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.