautiful features. Guilty. *drools*)

⏩PS - There is one confrontation scene between her and Ranbir, wherein she is all red and teary eyed - And mahn, her eyes speak volumes with minimal lines! *applauds*⏪

▶ Fawad 'Hot' Khan, as Anushka's ex boyfriend DJ Ali, is at his best!

⏩Cameos :

▶ Shah Rukh Khan too gets a small role and he cracks the most important dialogue of the film, “Ek tarfa pyaar ki takaat hi kuch aur hoti hai, wo auron ki tarah do logon mein nahi batt-ti. Sirf mera haq hai iss par. Sirf mera.” (I am not being racist but, Is he like... tanned? Or is that the standing-next-to-Aish effect? Go figure.)

▶ Lisa Haydon as Ranbir's fling nails the tiny role she's been given. She is funny as hell. Also, the word "Vatavaran" is soon going to be a catch phrase amongst youngsters. 

▶ Imran Abbas ('Mohabbat barsa dena tu' fame) as Anushka's date does a fine job too.

⏩ Watch or Not? - ADHM is basically a love child of Kal Ho Na Ho and Kuch Kuch Hota Hain. Therefore, if you are a sucker for TYPICAL, good, soppy romantic comedies book your tickets rightaway!

⏩ Verdict :- Ae Dil Hai Mushkil has some really nice moments, but they suffer the curse of an over complex second half. Nevertheless watch it for Ranbir and Anushka, and Karan’s nearly perfect interpretation of platonic love, unrequited love and heartbreaks.

⏩ Ratings :- 3/5.

Jack Reacher : Never Go Back - Literally. Don't!! 🙅

⏩ Genre :- Action/Crime

⏩ Runtime :- 1hr 58 mins (2 minutes to 2hrs, really?)

⏩ Cast :- Tom Cruise, Cobie Smulders, Aldis Hodge, Danika Yarosh, Patrick Heusinger, Holt McCallany.

Jack Reacher : Never Go Back is an adaptation from a book, 'Never go back' by Lee Child.

⏩ Plot :-Reacher after helping in the arrest of a crooked Southern Sheriff heads to D.C. to try to land a date with a (apparently pretty) military officer he has assisted, but never met. Upon his arrival, he learns that she has been arrested for corruption, or something. So, Jack begins 'investigating' the corruption case, the Reacher way. He gets framed too, has to escape from jail with his intended girl friend, elude the bad guys, and get to know his alleged 'daughter', all in short order. That's a lot for a guy who usually talks less than Jason Bourne. *Winks*

⏩ Direction and Screenplay :- As far as the direction is concerned, 'Blood Diamond' director Edward Zwick does his best to fill the gap Christopher McQuarrie left but fails to do so in most of the action scenes. The movie would have been a lot better with McQuarrie on board. Edward Zwick (Director) alongwith Marshall Herskovitz and Richard Wenk has given the screenplay for this film. The story was weak and incoherent at times. You will be left with silly questions like :-

How did they get here?

How did they get out?

How did they not see them?

And many more...

⏩ Editing and Cinematography :- The cinematography by Oliver Wood is strictly average with warm undertones of maizey hue for the day and midnight blue for the night. Some low light shot are so poorly shot you can hardly figure out the people in the frame. Although the editing by Billy Weber is good, it seems confused as to which scenes to chop off and which to keep, thus leaving us with unexplained scenarios.

⏩ Music :- Henry Jackman's music is okayish and does nothing in the first half, but amps up it's mettle by the second half.

⏩ The Highs :-

▶Unlike the first one from this franchise, this one is a fast paced thriller. It's always throwing something at you, both good and bad, necessary and unnecessary. And believe it or not, it'll keep you on the edge.

▶ Tom Cruise again as Reacher pours his typical charm potion into the character and entertains you.

▶Certain action scenes are well choreographed and so Cruise does not have to fight every five minutes and is running around the whole flick, but they are well-dosed and then brilliantly calculated.

▶ The thrilling climax is worth the wait.

⏩ The Lows :-

▶The villain was intimidating at times but lacked motive. There were plenty of things that were left unexplained at the end. So, the villainy factor was not at all enough.

▶This is another of those movies in which the tough bad guy is always trying to tell the tough good guy how much alike they are so the good guy can say something to the effect that they're nothing alike as he puts a spike through the bad guy's neck or pushes him off a skyscraper. Lack of originality.

▶ Some of the romantic exchanges between Jack and Susan is rather funny. You'd even believe if I told you they were siblings. *Chuckles*

▶ The fact that after a brutal fist fight, the actors, especially Tom Cruise, present a face without any trace of the fighting. That's bullshit, isn't it? Even the director of soft movies could have put some make up on Cruise's face to simulate the harm, the result of the ferocity of the fight. But no, Cruise's face is as smooth as a baby's butt.

⏩ Performances :-

▶Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher is still very impressive for a 54 year old, but you can see it. You can see that he is not even giving us the full frontal of his chest anymore. You can see how his running chase sequences are being edited out. But still, he is the saving grace of the movie. With his charming one liners to his cute looks and intensity while performing stunts or action sequences, he saves the film from falling flat.

▶Cobie Smulders (best remembered as Robin from 'How I Met Your Mother')  as Susan Turner is the highlight of the film. She absolutely stole the show and will definitely leave you speechless with her kickass moves. Literally, this lady kicks ass!
Though it's fair to say her character is massively underwritten, else you would've been more hooked to your seats.

▶ Danika Yarosh as Samantha, a miscast, is quite annoying.

▶ Patrick Heusinger is good as the antagonist  "The Hunter," who won't stop till Reacher is dead. And he does this by means of words and effective action. What pulls us back, is that the character doesn’t have a backstory or even a name (His name is never revealed in the movie; not even in the end credits.), only a black leather jacket and some well-maintained scruff.

▶Aldis Hodge as Espin, the military police commander, is excellent and leaves us wanting for more.

⏩ Watch or Not ? Uhmm... Not so worth on the big screen.

⏩ Verdict :- The film is a good sequel, yet doesn't quite live up to the thrill-ride of its predecessor, 'Jack Reacher'. I feel that this film followed a bad trend that is rising in action movie sequels, where the main character is attempted to be given a much deeper persona, while also trying to be the same person from the first film. Yet it comes out in a very odd, strange blend of who we knew from the first film, It was troubling to have to accept this new introduction to the Reacher, when we have already been identified with him from the first film.

If you come to watch this movie expecting deep mystery or mind-blowing action sequences or superb dialogues, you will be disappointed.
But if you come to just getting entertained for two hours, you will have REACHED your goal. (Sorry. Couldn't resist the pun.)

⏩ Ratings :- 2.5/5

Inferno - Movie Review. Not As Hot As Hell. 🔥

Genre :- Crime / Mystery

Runtime :- 2 hrs 2 mins

Cast :- Tom Hanks, Irrfan Khan, Felicity Jones, Omar Sy, Ben Foster, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Ana Ularu, Ben Foster.

Director :- Ron Howard.

⏩ Plot :- After waking up in the hospital, Robert Langdon - a symbology professor (who is also an art historian and a cryptologist) is tormented by visions which are actually a portrayal of Dante's model of hell. Later, Langdon is being chased by several people and that's when our pretty little Dr. Brooks comes to his rescue. They are on a mission to save half of the world from dying because of a virus that has been planted by a psychopathic tyrant Zobrist.

⏩ Direction :- The third film in Ron Howard's Robert Langdon franchise focuses on the mysteries that lead to the end of the mankind and one and only one man, Professor Robert Langdon, can save the world with his expertise and wisdom that's equivalent to an overflowing stream.
And as far as the direction is concerned, you aren't going to be disappointed at all. Howard's work behind the camera is top notch. It's the screenplay that puts a tiny damper on it. David Koepp's screenplay is by the numbers adaptation of the book with outworn dialogues and poor characterisation. Dan Brown's a writer who has an appealing way of saying stories, although his writing is brutish, sometimes. And the movie would've been magical had their been some better writing on the desk.
You won't find it bad or bland, but yes, it could've been better.

⏩Editing and Cinematography :-

Full points to Dan Hanley and Tom Elkinson on editing as it's fast-paced, crisp and meticulous at the same time. Not a single minute for you to yawn at, in this 122 minutes thriller. The Cinematography lits up your mood with golden hour lighting on warm, old stonework and cobbled streets to eclectic locations from the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Istanbul, Venice and so on. Good job, Salvatore Tantino.

⏩Music :-

Music by Hans Zimmer. Need we say more? It's like an epic volcanic eruption that will char everything around it. With a lot of chasing and running in this film, Zimmer throws all his jacks behind the characters
- from the tick-tock, haunting violin, soothing piano to electronic drums which are just enough to give you goosebumps. The music of 'Inferno' is like the Batman Vs Superman sound on crack. And you're going to love it!

⏩The Highs -

▶The performance by Hanks and Irrfan is outstanding. While Hanks lends in all the emotions, Irrfan tickles your funny bones.
And this, maintains the balances of the film.

▶ For a person who haven't read the book or watched the predecessors, this would be an edge of the seat thriller.

▶The first 70 minutes is interesting wherein the makers plant the seeds of suspicion in your mind vis a vis any character - who could be a sell-out, a Zobrist sympathizer or a spy.

▶ The special effects in certain scenes are amazing. The flood of blood out exploding out of shattered towers may even beat the bloody elevator shot in 'The Shining' and 'Evil Dead.'

▶ While critics may love to sneer at Inferno's clichéd plot of "Saving the mankind" and Bourne style chasing and riddle-solving action gimmicks, the truth is - It actually works.
Tell me, when the main active ingredient of a dish is Tom Hanks; Felicity Jones and Irrfan Khan are the seasoning and Hans Zimmer is the delicious gravy – Wouldn't you have it? Definitely.

▶ The difference between the book and the film is interesting. Perhaps, the makers aren't afraid of taking the risk with plenty of book-readers in the wind. Also, you might want to know about Dante as the film ends and you head for home.

⏩The Lows -

▶ The irrelevant and conceited speech by Ben Foster (Zobrist) at the very beginning. Why would they go for this in the first place beats you, because all he does is parrot out the most obvious facts about population growth before leaving the stage.

▶ Too many knots and twists most of which can be foreseen. Typical angle of a good guy turning bad and vice versa.

▶ Character development is poor. The only character whose story is crystal clear is Dr. Sienna Brooks. Not even our protagonist, Professor. *Sighs*

▶ The climax is unfortunately cold and unattractive. As the movie proceeds your expectation for the climax increases only to get chewed upon at the end.

⏩Performances :-

▶Tom Hanks is in the soul of the character ab initio and he doesnt strike one bad cord. He displays all the vulnerability and expressions that Langdon's character demands.

▶ Felicity Jones as Dr. Sienna Brooks is fine. She has been given a great character amd screenplay but her lack of expression is a put off.

▶ Irrfan Khan, does not disappoint as Harry 'Provost' Sims, the mysterious, enigmatic head of a covert security agency. Despite occasionally losing control of his diction, Khan manages to hold his own and delivers the movie's funniest and most honest scene, in which he murders a character and deadpans, "Sorry for the messy job."

▶Sidse Babett Knudsen as Elizabeth, the head of W.H.O and one of Langdon's flings is excellent.

▶ Omar Sy as Agent Bouchard is deadly and perfect for the role.

⏩ Watch or Not ? Uhhmm... maybe.

⏩ Verdict :- This adaptation of 'Inferno' is an interesting blend of history, art, science, eureka moments and alarmist prophecies with enough twists and turns to keep a viewer sufficiently engaged BUT it's not devoid of potholes.

Ratings - 3/5

🙏 Prizmi Tripathi 🙏

Mirzya - Movie Review. More Show, Less Say. ❤

▶ Genre :- Period Romance / Drama / Art

▶ Runtime :- 2 hrs 15 mins.

▶ Cast :- Harshvardhan Kapoor, Saiyami Kher, Anuj Chaudhari, K.K.Raina, Om Puri, Art Malik and Anjali Patil.

▶ Director :- Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.

⏩ Plot :- Mirzya is based on the folktale of Mirza-Sahibaan. The film is based on two different eras. One, where Mirza tries to win Sahibaan by competing with her brothers. And in the present time, Monish(Adil) tries to rekindle the romance with his childhood love Soochi, after an incident in their childhood did them apart; while Soochi's fiancée Karan and her fam tries hard to drag him down.

*WARNING : MIRZYA ISN'T FOR THE MASSES. THIS MOVIE IS HIGHLY FOR A NICHE AUDIENCE WHO UNDERSTANDS AND ARE A FAN OF ART FILMS.*

⏩ Direction :- Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra has given us beautiful films like Rang De Basanti (One of the best films of Bollywood so far) and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. And he awes us with his style of story-telling with Mirzya. It seems like a work of art in motion that is beautifully painted onto the white canvas of our theatres. Too much of hard work has been put into the direction, especially those done in Ladakh. And the result is a visual spectacle. The transaction between the two eras has been done smoothly. Rakeysh has risked the commercial aspect of this movie – adding an artistic angle by emoting the happenings in the lives of Monish and Soochi through Rajasthani folk-dance.
The way the camera just hovers over the sand dunes and the road for that matter, is aesthetically pleasing.

⏩ Editing and Cinematography :- The editing is top notch. Although the movie is slow-paced, one doesn't get bored because of the sleek editing. A special mention to Cinematographer Pawel Dyllus - Take a bow! Dyllus has soaked the past era in a shiny iron-grayish tone whereas he has glazed the present with blazing sun and brownish orange. Especially the lush landscapes in Ladakh and the huge palace proves his spirit in the work.

⏩ Screenplay/Writer - The expectations were soaring high considering the screenplay was written by the man himself, Gulzar. The man who can make silences convey more than words. The lyrical narrative with metaphors like Rajasthani folk-dance as a background for Monish-Soochi's love story is soooo captivating. But the story buildup is poor and that is where Mirzya falls flat. In this 135 minutes film, there is hardly any moment where the passionate love story touches your soul. It's wavering on the surface with little to less emotions. It's like the base of the building itself is shaky. Kya Gulzar Sahab, Shakespeare would be so disappointed. *Sighs*

⏩ Music : Music is one of the best and effective elements here. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have poured their heart into making this music of this film. The melodies and the instrumentation are so very beautiful. Also, the rendition of title track by Daler Mehendi coupled with powerfully evocative lyrics gets you every time.

⏩ The Highs :
▶ Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra has presented the age old story in new brackets like the stretch of snow against that of sand; the bow and arrows against the guns.

▶ The film plays out like a highly stylised, spectacular Broadway musical, it’s as though you are witnessing larger than life theatre on a 70 mm screen.You can actually see the film in its soundtrack alone. This remains the main stay of the film.

▶ Mehra's presentation of Mirza-Sahibaan’s saga, one of India's most famous folklores is stunning. He nails it every manner. But he takes a backseat with its portrayal in the present times.

▶ Gulzar, who is back to giving Screenplay after 17 years chooses voice-over and a group of tribal men-women who wear colourful clothes and dance to songs reflecting the protagonists’ mental states. And it works.

▶ There is one scene, just one scene where we actually connect – when these two lovers look at each other, look into each other’s eyes, and break out in laughter, telling us that they are delighting in each other’s presence. It's beautiful.

▶ There is very little chest thumping and dialogue baazi and no item song or gimmick to make the film appeal to a broader audience. And the promos have been indicative of the texture and fabric of Mirzya. A risk taken here, is commendable.

▶ The performances are brilliant. The new pair is as fresh and beautiful as a daisy. In the given screentime, everyone's performances are remarkable.

⏩ The Lows :
▶ The filmmaker doesn't try to add his own tadka by breaking down the feudalism or the power over the women in the society, but simply accept the story as it is. Maybe one couldn't connect to the whole plot because there was nothing new.

▶ You can actually see the film in its soundtrack alone. For some places it also acts as a takeaway because then, there is room for just few dialogues.

▶ Unlike his other films, here, Mehra has highly focused on its craft instead of the story that's why the viewers can't connect.

▶ Just like a dialogue in the movie where a character quotes Romeo's monologue on Juliet : "She speaks yet says nothing," this movie speaks louder than words (with all the visuals and music), but alas, says nothing. (When it comes to dialogues.)

▶ It's highly disappointing as to why the antagonist (Karan) is given more lines than our protagonists.

⏩ Performances :
▶ Harshvardhan Kapoor could've got a better break than Mirzya. This Kapoor lad is full of potential. (unlike his sister. *coughs*) He shined in the few lines he got and appears to have a quiet spark which may surface after some more refining and grooming. From his debut film, we can surely say, he's here to stay. And yes, he comes out as a better actor than the leading lady. Points for that.

▶ Saiyami Kher is like a breath of fresh air in Bollywood with her natural beauty and perfect curls. Her character Soochi is a challenging one wherein she has to be bright, mischievous, impulsive, sensible and volatile at the same time, for her heart is hanging between two men. And she manages pull off the role brilliantly.

▶ Anuj Chaudhari as the estranged fiancée is great with his emotions and delivery. The way is depicts the idea of a person who can risk his own life for the lady-love and at the same time, kill the lady's love is beyond excellence.

▶ Art Malik as the Shakespeare spewed father is good at times, but for most of the time his dialogues seem jarring and inaudible. Miscast.

▶ K.K.Raina as the majesty is just fine.

▶ Anjali Patil as the girl who knows Mirza's soul, is magnificent.

▶ Om Puri gets lost somewhere in the middle of the film and the maker doesn't bother to bring him up. But for the little to no role that he has, including the narration at the beginning of the film he does full justice.

⏩ Watch or Not? - Yes, for the people who loves poetry and art films, theatre; this film is just for you. And for those who love sparkling love stories, this may make you yawn. Decide.

⏩ Verdict : I am still aweing at the visual spectacle this film is. It's a heartbreakingly beautiful poem coupled with beautiful performances. Thank you Mr. Mehra, for pushing the boundaries and making this film.

▶ Ratings - 3.3/5

🙏 PRIZMI TRIPATHI 🙏

MS Dhoni - Movie Review. That's The Way, Mahi Way! 😍❤

It was not a theatre,
It was a stadium.
It was not Sushant Singh Rajput,
It was Mahendra Singh Dhoni. *_*

Genre - Sports / Biography

Runtime - 3 hrs 5 mins

Cast - Sushant Singh Rajput, Anupam Kher, Rajesh Sharma, Bhumika Chawla, Kumud Mishra, Disha Patani, Kiara Advani, Harry Tangri.

Director - Neeraj Pandey.

Plot - M S Dhoni - The Untold Story is Mahendra Singh Dhoni's inspirational journey from his humble beginnings in Ranchi to the hardships he faced, to his international fame, and India winning the World Cup under his captaincy - making him one of the finest Captains in World Cricket.

PS - Since this movie is produced by the very person on whom it's based, it is more of a hagiography. (Regarding the person as perfect. A saint, for that matter.)

➡ Direction and Screenplay -

Neeraj Pandey (Direction and Screenplay) along with Dilip Jha (Dialogue) and Nandu Kamte (Screenplay) have done an amazing job in making this film what it is.

- Speaking of direction, Pandey casts a spell on us all with his brilliant techniques. Although he isn't acquainted with this genre (previous ventures - 'A Wednesday', 'Special 26' and 'Baby'), he manages to pull it off and how! Some scenes are so beautifully directed, it leaves you awestruck and proves why Pandey is one of the best directors in the country. This was about the first half, the second half kind of slips from his hand as far as the romantic storylines are concerned. Thus proving, why he shouldn't be directing a love story.

- Going by the tagline, "The Man you know, the journey you don't," the makers have stuck strictly to the making of Dhoni - the cricket legend's
life before he made it to team India, and that gives it a novelty factor. From a ticket collector to a trophy collector, you see it all. It chooses to inspire rather than merely awe.

- The cricketing aspect of Dhoni is so well done . Well, the cricket that you watch in this movie, for the most part, has been very smartly executed by super-imposing the lead actor’s face with actual footage of the Dhoni - unlike other movies wherein it looks disturbingly fake.
So, yes, it’s Sushant Singh Rajput up there all right. But the shots — both cricketing and camera — belong to Mahendra Singh Dhoni, on the field, playing the big games, winning hearts and big matches. VFX team, good job!

➡ Editing and Cinematography -

- Editing by Girish Takle is average. The two love songs could've easily been chopped out. But that's okay, for they portray the romantic and flirty side of our Captain Cool. Also, too many scenes have a character enter a room, open a door, sit, exchange greetings and so on. So, the movie is of 185 mins, and that's long but too less to paint the entire story of a man who is still the captain of the Indian cricket team. (Also, if you are a lover of Test matches, this 3 hour long movie won't test your patience. *winks*)

- The Cinematography by Sudhir Palsane is excellent. The in-camera effects are worth mentioning. Sudhir creates a peaceful and subtle atmosphere that is in synch with the emotions of the characters and the director’s intention.

Music - The music of this film has already been widely appreciated. The soulful and hummable 'Besabriyan', 'Phir Kabhi' and 'Jab Tak' being the absolute favorites. Also, the background music is well constructed in order to maintain the energetic and euphoric atmosphere of the stadium.

➡ The Highs -

▶ The long narrative coupled with impactful performances keeps you invested despite it being a detailed one.

▶ Dialogues such as “Hume Bhi Ek Chance Dijiye Na,” “Naukri Ke Liye Out Thodi Na Honge,” and “Ab Tak Hum Autograph Layak Kuch Kiye Hi Nahi Hai,” are enough to show us how brilliantly, the writers have cracked the persona.

▶ Behind every successful man or woman is a network of well-wishers, talent-spotters, even mavericks (like the railway manager AK Ganguly in Dhoni’s case), who just simply, unconditionally believe in you. This film captures that adorably. And the sincerity of every character is commendable. Passion for cricket of many people made Dhoni, the cricketer. And it almost feels like Dhoni chose this medium to thank the people who have helped him reach where he is now and told the filmmakers only about those situations and moments.

▶ The life of a lower middle class family has been showcased perfectly.
Its so genuine and rooted.

▶ There are adequate scenes in the film that make you joyful, be it the amazing friendship between Dhoni and his friends or his uncomfortable shoots for brand endorsements, the situational comedy will leave you with a smile. Also, Dhoni’s altercation with a Pakistani fan in a hotel and the challenges faced by modern women when linked with a famous personality, is depicted with enough simplicity.

▶ Dhoni bites his nails when tensed, is afraid of commitment, wants to make  his father proud, is mischievous, gets frustrated – like you and us. These tiny bits keeps it from becoming corny, 'Dhoni Bann Gaya Superstar' style; Instead keeps it inspiring by showing  his level-headedness.

▶ The climax is sureshot to give you goosebumps. You know what we are talking of. Also, don’t worry if you find yourself cheering for all the footages of Indian tournaments, included for representation of the iconic moments in Dhoni’s life. We did too! *facepalms*  Such is the power of our fandom and love for the game. The makers would really have to mess it up to take that away from us. But chill, they don't.

➡ The Lows -

 ▶ What you may complain is that the makers choosing to stay away from the rumored problems between Dhoni and his senior colleagues, Chennai Superkings and the whole spot fixing debacle and his sudden retirement from Test cricket. Maybe that's because the last 5-6 years are too recent and the makers wanted to avoid taking any substantial risks. Smart.

▶ There are no dressing room scenes with Dhoni, as captain, making strategies with his team-mates. In fact, there are no scenes with other players at all. Except for a couple of good ones with Yuvraj Singh (Harry Tangri). Also, the success period is rushed, while the struggle is detailed. Maybe it's metaphorical. Maybe Pandey wanted to focus only on the making of our Captain Cool.

Just saying. Maybe. Ahem!

➡ Performances -

▶ Sushant Singh Rajput is the heart and soul of the film. With some help from the VFX team, he looks more than comfortable in Dhoni’s skin. He has aced the ODI captain’s body language to a T. Rajput brings the much required sincerity and restrained language on screen. Be it the small town hesitation or the determination, he proves why he was the perfect choice for this role. This chap deserves an award for this film.
PS - If it had not been for Sushant's impish charm, the romantic scenes might have fallen flat.

▶ Anupam Kher hits a six as the overtly cautious and protective father, Paan Singh Dhoni, who wants his son to be in a government job and doesn't want him to endanger his future by pursuing cricket.

▶ Rajesh Sharma as Dhoni’s coach, who was the first one to find that spark in him, is excellent as usual.

▶ Kumud Mishra is at his best, as one of the hands that backed Dhoni when he needed support.

▶ Bhumika Chawla is simple and sweet as Dhoni’s elder sister, and doesn't disappoint although she is appearing on the big screen after a long time.

▶ Disha Patni, the new face of B-town, has a limited role wherein she repeats a few dialogues, smiles more than necessary trying to be extra cute and makes the audience uncomfortable because of her splayed teeths. *Pffts*

▶ Kiara Advani, as Sakshi Dhoni, portrays her character exceptionally well. You instantly connect with her.

▶ Special mention to Harry Tangri, who portrayed Yuvraj Singh in the film. You'll love his bits thanks to the exact body language. Child actor Zeeshan, who plays a junior Mahi, also didba convincing job.

▶ Also, a round of applause for the men who played Dhoni’s childhood buddies in the movie. They are true friendship goals.

Watch or Not? Yes. Definitely!

Verdict - This movie shows that there is always a team behind a person who is successful. An ode to friendship, struggles, responsibility, compromise and facing life regardless of the unexpected turns and twists. I am completely in awe of how well this movie has been made. You know the dope isn’t hear-say, it is what happened, or at least what Dhoni wants to reveal. The sense of recognition is complete. So is the euphoria on occasion. The hoots from the audience in the theatre, confirm both. That’s the way, Mahi way!

Ratings - 4.2/5
We Love You Dhoni! ❤

🙏❤ PRIZMI TRIPATHI ❤🙏

Banjo - Movie Review. Definitely not bad!

▶ Genre :- Musical Drama / Action 

▶ Runtime :- 2 hours 20 mins

▶ Cast :- Riteish Deshmukh (Tarraat), Dharmesh Yelande (Grease), Aditya Kumar (Paper),  (Vaajya), Nargis Fakhri (Chris), Luke Kenny (Mike).

▶ Plot :- Banjo is the regular underdog drama, in the music sphere wherein four young slum dwellers do odd jobs during the day and play impressive banjo at night. Their music falls on the ears of a DJ in New York (through her friend Mike, here in India) and she wishes to collaborate with them to get into a musical competition. She lands in Mumbai with a hope to find them and what follows, is a lot of predictable twists and turns. 

▶ Direction :- Ravi Jadhav is a filmmaker whom we adore, for making Marathi films like 'Balak Palak' (2012) and 'Natarang' (2010), 'Time Pass', to name a few.

(Also 'Balgandharva', but i haven't seen it yet) He has a unique style of storytelling and that's what piqued our curiosity about this movie. And yes, he holds the direction department with much expertise. The life in the Worli slums has been beautifully showcased by Jadhav. Also, the festive Ganpati spirit is captured very well.

Unfortunately, his incursion into Bollywood with a musical drama doesn't hold up to our expectation.

▶ Script :- Jadhav fails to portray a fresh story even though the subject had so much potential. In its opening credits, the film mentions that it is a dedication to the street musicians all over, however, it completely loses its track after 20 minutes of screentime. Banjo begins on a promising note, but falls prey to the constraints of commercial cinema and plays safe by introducing stereotypical elements like a hero (a part time extortionist, here) with a golden heart, villains (a rival band, here) considering a sudden change of heart, some political / illegal land extraction shit and a love story (with emotions overflowing just from one side). *Sighs*

▶ Editing and Cinematography :- →Devendra Murdeshwar's editing is okay-ish. There were many unnecessary scenes that could've easily been edited out. Like, the rival band beating up one of the members of our band at the railway station, not once but twice.

→Manoj Lobo, as the cinematographer, does a brilliant job. His camera slides over the grit-laden streets and the agonised yet happening lives of the slum dwellers; and does the trick for  the people who can’t face harsh realities with bare eyes.

▶ Music :- The music by Vishal-Shekhar is the best thing of this film. It hits all the right notes and has got all the grooves that'll leave us foot-tapping in the theatre. Except for ‘Pee Paa Ke’, which is completely irrelevant to ths context. Also, the picturization and feel of the songs are commendable. The background score is not too harsh and blends in perfectly.

▶ The Highs :- 

➡ Have we ever glanced at the lads who passionately pound their drums in Ganpati processions, navratri pandals or desi marriages for that matter. Probably not. But this musical piece by Jadhav will make sure we stop and stare for a while, the next time we find any of them bands playing on the streets. We definitely will.

➡ The film touches upon interesting themes like the power of performing from one's heart over performing for one's supper and their desperation to gain respect in the eyes of the people.

But these beautiful ideas aren't formulate well, in the movie.

➡ The comic relief is better than expected. Although most of them were unleashed in the trailer, the gimmicks and the chemistry between the four men is a treat to watch.

➡ Dharmesh Yelande comes out as an excellent performer. He didn't quite get his space to dance here, but he managed to garner all the eye balls through his acting. 

➡ The music score set up by Vishal-Shekhar puts life in this movie and partly becomes the reason we stay glued to our seats till the very end. 

▶ The Lows :-

➡ Banjo would've been more intriguing had the movie concentrated more on the life of Tarrat (Riteish), and Banjo.

➡ The second half keeps dragging for no apparent reason. It would've been better without the repeated conversations and forced conflicts post interval. At one point in the movie, we get a Déjà vu of the 'ABCD' and 'Step up' franchise. 

➡ They have also introduced multiple characters and many of them are completely irrelevant. For example, Chris' friend’s uncle played by Anand Ingle and the real estate owner Pamnani. 

➡ Nargis Fakhri. Why? Why did you cast a model and not an actress as the leading lady? And now that you have, it's wrong on our part to expect any acting form her. So, we are genuinely sorry. *places hand on heart*

➡ There are some serious loopholes in logic in various scenes. One of them is when the band performs at a club and during the song, we can see all four members dancing. 

*Eyes wide open* 

Dude? It was a LIVE band show, right? 

➡ Performances :- 

▶ Riteish Deshmukh plays the lead singer and banjo player Tarraat, who is otherwise a drunkard and an extortionist. Right from the body language to the cockiness, Riteish blows life into the character and proves his mettle as an actor.

▶ Dharmesh Yelande, as Grease, is a surprise package. He nails it as the mechanic and the band's drummer. Also, he has a great screen presence.

 

▶ Aditya Kumar, as Paper, works as a newspaper boy when he isn't playing with the band. His only dream is to own a water tanker. And Aditya does justice to his character.

▶ Raja Menon, as Vaajya, plays shehnai with his father at marriages during the day, and is in awe of fearless Tarraat for the rest of the day.  

- The characters of Paper and Vaajya have a realistic touch through which we learn about the simple dreams that the men from the slums are nursing. Sweet. 

▶ Luke Kenny as Mikey not only looks impressive but also pulls off a decent role. His Marathi speaking dialogues are real fun to hear.

▶ Mahesh Shetty (TV Actor) has a negative role in the film. He does a fine job as far as the acting is concerned. But yes, we find a tinge of over acting in the emotional scenes but those can be overlooked considering the fact that he is from daily soaps. *chuckles*

▶  Nargis Fakhri or a "pair of lips" as she is fondly called, leaves a bad taste in our mouths right from her very first dialogue. It is painful to watch her speak Hindi. No doubt her way of emoting things has improved since Azhar. But you literally cringe when she showers her anger on her boss by using Hindi cuss words. Geez! Stop right there, lady. 

▶ The actor who plays Corporator Patil in the film is also worth a mention.

▶ Veteran actor Late Janardan Parab (Deceased : April 02, 2016) played the character of Riteish's adopted dad. But he wasn't given enough screen time.

▶ Master Ishaan Khopkar is cute as the chaiwalla, who always takes a dig at the band members.

▶ Verdict :-

"Banjo" is an ambitious film that excels in music and drama but fails because of poor writing and shoddy editing. You may watch it if you got nothing else to do, this weekend.

▶ Ratings :-  2.5/5

🙏❤ PRIZMI TRIPATHI ❤🙏

PINK - Review. "Tum Toh Ladkian Ho Yaar".

                                 
You cannot afford to miss this!

Genre :- Courtroom Crime Drama / Social Thriller.

Runtime :- 2 hours 20 mins.

Cast :- Amitabh Bachchan (Deepak Sehgal), Piyush Mishra, Tapsee Panuu (Minal), Andrea Tariang (Andrea), Kirti Kulhari (Falak), Angad Bedi (Rajveer), Dhritiman Chatterjee (Judge).

Director: Aniruddha Roy Choudhury. (Roy)

Plot - Two parties. One accusing the other of molestation and the other, soliciting. Which one of them is lying?
Well, the trailer is pretty confusing, right? And I won't break much of it either. The mysterious, the better.
Sorry not sorry.

- It's portrayal of a system involved with the influential people in pestering the innocent is something we would all have seen, heard of or experienced closely at some point in time and can empathise with.

- Have you ever being judged by the society for clothes you wear? The time you return home from work? Your gestures and friendly attitude? Friends that you have, friends from the opposite sex for that matter? Whether you drink or smoke? Attend parties? You are an independent woman living on your own in a rented apartment and not with your family?
Mostly, Yes.

- Doing the above makes you a woman of questionable character in the eyes of our Oh-So-Liberal society.
Because, you are a woman and "acche ghar ki ladkio ko yeh sab shobha nahi deta" *slow claps*

▶ Direction :- The Direction is top class. Roy takes inspiration from Sujoy Ghosh (Kahaani) for the story telling. But for a debut feature film, Roy has nailed it. One of the best parts about this film is the fact that it visually never shows you the actual incident, up until the end credits. The story is based on the happenings. Therefore, you are forced to vividly visualize and read between the lines of the characters and this helps in building the mystery well.

▶ Editing and Cinematography :- Editing is fast-paced and crisp. Not at any point, is the movie dull. The Cinematography is enigmatic and gives a pleasant experience.

▶ Script :- The beauty of Pink is that it is highly relatable. This could happen to you or any of your friend and that’s why it’s so enthralling. Every single detail right from the prying neighbors, the sniggering co-workers to the indifferent cops, has been taken care of. The movie has been beautifully written by Ritesh Shah and not one, but many social beliefs that the society holds against modern women have been addressed through this movie.

- The setting of the film is in Delhi and before you start to have a problem with that, let's not forget all the cases in the past few years in Delhi that has eventually made it the sexual harassment capital of our country.

- The script rightly raises the point of harassment against North Eastern girls. Andrea's character is from Meghalaya and she admits to being fed by eve-teasing and discrimination many a times because of her being a North-Eastern.

- It is a smack in the face of those who question the way modern women choose to live and the way they dress. And also to the women who misguide people by donning the coat of Feminism, 'This is how it should be done'. Murugadoss, are you listening?

▶ Music :- The background score by Shantanu Moitra is a piano note that keeps ticking, as though almost racing with our thoughts. The movie features one beautiful song that runs in the background and blends in, perfectly.

▶ The Highs :-
➡ There are certain moments in the movie which certainly would bring tears to your eyes. There is a scene, where after the incident, Minal (Tapsee) is commented upon as the girl involved in 'Surajkund Kand', she just puts the hood of her sweatshirt on her head instead of retaliating, Amitabh Bachchan removes the hood.

➡ There’s a wonderful moment when Falak (Kriti) is ready to apologise to Rajveer. But a conversation with him enrages her so much that she screams at him defiantly. After all, this is a man who believes that ‘aisi ladkiyon ke saath aisa hi hota hai’.

➡ I walked out of Pink shaken to my soul. Not because this film is telling us anything new. But because the trauma these three women go through is exactly what Indian women, urban and rural, face on a daily basis. But Pink makes it surreal that your flesh crawls.

➡ The courtroom scenes are cut to cut without any unnecessary scenes about interrogations and finding the proofs, or any songs for that matter; without reducing the scenes to a slapstick punch (Like was seen in Rustom) and keeping it interesting for the viewers.

➡ A much- needed jolt to their senses, this film embraces realism wherever required and furnishes a story that is divinely appropriate and fabulously timed, just to convey an important message of consent that :
When a woman says NO, it means NO. (Be it your wife or girlfriend.)

▶ The Lows :- The 150-minute drama does, of course, have its share of flaws, but not substantial enough to affect your viewing or enjoyment.

➡ We find a lack of detailing in Bachchan's character, as to why is his wife dying or how he tackles the bipolar disorder.

➡The courtroom scenes don't always sample realism, but that can be forgiven as a cinematic liberty is taken into consideration by Roy and writer Ritesh Shah.

➡The political clout which the male group were relying on fails to advance inside the court and we don't see them blackmailing the girls once the trial starts. Strange.

➡ Also, we don't fathom the idea of Bachchan sporting a gas mask every morning he goes to jog. *Thinks*
Maybe because it's the overtly polluted Delhi? Yesss! Smart.

➡ But, one doesn't have time to pinpoint these petty flaws in the film because of the remarkable performances by the cast and the strength of a well-written script.

➡ Performances :-

▶ Speaking of Bachchan, no compliment is big enough for him. At the age of 73, he continues to exude the same fire that was the signature of his 'Angry Young Man' avatar in the '70s and '80s. Not many actors can just stand and gaze and still make it look like a visual spectacle. And the moment he unleashes his famous baritone it multiplies his screen presence tenfold. The way he exclaims "Etcetera Etcetera Etcetera" is sure shot to give you goosebumps.

▶ Piyush Mishra, who plays the role of the prosecution lawyer, is at the top of his game. His performance will make you hate him so much that you’ll chuckle and clap every time Big B gets on to him with his Class-1 comebacks. And we meant that as a compliment to him.

- The lead trio's perfect chemistry is the anchor of this film, as is their appearance and attitude. They come across as real-life friends and real-life middle-class working women living in south Delhi. Full points for that.

▶ Tapsee as Minal, the accused, is so fierce; her facial expressions speaks more than her dialogues. Good going, girl.

▶ Kriti Kulhari as Minal's friend Falak, does a convincing job as the ordinary working woman, who is co-erced to admit a crime which she hasn't even done.

▶ Andrea Tariang as Andrea, does a
brilliant job as the North-Eastern friend. I am glad that this time, Bollywood who has a problem with this part of our nation, has actually cast a Meghalayan actress for the role, unlike what they did in Mary Kom - where they wanted a bigger star. Bleh!

▶ Angad Bedi as Rajveer, the one with the political influence, is so comfortably bad, you want to kill him with your bare hands.

▶ Mamta Malik as the investigating officer Sarla Premchand, gets her act and haryanvi accent spot on.

▶Veteran Dhritiman Chatterjee as the judge is superb.

▶ A special mention to an excellent performance by Vijay Varma as Rajveer’s friend Ankit, who makes you loathe him for his air of masculine entitlement.

Also, the supporting cast is marvellous. There is not a single soul in the movie that doesn't hit the right cord.

↪ Right from the loving, caring landlord who won’t evict them despite threats from a nosy neighbor.

↪ To an estranged boyfriend who says he can either be truthful or liberal.

↪ The 3 overtly arrogant men, deeply preaching misogyny and male chauvinistic mentality.

↪ A cop who wants to refrain them from filing a complaint.

↪ And the lawyer who goes to any extent, asks irrelevant questions and seeks intimate details, to humiliate and deter the dignity of our women

The movie has it all.

▶ Verdict :- "Pink" is gritty, relevant, and a well-executed film that demands immediate viewing for it will be quoted in numerous occasions as we leap forward with a backward mind. *Sighs*

▶ Watch or Not ?
Definitely. Absolutely. PLEASE !
In order to clear all that dust from our society's spectacles, this film is a must watch.

▶ Ratings :- 4.5/5

🙏❤ PRIZMI TRIPATHI ❤🙏

Freaky Ali - Review : This Freaky Ain't Cheeky. ❤🙌

Genre :- Comedy / Drama

Runtime :- 2 hours.

Cast :- Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Arbaaz Khan, Seema Biswas, Amy Jackson, Nikitin Dheer, Jas Arora, Parvesh Ganatra, Asif Basra.

Director :- Sohail Khan

Plot :- Freaky Ali is basically a heroic journey of an under-garment seller, later a debt collector who goes on to become a golfing sensation. But how ? Go see, to find out.

Direction :- Although he has directed quite a films now, yet Khan's direction seems to be a mixture of uncoordinated scenes and there is little to focus on in any of the scenes.

Editing and Cinematography :-
Editing is crisp and fast-paced. There never is a moment where we get bored. The Cinematography by Mahesh Limaye is above average, but not exceptional.

Music :- The music is smooth and pleasant on the ears. The Sufi song, 'Parinda Hai, Parinda Hai', and the qawaali, 'Ya Ali Murtuza', are comfortably installed into the narration. 'Din Me Karengee Jagrata' is visually funny and a treat for the eyes.
And Nawaz. What moves mahn! *Winks*

The Highs -
▶ Nawazuddin Siddiqui is an under rated star, but over the past few years he has managed to develop a cult following amongst the sensible audience with his effortless sense of delivery and smart alecs. And in this movie, he does no different. He carries the film on his shoulders and still shines. *Applauds*

▶ Co-writers Khan and Raj Shaandilya have come up with a modern, fun-filled screenplay that makes the clichéd plot not just bearable but enjoyable. They decided not to waste time explaining the game, but they didn’t compromise when it came to ensuring the swings and putts. So on point.

▶ Sohail Khan deserves a round of applause for spoofing himself of having no talent (Nikitin Dheer is a good-for-nothing gangster named 'Sohail Khan') and getting the golfing bits right. *Bows*

▶ What's the difference between a good and an honest life? This dialogue forms the crux of the movie. And it's good to see how they pulled it off in a more light-hearted and funny manner.

▶ Nawaz’s ‘Chaddi’ monologue and his conversation with a chubby kid at the very beginning is hilarious and makes sure you have a good laugh.

▶ Also, the first half is ridiculously funny and amazing. The situational comedy never fails to tickle your funny bone, especially when Nawaz delivers it.

▶ You also get a glimpse of Ramanna (Sindhi Dalwai from Raman Raghav) in more than one scene -
When Nawaz is seen running behind Arbaaz, trying to hit him with a golf club; when he tries to cut off his hand plaster with a scissor and when he gets mad after losing a match.

The Lows :-
▶ The story is wishy-washy and lacks originality. There is nothing extraordinary in the story that you haven't seen before.

▶ While some dialogues are genuinely funny, there are a few that go under the belt.

▶It would've been wiser if the writers have limited this film to a comic affair.
The unnecessary elements such as match fixing and betrayal is a slight put-off.

▶There is this scene when Seema Biswas stares at an idol of Ganesha and says, “If tomorrow my Ali isn’t able to play, it won’t be his failure, but YOURS!” WTF! Why Bollywood, why? Even Ganesha might be wondering,
"Whaaaaat? What wrong have i done for you to involve ME into all this mess?" Seriously.

Performances -
▶ Freaky Ali brings out an unseen side of the actor that we would love to see more. With this feather in his cap, he proves that no genre is difficult for him and in this full length comic role he is a treat to sore-eyes.
*Claps and whistles*.

▶ Arbaaz Khan's character as Ali's friend Maksood has been copy-pasted from his character 'Makkhi' in 'Dabangg'. Although he does fine, there is nothing new in his characterization and in his acting.

▶ Arvind Parab as the kidnapped old person is too good. He holds his character graph in a very good manner.

▶ Seema Biswas, who plays his foster mom, shines in the emotional scenes but goes over-the-top with her typical Bollywood "Iske paas maa hain" antiques.

▶ Parvesh Ganatra as the side-kick 'Fakroo' justifies his character in every way.

▶ Amy Jackson. Wait. Was there a female lead in the movie I didn't notice? Hmmm. Just kidding. XD
Her only role in the film is to clap for Ali and exclaim, ''Wow Ali, you were too good".
What Sohail? You should've atleast giving her a love song, for that matter. *Chuckles*
PS - Also her overlined lips are downright annoying. *Pffts*

▶ Nikitin Dheer as 'Danger Bhai' tried hard to be a goofy goon, but he seems uncomfortable.

▶ Jas Arora (the cute guy from the music video 'Gur Naal Ishq Mitha') plays an unintentionally funny villain, who is a Golf- champ and loses no opportunity to pick dirt at our Ali. There surely seems a competition of over-acting between Dheer and Arora. And the latter wins hands down. He goes so over the board that even Ali keeps on telling, "Tujhe toh cricket mei hona chahiye, bahut over karta hai”. Bhai, sahi pakde hain. *Claps*

▶ The cute kid Irrfan Khan (Fatka from 'Chillar Party' who is now all grown up) also has a short but sweet role in the movie, as the street kid who looks upon Ali as his idol. Aww.

Verdict -
We don't know whether the critics are under a set prejudice that they have to cut Freaky Ali's marks because. Baar Baar Dekho! *Sighs*
On the contrary, you will enjoy this one better. Although the storyline is cliché, we found Freaky Ali worth all the time and money.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui is one star we love. ❤

Ratings :- 3.1/5



🙏❤ PRIZMI TRIPATHI ❤🙏

Baar Baar Dekho - Review : Ek Baar Dekhna Kaafi Hai. (One Time Is Enough)

Genre :- ROMANCE / DRAMA / Time Travel

Runtime :- 2 hrs 21 mins

Cast :- Siddharth Malhotra, Katrina Kaif, Ram Kapoor, Sarika, Rohan Joshi, Sayani Gupta, Rajit Kapoor.

The much awaited film has finally hit the theatres and boy, is the audience hooked to this film already?
No seriously! With such a good looking pairing, the expectations were always high for how we have been waiting to see Katrina and Sid's chemistry.
So, is it worth all the wait?

➡ Plot :- Jai Verma (Sidharth Malhotra) and Diya Kapoor (Katrina Kaif) are childhood sweethearts. While Jai is a brilliant mathematician who is extremely ambitious, Diya is a free spirited artist who dreams of nothing but becoming Mrs. Verma. Just when the two are about to tie the knot, Jai develops a cold feet and starts feeling that the wedding is a huge compromise he is making that will affect his career.
Just then, we are hit with a time travelling twist. What does the future hold for Jai and Diya?

➡ Direction :- Nitya Mehra debuts as a director with Baar Baar Dekho. Her direction is fresh but definitely has tinges of Karan Johar style larger than life storytelling.

➡ Editing and Cinematography :-
Editing is below average. It gives the film a hurried and rushed feel.
There isn’t one bad-looking frame in this movie, which has been shot by cinematographer Ravi K Chandran. The visuals and locations are lush.
Kudos.

➡ Music :- All the songs are already a hit, especially 'Khair Mangdi' and 'Sau Aasman'. They fit well into the plotline.
'Kho gaye hum kahan' and ‘Dariya’ are also appealing. The picturization and pep factor of 'Kaala chashma' and 'Nachde ne saare' is good.

➡ The High's -

▶ Unconventional concept. If you had a chance to live an entire day in your future - would you then change your present and do things differently or would you succumb to destiny and let it take its course ?
This is what Nitya Mehra's version of  time travel in 'Baar Baar Dekho' is all about.

▶ Just when we start feeling that Bollywood is far from getting the ageing makeup game right, such films prove us wrong. Mark Coulier, Natasha Nischol and the rest of the prosthetics and make-up team deserve kudos for their work on Malhotra and Kaif. Also,
the lighting and camera work in most of the scenes is amazing.

▶ It's generally seen that the wives follow the husbands wherever they are transferred because of the work, be the home-maker, manage everything and sometimes let their own passions and desires take a backseat for the sake of their partner's ambitions. It's beautiful to see this norm break here, wherein the man of the house expresses a fear of losing his partner because of his selfish deeds.

▶This film is supposed to be a social exposition on living in the present, focusing on the small joys of life and not resting your entire existence on a future that is uncertain. It seems half-baked. Nice try, though.

▶ Background score in the second half is smooth.

▶ Special mention to Ravi K Chandran for the cinematography for Sau Aasmaan is quite pleasing. Spectacular.

The Low's -
 ▶ My biggest grumble with the film is that I couldn't buy into the concept it wanted to sell to me. I sort of tried to connect and give into the story, but the lack of logic and crude editing failed to get me on board this time travel experience.

▶ The concept is too hard for most of our audience to digest. You don't understand whether Jai is actually transported in the future or it is his dream or just his imagination. Again, going back and forth only serves to confuse the audience even more.

▶ The writer, Sri Rao, (alongwith the screenplay artist Mehra and Anuvab Pal) gets so involved in the business of time travel that it invests less and less in character development. Therefore, you are so perplexed by the storyline that you fail to empathise with the characters - especially Diya.

▶ Katrina's performance is a major setback for this film as she literally screams in many of the scenes, trying to look cute. Epic fail.

➡ Performances :-

▶ Siddharth has an innate ability to captivate the ladies by his youthful charm and he used that well to play Jai. There is immense maturity in his performance and he's come to know his mettle better. One can say he has given one of his finest performances with this film.

▶ Katrina looks like a million bucks
(Especially in the sangeet song, 'Nachdene saare') and her scenes where we see them as a married couple, reminds us of the dutiful wife she played back in 'New York'.
No doubt she has worked really hard for this role. But oh, her accent and dialogue delivery confirms her still-trying-too-hard-to-act phase.
She literally says 'Kyaann Chhayein' instead of 'Kya Chahiye'.
Also in one scene, she utters to HIM, 'Thum Khyaa SONCHOGI'.
Wuuuuuuut!?!
*slaps head*

▶ Sarika as Jai's mother, is effortless and graceful as ever.

▶ The ever dependable Ram Kapoor, as the rightful father, gets very little space to display his acting chops.

▶ Sayani Gupta slays as the spunky friend Chitra.

▶ And then, Ladies and Gentlemen, there is Rohan Joshi, (AIB fame) whose character had some depth, but he fails to deliver the desired part.

▶ Rajit Kapoor as the Panditji (spirit guide) does a fine job. But it seemed as if his character has not been explored much.

Verdict :- Baar Baar Dekho is a mirror to many of our relationships.
This is a time travel journey you MIGHT want to skip if you are not fond of stereotypical romantic movies.
Coupled with exotic locations, good music and a fresh and pretty cast, this movie is an 'Ek Baar Dekho' affair. But only if you’re a fan of love stories, you will be able to look above the flaws in this film.

The cards are on the table. Choose!

Ratings :- 2.5/5

 🙏❤ PRIZMI TRIPATHI. ❤🙏