Review: Begum Jaan - A Powerful And Strong Piece Of Art That Reflects Reality.

Begum Jaan, directed by Srijit Mukherji, is the Hindi remake of the Bengali movie 'Rajkahini' starring Rituparna Sengupta. Vidya’s much awaited film finally made it to the theaters on Friday, much to the delight of her fans. 

Genre :- Drama.

Run-time :- 2 hrs 14 mins.

Cast :- Vidya Balan, Rajit Kapoor, Chunky Pandey, Naseerudin Shah, Ashish Vidyarthi, Gauahar Khan, Pallavi Sharda.

Director :- Srijit Mukherji.

Plot – The year is 1947. India is going to be partitioned according to the Radcliff Line. That line runs through a brothel owned by Begum Jaan (Vidya Balan). Nearly everyone is happy that India’s getting independence, except her. And why should she be happy? Her palace (That's what she prefers to call it) would be destructed in the whole process. What lengths would she go to protect it? Or will she succumb to the snarly politics going around in the country?

Direction and Screenplay :-

Begum Jaan begins with one of the many hard hitting opening scenes I've seen in a long time. Set at Connaught Place in 2016, it is under the same framework of the Nirbhaya incident. It's painful, and gives you quite the jolt. Later it cuts to 1947, when independence came to India at the cost of Partition and proceeds further.

National Award winning film-maker Srijit Mukherji, who makes his Bollywood debut with Begum Jaan, fails to achieve finesse in technicalities which was required out of a movie that is packed with stellar performances and a taut script. For example, two officers – Hari Prasad Srivastav (Ashish Vidyarthi) and Ilias (Rajit Kapoor), former best friends, who have been divided by the Indo-Pak Partition - in charge of executing the Radcliff Line, meet each other after a long time. Before the scene could make an impression, Mukherji films it in a wide-shot with the two men at the extreme ends of the frame, with EXACTLY HALF their faces visible. He keeps alternating between the actors’ solo shots, needlessly distracting us, drawing attention to craft. And we get the intention ­– partitioned face, as in part of a whole, in a film focusing on Partition. It is so obvious. But no, he is unsure and repeats it later in the film, in a different scene with the same actors. Why oh why?!  

Vidya as Begum dives into the skin of the character and swims effortlessly through it. Vidya’s Begum is a hookah-snorting, razor-tongued woman with an authoritarian air, she is the master of her fate and fortune. From Gujarati to Bengali to Awadhi to Punjabi, her brothel has women of every caste, language and religion. She (Vidya) usually grabs attention in all her movies. But this movie has all of its actors performing to the fullest and it's hard to point out who is better than the other. Also, the very idea of the characters explaining things to the audience under the pretext of talking to each other is fresh and commendable. 

Editing and Cinematography:-

Editing by Praveen Prabhakar could've been better. With abrupt cuts and switches, it seems like a ride filled with more than few speed-breakers.

The visual-palette of the film by Cinematographer  Goopi Bhagat is like a series of Raghu Rai photographs drained off their magic partly but manage to adjust to the required tone of the film. Certain shot-taking choices such as slow motions, rain sequences, climax are supremely mastered and served by him.

Music:

This is one of the many movies which didn't require songs interrupting the smooth narrative. But speaking of the album, each of the tracks is a treasure. 

Anu Malik has managed to create magic by creating beautiful songs by bringing together the best of the bests to lend their voice. “Prem Mein Tohre” and “Woh Subah” are the best of the lot. 
The latter which is a recreation of the classic composed by Khayyam and lyrics by the legendary poet and lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi, speaks for the film in Shreya-Arjit’s voice. 

With the former,  Prem Me Tohre, sung by the supremely talented Asha Bhosle, the lost art of making soulful renditions about love and its sheer power seems to be back. Thank you, Anu Malik - the man who gave us unforgettable music albums in the ‘90s. 
“Holi Khelein” is perfectly orchestrated and sung by Sunidhi Chauhan and Anmol Malik wheras “Azaadiyan” by Sonu Nigam gives a very expected ‘LOC Kargil’ feel. Lastly, the stunning lyrics from “O Re Kahero” will leave you speechless and moved.

The Highs -

▶ There's a strong gasp-worthy scene when a new girl is brought to the brothel and she is in a state of complete shock. She has stopped responding to anything — until Begum slaps her out of her stupor and she has a cathartic breakdown.

▶ The strongest parts of the movie are its script and dialogues. The narrative is layered and the dialogues are powerful. The performances are each better than the other.

▶ Begum was of the opinion that it doesn't matter if the country gets independence or not, for women will always remain oppressed, unsafe and treated inferior to men. Well, not everything she felt was untrue. After 70 years of Independence, women are still fighting for equal human rights. *sighs* And Srijit manages to depict this, in the most powerful manner in the first 5 minutes. With an unfortunate incident occurring in Delhi of 2016, the Tricolor plays a silent spectator at the back. It hits hard at your soul. And for a moment, you can’t move.

▶ The usage of cuss words and terms which are derogatory or “gandi baatein” in the eyes of the society are effortlessly used and woven into the narrative without hindering the film viewing experience. Also, slapping certain issues which have been too sensitive for the Indian audiences till date, without wrapping it under a velvet cloth is both daring and commendable.

▶ Also, a round of applause for the Censor Board too, please, for they have allowed the film to run with hardly any cuts but just some alterations in few words.

The Lows -

▶ Sometimes, the girls come across as extremely inept and ineffectual, their lingo and accents is particularly labored, the body language seems too designed and deliberate.

▶ Mukherji struggles in sustaining a mood, often disrupting the film’s flow with needless songs. There’s a song on Holi, a song when Indians and Pakistanis cross the border, a song when a local king (Naseeruddin Shah) visits the brothel. Mukherji, it seems, is constantly trying to hammer home a point, forbidding us to create our own meanings. It’s 2017, and we want our filmmakers to, at least now, stop handholding their audiences, stop guiding them where to look, what to listen to. Don’t they find us intelligent enough to have figured that out after two hours of viewing time!

▶ There is a love scene between Gauahar and Pitobash, wherein the latter confesses his “lub” for the lady, in a cute and innocent manner. This scene, till a point, is both heartfelt and funny, but Mukherji keeps stretching it, making it loud and obvious, and ultimately dilutes its emotional heft.

▶ Some of the crudity in dialogue and scenes seem deliberately aimed at sensationalizing, eliciting wolf-whistles from the male audience rather than being sensitive to women. 

Performances:-

▶ From the unibrow to the contact lens, Vidya is perfection as the Begum. Not only is Balan here privileged with the punchiest of quotations and the most decisive of actions, even the horizon dissolves into her thinking face. There are two sides of Begum’s personality. One is the self-important side, who when she talks, seems to be reading out from her own resume. And then there is the Begum who wonders about the changing realities around her, and who can feel the earth beneath her feet slipping by. And Vidya Balan nails it with a puissant performance. A scene between her and Shah towards the end proves her mettle as a well experienced actor when she emotes just with her eyes.

▶ Pallavi Sharda as the vulnerable Gulabo, among the sex workers at the brothel with a traumatic past — doesn't get enough screen time but manages to strike a cord with her performance oozing fortitude.

▶ Look who's back. Back again. It's Chunky Pandey and he isn't joking this time. He plays the polar opposite of the roles he's been seen in so far, as the the antagonist here who the government appoints to get the brothel uninhabited. He's promising as the ruthless lad who finds the worst possible ways to inflict pain on poor Begum and her girls. *Applauds*

▶ Rajit Kapoor and Ashish Vidyarthi, as two friends united by heart but divided by boundaries, have a long-lasting impact on your being and the changes in their personal relationship due to the changes in the political environment is one of the highs of the film. Their character development gradually helps in making the narrative strong.

▶ Naseerudin Shah as Rajaji, has been provided with an understated role but he does fine. His character bows down to his own era and has more charm than the spirited fights of the other characters.

▶ Gauahar Khan as Rubina stands out in the sea of other characters playing sex-workers, probably because she has been given impressive dialogues and a lot more screentime than other ladies. Her Punjabi accent seems boisterous after a while. Trying too hard, eh? But she manages to cover that up with her dialogue delivery in a scene with her love-interest alongside a river.

▶ Supporting cast consisting of Flora Saini as Maina, Priyanka Setia as Jameela, Ridhima Tiwari as Amba, Raviza Chauhan as Lata, Poonam Rajput as Rani and Sumit Nijhawan as Salim justify their roles.

▶ Gracy Goswami (Nimboli from Balika Vadhu) as Laadli aces in one fiery moment.
▶ Ila Arun as Amma, manages well as the old lady who knows way too much.
▶ Pitobash as Begum’s handyman and pimp Surjeet, is amazing and manages to shine in the part given to him.
▶ Mishti as Shabnam hardly has a line in the whole 134 mins film. (Fun fact: She is the same beauty whom we see in the Vicco Ad during the interval in theatres, saying, “Kya aapko mere face par dark spots dikh rahe hai? Close-up main bhi nahi? Kyunki hain hi nhi!” *Facepalms*)
▶ Rajesh Sharma as Inspector Shyam and Vivek Mushran as Masterji do fine in their respective roles.

Watch o Not ? Definitely. This is how a woman-centric film should be. Begum Jaan is high on content, emotions, (metaphorically) colors and mind-blowing performances supported by meticulous visuals.

Verdict : Good intentions also need to meet good craftsmanship; the abundance of one can’t compensate for the lack of another. Therefore, to cut out the confusion, Begum Jaan warrants a watch for the significant storytelling, background score (most of the time), a quintessential performances and awe-inspiring visuals.

Ratings -  3/5 (Considering the technical flaws).

Trapped Review: A Spine-chilling and taut thriller that instills our faith in Indian Cinema.

TRAPPED - MOVIE REVIEW.

Over the years, we've seen how in most survival films the protagonists are caught in extreme situations - between boulders (127 hrs), stranded in the sea (Life of Pi), washed ashore on to some uninhabited island (Cast Away). Trapped is about the horror and danger lurking in the ordinary and mundane – a modern tale about the likelihood of getting marooned in the security and safety of your own home, here, between the hush-hush of Mumbai. No wonder the threats and the fears are so gruesome.

Trapped marks a step in history of Indian Cinema as the first movie that willingly left the interval and provided uninterrupted show. 
("What!? There is no interval? Yes. There isn't).

Genre :- Thriller/Survival Drama

Run-time :- 102 minutes.

Cast :- Rajkummar Rao, Geetanjali Thapa

Director :- Vikramaditya Motwane.

Plot – ‘Trapped’ is a story of Shaurya (Rajkummar Rao), who falls in love with his office colleague Noorie (Geetanjali Thapa). Noorie is set to get married to someone else. Shaurya wants Noorie to be with him, but does not have a decent place to live with her. Thus, Shaurya decides to rent a good place for both of them. With minimum budget, Shaurya ends up getting a vacant flat in a disputed high rise building. Before he could let Noorie know about the place, Shaurya gets trapped inside that empty flat.
In the absence of food, water and electricity, 35 storeys above the ground, he struggles to remain alive by resorting to measures like lighting a fire, throwing things out of the window like television and so on. However, everything goes in vain and the zeal to live drives him to be audacious. But how far can enthusiasm take him? Does he succeed or his physical and mental turmoil takes a toll on him? Watch the movie and find out!

Direction and Screenplay :-

As a storyteller, director Vikramaditya Motwane makes sure to create the required tension with the first rate pairing of writers Amit Joshi and Hardik Mehta. The screenplay has a quality of interlocking elements like Lego which are being fueled by Rajkummar's brilliant acting, thus giving this movie a boost.

Motwane deftly demonstrates, an unearthly vision of the present-day Mumbai. The city is a silent member of the cast. It gives Shaurya the power to dream, but displays a hostile and opposed behavior beyond the grilled windows through which he yells for help. His screams ricochet through the air, and he learns the hard way that in Mumbai, you are well and truly on your own, even in the middle of a crowd.

The pithy and poetic writing shows how a social animal trapped in a society (getting the pun) uses every element in the barely furnished apartment as a weapon towards his freedom. As victory is fleeting, and sparks of hope are quickly getting extinguished, A rat drops by, pigeons flutter in, and a cockroach becomes a metaphor for life. This is a great piece of artwork.

There are scenes wherein the whole theater squirms and gasps at the same time, be it FOR or WITH Shaurya, thus depicting how impactful the story telling is.

The only problem with ‘Trapped’ is that the movie has a one liner story and runs mainly on its screenplay, which starts to move unsteadily like a drunkard in the last 20 mins and loses its connect towards the climax. The culmination part is highly missing. 

⏩ Editing and Cinematography :-

The Editor, Nitin baid, has managed to keep it short yet meticulously interesting. Full marks on that. But on the contrary, Trapped does not quite manage to convey the inevitable passage of time in that cramped space. I mean, some particulars about time, would have smoothened the seam.

Cinematographer Siddarth Diwan's camera moves in accordance with the facts and reality in our protagonist's ordeal. Diwan draws us into Shaurya's struggles by hugging him so close that it often feels like we are walking alongwith him rather than watching him.

⏩ Music :-

Background svore plays a pivotal role in making this movie lot more intriguing and exhilarating. Alokananda Dasgupta, uses ambient noises like metal scraping,  metal clangs, or the water droplets falling on the floor, which goes well along with the scenes.

⏩ The Highs -

▶ Rajkummar Rao, he becomes the movie’s thumping heart. Rao’s talent has been highly demonstrated in his previous films, and it reaches its apex with Trapped. Despite inanimate objects and mute creatures to play off against, Rao brilliantly and effortlessly transforms the location and the movie into a battlefield of emotions and takes you along, in his journey to escape from his agony.

▶ Trapped makes us look afresh at all the obvious things we take for granted. A plate full of buttery  pav bhaji or the ride in the Mumbai local packed with sweaty bodies, the daily stress of office, the luxury of bathing, or simply a packet of biscuits suddenly seem life-affirming and meaningful when life itself is slipping away from you. Such is the beauty of Trapped.

▶ A thought-provoking concept. The same flat would have otherwise felt like a great room with a magnificent view - sprawling, shiny new constructions, the sea at a distance. However, for Shaurya it becomes a hell hole, despite the “welcome” banner on the wall. A place he gets shut in without a soul being aware of his whereabouts.

▶ We all have had certain fears as kid, which have registered their place even in our adulthood. My being rats and a paranormal presence hiding behind the curtain. No kidding! And Motwane has zeroed in on such fears and succulently whipped up the sinister quotient of the movie. Some sequences are so precise and impactful, it made me shook an imaginary rat off my foot, only to realize that what I mistook for a rodent was in fact my footwear, which I had removed for comfort. Embarrassed enough, I looked around to check if my fellow audience had noticed my shameful plight. To my luck, they had not. Phew!

⏩ The Lows -

▶ While there are small plot errors like
- Our hero finding conveniently placed Match-Box with an unending supply of matchsticks,
- Not a soul in his life bothering to look for him.
But they are too immaterial and irrelevant to focus on.

▶ For the most part, what we get is a surface feel of the man behind his appearance. Too much has been explained about his physical condition and too little regarding his psychogical order. This is the only thing that prevents Shaurya from entering into the league of Chuck in Castaway, Pi in Life of Pi and Aron in 127 Hours.

▶ Shaurya’s survival tactics remain admirable throughout if you give them some thought, but the manner in which they are portrayed becomes too matter-of-fact after a while and ceases to inspire the awe towards the end.

▶ One major glitch that needed better handling is when there was a hope, Rao’s character could have done more to get the attention. (NOT A SPOILER, CHILL)

⏩ Performances :-

▶ Trapped showcases Rajkummar Rao's best performance till date. A scene where he is petrified of a rat is one of his best scenes from his career. Whatever role he gets he transforms himself completely into the character; viz - Nawazuddin Siddique. May it be a young and bubbly journalist that we saw last year in Aligarh or a destitute poor farmer who gets ‘trapped’ into the vicious cycle of money in ‘Citylights’, he is undoubtedly one of the most talented young actors working in industry today, and he surely deserves an award for the same.

▶ Geetanjali Thapa is reasonably effective in her brief appearance in as Shaurya’s friend/partner Noorie.

▶ Khushboo Upadhyay has barely a few seconds of screen time, but those moments are enough to note that she is an artiste with a screen presence who is worth watching out for.

⏩ Watch o Not ?
Defi-effin-ately!! Waiting for me to buy you a ticket? Comeon! Grab a popcorn and sit back to enjoy this enthralling and spine-chilling ride. This is one such movie that has instilled my faith, in Indian Cinema.

⏩ Verdict :

Motwane’s smart approach to the story-telling, the screenplay, his understanding of Rajkummar Rao as an actor and his strengths and then Rajkummar’s comprehension of what the character and director demand, these people made the movie worth every penny. Facing your fears and life being an unending cycle - Trapped is a movie worth watching out this weekend. The movie is so stimulating that from now on, if I go someone's house or in a room alone, I will definitely check whether the knobs are working, electricity is fine and yes, the battery is fully charged.

Ratings -  4.3/5

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.

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 ❤🙏