Indian movies

A film like THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC makes you nostalgic. It takes you back to the light-hearted, feel-good cinema made by directors of calibre like Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee. The focus was on narrating a simple story. A movie that put a smile on your face even if you walked in with a frown.

THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC does exactly that!

Strangely, for some reason, the film lacks the hype associated with a biggie. Perhaps, the string of flops the premiere production house [YRF] churned out, indirectly, took a toll on this movie. But THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC should reverse the trend.

A bit of MARY POPPINS. A dash of THE SOUND OF MUSIC. A sprinkle of ENCHANTED. THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC may not be the most original script, but the sweet and tender moments in this enterprise elevate it to a watchable status.

That Kunal Kohli is a fine storyteller has already been proved [HUM TUM and FANAA were accomplished works]. Now watch him handle a simple, uncomplicated story with dexterity and you'd agree, Kunal has only matured with time.

To put a long story short, THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC is a simple story, well told. It's one of those films you'd enjoy watching with your family, without feeling embarrassed or red-faced. It's sure to put a smile on your face when you exit the auditorium, which, frankly, is a rarity these days!

Ranbeer [Saif Ali Khan], a leading industrialist, is a loner, not by choice, but because he lost everyone he ever loved. He is now faced with a peculiar and uncomfortable situation. In a rare and landmark court verdict, he is to look after four orphan children. The orphans hate him and want revenge from him. The children do not want to live with a man they hate; he too cannot face them or look them in the eye for certain reasons. Their life together is very unhappy.

One day, the kids pray to God for help and He does help them. He sends his most mischievous, childlike, lovable angel to the rescue, with a mission to bring Ranbeer and the kids together. Geeta [Rani Mukerji] comes bicycling down a rainbow… and bursts into Ranbeer's house as the self-proclaimed new nanny.

And then starts the roller coaster ride of fun, emotions, magic and love. An angel who doesn't know what love is. A man who always lost love. Four orphans who need love.

Kunal Kohli opens the cards at the very outset. The car accident and the subsequent court judgment set the story in motion. But the first half isn't without its share of flaws. The pranks played by the kids to harass Saif fall flat. They're anything but funny most of the times. Ameesha's character is another sore point. Actually, the film could've done without this irritating character.

However, Rani's entry in the story adds magic to the goings-on. Her interaction with the kids and how she eventually wins them over is enjoyable. The kids, of course, are the actual heroes of this enterprise, but more on that later.

It's the second hour that takes the film to a different level. How Saif bonds with each of them and the turning point, an incident that makes the kids see Saif differently, is simply excellent. Ditto for the finale, which may seem Bollywoodish, but you don't mind it.

Kunal Kohli has worked with the best of stars [Aamir, Saif, Hrithik, Kajol, Kareena, Rani], but the real test is to extract performances from four unknown kids and that's where he deserves brownie points. It's easy to handle grown-ups, but kids can be really tough. Also, Kunal doesn't [thankfully] make the proceedings melodramatic with rona-dhona thrown in to make it a perfect 'family film'. The emotions are subtle, but nonetheless move you.

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music is a letdown, barring just one track, 'Pyaar Ke Liye'. Sudeep Chatterjee's cinematography is perfect. The effects are eye catching at times.

Saif fits into the sauve millionaire part [Richie Rich - the poor little rich guy?] very well. And the best part is, he never 'acts'. He's a complete natural! It's a pleasure to watch Rani in a role that does justice to her talent. She's lovable. But why is she sporting the same outfit throughout? Ameesha doesn't work, mainly because her role looks like an add-on. And what is she wearing throughout the movie? But she sizzles in the 'Lazy Lamhe' track.

The four kids are adorable. Each of them is terrific, but the one who's bound to walk away with taalis is the cute Sikh kid called Iqbal. Watch him break into the 'Main Nikla Gadi Leke' song from GADAR; it's bound to bring the house down. Rishi Kapoor is likable in a cameo. Taraana is okay.

On the whole, THODA PYAAR THODA MAGIC is a simple story told very effectively and efficiently. At the box-office, it may be a slow starter, but should gradually gather momentum with a strong word of mouth. Business at multiplexes will be the best.

Go watch it, it's a treat for your entire family!

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!

Yash Raj created magic with speeding bikes [DHOOM]. Now's the turn of speeding cars [TA RA RUM PUM].

The West has often made films depicting the rise, fall and subsequent rise of sportspersons. ROCKY [Sylvester Stallone], DAYS OF THUNDER [Tom Cruise] and CINDERELLA MAN [Russell Crowe] are films that cross your mind as you watch director Siddharth Raj Anand's second outing TA RA RUM PUM. It wouldn't be erroneous to state that Siddharth borrows from the above-named films, but he garnishes the material with desi emotions that work well with Indian moviegoers.

There's no denying that TA RA RUM PUM is a well-crafted fare that provides entertaining moments and also succeeds in its goal as a feel-good experience. One of the prime reasons why TA RA RUM PUM works is because it's not about car racing only. It involves a couple, their two kids, the family's riches to rags story, their highs and lows…

Now let's get down to the basics: What works and what doesn't? If the car racing sequences are awe-inspiring, the emotional quotient in the second hour is worth acknowledging as well. A number of sequences make you moist-eyed, especially the high-octane climax that not only gives you goose bumps, but also makes you jump with joy.

However, TA RA RUM PUM isn't a flawless film. You can't turn a blind eye to the aberrations in those 16 reels. Fortunately, the pros outweigh the cons in the final tally.

To sum up, Siddharth Raj Anand comes up with a worthy follow up to his directorial debut, the immensely likable SALAAM | NAMASTEY. TA RA RUM PUM easily ranks amongst Yash Raj's better films in terms of style as also substance.

TA RA RUM PUM tells the story of one man, his family and how they overcome the obstacles that life puts in their way, together. It is the story of human spirit and how it ultimately prevails.

Rajveer Singh [Saif Ali Khan] is a pit-crew worker in a racing team with a passion for driving who gets discovered by a team manager, Harry [Jaaved Jaaferi]. The same day, he accidentally meets a music student, Radhika [Rani Mukerji], who he falls for instantly. He gets drafted into 'Speeding Saddles' -- a failing race team and transforms from Rajveer Singh to 'RV', the race car driver.

While his racing career takes off instantly, his love life also blossoms after a whirlwind romance. A few months later, he is both a happily married man and one of the country's best racers. Fatherhood and greater success both follow and soon he is the Number 1 race car driver in U.S.A. as well as the proud father of two kids -- Priya [Angelina Idnani] and Ranveer [Ali Haji].

But as a result of a bad racing accident, RV is hospitalized for a few months. When he tries to make a comeback, he realizes that he has been mentally scarred by the accident. His life now takes a turn for the worse and after a string of failures, he is forced to auction his house and move with his family to a run-down neighborhood.

However, RV and Radhika decide not to tell their children the truth and construct a skillful masquerade of a reality show where they have to live a poor life in order to win a mythical grand prize. The family struggles to survive a life that they are not used to, using a mixture of fantasy and cheerfulness to pull through in the face of adversity. But an incident forces RV to reclaim the life that was taken away from him.

You don't take to TA RA RUM PUM instantly, since the writing [screenplay: Habib Faisal] meanders on oft-repeated tracks initially [the snooty father-in-law/Victor Banerjee looking down upon the son-in-law/Saif Ali Khan, the mandatory romantic scenes and songs]. The one aspect that shines the brightest in the first hour is the car race that makes Saif's life go topsy-turvy. Ideally, the intermission card should've flashed at this juncture, but the sequences that follow are plain mediocre.

Thankfully, the substance [script] as also the execution of the material improves a great deal in the post-interval portions. The plight of the family moves you: Saif is reduced to a cabbie, Rani plays piano at birthday parties and hotels to run the kitchen fires and foot the bills, the children skip their meals to save for the school fees. The son, in fact, picks up leftovers from the waste to satiate his hunger… These are moments that mirror the realities of life.

The highpoint of the film are the penultimate reels. Right from Saif storming into a hotel, asking for a loan of $ 65,000 to the final victory, the narrative reaches its crescendo in those 25 + minutes. In fact, the powerful second hour elevates the film tremendously.

Director Siddharth Raj Anand is only getting better with every film. He handles the emotional moments in particular very well. The execution of the race sequences is outstanding. Something like this hasn't been witnessed on the Hindi screen before. Binod Pradhan's camerawork is marvelous.

Vishal-Shekhar's music is of the fast-forward variety. One looked forward to a better score for sure. However, the picturization of a few songs camouflages the defect to an extent. The kiddie song -- merging live with animated characters -- catches your attention. The animation here matches international quality.

Saif is extremely likable. He conveys the varied emotions with complete understanding. Rani enacts the role of the mother/wife proficiently. Jaaved Jaaferi is first-rate in a serious role. Bharat Dabholkar is efficient. Victor Banerjee suits the character. Shruti Seth is alright. Angelina Idnani and Ali Haji are adorable.

On the whole, TA RA RUM PUM easily ranks amongst better films from the Yash Raj factory. Surprisingly, the film has opened to a below-the-mark response at several screens. But it has the potential and power to gather speed in days to come since it has something for everyone -- emotional quotient for families, thrilling car races to woo the youth and the kiddie factor to attract this huge movie-going segment [kids]. Its business in Overseas should be excellent and in India, the multiplexes will help the distributors reap a harvest. Strongly recommended!