Kalank - movie review

“Big budget films fail to deliver, while small films are thriving” – this is now being said so often that we run the risk in believing this fact! Zero, Thugs of H., Rangoon, Tubelightrepresenting big budget unsuccessful films while Badhai Ho, Stree, Andhadhun and a host of others as the small budget successful films. The notion that it’s the budget that fails the film is an obviously faulty one. But then what is going wrong with these big budget movies? That’s the theme with which I review the latest in the string of big budget flops – Kalank.

CONTENT (STORY AND SCREENPLAY) 

In promoting this movie we heard Karan Johar often stating that the story of Kalank was conceived 15 years ago – I found it hard to believe…..for the story feels archived from bollywood of 30 years ago. The illegitimate son seeking revenge, an all-sacrificing wife, an upright man fighting social archaic norms and a romance whose budding requires no justification – were all elements of the films of the mid-80s and early-90s. We have loved and cherished such films and hey make no mistake, its fine to revisit that age-old formula again but at least build the narrative that belongs to the audience of today! What fails Kalank is not really a stale story, but weak screenplay and direction. The story of the film offers enough conflicts to explore – predominant ones being between Madhuri-Varun, Sanjay-Madhuri, Aditya-Sonakshi, Varun-Alia, but the writer fails to dig below the surface on any of these. In absence of this depth and exploration, the film turns into a tedious 160-minutes journey tightly clutching on visual appeal and some good songs. 

On Content the film deserves not more than 1 out of 5 stars. 

PERFORMANCES

Over the years I have come to realize that a great performance in a film is not just credit to the actor but to the director as well. It takes a good director to extract a great performance from a seasoned actor. Kalank boasts of a stellar star cast, but for none of them Kalank would be a performance they would be remembered for.

As lead pair, Varun and Alia are completely out of depths performing characters which are way out of their reach. You don’t see the seething anger and hurt you would expect of a man who has been marginalized by his family and society, and in Alia fails to generate empathy one would feel for a woman who is stuck in a love-less and purpose-less existence. They are both promising actors but Kalank proves that both of themhave a long way to go to master their craft. Aditya Roy Kapoor is charming and a good fit as a decent, upright loving husband.

As for Madhuri, Sonakshi & Sanjay Dutt – I fail to understand why any of them agreed to perform their respective roles in Kalank. Sonakshi Sinha delivers on the brief but it’s a very small sketchy brief to begin with. Sanjay Dutt, unfortunately, looks lost and unconvincing in a role that at best needed an extra! Lastly, Madhuri Dixit – probably the only redeeming factor amongst all the actors in the film. She fits her character well, delivers a decent performance and as always charms you with a spell binding dance. However there  is just too little screen time offered to her. Yes, “Tabaah” offers some high points to cherish but gone are the days that one would be content by watching a powerhouse performer like her deliver just a couple of great dances in a film….she needs to do roles that offer her greater screen time and an opportunity to tap into her acting prowess. 

On Performances I would rate the film 1.5 out of 5.0. 

OTHER TECHNICAL ASPECTS 

The film boasts of some good Music, the best ones being the title track, Pardesia and Tabaah. In the interest of time, “First Class” & “Aira Gaira” could easily have been dropped – neither the most melodious numbers, nor did they fit the screenplay well. 

The cinematography is impressive however I would seriously question the Art Direction – someone seems to have confused a “period film” for a “fantasy film”. The sets and visuals are impressive but so out of place that instead of adding to the feel of the film, they tend to negate it. For instance, in a particularly dramatic scence where one is supposed to feel sad for the characters in the scene, I couldn’t hold back a laugh totally distracted by the out of place backdrop and the sets. Totally acceptable if you base the film in 5th century Atlantis not 1940’s Lahore! 

Thanks to the redeeming features of music and cinematography, on technical aspects the film would score 2.5 out of 5.0. 

To sum up, I have two insights to share. 

Firstly, unlike many people I did not feel that the film was inspired from Bhansali-style of filmmaking. There is a level of realism that exists even in a Bhanasali-world. To me this seemed to be a Bahubali inspired backdrop mounted unfortunately for a period film! Guys, don’t tear down the sets, just get a historical-fantasy script and shoot it on the same sets…it might make for a more appropriate film….and if the script is good, who knows, you may have a winner at hand. 

Secondly – rounding back to my opening remark. Success or failure of the film has nothing to do with the budget. Stories need to be told at a price that they require to tell them. Focus on the screenplay and audience will come! Unfortunately, it seems that budgets are decided regardless of the story and once a big budget is signed off, everything but the story & screenplay takes priority. 

On that note, I conclude 2.0 out of 5.0 stars for Kalank.  

Movie Review - Gully Boy

In one line Gully Boy is a story of a dream not commensurate to one’s reality. An oft-related uplifting tale that challenges the notion that “chasing a dream is the purview of only the affluent”. The premise is not new, but the treatment definitely is – and in that treatment Gully Boy takes Bollywood a leap forward. The star of Gully Boy is Zoya Akhtar! Four movies old, Zoya has come of age and with Gully Boy made an offering that is leaps ahead of her previous ventures. Don’t get me wrong – Zindagi naa milegi…, Dil Dhadakne Do are my guilty pleasures but essentially they are pleasant breezy entertaining movies lacking depth and nuance to characters as well as the situations. With Gully Boy, she has retained her essential entertaining breezy element and added to it a dollop of depth, nuance & quality of filmmaking that raises the film to probably one of the best in recent times.

Technical aspects

Story & Screenplay: Inspired from the real life story of a rap artist from Mumbai – the story has been embellished into an engaging screenplay. Yes, embellished would be an apt word – it is an essential ingredient when telling a story of passion that surmounts all odds stacked against an individual . It is an inspiring story, told well. There are a few movies that make you realize there is an art to storytelling – very few filmmakers really get it, even fewer seem to adopt it.

Art Direction: I admit I am not an expert on this subject but this is something that stuck me quite impressive in the film. Very few films do justice to the city they are based in – Gully Boy does full justice to Mumbai! Pan shots of Dharavi, local trains, South Mumbai, city streets at night, the clubs - Mumbai is a full fledged character in the film. The film doesn’t gloss over poverty, garbage and crowds of the city, choosing to play up shots of the sea-link, sea side but remains firmly grounded in the root of the city yet beautifully brings it all together in frames that make you love the city and all that comes along with it.

Music

As would be expected, music plays an essential role in the film – not just the numerous rap songs but the background score which lifts the mood and plays a pivotal role in carrying the movie through. Its hard to pick a few of the favourites but Apna Time Aayega, Azadi, Kab se Kab Tak, Sher Aaya Sher & Jahan tu Chala definitely are for me to hear on loop!

Performances

For long Ranvir Singh was passed off as a bundle of energy cast into North Delhi roles and nothing more. Lootera, Dil Dhadakne Do, Padmavaat demanded attention to an actor who is bringing in diversity and range to his performance like no other actor in the current lot. With Gully Boy it is impossible to ignore the perfectionist in him – with Gully Boy he has delivered a fine nuanced performance raising the fundamental question if he is indeed ahead of the likes of Ranbir Kapoor who for far too long held at a higher pedestal higher than the rest of his peer-set.

In scenes where Murad pens down some of his deep reflective poetry, the pain and grief in Ranvir’s eyes is the mark of a fine actor, as is the look and demeanour of the man who inherently is brought up believing that “aankh neeche rakhke seedhe chalte raho”, making Ranvir restrain his trademark energy and exuberance.

The rest of the cast holds on their own well and to expectations. Vijay Raj, stands out as the man whose frail frame looks ready to break anytime with the burdern of his and his family’s existence. How he manages to demonstrate in his vacant angry eyes, pursued lips and body language the weight of the existence of the millions who live just to survive in the city of dreams is commendable.

Alia Bhatt is her usual self – nothing new, nothing different. In fact with Ranvir Singh raising the game to a different level, Alia Bhatt in contrast feels a little drab and uni-dimensional. In a very different role than what we have seen her before, she looks, feels, acts no different from what we have already seen her do. I have often heard her co-actors stating that “Alia is a natural, she doesn’t have to try too hard. She effortlessly delivers any scene”. Maybe that’s the problem. She doesn’t try too hard getting to the heart of a character and so misses delivering a nuanced performance. She is  not bad in the film, but not great either. Strictly ok.

Overall, Gully Boy is a film for everyone. Unlike Zoya’s previous ventures which were dubbed as “classy servings for multiplex audience”, this one promises to engage everyone! This year has started off with a  slew of good films I admit, make the most of this unexpected sunshine from Bollywood and go watch this movie. It will lift your spirits!

4.5 / 5.0

Movie Review - Ek Ladki ko dekha to aisa laga

Yesterday we saw the just released "Ek Ladki ko dekha to aisa laga" (ELKDTAL) - a love story with a never-seen-before-in-Bollywood twist.
Lets analyze the movie -

STORY AND SCREENPLAY

At the heart of it, it is a simple story which is quite simply narrated. Yes the core plot is unconventional, but the writer has smartly built the overall narrative around it in a very conventional bollywood style. In fact, had it not been for a bold core theme, the movie would be yet another light frothy rom-com with nothing much to talk about.

Its a pity that the promos of the film pretty much disclose the core plot of the love story because in the absence of that big reveal, the audience pretty much goes through the first half of the film knowing what the story is building up to and that makes the first half of the film a little tedious honestly. The movie truly begins post intermission, and with that the screenplay takes off at a different level altogether. Beautifully etched together and tightly woven between plots and sub plots the movie flows quite seamlessly.
The scenes that deal with the backstory have been beautifully written and depicted.
The other highlight of the screenplay is that it has etched all the supporting casts rather well - they come together as a delightful ensemble and pretty much keep the movie afloat in first half, when pretty much nothing consequently is happening otherwise.

On Screen play i would give the movie a score of 3 out of 5.


PERFORMANCES
I love films where supporting cast has well defined characters and an opportunity to lend their flavour to the film - Dum Laga ke Haisha, Badhai Ho, Andhadhun.... ELKDTAL (acronym for the movie i am reviewing!!) joins this illustrious bunch in this regard.

Anil Kapoor, Rajkumar Rao, Juhi Chawla, Seema Pahwa, Brijendra Kala are all brilliant as always!
Even Abhishek Duhan (i dont think i have seen him in a film before) was a perfect casting as the brother and did not take an off step from his character. Regina Cassandra was another perfect cast - in a very short role she was delightful. She shares all her scenes with Sonam Kapoor and in each scene, one can safely say, she outshines Sonam Kapoor.

Sonam as the principal character, unfortunately, is flat and uni-dimensional.
She does her role ok, but misses the opportunity such a powerful role offers to lift the film overall.

One must acknowledge that it is a daring role to perform, one that many mainstream actors or actresses may not have the guts to take on. On that count i give her credit. Of the current lot of actresses she has the strongest track record of performing in female-centric films (Neerja, Aisha, Khoobsurat...)

Overall on Performances i would go for 3.5 out of 5.
To support cast a strong 4 but to Sonam's weak performance pulling down the overall score.

TECHNICAL ASPECTS
A story based in a small town becomes especially challenging as one has to create the "mahaul" of that small town. This has been quite ably done by the team - the houses, gallis, terraces and the overall look and feel of the film is bang on and refreshing!
Music is good and in the right amounts - no unexpected disruptive songs.
Overall a good effort which raises the movie. To the technical team i give 4 out of 5.

Overall - ELKDTAL has a lot of things that work for it and a few critical things that don't. But what makes it a "must see" is the daring bold subject that it deals with. Yes the movie does give in the bollywood cliches and yes it does serve a bitter pill quoted in saccharine-sweet bollywood formula but that pragmatism is essential for a commercial film in a country where masses are yet to mature to deal with such subjects with sensitivity. Yes, this film is a test to our sensibilities, the grave scene where the principal character reveals her "sach" to another character, evoked laughter in the hall!
It is that laughter that makes it essential for each and every one of us to take the first step in the direction of knowledge - watch "Ek Ladki ko dekha to aisa laga".
Overall - 3.5 stars!!

Movie Review - Uri

Hail the new grown-up Bollywood! Once in a while comes a film that firmly announces that Bollywood has grown up and can unshackle from its moribund rules to craft a new experience for the audience – Uri is that film! Before you judge me for an elitist, let me clarify that I enjoy the formulaic Hindi movies (albeit well made, engaging stuff) very much but when a subject demands painting outside the lines, it is uplifting if a Bollywood movie does that! Uri presents a war movie which is treated with the professionalism and rigour that a war movie demands and mostly manages to not fall astray to the “bolly-formula” of a war movie.

I am acutely aware that the film has been running in theatres for a week now, so this review is not exactly ‘timely’ – having said that the film collections on its second Friday are almost as much as its first Friday (a rare event!) so I know that there are still  many of us who have not yet seen the film, and hopefully my review will help some of you decide now.

CONTENT (STORY & SCREENPLAY)

Ok – we know the film is based on real events and the challenge in ever recreating a real incident into a movie is to balance between staying true to the incident you are narrating yet creatively weave an engaging narrative around it. Uri does this really well – the writers have done a good dual job – a) research well into the actual events to share insights which were hitherto not very well known, b) weave around the event a narrative that is engaging, tight and emotionally arousing.

Unlike war movies in the past (Border, LOC, even Lakshya) Uri, stays clear of cliched jingoism, overt melodrama and patriotism. In fact the professionalism with which the Army operations (both in war and peace time) are presented, uplifted the movie significantly. Of course one cannot say the same of its portrayal of the Administration on the other side of the border – which is shown to be unprofessional and caricature-ish.

Overall I would still give the CONTENT a strong 3.5 /5.0 – good storyline/ screenplay, could have been a little tighter but definitely a strong foundation to mount the film.

PERFORMANCES

Its an out and out Vicky Kaushal film, and there is nothing to complain about. Vicky slips into the character beautifully, convincingly passes off as a commando and effortlessly displays emotions that could dampen Scrooge’s eyes. The funeral scene, for instance, where he repeats the war cry twice and chokes at the third turn. He is intense yet spontaneous, calm yet seething and real yet heroic.

The ensemble cast plays their parts well enough – but nothing much to write home about.

I would go for a 4 / 5 for the Performances.

OTHER TECHNICAL ASPECTS

Uri excels in its technical aspects – it is this that gives the film a very modern look, the detailing makes it believable, and in some scenes Zero Dark Thirty revisits you. I would not tempt a comparison as I do believe Uri might pale so, but the film does take many notches up the quality of execution and finesse we are used to seeing in a Bollywood film.

The image that you hold of our soldiers in warzone will change forever after this movie – advanced analytics guiding warfare, soldiers armed with modern weaponry and equipment etc.

The other departments to commend is Cinematography & Editing – all battlefront scenes are slick, very well mounted and capture both the intensity of the moment and the breath-taking beauty of the sites.  

Finally, Music plays a pivotal role in the film – thankfully largely as the background score and without song-dance sequence jumping up to disrupt the flow.

On technical aspects, I go for 4.5 on 5.0.

Overall Uri is an engaging and refreshing movie – watch it for its technical finesse, for strong Vicky Kaushal performance and a deeper view of one of the most popular recent events in our country.

On the closing note, personally Uri impressed me also for its authentic portrayal of Army lifestyle – as a son and a grandson of an Army officer, I hold dear how the life behind the barracks and Cantonment are brought to life on screen. The last movie that I felt did this very well was Lakshya and it remains till date one of my all time favourite films. Uri just took it to a whole new level.

I would give the film a strong 4 rating overall and strongly recommend everyone who has not yet seen this film to go give it a watch. Its worth it.  

The Accidental Prime Minister - Movie Review

Despite poor reviews I had to see the Accidental Prime Minister. It was a given that movie may or may not be politically motivated but the reviews would definitely be.  I stand vindicated as the ‘intellectual superiors’ of our society one after another thrashed this film with 1/1.5 stars....the same who would rate a Dilwale / Zero 3. Talk about propaganda, well there you have it :). Second and more important reason was that I had read and loved the book so I didn’t want to miss the movie for sure. 

Ok here s my review of the movie - and I would do so in parts and rate each part individually. 

A. Content. 

B. Performances 

C. Screenplay 

D. Other technical aspects 

CONTENT (4/5)

I am happy to note that the movie stays true to the contents of the book. There is nothing that is particularly surprising or scandalous considering most of us who were adults and watched the news during UPA times will have very clear memories of most of the incidents played out in the film. Aside from a stray dialogue between MMS and his wife or MMS & Sonia, most incidents in the film are fairly picked from the book or matters reported in news - the Nuclear Deal, the PMO turf war, corruption scandals, leaking of internal letters, set up of the unconstitutional NAC or Radia tapes.

So while its representation can be called fictionalized, the incidents in the movie are anything but fiction. 

PERFORMANCES - (3/5)

Anupam Kher delivers a good Performance as do the rest of the star cast. The cast does share a close resemblance to the real life characters both in looks and mannerisms - they didn’t have to, but the fact that they do, does create for a surreal experience.  I did feel sorry for the portrayal of the PM when he delivered his speeches in the movie, but when I recall the speeches of the then real life PM, I have to acknowledge that the portrayal is quite accurate. 

Would you judge Colin Firth so for stammering and stuttering helplessly in his portrayal of King George VI in The King Speech. He wasn’t mocking the King, he was portraying him on celluloid. So is Anupam Kher and he does justice to the role. He plays the strong bold Manmohan Singh (during his early PM days) just as well as the beaten and betrayed (by his own party) during his final years in the PMs chair. 

It is unfortunate however that despite an ensemble of good actors, you fail to truly connect and empathize with any of the characters in the film. And that is the failing of the screenplay. 

SCREENPLAY - (1.5/5)

watching the movie was like seeing chapters from the book being enacted on screen. Each depiction true to the book but together lacking a coherent screenplay. 

And while this may have been fine if they the movie was a documentary but the film is mounted as a commercial project and absence of a coherent narrative was a disengaging experience. 

To be fair the Accidental PM- the book is not a “story” it’s s collection and reproduction of incidents during UPA1 times. Translating this book into a movie would come with one big challenge for any filmmaker -  to weave a coherent screenplay one would have to take creative liberties in plugging gaps in the narrative And that would have meant misrepresentation of facts on celluloid. So while I would admonish the filmmakers for shoddy scriptwriting but I give them credit for staying true to the contents of the book by large. 

TECHNICAL ASPECTS

Ok. I don’t think I have much to comment on the other technical aspects. The VFX in the movie were strictly ok as was the lighting and the sets. I don’t know what insides of these buildings actually look like, but could they look like the sets in the movie? Yeah, I suppose so. 

One very annoying aspect of the movie however was its background score - it was loud, consistent and jarring, almost distracting! Could have done with a lot less of it. 

Overall Accidental PM is a bold movie but a venture that probably should have been taken by more seasoned professionals - it could have been something much more! I would rate the film 2.5 for its ambition, good performances, a fairly engaging experience in most parts and a reasonable job of representing a great book on celluloid. 

Lastly I have a point of view on the timing of this film. Many people find timing of the movie politically motivated. I felt the timing was commercially motivated :). 

Such a controversial film is likely to get more footfalls and thus make more money during the election year than any other year. 

This is no different from a spate of family movies releasing around Christmas and romantic films around Valentines Day, patriotic films around 4th July - in the US. 

Timing of this film, to my mind, is just about money.