Indian movies

If you've watched the promos of DE TAALI, you'd expect a film with tremendous youth power. You'd expect gags, gimmicks, laughter-n-sunshine and lots and lots of fun. But DE TAALI is anything but this! On the contrary, it's a slow-paced love story, which depicts one of the actors as a modern-day Devdas who hits the bottle when his girlfriend walks out on him. There's a kahani mein twist as well -- the kidnapping episode -- but you don't feel giving a taali to that too.

Note another aspect. Two songs from the film have been heavily promoted -- the title track [which has lots of energy] and 'Maari Teetri' [plays to the masses completely] -- which might compel you to buy the ticket. The title track comes when the movie concludes [end credits], while the other number is just not there.

Most importantly, DE TAALI gets it wrong on the script level. Loosely inspired by a popular TV drama [DAWSON'S CREEK] is okay, but the material lacks the power to keep you hooked. Sure, DE TAALI has a few engaging and enjoyable moments, but it's akin to an oasis in a desert.

In one word, disappointing!

Paglu [Riteish], Amu [Ayesha] and Abhi [Aftab] are buddies, an integral part of each others lives. Amu is a girl amongst the two guys, though Paglu and Abhi don't treat her like one. Paglu is the one who makes her realize about her feelings for Abhi. Life, however, takes a serious turn when Abhi falls in love with Kartika aka Anjali [Rimi Sen].

DE TAALI starts off quite well and the bonding between the three friends is well established in the initial portions. Things perk up the moment Rimi Sen enters the scene and shows her true colors. Everything's fine till she's kidnapped -- the interval point.

But things only go downhill in the second hour. The entire kidnap drama, the Saurabh Shukla track [it can't get weird than this], the dejected lovers [Mukul Dev, Pawan Malhotra, Sanjay Narvekar] reaching the wedding venue and the family surfacing from oblivion, everything looks ludicrous. By the time you reach the finale, the viewer is already bored and has lost all interest in the enterprise.

E. Niwas doesn't get in right this time. He knows the job well, but if you've noticed his last few outings as well as DE TAALI, you'd agree that he needs to concentrate on the script than making the frames look alluring. Vishal-Shekhar's music is a mixed bag. Barring the above-mentioned two numbers, the remaining songs lack fizz.

Riteish is lovable and his range is finally being tapped by film-makers. Aftab lends his part the required class. Ayesha Takia is getting better and better with every film. Rimi Sen spices up the otherwise bland scenario with her performance as a gold digger. Anupam Kher is wasted. Ditto for Pawan Malhotra and Mukul Dev.

On the whole, DE TAALI is a poor show. It's an apt case of the promos looking great, not the film.

Comedies are the flavor of the season and more and more film-makers are following the formula re-invented by David Dhawan and Priyadarshan. Entertainment is the key word, while a logical story goes out of the window. Shashi Ranjan's new outing DHOOM DADAKKA tries to recreate the hungama and gets it quite right in the first hour as well, but it's on a slippery wicket thereafter.

Problem kya hain? Let's not look at the plotline, but the funny situations fail to evoke mirth. In fact, the entertaining moments don't work after a point. Unlike the first hour, which packs in quite a bit in terms of substance and laughs, things slide downwards soon after the intermission.

DHOOM DADAKKA could've created a mini-dhoom with its entertainment quotient, but the writers play the villain here!

An 'All Asian Bhai Meet' is being held in Bangkok. The agenda is to discuss and assess the falling sensex of 'Bhaigiri' in Asia. In the discussion, a rival Don of Mungi's [Anupam Kher], Fursat Lala [Gulshan Grover], proposes an ambitious plan for a piece of land in Alibagh and puts across a valid argument that it is important to have a waaris, the new generation, to improve matters. Since Mungi has no waaris, it is only logical that the next man, i.e. Fursat Lala should be made the new Don.

Mungi assures the syndicate that he has a waaris, who he will present before the syndicate and asks for a month's time to do the same. Now Mungi and his friend Jignesh [Satish Shah] set out to trace Mungi's estranged sister Angoori [Bhavana Balsawar], whom Mungi had thrown out years back because she wanted to marry a music teacher. One of the letters reveals that Angoori did give birth to Kamal. Mungi is thrilled and resolves to hunt his waaris in Mumbai, where he comes across a detective, Johnny English [Satish Kaushik], who promises to find Kamal.

Through his weird ways, Johnny English gets hold of an NRI [Sammir Dattani], who claims to be Kamal. Johnny takes him to Bangkok but, to his shock, finds another guy [Shaad Randhawa] there, who also claims to be Kamal. While this confusion is on, Shivani [Aarti Chhabria] arrives on the scene claiming to be the real Kamal.

A confused Mungi asks all of them to stay in the house till he arrives at a decision as to who the real Kamal is. In the ensuing drama enters the second girl Jiya [Shama Sikander], who claims to be a girlfriend of the NRI Kamal. Is one of them the real waaris?

That Shashi Ranjan has a flair for comedies is evident at several points in the first hour. Together with the dialogue writer Ashwani Dhir, Shashi succeeds in making you laugh at the funniest of situations and silliest of jokes. That's where the director triumphs. Note the portions involving Satish Kaushik and Deepshikha or the three youngsters claiming to be Anupam Kher's nephew. Shashi changes gears and uses the brakes like a seasoned driver.

But the car runs out of fuel as you munch popcorn and relish the samosa after the interval. In terms of script, a number of questions remain unanswered even after the show has concluded. Besides, the second hour is an exercise in boredom and gets unbearable after a point. The climax is also a major hotchpotch.

Roopkumar Rathod's music is unlike what he has composed so far. It's easy on the lips and quite catchy. The title track as also 'Ishq Ka Rog Laga' [filmed on the seductive Aarti Chhabria] stand out. Ashwani K's cinematography is perfect, although the director and the DoP haven't captured the beauty of Bangkok to the optimum.

DHOOM DADAKKA doesn't demand histrionics, but given the genre of the film, the two boys - Sammir Dattani and Shaad Randhawa - handle their parts well. Sammir also dances well in the title track, while Shaad mimics the top actors quite well. Aarti and Shama are more of eye candies.

Of the supporting cast, Satish Kaushik is excellent, while Deepshikha exudes tremendous confidence. Anupam Kher is, as always, first-rate. Satish Shah is equally convincing. Gulshan Grover does well. Newcomer Zac has an inconsequential role. Jackie Shroff is just okay. Razzak Khan does a fine job.

On the whole, DHOOM DADAKKA could've been a decent timepass flick, but it misses the bus.

Comedies are the flavor of the season and RAMA RAMA KYA HAI DRAMAAA follows the rules and guidelines earnestly. But let's not mistaken this film to be an offshoot of PARTNER and WELCOME. The idea is to recreate the Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee kind of cinema by handling a serious topic [marital problems] in a humorous format.

Although the topic it touches is serious in nature, debutante director S. Chandrakant weaves humor in the plot so that the goings-on don't get heavy at any point. Also, you don't really expect the moon from the film, so you aren't disappointed either.

To cut a long story short, RAMA RAMA KYA HAI DRAMAAA isn't a great comedy by any chance. But you continue to smile, not squirm, as the reels unfold!

The story revolves around three married couples -- Prem [Aashish Chowdhary] and Khushi [Amrita Arora], Santosh [Rajpal Yadav] and Shanti [Neha Dhupia] and Mr. and Mrs. Khurana [Anupam Kher and Rati Agnihotri]. Santosh marries Shanti, a small-town girl, and later realizes that Shanti is not the 'perfect wife'. Petty differences start popping up and Santosh starts day-dreaming and imaging other women as his wives.

The marriage of Prem and Khushi is also not smooth-sailing, since Khushi is too demanding as a wife. How the two couples make up in the end forms the crux.

A simple plot with equally simple execution -- that's the right way to sum up RAMA RAMA KYA HAI DRAMAAA. The arguments and tiffs between the newly-married couple [Rajpal, Neha] seem real at times. Also, Rajpal's over-active imagination -- of imagining other's wife as his -- make the goings-on interesting.

On the flip side, the writer hasn't spelt the reasons that put Rajpal and Neha in the war zone. Why are they constantly bickering? The other couple's [Aashish, Amrita] relationship is also not well-developed. Aashish is an excellent husband, but Amrita seeks divorce in the end. It should've been the other way round.

Debutante S. Chandrakant shows a flair for comedies. But he could've done with a tighter script. Siddharth-Suhas' music is a plus point. The songs are easy on the lips. Dialogues are funny at places.

RAMA RAMA KYA HAI DRAMAAA doesn't demand histrionics, so everyone's over the top, in keeping with the mood of the film. Rajpal Yadav is the scene stealer. Neha too acts well. Aashish has a Salman Khan hang-up. He ought to be natural. Amrita Arora gets minimal scope. Anupam Kher and Rati Agnihotri are adequate.

On the whole, RAMA RAMA KYA HAI DRAMAAA is a fair entertainer.

In the 1970s, the foot-tapping number from AMAR AKBAR ANTHONY, 'My name is Anthony Gonsalves', proved a chartbuster and despite innumerable songs invading the Hindi screen in the intervening period, the song still lingers. MY NAME IS ANTHONY GONSALVES uses the wordings of the popular track, but will the movie be remembered as the song in question? Now that's a tough one!

Looking at the promos of E. Niwas' new outing MY NAME IS ANTHONY GONSALVES, it's difficult to comprehend the genre of the film. That's precisely why you wait for the reels to unfold, to understand what this boy next door called Anthony Gonsalves would be up to.

The sad part is MY NAME IS ANTHONY GONSALVES appeals in bits and spurts. An ordinary idea seems to be stretched beyond a point and that's one of the reasons why MY NAME IS ANTHONY GONSALVES lacks the fizz.

Another aspect that goes against the film is that the first hour lacks the power to keep you hooked. There's no movement in the story, frankly. Yet, it must be said that E. Niwas' execution of the subject, in the second hour mainly, camouflages the defects. A few portions are extremely well handled, especially those when the gangsters get to know that Anthony is going to spill the beans.

Overall, a disappointing fare!

An ordinary guy, Anthony Gonsalves [Nikhil Dwivedi], has an extra-ordinary dream. His dream is to become an actor. Anthony works as a bartender in Jimmy's Pub in Bandra, Mumbai.

Sikander [Pawan Malhotra], Maqsood [Mukesh Tiwari] and Riyaaz [Dayashanker Pandey] are gangsters and the pub is a legitimate front for their illegal activities. Sikander is Anthony's benevolent benefactor and protector.

One fine day, Anthony inadvertently becomes a witness to a crime committed by the gang. Enters Inspector Khan [Jawed Sheikh], an honest, conscientious officer, investigating the murder of a dead colleague. Khan gets to know about Anthony being a witness to the crime.

Khan starts pursuing Anthony and the gang with dogged determination. Anthony has to choose between Sikander on one hand and his dream to become an actor, on the other.

Clearly, the fault lies in the writing. As mentioned at the outset, there's hardly any movement in the story in the first hour. Once the characters are established, instead of taking the story forward, it just stagnates. In fact, things start moving only at the intermission period. The second half holds a lot of promise and the wheels start moving at this stage, but the climax, again, is outright predictable, straight out of the 1970s.

Director E. Niwas is bogged down by a patchy script, which vacillates from interesting to boring. The writing [Mayur Puri, Lajan Joseph] is the culprit here. Dialogues are well penned at times. Cinematography is strictly okay.

Nikhil Dwivedi suits the character and handles his part confidently. He has the trappings of a fine actor, his expressions are perfect at most times. But he needs to better his dialogue delivery and work on his voice. Amrita Rao looks gorgeous, but her role isn't substantial enough. Mithun Chakraborty is alright. Anupam Kher is excellent. Pawan Malhotra is superb. Mukesh Tiwari and Dayashanker Pandey are first-rate as well. Lillete Dubey is wasted in a role that any other actor could've enacted. D. Santosh is competent.

On the whole, MY NAME IS ANTHONY GONSALVES is a dull fare. At the box office, it's a tough journey ahead for this film!

The two aspects you look forward to in a horror film are [i] The thrills-n-chills should scare the living daylights out of you and [ii] The story should’ve something new to offer. Sure, GAURI – THE UNBORN has a new story to tell, but the chills-n-thrills don’t give you the jitters and jhatkas, barring a scene or two.

On the contrary, what you carry home is a socially relevant message: Say ‘No’ to foeticide.

Sudeep [Atul Kulkarni], an architect, lives with his wife Roshni [Rituparna Sengupta] and their daughter Shivani [Baby Rushita Pandya]. The family decides to go for a holiday to Mauritius, but the daughter insists on going to their ancestral home.

The parents agree half-heartedly, but decide to visit the ancestral home nonetheless to keep their daughter happy. But an incident from the past comes back to haunt them. And the unseen force threatens to take their daughter away from them.

GAURI – THE UNBORN had the potential to work big time, but the screenplay has its limitations. The moment the aatma of the unborn kid swears revenge, you expect the sequence of events that are to follow to give you gooseflesh. But what unfolds is hardly spine chilling. Besides, the pacing slackens in the second hour, which is a deterrent.

However, the concluding 20 minutes are the best part of the enterprise. The climax is indeed novel and the end drives home the message effectively. Another aspect that catches the eye is the visual effects, which are skilfully executed and smartly integrated in the narrative.

Director Aku Akbar makes a promising debut. He’s a proficient technician, but he should’ve emphasized on a far more convincing script. There’s just one song in the narrative [a lullaby], which is strictly okay. Cinematography is up to the mark. Background score enhances the impact at places.

Atul Kulkarni is plain mediocre. Rituparna Sengupta has her moments. However, their intimate scenes seem forced in the screenplay. Baby Rushita Pandya is the real scene stealer. To see a kid carry off a tricky role is wonderful. Anupam Kher is passable.

On the whole, GAURI – THE UNBORN is an okay fare that may find its share of advocates in those who tilt towards the horror genre.

It's like traveling back home. You know the route, you know the signal, you know the lane, you know the speed breaker and you know the destination.

That's applicable for LAAGA CHUNARI MEIN DAAG too. 10 minutes into the film and you know what the story is, you can even guess the twists and turns the story may take and you can [successfully] read what the climax would be. Predictability -- that bogs LAAGA CHUNARI MEIN DAAG down.

Sure, it isn't blasphemous if a new product bears a striking similarity to themes that have been translated on celluloid several times in the past. But the grip -- so vital in a film that has a story to tell -- is clearly missing here.

LAAGA CHUNARI MEIN DAAG appeals in bits and spurts. It's well shot and is backed by striking performances, but the graph of the film lacks uniformity. It holds your attention, then it doesn't.

To sum up, LAAGA CHUNARI MEIN DAAG fails because of its writing. It has an oft-repeated theme and coupled with inept writing, the chances are very dim!

Badki [Rani Mukerji] and Chutki [Konkona Sen Sharma] live a fun-filled life in Banaras, playing pranks, sneaking off to see a forbidden mujra [Hema Malini, in a special appearance] and soaking up all the excitement that goes on the ghats of the Ganga. Badki is aware that the family is in dire straits, but she and her mother [Jaya Bachchan] protect Chutki at all costs.

When things get worse, Badki decides to go to Mumbai and seek a living for the family. Alone and unsupported in the midst of the urban jungle of Mumbai, Badki battles with dark forces, keeping her focus on her purpose to support her family and continue Chutki's education. She deliberately morphs into someone else, leading a secret life full of murky compromises.

When Chutki comes to Mumbai to work, things take a dramatic turn. Badki's life turns into a minefield, as she has to hide her secrets from Chutki. Chutki finds success at work and love that delights her heart. Badki finds the magic of love, but lets it slip away before it can blossom, as she believes it's not in her destiny. She battles menace and blackmail alone, not letting these dark shadows fall on Chutki or her family.

But her dual life is revealed and the two sisters are face to face, in a confrontation neither had expected. And when love beckons Badki again, the whole family is thrown in a tumultuous storm. Everything threatens to explode in their faces, destroying all of them.

LAAGA CHUNARI MEIN DAAG has a promising start. Portions depicting the financial difficulties plauging a family are convincingly depicted. Everything's in control till Rani decides to become an escort. The question here is, when Suchitra Pillai is giving Rani a makeover, why does she encourage her to become a high class hooker? Why not a model? Or why doesn't she goad her to hone her skills [learn English, computers et al, since those are the reasons why Rani is refused job after job]? Why encourage her to be someone when the pure soul is just not convinced about? Why? Doesn't it send out wrong signals to people who face roadblocks in life? Is that [prostitution] the only alternate profession you can take to in crisis?

The film dips further when Rani, now a polished, angrezi-speaking mem, meets Abhishek in an aircraft and the [one-sided] prem kahani begins. And then the treacherous cousin [Sushant Singh] arrives in Mumbai, blackmailing her. Hello, how did he, sitting in Benaras, know Rani's 'rate for a night' and her 'profession'. No explanations are offered!

The second hour is interesting in parts. The sequence when Konkona catches Rani red-handed is excellent. Also noteworthy are the portions when the two sisters return to Benaras. Things start looking up, but, suddenly, Abhishek re-emerges on the scene and the Abhishek - Rani prem katha re-ignites. Nahin, maza nahin aaya. Also, the treacherous jodi of Tinnu Anand and Sushant Singh comes back, but this track looks forced. The duo is used as mere props.

Pradeep Sarkar knows how to make the frames look beautiful, but how one wishes he would've opted for an absorbing story and most importantly, stuck to the principal characters, instead of adding sub-plots [romance, songs, relatives]. Cinematography is splendid. Dialogues deserve special mention. Shantanu Moitra's music is a mixed bag. 'Hum To Aise Hain Bhaiya' is the best of the lot.

Rani excels yet again. It's a pleasure watching her in an author-backed role yet again. Konkona is fantastic. In fact, she lends a lot of freshness to her character. Jaya Bachchan is superb. Her work is truly admirable. Abhishek Bachchan's extended special appearance makes no impact. Kunal Kapoor is likable. Anupam Kher is alright. Tinnu Anand and Sushant Singh suffer due to ill-defined roles. Kamini Kaushal, Murli Sharma, Harsh Chhaya, Tarana, Suchitra Pillai and Ninad Kamat enact their parts well.

On the whole, LAAGA CHUNARI MEIN DAAG stands on a shaky script and has all chances of slipping, not consolidating its position. At the box-office, given the inconsistent content on one hand and the poor opening on the other, the film will prove a major setback.

Characters

Rani Mukherji as Badki
Badki is a fun-loving and happy-go-lucky girl, drunk on the masti of Banaras, but with eyes as crystal clear and innocent as the waters of the sacred Ganga. Her life is full of laughter and the love of her family. When problems crop up, she takes them in her stride, not letting them tarnish her smile. So when the family falls upon bad days, and her studies are stopped, she just girds her loins and helps her mother to keep things going. Protective to a fault, she shields her younger sister Chutki from the problems dogging the family. She is deeply hurt though, when her father keeps wishing she was born a son. Even when the going gets tougher, and she finds herself battling the hard and ruthless city of Mumbai, she does not buckle under, but faces it all with exemplary courage. And she does not hesitate in paying the highest price to support her family.


Konkona Sen Sharma as Chutki
Chutki is a spunky spirited and crazy young girl, with eyes that sparkle with mischief. Playing pranks on her hapless victims, teasing her sister Badki, and harassing her parents are her favourite pastimes, but she also loves her family with a fierce passion. Innocent and protected from the harsh circumstances of her family by Badki and their mother, she revels in their love. Gifted with a sharp and intelligent mind, she is unaware of the sacrifices Badki is making to keep her education going. When she moves to the big city, she finds a wide open sky to open her wings and soar. She excels at work, and actually finds a man who loves her with all her madness and eccentricities.



Jaya Bachchan as Sabitri
Sabitri is the backbone and anchor of the Sahay family. She bears the brunt of every crisis the family encounters. She is dismayed as she sees her husband turn bitter with his failures and turn away from the family. She works hard, making both ends meet, protecting her daughters, facing up to menacing relatives. But her husband's illness is the last straw that breaks her spirit. Alone, bewildered, she leans hard on Badki, her only solace. In her crisis, she does not realize when Badki has reached her own breaking point. And she is the only one who bears the burden of the terrible knowledge of Badki's enormous sacrifices. Sabitri tries hard to ferret out a future for her family from the hard unyielding circumstances of her life.



Anupam Kher as Shivshankar Sahay
Shivshankar Sahay is a retired professor of Economics who has turned bitter and pessimistic after his pension was unfairly suspended by the college. Instead of fighting against the resulting poverty, he has accepted defeat, and hopes that the numerous lottery tickets he buys will land him a fortune that will bring back the glorious days of the past. He vents his frustration on his family, and particularly his elder daughter Badki, as he believes that things would have been different had she been born a son. He strongly opposes Badki's departure for the big city, predicting that she will fail to achieve anything. All this comes back to him when he discovers the enormity of the struggle and sacrifice that Badki had to go through.



Kunal Kapoor as Vivaan
Vivaan is a living embodiment of Indian youth today. Irreverent, iconoclastic, totally laidback, yet very good at what he does. He is rude, messy, and unfazed about his lack of manners. Full of wit and humor, he loves a laugh, wherever and by whichever means he can get it. Typical of the urban youth, he does not have a clue as to how the rest of India lives. So when Chutki joins his advertising agency, he dismisses her as a small town girl. But Chutki's spunk, spirit, and insights blow him away. She matches him barb for barb, retort for retort and he finds that he is head over heels in love. Vivaan and Chutki's chemistry is so potent; they set off sparks when they are in the same room. For her, he is willing to go to the end of the world, or on his knees.



Abhishek Bachchan as Rohan
Rohan is a highly educated and world-renowned attorney, sought after throughout the world for his expertise. However, inside this suave and smart young man resides a mischievous, impish spirit. When he encounters Badki this spirit takes over completely. Bowled over totally by Badki's innocence and guilelessness, he is intrigued by her homegrown wisdom and her deep faith too. This chance encounter leads to a bit of stolen time for both, when the child inside Badki makes her acquaintance with the imp inside Rohan. They forget the rest of the world as they revel in each other's company. What is happening between the two is like a flower just beginning to blossom. But the harsh realities of their lives intervene, and the magic is shattered. Rohan is determined to get to the crux of things, but will he be able to handle what he discovers?



Synopsis

Badki and Chutki live a fun-filled life in Banaras, playing pranks, sneaking off to see a forbidden mujra, and soaking up all the excitement that goes on the ghats of the Ganga. Badki is aware that the family is in dire straits, but she and her mother protect Chutki at all costs. When things get worse, Badki decides to go to Mumbai and seek a living for the family. Alone and unsupported in the midst of the urban jungle of Mumbai, Badki battles with dark forces, keeping her focus on her purpose to support her family and continue Chutki's education.

She deliberately morphs into someone else, leading a secret life full of murky compromises. When Chutki comes to Mumbai to work, things take a dramatic turn. Badki's life turns into a minefield, as she has to hide her secrets from Chutki. Chutki finds success at work, and love that delights her heart. Badki finds the magic of love, but lets it slip away before it can blossom, as she believes it's not in her destiny. She battles menace and blackmail alone, not letting these dark shadows fall on Chutki or her family.

But her dual life is revealed, and the two sisters are face to face, in a confrontation neither had expected. And when love beckons Badki again, the whole family is thrown in a tumultuous storm. Everything threatens to explode in their faces, destroying all of them.

Will Badki get the happy ending she deserves?

Or will the shadows of her past douse the lamps of hope?

Will her secrets ruin Chutki's happiness?

Can their parents face up to all this?

It's difficult to strike a balance if you sail in two boats. APNA ASMAAN tries to do that and ends up being neither here [appealing to lovers of serious cinema], nor there [appealing to those with an appetite for commercial fares].

Debutante director Kaushik Roy chooses a serious theme to begin with and you expect him to stick to realism as the story unfolds. But somewhere, in between, the film changes lanes and moves away from the core issue. What it sets out to narrate [a moving story of a young boy] and what it eventually narrates [the ills of wealth] come across as two different stories packed in one film.

In a nutshell, it's the writing that lets the film down, yet again. How one wishes Roy would've stuck to the serious issue, instead of spicing up the proceedings in the second hour.

The movie is about today's urban aspirations as represented by a young couple living in Mumbai. The wage earner [Irrfan Khan] works in the field of plastics. His wife [Shobhana] gives up her early promise as a classical dancer in order to settle into marriage, which is threatened when their only son [Dhruv] turns out to be autistic.

His condition distances the parents, the father torn with guilt and the mother craving success points from him. But a drug works wonders on the boy, but at a severe cost.

APNA ASMAAN mirrors certain truths. You identify with the goings-on initially. The portions involving the child and the anxiety of his parents are captivating. The sequence of events that lead to an angry Irrfan Khan injecting the 'Brain Booster' to his son is the highpoint. But things deteriorate the moment the son opens his eyes and become a genius within minutes. Now what was that?

That's not all! He becomes a great mathemagician and starts indulging in all kinds of vices. He even disowns his parents. That's where the writing goes haywire. How and why does he get such negative traits are left unexplained.

The end too is bizarre. The culmination to Anupam Kher's character, plus the son being administered the antidote and the sequences thereafter are difficult to absorb. Actually, it seems quite bizarre.

Director Kaushik Roy knows the technicalities right, but it's the writer in him that lets the director down. Music is strictly okay. Cinematography [Barun Mukherjee] is alright.

Irrfan Khan is good, not excellent -- something that's expected from him, keeping his body of work in mind. Nonetheless, he's brilliant in the sequence when he loses his temper and injects the booster. Shobhana does a fine job. Anupam Kher's character is half-baked. Rajat Kapoor is sidelined. Dhruv is loud.

On the whole, APNA ASMAAN has precious little to offer.

Remaking a yesteryear hit is considered an easy route for winning plaudits and paisa. With a readymade script at your disposal, all you need to do is cast the right set of actors, hire a director who's equally charged to remake the film and who'd do complete justice to the material, retain the popular songs from the original [if need be]… Presto, the new avatar is ready for public viewing!

But the new avatar may not necessarily be as effectual as the original. That holds true for VICTORIA NO. 203, directed by Ananth Narayan Mahadevan. It's a great idea to remake a rollicking entertainer like VICTORIA NO. 203, but the 2007 interpretation lacks the heart and soul of the original.

One of the prime reasons why the original worked was courtesy the fun element, besides packing every available ingredient in those 2 hours. The new version starts off brilliantly, but runs out of breath after the initial 20 minutes. And the graph only goes downhill thereafter.

To sum up, this Victoria is hardly a fun ride. Not all diamonds sparkle!

VICTORIA NO. 203 takes off with a display of diamonds worth Rs. 300 crores. Bobby [Javed Jaffrey], a rich industrialist and his moll Devyani [Preeti Jhangiani], are smitten by the diamonds. Bobby is willing to do anything to acquire them. When the diamond owner denies his offer to buy the diamonds, his ego is hurt. He hires the services of Ranjit [Kamal Sadanah], who in turn hires a burglar, Tora [Tora Khasgir], to steal the diamonds.

Tora performs a daredevil heist and escapes with the diamonds. She has an agenda of her own and plans a double cross with her brother Karan [Rajesh Khera]. Just as she is about to escape, Ranjit stabs her. She escapes though and falls next to Victoria No. 203 in which she hides the diamonds. The Victoria driver Raman [Jatin Sial] offers to take her to the hospital and in the process gets caught by the police, who suspect him for attempted murder.

Raman's daughter Sara [Soniya Vinod Mehra] is forced at this stage to ride the Victoria in order to earn money for her father's trial. She is unaware that she is riding around Mumbai with diamonds worth Rs. 300 crores in her Victoria. Jimmy [Jimmy Joseph], an expert on diamonds, takes a ride on the Victoria and instantly falls in love with Sara.

Raja [Anupam Kher] and Rana [Om Puri] are two small time crooks who are released from jail. They hear about the diamond heist and are extremely impressed, hoping one day they will be able to do something of the sort. All the characters meet in a climax and none of them know where the diamonds actually are.

If you watch VICTORIA NO. 203 with a magnifying glass, you'd agree that it packs every masala on the shelf. There's a heist, there're light moments aplenty [courtesy Raja and Rana], there's emotional bonding [father - daughter], there's romance, a dash of oomph and of course, thrills. And all this is merged to create a wholesome entertainer that doesn't bore you even for a minute.

But the new version looks disjointed. Sure, the script remains the same, but the holding power is clearly missing. The heist at the very start is superb [reminds of SHALIMAR], but the comic scenes are far from funny. You do break into a chuckle at times, but Raja and Rana here aren't as impactful. The comedy falls flat. The romance too is far from exciting. Ditto for the thrills!

Director Ananth Narayan Mahadevan is a talented storyteller, but he's not in his elements this time. The music is a mixed bag. The two tracks from the original ['Do Bechare' and 'Thoda Sa Thehro'] are the only ones that work. Cinematography is eye-catching.

Om Puri is in form, but Anupam Kher isn't. Om seems to be enjoying his part, while Anupam looks mechanical. Jimmy Sheirgill deserved more footage. He's okay. Soniya Vinod Mehra has a long way to go before she can be called an actress. Javed Jaffrey is competent, as always. Preeti Jhangiani is a revelation. She looks alluring and enacts her part well. Kamal Sadanah does a fine job. Tora sizzles. Rajesh Khera and Jatin Sial are wasted.

On the whole, VICTORIA NO. 203 doesn't work. It's a bumpy journey for this Victoria at the box-office!

Powerful. Thought-provoking. Disturbing. That sums up DHOKHA, directed by Pooja Bhatt.

After attempting PAAP and HOLIDAY, Pooja charters into a new -- and most difficult -- terrain with DHOKHA. With terrorism raising its ugly head in Hyderabad recently, a film like DHOKHA is all the more topical. In this case, the suicide bomber is the cop's wife. Whew, piping hot stuff indeed!

What sets DHOKHA apart from films of its ilk is that the film never takes sides. It doesn't blame any particular community, in fact it's not pro or anti any religion. It blames the people who spread terror in the name of religion. Also, it denounces terrorism in very clear words. DHOKHA hits where it hurts. You want to know the reason why people turn into jehadis. DHOKHA probes into the issue and provides the answers.

To sum up, DHOKHA is one of the finest and powerful films to come out of the Bhatt camp. This one dares to unruffle a few feathers!

Zaid [Muzamil Ibrahim] is a Muslim police officer in Mumbai. 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 Sara [Tulip Joshi], is found amongst the dead. Things turn even more horrific when the police coldly announce that Sara's injuries were typical of those found on fundamentalist suicide bombers.

As evidence mounts that his wife, Sara, was responsible for the catastrophic bombing, Zaid is torn between cherished memories of their years together and the inescapable realization that the beautiful woman he loved had a life far removed from their comfortable existence together. DHOKHA is two creative minds at their best -- director Pooja Bhatt and writer Shagufta Rafique. Sure, a film like this is not everyone's idea of entertainment, but let's get real. Cinema isn't only entertainment, but enlightenment. With terrorism raising its ugly head time and again, in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, New York and London, you cannot shut your eyes to all that's happening around us.

DHOKHA tells the story well. The director and her competent writer open the cards at the very outset, within 10 minutes of the start. But it's the second hour that's a complete eye-opener. The ugly past, narrated by Anupam Kher, shakes you completely. Brilliantly penned and executed, you're stunned by the atrocities committed by the men in uniform.

The writing wobbles at times. Take the end, for instance. Ashutosh Rana getting caught for his misdeeds looks too sudden. Prior to that, the confrontation between Munish Makhija and Muzamil, although interesting, is long-drawn and tends to get preachy. However, the climax at a Mumbai Railway Station -- the culmination to the horrific tale -- is spell-binding.

DHOKHA is Pooja's third and also her finest work so far. She has handled the disturbing issue with utmost maturity. Shagufta Rafique's writing packs a solid punch. Music [M.M. Kreem] is soothing and the best part is, it's smartly woven in the narrative. Anshuman Mahaley's cinematography is topnotch.

Muzamil Ibrahim is a discovery to watch. Sure, there're rough edges [at times] that he needs to work on, but considering it's his debut film, he pitches in an incredible performance. A real surprise, a pleasant surprise! Tulip Joshi looks gorgeous and although she hardly has any lines to deliver, she makes it up with the right expressions.

Anupam Kher is first-rate. Only a veteran with a terrific range could've essayed the part with such understanding. Gulshan Grover is perfect. He looks the character. Ashutosh Rana is menacing; very effective. The actor enacting the role of Tulip's brother is good. Bhanu Uday is admirable. Aushima Sawhney does a fine job. Anupam Shyam is alright. Munish Makhija is competent.

On the whole, DHOKHA is a well-made film. At the box-office, it's for multiplexes of big centres mainly.

A word of caution: BUDDHA MAR GAYA is piping hot stuff! You haven't watched something like this before. Be prepared for a bagful of adult jokes that's sure to leave you gaping in shock. At the cost of repeating oneself, let's also add that you need to lock your brains at home when you enter the cineplex to watch BUDDHA MAR GAYA.

Rahul Rawail goes all out this time. His new endeavor touches almost every topic under the sun -- from extra-marital affairs to gay relationships to incest to 'corpse selling'... Most importantly, it mirrors a sad reality: Money is the be-all and end-all.

BUDDHA MAR GAYA is aimed at the masses, those who swear by nonsensical entertainers. It's not for the faint-hearted. You ought to have a strong stomach to absorb a film like BUDDHA MAR GAYA since it shocks you at regular intervals. It's not for those with an appetite for meaningful cinema or for critics, who run down masala/mass appealing films since it's fashionable to do so.

Be forewarned, if you're ready for shocks, BUDDHA MAR GAYA is just for you!

Laxmikant Kabadiya aka LK [Anupam Kher] is one of India's richest industrialists, a self-made man. 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 [Mahabanoo Mody Kotwal], his two sons Ranjeet [Bobby Parvez] and Sameer [Mukesh Tiwari], their wives Shruti [Mannat Kaur] and Anju [Mona Ambegaonkar], respectively, Ranjeet's daughters Sanjana [Heenaa Biswas] and Namrata [Madhvi Singh] and Sameer's son Pawan [Jay Soni] can't stop salivating at the thought of all that money.

Unfortunately for all of them, fate displays a wicked sense of humor. On the night before the IPO opens, LK dies while copulating with a starlet [Raakhi Sawant], 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 [Om Puri], the family decides to hide the death of LK for a period of two days till the shares are all sold out.

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 [Paresh Rawal], the Minister's fixer [Murli Sharma], a procurer of dead bodies [Ranveer Shorey], 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.

The tagline of BUDDHA MAR GAYA is, 'You will die laughing', and the film remains faithful to this statement at most times. Of course, you don't break into laughter in every scene, but the fact is that you cannot control your laughter on several occasions. Sure, you may find the brand of humor juvenile and a few jokes obscene, especially the Raakhi Sawant track, but the masses will simply love these portions. In fact, BUDDHA MAR GAYA is hot, steamy and spicy with tremendous shock-value.

Director Rahul Rawail steps into a new territory with BUDDHA MAR GAYA and as a storyteller, narrates an interesting plot successfully. Agreed, a film like BUDDHA MAR GAYA is not everybody's idea of entertainment, but Rawail knows his fundas right. He uses everything on the shelf to make a black comedy. Yet, it must be mentioned that the writing could've been tighter. The screenplay isn't too convincing at times, like the Murli Sharma track or the Manoj Joshi episode in the climax. The writing goes awry on these occasions.

Rawail's idea of using popular tracks in the background, like 'Beedi' [OMKARA], 'Cheeni Kum' [CHEENI KUM] and 'Chak De Phatte' [KHOSLA KA GHOSLA] add to the enjoyment. Dialogues [Anand Sivakumaran] are dipped in sarcasm at times and are saucy at places. However, a film like BUDDHA MAR GAYA signifies that the censors have become quite lenient these days, which is a welcome sign.

BUDDHA MAR GAYA doesn't demand histrionics as such, but the ones who stand out are Om Puri [terrific], Mukesh Tiwari [able], Mona Ambegaonkar [competent], Bobby Parvez [nice], Jay Soni [confident] and Mahabanoo Mody Kotwal [fantastic].

Anupam Kher, the narrator and also the corpse, is very good. Paresh Rawal deserved better lines and situations. Rakhi Sawant is in top form. Ranveer Shorey is okay. Murli Sharma is efficient. Prem Chopra is perfect.

On the whole, BUDDHA MAR GAYA has terrific title-value, abundant shock-value and strong entertainment-value as factors going in its favor. At the box-office, this one's for the masses completely!

Victoria No. 203 is a story about a diamond heist and how the lives of so many different people get intertwined in the search for lost diamonds.

The movie takes off with a display of diamonds worth 300 crores. Bobby Bombata (Javed Jaffery) who is a rich industrialist and his moll Devyani (Preeti Jhangiani) are smitten by the diamonds. Bobby is willing to do anything to acquire them. When the diamond owner denies his offer to buy the diamonds, his ego is hurt. He hires the services of a cat burglar, Tora (Tora Khasgir) to steal the diamonds.

Tora performs a daredevil heist and escapes with the diamonds. She has an agenda of her own though and plans a double cross with her brother Karan (Rajesh Khera). Just as she is about to escape, she bumps into the infamous Ranjit (Kamal Sadanah) who stabs her. She escapes though, and falls next to Victoria No. 203 in which she hides the diamonds. The Victoria driver Raman offers to take her to the hospital and in the process gets caught by the police who suspect him for attempted murder.

Raman's daughter Sara (Sonia Vinod Mehra) is forced at this stage to ride the Victoria in order to earn money for her father's trial. She is unaware that she is riding around Bombay with diamonds worth 300 crores in her Victoria. Jimmy (Jimmy Joseph) an expert on diamonds, takes a ride on the Victoria and instantly falls in love with Sara.

The story also entails Raja (Anupam Kher) & Rana (Om Puri) - two small time crooks who are recently released from jail. They hear about the diamond heist and are extremely impressed, hoping one day they will be able to do something of the sort.

All the characters meet in an unbelievably hilarious climax and none of them know where the diamonds actually are.

Will they ever be found, or will they just disappear in the fog??

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.