Padmaavat - Bewitching Visuals With A Factually Flawed Narrative

Right upto the release of his highly anticipated period drama, certain fundamentalist organisations committed various acts of violence, threatening the makers and  demanding a ban on the movie based on MERE assumptions that this film insults their community/people. Ironically, Padmaavat is an ode to the bravery of the Rajputs, in an irritating way which makes you question its authenticity.

So dear protesters, if you’d sit back on your seats and relax... allowing us to discuss cinema? Please?

Padmavati / Padmaavat

Genre :- Period Drama

Run-time :- 2 hrs 43 minutes

Cast :- Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Shahid Kapoor.

Director :- Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Plot – Based on Malik Muhammad Jayasi’s poem Padmaavat, The film tells the story of Rani Padmavati, second wife of Ratan Sen, king of Mewar, who immolated herself to save her honour from Alauddin Khilji.

Direction and Screenplay :-

Coming from a director who is known to satiate the insatiable appetite of an audience who relish a dish filled with high octane period action, emotions, drama, garnished with aesthetically beautiful frames and setting... Padmaavat/Padmavati doesn't disappoint.

From the word go, SLB creates a world so dreamy, layering it with the majestic grandeur and simplicity of the Rajputs and Singhals.

Bhansali’s Padmaavat is based on the 16th century fictionalised poem Padmavat by Malik Muhammad Jayasi. Most modern historians concur that Rani Padmavati a.k.a. Padmini is a figment of Jayasi’s imagination although Alauddin Khilji and Ratan Singh a.k.a. Ratan Sen a.k.a. Ratnasimha are historical 13th-14th century figures.

Editing and Cinematography :-

At 163 mins, the movie is a little long but considering the fact that it's a period drama made to perfection with all the subtle nuances, the runtime somewhat seems justified.

Sudeep Banerjee has proved his mettle once again with his stellar cinematography. The setting of lighting is absolutely immaculate, especially the night sequences and scenes that are to be lit only using the light from Diyas.

Music :-

Ghoomar song is the inarguably the best song in this film, perfectly choreographed, flawlessly executed and a visual treat.

Ek dil hai is beautifully sung by Shivam Pathak with a soothing rhythmic structure and a combination of soft drum beats  and qawwali-esque claps. Khalibali is Khilji’s dance song, basically 5 mins of Ranveer Singh showing off his exurberant energy.

Apart from the tuneful 'Binte dil,' even the music does not match up to what Bhansali’s films have delivered in the past.

But I was blown away by the sheer grandeur and the powerful background score which was archaiclly set with the dramatic moments.


The Highs -

The technical chemistry between SLB's direction and Sudeep Banerjee's cinematography is spellbinding. Give the latter one, an award already for perfectly blending illluminating and vibrant colour palettes and breathtakingly crafted frames. I could've easily watched the beautiful painting that they have created with just lights and camera angles.

Deepika Padukone is the only actor in the film who actually manages to evoke the depth of the character without making it dull or exhausting to watch – a convincing perfromance as an epitome of grace, elegance and valor throughout.

Ranveer Singh alongwith his undertaker esque eye-rolls, holds the pulse of this film which is otherwise a super attractive canvas painting with a weak story base.

Just like Bajirao Mastani, it’s not just the extravagance in Padmaavat that catches the eye, but the precision with which it’s applied. Every twirl of every sari and every arrow in every battle appears to have been guided by the hands of angels.

The action and war scenes meet the expectations and somewhere in between reminds you of the epic Thor and Hulk battle, sans the superpower of course.

The Lows -

By investing too much time to showcase the actors simply swooning at each other, the connection between the driving story and the audience gets lost somewhere in the second act of the first half.


Maharaja reminds me of present day Rajkummar Rao's Newton, righteousness incarnate, who succumbs to his USOOLS (principles), walking into the den of a lion and then blaming him by saying, “Hey you’re not supposed to eat me! I trusted you.” Really dude? *runs away and cries in a corner.*

The bland chemistry or just the lack of chemistry between Deepika Padukone and Shahid Kapoor, it is even pale in comparison with that between Jim Sarbh and Ranveer Singh or can be considered even less than the love-and-hate relationship between Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh – who don’t even share a single frame. Hisaab lagalo bhai.

Also, why in the sweet hell is the word “nayaab” repeated so many times that it loses all the UNIQUENESS? WHY?

Why the biasness with both the male leads? If Alauddin wants a woman for himself, he is portrayed as lustful, whereas Raja Ratan’s betrayal of his first queen for Padmavati is “pure love.” Alauddin gets no plate and is made to eat major meat chunks directly with his hands while Maharaja Ratan gets a Rajdhani Thali? *scoffs* Bahut na-insaafi hain. Jokes aside, Khilji’s character has been partially represented, by just portraying him as a barbaric and a maniac imperialist and not a good strategist because many Historians believe that Khilji was anything but savage.
Also, don't forget to note the sly homophobic comment where they expected us to laugh whereas I choked on the hypocrisy.

The Jauhar sequence didn’t go well with me. I mean, Bhansali does try to make a warrior queen out of Padmavati who rebelled against her enemy and even the direction and all were fine but adding a scene which glorifies self-immolation (mildly reminiscent of Ketan Mehta's Mirch Masala), in a time where movements like #MeToo breathe... and even worse, making the queen seek her husband’s permission for taking her own life – exclaiming that even her own death is in his hands, outbalances Bhansali’s intention.



Performances :-

Ranveer Singh’s portrayal of Alauddin Khilji is flawless, meaning he justifies the director’s vision of Khilji - as a dirty Sultan (literally and figuratively), whose face is always smeared with what appears to be a disgusting combination of blood and mud even while he is not on the battlefield. And Ranveer bites his teeth into the character like you bite your teeth into a burger, and makes you loathe him, everytime he is on screen. Powerhouse!

Shahid Kapoor as Ratan Singh has precisely one expression on his face from start to end, which is so disappointing, considering how amazing he was in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Haider (2014). Nevertheless, he looks everybit a noble king, with angelic eyes screaming his innocence and a face that appears as if it was just cleansed with a charcoal based facewash with a fake tan, of course, because “dessert.” COME ON!! There is one particular scene towards the end where he is challenging Khilji and he almost transforms into “Thakur” from Sholay, the best thing being, he is also wearing a shawl.

Deepika Padukone personifies Royalty as Rani Padmavati and proves why she was the perfect choice for the character. This woman plays nurse, is witty, strategizes war and political moves, hunts deer, plays nurse, sews clothes, is a dedicated wife and dances with elegance and grace wearing a 50 kilogram ghaghra (well yeah, I am exaggerating the last part. Inhone movie exaggerate kar li yar? Mei toh fir bhi ghaghra kar rahi hu :/ )

Amongst the unidimensional leads, it is the ever radiant Aditi Rao Hydari as Khilji’s wife Mehrunissa, who makes a mark – standing out because of her controlled act, making you long for more.

Jim Sarbh is underutilized and appears just like a cardboard cut out.

Watch o Not ? Watch it for SLB's archaic vision, grandiose, Deepika Padukone's fierceness and Ranveer Singh!

Verdict :

It is basically the pedestalizing of the Rajputs - To put it in a better way, Padmaavat is just Bhansali trying to win the lauds of the mentioned clan by glorifying them, rather unrealistically, and showing the Khilji’s as cringe-worthy monsters who never bathe. The movie otherwise wins hands down for the background music, breathtaking visuals, complete attention to the details, brilliantly camerawork and cinematography, VFX (especially 40 mins towards the climax) and ofcourse, Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone who shoulder the factually flawed film. It definitely keeps you hooked, just not as interested as Khilji was in Padmavati.

Ratings -  3.5/5 (Extra 1 just for the bewitching visuals and Deepika's performance)

Mukkabaaz - A Knockout Punch In The Face Of The Prejudiced Society. 🔥

We thank you for this, Anurag Kashyap! What a start to 2018. ❤

⏩ Genre :- Action/Sports/Drama

⏩ Run-time :- 2 hrs 35 mins

⏩ Cast :- Vineet Singh, Jimmy Shergill, Ravi Kishan, Zoya Hussain,

⏩ Director :- Anurag Kashyap

⏩ Plot – An amatuer local boxer trying to make his mark in the boxing world and lead a respectful life. His road to the ring gets filled with hurdles as he rubs Bhagwandas Mishra (Jimmy Shergill) the wrong way, who swears on making his life miserable. Will his passion and zest lead him to the top? Or would he succumb to the pressure from the political clout?

⏩ Direction and Screenplay :-

And he does it again. Mukkebaaz is hands down one of Anurag's best movies.

Mukkabaaz has all the socio-political flavors you'd find in an Anurag Kashyap film - And yet, it is different because it feels like the director is finally out of the zone where he wants to make a point. This story is being told because the story ought to be told and not because he wants to tell the story.

And it feels good to see that the Director has drifted from the usual - By focusing on the narrative than the style, little to no punch lines, adding more intensity through the characters and delivering us, a movie, that can be watched ALONG WITH THE FAMILY. Yes, you read that right!

⏩ Editing and Cinematography :-

The editing by Aarti Bajaj and Ankit Bidyadhar could have been a bit better as many moments in the second half seem stretched out a little more than they should've, cutting the movie down by a good 25 mins.

The cinematographers Jayesh Nair, Shankar Raman and Rajeev Ravi have doen a brilliant job of ensuring that the fierceness is maintained by using a vibrant pallette for the depiction of impactful scenes in the movie.


⏩ Music :-

The score by Rachita Arora hits all the right chords and adds value, thus helping the viewers to connect with the emotions of the actors. Paintra and Bahut Hua Samman are amazing with apt lyrics while the other songs blend well with the theme of the movie.


⏩ The Highs -

▶Mukkabaaz has the exact atmosphere, intensity in performances, passion and dedication required for moving the audience and making sure the movie stays with you even after you've left the hall.

▶The edginess of the movie is sharper because every time you think the situation is exaggerated you remember this is inspired from a true life story. And the impactful performances, seem to back the empathy.

▶After meeting Anudeep Singh, who was very passionate about getting into boxing but couldn't pursue it for various reasons and has been doing his bit by coaching newcomers for free, Anurag asked Vineet Kumar Singh to train under Anudeep (by not revealing his identity) as he would impart him the exact grounding required for the role.

▶Giving his leading lady Zoya Hussain, the role of a mute woman, it is commendable how Anurag has symbolized the raw reality of the behavior of the patriarchal society towards women who voice their opinion in such regions.

▶ Ravi Kishan explaining the meaning of Mukkabaaz and Mukkebaaz is one of the finest scene in the film.

⏩The Lows -

▶At 2 hrs 35 mins, Mukkabaaz feels a little dragged. The pace keeps dipping in the key parts due to which the movie seems but stretched. Also, the touch of humor and drama can be blamed for making that last hour feel like a bit of a drag.

▶The indirect political remarks could have been avoided (at two places), where they seemed forced.

▶The finale seems compromised due to which the impact of the film gets slightly diluted.

⏩Performances :-

▶Vineet Kumar Singh is outstandingly brilliant in his performance and boxing parts. You'd cheer for Shravan because of the actor’s pure dedication and a realistic depiction of a boxer.

▶Zoya Hussain displays her beautiful talent with total grace and effortlessness.

▶Jimmy Shergill lends strong opposition and charms you with his swag and menacing delivery style. He essays his character with such conviction, you'd end up hating him. Which is infact, a good thing.

▶Ravi Kishan as the coach is powerful and has his moment to shine.

⏩Watch o Not ?

Definitely, a BIG YES!!! Do yourself a favor and watch this amazing movie which packs a knockout punch in the face of the grim reality of the current society and inspires you to follow your passion, no matter the circumstances.

⏩Verdict :

Casteism, feminism, bureaucracy, state of sports – Mukkabaaz takes on all these causes in its stride. It puts them with the story of a boxer who faced roadblocks from all directions – enough to get you riled up and thinking about all the wrongs in our society today.

Ratings -  4.2/5

Insidious: The Last Key - Doesn't Scare, But Scars You

⏩Genre :- Horror/Thriller

⏩Run-time :- 1hrs 45 mins

⏩Cast :- Lin Shaye, Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson

⏩Director :- Adam Robitel

⏩Plot – Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) is going on to examine the current supernatural troubles happening in a house in New Mexico, a home that Rainier used to live in, which will cause her to travel deeper into both her past and The Further.

⏩Direction and Screenplay :-

Being a prequel to the 2015's hit Insidious 3, this one serves as a back story of the famous demonologist Elise (Shaye) and her experiences in The Further.

▶Unfortunately, the writing by Leigh Whannell makes this one, nothing but a ghoulish offering, indicating that the franchise is coming to a close. The story itself also does not feel detrimental to the overarching plot of the series. Couple this with some fairly lifeless ghost scares which are unintentionally funny, making this the least engaging film in the series.

I honestly had huge huge expectations as Elise was going to be the heart of this installment. Unfortunately, all the jump scares and good part were revealed in all the trailers barring a major twist (which, according to me, is the only saving grace in the whole 103 mins film whatsoever).

▶Director Adam Robitel showed some serious potential when he helmed the found footage movie – The Taking Of Deborah Logan. And even though Adam used some beautiful shots which "could've been" used to scare the audience, the script fails to shoulder it and the movie falls into a chasm of boringness right within the first 15 minutes.

⏩Editing and Cinematography :-

▶Editing by Timothy Alverson is smooth but few glitches involving 2-3 flashback scenes, makes the viewers quite uncomfortable as the seam seems (see what I did there? :P) lost in transition.

▶Cinematography by Toby Oliver is quite appealing and favors the atmosphere of the film. The dark blues and heavy smokes, make scenes set in "The Further," particularly grim. Also, there are 3 scenes towards the beginning for which Mr. Oliver deserves a round of applause. (Come-on, clap!)

⏩Music :-

▶Apart from Lin Shaye, the background score is actually what makes the film bearable. Well, I don't know about the Last Key but the key to raising the hair at the back of your head is the spine chilling music by Joseph Bishara (who incidentally was the lipstick demon in the original film, if you don't already know). The haunting and creepy soundtrack coupled with Lin Shaye's delivery makes sure you don't get up from your seat.


⏩The Highs -

▶The narrative is more focused in the character building of our hero, giving us more of a look at where this woman comes from and how her abilities have shaped her life.

▶Tucker and Specs are the highlights and act as apt comic reliefs once again. These two have so much potential, I wonder why isn't their dark comedy spin-off in works already!?

▶Javier Botet (REC, Mama, Crimson Peak,etc Why am I even... Just google him you guys!) who plays the central ghost and has now become the go to guy for playing spooky monsters thanks to his Marfan Syndrome affliction. This guy nailed it with just his hand gestures, making the key-fingered monstrosity, already my favorite creation.

▶Whannell’s screenplay is based on the idea that humanity is at times as monstrous as the creatures that roam in the night but the very idea succumbs because of the pressure of justifying the genre, leaving your satisfaction somewhere in between.

⏩The Lows -

▶Failure in creating a scary atmosphere. There’s rarely a sense of true and absolute danger to the main characters let alone the audience.

▶Way too many loose ends. The storyline is so messy, that one particular scene was so out of character for Elise, it ruined her development over the last 3 parts. Sore!

▶A good horror movie is like the process of good sex, it makes you scream! And as a horror flick, Insidious is so immature, you’ll want to leave way before the climax

▶In one particular scene, Elise' niece is pinned down on the ground by KeyFace (This is they've used in the credits. I am not even kidding) and he is progressing towards her... (wait for it) What was supposed to be scary and intense gets hilariously stupid as the lady keeps on making moaning sounds constantly for about a minute, till the Key Monster reaches her! I know, right?
The whole theater broke into laughter because... Hey! What else are you expecting when your camera is shamelessly focused on the movement of the subject's assets as she is hyperventilating while producing moaning sounds. *Scoffs*



⏩ Performances :-

▶Taking a moment here to appreciate the fact that this generally successful horror franchise installment has a woman in her 70s as the lead character who is a well-reasoned badass who displays equal measure of compassion and badassery.
Lin Shaye is just what this film needed.

▶Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson as nerdy ghostbusters are fun for most of the part but go over the board sometimes as they awkwardly creep on starlets half their age.

Also, the line -
"She is the psychic and we are sidekicks," made me cringe over and over. (*Mouths* No, seriously! Who says that?🙄)

⏩Watch o Not ?
Uh... Skip? Maybe.
The demonic creature itself in this film does not have much time to shine and while the finger gag is unique and intriguing, its overall design is lackluster compared to past antagonists like the Lipstick-Face Demon from the first film.

Also, where the fuck did the alien-esque monster go? 😭

⏩Verdict :
The fourth film in the “Insidious” tetralogy is only worth your time if you are an avid horror enthusiast or a fan of the Insidious concept. For the vast majority of the general public, the film will fail to attract any new fans. While the past films featured well-crafted sequences of spookiness (which “The Last Key” contains in fleeting glimpses), this film really should be the last “Insidious” sequel.
But this chapter gives Lin Shaye, a new relative who’s also a poltergeist whisperer. So more installments can be expected. 🙄

⏩ Ratings -  2/5

Golmaal Again Review - Saving Grace For The Golmaal Franchise!

Director: Rohit Shetty

Cast: Ajay Devgn, Parineeti Chopra, Tabu, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade, Kunal Khemmu, Prakash Raj and Neil Nitin Mukesh

Plot: An adventure of five friends who are on a quest to save the orphanage they grew up in, from a high profiled goon. Things go haywire when an eerie supernatural presence lurks in the background.

Direction and Screenplay -

When you witness a group of actors posing alongside or on super expensive sports cars on graffitied sets, where the sky is filled with colorful confetti and there are 100s of people dancing in the background, you know who the executor of this carnival is. Yes! Rohit Shetty who is known for making larger than life movies with an extravagant cast did the same this time around but a notch better than what he did with his last 2 installments of the Golmaal franchise.

Props to him for reviving the Horror-Comedy genre which was lost and almost extinguished after the disasters like Great Grand Masti and  Kya Super Cool Hai Hum.

The Direction by Shetty fares well and it's lovely how most of the sequences are shot covering a scene in its entirety in one continuous sweep without involving editing of any sort. On the other hand, the loosely based shots and establishing long shots are a problem as it makes the objects too sharp to seem real.

Yunus Sajawal (screenplay) and Farhad Sajid (dialogues) are actually good for the most part of the movie with the slapstick comic lines and showcasing character attribute to their best. But few slices are repetitive - Like the one where the ghost gives a "demo" of its existence followed by some over explanation by the cast.

Still, the movie has its moments. Like genuine moments that play out well-generating giggles and squeals at the cinema hall with some even rolling with laughter.

Editing and Cinematography:-

At 150 mins, Golmaal Again is wayy too long for some audiences to sit through, without yawning. But the camaraderie between the actors and their USP saves this ship from sinking.

Talking about the cinematography, the opening aerial sequence over Ooty and the song Neend Churayi Meri were garishly color corrected and unbearably loud. While the rest of the movie was quite according to the mood and setting of the plot with quirky, warm and vibrant colors.

Music:- 

Pritam Chakraborty who is known to be quite inspired by golden hits, failed to strike a chord with his rehash remixes of
"Neend churayi meri."

The Highs -

Being a follow-up, this one traces back the relationship of the fab five right to their childhood in order to explore and showcase the genesis of the characters. Also, there are a lot of references right from "chinese billi" to "lagana dikhana."

This movie has an endearing mix of wordplay and buffoonery involving a bunch of grown men acting like nincompoops. And to add to this, the background music of more than one fun sequence is straight out of Tom and Jerry. 

The previous parts had Rimi Sen and Kareena Kapoor as mere eye candies. But thankfully in this part, the women and actually given a substantial and strong role. Tabu and Parineeti literally and figuratively, drive as well as fly the film's narrative.

The film even throws in a couple of social messages, like anti-superstition statements and a half-baked girl education line.

The real laughter generators of the movie is the not-so-subtle placements of products. It’s a laugh riot to watch how lazily with little to none thought the products are placed unapologetically floating around in the screen. I mean... We see you, Ching’s Secret, Finolex, Kwality Walls and others. We see you loud and clear!

At one point in the film, when Prakash Raj’s Vasu Reddy gets almost electrocuted while touching a stage mic, Lever’s Pappi Bhai does an exaggerated version of the same thing. Takes a pause. Turns around to say, “I was kidding. I’m experienced at this." We see what you did there, Johnny Boy. 

There are some scenes that are just so silly that you can't help laugh at the silliness. No seriously, I'll let that pass because hey, who doesn't fancy a good laugh.

The Lows -

The addition of subplot drags the movie. Prakash Shetty murmurs in one scene - “Mujhe sirf ek achche plot se matlab hai (My only concern is a good plot)”. We know right? Same.  Same.

The background score is deafening (except for the paranormal scenes) and could pierce through your eardrums. So please carry earplugs or cotton along.

Sometimes jokes are stretched too far, ceasing the smile that had just begun to erupt. And dude, why the well would you think of using Ku Klux Klan costumes for the ghosts? I mean the idea is completely lost on me. We are tolerating Trump already, can't bear the sight of the KKK getting back in action. 

Also, the hideous father-daughter hooking-up jokes don't help at all.

Gopal falls for her and it’s almost pedophilia, considering they all refer to her as ‘bachchi‘ (child), with her trotting around in dungarees and talking like a child. It gets more questionable when, in his mind, the two of them are dancing to a rendition of the song Neendh Churayi Meri, a song that came out when Parineeti was eight years old. And Devgn, who was in the original song, was a well-established hero back then, paired with his now-wife, Kajol. Even for the sake of pop-culture, it’s unsettling enough.

Performances:-

Tabu, as a level-headed librarian Anna with superhuman ability to see ghosts, tries to lend some subtlety to her role and actually maintains the stability.

It would be a while until Parineeti Chopra grows out of her manic pixie dream girl-like characters. It's getting way too much now.

Ajay Devgn as Gopal, the angry youn... ahem man shows his vulnerable side by being petrified of ghosts and therefore, hates nightfall.  But when it comes to fighting off goons, he turns his Singham mode on with a menacing stare, swift punches and kicks and a body language as cool as a watermelon. Sometimes he gets too much into the Singham character, that it feels as if he will now break out into the famous, "aata maajhi satakli" but thankfully he uses "main yeda hain" instead.

Arshad Warsi is effortless as Madhav, the ultimate prankster who never lets Gopal rest easy with his devious tactics.

Kunal Khemmu as Laxman Sharma is the best in the gang and with a timing as accurate as a discuss shooter, he is skilled enough to lift the sagging spirits of the audience.

Lucky's (Shreyas Talpade) lisping is fun to listen to because of the properly placed dialogues.

Tushar Kapoor gets a complete voice changeover by a veteran actor. Naming him could spoil all the fun for you so I'll leave it at that.

Also, watch out for a supercool cameo by one and only... Bola na I won't spoil it. Sshh!

The supporting cast is better than the primary cast in many scenes.

Sanjay Mishra elicits many laughs as a Shatrughan Sinha imitator with an attitude of an old hipster. Backed with terrific delivery and a style of his own, he is sure to tickle your funny bone. B. O. R. N, Bone! 

Johnny Lever proves that he is still in form, not with the jokes, but with his all-time famous execution.

Watch o Not?

Trying to reinvent a horror comedy genre in Bollywood, Golmaal Again has its moments and should please those that seek it out. Not so good as far as the script is concerned, but its the performers and their timing and knack for generating laughs that keep you glued. The way the writers and the cast demand that you stay invested in paper-thin characters is commendable. This film is meant for all those who don’t bury their heads into the serious. If you don’t go there so much as a purist but rather as someone who enjoys a good jolt and moderate comedy, this is well worth catching. And just in case you missed it in the trailer, the movie sends at least three reminder pleas asking you to remember it is not about logic when it is magic. Yeah, we get that!

Verdict :

Nevertheless, Golmaal Again makes for a decent watch if you are cool with a long first half and a dark and confusing second half. It’s a film that would appeal to many just because it belongs to the “oh-so-funny” Golmaal franchise and if you are looking to kick back and relax. If not for the gang of five, watch it for the supporting cast, the real heroes of this mish-mash.

Ratings -  2.9/5 

Tubelight Review - Slight Flicker, More Shine.

Tubelight, the Bollywood adaptation of an American movie Little Boy (2015), is Khan's fourth straight Eid release and his seventh since 2010.

As far as the Indian audiences are concerned, Salman Khan is metonymous with Eid and for distributors, Eid is metonymous with Salman Khan. 

Genre :- Family Drama 

Run-time :- 2 hrs 51 mins.

Cast :- Salman Khan, Matin Rey Tangu, Sohail Khan, Zhu Zhu, Om Puri, Yashpal Sharma, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub,

Director :- 

Plot –Tubelight, a drama set during the 1962 India-China war is about Laxman doing​ everything in his power to bring his brother Bharat back from the war zone, in one-piece. 

Direction and Screenplay :-

From the actor-director duo who gave us blockbuster's like Ek Tha Tiger and Bajrangi Bhaijaan, this is yet another installment which if not anything will surely leave you teary eyed with the perfect concoction of emotions, drama, music and some first rate performances.

The movie would've definitely fared better had the screenplay and narrative been tight enough to hit home.

Regardless, Tubelight splinters the boundaries of conventional Bollywood male machismo and presents a vulnerable but brave protagonist who lets his heart lead him through the complexities of the world around him.

Cinematography :-

Cinematographer Aseem Mishra has given a well-shot cinematic ode to the topography of a small town in Kashmir. A wonderful job capturing the gorgeous locales, stark beauty, even that of the war.  

Music :-

Pritam, a frequent collaborator with Kabir Khan, has struck gold with the compositions for this album.

‘Tinka Tinka’ bags a place in my favorites list for its emotionally potential lyrics and soulful voice of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.

‘Naach Meri Jaan’ takes you to a gleeful headspace and is more like an invitation to celebrate the forthcoming festival, Eid.

'Radio' is just another crowd pulling song, aimed at getting stuck in your ears.

'Main Agar' could've been better with regards to the lyrics.

In one word: Addictive. 💕

The Highs -

▶ To be honest, acting has not always been a strong point of this mainstream actor. But in recent years, we have been seeing a sea change in his attitude, persona and adroitness in acting. And this one surely falls under the list of sufficiently good acting by Salman Khan. 

▶ The background music is garden-fresh and sets an ebullient mood right from the title sequence to the end credits​.

▶ This one's a tear jerker. Except one or two places, all the other scenes have a perfect blend of emotions and drama.

▶ Kabir never disappoints with his direction. Perfectly shot scenes coupled with above average special effects will make sure your eyes are glued to the celluloid.

▶ The chemistry between Matin-Salman  and the real life siblings Sohail-Salman is one of the high points in this movie.

The Lows -

▶ The weakest thing about Tubelight is the pace. It is slow enough that it almost hit my snooze button. Well there are saving graces, but not enough to save this ship from sinking. 

▶ The screenplay is very dry for it to strike the exact chord with the audience. Had there been a little more spice in this dish, it would've been more palatable.

▶ Salman has definitely worked hard in order to portray the character of an uncorruptible simpleton and it is evident in his performance. But there is a thin line between being 'just right' and going 'over the top' and Salman somehow breached it by tossing it over to the "now that's completely unnecessary" zone.

▶ The movie had all the right ingredients to formulate a gripping narrative.

1) An opportunity to plant a sweet slap on racism.

2) Preaching the power of good intentions and belief.

3) A dekko at the lives of the menage of the army men.

Sadly, the film manages to do full justice to the last one and a moderately good representation of the second one.

Performances :-

▶ The role of Laxman is a step up from Salman's 'Bajrangi.' Here, he takes off his Superstar cape, gets hit multiple times, weeps like a baby and adapts himself to the mould of a person lacking common sense and proper reasoning. It is no wonder that Salman Khan personifies innocent self-belief in the appearance of a pure hearted man child, and he nails it this time as well.

As far as execution and deliverance of emotions are concerned, he goes all Radhe (Tere Naam) on the naive Laxman. Notwithstanding the fact that he goes overboard in numerous scenes, his performance in few scenes is surreal, you’ll cry even before the ‘officially sad’ bits start. 

▶ Matin Rey Tangu as Guo is a scene stealer. He will leave a trace of smile on your face everytime he is in the frame.

Also the chemistry between Salman and Matin is one of the best things about this movie.

▶ Sohail Khan justifies the role of Bharat (Salman's younger brother) who is off to the battlefield to guard the nation. More could've been done with his character which seems underwritten.

▶ Zhu Zhu as Liling (Matin's mother), makes the most of the limited opportunities the screenplay gives her.

▶ Late Om Puri as the father esque Uncle plays an enjoyable part in the movie.

▶ Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub plays the local rabble-rouser who beats up Laxman on a few occasions. 

⏩ Watch o Not ? 

Yes you may. Heres a heads up! Do not go expecting it to be as good as Bajrangi Bhaijaan, it certainly isn't. But all the highlights surely makes up for a decent one time watch with your fam. ❤

⏩Verdict : 

Its shine might be inconsistent, but when Tubelight does achieve full wattage, which is frequently enough to stand out, it does light up the screen. It does much more than just entertain by giving you takeaways to preach for life.  

Warning: This life affirming movie is like a sob fest that won't leave a dry eye on the seat. Do not attempt to watch it without tissues in easy reach.

Ratings - 2.9/5