New Bollywood Movies Reviews, Press reviews and Members' reviews - pls share |
New Bollywood Movies Reviews, Press reviews and Members' reviews - pls share |
Sharmila-Sweet |
Nov 19 2009, 12:39 PM
Post
#1
|
Regular Member Group: Members Posts: 915 Joined: 17-October 08 From: India Member No.: 75253 |
Kurbaan Film Review [SPOILERS]
First things first. Kudos to Karan Johar for shifting gears completely and entering into serious territory. Of course, we do love him for his K-class cinema: all his crunchy popcorn films beginning with K, ever since Kuch Kuch Hota Hai redefined mainstream romance. But Kurbaan doesn't need the popcorn at all. It keeps the screen on overboil for most of its screen time with its hard-hitting storyline that dares to venture into undefined territory. Like Khuda Kay Liye, Kurbaan too looks at the other side of Islamic fundamentalism and puts the post 9/11 tumult in perspective. Who are these guys who carry anger in their hearts, revenge in their heads and bombs in their pockets? Why are they hell bent on blasting the world, irrespective of the anguish it spells to all and sundry? Can there be a purpose behind their madness? Is one man's terrorist actually another man's activist? Kurbaan, written by Karan Johar, raises these pertinent - and extremely topical - questions, without glossing over the one undeniable truth: a suicide bomber can never solve the inequities of the world, Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, notwithstanding. So we have Ehsan Khan (Saif Ali Khan), the Pakistani who lost his wife and kid to American excesses, seething with a desire to avenge his loss. He isn't the archetypal, skull-capped, bearded fundoo, mouthing soliloquies on jihad and intifada (uprising). On the contrary, he's suave, sophisticated and a charmer, tutoring the world on the misconceptions of Islam in the modern world. Small wonder then he manages to win the heart of college professor Avantika (Kareena Kapoor) and follows her to New York on her stint with NYU. But the domestic idyll is short-lived as Avantika soon discovers it isn't her neighbours (the Afghani extended family, headed by Om Puri) alone who have suspicious antecedents. Husband Ehsan too is an integral part of the plot to bomb America for its excesses against Muslims, the world over. In a classroom sequence, the film tries to put Islamic fundamentalism in perspective by linking the rise of the Muslim terrorist to America's oil-grabbing foreign policy and its questionable attempts at destabilising oil rich countries in order to remain a superpower. Almost every member of the sleeper cell that comprises the Afghan family has a sad story of loss and horror that drove them into becoming fidayeens (suicide bombers). And before you begin to question the filmmakers for going too lenient on terrorism, you find Avantika who remains a non-convert till the very end. Articulating the voice of reason - and non-violence - she questions her husband and oscillates between love and hate for the man who has fathered her child. A prisoner in her own house, her only hope is Riyaaz (Viveik Oberoi), the undercover journalist who has his story of personal loss that pitches him on the other side in this war. He is determined to fight the terrorists and derail their plot of bombing America. Karan Johar's story has gravitas. Renzil D'Silva's narrative keeps you on the edge of the seat, for most of the time. Salim Suleiman's music score has a melodious feel. Hemant Chaturvedi's cinematography serenades both Delhi, where the Saif-Kareena romance blossoms and New York, where it cracks up. And the performances by almost all the lead characters are gritty. If Om Puri paints a chilling picture of the terrorist who masquerades in the garb of the commoner and Kiron Kher makes the myth of a suicide bomber plausible, then Viveik Oberoi lends credibility to the voice of the progressive Muslim. But it is the chemistry between Saif and Kareena that lights up the film as the duo bring to life a picture of passion and restraint as the doomed lovers. We do however wish their relationship had a stronger emotional graph, post the startling revelation. How did the duo contend with the fear, hate and disillusion that crept in after Saif revealed his true identity: a bit more on that? And a bit less in the length of the film which could do with some taut editing in the second half. Also, there are a few inconsistencies that mar the film's realism. Why does the FBI loom large like a know-it-all, do-it-all figure? Not only do the FBI sleuths always be a step ahead of the terrorists and arrest them without actually knowing who they exactly are, they also emerge unscathed in a suicide bombing attacking where almost everybody crumbles. Super Uncle Sam, did we say! But Kurbaan sure does strike a chord and sets you thinking on stuff that needs to be sorted out before the new world order - a more humanitarian, less violent - sets in. Don't miss it. A word about Performances: Saif and Kareena transport their off screen tuning to the big screen. While their passionate encounters are a class in aesthete, their delineation of Ehsan and Avantika is mature, restrained and realistic. Om Puri, Kiron Kher and Viveik Oberoi are in sync too. Music: While Salim-Suleiman have come up with an entire audio track which fits in with the ambience of the film, it is Shukran Allah and the title track, Kurbaan Hua which have lingering notes. More importantly, the songs blend in seamlessly with the story and have not been filmed as your run-of-the-mill song-dance numbers. Dialogue: The conversation amidst the diverse protagonists has a realistic edge and seem straight out of life. It's only when he tries to explain the theoretical basis of Islamic fundamentalism that Anurag Kashyap, dialogue writer, seems to enter the realm of text-book knowledge. The exposition seems a rattling of newspapers headlines. Story: Karan Johar explores new depths with his insightful story on the world's most pressing problem: terrorism. Cinematography: Hemant Chaturvedi uses his camera deftly to create stunning vignettes of Delhi and New York, without losing out on the seriousness of the plot. Styling: Kareena looks svelte in dresses and tights and brings to life a glamorous professor who dons the hijab with equal felicity. Saif is his usual dapper self, making casual seem haute. TOI Don't let someone become a priority in your life,
when you are just an option in their life. |
Sharmila-Sweet |
Apr 1 2011, 01:40 PM
Post
#2
|
Regular Member Group: Members Posts: 915 Joined: 17-October 08 From: India Member No.: 75253 |
GAME
==== By Taran Adarsh, April 1, 2011 - 10:02 IST It's back to the theatres after a sabbatical. GAME is crucial for Abhishek Bachchan. Also for director Abhinay Deo, this being his first release [though he had signed DELHI BELLY much before he made GAME]. So let's figure out how exciting this game is... Recall Vijay Anand's whodunit TEESRI MANZIL. Also recollect Vijay Anand's crime thriller JEWEL THIEF. Now reminisce Raj Khosla's suspense thriller WOH KAUN THI?. Also revisit Biren Nag's eerie suspense saga BEES SAAL BAAD. Several decades and several screenings later, you still relish those films. These films worked for varied reasons. Melodious music. Taut screenplay. Most importantly, it was hard to guess the identity of the 'culprit' till the very end. Hindi cinema is undergoing a major metamorphosis. But the rules of the game haven't changed. A whodunit should keep your interest alive till the penultimate moments. Besides, the identity of the killer/culprit should come as a shock, when the veil of secrecy is lifted. Also, the logic or rationale behind the goings-on needs to be convincing and relatable at the same time. Unfortunately, GAME misfires on all three counts. Write your own movie review of Game The problem with GAME is manifold. First and foremost, first-time storyteller Abhinay Deo serves a slick-flick that's devoid of meat. It's all about narrating interesting stories and how convincingly do they translate on celluloid, but Abhinay seems to be under the notion that stunning locales and vibrant/energetic action pieces compensate for a tight/cohesive script. Nope, they don't! Another problem with the film is that the screenplay [penned by Althea Delmas Kaushal] goes for a toss after an electrifying first hour. In fact, I'd go to the extent of saying that the first and second halves are diametrically opposite in terms of content and also the impact they leave. While the first hour succeeds in holding your attention thanks to the interesting twists and turns [never mind the slow pacing at times] and flows like a breeze, the second hour simply tests your patience. It's puzzling and confusing, with everyone pretending to be Sherlock Holmes. Moreover, the second hour is formulaic and takes the most convenient route to reach the finale [more on that later]. Agree, Hindi films abound in cinematic liberties, but the implausible screenplay takes not just the cake, but the bakery away. The finale is so weird and amateurish that one wonders, how did the director and such experienced producers approve it at the script level itself? GAME is a story of four strangers - Neil Menon [Abhishek Bachchan], O.P. Ramsay [Boman Irani], Tisha Khanna [Shahana Goswami] and Vikram Kapoor [Jimmy Sheirgill] - who have been invited by the reclusive billionaire Kabir Malhotra [Anupam Kher] to his private island of Samos, Greece. A casino owner by profession, Neil has investments in various businesses, some legal and some not so legal. Ramsay is a politician from Thailand, who is running for elections. In fact, he is one of the most powerful men in Thailand. Vikram is a Bollywood superstar, recognized by all on the streets of India and Tisha is a crime journalist, with a career that is going nowhere. None of these characters know each other and neither do they know the billionaire who has invited them to Samos… and by the next morning they will wish they had never come. GAME bears an uncanny resemblance to the Dharmendra-Zeenat Aman starrer SHALIMAR and the more recent LUCK, but the similarity is limited to a number of people congregating at one place. Actually, GAME springs a surprise at the very start, with Anupam Kher spelling out the reasons for inviting the four people on his island. The turn of events thereafter, right till the conclusion of the first half, leave you impressed mainly due to the twists and turns that are hard to envisage. But the turn of events in the second hour leaves you bewildered. Abhishek's character travels from Istanbul to Bangkok, then Mumbai the very next moment, executing the plan with flourish as if it was child's play. Difficult to absorb. Then comes a revelation: Abhishek's true identity, which is very filmi, very clichéd, very formula-ridden… in fact, it seems straight out of 1960s and 1970s cinema, which is hard to absorb today. Much later, something happens to Shahana and all of them land up at Samos once again and the cat is out of the bag, finally. Sadly, the mystery no longer remains a mystery since one can easily guess the identity of the killer, much before the mystery is resolved. All I can say is that the writing becomes outlandish at this juncture. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy aren't composers you associate with such a genre and the musical score doesn't add weight to the goings-on. Ram Sampath's background score is eclectic. Kartik Vijay Thyagarajan's cinematography is top notch and the stunning locales of Greece, Istanbul, London and Bangkok give the film a spectacular look. Even otherwise, the production values are of highest order. Dialogue [penned by Farhan Akhtar] are well worded at places. The action and chase sequences are pulsating, especially the one filmed in Istanbul. GAME offers Abhishek ample opportunity to prove his mettle. He has delivered some really fine performances in the past [I'd like to single out GURU and KHELEIN HUM JEE JAAN SEY in particular] and he gets it right in the first hour. But no actor can rise beyond a weak script and that's precisely why he looks far from convincing in the post-interval portions. Kangna acts well and though she seems to have worked on her dialogue delivery, she stills needs to get her diction right. Especially when she converses in English. Sarah Jane Dias looks lovely and for a first timer, makes a decent debut. Anupam Kher doesn't really get ample scope, while Boman Irani is over the top this time. Jimmy Sheirgill has a miniscule role. Shahana Goswami is wasted, except in the lone sequence when she rebukes Anupam's claims. Gauhar Khan is alright. Mohan Kapur is first-rate. Benjamin Gilani is adequate. On the whole, GAME is high on style, but low on substance. Disappointing! 1.5/5 Don't let someone become a priority in your life,
when you are just an option in their life. |
Lo-Fi Version | Disclaimer | HF Guidelines | | Time is now: 4th June 2024 - 09:39 PM |