Cash - Review
Sinha has mastered the craft and garnishes CASH well, but as you begin to savor the taste, you realize that the recipe isn't perfect. Perhaps, writers Yash-Vinay had the right intentions of making a chor-sipahi kahani, but the writing is just not convincing.
Where does the problem lie? Not with Anubhav Sinha, for the director is, without doubt, one of the most stylish narrators in Bollywood. The choice of subject is also right, but the writing lacks the meat to mesmerize the viewer. Clearly, the screenplay is the villain here!
To sum up, you expect a sangam of style and substance in CASH, but what you eventually get is style, style and only style!
CASH is a thriller set in Cape Town, South Africa.
The group also faces a threat from underworld don [Suniel Shetty], who is after the same diamonds and also the Head of Security [Shamita Shetty]. How these three groups manage to thwart each other forms the rest of the story.
CASH bears an uncanny resemblance to some films. The concept of a guy hiring professionals to execute a plan brings back memories of SHOLAY. There's an uncanny resemblance with DHOOM 2 as far as the stylish stunts are concerned. Also, a number of individuals wanting to lay their hands on the priceless diamonds take you to SHALIMAR.
It's not blasphemous to be inspired by any film, past or present, but what the writers ought to know by now is that there has to be a riveting story at the end of the day. What you take back as a viewer is only style. The writing is unenergetic in the first hour, but the second hour, you've to admit, is far more absorbing. The marked currency notes and also the chase by the cops [Ritesh, Esha, with Zayed atop the speeding car] are pulse-pounding.
Director Anubhav Sinha does make a 'good looking film', but the writing curtails it from being called an engrossing saga. If Sinha deserves brownie points for making a visually enticing movie, all you want to remind him is that the viewer wants to listen to an absorbing story at the end of the day. As the captain of the ship, he should've ensured that Yash-Vinay gave him a smart screenplay that compliments his skills.
Ajay Devgan is not in form this time around. He looks unenergetic… something is missing! Suniel Shetty gets to play a role he has visited a few times in the past. Zayed Khan is strictly okay. The real scene stealer is Ritesh Deshmukh. Very confident and easy-going, he's sure to walk away with ceetees and taalis.
Shamita Shetty stands out. Esha suffers due to sketchy characterization. Also, her make-up makes her face look hard. Dia is far more appealing and enacts her part well. Ayesha Takia adds to the star-value.
On the whole, CASH has style, but rests on a thin plot and that is its biggest flaw. At the box-office, the film might attract the audience in its initial weekend, but a weak script will throw a spanner.
NAYA DAUR - Review
Sure, rural themes are rarely attempted these days and storytellers have moved on to greener pastures [read urban themes]. Also, the film lacks the visual appeal to entice the viewer of today, but despite the oddities, NAYA DAUR works for several reasons…
[a] It depicts the triumph of the human spirit, which can never go out of fashion;
[b] The relationships [Dilip Kumar-Ajit, Dilip Kumar-Vyjayantimala] are so human and believable;
[c] O.P. Nayyar's lilting score is unforgettable;
[d] The man versus machine race in the penultimate reels is astounding.
It's very difficult to review a classic. But even at the cost of sounding repetitive, let's say that they don't make films like NAYA DAUR anymore. Besides, over the years, we've seen a lot of clones of Dilip Kumar, Vyjayantimala and Ajit. Watching the originals is a different experience altogether!
Although B.R. Chopra made movies before and after NAYA DAUR, NAYA DAUR will always remain one of the finest cinematic works to come out of B.R. Films. The power of a storyteller looms large as the reels of NAYA DAUR unfold. Technically, the colorization is proper and the sound quality is sharp.
To sum up, NAYA DAUR is a classic and will always remain one. To skip the film would be sacrilege. Go, relive the experience!
Gandhi My Father - Review
Two people I could never convince --
My Muslim friend Mohammed Ali Jinnah and
My own son Harilal Gandhi.”
Making a film based on true events is difficult. Not only does it entail lots and lots of research, but to recreate the bygone era and get the right set of actors to enact the characters is another challenge.
It's all the more tough if the film is based on Mahatma Gandhi. And a far bigger challenge is to present the relationship shared by the Mahatma and his son Harilal.
Everyone knows about Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, but not much is known about him as a father to his children. GANDHI MY FATHER tells the story of Harilal Gandhi and the relationship he shared with his parents, more particularly with his father, the great Mahatma.
GANDHI MY FATHER tells a story not told before and director Feroz Abbas Khan tells it very well. Put your hands together for one of the finest films to come out of India. This one deserves to be the official entry for the Oscars.
To sum up, GANDHI MY FATHER is a must watch for every Indian. Strongly recommended!
Somewhere in the shadows of a great man [Mahatma Gandhi] lived his son [Harilal Gandhi], 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.
Mahatma Gandhi could transform the soul of a nation, but could not save the soul of his own son. The film unfolds a personal tragedy about a principled father and an unfortunate son.
For most viewers, the story of GANDHI MY FATHER is an eye-opener, since it tells a rarely heard story and tells it exceedingly well. The storyteller recreates the era with flourish, not once deviating from the core issue. The story is not about the freedom movement and the pivotal role played by the Mahatma, but it highlights the sensitive relationship between a father and son.
A landmark film in all respects, highlighting a scene or two would be doing gross injustice to the film. For, every sequence has the power to keep you hooked and most importantly, carries the stamp of a genius.
The director has ensured that every department works in tandem. David Macdonald's cinematography is superb. Special mention must be made of the B & W, grainy frames that compliment the actual footage. The production design [Nitin Chandrakant Desai] is perfect. The ambience transports you to the early 20th century. Make-up [Penny Smith] is of international standard. The transformation of the characters as they age looks so real. Costumes [Sujata Sharma] suit the theme well. Background score [Piyush Kanojia] is appropriate.
Akshaye Khanna is extraordinary in the role of Harilal Gandhi. He portrays the varied emotions -- angst, sorrow, anger, frustration, love -- with great understanding and maturity and comes up with his career-best work. Darshan Jariwala as Mahatma Gandhi is another great performance you carry home. Although a number of seasoned actors have portrayed the part of Mahatma Gandhi on the big screen, Darshan's performance easily ranks amongst the best.
On the whole, GANDHI MY FATHER is a treat for movie lovers. As mentioned at the very outset, it's a must-see for all Indians. At the box-office, it holds tremendous appeal for the multiplexes, where it should grow with a strong word of mouth. Strongly recommended!