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One of my childhood memories is that of several relatives visiting us in Mumbai [presumably for a few days], but overstaying their welcome. Those days, the atithis were never looked upon as ‘intruders’.

Times have changed! If you live in a metropolis, if your spouse and you work round-the-clock and have commitments to honour, any extra person - other than those living with us or is part of our day-to-day schedule - is strictly unwelcome. His/her arrival may cause hindrance and rob you of your privacy.

ATITHI TUM KAB JAOGE? mirrors a reality, but the story has scope for not just humour and emotions, the staple diet of most Hindi movies, but there’s a generous dose of devotional quotient that is well integrated in the storyline.

Do you miss movies of yore, helmed by masters like Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee? ATITHI TUM KAB JAOGE? may not be a CHUPKE CHUPKE, GOLMAAL, CHITCHOR or KHATTA MEETHA, but it has a certain old-world charm that one misses in cinema of today.

Final word? Bring this atithi home!

It tells the story of Puneet [Ajay Devgn] and Munmun [Konkona], a married couple living in Mumbai. Their lives take an interesting turn when a distant relative, Chachaji [Paresh Rawal], turns up unannounced at their doorstep from a far-off village. The guest overstays his welcome, so much so that the exasperated couple come up with various ploys to hasten his departure.

ATITHI TUM KAB JAOGE? is a light-hearted entertainer that tickles your funny bone at several points. The best part is, you not only laugh at the funny one-liners, but also at situations, which are so life-like and which makes you connect with them instantly.

ATITHI TUM KAB JAOGE? rests on three characters primarily - Ajay, Konkona and Paresh - and director Ashwni Dhir and his team of writers [Robin Bhatt, Tushar Hiranandani] have ensured that there are ample [enjoyable] scenes that you carry home. What really takes you by surprise is the devotional factor that has been smartly injected in the screenplay. The traditional Indian audiences would love the Mata ki aarti, the Ganesh Chaturthi festival and the sanskaar that the atithi instils in Ajay and Konkona’s child.

But the writing wanders into unwanted areas, which could’ve been avoided in the first place. The raid at the hotel, where Ajay, Konkona and their son move into, seems unnecessary. Ditto for the subsequent scene at the cop station. Immediately thereafter, Ajay hires the services of a Bhai to get rid of Paresh, which looks far-fetched. These three incidents, which come back to back, only add to the length of the film. Also, Paresh breaking wind [gas/flatulence] looks funny in a scene or two, but why make it a recurring occurrence? An overdose is embarrassing!

However, the climax, which starts with the sthapna of Lord Ganesh’s idol in Ajay’s home, till the culmination of the story, makes the goings-on immensely watchable.

Director Ashwni Dhir, best known for penning comic shows, proves that he’s at ease handling dramatic [interval point] and emotional [climax] scenes with gusto. Pritam’s music is ordinary, but the songs fit well in the narrative, especially the two devotional tracks. The title track [Amit Mishra] is quite catchy. Aseem Bajaj’s camerawork is first-rate. Dialogues [Ashwni Dhir] are excellent.

Come to think of it, it requires a lot of courage to play a role that’s devoid of star mannerisms and Ajay enacts this part most convincingly. Konkona is spontaneous and a complete natural. Paresh is superb as the atithi. He’s definitely the scene-stealer! Satish Kaushik shines, especially in the sequence when he apologises to Ajay. Akhilendra Mishra, Mukesh Tiwari and Viju Khote are alright. Sanjay Mishra is first-rate.

On the whole, ATITHI TUM KAB JAOGE? is a hilarious movie, but unlike any slapstick comedy. It’s a light-hearted film with sensibility, humour and a strong undercurrent of emotion. This atithi is sure to find a place in your heart!

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A lot of present-day directors seem inspired by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee’s movies. The veterans told simple stories in the most simplistic manner. Director Kedarh Shinde, one presumes, also seems inspired by their master works and attempts to narrate a story that’s identifiable and at the same time, dipped in humour.

But TOH BAAT PAKKI is not as invigorating as one expects it to be. The film has some wonderful moments, some old-world charm, but the humour, at several points, falls flat. Especially towards the penultimate portions.

Final word? It’s a half-baked fare!

Rajeshwari [Tabu], married to Vinay [Ayub Khan], dreams of getting her sister Nisha [Yuvika Choudhary] married to the most suitable boy within their Saxena community. Also, Rajeshwari is against the dowry system.

Rajeshwari finds a good Saxena boy studying engineering and has prospects of a promising future. Rahul [Sharman Joshi] is a good proposition for her sister and she even gets him to move into her house as a paying guest.

However, when Rajeshwari learns that Rahul is not interested in marriage, she smartly devices a plan to bring her sister and make them get to know each other. She’s confident that once he meets Nisha, there is no turning away. They fall in love. Rajeshwari is happy. Marriage is fixed.

Things take a turn when Yuvraaj [Vatsal Sheth] lands up at Rajeshwari’s house. Yuvraaj is also a Saxena. He has a good job and is waiting to move into his house. Rajeshwari can’t believe her luck. This is a better prospect. The story takes a turn when Rajeshwari tries to set up Nisha with Yuvraaj.

The problem with most storytellers is, the story they choose may sound convincing at narration level, but what eventually unfolds on screen is half as convincing. On paper, the 4-para synopsis of TOH BAAT PAKKI holds promise, but the screenplay, spread over two hours, has its share of hiccups.

For instance, the portions depicting Sharman helping Tabu during the marriage celebrations are far from convincing. In fact, the screenplay starts losing its grip from hereon. Even Sharman’s attempts to poison Himani Shivpuri and Vatsal Sheth’s mind appears childish. Ditto for the abduction drama towards the end. The Sharat Saxena track also looks forced.

Kedarh Shinde’s direction holds your attention at a few places only. Especially during Tabu and Sharman’s portions towards the first half. But the patchy writing lets him down. Pritam’s music doesn’t work, except ‘Jis Din Mera Byaah’. Dialogues are too flowery at times.

Tabu is a pleasure to watch. She’s natural and it must be said that it gets difficult to move your eyes when she’s on screen. Sharman, again, is likable and gets it right. Vatsal does fairly well. Yuvika doesn’t get much scope. Ayub Khan is passable. Himani Shivpuri and Suhasini Mulay are as usual. Upasna Singh is loud.

On the whole, TOH BAAT PAKKI has a few interesting moments, but not enough to keep you hooked. It will have to rely on a strong word of mouth, especially from family audiences, to stay afloat.

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Be forewarned. DE DANA DAN is the most bizarre film from the maharaja of laughathons, Priyadarshan. Not even in your wildest dream you’d think that Priyadarshan would place almost an entire film in a hotel and have its entire cast, comprising of 26 [or is it 27?] characters, most of them weirdos, interacting with each other. Brings back memories of BLAME IT ON THE BELLBOY? May be!

But Priyadarshan needs to be credited for pulling it off. There are times when you laugh hysterically at the most outlandish jokes and situations. There are times when a raised eyebrow or a wide-open jaw makes you break into a guffaw.

Be cautioned. DE DANA DAN is a loud film, with each and every character screaming on top of his/her voice, with the characters shouting, running, even floating and swimming in the end.

But what do you expect in a Priyadarshan film that has a title like DE DANA DAN? The promos never promised path-breaking or thought-provoking cinema that would give birth to debates and discussions. So why look for logic in this one?

DE DANA DAN makes no qualms of narrating a story you haven’t heard before. Here, the story is non-existent and it’s left on Priyadarshan to mix-n-match those two dozen characters and keep the momentum alive for the next 2.45 hours.

DE DANA DAN promises laughter and entertainment and sticks to its promise. This one’s not for the hard-nosed types, but for those who worship escapist cinema. Who want to chuckle, giggle and chortle at those mindless jokes. In short, DE DANA DAN is a pure dhamaal entertainer!

Nitin [Akshay Kumar] is a butler, cook, driver, watchman, gardener to a wealthy female industrialist [Archana Puran Singh] in Singapore. Like any young man, Nitin too dreams of a better life. He desperately wants to become rich and marry the love of his life, Anjali [Katrina Kaif], who supports him financially.

Ram [Suniel Shetty], Nitin’s best friend, also came to Singapore with the dream of striking it rich, but ended up a courier delivery man. He falls for Manpreet [Sameera Reddy], but her high society parents will never approve of marriage, not unless Ram has lots and lots of money.

In the midst of all this is Harbans [Paresh Rawal], a shrewd businessman, who’s looking for ways to multiply his income and avoid his debtors. He decides the best way would be to marry his son [Chunky Pandey] off to a girl whose parents can give him a large dowry. He is introduced to Manpreet’s parents at a function and is impressed by their social status. He introduces himself as a well-established businessman, impresses them and they decide to get Manpreet and Harbans’ son married.

With several factors working against them, Nitin and Ram soon reach a dead end in their relationships. When both receive ultimatums from their girlfriends, they realize that only a life of vice can help them out of their misery. They come up with an audacious plan to kidnap someone important and demand a ransom.

The kidnapping goes awry and both hide at a local hotel while waiting for the ransom money. But misfortune is never far and the kidnapping spirals out of control.

Meanwhile, Manpreet’s wedding reception is being held at the same hotel that Nitin and Ram are hiding in. Soon, they are joined by a motley set of characters including a Chinese Don [Asrani], a hired assassin [Johny Lever], a ACB police inspector [Sharat Saxena], a club dancer [Neha Dhupia], an ambassador [Vikram Gokhale], a young frustrated double crossing wife [Aditi Govitrikar], a letch [Shakti Kapoor], a drunken waiter [Rajpal Yadav] and a dead body nobody wants to check into the hotel.

DE DANA DAN is atypical Priyadarshan film that has the unmistakable stamp all over it. But, at the same time, DE DANA DAN is erratic and uneven - energetic at times, lethargic at places. Also, the culmination to the film is very similar to the director’s earlier works, with the entire cast running helter-skelter.

On the flip side, you miss Akshay’s presence in the second hour. He disappears [gets locked in a cupboard] for at least 20 minutes and the focus, hence, shifts to the other characters. His fans will miss his presence, for sure. Besides, the film tends to get very lengthy towards the second half and overtly verbose too.

Director Priyadarshan is synonymous with comedies and the ace storyteller promises laughter in abundance. Handling so many characters, plus making a film on mistaken identities could be very tough, but the director gets it right. Pritam’s music is alright, while the RDB track, ‘Paisa’, is the pick of the lot. Salim-Sulaiman’s background score is energetic. K. Ahambaram’s cinematography is alright.

The review would be incomplete if one ignored the dialogue writer’s [Jay Master] contribution to the film. The lines are laced with wit and soaked in humour and bring the house down on several occasions.

DE DANA DAN has so many characters that it gets difficult to pinpoint or single out any one actor. Akshay is at his best in a Priyadarshan film and DE DANA DAN proves it. Suniel is natural to the core. Paresh is incredible; he pitches in a superb act. Katrina and Sameera don’t have much to do. Amongst the plethora of actors, Johny Lever, Neha Dhupia, Manoj Joshi, Asrani, Vikram Gokhale and Archana Puransingh deserve special mention.

On the whole, DE DANA DAN is targeted at the masses and it delivers laughter in abundance. Leave your brains behind to enjoy this madcap entertainer!

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In TUM MILE, a couple faces two storms. The storm within, when they come face to face after their breakup. The storm outside, when a natural calamity strikes Mumbai on 26th July, 2005 [unprecedented rainfall devastated Mumbai on this date].

After JANNAT, director Kunal Deshmukh [KD] chooses a love story yet again. It’s about an estranged couple, but the wallpaper in TUM MILE is the Mumbai floods. Naturally then, the expectations from TUM MILE are colossal, given the fact that TUM MILE is the first film that attempts to chronicle the natural calamity on celluloid, with seriousness.

Had KD limited himself to narrating the ups and downs in a live-in relationship, TUM MILE may’ve struck a chord. But if you’re attempting a disaster movie [its promotions send out strong signals], you’d be eager to know how KD recreates the horrors of 26th July on celluloid. Let’s not forget, the catastrophe is still etched in our memory and has tremendous recall-value.

While KD succeeds in depicting the tiffs between the lovers, it’s the disaster aspect that doesn’t make much of an impact. That’s because you strongly feel that the infamous Mumbai floods should’ve been given more prominence, instead of using it as a tool to take the story forward.

26th July, 2005 rang an ominous bell for most, but amidst all the chaos and the tragedy, it re-united two star-crossed ex-lovers.

Two people [Emraan Hashmi, Soha Ali Khan] meet after a hiatus of six years. What starts off as a seemingly innocuous encounter on the same flight back to Mumbai, ends up as a rollercoaster ride through some of the darkest hours of Mumbai, as they see the city get swamped with disaster and loss… and are forced to stick together in this time of crisis.

26th July, 2005 remains etched in your memory and I’m sure, every Mumbaikar would’ve a story to tell vis-à-vis what transpired with them or their beloved/relatives/friends/acquaintances on that fateful day. TUM MILE also highlights the dilemma of a couple, who once shared a beautiful relationship, but have moved on in life after they split, till they meet again on 26th July.

Opposites attract and so do Emraan and Soha in TUM MILE. Although their story goes back and forth several times, the narrative doesn’t confuse the viewer one bit. So far, so good.

But the problem lies in integrating the natural calamity with the love story. Even if you’re a non-Mumbaikar, you’d vividly recall the images that were flashed on news channels continuously or perhaps, you may’ve watched the footage on internet. But in TUM MILE, the nature’s fury doesn’t come across strongly or effectively. In a few scenes, yes, you do draw parallels with real life, but the impact it ought to make is just not there. Something is amiss!

KD has handled the love story very well. The tiffs between Emraan and Soha are so identifiable. The ‘Dil Ibaadat’ song in particular completely moves you. But how one wishes the film would’ve focussed more on the characters’ attempts to escape or cope with the disaster or its aftermath.

Pritam’s music is melodious to the core. The cinematography does justice to the beauty of South Africa [romantic portions] and also during the flood sequences. But the usage of stock footage, at places, doesn’t work. The computer graphics could’ve been better and more effective.

Emraan takes giant strides as an actor. He continues to surprise in film after film. Grossly under-rated despite having delivered competent performances in the past, here’s hoping that people wake up to this talented actor after TUM MILE. Like Emraan, Soha too has evolved into a truly fine actor and TUM MILE proves it. The best part is, Soha is extremely natural and that’s what makes her sequences so believable.

Sachin Khedekar is there for just one sequence. Mantra, as Emraan’s friend, is confident.

On the whole, TUM MILE caters to the youth mainly. At the box-office, the Vishesh Films - Emraan Hashmi combo has cultivated a strong fan-base over the years and coupled with good music, which is also very popular, the film should find itself in the comfortable zone. However, the super-strong opposition in 2012 [also highlighting a disaster on celluloid and which has had a wide release in India] might eat into its business at places.

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Rajkumar Santoshi has changed lanes. Known for intense, hard-hitting movies [with the sole exception of ANDAZ APNA APNA], Santoshi now attempts a rom-com in AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI, his new endeavour. That’s something we all know by now, right?

But not many of us know that Santoshi is equally at home handling a comedy. And AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI proves it.

If you’re attempting a rom-com, you need to get a few things right…
One, the romance should be livewire. Ditto for the chemistry between the on-screen pair.
Two, the film should make you laugh. As simple as that!

In AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI, the romantic moments are endearing. Most importantly, the on-screen chemistry is electrifying. Ranbir and Katrina look great together!

I’ve often said that comedy is serious business and the audience has moved over from banana peel humour in movies. The comedy in AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI - though it borders on absurdity - is funny in most parts. Sure, there’re times when you feel that the humour looks forced [climax fight especially], but you don’t grudge it since Santoshi’s intentions are crystal clear from Scene 1 onwards: Entertainment ke liye kuch bhi karega.

Another factor that goes in its favour is Pritam’s music, who belts out a couple of lilting tracks.

On the flip side, the film could’ve done with a fresh plotline. When you talk of ‘Ghazab Kahani’, it has to be ghazab by all means. It shouldn’t fall prey to predictability, but the second hour succumbs to mediocrity occasionally.

Yet, despite the blemishes, AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI is a full-on entertainer. One thing is for sure, you’d fall in prem with Prem and his antics. An ideal date movie that should connect with the youth.

Prem’s [Ranbir Kapoor] fundas in life were very simple - be happy, make others happy. A case of mistaken identity leads Prem to almost kidnap Jenny [Katrina Kaif], who was brought up by indifferent and uncaring foster parents.

Prem falls in love with Jenny, but realizes gradually that Jenny is in love with someone else [Upen Patel], the son of a conniving politician [Govind Namdeo]. Prem decides to sacrifice his love and get the lovers married.

In the first sequence, Santoshi makes it loud and clear that AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI is very unlike his previous ventures; this one harbours on illogical situations. Right from the time Ranbir sets his eyes on Katrina [the yellow outfit episode], the film is a roller coaster ride.

A few sequences entertain you thoroughly. Sample these: Katrina slaps Ranbir when he stammers as well. She feels he’s imitating her; Ranbir’s sequence in the church; Salman Khan’s cameo; the love-hate relationship that Ranbir and his father [Darshan Jariwala] share; the sequence at the party; the interval point when Ranbir falls on the ground literally… the first hour of the film simply rocks!

But the second hour makes you a little grumpy. The third angle of the triangle [Upen Patel] isn’t convincing, while his father’s [Govind Namdeo] track is beaten to death. Even the villain [Zakir Hussain] is a sore point.

Watching the second hour makes you feel that the film may’ve had a longer running time and in order to bring down the length, a number of scenes must’ve been chopped off, which, in turn, must’ve resulted in continuity lapses. For instance, Katrina’s kidnap by the villains looks too sudden. When and how did it occur?

Yet, there’re two sequences in this hour which are remarkable and which should bring the house down. One, when Ranbir wears Katrina’s top to hide her presence in the house and the climax fight, when Katrina mistakenly bangs Ranbir a couple of times.

Directorially, Santoshi proves the naysayers wrong and bounces back with a film that the youth would relate to. You can’t write off the maker and AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI proves it. Pritam’s music has ‘Hit’ written all over it. S. Thiru’s cinematography is first-rate.

Ranbir Kapoor is the next big thing and AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI proves it yet again. He’s charismatic, emotes exceptionally well and tickles your funny bone without making faces. It’s a fantastic performance all the way. Katrina Kaif continues to surprise. She surprised you in NEW YORK. She surprises you again in this film. She scores in both emotional and light scenes. Also, Ranbir and Katrina make a wonderful on-screen couple.

Darshan Jariwala is exceptional. Smita Jaykar is very good. Upen Patel is decent. Govind Namdeo is getting typecast. Zakir Hussain is fair. Navneet Nishan is alright.

On the whole, AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI entertains majorly. At the box-office, the fantastic pre-release campaign coupled with the terrific chemistry between Ranbir and Katrina, excellent music by Pritam and tremendous appeal for youth should ensure a big start for the film at the ticket window. The business prospects seem excellent, thus ensuring handsome returns for its investors.

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Sometimes, we laugh at movies. At times, we laugh in movies. Thankfully, ALL THE BEST, helmed by Rohit Shetty, belongs to the latter type.

ALL THE BEST makes no claims of catering to the intelligentsia or the elite. Instead, it’s aimed at those who want to spend two hours of their precious life flexing their facial muscles. ALL THE BEST is for those who expect fun and laughter unlimited in those two hours. This one makes you smile, laugh, even break into a guffaw at times.

The jokes and the goings-on may appear silly, but who cares! As long as one feels positive and wears a smile on the face even after the show has ended, nothing else matters.

Comedy is serious business and Rohit Shetty is a pro at this genre now. This time, the talented director seeks inspiration from RIGHT BED, WRONG HUSBAND and what works to the advantage are two factors - the written material and the right casting. Both are just right!

From time to time, it has been noticed that some films are made with the motive of keeping you entertained. ALL THE BEST is one of those films. Go, have a blast this Diwali!

Veer [Fardeen Khan], a singer by profession, is greedy of extracting extra pocket money from his brother Dharam [Sanjay Dutt], a business-honcho. Veer lies to Dharam that he has got married and his friend Prem [Ajay Devgn], a concept car expert, lends a helping hand in cooking up this alibi.

Veer is in love with Vidya [Mugdha Godse], but has qualified in the hate list of her father. Prem is happily married to Jhanvi [Bipasha Basu], who takes care of his ancestor’s outdated gymnasium. Veer and Prem land up in debts as they had opted for a short-cut to earn easy money.

The two get into a bigger soup when Dharam pays a sudden visit to their place. Time does not give a chance and unavoidable circumstances arouse such situations that Prem’s wife Jhanvi is mistaken for Veer’s and Veer’s girlfriend for Prem’s.

Like his previous films, director Rohit Shetty rests the story on multiple characters, with a dozen odd actors in supporting roles. With so many characters in the film, it generally tends to get confusing, but ALL THE BEST has an easy-to-comprehend story and a trouble-free and uncomplicated screenplay [Robin Bhatt and Yunus Sajawal].

Ten minutes into the film and you know that ALL THE BEST is all about mistaken identities. But the proceedings actually take off when Sanju enters the scene. That’s when you get drawn into this madcap world completely.

A number of sequences are howlarious. Note Johny Lever’s intro. Ditto for Sanjay Mishra’s track. Also, when Johny Lever regains his voice - towards the climax - it’s sooooo funny. On the flip side, the pace drops in the middle of the second hour. Also Pritam’s musical score is uninspiring and the songs act as speed breakers.

Rohit Shetty is in top form and his team of writers, Robin and Yunus, contribute enormously in making this film watchable. Dudley’s cinematography is perfect. Farhad - Sajid and Bunty Rathore’s dialogue are very much in sync with the mood of the film. In fact, a few one-liners are extremely witty.

Sanju portrays his part well. His sequences with Ajay are truly fantastic. But the show-stopper is undoubtedly Ajay, whose comic timing is only getting better. He plays to the gallery completely and delivers a sparkling performance. Fardeen needs to loosen up, though he makes a sincere attempt. Bipasha is sweet, while Mugdha doesn’t get much scope. Amongst supporting actors, Johny Lever and Sanjay Mishra are in terrific form. Mukesh Tiwari, Vijay Patkar, Ashwini Kalsekar and Atul Parchure lend credible report.

On the whole, ALL THE BEST is fun and laughter unlimited. At the box-office, the festive period coupled with the solid track record of Ajay Devgn and Rohit Shetty and also the strong merits will ensure ample footfalls at cineplexes, making its investors laugh all the way to the bank. Recommended!

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Cricket, like Bollywood, is an addiction for a wide majority of Indians. DIL BOLE HADIPPA tries to capture the spirit of the game and the aspirations of a sportsperson, who’s keen to play for her pind. On paper, the concept, which bears an uncanny resemblance to SHE’S THE MAN, sounds interesting, but the problem is its writing, which is tame and mediocre.

Let’s elaborate. The plusses, first…
It’s mandatory for cricket-based films like LAGAAN and VICTORY, which conclude with a cricket match, to have a thrilling finish. DIL BOLE HADIPPA too has a awe-inspiring end.
Also, the story of an ordinary girl who aspires to play cricket for the national team is motivating, with Rani Mukherji handling her part with complete understanding.

But there’s a flipside too. The romantic moments between Rani and Shahid Kapoor lack fizz. Even the assorted characters in the film, like Sherlyn Chopra, Vrajesh Hirjee and Rakhi Sawant, contribute nothing to the film. They’re mere props.

Final word? You expect DIL BOLE HADIPPA to score a century, like several films churned out by Yash Raj. But it settles down in the half-century range. Strictly average!

Veera [Rani Mukherji] is a fire-cracker of a girl who lives in a small village, but chases big dreams. She works in a local theatre group, but dreams of playing cricket in the big league. Yes, believe it or not, she wants to play with Tendulkar and Dhoni for India.

While Veera dreams on in India, Rohan [Shahid Kapoor] is an accomplished captain of a county cricket team in England. Rohan returns to India to captain his father’s cricket team, which has been losing consecutively for the last 8 years.

In a village where girls don’t play cricket, Veera has to put on a turban and beard and become a man to fulfil her dreams. Her brilliance on the field earns her a place in Rohan’s team and Veera Kaur becomes Veer Pratap Singh. But what happens when the secret is out?

DIL BOLE HADIPPA has a patchy script. It’s interesting initially, but takes the beaten path later. Rani’s obsession for cricket is well established at the outset. So is the friendship between Anupam Kher and Dalip Tahil [who heads the Pakistani team]. Also, the initial scenes between Anupam and Shahid are well integrated in the story.

The film shows promise when Rani transforms from Veera to Veer. All this happens in the initial 20-25 minutes, but the story comes to a screeching halt thereafter.

Problem begins… Shahid loses his heart to Rani and the film suddenly turns into a love story. Sherlyn surfaces in between to spice up the proceedings, but nothing happens. The conflict during the finale - when Shahid learns the truth - doesn’t make the desired impact either. Even the re-emergence of the mother [Poonam Dhillon] in the story looks like a complete compromise from the writing point of view.

However, the match between the Indian and Pakistani teams in the climax is well executed and though the viewer is well aware what the ending would be, it keeps you hooked nonetheless. Unfortunately, the final speech by Rani [after the match is won] is outright predictable. The film would’ve benefitted with an innovative end.

Anurag Singh shows sparks of brilliance at times, but how one wishes the debutante director and his writers would’ve come up with a solid script. Pritam’s music doesn’t help either. Barring the title track, the balance songs are plain average. Cinematography is nice.

DIL BOLE HADIPPA belongs to Rani and as always, she delivers a sparkling performance as Veera as well as Veer, carrying both the roles effortlessly. Shahid plays second fiddle to Rani, which is very surprising. Nevertheless, he enacts his part well. Anupam Kher and Dalip Tahil lend decent support. Poonam Dhillon has nothing to do. Rakhi Sawant and Sherlyn Chopra are wasted. Vrajesh Hirjee is passable. Shri Vallabh Vyas does well.

On the whole, DIL BOLE HADIPPA is an ordinary fare. At the box-office, the film has some chances in North mainly thanks to the Punjabi flavour. The holidays ahead may help its prospects at plexes essentially, but the single screens will be dull.

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Film: “Tum Mile”
Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty
Lyricists: Sayeed Quadri and Kumar
Singers: KK, Mohit Chauhan, Javed Ali, Neeraj Shridhar and Shafqat Amanat Ali
Rating:***1/2
Composer Pritam has churned out appealing tunes for the album of “Tum Mile”, which stars Emraan Hashmi and Soha Ali Khan. The score is an all-male domain as none of the tracks features a female [...]

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Try stretching a rubber band beyond a point and it’s bound to snap. Try stretching a waferthin story and it’s bound to blow apart too. That’s precisely the problem with LOVE KHICHDI. Frankly, LOVE KHICHDI is a collage of romantic moments assembled by director Srinivas Bhashyam.

LOVE KHICHDI looks at the various women who flit in and out of the protagonist’s life. It’s a metro-centric concept that could’ve worked well if [a] the assorted women wouldn’t appear and disappear randomly and [b] the narrative had been limited to 1.30 hours, instead of 2 + hours.

These two factors make this khichdi far from appetising.

Vir [Randeep Hooda], a bachelor from a small town, works as a chef in a hotel in Mumbai; a handsome, charming and macho man who really needs to grow up.

Vir flirts with, yeans for, lusts after and is intimidated by one beautiful woman after another. From his man-hating maid Shanta Bai [Sonali Kulkarni], whom he ogles as she wipes his floor to the man-eating Nafisa [Kalpana Pandit], the powerful call-center executive… from the beauty-with-brains Sharmishta [Rituparna Sengupta] to the pretty and playful Parminder [Divya Dutta], Vir is drawn to them all.

All along, he is supported by his buddy, Sandhya [Sada], whom he takes for granted till it’s too late.

LOVE KHICHDI mirrors the lifestyle of a section of youth today, who want to have all the fun, minus commitment. In this case, the film projects the flirtatious nature of a chef who believes in ‘no strings attached’ fun. The assorted women here add spice to his already spicy life. Very interesting!

But the escapades here are not as adventurous, as one expects them to be. Barring the portions involving the maid servant [Sonali Kulkarni] and also the adolescent neighbour [Riya Sen], the character sketches of the remaining women just doesn’t appeal.

To cite two instances, Rituparna Sengupta hides the fact that she’s a married woman till the very end, although she could’ve conveyed that much earlier. Also, Sada’s character seems so confused. Why doesn’t she reveal her true feelings beforehand? It would’ve saved so much time, frankly.

Director Srinivas Bhashyam had an interesting idea, but he loses the plot midway. Pritam’s music is humdrum. Dialogues are well penned at places.

Randeep sparkles all through, except towards the climax, when he breaks down. Amongst ladies, Sonal Kulkarni and Sada enact their parts very well. Riya Sen does bring a smile on your face. Saurabh Shukla is alright.

On the whole, this khichdi is just not yummy!

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Album: “Dil Bole Hadippa”
Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty
Lyricist: Jaideep Sahni
Singers: Mika Singh, Sunidhi Chauhan, KK, Rana Mazumder, Shreya Ghosal, Sonu Nigam, Alisha Chinoy, Hard Kaur and Joshilay
Ratings: ***
Those who like Punjabi music are in for a treat with Yashraj Film’ latest offering “Dil Bole Hadippa” that has Shahid Kapoor and Rani Mukerji in lead roles. Composed [...]

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