JAI HO : MOVIE REVIEWS

Jai HoCast: Salman Khan, Daisy Shah, Tabu, Danny Denzongpa

Direction: Sohail Khan

Rating: **

Salman Khan’s box-office draw is indisputable but you can’t circumvent every rule in the book and hope to just ride on star power. The least expectation from a Salman film is that despite it’s complete disregard for logic, it will succeed in entertaining but ‘Jai Ho’ fails even on that account.

Jai (Salman Khan), a former army official, espouses fervent humanism and to champion this noble thought he doesn’t refrain from using all forms of violence possible. The problem with a thought like this one is that brutal force is offered as a simplistic solution to many complex issues that plague contemporary Indian society. Impassioned speeches fail to strike a chord, when you realize that theaam aadmi is basically hapless, unless they have someone like Salman to bail them out of their misery.

Salman as the slightly unscrupulous Chulbul Pandey (in ‘Dabangg’) was a treat to watch but Jai Agnihotri, as the upright citizen waging a solitary war on behalf of the wronged citizenry is a linear character incapable of creating a lasting impression. The director fails to capitalize on Salman’s usually reliable comic timing and completely banks on the action sequences, which are full of blood and gore.  We have seen the slo mo Matrix-style action so many times that they are no longer fun to watch, plus, it is a little disturbing to see that our hero not only beats his opponents to a pulp, no matter how many of them are there, he doesn’t refrain from occasionally biting them. Argh!

I guess this was Salman’s valiant attempt to do a good deed not only for his brother Sohail Khan but a lot of other actors in the film industry. Sample this, our hero is always flanked by his two friends Ashmit Patel and Yash Tonk, who have nothing much to do, except reiterate what our protagonist says.

Tabu has a significant role as our hero’s elder sister but her part is so lame that you feel sorry that an actress of her calibre agreed to do it.

Naman Jain plays the most annoying child possible, allowed to tease the heroine about her underwear while indulging parents and Mamu (uncle) look on.

Long forgotten actors like Aditya Pancholi, Mohnish Bahl, Nadira Babbar, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sharad Kapoor, Mahesh Thakur, Sameer Kakkad, Mukul Dev, Vikas Bhalla, Varun Badola, Nauheed Cyrusi and Vatsal Seth all make forgettable appearances in this story.

Daisy Shah’s debut is lacklustre. Broad-shouldered and masculine she fails to make an impression either as an actress or as a dancer. Even her romantic track with Salman fizzles out even before you start to take notice.

There is not a coherent plot trajectory to follow once you realize that Jai is the messiah of the hapless. There is an insipid revenge angle then introduced in the story, which ends pretty much the same way as the rest of the story, where one bloody action sequence leads into another.

There was a time when you thought that the chase sequence with Jai on the bike driving through city traffic would offer a change of pace but unlike in ‘Dhoom 3’ there is nothing wow-worthy in this sequence either.

None of the song-and-dance in the film is worthy of mention. They are inserted into the story almost as an afterthought with no thought to continuity or pace. The music and lyrics lend nothing to the story, failing to provide a respite from the monotony.

Sohail Khan might make an easy entry in to the Rs 100 crore club but if only that could be a yardstick of an entertaining film. Salmantricks galore but this is not a film that even die-hard Salman fans will find easy to lap-up.

Movies Review: Jai Ho

Jai HoCast: Salman Khan, Daisy Shah, Tabu, Danny Denzongpa

Direction: Sohail Khan

Rating: **

Salman Khan’s box-office draw is indisputable but you can’t circumvent every rule in the book and hope to just ride on star power. The least expectation from a Salman film is that despite it’s complete disregard for logic, it will succeed in entertaining but ‘Jai Ho’ fails even on that account.

Jai (Salman Khan), a former army official, espouses fervent humanism and to champion this noble thought he doesn’t refrain from using all forms of violence possible. The problem with a thought like this one is that brutal force is offered as a simplistic solution to many complex issues that plague contemporary Indian society. Impassioned speeches fail to strike a chord, when you realize that theaam aadmi is basically hapless, unless they have someone like Salman to bail them out of their misery.

Salman as the slightly unscrupulous Chulbul Pandey (in ‘Dabangg’) was a treat to watch but Jai Agnihotri, as the upright citizen waging a solitary war on behalf of the wronged citizenry is a linear character incapable of creating a lasting impression. The director fails to capitalize on Salman’s usually reliable comic timing and completely banks on the action sequences, which are full of blood and gore.  We have seen the slo mo Matrix-style action so many times that they are no longer fun to watch, plus, it is a little disturbing to see that our hero not only beats his opponents to a pulp, no matter how many of them are there, he doesn’t refrain from occasionally biting them. Argh!

I guess this was Salman’s valiant attempt to do a good deed not only for his brother Sohail Khan but a lot of other actors in the film industry. Sample this, our hero is always flanked by his two friends Ashmit Patel and Yash Tonk, who have nothing much to do, except reiterate what our protagonist says.

Tabu has a significant role as our hero’s elder sister but her part is so lame that you feel sorry that an actress of her calibre agreed to do it.

Naman Jain plays the most annoying child possible, allowed to tease the heroine about her underwear while indulging parents and Mamu (uncle) look on.

Long forgotten actors like Aditya Pancholi, Mohnish Bahl, Nadira Babbar, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sharad Kapoor, Mahesh Thakur, Sameer Kakkad, Mukul Dev, Vikas Bhalla, Varun Badola, Nauheed Cyrusi and Vatsal Seth all make forgettable appearances in this story.

Daisy Shah’s debut is lacklustre. Broad-shouldered and masculine she fails to make an impression either as an actress or as a dancer. Even her romantic track with Salman fizzles out even before you start to take notice.

There is not a coherent plot trajectory to follow once you realize that Jai is the messiah of the hapless. There is an insipid revenge angle then introduced in the story, which ends pretty much the same way as the rest of the story, where one bloody action sequence leads into another.

There was a time when you thought that the chase sequence with Jai on the bike driving through city traffic would offer a change of pace but unlike in ‘Dhoom 3’ there is nothing wow-worthy in this sequence either.

None of the song-and-dance in the film is worthy of mention. They are inserted into the story almost as an afterthought with no thought to continuity or pace. The music and lyrics lend nothing to the story, failing to provide a respite from the monotony.

Sohail Khan might make an easy entry in to the Rs 100 crore club but if only that could be a yardstick of an entertaining film. Salmantricks galore but this is not a film that even die-hard Salman fans will find easy to lap-up.

Dedh Ishqiya : MOVIE REVIEWS

Cast: Madhuri Dixit, Naseerudin Shah, Huma Qureshi, Arshad Warsi, Vijay Raaz

Direction: Abhishek Chaubey

Rating: ****

Abhishek Chaubey renders a delectable mystery. He seems to have mastered the art of perfectly executing thrillers laced with dark humour.

I love the way ‘Dedh Ishqiya’ seems to build-up like a romantic story – Begum Para (Madhuri Dixit), a widow, is looking for a suitor to fulfill her dead husband’s last wish. Nawabs from different parts of the country have assembled to display their prowess, especially to brandish their eloquence as poets.  You realize that there is some underlining tension to the prolonged romantic idling but Chaubey never falters on the pace, taking his time to peel the layers and reveal the true nature of his female characters.

Chaubey’s male characters are uncomplicated, their motives crystal clear, almost helpless in their naiveté. Blinded by love or the notion of it, they repeatedly succumb to manipulation even when they are convinced that they are the ones who are calling the shots. The women appear vulnerable and distressed but they are completely focused on their objective, never letting emotion blur their goal.

The mise-en-scène completely corresponds with the characters in the film – a decadent mansion houses the once beautiful proprietress – way past her prime but her legendary charm has managed to lure aging grooms, who only have their declining aristocracy to boast of.

‘Dedh Ishqiya’ has some crackling portrayals – the supporting cast helmed by Vijay Raaz and Manoj Pahwa deliver riveting performances. Raaz is brilliant as Jaan Muhammad, he has power and money but is desperate to find a place in the royalty that seems to continuously elude him.

Khalujaan (Naseeruddin Shah) and Babban (Arshad Warsi) share an easy camaraderie, abusive and endearing at times. Their repartees makes for the most entertaining part of the film.

Muniya (Huma Qureshi) is a feisty character – bold, determined and manipulative. Hats off to Huma for holding her own in a film that has such senior actors.

Madhuri brings grace and elegance to her portrayal but if we were to compare her with Vidya Balan in ‘Ishqiya’, the latter emerges a clear winner. The ruthlessness that Vidya is capable of is just not becoming of Madhuri.

What actually adds edge to ‘Dedh Ishqiya’ is the writing – it is amazing how the crassness of the dialogue works for the film. You can’t help but suppress a smile during Muniya’s raw explanation of how love and sex are completely separate things.

Abhishek Chaubey’s ‘Dedh Ishqiya’ is entertaining, intriguing and humourous. He sure knows how to tell a gripping story peppered with generous doses of wit.

MOVIE REVIEWS : DEDH ISHQUIYA

Cast: Madhuri Dixit, Naseerudin Shah, Huma Qureshi, Arshad Warsi, Vijay Raaz

Direction: Abhishek Chaubey

Rating: ****

Abhishek Chaubey renders a delectable mystery. He seems to have mastered the art of perfectly executing thrillers laced with dark humour.

I love the way ‘Dedh Ishqiya’ seems to build-up like a romantic story – Begum Para (Madhuri Dixit), a widow, is looking for a suitor to fulfill her dead husband’s last wish. Nawabs from different parts of the country have assembled to display their prowess, especially to brandish their eloquence as poets.  You realize that there is some underlining tension to the prolonged romantic idling but Chaubey never falters on the pace, taking his time to peel the layers and reveal the true nature of his female characters.

Chaubey’s male characters are uncomplicated, their motives crystal clear, almost helpless in their naiveté. Blinded by love or the notion of it, they repeatedly succumb to manipulation even when they are convinced that they are the ones who are calling the shots. The women appear vulnerable and distressed but they are completely focused on their objective, never letting emotion blur their goal.

The mise-en-scène completely corresponds with the characters in the film – a decadent mansion houses the once beautiful proprietress – way past her prime but her legendary charm has managed to lure aging grooms, who only have their declining aristocracy to boast of.

‘Dedh Ishqiya’ has some crackling portrayals – the supporting cast helmed by Vijay Raaz and Manoj Pahwa deliver riveting performances. Raaz is brilliant as Jaan Muhammad, he has power and money but is desperate to find a place in the royalty that seems to continuously elude him.

Khalujaan (Naseeruddin Shah) and Babban (Arshad Warsi) share an easy camaraderie, abusive and endearing at times. Their repartees makes for the most entertaining part of the film.

Muniya (Huma Qureshi) is a feisty character – bold, determined and manipulative. Hats off to Huma for holding her own in a film that has such senior actors.

Madhuri brings grace and elegance to her portrayal but if we were to compare her with Vidya Balan in ‘Ishqiya’, the latter emerges a clear winner. The ruthlessness that Vidya is capable of is just not becoming of Madhuri.

What actually adds edge to ‘Dedh Ishqiya’ is the writing – it is amazing how the crassness of the dialogue works for the film. You can’t help but suppress a smile during Muniya’s raw explanation of how love and sex are completely separate things.

Abhishek Chaubey’s ‘Dedh Ishqiya’ is entertaining, intriguing and humourous. He sure knows how to tell a gripping story peppered with generous doses of wit.

ONE BY TWO MOVIE REVIEWS

Cast: Abhay Deol, Preeti Desai, Lillete Dubey, Rati Agnihotri

Direction: Devika Bhagat

Rating: *

‘One By Two’ deserves an award for the most uninspired piece of work. This is the kind of experimental film, which should have been probably been a film school project and never made it to the big screen.

Abhay Deol sleepwalks through a film that reeks of shoddy writing and dull characterization. Amit Sharma (Abhay Deol) is a lousy employee, a boring lover and basically a loser who loves to wallow in self-pity after his girlfriend ruthlessly dumps him. Instead of channelizing his energy into something worthwhile, he continues to be obnoxious to people around in more ways than one.

In a parallel world, Samara Patel (Preeti Desai) with a size zero body and very long legs aspires to become a successful dancer. Her mother (Lillete Dubey) is an alcoholic and she has a spate of bad luck before she can realize her dream. Unlike what the trailers would have you believe, the two lead characters actually have little in common.  In fact if you go to the film expecting a real life romance will play out on the big screen, you’ll be super disappointed because our characters don’t even meet till the very last scene in the film.

The supporting cast of the film deserves a special mention for being the most irritating ensemble cast in recent times and Preetika Chawla would sure lead the pack if there was a way to gauge irksomeness. Lillete Dubey is saddled with a clichéd part – single mother, alcoholic and insecure, it’s difficult to rise above that prescription.

Devika Bhagat experiments with the some unusual camera angles and split screen edits and it would have probably worked if there was some meat in the story.  Unfortunately there is no way to make a shabby script work.

Shankar, Ehsan, Loy’s music provides no reprieve.

My one star is for the impressive pieces of choreography performed by Ashley Lobo’s troupe. That was the only sliver of silver lining in the film.

Movies Review: One By Two

 Abhay Deol, Preeti Desai

Cast: Abhay Deol, Preeti Desai, Lillete Dubey, Rati Agnihotri

Direction: Devika Bhagat

Rating: *

‘One By Two’ deserves an award for the most uninspired piece of work. This is the kind of experimental film, which should have been probably been a film school project and never made it to the big screen.

Abhay Deol sleepwalks through a film that reeks of shoddy writing and dull characterization. Amit Sharma (Abhay Deol) is a lousy employee, a boring lover and basically a loser who loves to wallow in self-pity after his girlfriend ruthlessly dumps him. Instead of channelizing his energy into something worthwhile, he continues to be obnoxious to people around in more ways than one.

In a parallel world, Samara Patel (Preeti Desai) with a size zero body and very long legs aspires to become a successful dancer. Her mother (Lillete Dubey) is an alcoholic and she has a spate of bad luck before she can realize her dream. Unlike what the trailers would have you believe, the two lead characters actually have little in common.  In fact if you go to the film expecting a real life romance will play out on the big screen, you’ll be super disappointed because our characters don’t even meet till the very last scene in the film.

The supporting cast of the film deserves a special mention for being the most irritating ensemble cast in recent times and Preetika Chawla would sure lead the pack if there was a way to gauge irksomeness. Lillete Dubey is saddled with a clichéd part – single mother, alcoholic and insecure, it’s difficult to rise above that prescription.

Devika Bhagat experiments with the some unusual camera angles and split screen edits and it would have probably worked if there was some meat in the story.  Unfortunately there is no way to make a shabby script work.

Shankar, Ehsan, Loy’s music provides no reprieve.

My one star is for the impressive pieces of choreography performed by Ashley Lobo’s troupe. That was the only sliver of silver lining in the film.