Indian movies

Money corrupts and a humongous amount of money corrupts humongously.
That's the take off point for Buddha Mar Gaya - a black comedy about dead bodies, mucho moolah and funerals.

Laxmikant Kabadiya aka LK, is one of India's richest industrialists, a self made man who's risen from selling scrap to become a construction magnate. His conglomerate is on the verge of a 5000 crore IPO that should make them one of the largest companies in the country. LK's family - comprising of his spinster twin sister Prerna, his two sons Ranjeet and Sameer, their wives Shruti and Anju respectively and Ranjeet's daughters Sanjana and Namrata, and Sameer's son, Pawan, can't stop salivating at the thought of all that money.

Unfortunately for all of them fate displays a wicked sense of humour. On the night before the IPO opens, LK dies while copulating with a starlet who's aspiring to become the heroine of a film that LK plans to produce. The family is distraught and horrified. Not because a loved one has died but because now no one will buy their shares. So, on the advice of their family guru - Vidyut Baba, the family decides to hide the death of LK for a period of two days till the shares are all sold out. Little do they realize the crazy series of events that will follow on account of this duplicity.

After all, hiding the death of a man as famous as LK, is a Herculean task. To make matters worse, every time they're ready to announce LK's death, fate intervenes forcing them to keep his death hidden for another couple of days. Which results in them having to announce the death of a fictitious friend or relative of LK's... And stage fake funerals. Which of course means generating dead bodies and worse, getting the dead LK to make appearances at these funerals.

Complicating matters further are an inquisitive and greedy servant, the Prime Minister's fixer, a procurer of dead bodies, the paparazzi and for good measure a couple of cops. And of course internal jealousies, greed, rivalries within the family only add spice to the goings on.

Buddha Mar Gaya takes you on a rip-roaring ride into a world littered with dead bodies, body parts, unending greed, corruption, funerals, ice cubes and a femme fatale.

Statutory Warning: You'll Die Laughing.

Kaafila is the story of a group of people who are traveling illegally to UK. As it always happens they fall prey to an unscrupulous agent who creates circumstances that send them into hiding, somewhere in Eastern Europe for nearly six months. Left to fend for themselves , they discover each other and themselves. After much hardships their journey resumes but this time at every step, death stares them in their face. Be it through the jagged jungles near Russia or the ship that hundreds like them are huddled into, the close knit group finds itself shrinking after each tragedy. Be it in the sinister snow or the sinking ship. Now only 12 men out of this group have survived. They are from different communities and different countries. But the trauma of tragedies has created a strong bond between them. In their effort to forge ahead closer to their dream, the innocent dozen finds itself trapped sometimes by the Russian mafia involved in the plutonium smuggling racket and sometimes by the militancy on the Afghan borders. Here they meet an Afghani girl who introduces them to the mysterious man of the mountains Sameer, enacted by the hero SUNNY DEOL. Sameer saves them from all attacks from friends and foes. The Kaafila now believes that only he can be their deliverer. But as the story unfolds, taking the contingent which started off from India, through Tajakistan, Russia and soon back to Afghanistan and Pakistan, doubts about the daring Sameer are raised. Can they trust him any further ? As the Kaafila is the story of a group of people who are traveling illegally to UK. As it always happens they fall prey to an unscrupulous agent who creates circumstances that send them into hiding, somewhere in Eastern Europe for nearly six months. Left to fend for themselves , they discover each other and themselves. After much hardships their journey resumes but this time at every step, death stares them in their face. Be it through the jagged jungles near Russia or the ship that hundreds like them are huddled into, the close knit group finds itself shrinking after each tragedy. Be it in the sinister snow or the sinking ship. Now only 12 men out of this group have survived. They are from different communities and different countries. But the trauma of tragedies has created a strong bond between them. In their effort to forge ahead closer to their dream, the innocent dozen finds itself trapped sometimes by the Russian mafia involved in the plutonium smuggling racket and sometimes by the militancy on the Afghan borders. Here they meet an Afghani girl who introduces them to the mysterious man of the mountains Sameer, enacted by the hero SUNNY DEOL. Sameer saves them from all attacks from friends and foes. The Kaafila now believes that only he can be their deliverer. But as the story unfolds, taking the contingent which started off from India, through Tajakistan, Russia and soon back to Afghanistan and Pakistan, doubts about the daring Sameer are raised. Can they trust him any further ? As the Kaafila look for answers about the man whom they looked up to, the story unravels the most spell binding climax on the borders of India and Pakistan.

‘Dhol – Kiska Bajega’ revolves around the lives of four friends – Sam (Tusshar Kapoor), Pakkya (Sharman Joshi), Maru (Rajpal Yadav) and Goti (Kunal Khemu). The guys are good for nothing with no motivation. But they’re bound together by their child-like notoriety and aimlessness. They all want to make it big in life with the least efforts possible. The four wish to live life on their own terms, leading everyone to nowhere. As a result, each one tries their hand at finding a short cut to success but ends up being in even deeper trouble instead. Things get worse as the four decide to take some desperate measures to end their misery once and for all.

According to them, the only way to get rich without working hard is to get married to a rich girl. Surprisingly, to unlock their fates, arrives the rich girl Kanchan (Tanushree Dutta) in their neighborhood. All four set out with their individual plans to marry Kanchan but end up discovering a spine-chilling truth.

This leads to much confusion, creating hilarious twists and turns, along with an element of thrill, crime, murder and suspense.

Kaise Kahein is a modern-day love story that pits romance against career. The young today are very determined to concentrate on their careers and make their millions as soon as possible. Love may not be part of their immediate agenda but it doesn’t come with a warning either. What happens when love breaks into the lives of two career-centric people?

Aditya is a young banker with a very bright future. At the age of 25, he’s earmarked as the one most likely to climb into the COO’s chair. He doesn’t have a personal life except his work, and he is happy about it. Till…Radhika comes into his life. She is a hardcore TV journalist and loves her work. She has left her native Mangalore and is dead certain that nothing, but nothing is going to keep her away from being the hottest young property in journalism. On the job 24/7, she conducts a sting operation during which she encounters Aditya….. They fall in love, deeply in love, but that love is negotiated around the demands of their work. Their careers remain the priority.

Can careers survive love?
Can love survive career demands?

Love takes them into domains that they had not expected, calling on them to forgo their individual pride, ego and the demands of their careers. To keep the passion of their love alive, they are called upon to sacrifice something they had not budgeted for – their passion for their careers. After several false steps, Aditya and Radhika decide – rationally – to separate their personal lives from their workspace. But that is easier said than done when both are into careers that keep them on call at the oddest of hours.

Love falters. Love can’t keep up with the erratic demands of their careers. Aditya can’t leave his burgeoning career opportunities when Radhika decides to take a much-awaited promotion that would take her to another city, away from Aditya, and away from love. It’s not easy going for either, but they give long distance relationship a try. But the separation is not just physical-or of distance. It’s a separation of minds, of different demands.

Can Aditya and Radhika find in themselves again the same passion that brought them together the first time?

Gopi (Sunil Shetty) a simpleton, arrives in Goa from Hoshiyarpur. His mission – to hand over an incredibly tiny piece of land to his childhood friend Kishen, which was his father’s last wish.

Kishen (Arshad Warsi), now a conman, swindles people with a little help from his accomplice, Babu (Atul Kale), to earn enough money to educate his sibling Divya (Mahima Mehta) who’s studying in London.

Kishen, however, has managed to hide his profession from Anuradha (Rashmi Nigam) merely saying that it’s Hari, his twin, who is the bad guy.

Kishen avoids Gopi like he’s bad news. He’s not going to give up his flourishing business and travel to Hoshiyarpur just to take possession of a measly piece of land!

Gopi, in his mission of chasing Kishen, is given a helping hand by Tanya (Anishka Khosla), daughter of the owner of KG Resorts.

Flash: Diamonds worth crores have been stolen in a breathtaking heist by three gorgeous girls who are now holed up at KG Resorts.

Kishen, Babu and everyone else learns about this and they all make a mad rush for KG Resorts. Gopi finds himself a part of the gang.

Who gets the diamonds? Does Gopi manage to take Kishen to Hoshiyarpur? And was the land just a meager piece of land or something more? The answers are out in black and white by the time you go through this hectic cinematic maze!

Gandhi has always been compelling complex and strangely contemporary. Sir Richard Attenborough introduced "Mahatma" the great soul to the west and the world remains grateful to him. I grew up understanding Gandhi through others; till I discovered a deep would he carried i his heart. Somewhere in the shadows of this great man lived his son, roaming the streets of India like a beggar. Converting to Islam as a rebellion, reconverting to Hinduism as a penance and finally drinking himself to death. Harilal Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi's eldest son carried his Gandhi identity as a curse around his neck. Mahatma Gandhi could transform the soul of a nation but could not save the soul of his own son.

The unfolding of a personal tragedy against the racial hatred in South Africa and colonial humiliation in India moved me deeply. Finally my search to know the human side of Gandhi took me to Douth Africa, to different parts of India, libraries, scholars and his immediate family memvers. I then decided to make a film about a principled father and an unfortunate son. To me, Gandhi beeame a greater human being as he struggled personally, socially and politically, but always put his principles and quest for human dignity above everything else.

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Synopsis

Jo nahin ho sakta hai, wahi to karna hai...

Kabir Khan (Shahrukh Khan) knows what it's like to come back from the dead. The ex Indian Captain has now come back in the avatar of the Coach of the Indian Women's National Hockey team. A team that exists more on paper and less in reality.

The team is a rag-tag bunch of girls with their own agenda. A bunch of girls who have forgotten what it is like to play for the love of the game. Of playing because you want glory for your country. Not because you want a pensioned job or a government flat. They have all forgotten the sharp thrill of just holding the hockey stick, keeping their eyes on the ball and playing for all they are worth. They have played every game but hockey to make sure they get selected every year in the Indian National team. But what does it really mean to play for the Indian National team? To play for India?

Mujhe sirf ek mulk ka naam sunaai deta hai –India

The girls have never known the thrilling energy of being Team India. Of giving their all to see their country's name on a trophy. But Kabir Khan, once a captain, now forgotten, does. He knows what it takes to get there. And what it means to return empty handed. This time, he wants to make sure that it's different. He knows there are no second chances. Despite his past, he believes that if only the girls played as one, anything would be possible.

Because Kabir Khan believes that it is not that we can't win. It's just that we have never believed we can.

Chak De India is the story of a coach's fight of making his team, Team India by overcoming their diverse backgrounds, by learning to use everything that life hurls on them as a secret weapon. It's a story about honesty, sincerity and integrity. A story to remind the nation of its National sport.

Character Sketch

The Coach

Shahrukh Khan as Kabir Khan

Once the hero of Indian Hockey, the best centre forward in the world, the man a nation found a hero in. And the man it sentenced to hell.

Now he has decided to make a last comeback to the game he once loved, to reclaim his lost honour and prove his point to the nation he still loves.

By doing the impossible.
Making a rag-tag bunch of loser girls a team.
And the World Champions.
The only problem is – it is easier said than done.

The Girls

Preeti Sabarwal

Position: Center Forward
Jersey Number: 9
Home State: Chandigarh

Preeti went to the best public schools, but on her way to the U.S. from there, took a sharp left towards the Punjab University and its hockey team for reasons best known to her. Chandigarh captain, she looks like a Princess and plays like the Terminator. The only one she is close to is her iPod. Would you then blame the rest of her mostly rural team-mates for calling her mem? She has a secret, but then, that's a secret.

Komal Chautala

Position: Right In
Jersey Number: 8
Home State: Haryana

The Rohtak Express, also known as chhokra in her village for her tomboyishness, and as chhipkali in the field for her devious dribbling. Born to tough Jats, she has just one regret -that she wasn't born a boy. But she's doing all she can to make up, including not using make-up. Ever.

Bindia Naik

Position: Center Half
Jersey Number: 5
Home State: Maharashtra

Experience corrupts, and too much experience corrupts completely. A veteran of field positions, federation politics and award manipulations, she could make any team's dirty tricks department proud, if she wasn't the department herself in real life.

Vidya Sharma

Position: Goalie & Captain
Jersey Number: 18
Home State: Madhya Pradesh

Just married. And it already looks like she will have to divorce hockey. She knows this is probably her last tournament but can she give up hockey for marriage?

Balbir Kaur

Position: Left Defender
Jersey Number: 3
Home State: Punjab

Known as tataiya, bhootni, rakshas and ghatotkach on any given day depending upon what she has done lately, everybody in the team is terrified of her temper. Fearless, sometimes to the point of being brainless, she is the team's main hope against the giant Australian girls and the ruthless Argentinean zagalonas. Heart of gold, in a body of armour-plated steel.

Aliya Bose

Position: Right Out
Jersey Number: 7
Home State: West Bengal

Sexy Aliya should have been born in the swinging seventies. The world is a winery of boys and she is the taster-in-chief. And she takes her job very seriously. In her spare time she also plays hockey. Unfortunately, she is good at it and so year after year, team managers and coaches have tolerated her.

Gunjan Lakhani

Position: Right Half
Jersey Number: 4
Home State: Andhra Pradesh

This Hyderabadi potti has seen it all, because she knows when to shut her eyes. Playing with seniors Bindia and Aliya has taught her only one thing there are more games off the field than on it. And a smart player knows how to stay out to stay in.

Rani Dispotta

Position: Right Defender
Jersey Number: 2
Home State: Jharkhand

Rani still remembers the time she moved from her jungle village to Ranchi Sports School. And that makes her an expert on how to handle the city-breds, or manhandle them if need be. She knows enough Hindi to offend anyone and enough English to defend herself, especially on the field.

Soimoi Kerketa

Position: Substitute
Jersey Number: 17
Home State: Jharkhand

From Jharkhand Grameen Adivasi Balika Kalyan Kendra Vidyalaya on the edge of Ghamorni jungle, straight New Delhi. Dicey Hindi and devious English confound her as much as hair-raising roads, blood-curdling cars and monstrous skyscrapers. Not to mention the other creatures around her who call themselves girls. But she knows what to do with a stick and a ball. That she knows.

Nethra Reddy

Position: Left Out
Jersey Number: 11
Home State: Andhra Pradesh

The grounds-man's little daughter who grew up in stadiums among players and dreamt of being one herself. All she ever wanted to do was to make her dad proud and finally, she's an inch away from her dream...

Gul Iqbal

Position: Left In
Jersey Number: 10
Home State: Uttar Pradesh

Hockey legend Mohammad Iqbal's grand-daughter. Her family's history is Indian Hockey's history. And nobody ever lets her forget that. Whether she wants it or not.

Molly Zimik

Position: Left Half
Jersey Number: 6
Home State: Manipur

Mary Ralte

Position: Substitute
Jersey Number: 15
Home State: Mizoram

The talented hockey duo from the North East. Their school books taught them that they are Indians but Indians taught them otherwise. The only reason they play for the National team is that it is the only National team they can play for. They would love to belong but not to the team that calls them 'foreign', and definitely not to the people that call them 'loose'. So they stick together and play. For the love of the game and the honour of their people.

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Some do's and don'ts you need to follow while watching PARTNER…

• Lock your brains in the almirah, before you head for the nearby movieplex to catch this zany entertainer.


• Don't look for logic. Don't ask questions. Don't raise eyebrows. .


• Don't argue with what the master chef David Dhawan serves on your plate. .


• Do carry some earplugs/earwax if you're allergic to noise. The cineplex will reverberate with high decibels of laughter, which could tax your ear-drums if you're overtly sensitive. .

Welcome to PARTNER, David Dhawan's new comic caper. It's stylish, it's crazier, it's a bigger entertainer than David's last two laughathons, MUJHSE SHAADI KAROGI and MAINE PYAAR KYUN KIYA. Making people laugh is an art and David has mastered this art over the years. Like wine, he has only matured with time.

Let's come straight to the point. PARTNER is for those seeking non-stop entertainment. It's targeted at those who swear by masala films. Those who want to get transported to a world of make-believe in those 2 hours. It's definitely not for those who actually know what to expect, but pretend to rubbish escapist cinema. Also, it's not for certain critics [looking for art cinema in a masala entertainer] whose star ratings are a much bigger joke than the one David Dhawan pulls off with élan. The film works, and works big time.

In a nutshell, if you're into escapist cinema, if you're looking for laughter unlimited, if you're curious to watch the bonding between Govinda and Salman Khan, if you're a big fan of David Dhawan movies, if you believe in shelling out Rs. 150 for a ticket and expecting entertainment worth Rs. 200, PARTNER is just for you!

Prem [Salman Khan] is a 'date doctor' who, for a fee, has helped hundreds of men woo the women of their dreams. In his childhood, he understood a woman's likes and dislikes in food, clothes or men. His aim is to help those men who like or love women, not to take them to bed.

The ultimate professional bachelor, Prem discovers that his tried and tested tricks are no match for Naina [Lara Dutta], the one woman he truly loves, who works for a newspaper as a journalist.

He comes across Bhaskar [Govinda], who is in love with Priya [Katrina Kaif], the rich and famous daughter of a tycoon [Dilip Tahil]. Prem helps Govinda find his lady love and eventually also finds a soulmate in Naina.

Inspired by director Andy Tennant's likable Hollywood hit HITCH [2005; Will Smith, Eva Mendes, Kevin James, Amber Valletta], PARTNER is a true-blue David Dhawan film. It's glossy, has some stunning visuals, boasts of very catchy and hummable music and of course, hardly has any tense moment in those 16 reels.

What works is the casting of the two characters, who're as dissimilar as chalk and cheese. Although the romantic portions have the right chemistry between Salman and Lara and Govinda and Katrina, the USP is undoubtedly the terrific bonding between Salman and Govinda, whose on-screen escapades take the film to dizzier heights. Besides, the witty one-liners [Sanjay Chhel] are another ace that has the viewer in splits. The dialogues are truly funny and actually accentuate the impact of every sequence.

Any 'hitch'es? Yes, there's one! The track that leads to the misunderstandings in the climax looks unwarranted. Writer sahib [screenplay: Yunus Sajawal, David Dhawan], this track [Rajat Bedi, Aarti Chhabria] compels you to break into a yawn. Also, it adds to the length of the enterprise. But the subsequent portion [Govinda's honeymoon travails] is rip-roaringly funny.

David Dhawan gets it right yet again. He's on familiar ground and like a seasoned cricketer knows the game inside out. He hits a boundary yet again. Sanjay Chhel's dialogues are superb. Sajid-Wajid make a terrific comeback, with every song having the stamp of a chartbuster embossed on it. Even their picturizations [choreography: Bosco-Caesar] are excellent. Cinematography [Johny Lal] is first-rate. The film bears an opulent look all through. Costumes of Salman and Govinda [Alvira Khan Agnihotri] are stylish.

The question is, who steals the show? Actually both! Salman performs like never before. Sure, he looks dapper [one compliment he's heard umpteen times], but he packs in a solid punch whenever he's on screen. His fans will only multiply with this film. Govinda sets the screen blazing with an incredible performance. Although the actor has featured in a few films after a hiatus [BHAGAM BHAG, SALAAM-E-ISHQ], PARTNER is his comeback film. He has the viewer eating out of his hands actually. Those who felt that he's a spent force will have to eat back their words.

Lara Dutta looks gorgeous and pairs off very well with Salman. Katrina Kaif looks gorgeous and pitches in a natural performance. Rajpal Yadav is really funny. Puneet Issar is alright. Dilip Tahil is okay. Suresh Menon is excellent. Child artiste Ali Haji is wonderful. His confidence level is astonishing!

On the whole, PARTNER is a winner all the way. This one's a laugh-riot that will have the viewers laughing in the aisles and its distributors, laughing all the way to the bank. A sure-shot 'Hit'.

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Aditya (Fardeen Khan) is living every man’s dream. He’s got a beautiful, traditional wife (Isha Koppikar) at home and a stunning wildcat girlfriend (Esha Deol) at work. Balancing the two women with clever lies, he gets to experience the best of both worlds.

The going is good. Till his girlfriend shocks him with the news that she is pregnant. Aditya is cornered. He has to confess to her that he cannot leave his wife as he has been promising her all along. His girlfriend is devastated. She flies into a rage. A brutal fight ensues, in which she accidentally dies.

Terrified, Aditya disposes of her body and returns home, thinking that the worst is behind him. But he couldn’t be more wrong. For the nightmare has only just begun. His wild girlfriend is back as a ghost. And she will stop at nothing till she gets her revenge…

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Cast
Akshay Kumar as Aroush
The confident, carefree 'man about town', who beds girls with abandon and then abandons them, But then one such causal encounter turns serious and he doesn’t know how to deal with the consequences.

Fardeen Khan as Al
Fardeen Khan is Ali popularly knows as Al. He loves to gamble. If his winning ratio with the girls is 100%, his losing ratio is equally good or bad, depending on which side he's betting on.

Riteish Deshmukh as Tanmay
Greatly in demand as Eddie Teddy, the party entertainer. He likes to play with the babes and the babies but that’s for work. He also loves to play with the babes and that’s strictly for pleasure.

Vidya Balan as Esha
She has no intentions of falling in love till she meets the man of her dreams. But the dream turns into a nightmare and she turns into an angry young woman thirsting for revenge.

The story
Three handsome Sydney bachelors Aroush Tanmay and Al - are having the time of their lives in Sydney. They flirt around, sleep around and have numerous 'gorgeous' conquests to their credit. Aroush's (Akshay Kumar) only grouse in life is that there are so many women. So little time since he's getting plenty of action in the nightclub where he works. If Tanmay (Riteish Deshmukh) has a blast playing Eddy Teddy at kiddy parties and playing around with the yummy mummies; then Ali - Al (Fardeen Khan) gambles for a living and grumbles that his biggest strength is his weakness for women!

They suddenly find their dating and mating rituals irreparably destroyed when a dimpled little roommate lands up on their doorstep - complete with her crib. Pacifier and dirty nappy, Aroush. Tanmay and Al know a thing or two about women; but when it comes to babies, they're total zeroes and this bouncing bundle of joy is anything but joyous. But then Angel works her charm and before long, the three lecherous bachelors have been transformed into loving, caring fathers.

But beautiful Esha (Vidya Balan) will have none of it. She’s known heart break once and will do anything to avenge that betrayal. And if it means breaking the hearts of three men who've finally discovered they possess one - then too bad!

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Assemble the best comedians on one platform, choose a script that gives them scope to display their inherent talent, garnish it with witty one-liners, borrowing names and references from real life to make it look contemporary. Presto, a comic caper is ready to be served!

JOURNEY BOMBAY TO GOA could've been a howlarious ride that starts off in Mumbai and concludes in Goa, but all you carry home are a few amusing sequences and the well-penned, laced-with-wit dialogues.

Problem kya hain? The screenplay. There are points in the narrative that prompt guffaws, chuckles, giggles and chortles, but the narrative is stretched to a point that you get restive and fidgety. Woh isliye, because monotony seeps in after a point. Another area that should've been controlled is its length. The climax especially is reminiscent of the chase in HERA PHERI and PHIR HERA PHERI. Interesting concept, but why go on and on?

In short, JOURNEY BOMBAY TO GOA is aimed at the hoi polloi, the masses, the aam junta and for them, the journey to laughterland may be worth it.

JOURNEY BOMBAY TO GOA is the story is of Lal [Sunil Pal] and Das [Vijay Raaz]. Lal is a dreamer who wants to become big in life and start his own business. Das is a driver, who used to work for a rich businessman, but an irritating boss' nagging habits force him to quit his job.

Lal wins Rs. 2 lacs by winning a contest and the duo plans to set up a business. Das comes up with an idea to start a travel agency. But they don't have enough money. So they go to Chor Bazaar. Using spare parts of old cars and imported cars, they create a bus. The next task is to search the passengers for a ride to Goa.

Lal finally manages to get 15-16 passengers by offering them a discount. But the bus is so tacky that the passengers demand their money back. Das comes up with an idea and states that this is merely a pick-up bus. The journey begins!

One of the passengers [Mac Mohan], who had been abducted but has now escaped, meets with an accident and dies midway. But before he breathes his last, he tells the fellow passengers about the hidden treasure…

With so many comedians around, the writing focuses on hilarious situations and one-liners. The motive is to make you laugh. A few sequences do succeed, a few don't. In an effort to pack just about everything on the shelf, the writer seems to have overlooked the fact that you need to tell your story in the shortest possible time. Sure, a few scenes are well penned, by why stretch the film unnecessarily? It dilutes the impact!

Comedy is serious business and not all storytellers can pull it off. In that respect, director Raj Pendurkar shows a flair for comedy. In fact, he has the potential to make aimed-at-masses entertainers in the future, but a tight script is all he needs to concentrate on. On the music front, there's just one song that stays in your memory -- the title track. Cinematography is okay.

The actors do well in their respective roles, but the ones who register an impression are Raju Shrivastava, Sunil Pal, Vijay Raaz, Sudhir Pandey and Aasif Sheikh. Tinnu Anand, Shakti Kapoor and Asrani don't get much scope. Mac Mohan is alright. Sanjay Mishra goes over the top.

On the whole, JOURNEY BOMBAY TO GOA is a fair attempt that may appeal to those with an appetite for comic capers. At the box-office, the extra-ordinary promotion [quality as well as quantity], especially on television, should attract footfalls at mass-dominated screens and centres.

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Zaid Ahmed (Muzamil Ibrahim) is a bright, young Muslim police officer in Mumbai. Dedicated to his work, respected and admired by his colleagues and community, he represents integration at its most successful. He has learned to live with the violence and the chaos that plagues his city, and on the night of a deadly bombing at the New Century club, he works tirelessly to help the shocked and shattered patients brought to the hospital.

But this night of turmoil and death takes a horrifying personal turn. His wife’s body, the beautiful mysterious Sarah (Tulip Joshi) is found amongst the dead, with massive injuries. Things turn even more horrific when the police coldly announce that Sarah’s injuries were typical of those found on fundamentalist suicide bombers. As evidence mounts that his wife, Sarah, was responsible for the catastrophic bombing, Zaid is torn between cherished memories of their years together and the inescapable realization that the beautiful, intelligent woman he loved had a life far removed from their comfortable, assimilated existence together.

From the opening of the film to its searing conclusion, Dhokha displays the reality of terrorism and its incalculable spiritual costs. Intense and humane, devoid of political bias and hatred, intensely thoughtful, sensitive and felt, it displays a profound understanding of what can seem impossible to understand.

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Hindi cinema is truly evolving. Diverse themes are being narrated on celluloid by dream merchants. Technology too is slowly being given importance these days. We aren't 'there', but the Hindi film industry has started taking baby steps. The process has begun!

In the past, BHAGGMATI - THE QUEEN OF FORTUNES and HUM TUM merged live characters and animation in the narrative. The success of HANUMAN triggered off the trend of animation films here. Now MY FRIEND GANESHA takes the story ahead.

Let's get one thing straight before you read further. When you switch on a kiddie TV channel, you know what to expect: Programs that cater to this segment of viewers. Similarly, when you saunter into the auditorium to watch MY FRIEND GANESHA, it would be foolhardy to expect path-breaking or ground-breaking stuff vis-à-vis its content.

MY FRIEND GANESHA knows its target audience -- kids and kid at heart. So don't wear your thinking caps to introspect every frame of the film. The film is watchable because it doesn't get preachy. Sure, the sub-plots running parallel with the main story should've been far more convincing, but the moment Lord Ganesha is introduced in the plotline, things only get better.

The final word on MY FRIEND GANESHA: If the kids loved HANUMAN, there's a possibility that they may take to MY FRIEND GANESHA as well.

The story revolves around a family of four -- Aaditya [father; Kiran Janjani], Aarti [mother; Sheetal Shah], Ashu [8-year-old son; Ahsaas Channa], Aditi [father's sister; Aarya] and a maid [Gangutai; Upasana Singh]. The parents of the boy are too involved in their daily lives and hence cannot give much time to the boy, who always feels lonely. He would only get to be with the maid.

On one rainy day, the boy saves a mouse from drowning. He tells the maid about it, who explains to him that he has saved Lord Ganesha's pet ride. Gangutai explains to him the full episode of Lord Ganesha and Mushakraj.

Ashu tells Gangutai that he feels lonely and needs a friend and she responds by saying that Lord Ganesha can be his friend. The boy gets excited at this thought. The family undergoes a crisis, but Gangutai convinces everyone to bring Ganesha home this festival.

Ashu is excited, Ganesha comes to their home and things start getting better for the family. Ganesha becomes Ashu's friend and also solves the various problems faced by the family.

You don't take to MY FRIEND GANESHA initially. A lonely, neglected child craving for love, attention and companionship -- these portions are plain ordinary. But things start moving the moment the animation track begins. The entire portion revolving around Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha and Mushakraj, in animation format, not only enlightens the viewer, but takes the film to a different level. Also, the interaction between the kid and Lord Ganesha is wonderful. The only sore point is the writing. The father's problem at the bank, the mother's at her workplace and the bua being blackmailed by her lover, the writing is half-hearted.

Direction [Rajiv S. Ruia] is interesting in parts. Music is fair. 'O My Friend Ganesha' [music: Sameer Phaterpekar] and the aarti towards the end are nice. Cinematography [Jai Nandan Kumar] is fair. Animation is impressive.

Ahsaas Channa, the kid, is confident. Kiran Janjani does well. Sheetal Shah doesn't have much to do. Ditto for Aarya. Upasana Singh goes over the top, but the kids will like her. Mushtaq Khan, Aroon Bakshi and Anil Nagrath are adequate.

On the whole, MY FRIEND GANESHA is a decent attempt that's targeted at the kids. Businesswise, the film could've done with a far more aggressive promotion and a better release period [ideally, it should've released during the summer vacations. Not now, when the schools have re-opened]. Yet, in all fairness, if the kids take to the film, the numbers would only multiply.

This is the story of two young men trying to achieve their dreams in a foreign land. Both For one, Kolkata is dying and stagnant. For the other. Kolkata is still the Mecca of culture and arts. Two stories that run parallel, erratically, never quite merging, yet colliding. A warm hearted, hilarious, yet deeply touching drama about two men in this crazy, global world.

Apu’s (Parambrata) story is a socio-comic adventure in Houston from Kolkata, amongst second-generation youths who are not at all Indians, who befriends this Bengali girl called Rita (Piya Rai Chaudhary). He shares an apartment with his office colleague Chris, who is a gay and whom Apu finds difficult to adjust to and his boss Garry (Victor Banerjee) an immigrant of Bengal but now has turned a typical Republican American.

The streets of Houston at night are too violent and he is mugged. U.S. is not at all like the Hollywood dreamland that he had imagined to be. It is a ruthless world and Apu has to undergo sheer physical pressure that he never faced in his secure, pampered home in Kolkata.

Andy (Shayan Munshi) is a 26-year-old second generation Bengali, born and brought up in New York. He is a brilliant guitarist and has a tremendous inclination towards Indian classical and folk music, specially a typical Bengali folk “baul”. He sets off to Kolkata. Andy’s story is about his various attempts to come to terms with Kolkata’s reality which is completely alien to him. At this point Sheela (Raima Sen) gets friendly with him and shows him around. He neither can adjust to the growing non-Bengali disco culture of ‘Tantra’, nor can he empathize with the pettiness and mediocrity of the traditional Bengalis who are eventually losers.

The film is essentially on a comic vein. Serious, important issues regarding globalization are dealt through comic, humorous scenes. The style is wacky, neo and never verge on old-fashioned melodramatic sentiments. Yet very touching, very moving moments will hold the humour and comedy in tact. There will be a constant shift between the “funny” and the “touching”. The songs will all be the new age Bengali rock/folk
Kolkata, in its own way, makes Andy release his inner self. Houston makes Apu a tougher, more adventurous Bengali. Andy and Apu return to their lands to pursue and better their dream.

Both Andy and Apu needed to find themselves. They find their identities and their strength in foreign lands. Kolkata, in its own way, makes Andy release his inner self. New York makes Apu a tougher, more adventurous Bengali.

The most shocking thriller of the year. With a tagline like that, the expectation from Abbas-Mustan's new thriller rises ten-fold. Fortunately, NAQAAB lives up to the hype and hoopla, to an extent.

For any thriller to strike a chord, it ought to follow three simple rules: [a] It should boast of actors who can carry off their parts with dexterity, [b] The twists-n-turns should catch you by complete surprise and [c] The climax, when the veil of secrecy is unveiled, should come as a jolt from the blue.

NAQAAB gets it right on two of the three vital fronts. The only time the film begins to stagnate is in its second hour, when the knots begin to disentangle. The film dips in the second hour, but the climax does a volte face again. The suspense catches you by surprise!

Abbas-Mustan have mastered the art of making thrillers and although NAQAAB isn't as compelling as their earlier products, there's no denying that the highs outnumber the lows in this case. One thing is for sure, the screenplay could've been tighter in the second hour.

To sum up, NAQAAB is a watchable fare with the twists-n-turns being its highpoint. Of course, with an end like the one presented in this film, it's sure to meet with varied opinions, having its share of advocates and adversaries. But what goes in its favor is the fact that it's at least different. Terms like 'predictable' and 'monotonous' are non-applicable in this case!

NAQAAB tells the story of Sophie [Urvashi Sharma], a young girl from a middle-class family. She is engaged to millionaire Karan [Bobby Deol]. When she meets Vicky [Akshaye Khanna], she's attracted to him and problems begin to surface.

The focus of the film also shifts to the past of the three characters, with some unexpected elements thrown in. Who does Urvashi choose?

The general perception is, the story bears a striking similarity to the recently released RAQEEB [which, in turn, was inspired by MURDER BY NATURAL CAUSES [1979] -- a lesser known English film]. Not true! In fact, the concept of NAQAAB is completely fresh.

NAQAAB begins with gusto! The relationships are established at the very outset. The moments between Akshaye and Urvashi are superb, beginning with the song, 'Ek Din Teri Raahon Mein'. The chemistry is sizzling, so vital for sequences that are to follow.

NAQAAB holds your interest in the first hour. You are hooked. But the second half has its share of loose ends. The motive of one of the protagonists isn't too convincing and when the story moves further on this track, it, somehow, doesn't look too convincing.

All this while you're under the impression that this protagonist has a hidden agenda. Or, perhaps, he wants to settle a score. You're led to believe that there's a strong motive behind his actions. And when this character reveals it all, it doesn't hit you like a ton of bricks. In fact, the finale, when the story again takes a U-turn, takes you by surprise.

This may not be Abbas-Mustan's best script, but every sequence bears the stamp of the master storytellers. Stylishly shot with some great moments, the storytellers at least have the courage to walk a seldom-used path. Shiraz Ahmed's screenplay is interesting. He builds up the suspense beautifully, but the post-interval portions could've been tighter.

Pritam's music gels well with the mood of the film. In terms of melody, 'Ek Din Teri Raahon Mein' stands tall on the list. Its picturization is also topnotch. Editing [Hussain Burmawala] is perfect. The film has the right length [16 reels; 2 hours], with no unnecessary moments.

NAQAAB belongs to Akshaye, who delivers yet another powerful performance. He's splendid, the real scene stealer, the soul of the enterprise. Bobby is relegated to the backseat in the first hour, but manages to make his presence felt in the second half. Urvashi Sharma gets a dream launch and she utilizes the golden opportunity completely. A confident debutante, she enacts her part like a seasoned professional. Also, she looks bewitching all through. Vikas Kalantri and Vishal Malhotra are adequate. Raj Zutshi is hardly there.

On the whole, NAQAAB is engrossing in parts, with the suspense really catching you by surprise. At the box-office, the film should find acceptance in big cities mainly. It may've started slow, but it should pick up over the weekend. Overall, a decent fare!

Ashfaque (Ajay Devgan) is a small town boy aspiring to be a film star in the Hindi film industry. He joins a street theatre group run by a reformed dacoit Sidhu (Pankaj Kapur) who uses street theatre as a medium to bring about an awakening in the masses. Ashfaque struggles to give a creative vent to the actor in him in order to realize his dreams.

Ashfaque's determined struggle pays off and he gets a break in films. He gets a new screen name - Sameer Khan. With the passage of time, the roles start becoming better and he moves up the success ladder in a very short time. Soon, he becomes Sameer Khan the superstar - one who can enact any role with finesse, get under the skin of any and every character with ease and walk away with audience applause.

Sadly, amidst all adulation and applause, he slowly loses his own identity. He forgets his real self and imbibes all characteristics of the various roles essayed by him on screen. Corruption takes over his entire system, alienating him from all loved ones, including his wife Sneha (Vidya Balan).

A shocking incident at a party changes everything, rocking Sameer Khan's lifestyle. He gets caught between his human self on one side and his corrupted superstar image on the other.

Whether the conflict within him gives way to good sense and whether he is able to discard his corrupted image and emerge as a true life hero, becomes an integral part of this true life cinema.

What do you do when you get a phone call from a stranger begging you to save her life?
What would you do if your only ray of hope is your phone?
Would you sacrifice your love to save somebody's child?

Speed answers these questions in a dramatic way. It's a great mix of mystery, action and comedy, on the beautiful backdrop of London.

Zayed Khan comes to London to convince his girlfriend Tanushree Dutta to give him another chance to prove his love for her. Meanwhile, Sanjay Suri, an undercover MI5 agent, receives a CD from Aftab Shivdasani and his lady, Sophie Chaudhary, which contains the recording of his kidnapped wife, Urmila Matondkar, and is asked to follow the instructions. He asks his colleague Amrita Arora to crack the code and moves off. He's completely confused about what's happening. Soon he realizes that he is being used as a weapon to assassinate the PM of India on his London tour. As he is still not agreeing to plans, Aftab finally decides to kidnap his kid.

Sanjay's kidnapped wife, Urmila, starts trying to escape. Her only ray of hope is the telephone call she's accidentally made to Zayed Khan He's in touch with her throughout the movie on his cell phone. Continuously talking with her and giving her moral support. As Zayed decides to help Urmila, his love of life, Tanushree gets annoyed and threatens to break up again. A happy-go-lucky brat Zayed, who never takes anything seriously, risks his own life to save an unknown family just because of a call.

Aashish Chaudhary – the super-cop of London is in charge of security of the visiting Prime Minister. But as his girlfriend has her birthday the very same day, Ashish is caught between his personal life and duty. He obviously chooses the later.

Speed deals with many different characters and their lives on a parallel ground. It's a story of how lives of unknown people get intermingled during this crisis.

Will Aftab and Sophie succeed in their sinister plans?
Will Zayed be able to save Urmila and get back his love Tanushree?
Will Urmila and her kid live another day just with the help of Zayed's phone?
Will Ashish be able to protect the life of the Prime Minister?

Speed is a visual extravaganza with a touch of humour, action and suspense.

Choosing an interesting story is difficult. But doing justice to the story is nothing short of an achievement. AWARAPAN, directed by Mohit Suri, gets it right on both the levels -- on paper first, on celluloid later.

For Hindi moviegoers, the story may remind you of Rakesh Roshan's KOYLA [SRK, Madhuri, Amrish Puri], but in actuality, AWARAPAN borrows from director Kim Ji-woon's Korean film A BITTERSWEET LIFE [2005; Korean title: DALKOMHAN INSAENG; starring Lee Byung-Hun, Kim Young-Cheol, Shin Mina]. Nothing wrong with being inspired, since every director has his way of interpreting a story. Also, Mohit adapts the content to suit Indian sensibilities.

AWARAPAN is as raw as a gash inflicted by a rod. A number of Hindi films have plunged into the underbelly of the underworld/mafia in the past, so how different is AWARAPAN from films of its ilk? AWARAPAN packs in all this and something extra in those 2 hours -- a love story and spirituality.

More than anything else, AWARAPAN marks the coming of age of one of the most under-rated actors on this side of the Atlantic -- Emraan Hashmi. Shunning and discarding his by-now-famous casanova image, Emraan enacts a role that every actor craves for in his heart since the opportunities are limited in the masala set-up. And the youngster interprets it with aplomb.

To sum up, AWARAPAN has style and substance, both. The film packs a solid punch in those 12 reels.

AWARAPAN is the story of man called Shivam [Emraan Hashmi], who searches for joy but finds pain and loneliness. It is the journey of a heartbroken lover who, in order to escape from the ghosts of his tragic past, dedicates himself to serve his gangster boss Malik [Ashutosh Rana], who runs a chain of hotels in Hong Kong.

One day, Malik asks Shivam to do an unusual job for him. He asks him to keep an eye on his young mistress Reema [Mrinalini Sharma] while he is away on a brief business trip. Reema is a young Pakistani girl who is a victim of human trafficking. Malik had 'bought' her in the flesh market in Bangkok.

The brief is clear: If Reema is found cheating behind Malik's back, Shivam has to eliminate her. From the moment Shivam sets his eyes on Reema, his frozen past begins to raise its head. He is reminded of his lost love [Shriya Saran] and how he had failed to save it from a catastrophe.

And then one night Shivam is shocked to discover that the innocent looking Reema has a secret boyfriend [Rehaan Khan], whom she has tucked away and is planning to run away with. Does Shivam remain loyal to Malik and execute his orders or does he take on his wrath by daring to go against him?

Frankly, you need to have a strong stomach to absorb a film like AWARAPAN. The film is dark, serious and violent. The romance, therefore, is minimal, but whenever injected in the plotline acts as a coolant.

Director Mohit Suri continues to grow as a storyteller. Note the sequence when Shriya's father catches Shriya and Emraan red-handed and the confrontation that ensues, leaving Emraan's life devastated. Note another sequence: Emraan walking up to Ashutosh Rana and after a verbal duel, fires at him from point-blank range. There're more sequences that only illustrate the fact that Mohit is amongst the finest storytellers today.

But, on the flip side, the excessive violence can be off-putting for a section of viewers. Emraan being buried alive or the constant gunshots and gore can compel you to take your eyes off the screen. This film is definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Pritam's musical score is refreshing. The tunes are fresh and so are the voices. Cinematography [Raaj Chakravarti] is good, although a few sequences could've been better lit in some scenes. The background score [Raju Singh] is excellent. Dialogues are a highpoint. The dialogue between Ashutosh Rana and Mrinalini, drawing parallels with a sick puppy, is superb.

As mentioned at the outset, Emraan delivers a magnificent performance. When the year draws to a close and the 'Best Actor' nominations are being formalized, including this performance would only be appreciating and acknowledging qualitative work.

Ashutosh Rana is splendid and all you want to ask the actor is, aap kahan thhe itne mahine? Shriya Saran has a small role, but she sparkles every time she appears on screen. Mrinalini is a talent to watch out for. She's outstanding!

Purab Kohli is superb as the eccentric nephew of Ashutosh Rana. Ashish Vidyarthi is wasted. Salil Acharya is a welcome addition to the list of talented actors. Shaad [introduced in WOH LAMHE] is very good. Rehaan Khan [introduced in JAANA] is hardly there. Atul Parchure is nice.

On the whole, AWARAPAN is a well-made product that should appeal to its target audience -- the youth, especially those who appreciate genuinely hatke themes. At the box-office, the film will be affected due to multiple releases in a week. Releasing the film in an open week, without oppositions, would've only helped. However, AWARAPAN should grow with a strong word of mouth.

With SHRADDHANJALI, his directorial debut, Anil Sharma proved that he could make you moist-eyed. With HUKUMAT, he proved that he could pull off a vendetta fare with gusto. With GADAR, he proved he could handle a love story with two neighboring countries as the backdrop with remarkable ease.

APNE, his new endeavor, is all about familial bonding. In a way, the storyteller goes back to his roots in his new outing -- emotions.

APNE casts a father [Dharmendra] and his two real-life sons [Sunny, Bobby] in roles that suit their personalities. Besides, the backdrop of boxing makes the conflict in the story look convincing.

APNE is rich in emotions and a number of sequences, especially those between Dharmendra and Sunny, are electrifying. Also, the boxing matches [Chris Anderson] are pulse-pounding and you clench your fists tightly due to the tension that's depicted on screen.

But APNE has its share of shortcomings as well. Ideally, the film should've had a concise format of 2.15 hours, instead of 2.54 hours. Besides, the screenplay, although tight at most times, succumbs to mediocrity at places. Music too is another aspect that should've had a lingering effect, since it's not everyday that the three Deols come together.

To sum up, APNE is desi at heart and holds appeal for those who swear by desi flicks. A worthy effort nonetheless!

Baldev Singh Choudhary [Dharmendra] won a silver medal in the Olympics and made India proud. His only dream was to make history by becoming India's first World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. But sometimes dreams get shattered before they can be realized.

When in the U.S., fighting for the World Heavyweight Championship, the betting mafia conspires against him and gets doping charges leveled against him, which gets him banned from boxing.

For an athlete nothing can be worse than doping charges. Baldev wants to get rid of this stigma and pain by training his elder son Angad [Sunny Deol] in the sport of boxing and make him a World Heavyweight Champion and create history which eluded him.

But Angad has some other dreams, other aspirations, other commitments… Karan [Bobby Deol], the younger son, a musician, in spite of wanting to fulfill his father's dreams, is helpless. But the story takes a turn when Karan decides to live his father's dream. The situation spirals out of hand subsequently…

APNE grips you gradually. Anil Sharma and writer Neeraj Pathak open the cards at the very outset. The uneasy relationship shared by the father and son [Dharmendra, Sunny], Dharmendra's failed ambition, the turning point in the tale [when Bobby steps in to fulfill his father's dreams] make the goings-on watchable. The narrative only gets absorbing when the focus shifts to the boxing ring and the opponent [Luca] steps into the picture.

But there's a flip side too. The choreography of these sequences [in the boxing ring] is so real that it can be off-putting as well, especially for the faint-hearted. Also, the climax is well crafted, but, ideally, it should've ended when Sunny overpowers the opponent. The subsequent portions [Bobby's liver problem] only add to the excessive length.

Director Anil Sharma handles the emotional sequences brilliantly. In fact, a number of scenes bear the stamp of a solid storyteller. The screenplay [Neeraj Pathak] is taut, except for a few loose ends. Himesh Reshammiya's music is a complete letdown. Barring the title track, the remaining songs are uninspiring. Kabir Lal's cinematography is topnotch. The lush green fields and locales of North India give the film a rich texture.

APNE belongs to Dharmendra. No two opinions on that. The veteran roars like never before and proves yet again that he's a magnificent actor. Sunny is first-rate. Bobby is alright, but the one complaint that you hold against him is, why didn't he work on his physique when he accepted this role? If he's playing a boxer, he can't afford to show his flabby chest and stomach.

The leading ladies don't have much to do. Shilpa at least gets a few scenes, while Katrina is there to flutter her eyelashes only. Kirron Kher is superb yet again. In fact, she has a far meatier role than the two ladies. Divya Dutta is wasted. Victor Banerjee is natural. Jawed Sheikh gets minimal scope. Aryan Vaid is alright. Luca is excellent.

On the whole, APNE is rich in emotions and has the potential to strike a chord with families. Those who love emotional fares are bound to take a liking for its theme. At the box-office, it has the power to grow with a strong word of mouth. Business in North India will be the best. However, trimming the film will only elevate its status.