Indian movies

Post KHILADI and BAAZIGAR, Abbas-Mustan rightfully earned the tag of being the undisputed Badshaahs of Thrillers. They made a series of films thereafter -- of varied genres -- but every time they attempted a thriller, the comparisons with KHILADI and BAAZIGAR were inevitable. That’s because Abbas-Mustan couldn’t outdo these two films ever.

The director duo’s latest offering RACE, which packs glitz, glam and style with A-listers [on and off screen], carries the baggage of tremendous expectations. The stars, the stunning locales, the breath-taking visuals, the mesmeric songs, the electrifying chase, the chic styling -- everything you see on screen resembles an international flick.

But the million dollar question is, does it live up to the humungous expectations? Does it have its heart in the right place? Thankfully, it does!

RACE is Abbas-Mustan’s most accomplished work, after BAAZIGAR. Any thriller works if and only if the story has the edge-of-the-seat moments and which catches you unawares as the reels unfold. RACE has that quality. The story moves in a serpentine manner, there’s a twist every fifteen minutes and it’s impossible to guess what the culmination would be.

In a nutshell, RACE is a first-rate product all the way. It’s not just style, but there’s substance as well. It has the merits to get catapulted to the Bests of 2008, when you reflect on the year. Bravo!

Ranvir [Saif Ali Khan] and Rajiv [Akshaye Khanna] are step-brothers who own a huge stud farm in Durban, South Africa. They breed horses on their huge ranch house and are also the biggest bookies in the horse racing circuit. Ranvir, the elder of the two, is known to be a very shrewd man. He is very aggressive and is always on the move. Rajiv, on the other hand, is very laidback and is also a chronic alcoholic.

Sophia [Katrina Kaif] is Ranvir’s personal secretary. She adores her boss and loves him. Ranvir is totally unaware of her feeling and regards her adoration as her efficiency. Sonia [Bipasha Basu] is an upcoming Indian ramp model in Durban.

Sonia loves Ranvir, but through a twist of fate gets married to Rajiv. When she discovers that Rajiv is a chronic alcoholic, her world is shattered. Ranvir too is disturbed as he has sacrificed his love for his younger brother because Rajiv had promised him that if he gets married to Sonia, he will leave alcohol forever.

After marriage, Rajiv breaks his promise and the story starts getting complicated. In a weak moment, Ranvir and Sonia come very close to each other and an affair starts between the younger brother’s wife and the elder brother. When the younger brother starts suspecting his wife, all hell breaks loose.

A murder is committed, a contract killing is issued, double crossings become the order of the day… A sharp-tongued investigative officer R.D. [Anil Kapoor] starts an investigation with his brainless assistant Mini [Sameera Reddy].

Director duo Abbas-Mustan are in complete command this time around. Everything is so well synchronized that the end result leaves you awe-struck. The 2 + hours of your precious life that you’ve spent on this film are absolutely worth your while. In 36 CHINA TOWN and NAQAAB specifically, one disagreed with the climax. But the penultimate reels of RACE are foolproof.

Abbas-Mustan get it right this time. Right from the choice of subject, to the choice of actors, to the thrilling moments, music and locales, this thrill-a-minute saga works big time. The game of one-upmanship indulged by the two brothers is electrifying and easily the hallmark of the enterprise.

Writer Shiraz Ahmed’s screenplay has several moments that merit a mention. The best part is, the writing is full of energy and surprises, not once does it take the been-there-seen-that route. It would be foolhardy to single out a few sequences since the film gathers speed from its inception itself. One of its USPs is that every character is out to double cross the other, each character has grey shades and the dangerous games they indulge in make it an exhilarating cinematic experience.

Ravi Yadav’s cinematography is topnotch. The stunning locales of Durban, Dubai and India are captured lucidly by the DoP. But, most importantly, the movement of the camera at several places deserves the highest praise. Note the very start of the film [the aerial view, right till the gruesome accident] or the car chase in the climax [never seen before on the Hindi screen], the camerawork is stunning.

Pritam’s music rocks. Generally, in most thrillers, the music takes a backseat, but not here. ‘Allah Duhai Hai’ [foot-tapping], ‘Pehli Nazar Mein’ [with soulful rendition by Atif Aslam], ‘Touch Me’ [very saucy] and ‘Sexy Lady’ [the new track; trendy] are terrific compositions all and their filming and choreography are masterly. The fact that the yuppie crowd has taken to the songs in a big way, says it all. The race at the start and the chase in the climax [Allan Amin] are fantastic. You haven’t witnessed something like this ever before on the Hindi screen, that’s for sure! Hussain Burmawala’s editing is razor-sharp. It’s one of the best edited works!

Dialogues [Anuraag Prapanna, Jitendra Parmar] are excellent. Styling [Anaita Shroff Adajania] is superb. Background score [Salim-Sulaiman] has the international feel. Choreography [Bosco-Caesar and Ganesh Acharya] is top class.

Every actor in RACE puts his/her best foot forward. Saif has been coming up with sparkling portrayals and films like KAL HO NAA HO, EK HASINA THI, HUM TUM, SALAAM | NAMASTE, OMKARA and EKLAVYA – THE ROYAL GUARD portrayed the actor’s acting skills to the fullest. Now add RACE to his illustrious repertoire. He’s marvelous all through and the bearded look suits him very much.

Akshaye is so perfect. To carry off a difficult character like this is a Herculean task and the supremely talented actor handles it with aplomb. He’s like a chameleon; he slips into various roles with remarkable ease. But the fact cannot be denied that Abbas-Mustan bring out the best in Akshaye. Watch his body of work and you’d agree that Akshaye’s performances in the director duo’s films have always stood out.

Anil Kapoor comes at the interval point, but takes charge in the post-interval portions. With such serious characters in the film, Anil’s role comes as a big relief. Sure, the viewers may find some of his dialogues crass, but the masses will take to his performance in a big way.

Bipasha looks stunning and delivers her best work so far. She’s superb. Katrina is a complete surprise. The actress looks gorgeous, but most importantly, her character gives her ample opportunity to shine in the latter half. Sameera excels as the dumb girl. Actually, it’s a tough job and she does it well. Johny Lever is there for one sequence and his role is aimed at the hoi polloi.

On the whole, RACE is a superb entertainer all the way. It’s not just style, it has substance as well. At the box-office, the tremendous hype coupled with the holidays in the opening week as well as the extensive release will ensure huge numbers in the initial week. But, most importantly, the film has legs to enjoy a spirited run at the box-office. Smash Hit!

Subhash Ghai is synonymous with larger than life movies. Movies that cater to the popular tastes. With BLACK & WHITE, Ghai changes lanes. Deviating from the large canvas, extravagant sets and soulful-music-with-lavish-settings, he comes up with a film that’s real, that pricks your conscience… a film that’s in sharp contrast to his earlier accomplishments.

It truly requires courage to swim against the tide. With BLACK & WHITE, Ghai enters a lane not many master storytellers would dare to venture into.

BLACK & WHITE signifies the coming of age of a seasoned storyteller. Sure, he has made great entertainers that have tremendous recall value, but BLACK & WHITE is a gutsy step. It’s realistic, it’s thought-provoking, it’s topical, but not dark, depressing or preachy.

As a storyteller, Ghai has handled the subject with maturity and a few scenes do leave an indelible impression. But BLACK & WHITE could’ve done with a shorter length and a tighter screenplay. Yet, all said and done, Ghai deserves marks and praise for this courageous step. Watch it for a different experience!

Rajan Mathur [Anil Kapoor] is a Professor in Urdu literature. He resides in Chandni Chowk with his activist wife Roma [Shifaali Shah].

Professor Mathur comes across Numair [Anurag Sinha], who introduces himself as a victim of communal riots in Gujarat. But, in actuality, he is a suicide bomber commissioned by a Muslim fundamentalist group to detonate a bomb near Red Fort on 15th August.

During his fifteen-day journey, Numair manages to take shelter in the Professor’s house and wins the trust and fondness of the couple. While helping Numair to get an entry pass for 15th August celebrations at Red Fort, Professor Mathur introduces him to the warm and loving people of Chandni Chowk.

Amidst all the tension, he is caught in an emotional dilemma whether to go ahead with his mission. Despite his deep-rooted fundamentalist beliefs, he sees this as one of the most colorful and loving areas. Nevertheless, he moves on with his mission. But something is disturbing the mind of this young lad…

The story of BLACK & WHITE [Varun Vardhan] is one of its USPs. BLACK & WHITE tries to peep into the psyche of a human bomb, a fanatic who has a change of heart gradually. The transformation of a heartless, cold-blooded murderer to someone whose inner voice tells him to revolt against his ‘masters’, the change is well depicted on screen.

But BLACK & WHITE is not without its share of hiccups. The romantic track, for instance, stands out like a sore thumb. It could’ve been avoided. Also, the reasons that change the fanatic’s thinking aren’t powerful enough. To be specific, the portions from Shifaali’s brutal murder, to her last rites, to Anil and Anurag entering the Red Fort premises, to the cops arresting the terrorists – the sequence of events should’ve been more dramatic and convincing.

But the last few minutes, when Anurag confronts Milind Gunaji and assaults him brutally, is simply outstanding. One of the finest sequences ever filmed in this genre!

Directorially, Ghai rises beyond the script and has canned a number of sequences well. The portions depicting Afghanistan as also the pre-climax [Anil’s emotional breakdown] are exemplary. Sukhwinder Singh’s music has a soothing effect. ‘Jogi Aaya’ and ‘Main Chala’ are melodious compositions. Somak Mukherjee’s camera captures the bylanes of Delhi well. Dialogues are well worded.

BLACK & WHITE belongs to new-find Anurag Sinha. The newcomer carries the cold, murderous look with gusto, living the role with his electrifying presence. Ghai has been instrumental in carving the careers of several names in the past. Now add Anurag to this illustrious list.

Anil Kapoor proves his versatility yet again. In his last outing [WELCOME], he enacted the role of a person who was on the other side of law. In BLACK & WHITE, he’s a law-abiding citizen and Anil is memorable in this film too. This performance should occupy a coveted place in his impressive repertoire.

Shifaali Shah is excellent. Although the length of the character isn’t substantial enough, the actor stays in your memory thanks to a highly competent performance. Aditi doesn’t get much scope. The senior citizen is first-rate. Aroon Bakshi is efficient. Milind Gunaji does a good job.

On the whole, BLACK & WHITE is a fine effort from a master storyteller who dares to change lanes with this film. In that respect, an effort like BLACK & WHITE needs to be lauded. Targeted at the thinking viewer, the makers and distributors have rightly released the film at multiplexes primarily and the multiplex junta should appreciate the effort, at big centres mainly. It will have to have the backing of a strong word of mouth to climb the ladder.

More than anything else, a film like BLACK & WHITE deserves to be tax-exempted, so that it reaches out to a wider audience across the length and breadth of the country.

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!

Welcome to the crazy, mad, funny, outlandish, outrageous, zany world of WELCOME, directed by Anees Bazmee, who gave us the rib-tickling NO ENTRY. Bazmee is a veteran when it comes to leave-your-brains-at-home comic capers, having penned and helmed non-stop laughathons in the past.

The question is, does WELCOME make you break into guffaws? The question is, does WELCOME measure up to the mammoth expectations surrounding it? The question is, will WELCOME be as big a hit as NO ENTRY?

WELCOME follows the same path as David Dhawan and Priyadarshan movies. The mantra is simple: Lock your brains at home, throw your worries out of the window for the next 2 hours and get ready to embrace a world where logic and sense have no place… In short, WELCOME remains faithful to the genre from start to end. Bazmee borrows a bit from the likable Hugh Grant starrer MICKEY BLUE EYES [also bears an uncanny resemblance to SHAADI SE PEHLE] and adds loads of Indian masala to make the proceedings spicy and tangy. Lo and behold! WELCOME succeeds in tickling your funny bone at most places. The humour is basic and even absurd, but it works well in a film like this.

To cut a long story short, WELCOME is one of those entertainers that deliver what it promises: Funny sequences, super performances and loads and loads of laughter. Without doubt, WELCOME will be welcomed with open arms by the aam junta!

Uday Shetty [Nana Patekar], Majnu [Anil Kapoor] and their boss, Sikander [Feroz Khan], are basically three Hong Kong-based serio-comic mobsters, who are keen to get Uday’s sister Sanjana [Katrina Kaif] married into a respectable family.

Uday, who accidentally meets the handsome bachelor Rajiv [Akshay Kumar], gets convinced that the latter would be an appropriate match for Sanjana. Meanwhile, Sanjana, who is totally unaware of her brother’s plans, also meets Rajiv separately and they fall in love. She has the acceptance of Dr. Ghunghroo [Paresh Rawal], Rajiv’s uncle, who is unaware of the fact that she is Uday’s sister.

When Dr. Ghunghroo realizes his faux pas, he decides against the marriage. The entire plot takes a U-turn when a stunning bombshell [Mallika Sherawat] arrives on the scene and claims to be Rajiv’s wedded wife, which only adds to the hullabaloo and chaos.

You realize you won’t need your thinking caps at the very outset. Note the introductory sequences of Nana Patekar, Paresh Rawal and Anil Kapoor. They set the mood of the film. Also, the first hour has several humorous moments and you enjoy the one-liners that the characters keep delivering every now and then.

The director makes sure to open three more surprises in the post-interval hour -- Feroz Khan, Mallika Sherawat and Vijay Raaz, who is introduced in the first half, but gets scope only in the second half. The sequences between Nana and Mallika and also between Anil and Mallika are truly funny. Also, the marathon portion at the funeral is sure to bring the house down.

Of course, there’re loose ends. The pace dips in the second hour, a few jokes seem repetitive and therefore, don’t evoke the required mirth. Also, the music could’ve been better. Only two songs come easy on your lip [the ones that are promoted], but the chartbusting quality is missing.

Bazmee’s direction does justice to the material. The director and his team of writers [Rajiv Kaul, Praful Parekh] don’t deviate from the core issue and pack the script with inane stuff, but the impact is so funny that you break into a hysterical laughter at places. The Kaul and Parekh jodi, known for writing a number of David Dhawan and Indra Kumar films in the past, are back in true form after a long time.

As mentioned earlier, the music is a mixed bag. ‘Uncha Lamba Kadh’ and ‘Tera Sarafa’ [Anand Raaj Anand] are the best tracks of the enterprise and the choreography of these numbers take them further, but the remaining songs are below average. Dialogues are laced with wit and enjoyable, especially those delivered by Nana, Paresh and Anil. Sanjay F. Gupta’s cinematography is striking. The locales of Dubai and South Africa give the film a grandiose look. The effects [especially in the climax -- the house collapse sequence] are tacky.

Although WELCOME boasts of a formidable star cast and every actor handles his/her part with effortless ease, the one who registers the maximum impact is Nana Patekar. Nana is in terrific form, the real scene-stealer. It’s a treat to watch this accomplished actor essay a role that’s in stark contrast to the ones he’s known for [intense, hard-hitting characters]. His comic timing is fantastic!

Akshay is equally competent. He looks every inch the seedha-saadha guy, who is torn between his lady love on one hand and the two factions [Paresh versus Nana, Anil & Co.] on the other. This film should find a prominent place in his repertoire.

Anil Kapoor comes up with yet another dhamaka. The actor compliments Nana beautifully and handles his role with precision. Paresh Rawal is superb yet again. He continues to make people laugh, even though he has consistently starred in umpteen funny movies.

Although the meatier scenes are reserved for the men, there’s no denying that Katrina gives her role the freshness that it demands. Also, she looks bewitching. Mallika Sherawat is electrifying. Although she makes an appearance in the second half, the confidence with which she carries her part is what works in her favour.

Feroz Khan is in form. Vijay Raaz is first-rate yet again. Supriya Karnik, Snehal Dhabi, Adi Irani, Mushtaq Khan and Sherveer Vakil are adequate. Suniel Shetty is there for a scene only; he’s okay.

On the whole, WELCOME is a fun ride all the way. The tremendous hype for the film has resulted in a tremendous start at the ticket window and the 5-day weekend as also the lack of biggies in the subsequent weeks will help WELCOME reach the ‘Smash Hit’ status in days to come.

Get Set GOAL is a story of that great optimistic trait – hope. The characters in this drama fight the battle of hope through relationships, pride and their dreams.

Southall United is a football club going through a major crisis. The team has no stars, no sponsors, no spectators and most importantly, no coach. Yet, it nurtures the hope that is will win the cup this time.

The head of the city council, Anne, collaborates with Johnny Patel, a sports commentator, to acquire a large tract of land that is with this club. Together, they highlight the club’s lackluster performance and threaten to have the land taken from them, unless things change. Their biggest hope? That the team will lose, yet again.

Sir Devi Dayal Dhariwal, owner of the club, hopes to save the land from the greed of Anne and Johnny Patel.

Hanif, the captain of Southall United, hopes to win by playing the last card the club has. He brings in a celebrated ex-player to coach them.

And then, there is Sunny Bhasin (John Abraham) who hopes to become a member of a top team and play first division football – a dream every aspiring British footballer yearns for.

Will the coach manage to pull his team together? How does Sunny become a part of this team? And most importantly, will the club win the title and retain the ground?

Get Set GOAL is a contemporary story of the Asian community in UK told through the dynamic prism of professional football.