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. ❤🙏

Don't Breathe Review - Don't Blink, Don't Talk, Dont Move During This Movie. 🙊👅

Genre :- (Home Invasion) Thriller

Runtime :- 1 hrs 28 mins

Cast :- Jane Levy (Rocky), Dylan Minnette (Alex), Daniel Zovatto (Money), Stephen Lang (Blind old man).
Also, the Dog plays a vital role. *Winks*

Director: Fede Alvarez

Plot :- Hoping to walk away with a massive fortune, a trio of thieves break into the house of a blind man who isn't as helpless as he seems. Sshh! There is a monster on the loose. *Gasps*

Direction/Screenplay :- Take a bow, Alvarez! The beautiful direction nb makes this movie, more visually appealing. The camera is always taking in new and interesting angles and the action is pretty well shot. It helps build up the tension and also helps create the illusion that the house is a maze that there is no escape from and they're being stalked by someone who knows the layout better than they ever could. The ploy has some goofs, but they are still passable.

Editing and Cinematography :-
The film is fast paced and brilliantly edited. Cinematographer Pedro Luque conveys the terror of being chased by a lunatic in absolute darkness without resorting to traditional, green-hued night vision.

The High's -
▶The movie pulls off the mean trick of not giving Lang (Blind Man) any dialogue for almost an hour of screen time. Well, the hulking, brutal actor doesn’t need lines to convey danger. What makes this movie even greater is that Fede Alvarez, the director of the Evil Dead remake, delivers only 4 major characters on the screen if you don't count the feral dog. Overall, it has a strong plot and unique vibe to it, as it relies more on visual storytelling and sounds to drive the film rather than plenty of dialogue.

▶ The blind man (whose name we never learn) turns the tables on his visitors simply by flicking the lights off, making them stumble around inside a dark, cramped cellar and all these makes for terrifying horror shenanigans.

▶ The first half of “Don’t Breathe” contains several tight set pieces in which sound or the absence of it plays a critical role, and the craftsmanship of the filmmaking is impressive -- a retro pleasure.

▶ It's definitely an edge-of-the-seat thriller for people who aren't regular watchers of this genre. It had me at the edge of the seat in the climax, and every time I thought it was over, the blind old man came out of nowhere.

▶ I feel that this is a movie that'll divide audience loyalties. They play with the idea of who the hero and the villain is. You'll find yourself switching sides throughout the movie, I did a few times. Nobody is the hero here and all the characters have twisted and selfish motivations. I prefer main characters who aren't saints, they're easier to identify with, that way. It can be hard to do that, but this movie strikes that balance and I enjoyed it that much more for it. Not an easy feat to achieve.

▶ The sound design is another key component to what makes this film work so well. Every creak on the floor boards add to the already overwhelming tension.

The Low's -

▶If there's one gripe about the film, there's a plot twist that doesn't quite work. If you are a regular visitor of this genre, you will find it predictable in parts.

▶ Also, what bothered me the most was I felt that at one point, the movie became too violent and disturbing, in a way. You will definitely understand what part I am referring to when you come across it. In fact, I don't think this specific part was too physically violent or disturbing, I just believe that this violence, lets call it, was misplaced and irrelevant. This killed the suspenseful atmosphere of the film, for a while.

But that itself is a minor complaint compared to the many things the film gets right and does so well. I won't say more.

Performances -
➡ Stephen Lang as the blind man steps into movie history. It's like stinkmeaner from the Boondocks, but he's white. (No, I am not a racist. Dont judge me.) He once said throughout the filming process, he couldn't really see anything as he wore scleral contact lenses. How hard is it for someone to do that? You answer it for yourself.
Also, this blind 64 years-old man is hot as fire. *Drools*

➡ Jane Levy (Evil dead Remake, fame) as Rocky hits all the right chords as the helpless invader.

➡ Dylan Minnette as Alex puts forth a strikingly believable performance. You empathize with his character many a times.

➡ Daniel Zovatto does a good job playing this jerk named Money, who is plain annoying and always stoned.

➡ All the actors in this movie have given ace performances. The sheer terror written on their faces throughout the movie is incredibly realistic.

Final word - Don't Breathe is a technical achievement, the rare studio film that actually pushes what film can do as a medium. However, like with Green Room, try not to get caught up in the hype, even with my glowing review.
Also just a heads up if you haven't yet seen the trailer for this film, I recommend not seeing it cause it actually spoils part of the movie.

Don't Breathe is a effectively intense thriller that's smarter than the average suspense film and it does a good job putting you right in the middle of the action.

I strongly recommend checking this one out in theaters. Just like the standout horror movie of this year (Lights Out), this movie won't disappoint you. ❤

Ratings - 3.9/5

▶🙏 PRIZMI TRIPATHI 🙏◀

Akira Review - Yeh Sinha Sabko Khaamosh Kar Degi. ❤

Genre :- Drama / Action
Runtime :- 2 hrs 28 mins
Cast :- Sonakshi Sinha, Anurag Kashyap, Konkona Sen Sharma, Atul Kulkarni, Amit Sadh.

Whoever has denounced Sonakshi Sinha for her style quotient and acting spirit earlier, Akira is a tight slap on their face.

Plot :- A quartet of Cops finds a huge amount of money at an accident site and they decide to keep it with themselves. Basically, Chor hain saale. And in a bid to cover up this crime, they go on committing crimes one after another. And this innocent soul from Jodhpur gets trapped into their vicious circle of crime. Will the Cops plead guilty? Will Akira serve for their crimes? Watch, to find out.

Direction :- A. R. Murugadoss, the director, has left no stone unturned to make this one, a thorough entertainer.
The first 30 mins of the movie has been beautifully shot and directed. Too much efforts have been taken into perfecting the action scenes that the technicalities in the high voltage scenes fall flat. I mean, you don't get emotionally involved with Akira's character because the workings of her mind, her motivations and her feelings, remain a mystery.

Editing and Cinematography -
The Editing is fast-paced. Thanks to the editor Sreekar Prasad's crisp editing skills. The cinematography is lit and the grungy effects in some intense scenes adds to the wow factor.

Music -
Just one song has been featured in the movie, that too in the background.
'Kehkasha tu meri', composed by Vishal-Shekhar.
Personally for me, a no song film is always a preference. It helps in maintaining the intensity of the plot.

The Highs :-
▶The first half is actually good and gripping. The plot is perfectly set before the interval, you crave for the second half. The story by Santha Kumar is engaging that makes Akira an out and out edge-of-the-seat thriller. The best part of the film is that it is probably one of the few films that isn’t bound to a male protagonist.

▶ Watch out for Sonakshi.
She has dropped her typical "Just there because - Well... Our hero needs a heroine and also we have to add some romantic numbers"
image
(See - Rowdy R, Dabangg, Action J, etc.
Wait! All her previous films. *chuckles*)
and donned the character of a fiery lady who kicks ass, literally.
And yes, this lady isn't afraid of 'thappad' or 'pyaar' but she is afraid that she might accidentally kill you if you mess with her.
A round of applause for her, you guys.

▶ The direction is good. Scenes are well - lit, perfectly captured, sound effects are bang on. And why wouldn't it be? Its Murugadoss after all.

▶ Though the film is a Hindi remake of a Tamil film 'Mouna Guru', 'Akira' stands out in several aspects.

▶ Kashyap as the antagonist is one of the best things in the movie.

▶ The social cards like acid-attack, empowering women to learn self-defense techniques, differently abled and abled co-education has been laid down and it works in favor of the film.

▶ The background music is well constructed. Also,

▶ Full points to the filmmaker for trying something new. Its best aspect lies in the blazing fast set pieces and allow you no time to stop and think. The story takes many turns, and their unexpected nature is what keeps you invested in the film.

Some Lows :-

▶The second half is a lil disappointing. The director spent too much time in getting the action right, that he got most of the emotions wrong.

▶THIS IS NOT A WOMEN CENTRIC FILM!!
It's as if Sonakshi has stepped onto Sunny Deols shoes from Ghayal. She is Kapoor, Kumar and Khan roled in one. That's it.

▶ There are so many things that happen in Akira, things that look grave, demand all your attention but are forgotten conveniently. Ghajni mode on? Eh?
- A women dies in an apartment and there is no serious follow up.

- An important man with 8 'khokas' of cash dies in an accident. Forget importance. This guy has some crazy stash of cash. And nobody gives a fuck about in-depth investigation. Why?

- And why was Konkana Sen Sharma’s character pregnant? What is the connection, bro? Fukat ka distraction.
Or wait. Inspired by Kahaani? Just to make her look competent. Smart. *Smirks*

▶ Some scenes are too ludicrous, their idea of clever scenes begin with lines like,
“Main Jodhpur chod ke kahi nahi jaungi.” Cut to Sonakshi slipping into Jodhpuri chappals.
Because Jodhpur… Jodhpuri !
Get it ?
*Slow claps*

▶ And jabtak there will be no bullets left in my gun at crucial moments, tabtak bollywood ka feel kaha se ayega?
Like really!? That's so 1980's, mahn. Move on! *Eye-rolls*

▶ And there’s really a sense of ridiculousness that occurs towards the end, when Sonakshi's character compares herself to Jesus Christ.
Daughter India replacing Mother India.
Kuch bhi karoge kya? Tch. Tch.

Performances -
➡ Sonakshi is excellent as Akira, the human version of Supergirl. She nails the character and makes it believable. This is her finest performance so far.
Her much slender figure since Dabangg adds to her visual appeal. Plus, this lady got some moves mahn!
And it is always sexier to see a woman bashing up goons, standing against the corrupt system, kicking some serious ass. Isn't it?

➡ Kashyap’s relaxed, wicked delivery hits all the right notes and his original vocation comes in handy as well. There is this scene where he directs a sub inspector in filing an FIR report, it seems similar to a director demanding redrafts of a problematic climax in the script. His introduction scenes remind us of his own film, 'Dev D'. Plus, he has got some of the wittiest and smartest dialogues in the movie and he delivers it with his husky charm.

➡ Konkona Sen doesn't have a big role to play, but she does full justice to the role offered to her with her usual style of acting.

➡ Amit Sadh has a very ordinary role. So ordinary, you can't decide whether he is Akira's love interest or 'Just a friend'.

➡ A noteworthy performance from the other cast is that of Lokesh Vijay Gupte, who brilliantly portrays the corrupt cop in ACP Rane’s gang.

➡ Also the mentally challenged women playing Sonakshi's friend does a great job.

➡ You also get to see Ankita Bhargava, (Ladies! Yeh hai mohabbatein? She is Raman's real-life wife) and she makes you cringe everytime she is on screen.

Last word - It is an entertainer, no doubt. But the technical as well as logical aspect falls flat in some sequences. For the overall masses, this is watchable. It has all the South-Indian tadka to it, it keeps you intrigued till the very end. Plus, it has Sonakshi in a brand new avatar.
Make some time and watch it this weekend, before Bappa comes your way.

Ratings -
Critical - 2.8/5
Entertainer - 3/5

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi everyone.❤
🙏 Ganpati Bappa Morya! 🙏

❤ 🙏PRIZMI TRIPATHI🙏 ❤