Sachin Review: A Straight Drive Direct To Our Hearts.

Whaaaaat? Released already? Yess mister! Sachin has hit the theaters this Friday and people can't seem to stop talking about it. To be more specific, I can't. I tried my best to hold back the tears, but I cried my heart out. It was like a trip down the nostalgia portal, from which I never wanted to return.

⏩ Genre :  - Sports Documentary.

⏩ Runtime:- 2 hrs 20 mins. 

⏩ Cast: - Sachin Tendulkar, his friends and the whole country (including you). YES, YOU!

⏩ Director: - James Erskine.

⏩ Plot – Seriously? Still, wanna know? Just Google "Sachin Tendulkar." Google it! Arre karr na. 🌚

⏩ Direction and Screenplay :-

Sachin: A Billion Dreams is a tale of a restless 10-year-old boy and his journey from watching India's first World Cup-winning skipper Kapil Dev lift the trophy, to the fulfillment of his dream of holding it in his hands for India. He is the most celebrated sportsperson in India, a virtuous hero who created an era, which Indians are proud of.  It is more of a documentary, wherein you get to see Tendulkar's cricket and personal life in substantial detail, as well as it reveals few aspects of his life which have never been heard of or seen before. 

Directed by Emmy-nominated James Erskine, the film took over four years in making and features some real never seen before and some made-up footages to trace the journey of Tendulkar from a young boy to unarguably the greatest batsman of all time.

The fantastic narrative style of Lil Master touches every corner of the viewers' hearts. The sequential picturization of every important aspect is very beautifully crafted by James Erskine through words. Insertion of the logs from Dhoni, Kohli, Ajit Tendulkar, Sourav, Bhajji, Yuvi, Sir Don, Sir Viv. Richards and lot more gift a gorgeously decorative frame to the film. 

The film showcases finely the relationships between Sachin-Anjali, Sachin-His Father, Sachin-Ajit but the relationships like Sachin-Sourav, Sachin-Rahul and so on are not so well-narrated but fine.

⏩ Editing and Cinematography:-

Cinematography by Chris Openshaw is cool suiting the light-hearted feel of the movie. He has used cool and subdued undertones for the most part of the movie.

Editing by Avdhesh Mohla is smooth and the bites of all his friends and family are appropriately allocated. 

 ⏩ Music :-

The background score by A.R Rahman has been rightly placed and it gels beautifully with the narrative offered by Sachin and keeps you fascinated throughout. The usage of ‘Vande Mataram’ is one of the finest in our Hindi cinema. ‘Hind Mere Jind’ and ‘Sachin Sachin’ will stay with you for a long time after you leave the hall.

⏩ The Highs -

▶If you’re of the generation that grew on Bhajji’s off spins, Sachin’s masterstrokes, Ganguly’s aggression and Dravid’s ‘Mr. Wall’ days, this will bring you back to Cricket once more. And not to mention, ‘Sachin… Sachin… Sachin… ’ never dies. Because Sachin isn’t a name. It is an emotion.

▶ No matter how many times we’ve seen the clip, it’s impossible to not cheer at the World Cup Win, 2011 or choke up while watching Sachin deliver that heartfelt retirement speech at Wankhede. 

▶ I am so thankful this isn't a biopic, but a documentary about a man, narrated by the man where he tells his own story in his own words. Not a journalistic or potboiler approach but a sincere and honest depiction which is so intimate and personal, in a way where the audience claps and cheers alongside those who clapped and cheered live, years ago. That beautiful feeling of having already experienced the present situation in the past and still enjoying it with the same sense of euphoria.

▶ What makes the movie endearing is a peek into his private life like his love story, footage from his wedding, the birth of his two children and the special bond he shares with his father. The footage might be blurry at times, but you don't mind as it engrosses you. 

▶ People who are not associated with cricket might not experience the same magic but still will like the film. The documentary styling might not highly appeal to the masses. But come-on, his life doesn't involve controversies for you to expect masala and high voltage drama. Calm yourself. 🌚

▶ Sachin has squeezed his heart into the narration. One can see the spark in his eyes in many scenes (especially when he talks about his father and mother) making you connect with his feelings and emotions.

⏩ The Lows -

▶ The dramatized version of Sachin’s childhood track could have been better as well as engaging but honestly, this doesn't cause any void in your movie viewing experience since you're so overwhelmed by all the other things. And after the childhood phase passes, there isn't a single dry spell in the movie.

⏩ Performances :-

▶ Since this is a documentary, there are no performances as such but yes, Sachin seems to have done a lot of work in his delivering style, approach, and expressions. Definitely more convincing than "Boost is the secret of my energy." 😹

▶ Jokes apart, he might not be an actor but he engages you with his story-telling and it's impossible to be unmoved with his disappointments and achievements.

⏩ Watch o Not? 

Defi-fucking-nately! You gotta watch this one if you're a cricket fan (well that's almost the entire country) and have grown up watching this legend bowl us over with his extraordinary prowess in the field and his humble attributes in real life. 

⏩ Verdict : 

This ship sails through the air of nostalgia, relatable moments, motivation, achievements, spirit, admiration, hardships, never say no attitude and our collective love for a man whose name we turned into a chant. You gotta be too ignorant or ahem, Maria Sharapova, to miss this masterpiece our very own, Lil Master.

Get ready for a goose-bumpy ride! I can bet on the fact that by the end of the movie, you'll be the happiest you've been in any movie so far. Do yourself a favor, please!

Pro tip - Get yourself some tissues just in case, you know. 🙈 Also, please don't hold yourself back from cheering with the audience - "Sachin... Sachin!!" 

Ratings -  4.5/5

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 ❤🙏

Dishoom - Delivers An Impressive Punch. 👊❤

🎭Genre :- Action-Comedy/Buddy Cop

Runtime :- 2 hrs 4 mins.

👔Cast :- John Abraham, Varun Dhawan, Jacqueline Fernandes, Akshay Khanna, Saqib Qureshi and Rahul Dev.
Akshay Kumar and Nargis Fakhri in a cameo.

✍Plot :- When India's top batsman goes missing in the Middle East, two cops from either side of the Arabian Sea team up for a 36 hour manhunt.

Talking about the direction, Rohit Dhawan did a decent job. The 'Desi Boyz' director managed to pull off some beautiful scenes.
Although the storyline is quite predictable and clichéd, the engaging narrative, coupled with rich visuals and high octane action, humour, work in favour of the film. Add to this the star power of John Abraham and Varun Dhawan, which will definitely attract the youth.
Also, the chemistry between the actors, especially during the comic scenes make for an entertaining watch. The movie no doubt has all the style, swagger and glamour, but it would have been a better bet had the director paid a little more attention towards the script.

👀Cinematography and Editing :- The Cinematography is neat and vibrant. Also the glitz of UAE makes it more appealing. The Editing could've been better, since i found few sequences unnecessary. Like the one chase sequence with Rahul Dev.

🎶Music :- The music crisp, fitting well with the vibe of the film. It begins with the title track 'Toh Dishoom'. Sung by Shahid Mallya with ample use of Raftaar's rapping, the song's highlight are its lyrics. The right use of bass and Punjabi tadka give this one a distinct touch. With 'Sau Tarah Ke', the composer falls back in his 'Afghan Jalebi' mode. The Arabic lyrics lend an exotic flavour. 'Jaaneman aah' is crowd pleasing.

✔ Some High's :-
▶John Abraham and Varun Dhawan’s bromance. Their chemistry is very much a reminder of our Dhoom jodi, Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra.
(See - Comparing Varun to Uday ? She mad or what? Chill. I am comparing the chemistry between both the actors, and not their individual talents. 😂)

▶Fancy FJ Cruisers, speed boats and drone based action sequences are enough for enthusiasts. Also, shot in Abu Dhabi, the swanky locales of middle east are impressive.

▶The humour quotient is high and it promises to keep you entertained till the very end. There are some silly one liners but they still make you chuckle.

▶The surprise cameo by Akshay Kumar is applaud worthy. 👏👀

✖ Some Low's :-
▶Of course, there are stupid scenes such as John’s character getting off a plane with a lit cigarette. Well, there’s a reason you don’t smoke near the planes. Don’t want to blow up yourself, do you? 😑
Also, it is plain annoying to show someone throwing smoke on someone else's face.

▶Also, what's with the name VIRAJ SHARMA?
Like Virat + Yuvraj + Rohit Sharma. Seriously? Duhh!

▶Rohit Dhawan’s Dishoom tries hard to be a Rush Hour - esque buddy cop film but thanks to its clichés, comes hardly any close.

▶While the focus remains on John and Varun, the writers fail to establish the antagonists character much.

Performances :-
➡ John Abraham as Kabir maintains his steely 'Rocky Handsome' persona  and after a while, his character and acting starts to bore the hell out of you. But he is still passable as the no nonsense guy because who would want to see him try anything near comedy after 'Welcome Back' or 'Housefull 2' ? Certainly not me. Thank god for his hot body, he is still appealing. 😍❤

➡ Its unfortunate that Varun Dhawan has nothing new to offer. After 'Main Tera Hero', 'Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania', his character as Junaid is once again the chirpy chocolate boy like. Nonetheless, he is extremely likable and instantly grabs your attention in the film with his comic timing and cute looks. With the natural, cocky charm of a young Will Smith - a fact alluded to when Dishoom references Men In Blackwith its heroes calling themselves K and J -- Dhawan is spontaneous and funny but, most importantly, sincere.
He is the main highlight of the movie. 👏😘

➡ Jacqueline Fernandez as Ishika lives up to the expectations once again and proved that she has nothing to do with acting at all. Of course, her sexy moves in Sau Tarah Ke make-up for most of that missing acting.

➡ Akshay Khanna in spite of being a good actor and the antagonist in the film, gets limited screen time. But he plays the evil bookie Wagha, with ease.

➡ Akshay Kumar gives one hell of a cameo in this film. And those 5-7 minutes are downright hilarious. 😂
He adds the bun in 'man-bun'.
 *Whistles* 😉

➡ Saqib Saleem Qureshi as Viraj, obviously knows how to hit full-tosses all over the place. Saleem is a fine performer and the cricketing bits seem as authentic as they need to be.

➡ Then there is a pug named 'Bradman' which reminds us of 'Frank' from 'Men in Black'.

➡ Satish Kaushik as Mr. Qureshi is excellent and funny. 😂 The idea of his character is impressive.

➡ Parineeti Chopra’s item number is already popular and ends the film with much glitz and glamour.

➡ Nargis Fakhri? *Ignores*
(You really want me to even add anything more? 😂)

❤ The film’s best parts are Dhawan asking a helicopter pilot to pull over 'side mein,', Satish Kaushik trolling people on the phone and Varun Dhawan saying, "If the characters in 'Lagaan' would've had a 'Weather App', it would've been easier for them to track rains and would've saved a lot of their energy spent on singing songs." And John's reply to this is hilarious. ❤😂

▶A special mention to the film's stunt directors for shooting some breath taking action scenes in the film.◀


It's a complete Bollywood masala entertainer. Light on script, heavy on entertainment. At any point it doesn't hobble or hurt your brain. 😉
All in all, it delivers a decent Dishooom! 👊Up

Ratings - 3.2/5 ❤

✍ ♠PRIZMI TRIPATHI♠

Azhar - A Vague Biopic. 🏏🏆

🚩 Well, I would like to appreciate the fact that biopics like Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Mary Kom, Azhar are being made in Bollywood. Since, the industry has tried to stay clear of this genre through most of its existence. Also, the taste of the viewers are changing with the era.

🚩 Basically, Azhar was the scapegoat of a scandal that had involvement of many on the field and off the field. And the court did over-turn the ban but the whole process took so long that it became besides the point. A story untold.
Well, if you are already aware of the reasons why Azhar was proved innocent, this movie has nothing extraordinary to offer to u. "Azhar" is basically a window, displaying this nonchalant cricketer's journey from losing all the respect he has, to gaining it back. Also, some excerpts from his life like his marriage to his first wife Naureen, and the extra-marital affair with Sangita are being focused in this 131 minute long movie. Buh, this movie focuses on everything that made his life controversial, and not much on what made him memorable...
Like, the elegance of his batting, his eccentric fielding, his calm and composed nature, the popped collar. It is a sports film, sans the sport.

🚩 The initial disclaimers are several, filling the entire screen with phrases like, "imaginary film", "any kinda resemblance is mere coincidence", etc. Phew.
Also it went on to claim, that "It isn't a biopic."
What ?
Then why was Azharuddin present for most of the promotional events ?
Playing it safe ? Oh... we get that. 😋😉

🚩 Also, one more major setback of this movie is trying to dissemble the actual identity of the players, events or time by using just the first names making it a spiritless venture. Also it is, Azhar Mohammad and not Mohammad Azharuddin. Duh-ah ! 😓

🚩 After watching the movie, this question is bound to strike even a layperson: if indeed the cricket council (Ssshh ! Dont u dare say BCCI. 😝) had framed Azhar back then, what were its motivations? I wish some light was thrown on this particular thing.

🚩 There are two ways to make a biopic – you either position it like a docu-drama or take the populist route. Director Tony D'Souza opts for the latter, which is a clever move because Azharuddin was always a people's hero.
Away from the spotlight, the rich and the famous often deal with heartburn, heartbreak and humiliation to get to where they are and stay there. Mohammad Azharuddin's success and subsequent fall from grace were as public as it can get. Which is what was required.

🚩 A scene in the latter half of Azhar indicates the potential of Azharuddin's story. That marks one of the nicest scenes in the movie. Now hated by the fans who once adored him, Azhar is running out of platforms to interact with the public and press. He even goes ahead to inaugurate a gym and the so called owner behaves with him in a very unlikable manner, as if he owns his time. That scene is sureshot to make u cringe.

🚩 Music :- 'Oye-Oye' is a blant remake of the hit. The one's that stand out are 'Tu hi na jaane' & 'Bol do'.

🚩 Talking about the performances,
Azhar surely deserves A Watch.

➡Emraan hashmi is at his earnest best. He is one actor, who is famous for his kissing, than his awesome acting skills. He nails the walk and the charisma of the introvert cricketer, more important, gives the cricketer a certain vulnerability that is hard to resist even when all else around him in the film fails. The popped collar, the tabeez, his onfield mannerisms are adapted exactly as Azharuddin. Emraan gave his best to uplift an almost dead written script. His hard-work is worth watching.

➡Nargis's performance as Sangeeta (Again, Not Bijlani ) relies entirely on her hotness to tide over her awkward dialogue delivery and inability to handle serious emotions.

➡Prachi Desai too has played more or less the same character through her short career: a simple, innocent, pretty young thing. There's more to her character and her performance in this film though. Her Naureen is controlled, her heartbreak believable.

➡It also has Gautam Gulati (of bigboss fame) with his OTT acting. Buh that's okay coz mahn, he is hawt ! 🔥

➡In a small role as Azhar's Naanujaan, Kulbhushan Kharbanda is a loveable presence as always.

➡Lara Bhupathi and Kunal Roy Kapur play lawyers in courtroom scenes that are set in a mediocre manner. None of the courtroom scenes match the nearly perfect ones from JollyLLB. Some good moments between the Judge and Kunal saves the dreary writing of those scenes. The lack of content in most of their arguments, the fakeness of the set and Dutta's excessive makeup is a big flaw.

🚩 Azhar was presumably made because it had such a controversial figure at its centre, arising out of the fixing-matches-for-money controversy itself, which had such a deep-seated impact on the game. It isn't so well-executed, buh it surely deserves a watch.

🏁 Ratings - ❤❤❤
An extra heart for Emraan's dedication and hardwork. 💐

                          ♠ - PRIZMI TRIPATHI - ♠