Dasvidaniya - clearly differentiates between living and surviving.

The protagonist Amar’s only excitement in life is making a to-do list every morning and then ticking off everything that he accomplishes at the end of the day. But unfortunately, destiny has some other plans stored for him. He comes to know through his doctor that he is suffering from stomach cancer and now only has just three months left to live. Amar has so many unfulfilled dreams left! He then sets about making a new to do list of 10 things. His last list of all the things he has to do before he dies. From making a foreign trip to telling his childhood love about his affections for her to meeting his best friend with whom he has lost contact. The film follows Amar’s journey towards fulfilling his wishes which also take him nearer to his death.

The ever-demanding nature of human beings is very obviously put forth by Amar’s ever increasing list. It tells something about ourselves when every time an item is checked off the list there are a few unchecked ones glaring at you. And as you see that, you find Amar taking a pause to just stand and stare - something that brings him immense pleasure. Dasvidaniya is one of those rarities that bring a smile that refuses to go while a tear rolls down. The dark humor too helps in keeping that smile. The hero of the movie is a common man and somewhere everyone can relate to it because there is not a single faked moment. It is a bitter-sweet story about a man who refused to die before he had learnt to live.

Completely, character driven, the charm of the film lies in its simplicity of its theme and its wonderfully etched characters. The screenplay is well woven with some moments that carry the power to remain etched in your memory even long after the film is over. Returning to the ambit of the dull working class protagonist that he almost patented in Bheja Fry Vinay Pathak delivers yet another bravura performance as a man who learns to live only when he learns he has to die. Vinay Pathak gets the sur of the tragic hero's comic escapades just right. He's partly Charlie Chaplin, and partly Robert Benigni. But finally this is an actor who does his own thing. The film is a must see for Vinay Pathak’s absolutely brilliant performance. First timer Shashant Shah has handled this sensitive slice-of-life cinema with a rare maturity.

All that glitters is not gold and that aptly applies to Fashion.

While a ‘Sex and the City’ and ‘The Devil wears Prada’ has the element of fashion and eccentricity ooze from every corner, a film like ‘Gia’ had powerful characters. The idea behind mentioning these films is not to bring a sense of comparison, but to highlight elements that seem missing in ‘Fashion’. Having watched Bhandarkar’s other movies, in ‘Fashion’ I felt he has not covered new ground, and instead of giving new insights into the world of fashion, he ends up strengthening the stereotypes.

The showstopper garment as a norm is always the last garment to be showcased in any fashion show across the world but in ‘Fashion’ the garment is showcased in the start of the fashion show! The front row of any fashion show consists of buyers from abroad, influential fashion editors, moneyed customers and fashion institute students but in ‘Fashion’ we have gay designers, modeling agency owner with his wife, floozies etc., Coming to the fashion designers in the film, all the male designers are gay! In one of his interview Bhandarkar claimed that he does a lot of ‘research’ for his films but sadly, it is all very obnoxiously superficial. The film is full of ad agency / fashion magazine honchos calling the shots, wild lifestyles, backstage dramas, wardrobe malfunction, casting couch... ouch, ouch, ouch!

All’s not bad in ‘Fashion’, the production design, costumes, styling are truly up market and a feast for the eyes, music is well synchronized with the lilting 'Mar Jaava' and 'Jalwa' as highlights. There are two major sequences that are simply outstanding. One, Kangana's wardrobe malfunction and two, when Priyanka exposes Arbaaz to his wife Suchitra Pillai. Apart from these the only other good things while watching the film were the comments audience were hurling at the film out of sheer boredom. The running time of almost 2 hours 40 minutes makes one restless, especially the penultimate 45-odd minutes.

Kangana Ranaut shows that she is one person who can get into the skin of the character and raised the bar with a superb performance, just outstanding. The thing that struck me most was the way Kangna did her role, the crazy part would have been easy for her since she has done such roles earlier also but the modelling part was what surprised me as she did look like a real model. Mugda is just about ok. But the movie ‘Fashion’ belongs to Priyanka Chopra, she is in the screen 90 percent of the time, and she is unimpressive to say the least and doesn’t even look the supermodel she is supposed to be.

25 Romantic movies from Hollywood

I personally think the Koreans make the most touching romantic movies. Most of them are a must watch for anyone who loves Love. But romance in Hollywood movies seems to have been replaced by car chases and special effects. Still a good love story from Hollywood will always work with the audience. I consider the following twenty five Hollywood movies to be the ‘most romantic’ I have seen. The list is in no particular order of preference…

When Harry Met Sally - Starring: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan.

You've Got Mail - Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan.

Moulin Rouge - Starring: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor.

Dirty Dancing - Starring: Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze.

Love Actually - Starring: Hugh Grant, Bill Nighy, Gregor Fisher.

Somewhere in Time - Starring: Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour.

An Affair To Remember- Starring: Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr.

Serendipity - Starring: John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale.

City of Angels - Starring: Nicolas Cage, Meg Ryan.

Love & Basketball - Starring: Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps.

Romeo & Juliet - Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes.

An Officer and a Gentleman - Starring: Richard Gere, Debra Winger.

Gone With The Wind - Starring: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh.

Love Story - Starring: Ali MacGraw, Ryan O'Neal.

Sleepless in Seattle - Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan.

A Walk To Remember - Starring: Shane West, Mandy Moore.

Pretty Woman - Starring: Richard Gere, Julia Roberts.

Ghost - Starring: Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore.

Titanic - Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet.

The Notebook - Starring: Tim Ivey, Gena Rowlands.

Meet Joe Black – Starring : Brad Pitt, Claire Forlani.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding – Starring : John Corbett, Nia Vardalos.

A Walk in the Clouds – Starring : Keanu Reeves, Aitana Sanchez-Gijon.

The Run Away Bride – Starring : Julia Roberts, Richard Gere.

Sweet Home Alabama – Starring : Reese Witherspoon, Josh Lucas, Patrick Dempsey.

Have I missed any films worth mentioning?

Naseeruddin Shah is India's finest actor.

One man makes all the difference - Naseeruddin Shah. To breathe life into such a simplistically written character is indeed a challenge, and Shah does exceedingly well and actually with his brilliance takes it to another level. So strong is his portrayal that you almost empathize with his angst. You forget that he is just an actor mouthing lines given to him by the dialogue writer. Shah becomes the character. That intensity in voice, that anger in eyes, those frail expressions of a middle-class existence in Mumbai are so apparent in Shah’s interpretation that you want to see more and more of him. And if the claps of audience in the theaters are anything to go by, the country’s finest actor’s performance in ‘A Wednesday’ has really hit you hard!

It's obvious why one might be inclined to see this film in favourable light. A person-on-the-street's grouse against the escalating threat to their lives; be it through recurring terror attacks or even monsoon floods. Post-such episodes, most of us whip ourselves back into normalcy, only for the freshest incident to dip us back into gloom. Yet, we do nothing about it.

‘A Wednesday’ is a film centered on burgeoning terrorism globally. This time it is the common man who wields the mike and makes himself heard. It is he who asks questions of his survival, his well-being, his life. Questions that are being asked all over the world but find it increasingly more difficult to be answered in India torn as it is with communal strife, poverty, external aggression and an outdated system. The film takes the system head-on and forcing itself to take a look at some uncomfortable truths. But this film takes a route few have trodden by showing drastic repercussions of its continual inability to tackle life-threatening issues. The film builds this catharsis, and the choices the characters make are brilliant in a tightly wrapped screenplay. The film doesn't fall prey of the usual setback of thrillers starting off impressively but losing momentum midways. It's consistent all through and the imaginative culmination imparts the film that extra sheen.

Debutante director Neeraj Pandey brings to us, idealistic and incorrupt officials ready to lay down their lives at a moment's notice but he does that with a touch of realism that makes them believable. He invests a human side to every character and juxtaposes the human dilemmas and pressures of the profession ably in each. ‘A Wednesday’ is a very brave film and Pandey should be applauded for the effort. It’s not an offbeat film but a completely commercial film with a message and by no means is the film a patriotic or jingoistic film.

The confrontation scenes between Anupam Kher and Shah are a treat to say the least. Anupam Kher comes up with a fine performance. Jimmy Sheirgill and Aamir Bashir are equally adept and gracefully natural. Deepal Shaw as a news TV reporter is quite capable and her voice is dubbed with a typical accent characteristic of the profession.

Besides a tight script, the film has very focussed direction by Neeraj Pandey. A lot of the film has been shot by Fuwad Khan in stylish top-shots where the characters - terrorists and counter-terrorist maneuverings appear larger than life and yet miraculously shrunken in the cosmic scheme of things. Editing and music keeps the energy and pace of the film going and increases the upbeat tempo.

And finally, it could have been any day of the week, but it is about a Wednesday, and a significant Wednesday at that. Watch it for its riveting plot and brilliant performances.

Mission Turkey!

Please put your hands together to felicitate the one and only Apoorva Lakhia for making the worst film of the year so far – Mission Istanbul. This one's a Turkey if there ever was one, and to relish it, you've got to be in the mood for Christmas!

To put it mildly, ‘Mission Istanbul’ is ‘Murder of Cinema’ and I am sure the future generations of film students could write several theses on this murder. It has such a cruelly contrived story that you wonder if the writers of the script are truly in touch with the real world. Guess what! Al Qaeda roams free in Kabul post the American invasion of Afghanistan and the public killings still take place in football stadiums under the rule of the new Afghan government. Not just this, Northern Alliance is still fighting its battle with Al Qaeda. I truly feared that the Director would next show Ahmed Shah Masood alive and kicking the sh*t out of Al Qaeda. Thankfully, that didn’t happen!

The film could have made interesting points about the economics of terror, the commoditization of news and its sensationalized packaging as entertainment. It also alludes to various vested Western interests in keeping the region in conflict but takes that thread nowhere. Sequences, set pieces and plot devices are liberally sourced from Hollywood fare such as Enemy of the State, The Siege, The Matrix, Swordfish and the Hong Kong actioner Infernal Affairs. The rest apparently came from the fertile imaginations of the director and writer. One of which would be the blatant product and tagline placement for a fizzy drink (Mountain Dew) done so horribly badly that I, for one, am never going to be able to pick up a can of that stuff again!

Vivek Oberoi opts for a knowing smirk while Zayed Khan looks like he's barely able to control his steroid rage. No opportunity to overact is missed by either of them. Shabbir Ahluwalia and Nikitin Dheer are no better. Shriya Saran constantly looks like she's straining to remember her lines (or she's smelt something unpleasant) while Shweta Bhardwaj's simpering appears better suited for ads in the back pages of certain guy magazines.

Apoorva Lakhia’s (one of the most overrated Directors in Bollywood) style of filmmaking is to take stylish shots and put them in quick succession to each other and add the remaining impact by loud background music. He really needs to work as an assistant under some truly qualified director to get the basics right. This is the same movie that was offered to Apoorva Lakhia, with the accompanying fat pay cheque, it was not money well spent for the producers Suniel Shetty & Ekta Kapoor.

There are so many flaws in the film that one can keep on writing….. The true heros of the film are the audience who brave sitting through this ‘Mission Turkey’. And before this piece becomes even more incoherent than it already is, I must sign off and attempt to undo the brain damage. Let's just hope Apoorva Lakhia doesn't decide to make a sequel and call it MI:2 as he has already compared this ‘Mission Turkey’ to ‘Mission Impossible’ in one of his interviews!

Umar sari toh kati ishqe butta mein momin. Aakhri waqt mein kya khaq Musalman hogaye?

The loose translation of the above Urdu couplet by legendary poet Momin Khan would be: All your life you lived in non-Muslim ways. In your old age, how can you become a Muslim? For me this couplet quiet sums up Khuda Ke Liye – In the Name of God.

I’ve been reading a lot about Khuda Ke Liye – first Pakistani movie to release in India after 43 years, a movie that has become a craze all over Pakistan, so much so, that on one hand there was a fatwa against it by some radical maulvis and on the other hand an endorsement from Pervez Musharraf, the director of the movie went on vacation with his family, as soon as the movie was released fearing his life, the film was recently honoured with Pakistan's highest civilian award Sitar-i-Imtiaz, etc.., I was very curious to watch Khuda Ke Liye and since I had missed it when it released in India a few months ago, I decided to buy the DVD of the film.

I remember getting bowled over by Pakistani director Sabiha Sumer’s excellent film Khamosh Pani a couple of years ago when it was shown at the MAMI festival. Khamosh Pani told the story of a youth in rural Pakistan who falls under the influence of fundamentalists, and turns his back to his mother and his lover.

Writer / Director Shoaib Mansoor’s movie Khuda Ke Liye – In the name of God goes a step further. The story is interesting as it handles two major issues – religious extremism and racial profiling - and twines them well. There are other issues also that the movie tries to focus on; condition of women during Taliban days in Afghanistan, theological issues of acceptance of music and cultural contextualization of Islam and the way various groups are putting forward their own version of the religion. The film’s introspective theme also takes a look within the contemporary Pakistani society and shows the wedge between the moderates and extremists, it also brings to the fore the less-acknowledged truth that Muslims are being viewed with increasing suspicion in the West. All it takes for you to become a terror suspect is be a Muslim, even though a progressive and moderate one. Besides this, the film also highlights the double standards in the largely patriarchal Pakistani Muslim society where women have to follow what men decide for them, even against their wishes.

Loaded with such relevant issues Khuda Ke Liye turns out to be a film that not just entertains you, but it raises questions in your mind about the denigration and hypocrisy in our society and religion. The movie also attempts to take on the raging debates consuming the Muslim World and Muslims living in foreign lands. The story starts somewhere in pre 9/11 timeframe and ends in late 2002 in the midst of which it follows various characters facing an array of issues in life.

It is a heart wrenching film with good performances by all the actors Shaan, Fawad Khan, Iman Ali and Naseeruddin Shah, who has a cameo in the film and not surprisingly a very powerful one. The film’s music and songs are mesmerizing, particularly 'Allah Ho' and ‘Bandeya’.

Khuda Ke Liye is a brilliant movie, especially if you are interested in what Islam has to say on various issues. Shoaib Mansoor deserves kudos because he tackles a bold and controversial theme that attacks Islamic fundamentalism in a subtle way and that too, in Pakistan. With honest intentions, deft handling of a serious, sensitive and pertinent subject Shoaib Mansoor has done a creditable job as Writer / Director.

A theme like the one depicted in Khuda Ke Liye – In the Name of God is more for the thinking viewer, who loves to ponder over the movie after watching it.

My favourite Top 10 Bollywood films of 2007.

After my last post here, where I had written about the ‘Top 10 Asian Films – Action’ by Samuel L Jackson, a few of my friends told me to try and write my favourite Top 10 Films of Bollywood in 2007. As said earlier, though I am not into making my top 10 lists, here I am just trying to see if I can really do it…

Of late, Indian film industry is changing and every year its bringing new hope and new kind of movies. In terms of fresh ideas, unique concepts, and fascinating projects, I think 2007 was a year of creativity at its best in recent times.

Generally the Top 10 is picked based on box office collections, while that to me is a great barometer to judge the quality of the film, it is not necessarily the best one because some of the best films (content wise) bomb at the Bollywood boxoffice!

My favourite Top 10 Bollywood films of 2007 are here, in no particular order…

1. Black Friday
2. Taare Zameen Par
3. Chak De India
4. Jab We Met
5. Johnny Gaddar
6. Dharm
7. Bheja Fry
8. Manorama 6 Feet Under
9. Om Shanti Om
10. Life in a Metro

There were a few close contenders for the Top 10 list, films that I enjoyed but somewhere they missed a mark to be part of my list. The films include The Namesake, Guru, Blue Umbrella, Parzania, Strangers, 1971, Cheeni Kum, Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd., Gandhi My Father, Welcome & Hey Babby.

I have tried my best here, I Would love to hear your Top 10s and why you picked them.

Top 10 Asian Films - Action

It's always nice when someone you respect shares your opinion. So I was pleased to read Samuel L Jackson's list of his Top 10 Classic Asian Films. Jackson, of course, knows a thing or two about action flicks for sure. In fact, he co-starred with Geena Davis, in one of my favorite Hollywood action film - The Long Kiss Goodnight.

Here's Samuel L Jackson's complete list:

1. Oldboy (South Korea, 2003)
2. Audition (Japan, 1999)
3. City on Fire (Hong Kong, 1987)
4. Infernal Affairs 1, 2, & 3 (Hong Kong, 2002, 2003, 2003)
5. Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior (Thailand, 2003)
6. Azumi (Japan, 2003)
7. Family (Japan, 2007)
8. Duelist (South Korea, 2005)
9. Hard Boiled (Hong Kong, 1992)
10. Hero (China, 2002)

Apart from Family (the only film on his list that I haven't seen) I have to say that Samuel Jackson has come up with quite a respectable top 10, or perhaps that should be top 12 if you count Infernal Affairs as three films.

I'm not that into making top ten lists myself, but if I did, I'd include many of Jackson's picks, though most certainly not Duelist, which I liked but not as much. Plus, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon would have to be at the top of my list.

Sex and Bollywood.

Bollywood has never had a background in realism. It consisted of escapist musicals with common storylines of ‘good vs evil’ and ‘boy meets girl’. The films were generally family orientated and the plot was kept simple so that even the rural audience would find it easy to relate to. Of late, there has been a dramatic shift in the style of filmaking due to the globalisation of films. The Indian film industry, which churns out around 800 films per year, has some cause for concern because the transplantation of western ideas has led to extreme vulgarity with high sexual innuendo and unnecessary violence in films today.

Therefore it can be speculated that there is a westernised audience that is catered for but what about the traditionalists with opposing values. India’s rural population cannot possibly understand the values and issues expressed in a Hollywood style. The opposition to the change in film style also comes from the religious groups and separatist groups who feel that Bollywood films do not promote traditional values.

I don't think the Indian film market is ready for explicit sex scenes just as yet. A sizable sector is made up of family audiences, many of whom are uncomfortable watching sexual intimacy on screen. We can neither ignore this sector, nor pressurise them into dropping their inhibitions. Extended families and friends go for movies together and eat, drink and have a good time. If explicit sex scenes are shown to them, most end up squirming in their seats.

In today's scenario, if a film has explicit sex scenes, the buzz will most probably attract audiences who will see it for all the wrong reasons. Explicit sex scenes can only work for very small budget films, targeted at a niche audience. The Indian cultural ethos and its people are not as flexible as the west and therefore films deemed too westernised will always be rejected, regardless of the extent of the globalisation of cultures.

Indian culture has an inherent shyness, where intimate sexual contact between a man and a woman is considered private and personal. And our society hasn't yet opened up to the extent where sexual issues are discussed in the drawing room. Only after that happens, will our cinema be able to show explicit sex on screen!

Off late, it seems the pendulum had swung too far in the other direction, as now the skin shows and brazen sex comedies are giving way to mass entertainers that are much more of a true reflection of today's society. The films being made today are a mix of modern truths and a dash of old fashioned values and escapism. After all, that's what a film is supposed to be about - escapism.

It'll take at least another 10 years before India is ready for explicit sex scenes on screen. Personally, I'm okay with the idea. But there are at least two generations ahead who aren't. Once these generations pass out and today's youth become the heads of families, the films will change.

But, certainly, not yet.

Dasavataram - A big let down!

There was a lot of expectation on Dasavataram for very good reasons; the hype and every thing about it. Dasavataram, in which Kamal Hasan plays 10 roles, has nothing to do with Vishnu's Dasavataram or generations. Kamal plays 10 different roles in the film and most of them are enacted well and distinctive. In a way this is a definition of what an actor Kamal Hasan is!

The movie starts out centuries ago when Vaishnavites are overruled by Shaivaites. One of the areas in which both Nataraja (Lord Siva form) and Ranganatha Swamy (Lord Vishnu form) are receiving poojas regularly. The king of Shiva Clan wants to throw the Ranganatha idol into the sea and he is opposed and fought by Kamal Hasan who is a member of Vishnu clan. This part is filmed brilliantly, if you miss this part in the film, you’ve missed the best part.

Narration then moves to 2004. This is the stage where Kamal Hasan appears in 9 other different roles as – President of United states, Govind (main lead in the film, a scientist), old woman, Tall muslim guy, famous pop singer Avatar Singh, RAW investigating officer Nadar, Punya Koti (a Christian who fights against sand dwelling near the seas and rivers), Yugi (A Japanese Martial arts guy) and Bob Flecher (A CIA trained agent). The make-up is excellent for some characters and for some others it looks as though someone is wearing a mask!

As expected Kamal Hasan does justice to most of his roles. But, he doesnt have to prove what an amazing actor he is to anybody at this stage of his career. Mallika Sherawat is hardly there in the movie and Asin is just about there. The much hyped cgi - special effects work is quiet disappointing, no where near international standards. Not just acting, but Kamal has also provided the story, dialogues and screenplay for this film. The movie fails because of the script; actually there is no script in the first place! The first half of the film is good and raises a lot of expectations. Curiosity on how all these characters will be linked in the narration take the front seat by the interval. After the interval, the film revolves mostly on the chases paving way to the climax. But the curiosity factor is disappointed and one would feel like the soul is missing.

Saying that, if you go in with an open mind and don’t expect a lot, you may just like it for Kamal Hasan. For me it was a big let down…