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A title like LAHORE gives you the feeling that it’s an Indo-Pak story. The fact is, it is, but it’s about kick-boxing, a sport that hasn’t been presented on celluloid before, at least on the Hindi screen. Cricket, boxing, hockey and football have found their way on the Hindi screen, but kick-boxing, not to my knowledge.

Sure, there are references to the precarious Indo-Pak relations in a few sequences, but let’s get one thing clear. This is not a ‘war film’. There’s no slogan-shouting or Pak-bashing here. There’s no jingoism either. In fact, the culmination to the story — a shocker, which is sure to raise eyebrows — is absolutely outstanding and will work with both the nations.

LAHORE isn’t about kick-boxing only. It’s about relationships — between two nations and also between two brothers — with a strong undercurrent of emotions. It’s the emotional quotient, besides the penultimate do-or-die match, that tilts things in its favour.

Final word? Take a trip to LAHORE. If you’re a sportsman or even if you’re not, catch this one for sure!

The selection of the Indian kick-boxing team is to be done. The final stage of qualification is in process. Amidst all this there is a minister [K. Jeeva], who wants his favourite participant to be selected; a coach [Farooque Shaikh], who wants merit to be the order of the day; an aspirant [Sushant Singh], who dreams to qualify purely on the basis of his merit; another aspirant [Kelly Dorji], who is over-confident, well connected and aims high to represent India.

The focus shifts to Kuala Lumpur. Two opponents, Dhirendra Singh [Sushant Singh] from India comes face to face with Noor Mohammad [Mukesh Rishi] from Pakistan. But an unexpected incident takes place. The sports fraternity stands numb.

The two nations meet in Lahore for a fresh kick-boxing tournament. This time, Noor Mohammed comes face to face with Virendra Singh [Aanaahad], Dhirendra’s brother. Winning the game is not the only thing on his mind. Virendra wants to settle some old scores and restore the lost pride of the nation.

Debutante director Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan gives you an insight of what to expect at the very start of the film. Thereafter, he unravels two tracks that run concurrently all through the first hour. The first track pertains to the relationship between the brothers and the second, the two neighbours — India and Pakistan — preparing to outdo each other in the boxing ring.

The highpoint of the film are the kick-boxing duels — in Kuala Lumpur first [first half] and Lahore [second half] later. The sequence at the interval is shocking and one looks forward to an equally exhilarating second hour.

But the story dips in the post-interval portions, primarily because you know where it is headed. The subtle romance between Aanaahad and Shraddha Das is well knitted, but a cricketer [Aanaahad] getting chosen to represent India for an altogether different sport [kick-boxing] is a bit difficult to absorb, although the director has justified the decision by depicting sequences where Aanaahad is shown getting trained in kick-boxing. Yet, despite that, it appears like a cinematic liberty.

But the moment the Indian team sets foot in Lahore, right till the culmination, the film regains the lost ground and moves into a completely new zone. The matches, shot deftly, are pulse-pounding and even if you’re not a sportsperson or haven’t watched a kick-boxing tournament before, you can’t help but remain hooked to the proceedings. The fight-to-finish duel is simply outstanding!

Debutante director Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan has the makings of a highly skilled storyteller. The film has won applause and awards at various international film festivals and very deservingly so! Aiding the director in his mission are two people — the person who executed the kick-boxing sequences [action director: Tony Leung Siu Hung] and the cinematographer [Neelabh Kaul], who has captured them with such precision. There’s not much scope for music [M.M. Kreem] in the film, while the background score [Wayne Sharpe] is effectual. The production design [Kesto Mondal] deserves special praise.

Farooque Shaikh is top notch. Saurabh Shukla compliments him well. Sabyasachi Chakraborty is incredible. Sushant Singh enacts his part efficiently. Shraddha Nigam is good. Mukesh Rishi conveys a lot through silence. Shraddha Das carries the Pakistani look well. Nafisa Ali is restrained. Ashish Vidyarthi is proficient. K. Jeeva is perfect. Kelly Dorji impresses. Nirmal Pandey gets minimal scope.

As for Aanaahad, it’s the role of a lifetime. It may not be a conventional launch, but the fact is that the role seems tailor-made for him and he performs it with gusto.

On the whole, LAHORE is a small little gem that takes you by surprise and catches you completely unaware. The finale in the boxing ring itself is worth the price of the ticket and more. I suggest, you make time for this one.

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Just a thought before I review this film… When you saunter in for the screening of a movie directed by a celebrated film-maker, a movie which has had a good run at film festivals, a movie which tilts towards art house cinema, it is expected that the critic shower the film with lavish praises and speak of it in glowing terms.

If you don’t, get ready to be ostracized by pseudos masquerading as messiahs of parallel cinema, get ready to be labelled a nincompoop by netizens, get ready to face the constant bitching and loose talk by the ‘Balcony Class’ presswalas. Believe me, a few people are in awe of such cinema and feel they need to prove how cerebral they are by praising such films.

Now to the review! Either the film works or it doesn’t. It’s all about the story and how convincingly the storyteller narrates it. If the story is absorbing, you can’t take your eyes off screen. If it isn’t, you break into a yawn, you fidget with your cell phone, you start looking at all places, except the screen.

What you’re attempting to say, is important. But how many people actually follow what you’re saying, is even more important. ROAD, MOVIE narrates the journey of a young man and the people he encounters on his way. But the problem is, what is ROAD, MOVIE trying to say? You’re clueless!

Is it about the water mafia? Is it about a touring cinema? Is it a love story between an educated youth and a gypsy? Is it a road movie? The sole factor that stands out in this film is its breath-taking locations/visuals. They are more striking than the story. And that’s the sad truth!

Also, why is it that India is often projected as a land of snake charmers, as a poverty-stricken, hunger-stricken, drought-stricken country with beggars and slums all around? Is that what India is, in their eyes? Is this what we are trying to sell to the West and the world in general? That’s really sad!

Final word? ROAD, MOVIE caters to a very, very, very, very tiny section of movie-going audience, who have an appetite for ‘festival films’.

Vishnu [Abhay Deol], a restless young man, itches to escape his father’s faltering hair oil business. An old truck beckons, which Vishnu sees as his ticket to freedom. As he sets off across the harsh terrain of desert India, he discovers he’s not merely transporting a battered vehicle, but an old touring cinema.

Along the way, Vishnu reluctantly picks up a young runaway [Mohammed Faizal Usmani], a wandering old entertainer [Satish Kaushik] and a gypsy woman [Tannishtha Chatterjee]. Together they roam in the barren land, searching for water and an elusive fair. The journey turns dire when they are waylaid by corrupt cops and a notorious water lord.

ROAD, MOVIE starts off very well, but loses focus midway. Abhay’s interaction with the kid and also Satish Kaushik is thoroughly enjoyable. But as the story unfolds, the movie loses its grip and starts going in circles. The plot works till Abhay and Satish screen the movie for the cop, but the portions thereafter aren’t engaging, except for a sequence or two in between.

The portions depicting the fair leaves you confused. Was it for real or a dream sequence? Also, the sequence with the water mafia [Yashpal Sharma] is absurd. This sequence - when Abhay trades off water for hair oil - doesn’t gel well with the mood of the film. Even the romantic track between Abhay and Tannishtha looks far from convincing. The finale too lacks clarity and the remix version of ‘Tel Maalish’ is hardly there.

Director Dev Benegal seems to have concentrated more on visuals than narrating a gripping story. Frankly, the story is so fragile that it’s difficult to hold your attention in those 90 odd minutes. The screenplay is bland and what makes it worse is the fact that the plot unravels at a lethargic pace. Dialogues are well worded at places.

Abhay Deol is a complete natural and this film proves it yet again. Satish Kaushik is first-rate. Mohammed Faizal Usmani impresses. Tannishtha Chatterjee does well. Yashpal Sharma is wasted. Virendra Saxena is efficient.

On the whole, ROAD, MOVIE is more for the festival circuit and some connoisseurs of art house cinema, who may savour it. That’s about it!

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Just a thought before I review this film… When you saunter in for the screening of a movie directed by a celebrated film-maker, a movie which has had a good run at film festivals, a movie which tilts towards art house cinema, it is expected that the critic shower the film with lavish praises and speak of it in glowing terms.

If you don’t, get ready to be ostracized by pseudos masquerading as messiahs of parallel cinema, get ready to be labelled a nincompoop by netizens, get ready to face the constant bitching and loose talk by the ‘Balcony Class’ presswalas. Believe me, a few people are in awe of such cinema and feel they need to prove how cerebral they are by praising such films.

Now to the review! Either the film works or it doesn’t. It’s all about the story and how convincingly the storyteller narrates it. If the story is absorbing, you can’t take your eyes off screen. If it isn’t, you break into a yawn, you fidget with your cell phone, you start looking at all places, except the screen.

What you’re attempting to say, is important. But how many people actually follow what you’re saying, is even more important. ROAD, MOVIE narrates the journey of a young man and the people he encounters on his way. But the problem is, what is ROAD, MOVIE trying to say? You’re clueless!

Is it about the water mafia? Is it about a touring cinema? Is it a love story between an educated youth and a gypsy? Is it a road movie? The sole factor that stands out in this film is its breath-taking locations/visuals. They are more striking than the story. And that’s the sad truth!

Also, why is it that India is often projected as a land of snake charmers, as a poverty-stricken, hunger-stricken, drought-stricken country with beggars and slums all around? Is that what India is, in their eyes? Is this what we are trying to sell to the West and the world in general? That’s really sad!

Final word? ROAD, MOVIE caters to a very, very, very, very tiny section of movie-going audience, who have an appetite for ‘festival films’.

Vishnu [Abhay Deol], a restless young man, itches to escape his father’s faltering hair oil business. An old truck beckons, which Vishnu sees as his ticket to freedom. As he sets off across the harsh terrain of desert India, he discovers he’s not merely transporting a battered vehicle, but an old touring cinema.

Along the way, Vishnu reluctantly picks up a young runaway [Mohammed Faizal Usmani], a wandering old entertainer [Satish Kaushik] and a gypsy woman [Tannishtha Chatterjee]. Together they roam in the barren land, searching for water and an elusive fair. The journey turns dire when they are waylaid by corrupt cops and a notorious water lord.

ROAD, MOVIE starts off very well, but loses focus midway. Abhay’s interaction with the kid and also Satish Kaushik is thoroughly enjoyable. But as the story unfolds, the movie loses its grip and starts going in circles. The plot works till Abhay and Satish screen the movie for the cop, but the portions thereafter aren’t engaging, except for a sequence or two in between.

The portions depicting the fair leaves you confused. Was it for real or a dream sequence? Also, the sequence with the water mafia [Yashpal Sharma] is absurd. This sequence - when Abhay trades off water for hair oil - doesn’t gel well with the mood of the film. Even the romantic track between Abhay and Tannishtha looks far from convincing. The finale too lacks clarity and the remix version of ‘Tel Maalish’ is hardly there.

Director Dev Benegal seems to have concentrated more on visuals than narrating a gripping story. Frankly, the story is so fragile that it’s difficult to hold your attention in those 90 odd minutes. The screenplay is bland and what makes it worse is the fact that the plot unravels at a lethargic pace. Dialogues are well worded at places.

Abhay Deol is a complete natural and this film proves it yet again. Satish Kaushik is first-rate. Mohammed Faizal Usmani impresses. Tannishtha Chatterjee does well. Yashpal Sharma is wasted. Virendra Saxena is efficient.

On the whole, ROAD, MOVIE is more for the festival circuit and some connoisseurs of art house cinema, who may savour it. That’s about it!

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In a vital sequence from this film, the warden of the reformatory [Alok Nath] gives the street kid [Shams Patel] a bar of soap, tells him that he should have a bath pronto and should, therefore, undress in front of him. Before the street kid realises what his intentions are, the warden starts fondling with the kid’s hands. The street kid snaps, he realises that something is wrong and flees from the reformatory the same night.

In the penultimate scene, when the street kid actually traces the mother of the abandoned child, he learns a bitter truth about life. The truth shatters not just this hardened street kid by now, but also the viewer who is now an active participant in the journey of this street kid and the abandoned child.

Debutante director Irfan Kamal’s THANKS MAA is not a no-brainer Bollywood film. It is gritty, courageous, realistic and hits you like a ton of bricks!

SALAAM BOMBAY, TRAFFIC SIGNAL, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE and now THANKS MAA. The lives of the under-privileged street kids continue to attract storytellers across the globe. But THANKS MAA is different because it tells the journey of a street kid who goes on a mission to reunite an abandoned kid with his mother.

Irfan Kamal’s directorial debut pricks your conscience and makes you realize that a change is a must. The film disturbs you no end, especially its shocking climax. But the fact is that you can’t turn a blind eye to it since there are umpteen cases of paedophilia and incest in real life and THANKS MAA only mirrors the fact.

A 12-year-old street kid named Municipality [Shams Patel], while on the run from the reformatory, finds and saves a two-day-old abandoned baby from becoming the prey to a ferocious street dog. Failing to find any takers among the people whom he deemed responsible and respectable, Municipality takes up the onus of finding the mother of that abandoned baby himself.

THANKS MAA has several poignant moments and most of them keep you on the edge. Especially when the street kid encounters the head eunuch [Jalees Sherwani; powerful performance], a prostitute [Mukta Barve; effective] and of course, the mother of the abandoned child. The street lingo and the generous usage of expletives does raise eyebrows initially, but well, THANKS MAA is a real film. So you need to accept it the way it is!

On the flip side, the writing is slightly loose towards the second hour. A few sequences seem unwanted. However, the climax is simply outstanding and comes as a complete shocker.

Irfan Kamal makes a solid impact as a first-time director. His choice of the subject as also the handling of the material deserves brownie points. The writing [Irfan Kamal, Vishal Vijay Kumar] is gripping at most times. The background score [Ranjit Barot] is effective. The camera [Ajayan Vincent] follows the protagonist like a shadow and the viewer looks like a participant in the entire exercise.

THANKS MAA has sparkling performances by every member of the cast, especially the street kids, but the show belongs to Shams Patel [who has bagged the National Award] and who delivers an astounding performance. The street kids - Salman [as Soda], Fayaaz [Cutting], Almas [Sursuri] and Jaffer [Dhed Shanaa] - are outstanding. A number of actors appear in cameos, which include Alok Nath [tremendous], Raghubir Yadav [loud], Barry John [okay], Sanjay Mishra [splendid] and Ranvir Shorey [believable].

On the whole, THANKS MAA is truly original, innovative and pioneering cinema. The film has won several awards and adulation across the globe and deserves every bit of it. This is one meaningful film you can’t afford to miss!

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New Delhi, Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan, whose mother was a Sikh, says he feels drawn towards the religion and wants to visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar with his children Abhishek and Shweta but can’t because of time constraints.
“Abhishek shoots ‘Bingo’ in the holy city of Amritsar and his sister Shweta joins him to [...]

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Some stories seem very interesting on paper. You get hooked, perhaps captivated. But there are times when these stories lose sheen when translated on celluloid.

As a storyteller, you need to have the convincing power to keep the viewer hooked. Also, you ought to know when and how to conclude the story. Like they say, never stretch a story beyond a point…

STRIKER, directed by Chandan Arora, falters because the story doesn’t arrest your attention in entirety and also, it seems like a never-ending ride, even though the running time is approx. 2 hours. Frankly, the story overstays its welcome.

Cinema is all about narrating stories and Chandan Arora makes a sincere attempt to narrate one in STRIKER, but the multiple tracks and layers in the film act as a spoilsport. The screenplay is patchy and the focus shifts from one episode to another constantly. It’s not sacrilegious to have multiple tracks in a film, but you need to conclude each track before the actual story reaches its culmination. Clearly, the screenplay writing lets STRIKER down.

Also, the subject material is very Mumbai-centric and therefore, will appeal to a miniscule audience. Final word? The striker doesn’t strike!

Set in a Mumbai ghetto in the mid 80s, Surya [Siddharth] grows up with few luxuries. Poor health keeps him away from school often and that is when his elder brother, Chandrakant [Anoop Soni], introduces him to carrom.

Hopes for a job in Dubai replaces the passion for carrom as Surya grows into a young man. Duped by a bogus overseas employment agency, Surya loses his hard earned money he had saved for going to Dubai. Surya is forced to cross paths with Jaleel [Aditya Pancholi].

Reintroduced to carrom by his childhood friend Zaid [Ankur Vikal], Surya starts playing again. Being robbed of his hard earned money by the same man who had caused misery for many families, Surya decides to take on Jaleel on his turf.

First things first. Even though STRIKER attempts to narrate the story of a carrom player, depicting the highs and lows in his life, the question is, does it have recall value after the show has concluded? The game of carrom being used for gambling may sound interesting and Chandan Arora should’ve stuck to the core issue, instead of drifting into multi-tracks.

Like, for instance, the romance - between Siddharth and his neighbour - is concluded abruptly. The girl disappears suddenly after her father spots Siddharth and her in the train. But pray why? Naah, no explanations are offered.

Ditto for Anupam Kher’s character. He seems hell-bent on putting an end to Aditya Pancholi’s reign of terror, but when Kher comes face to face with Pancholi, all he does is play an intermediary between Pancholi and his arch rival, whom Pancholi assumes had betrayed him.

The track between Siddharth and Padma Priya, a fisher woman, seems forced in the screenplay. Even the finale - the death of his sister [Vidya Malvade] and brother-in-law during communal riots and the subsequent fight-to-finish with Pancholi - looks unreal, when the film seems to be following a realistic pattern.

Chandan Arora’s choice of the story is right, but the erratic screenplay writing will cost him dear. However, there’s no denying that he has handled a number of individualistic scenes well. The music [multiple music composers] is soothing. P.S. Vinod’s cinematography is perfect.

Siddharth is as natural as natural can be. He is superb. Aditya Pancholi looks noxious and enacts his part just too wonderfully. Anupam Kher does an okay job, partly because his character is not well-defined. Padma Priya looks confident. Ankur Vikal does very well. Seema Biswas gets into the skin of the character. Vidya Malvade doesn’t get much scope. Anoop Soni is perfect. The actress playing Noorie is passable.

On the whole, STRIKER lacks a solid script to strike a chord.

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Abhishek Bachchan at National Bingo Night media meet at Taj Lands End, Bandrain in Mumbai.
Related posts:Abhishek opts for metrosexual look for debut TV showI don’t compete with my father – Abhishek BachchanTop Bollywood stars at Stardust Awards 2010Big B to feature on first episode of Abhishek’s TV showTop Bollywood stars at Star Screen Awards [...]

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New Delhi, Superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who played a motivating hockey coach in “Chak De! India”, has now expressed solidarity with the country’s hockey team, which boycotted a training camp in Pune over non-payment of sponsorship money and match fees.
“(I) feel awful for the Indian hockey team. To play for the country…(the) national sport and [...]

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Surprise, surprise, surprise! Sometimes, the expectations from a movie are zilch, but what unfolds on screen is beyond expectations. It surprises you, to put it simply.

On face-value, BOLO RAAM looks like it’s straight out of 1970s cinema. A movie with predictability written all over it. A movie that carries zero hype and matches it with zero content. But BOLO RAAM isn’t archaic, isn’t the usual masala, isn’t zero content.

A remake of the Tamil film RAAM [2005; starring Jeeva, Saranya, Rehman, Murali], BOLO RAAM has an interesting plot with an engaging screenplay that compels you to look at the screen for most parts of the movie. But, of course, there’re hiccups. A few non-actors and a done to death climax could’ve been avoided.

Raam [Rishi Bhutani] is charged with the murder of his mother Archana [Padmini Kolhapure]. Raam falls into a state of shock, brief psychotic disorder, after his mother’s death and becomes silent, refusing to talk or react in any manner.

The investigating officer, Indrajeet Singh Rathi [Om Puri] is puzzled and unable to make Raam speak. He consults a psychiatrist, Dr. Negi [Naseeruddin Shah], to determine the cause of Raam’s state of mind and the reason for his silence.

Rathi interrogates various personalities for the case, questioning Raam. Every possible motive that Raam might have for murdering his mother is explored. Furthermore, Raam’s neighbours, Sub-Inspector Sajid Khan’s [Govind Namdev] daughter Juhi [Disha Pandey] and son Sameer [Krishan Khatra], are summoned by Rathi for interrogation. Will his silence solve the puzzle?

Without wasting any time, BOLO RAAM takes off from its opening titles itself. The story goes back and forth, several new characters are introduced, but the narrative stays faithful to the main plot. The best is reserved for the second half. Layer after layer is peeled with expertise. The viewer is keen to know the identity of the killer and that’s when the film fumbles and tumbles.

The culprit’s track is sloppy and a major put off. In fact, the circumstances that lead to the murder are quite amateurish and look far from convincing. Surely, the writer could’ve thought of a better culmination. Also, the one-sided love affair is functional.

Debutante director Rakesh Chaturvedi ‘Om’ makes a confident debut, although he should’ve cast some better actors for key roles. There’s not much scope for music [Sachin Gupta] in the film and hence, just one song merits mention - ‘Maa Tere Jaisa’. The background score [Sanjay Chowdhury] deserves special mention.

Newcomer Rishi Bhutani does a commendable job. He oozes confidence, despite sharing the same frame with accomplished actors. Om Puri gets into the skin of his character and is impressive, while Padmini Kolhapure is a pleasure to watch after a long gap. She is beautifully restrained. Naseeruddin Shah has a brief role and the veteran does it well. Govind Namdev is very good.

Rajpal Yadav is wasted. Both Disha Pandey and Krishan Khatra are non-actors. Manoj Pahwa does his usual act.

On the whole, BOLO RAAM has decent merits [hence those 2 stars], but the problem is its wrong release timing. It won’t stand a chance in front of a hurricane called 3 IDIOTS.

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New Delhi, Aamir Khan, who has been criss-crossing the country in disguise to promote his new film “3 Idiots”, has been denied permission to spend a day with the Indian Army’s cadets at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
“The film star had sent a request to the defence ministry to spend a [...]

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