Film Review: BREAK KE BAAD!

Please give me a BREAK! This film is BAD!

Welcome to Yash Raj Films and Karan Johar Films Festival. These two prestigious productions films (DDLJ, Hum Tum, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, I Hate Luv Storys) and a whole lot of other films Love Aaj Kal, Dil Chahta Hai, Khushi, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na.. the list is on and on... Yep.. while you watch Imran and Deepika as characters and their portrayal of scenes - you will guess it right, you have seen such scenes in the above mentioned films. A Khichdi of various films put together is what a senseless and script less film BREAK KE BAAD is all about. Cmon, Kunal this wasn't expected from a critic, who used to talk about other films and now when came to one's own, went ahead to give condolence (oops.... gratitude to friends films) only a way to show how much you love these kind of films.

One should have a proper script, but instead copying various scenes from films and making it look a Filmi Khandaan as the hero and heroine are childhood buddies who grow up watching Mr. India in the theatre and also are Filmi Buff. They talk films, behave like Bollywood actors and even fight. Their chemistry works as friends but when it comes to be lovers, its nil. She goes abroad, he stays back in India. Their love blossoms Break Ke Baad. He goes to meet her and then there is again some Break Failures until alls well that ends well.

Actually, I need a Break! Cant write anything about this film. This Review itself is bad as bad as the film. As the first half is so - so, the Break Ke Baad (After Interval), its actually BAD. It should be re-titled BREAK KE BAD!

Sundeep Malani
Film Critic

Film Review: GUZAARISH

Meri Yeh hi GUZAARISH hai: Please watch this film!
Its Magic, Its Magic..... Hrithik sang and danced to a magical glory in Koi.. Mil Gaya, a few years ago. And today in Guzaarish, he plays the Magician who mesmerizes us (the audience) with his wonderful, award winning performance as a quadriplegic patient, who at the very first scene of the film makes this Request (Guzaarish) that he seeks euthanasia (which is asking for mercy killing) from the law.

Now, this is something very new to Indian Cinema. Rather new, it is First ever of this kind. And the Lead Hero's Request is supported by the entire limited starcast - right from his doctor, to his best friend lawyer, his magician student, to his radio listeners to his mother and his nurse!

Meet Ethan Mascranehas who just can talk as a radio jockey and dedicate songs for his program 'Radio Zindagi'. While he chats on Live Life, he himself wants to End Life. With a few mini-flashbacks here and there, that shows us his past of being a classy Magician and performing an dangerous act, looses control and ends up being a wheelchair bound, semi-paralysed patient throughout his life. Though, tragic and emotive, the film celebrates life even if it’s inches away from the devouring jaws of death.

Believe me, this is one of the most relaxed performance by Hrithik in his entire career. Relaxed because, he is only sitting in a wheel chair or lying on the Bed. And by doing so, he comes out with a very difficult act which he performs to perfection. Wow! If you thought Koi.. Mil Gaya and Krrish was one of his best, then you got to see this! If Papa Roshan could get best from him, it is Bhansali who got Hrithik one of the best that no Khans deliver either.

Ish... Speaking of Ash. After being very lively and entertaining in Bhansali's earlier HDDCS and Devdas, here she comes out with a very sensitive performance that is quiet, silent and classy! An eternal beauty she is class as Sophiya, who nurses Ethan for life-long!

The best dialogue that still registers in my mind is: "I love God, and that is why I am dying to meet him!". Such meaningful and such disturbing at the same time. While we celebrate Life, its the climax scene of the film, that makes you shed tears at the finale thanksgiving speech by Hrithik as his guests and well wishers gather to celebrate his farewell. His death!

This is a Bhansali's poetry on celluloid which deserves to be appreciated, applauded and recommended everyone to watch it! After being colorful and lively (HDDCS and Devdas), BLACK and BLUE (Oh, forgive him for 'Saawariya'), here its MAGIC that is lavish in its sets, Hritik and Ash's un-romantic yet beautiful romantic film (You need to watch it to believe it!).

While the film is minus action, minus comedy and minus romance, its just plus points for Hrithik all the way! Slow in parts, but yet, the film deserves to be watched!

Sundeep Malani
Film Critic

Film Review: A FLAT

Sanjay and Jimmy deliver A FLATtering Performance! Period!

It’s so fresh to see Sanjay and Jimmy back on screen together after their two well made - well performed musical hit films DIL VIL PYAR VYAR and BAS EK PAL. The third time together in fact is for a horror film, nevertheless, the film falls FLAT but the duo delivers A FLATtering Performance, and that matters the most when you watch them on screen!

Now that the verdict is out right in the beginning of the review, here goes the Post Mortem Report of the film.

Jimmy lands from the States to Mumbai and in lots of tragic incidents takes place in his FLAT. His dad is found dead, his girlfriend goes missing and he himself gets trapped. It’s all because of a past that happened in his absence. His friend Sanjay, a married man had resided in the FLAT a while ago and had played hanky panky with a village belle. And then when the village girl is pregnant, Sanjay plans to abort the kid. What happens next is solved with the mystery from a diary!

Technically, the film is brilliant. The film shot in an apartment (with reference as A FLAT) reminds you of director Ram Gopal Varma’s excellent Bhoot, which was horrifying and haunting too. May be that inspired the producer Raaj Varma to invest in this venture, which unfortunately does not keep you glued to the seats. It’s a thriller for sure, but the horror aspect is not scary. The Performances of the two heroes as mentioned above are excellent. The same cant be said about the leading ladies. And before I mention their names, they are all newbie’s you haven’t heard much about them. Definitely it’s their break, but doubtful if they would be nominated for the Newcomer of the year! Bappa's music is pleasing and has got his Pappa's stamp in a melody number. Well, there are just a few Positive aspects that can be praise worthy; besides that - it’s the screenplay and the direction that falls FLAT.

Overall, the film is watchable once and that is A FLAT review

Sundeep Malani
Film Critic

Film Review: GOLMAAL 3

Keep your minds FREE and go watch GOLMAAL THREE :)

The song in the film goes thus: Go go go golmaal, go go go golmaal.
But I would rather say this Go Go Go GOA-lmaal, Go Go Go GOAL-maal! Go Go Go Go GOLMAAL... GOAL MAAL is back again! And Again with almost the same star cast from the earlier two versions with add ons in GOA (the favorite shoot spot for Shetty) and he hits the GOAL for the third time, after having tested our brains and kept our minds happy for Action Comedy. And this time, its more... hence, keep your minds FREE and watch GOLMAAL (3) Three!
But Golmaal hai bhai sab Golmaal hai... This film is inspired by two of the oldies KHATTA MEETHA and HAMARE TUMHARE, both comedies that was about Two Elderly Couple becoming One and their grown up kids who cant stand each other have to adjust under one roof! What a spoof!

This spoof of old Hindi films, full of camera pans and quick zooms, will nostalgically tickle the funny bone that comprises of a Disco Dancer (Mithun) who is in love with Mrs. Sarabhai (Pathak) and they have their grown up Angry Devgan, Muted Tusshar, Stammering Talpade, Tapori Warsi and Lolly Khemu! And with these 5 Boys, we have a Tomboy Kapoor who has a Face'bow'k with her (I mean a puppy that is called Facebook). But the person who is the main USP is Johny Lever in his Ghajini avatar who has short term memory loss. All this well packaged by Shetty for his third instalment and colorful eyes of Dudley (cameraman)!

Its the climax a la Priyadarshan style, wherein the entire starcast assemble for a LOLLEST finale! Go - watch Golmaal and enjoy the festival with laughter and full time pass entertainment!

Sundeep Malani
Film Critic

Film Review: ACTION REPLAYY

ACTION NEECHE: This REPLAYY is not of a RE-PLAY value!

'Awaaz..... Neeche' shouts the Khiladi Kumar in the film. Point to be Noted.
For the first time, you get to see the Bollywood Biggies and Heartthrobs - Akki and Ash PLAYing Parents to a College Going Boy! This Old couple is 'Not Made For Each Other' as they have their own differences, even after their long not-happily married life. Akki spends more time in Kitchen - cooking and Ash spends more time in malls - shopping! Its Woman who wears the Pants and the Man who sobs! And the son, who is scared to marry his fiancée, as he assumes that he would also end up being an example like his parents. He wants his parents to be 'made for each other'. With a time machine of a Antony Gonsalves Scientist, he goes back to the past in 1975 and we get to see Akki and Ash of the era of Rajesh Khanna and Mumtaz. The screen becomes a festival of colorful extravaganza, cliché bellbottom pants, Mumtaz Flowers, Sharmila Wigs, Zeenat Aman glasses and the entire scenario goes back to Old Bollywood! Its that era, where the son who also lands up is all set to transform his father from a silly guy to an eligible bachelor and his mother from a tomboy into the soft beautiful girl next door and make the two fall in love with each other. And this despite all odds (Om Puri and Kirron Kher get to PLAY the comedy baddies). And to give twist - there is Ranvijay and Neha Dhupia too! And what role they PLAY in the film. Ahem! Ahem!!! Are you really interested? What happens at the climax is definitely predicted.

The humour is neither sharp nor slapstick and alternates between so many amateurishly-edited scenes that you would purposefully not try to even find the loose ends. ACTION REPLAYY falls flat and is good and humorous only in parts.
With Elvis Presley and a old Medley music to entertain - get Nostalgic, If you like the word 'Old is Gold'. Ash looks tired and overacts and Akki looks bored and does not reacts. And their performance falls flat. There is hardly some Action in this PLAY! (Which actually is inspired from a Gujarathi PLAY of the same name) Its Roy Kapoor who PLAYs the son is a new talent to watch! And I am referring to 'watch' your time as he gets more screen presence in this Akki-Ash film. So, you would actually want a Time Machine to Stop or Pause at times, instead of Re-PLAYing it. Its Action Neeche (thumbs down) for this REPLAY, which is (for sure) not of a RE-PLAY value! I would not watch this film for the second time. I wished I could take my PSP at the multiplex to PLAY with at times when I wasn't interested to see the boring yawning scenes in the film!

Sundeep Malani
Film Critic
Zor Ka Jhatka.. hai Dheere se Lagaa!