Pathetic

It’s pathetic that Bombay doesn’t go a year with losing its spirit to mujahedeen or LeT cowardice.

It’s pathetic that there are such grave natural catastrophes but the one’s that you need to fear most is stepping out to buy vegetables or trying to get home from work!

It’s pathetic that THEY need to celebrate anniversaries, happy 7/11.
It’s pathetic that news correspondents, after covering facts for ten minutes need to indulge in ...so tell me, you were there when the blasts happened..what was going through your head? Are you shaken up? Looking around you, do you think the injuries are grave?...do you have a message for our government?..”

It’s pathetic that you need to ponder on, whether this was a terrorist attack or a bunch of teenagers testing lab chemicals!

Pak CM condemns blasts!

The government suspects IM - LET
10 – 15 killed, approx 100 injured – these are people who’ll make no significant difference in the government’s arm twisting.
Just pathetic.

We claim progress by leaps and bounds, but are we really?
Is just blaming the government enough? What is it that THEY want?

For those who loose a loved one, they relive the horror every 12 mnths
Those who haven’t lost anyone, just keep praying till the next time!

Just pathetic!

Barkha Dutt cuts the Chief Minister’s speech off, saying “…that was the CM speaking in Marathi, we’ll come back to him when he’s speaking in English or Hindi so that we all understand..” ?!!!

“Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard.
Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.”
Baz Luhrman
I wonder what he’d have said about Bombay.

Pencher kiya Bosedk

“Belonging to the same genre as The Hangover and Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, Delhi Belly is the ultimate culture shock for Indian audiences. It is a raucous, boisterous, potty-mouthed caper featuring the antics of three hapless young men”

I do not necessarily agree. Delhi Belly is a new age film but I wouldn’t go as far as categorizing it as a cult in its genre. Before we get onto pondering why Delhi Belly has achieved the kind of status it has, let’s quickly go over the things for which it may not have. The Story – simply a mix up between two packets. Packet A) containing diamonds, to be delivered to a goon. Packet B) containing stool samples, to be delivered to a pathology lab. Needless to say if all went the way it was supposed to, we wouldn’t have had a film.

Tashi’s [Imran Khan] girlfriend Sonia [Shenaz Treasury] hands over a package to him with an address for delivery. Tashi then delegates the delivery to his flatmate Nitin [Kunal Roy Kapur], who in turn, due to a bad case of Delhi Belly hands over the delivery to their third roommate Arup [Vir Das] along with an additional package of his stools, to be dropped off at the lab for testing.
The whole fiasco kicks off when a deadly crime syndicate Vijay Raaz, lays out the velvet, to test the diamonds delivered, but all that pours out on the table are the non digested elements from the insides of Nitin’s digestive tract. Not one to take shit lying down (literally) the goon feels cheated and sets out to get back what is his. It’s not long before, the unsuspecting and innocent Tashi, Sonia, Nitin and Arup all find themselves running on pins and needles.

That’s how simple the story is. What gives this film its edge is the airtight editing, screenplay and witty dialogues. Some people are intrigued over the verbal expletives randomly used to fill out sentences, but they are obviously people who’ve not hung around their neighborhood long enough. When dialogues are given the same treatment in Hindi, they’re justified as adaptations from Othello (Omkara), but a cuss word in English is dissected, resurrected only to be dissected again. I agree Imran Khan’s ‘stand up’ act or the reference to blow jobs and oral pleasure may have left a few gabs open, but the scenes are more brave than cringe worthy.

My mother, may still consider taking me home and feeding me, but not before giving me the look, if during road rage I hung out of the car screaming ‘Chutiye’ at an Auto-waala, but if my choice of words were to be ‘Fuck You!’ in a calm non-hostile fashion and from within the confinement of my car, to a fellow honker, I’d probably have to park on the side and reason out with her as to where did she go wrong with her upbringing!

Let’s get over it, I say. Cuss words are not that big a deal. They’re as harmless when spoken in Hindi, maybe a little less crass. No, I wouldn’t encourage that kind of vocabulary at my child’s scrabble party, but I also wouldn’t be naïve enough to give a film far more importance than it deserves only because of it.
I’d call it a young film, not a youth film. It’s funny though it’s not a comedy. I would also think it’s a film well saved. They say inspite of being ready two and a half years ago, Aamir Khan wasn’t happy with the final product. After rediting, reshooting some of the bits and adding item songs, the film has definetly turned out worthwhile.

To be able to tell a simple story, simply, with no layers, and still keep the audience involved is an act that has been well performed by Delhi Belly. I thoroughly enjoyed the film while watching it, but it’s probably not one of the names that will pop up, in my list of films for any scene shot so beautifully that will imprint the mind for times to come.
Coming back to the songs, Delhi Belly’s track list is like a box of candy, each one as desirable. I’d classify all the songs as items numbers - super hits with no actual relevance to the story:)

Ram Sampath’s music has brought him the distinction that ‘Love Ka The End’ failed him at. Whether it’s fiery lyrics screaming bhaag bhaag DK Bose or ‘Pencher’ in a sir Saigal hangover, whether it’s the playfull yet nonsensical Switty teri need mera greed, or the Kill bill inspired Ja Chudel, each one is distinctly crafted into the background. I Hate you (Like I Love you) stars Aamir, I would have loved this song even if it was designed for the deaf, my favourite moment is “hai current marti hai” and the two and a half steps that follow. Aamir khan as Disco Fighter is not disappointing but Imran Khan in his rock star avatar is surprisingly impressive, so my vote goes to Jr khan.
So, if you are not the weak gutted, then Delhi Belly is a must watch.

Planning the Unplanned

I’m a preacher of planning. It’s different, that most times things don’t go as planned, but for the times they do, I can proudly say ‘I knew it’. I live for those special moments.

There are times when I’ve been completely satisfied with the turn of events. And yes, sometimes they have been unplanned. “So why not just let it be?” friends ask. I’m a creature of habit. And plus, I think planning gives you purpose, a sense of direction. Sure, you can be that leaf that drifts away with the wind, only too happy to land wherever, or you can plan your landing.

Yesterday, I had a plan. I was to finish my meeting and then head home. “Why don’t you come here instead, and we’ll drive back together”. As I headed to town, further away and in the opposite direction to home, I wondered, what about that sentence was so utterly convincing for me to trade a sans clothes & pollution air-conditioned apartment to a rickety hot taxi! Maybe, it was the fact that he was leaving town the next day.Hmm. The plan therefore, is to have an unplanned evening.

So here I was, sitting at Sky Café munching on an unplanned roast chicken mustard sandwich, accompanied with salad and fries. In my defense, the fries were hidden under the salad, I didn’t even realize they were there until they were, well, gone. Post which, we decided to walk the streets looking for cameras. Sounds like fun, except that I had turned up post a meeting so, I wasn’t really sporting the most comfortable footwear. That’s why I say - plan!

He excitedly ran towards a store that collected ancient stamps. I always considered those things a time pass of the pseudo cultured , but suddenly I was transported into Alice’s Wonderland. There were stamps dated to Hitler’s time and some even before that . They had stamps with Gandhi ji in a western attire signed off in English and then him in Khadi signed off in Hindi. They had Khadi stamps. They had collages, Berlin, China, Japan, Australia of a time even before you’d ever know. Small A5 size prints of scenery, Buddha’s face, village backdrops etc amazed me. Each of these prints had embedded in them numerous smaller perforated stamps. The beauty of which was each stamp when separated held its own identity, it didn’t even look like it belonged to any bigger picture. Fragrant stamps with pictures of flowers, representing each one respectively. There were stamps that cost Rs 5 before, now being sold for Rs 900. Collections were divided as per Countries, Social, Culture, Events, Hobbies etc. No wonder the owner was even particular about the way you looked at each stamp, ensured it was placed back in the pile, always face down and in order. Wow!

Really happy, he handed me the envelope of purchase, as if my heels were less to worry about I was now walking around with an uncommon packet. I crossed the road, clinching it hard, looking for suspicious eyes, all till I reached a camera store and dumped the packet and my cell on the counter.

We flipped through catalogues aspiring to buy a Canon 7D and a 300 fixed lens. And that’s when I fell in love. Unplanned again. The new Canon digital – 30 X Zoom. “How much?” and that question was repeated every ten minutes for the next one hour as I walked bare feet around the store. We looked at tripods, assembled them, shook them hard, to test durability against wind, camera weight etc. Toyed with different kinds of ‘heads’ – ahem, for the tripod. My favourite was the ‘Pistol Grip Ball Head’ now this one actually has the handle in the shape of a Pistol Grip. (I know I sound like duh! but stay with me here!) So you actually feel like you’re holding a gun and revolving it all around. It even has a trigger for you to press and hold onto for stability! Pouting, I randomly aimed it around the store. Felt like the answer to the next Bond Girl.

Next we looked at some binoculars. Did you know that after a certain altitude, nitrogen leaks out of the binocular and causes the lens to fungus? Well neither did the shop owner selling the binoculars? I’d started seeing my friend in a new light now. And I was liking! What’s nitrogen doing inside a binocular anyway, isnt that stuff explosive?

We debated over buying a battery charger - with or without a wire, well It seems like an important decision when you’re already carrying a circuit mayhem. He grazed some more, I did too. Brushed up on how the same picture can be treated differently with different lenses – from off a rubber mat on the counter.
And then, came the perfect climax, a click button. Now this device can either be wireless or attached to your camera. In low light situations, the lens almost never captures what the naked eye does, the flash goes off, or the camera shakes or there is only a trail of light suggesting movement.
Now, with this device attached to the camera you can stand at a distance and click away. You’re not in contact with the camera body, so shake free pictures are ensured. Sure, you can do that on a timer as well, but that doesn’t work on continuous frames. After every click you’ll have to come bck and set timer again. With the clicker, you set frame, set timer and go click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click.

We proudly walked back to the car with our treasure in tow. Shared a coffee, some more jungle stories, how after today each picture will be different, and a lovely ride back home. All unplanned. Shocking! I must look a little more closely into this theory.

I Am

I AM, is one movie I can confidently claim was not made for a cozy Friday night at the theatres. This film and its subjects are purely what Onir, the director believed in and wanted to share. It appears to be somewhat of a private gathering for himself, the cast and a select few audience.
I AM is a fusion of four stories, of individuals in modern day society who feel defined at some point by the callousness and the cold bloodedness of the former. It is their struggle to break limitations, and a desire to regain their lives and individuality.
This film is not about some answers to societal pressure, neither does the director promise a contemporary standpoint to issues like, sperm donation, child abuse or being gay. It promised nothing. All it said was I AM Afia/ Megha/ Abhimanyu/ Omar and this happens to be my story.

Afia is a young, successful married woman, whose benchmark of achievement is motherhood. After her marriage falls apart, she decides to retaliate by raising a child on her own. The first story is Afia’s journey, her anxiety, her tribulations of finding the right sperm donor. Adoption could be the easy way out, but Afia believes that giving birth will help prove her point to society
A) there is nothing wrong with her biologically and B)You don’t really need a man to support you.
In her hunt of finding a perfect donor who matches her physicality, has good tastes and interests in life, is not genetically dysfunctional or has tendencies of being a serial killer, every man whether at a station, in the tube, at work or at a party starts to resemble nothing more than a sperm vending machine.When given a choice, you would want to ensure only the best of the X chromosomes.
The story treads along a line of vulnerability where even the donor is shown as more than just that. He too has anxiety, fears attachment and many a times, fears exposure.
Afia herself is torn between her maternal instincts and the judgment of doing the right thing, whether for her, or the baby. Onir, through this story has tried to reflect a few such moments inside the perturbed mind of a woman. In her moment, not wanting to go through this alone, when Afia suggests to Purab (the sperm donor) that he could come home sometime and meet the child, Purab retracts immediately. However after conquering mental battles and getting off the operation table, Afia looks at the note which Purab after all, left his number on, liberated and not scared anymore, she simply smiles and reduces the paper to smaller bits.

Meanwhile, Megha, has returned to the valleys of Kashmir. Her distress cannot be hidden under her oversized glares as she realizes how much or how little has changed in the last 20 yrs, ever since her family was forced to flee. Her childhood friend Rubina, overjoyed at Megha’s return recounts childhood memories, now only frozen in time. Megha however, chooses to distance herself behind the veil of gunshots, bloodshed, her family forced to flee under unearthly conditions, all circumstances that snatched away what she called home, peace and life as they knew how to live. She is now back, for business , to hand off the only remaining signs of her families roots. A Kashmiri Pandit handing over her existence to a Kashmiri Muslim family, could be no less a feat than our army placed at the Siachen.
A faceoff between Rubina and Megha towards the end of their story highlights a dual coin. While Megha was upset about her life being taken away, Rubina debated that the punishment of staying back in Kashmir , the carcass of a paradise that once was. Those that fled had a chance to pick up pieces again, but many that were confined behind, still live the aftermath of 1947 every day of their lives. Which sometimes makes me think, even when Kashmir receives a verdict, the wounds are too deep for generations to forget that above all, you are either a Kashmiri Pundit or a Kashmiri Muslim.

Abhimanyu is smart, manipulative and a social animal, who knows how to use people and is not afraid of doing so. The only person, who can see through this largely, is his colleague and confidant, someone whom he trusts enough to share a recurring dream with - a young girl and her mother, both dressed in white, walking through white orchids, the girl approaches a pond but is baffled to see only one reflection, that of hers, she turns around and finds herself deserted, all alone. At this point it’s hard to tell what’s more disturbing the fact that the little girl finds herself deserted or that the protagonist imagines himself as a girl! We see flashes of his childhood, a loving mother, a step father who gives into his every demand, and then the reason behind it all!
He finally decides to fulfill his step fathers dying wish for a last meeting, but reaches a day too late. Having taken a brave step to return hpme after 10 yrs he decides to take yet another one, and confides in his mother about being tormented as a child and sexually abused by the man she loved. Once again the little girl is left all deserted as the mother refuses to give into what she perceives as fiction. Abhimanyu returns back to the city, but this time we see the girl joyfully running through open fields, liberated, relieved, unfettered. This story is my favorite of the four, for not being a cliché and for the beautiful metaphors used.

I Am Omar, is what he said. And they got talking. A lovely evening was spent getting to know each other over dinner. Your place or mine was the next question which found its answer in a lonely deserted junction. The heat of the moment was mercilessly doused by a patrolling inspector on that unfortunate night. Article 377 (law under Indian Penal code which criminalizes homosexuality) was sited as a reason for harassment. Onir and Omar were both pulled out of the car. Since Omar was a struggling actor with no money, and Onir an established managing director, it was he who coughed up the bribe money. Digging a knife further into Onir’s soul and before leaving with Omar and the money in tow, the sub inspector insisted on Onir pleasing him down south. After being sexually assaulted he was worried about about Omar’s fate. Onir returned home, took his lawyer and searched every single police station for Omar, that night. Finally, he met that sub inspector again, but the inspector refused to recognize him, as if they’d never met before, as if the night had never happened, as if Onir was still living his worst nightmare. The others only laughed.

The movie has been doing the rounds of many film festivals and has received overwhelming response everywhere. The highlight of the film has been its 400 co-producers who funded the film post the request put up by filmmaker Onir on social networking sites! I would say money sensibly invested.

Dum Maro Dum

Rohan Sippy’s Dum Maro Dum was surprisingly palatable. What I initially thought would be an endless wait for Deepika Padukone, turned out quite the opposite. It is also a good strategy to not give up your ace in the first 20 mins (I hope Farah Tees Maarkhan has noted)

The film is set in Goa, a paradise where alcohol comes cheap, women come cheaper and life, it’s almost free. Today the city is synonymous to ‘relax’. As per oxford - Relax: make or become looser/ make or become less intense or concentrated. People inhabit Goa from all over the world to achieve this state. A state also descended into if under the influence of alcohol or substance abuse.

A hippy haven for drugs, rave and sex, if you’d like, they say Goa runs deep. Gaining speed for its notorious reputation, ACP Vishnu Kamath (Abhishek Bachchan) has been given the responsibility to clean up Goa. Get rid of its unwanted debris and make the sea shores safe again. However, the drug lords are not willing to let go of their play ground just as yet or as easily. The film highlights a common known fact that Goa does house the biggest and richest international drug fests. But many say drugs run deeper than blood in Goa’s veins, and that most police, political guardians, locals, all have a share in this one big pie.

On ACP Kamath’s journey to resuscitate, his first arrest is a juvenile called Lorry. Lorry dreamt of attending university with his girlfriend in America. But due to insufficient funds he’s unable to do so and feels life has sold him out. This makes him an easy bait to the so called recruiters of drug trafficking. They promise him a one way ticket to his university and college fees in return for him being the carrier for their consignment. Lorry falls prey to his dreams but only reaches as far as the screening counter at the Goa airport.
He doesn’t make it to America but his arrest sets off a loop of leads. The first of which is the introduction of Loki, Rana Daggubati a local musician, whose life is narrated through quick flashbacks. Loki and his ambitious girlfriend Zoey (Bipasha Basu) were all too happy before her dreams too, took her high and far away from life as they once knew it. Her dreams of flying beyond the blue skies, for a simple trade off – smuggling hidden consignments across borders all came crashing down, the day she made headlines – “Airhostess caught with 80 lakh cocaine at airport”.
Sentenced to jail for 14 yrs, she was out just in 14 days. Loki’s boss, Biscuit (Aditya Pancholi) an influential businessman used his contacts to change her life imprisonment from the four walls of the jail to the four walls of his room. That was the end of her freedom, dreams and their love. Loki could do nothing but stand aside and watch. Five years later when the same happened to Lori, Loki decided to do something. This was all too harsh a punishment for dreaming big. He wasn’t about to sit back and let Loki become another Zoey.

He approaches ACP Kamath who by now has handpicked his squad to fight this nightmare. Kamath sees some truth in Lori’s innocence but Loki needs more evidence in order to prove it. However adding to their frustration is the existence (or the lack of it) of a mysterious drug lord, Michael Barbosa, who promises to make the chase no less difficult. Kamath and Loki are now at the brink of frustration on how an invisible man or his shadow can be the mastermind behind Goa’s darkest secrets. Loki seeks out Zoey, hoping that being involved in the drug circle for over 5 yrs she may be able to provide some leads, begs her to help save his brother from suffering the same fate. Knowing very well that treachery equals your body being mysteriously washed across some deserted shore, Zoey still decides to help (this strange thing called love I tell you, it only kills!). Unfortunately help doesn’t find Zoey in time.

Just as ACP kamath is close on the heels of unraveling the ghost called Barbosa, he too is mysteriously engulfed by unknown shadows. Loki now left flabbergasted decides to not let Zoey and Kamath’s death be only newspaper fodder. With substantial clues left behind, he finally puts the lights on, on Goa’s biggest rave party.
The movie is pacy and the non linear narrative sets the tempo steady. However, the use of one voiceover, while warning Lori of consequences if he belted was a big give away a little more than required at that junction of the story. Hate to say this but the biggest damper was Deepika’s sizzler. A 32 inch screen or You Tube did more justice to the song Dum Maro Dum visually, than the big screen. Up there, it just looked like an imitation of a bad RGV set trying very hard to be a ra(v)ge.

But that I‘d say was the last of the disappointments. AB baby has lot oodles of weight and has not done too bad a job. Bipasha Basu has either got a new stylist and makeup person or she sent them on a crash course 101 right before the film. Whoever, or whatever, she should hold onto them for dear life, cause with the lighting in this film she’s looked so Roman, so flowy, so feminine. Rana Daggubati should keep the stubble and stay away from intense roles and dialogues. He’s too yummy and it would be unfair for a hunk like him to not be accepted in Bollywood. Pratiek Babbar, nice as usual, loved the extra touch of going all croaky, added to his character of ‘puberty, just about getting there’

Pritam deserves a hug for his music score. Dum Maro Dum, revamped, is doing well, inspite of its constipated lyrics. But other songs like Jiyein Kyun and Te Amo are beautifully melodious and they just stick. While one is a very happy carnival, fallen so crazy in love kind of song, Jiyein kyun has the feel of sitting by the sea, reminiscing on some ‘what the f*%$ happened here’ kind of moments or maybe it’s just me.

Dum Maro Dum a good one time watch this one.

Mirch

I absolutely adored this film. One I’ve seen after ages (actually cant think of any other) that truly celebrates a woman. Without glorifying the cotton saree, the gas chulha, tears in her eyes, or a proud husband supporting her, this one reminds us of all that a woman can be.

Arunodoy Singh is a struggling writer. In the absence of star power, he has no takers for his film as producers believe, that commercial success will evade him. They find his story too dark and devoid of any element that could pull crowds to part with their dimes. Many argue that the subject of Mirch is not new, A film within a film format has been toyed with many times before. True, but this is where Vinay Shukla’s Mirch draws an end to this similarity. It’s a simple film, with no exaggerated sets, high production value, big stars or unnecessary frills. The film holds its own purely on the merit of intelligence and clever handling of an audacious idea – SEX.

Giving into the clichéd demands of his producer, Arunodoy Singh weaves a story with four tales across two time frames. The first two, are derived from the ancient Panchatantra apparently, where Raima and Konkana Sen play the leading ladies while Arunodoy Singh plays the resident object of desire.

The first story is set in a time period where husbands had to travel far and wide in the search of jobs. Rajpal Yadav plays Raima Sen’s smitten husband. One day, pressured by rumours of his wives promiscuous nature, he decides to spy on his beloved. Raima’s quick presence of mind, upon realizing that it is indeed her husband, hiding under the bed, spins a yard so thick that Yadav is left feeling humiliated for ever doubting the holiness of his wife, as she performs the ultimate service ever asked of a married woman, all for the longevity of her husband whom she considers not below any god.

The second story is set in a Kingly time, where young brides were added to harems purely as jewels to crown. Konkana Sen plays the bride as young and full of life, however, the King’s octogenarianism can barely match pace with his bride’s sensuality or her coming of age. Her lady in waiting, disappointed that a blossoming woman should wither away like an en passant, suggests that Konkana, should consider the companionship of the kings young advisor, Arunodoy Singh. Singh reluctant at first, realizes his determination stood no match when opposed by the daasi’s invariable persuasion, finally agrees to peg his service to the queen but only upon the fulfillment of three wishes
a) The queen must slay His Majesty’s prized Persian right before his very eyes
b) There after she must present the advisor with the Kings tooth
c) and to avoid betrayal of his kingship the coitus act must be performed in the kings presence and not behind his back.
Another tale of how the queen in her sparkle fulfilled the conditions, still emerging as a child.

The next two stories are a page from life in a metro. Raima & Shreyas Talpade are newlyweds. She’s madly in love with him and simply cant get enough, a reversal of roles definitely never shown of a woman before. Her high libido gets Shreyas a bit weary and he starts doubting that an attractive woman like her, may desire more partners than one. She stands victorious in the test of time but her soul is scarred upon realizing that her loyalty and affection was misjudged. A year passes by and we see the void enlarging in Raima’s emptiness. Till, she meets a painter. Circumstances rebirth the woman inside and she breathes again, unfortunately this time to be caught in bed by her husband. One would think what follows would be an ugly affair of lies, anger, deceit or tears but what leaves you is a smile.

Many argue that strong sexual gestures especially in a woman make for very un-poetic cinema. Love when linked to lust tends to lose its lyrical luster. I disagree, I think it’s about time that a woman’s enigma is celebrated. Mirch is not about glorifying Infidelity but appreciating the unpredictable wit and satirical ways of a woman.

The last story is about a business man, looking to escape a nondescript routine, lies to his wife about being out of town, checks into a motel and awaits the arrival of his Harlot. To his shock when he unveils his guest, she turns out to be his wife. Try getting out of a situation like that. Again, never to be faulted, the woman, turns advantageous.

This film thus celebrates Striya Charitra – A Woman’s mystical character, often not easy to understand. She is a being soft at heart but if required can be ruthless.
After seeing the destiny of two films that have come of critical acclaim, Yeh Saali Zindagi and Mirch, I conclude Arunodoy Singh and his titillating act is what makes it all worth it :)

Thank You,Anees Bazmee latest offering stars Akshay kumar, Irfan Khan, Bobby Deol, Rimmi Sen, Sonam Kapoor & Celina Jaitely. I’m particularly glad that this film has shaped up well for the sake of two names Mr. Bazmee and AK Kumar himself, their last hit, and coincidently together, was Singh Is King. Wars have been fought and a World Cup has been won since then. It’s about time Friday shines down on them.

The story is a romcom seen before, but one doesn’t expect an Udaan or even an Omkara from the Bazmee camp. Entertainment is what they’re about. A tale of three casanovas Raj (Bobby), Vikram (Irfan) and Yogi (Suniel) cheating on their respective wives Sanjana (Sonam), Shivani (rimmi) and Maya (Celina), is full of light moments when accompanied with a bag of popcorn (cheese flavor :))

While Sanjana is blinded by the facade of her happy married life, Maya believes in keeping Yogi on a leash (due to his not so lucky past escapades). Shivani on the other hand is a typical wife and a typical husbands dream.

When Sanjana suspects her husband to be playing cat and mouse,her best friend introduces her to a private detective Kishen (Akki). As the story progresses, Kishen tries to bring the three boys to books, but a funny twist is added when the boys themselves hire Kishen in order to spy on their wives’ secret informer.
Every time Kishen lays a trap, he gets beaten at his own game and Raj emerges a hero. Thrown at being unable to solve the case, Kishen then decides to change strategy. Finally at the chapter of his success his victory is marred by the shattering of Sanjana’s world as she knows it. Unable to comprehend her husband’s infidelity, she decides to commit suicide.
(Just to deviate a little from the story here, when we actually shot this scene at the Niagara Falls, it was a beautiful, hazy, sunny, rainy confused morning . As a result of which, there were two different rainbows in the horizon. So beautiful! We actually shot against one of them in this scene, so yes its real. Ahhh!)

Anyway, coming back to the suicide attempt, I’d suggested LET HER, but the director obviously had a locked script in mind! Her innocence and pain, Kishen couldn’t bear, cause love was blooming here, from the very first stare!

While the lead triangle would be Akshay, Sonam & Bobby, I’d place all my money on Irfan Khan & Rimmi Sen. Irfan as the world knows it, is a versatile actor (he’s playing the lead negative role in Spiderman btw!) but I think, this is the first time he’s attempted a full fledged comedy. No, Hissssss is not included.
Rimmi has never looked prettier or acted better. These two are the underdogs that one needs to watch out for. Some lovely dry humour served up in lines and expressions. For me they take the cake!

Suniel Shetty inspite of carrying the baggage of ‘ Macho Man, will break into a punch any minute’ is nothing but C.U.T.E. His character is so naively sweet that you want to forgive him every time he gets caught with is pants down.


To kya Sonam ko uska pyaar wapas milega, Ya hogi Akshay ke saath shaadi?
Kya teeno sudhar jaenge ya phir hogi unki barbaadi?

Pritams' music is pretty entertaining too. If you suffer from the ‘Smita’ syndrome, famously named after a friend who rates films as ‘a must see’ depending on the item numbers, then this one will win your vote.
The spruced up version of the oldy Pyaar do Pyaar lo, is quiet saucy. Razia gundo main phas gayi, I know has played over and over again at random holi parties. Full Volume has a nice Richa Sharma touch to it.
All in all, a good way to bond with the family.

No One Killed Jessica

A year back when I first watched Udaan, I loved the screenplay. Each dialogue or the lack of it was beautifully scripted. A rare film, were silence had been intelligently and judiciously used. However, I didn’t think it was a contender for awards, not because I doubted its credibility but I didn’t think that we, the audience ,were ready to vote it over commercially bigger hits like ‘My Name is Khan’ or Chulbel Pandey. But I was wrong! By winning the title of the ‘Best film of the Year’ Star Screen Awards, has given a new ray of hope to the small fish in shark valley.

Similarly, a year back when I happened to snoop on the script of ‘No One Killed Jessica’ i didn’t think, if, the film was made, it would do well. For the largely aware, the story would have been emotional but would lack any element of surprise that masses would pay multiplex fees for. This Friday I was proved wrong again!
The hard facts of India’s most read case was well known by many but Rajkumar Gupta (the fame of Aamir), has successfully managed to recreate a heady mix of reality and drama once again in ‘No One Killed Jessica’. Jessica Lall was shot at point blank and brutally murdered over refusing a drink at an uptown eatery in Delhi. The film refreshes the mockery of the legal procedure, the loopholes in the policing system, the corruption in the power circles, and the vulnerability of the common Indian.
”Delhi is about power, aur takat sirf takat wallon ke paas hoti hai, aam aadmi ke paas hoti hai to, sirf usse sehne ki taakat.”

Despite a known story, what will make people sit up is the simplicity in treatment. The director stayed very close to reality and facts without sensationalizing for the demand of a hit. There was no over dramatization of events. With such a powerful star attraction, the film I believe, was treading on a very thin line. It could have easily become one about two feisty women, about Rani and Vidya and their struggle for justice. Instead it remained true to intent, without being over powered by its star factor, it was about Jessica, an awakening - for justice, it was about the whole nation coming together as one. It was about reinstating belief .Empathy, anger, betrayal, pride, the film has many such emotional moments as it essays an 8 yr journey of Sabrina’s fight, how in the interim her family crumbles under the weight of a country’s red tape judiciary, her loosing hope and herself along the way.

Vidya Balan executed the character of Sabrina Lall beautifully. Her ordinariness right from the first time she received a call informing her that Jessica has been shot, to the numerous visits made to the witnesses and police, the scene where she realizes Jessica is not breathing to the scene where she lets out her frustration on the terrace. Her losing hope in the system when Manu Sharma is aquitted, to losing hope in life, until her face off with Meera, Vidya Balan makes you feel Sabrina’s pain to the farthest extent possible. Today even after 11 yrs, while watching the candle march on screen, a hundred hearts walked with Jessica, some happy that she rests in peace, while some still burning for other fighting souls. It raised the all critical question in the minds of many living in a power explosive society like today’s, what is the price of one’s life? How cheap?
Rani Mukherjee playing the fiesty Meera Gaity proved that she is not ready to be written off just yet.
A cussing fireball reporter from NDTV, decided to challenge the judiciary system and its loopholes when 300 eye witnesses present when the fatal bullet was fired on the night of 29th April 1999, all saw nothing!!

Actually, not much can be said when describing the performance of two veterans like Rani Mukherjee and Vidya Balan. Both brilliant actors and nothing less than the top notch performance is expected. They did just that, delivered on the expected. Unfortunately none raised the bar. Then many may argue that maybe that’s not what the role required. As a friend rightly stated Rani’s performance will win the masses while Vidya’s will woo the classes - she will emerge as the darling of directors and critics alike.
A special mention should go out to the entire supporting cast of NO One Killed Jessica. Characters portraying Jessica, her parents, Manu Sharma, Vikram etc they’ve all done their part of justice to the role.

Amit Trivedi with every film challenges himself. His un-contemporary composition of ‘Delhi’ and ‘Ali –re’ leave you stumped with his signature funk.

No One Killed Jessica, for me was a tribute to the final verdict, convicting Manu Sharma to life imprisonment for the murder of model, Jessica Lall. Justice had been denied, but the film reinstates, we don’t have to be ok with it.