What is it all about?
The much hyped Hrithik Roshan starrer with a Mexican bala Barbara Mori as his co-star, a decent helmer like Anurag Basu and a reputed banner like Rakesh Roshan’s Filmkraft which has given quality entertainers in past turns out as a major disappointment.
‘Kites’ is an all time low empty luxury vehicle from its producer ‘Rakesh Roshan’, director ‘Anurag Basu’, Writer… sorry writers Akash Khurana, Anurag Basu and Robin Bhatt, that pushes the envelope in terms of just how much flashy packaging an audience will buy when there's absolutely nada inside.
The Story……of course
Shot in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Santa Fe, ‘Kites’ is an unconvincing love story about an Indian man's affair with a Latin woman and their predicament as they don't understand each other's language, ‘Kites’ is about their misadventure.
The story starts in a harsh terrain of the Mexican desert where a mortally wounded man Jai (Hrtithik) is left to die in the heat of the scorching sun. Once a street smart, carefree young guy, he is now a wanted man.
As death looms, the only thing that keeps him alive is the quest to find the love of his life, Natasha (Barbara Mori) - a woman betrothed to another man. Jay and Natasha fell in love despite language and cultural barriers and embark on a crazy boring trip.
What to look out for?
Hrithik Roshan is sensational and gives his most matured performance till date.
Cinematography by Ayananka Bose is jaw dropping and Anurag’s shot taking is commendable.
What Not?
‘Kites’ cuts its own strings by a weak story, zero chemistry, no melody, no romance, and tries to fly with the winds of hype, good but unconvincing stunts and a sensational Hrithik Roshan who has just missed a great opportunity to introduce himself pleasantly to Hollywood. What a waste.
Anurag’s limitations as an helmer and a writer gets exposed with this flick and the movie ensures that Anurag sensibilities are limited to a certain sect where he can please his audience with some videsh influence in films like ‘Gangster’ and ‘Life in a Metro’ but when it comes to please the videshis and the desi together, he runs out of ideas and lacks proper understanding of the term called ‘mass appeal’ and the audience pulse.
Which once again cement the view that shot taking is not film making.
Coming to the film which starts superbly and has an interesting concept of two lovers flying together but heir fate lies in the hands of others and in the end they are denied is spoiled by the makers who in their dream to make this fly high on international skies. The makers commit following blinders:
A) The characterizations is poor and its hard to connect with the two lead pairs Hrithik and Barabara who start loving each other but on what grounds is hard to believe. And its never gets explained in the film what makes them attracted towards each other when they can’t understand their language…… Is it lust that brings them together or what?
B) A love story can still survive even if the reason of attraction is not convincing provided the pair oozes on screen chemistry, warmth when they come together…. Alas, the chemistry between the Hrithik and Barbara who are torn between paisa and pyaar is thanda and in minus degree celsius. A blink of your eye and Barbara in bikini is gone.
C) Even if the attraction is not convincing and the pair is not delicious on screen and you are trying to woo the international audience, still some taste can be provided if the music is melodious, song dance, naach gaan is the only identity Bollywood has had to lakhs of cinegoers worldwide and mind you I’m not talking of experts. Even over here the movie scores a zero. Even worse, previously the music director Rajesh Roshan has given his best for this banner. The helmer Anurag Basu previous flicks have scored major plus in music.
D) Even after all this known departments fail and you run out of cards then still you can rely on some quality action to punch your films prospects, which are there but again it doesn’t seem to be the way it should be…… I mean not required, its not a chase movie.
E) And finally, the last nail in the coffin is provided by the language…. Sorry languages in the movie, people speak English, Hindi, and Spanish in the film where Spanish spoken by Barbara is subtitled in English whereas the English interaction are not subtitled and audience scratch their heads to recollect where and when was Hindi spoken in this Bollywood film.
The movie has some childish errors which are hard to digest like the editor Akiv Ali turns blind eye to repetitive shots. Kangana is reduced to minimum. A wounded tormented Hrithik on quest for his lost love in Mexican desert doesn’t shave but manages to change his clothes. From Mexican attire to jeans…..??, etc, etc. All this make this 130 minutes misadventure numbing and it’s more than such a frail conceit can sustain.
Conclusion: ‘Good looks can deceive’, go at your own risk.
Rating **
What is it all about?
Dear Priyan, what have you done? Milli delicious irani kebab ki recipe aap ne isme kyun Indian haddi dalne di. Joota karne laga chur chur aur audience ho gayi isse duur (away). Got it……….forget it. In simple English, Priyadarshan after being exhausted by the continuing ‘De Dana Dan’ and ‘Bhagam Bhag’, tries to revisit the ‘Kanchivaram’ terrain by adapting the familiar Iranian cinematic masterpiece ‘Children OF Heaven’ by Majid Majidi. Alas, the veteran this time losses considerable charm.
The Story…….of course
Adds the unwanted ‘terrorist’ element to this otherwise sweet, uplifting story of Majid Majidi ‘Children of Heaven’ which was nominated for 1997 Oscars in the best foreign film language film category. Khogiram (Atul Kulkarni), his wife (Rituparna Sengupta) and their kids Pinu (Darsheel Safary) and Rimzim (Ziya Vastani) belong to a terrorist-dominated region. Khogiram and Ritu have a hand-to-mouth income and can barely manage things. The kids are affected by this as well. They go to a respectable school as it is Khogiram's ambition to give them the educational opportunities he missed. But the financial crunch makes it difficult for kids to match the standards of the school. They don't have enough money for uniform or shoes.
What to look out for?
The moments between the kids are lovely but not original. The sister played by Ziyah Vastani is the best part of this flick. The girl is damn cute and acts beautifully; she is a bundle of talent. Darsheel is fine and a brand puller if not the crowd puller but the girl attracts maximum attention.
The child actors create winningly serious-minded characters nevertheless and the adults contribute valuable support where Atul Kulkarni excels. Camerawork is excellent. Sulabha Deshpande is competent.
At least it’s good to see Priyadarshan interest in trying something uplifting in Hindi.
What not?
Tries to please everybody in the huge Indian audience and adds unnecessary elements like ‘Terrorism’ to this sweet little idea which pleases no one but its brand promoters who shamelessly ruin, murder this flick which if the makers would have want to could have been a uplifting, beautiful experience which speaks in volume about faith, honesty and supports the adage ‘Do Your Thing Everything Else Will Follow’.
Alas, Priyadarshan who has the reputation of a smart story teller shockingly goofs up in vital departments. The story is supposed to be based in Assam but we hear Bengali somewhere. And the costumes appear to be rented from Kashmir.
Aamir smartly put the plucky yet vulnerable children on a quest thingies to a desire effect and mind you he was also inspired from the same maker ‘Majid Majidi’ who has handsomely used the child psyches to tell his story making it acceptable worldwide. Casting a child to tell a story can be useful if done right and can be disastrous if not done accordingly.
Rituparno doesn’t get much scope.
Conclusion: The sum effect of this Bollywood adaptation of the Irani masterpiece is a tedious affair which evaporates the charming beautiful intention of the original in its quest to please all and everyone. Wait for its worldwide premier on the small screen.
Rating **
What is it all about?
‘Badmaash Company’ is a film about guys in haste who wanna smell money as soon as possible, the movie has a ‘real’ feel to it. Efforts can be seen in first timer Parmeet Sethi’s attempt which is more authentic towards being a drama which ironically runs on a handsomely budgeted thriller lane that ‘steals’ the movie’s prospects to be a crowd-pleaser.
The Story……of course
‘Badmaash Company’ is set in the 1990s in middle class Mumbai, of four ordinary youngsters (Shahid Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Meiyang Chang and Vir Das), who came together to start an import business of things longed for by yuppie Indians. What made their venture such a stupendous success was the fact that they found a way to beat the system and soon became the undisputed kings in their business, realizing their one dream of making quick money is by doing all the wrong things the right way.
Living the life of champagne wishes and caviar dreams, the four friends discover that to make a business successful, you don't need big money. All you need is a big idea. All is well and hunky dory till one day the four maverick entrepreneurs are forced to shut shop.
What to look out for?
Having the identifiable emotions of today’s youth, ‘Badmaash Company’ is ruled by Shahid Kapoor as you can easily make out there’s a genuine love of performing behind it. Shahid makes a true honest attempt to lit up the film, fails but manages enact a character with a rich psychology. Proving that he can find the shadings in every hue.
Anushka looks pretty and her chemistry with Shahid is striking. Meiyang Chang has the zing while Vir Das is quite impressive. Anupam Kher and Kiran Juneja along with Pawan Malhotra are competent as ever.
Dialogues are entertaining, some truly spectacular shooting in Bangkok and USA where the scenes between the gang is likable.
Musically not a bad selection of tunes by Pritam Chakraborty. The movie has superb production values.
What not?
Despite all the fun, however, the thorny questions raised by the debutant con flick which borrows real life incidents like the ‘Madras Bleeding’ of the 60’s, the home loan scam in America which pulled its economy down and the import strategy of Indian importers etc to make a ‘con’ movie. The absence of innovations and creativity in the con which is the genders basic requirement is it major drawback. The writer doesn’t pen con on his own for the film and on top of that this gang is never in news or discussions in police headquarters that kills the excitement of the audience who starts believing that nobody is bothered whether this guys steal or they fight the ignorance of this basic factors in a con movie is troubling. The wealth, power, and privilege that allow Shahid to effortlessly trade it in for a new con down the line are given a free pass.
‘Badmaash Company’ idea might be of scamming, fast bucks, self inventory, friends, wealth and friendship which starts with a voice over that makes it feel like an autobiographical drama, all this mistakes and the little regard for suspense or audience sophistication needed in a con movie and the last 30 minutes……. repeat 30 minutes during the second half where unnecessary.
Conclusion: Go if you really must.
Rating **
What is it all about?
Designed for the ‘fun’ hungry souls of Bollywood, Sajid Khan helmed ‘Housefull’ carries the potential to be the first genuine success story of 2010.
The aptly named ‘Housefull’ captures that jolly crowd who don’t care a damn when it comes to laughter and easily within seconds you come to know that this flick has hit written all over it.
The Story…...of course
‘Housefull’ is a romantic comedy entertainer which narrates the story of Aarush - the world's unluckiest man. Being jinxed, he believes his bad luck can vanish if he finds true love. In this quest for true love how one lie leads to another and how different people from different walks of life come together adding even more confusion to this hilarious comedy of errors resulting in total chaos and mayhem forms the crux of the story. The line which Deepika tells Akshay in the film "Jis jhooth se kissi ka ghar basta ho, voh jhooth jhooth nahin hota", pretty much sums up the essence of the film.
What to look out for?
What separates this one from Akshay’s previous mad capers is that in addition to the actor’s whole-hearted performance, director Sajid Khan gives him the "touch". Knowing very well how to keep the laugh party going, the helmer instinctively understands what to say and when, the spirit is naturally infectious.
The trump card, however, is ‘Akshay’; unlike in past film work, you believe him as a loser and, even more important, you want him to win this time.
Ritesh Deshmukh again proves that his comic timing is at par with the best in the industry. Lara Dutta again proves her brilliance when it comes to laughter.
Deepika chips in with valuable support.
Other actors are uniformly strong, and Sajid Khan deserves much credit for exacting just the right degree of outrageousness without spinning into some wild orbit. None of the characters are cheap targets of fun, and the script actually manages to put the situations into a human context that makes their foibles real and funny. There's also genuine levity in cameos from Boman Irani, Jiah Khan, Arjun Rampal and Randhir Kapoor.
‘Housefull’ dishes out the mad caper predicament to perfection and has moments which can make even a stone hearted a good laugh. The scene where Akshay cleans the house with a vacumizer and gets it all houch pouch instantly reminds you of the Chaplin, Laurel Hardy videos you watched sitting at home with your wafers, bhajias, cold drink whatever… Days and later when he suffers from electric shock which passes on to Ritesh is undeniably hilarious and the best. Sajid Khan maintains the honesty though events become predictable and keeps the audience engaged rather than frustrated by the track.
Director Sajid Khan and his partners in screen writing Milap Zaveri and Vibha Singh work in concert to maintain the pace in the comedy loaded with buffoonery, gags, gay jokes but the skill is in the filmmakers' ability to get his audience hooked up with the entire proceedings.
Technical aspects are strong where Vikas Shivraman cinematography is breathtaking, Rameshwar S Bhagat editing is sharp. Production values are mind-blowing.
The music is a major plus and Shankar Eshaan Loy had already delivered a winner in “Apni Tohn Jaise Taise”.
What Not?
Starts marvelously and maintains a great pace in the first half. Anyhow during post interval, it becomes a bit draggy because the helmer already plays all the cards during the first half. Some may find it ridiculous due to its loyalty to buffoonery.
Conclusion: It’s a pure masala entertainer for the masses designed for the fun hungry souls of Bollywood. Go for it leaving your brains behind and enjoy.
Rating ***
