bhatia-apurv Reviews

The Lunchbox (2013)

The Lunchbox :: A Balanced Diet - Masterstroke

[10/10 · 22 September 2013]

Ritesh Batra's timeless classic tale of a 'dabba' delivery gone wrong is one that hits all the right notes. Irrfan steals the show as the Sarkari baabu Saajan Fernandes who goes about with the scheme of things every single day in the usual monotonous fashion ,Nimrat Kaur is a delight, she s graceful ,sultry ,sensual & still has that feel of vulnerability in her portrayal of Ila, superb debut ! Put Nawaazuddin and Irrfan in the same frame and you just watch in awe with a tingling of smile on your face as the exemplary jodi showcase some great chemistry and jugalbandi. Lunchbox s a fine ,sumptuous delicacy,garnished with just the right blend of emotions ,with a curry so rich and texture smooth that you would be left craving for more as you leave the cinema hall. It was a project that was in doldrums and had the likes of UTV and KJo not backed it,might never have seen the release it truly deserved. The Lunchbox,is in a different league altogether ! One that would be etched in memories for times immemorial.

Sharply edited with a reel length of just over a 100 odd minutes, this is one flick you just should not miss or else even if you do ,jot it down in things to do before you die - your 'bucket list.:)

D-Day (I) (2013)

A Flawed, watchable flick !

[21 July 2013]

>> D-Day :: He has had failed starts in the past with Chandni Chowk TO China ,Patiala House and Salaam-e-Ishq, received redemption with Delhi Safari and has finally come to terms with the 'D-Day'. Yes, this one's a Nikhil Advani baby. The flick starts with a huntdown - Operation Goldman to bring home the Most Wanted Man on India'a wishlist, scampers off to the protagonists' past and the emotional turmoils each of em go through. Irrfan's a guy torn b/w family , the risks of business , Rampal (one of the best of the lot ! a better performance than his Rock On outing and a marked improvement from the days of 'Asambhav') is a tough,level headed ex army men fighting with the ghosts within. Huma's calm and composed in her role, Shruti Hasan s adorable. Its unfortunate ,but I found Rishi Kapoor -the 'bhai' miscast and ludicrously laughable at times and was more so undone by the stretched climax of the movie and the flaws that ranged from him being all tidy and well suited even as a car with huge amount of explosives burst right next to him, yes even the shades were intact.. Lol !! :-P . The best act (apart from Rampal offcourse!) comes from Chandan Roy Sanyal , playing Goldman's nephew here. Long,messed up hair,like those of a reggae lover and an evil guy you love to hate, rightfully deserved those whistles you would hear from the crowd when he gets his fateful end, starts from where he ended in Kaminey. As for Kapoor ,who fails otherwise but delivers one of the last dialogues of the movie which save the finale potholes for Advani. The portrayal of the Prime Minister who is constantly given instructions on the phone by somebody referred to merely as "Madam" is a nice caricature :) Am going with a 3* outta 5 for D-Day, its well researched and at a decent run time for just over 2.5 hrs , D-Day is a pretty watchable ...But it has its share of crests and troughs and those last 20 minutes or so, where Advani goofs up pulling a Zero Dark Thirty sequence, for that extra ounce of Patriotism hit I guess are the ones that stops it from being more than just an 'okayish- good' flick.

Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola (2013)

Re Dola Re Dola ! :)

[14 July 2013]

MKBKM :: The latest gem from Vishal Bharadhwaj is a treat that leaves a 'delicious' taste long after you have left the theatre , its eccentricities , idiosyncrasies and the weird ass comical concoctions are the ones to savor for. Pankaj Kapur lords over everyone else and is very aptly supported by the scheming Shabana Azmi and the vivacious Anushka . Imran is okayish , Arya Babbar's a surprise ! :-) For those who loved Ishqiya, Shaitaan , Ata Pata Laapata and even GOW for that matter might like it, the movie aptly lends a couple of social messages too in its reel length of 150 minutes. Watch out for :: A drunk jet flight , Operation Mao-Mao, Azmi's monologue on corruption and a tipsy Anushka :-)

P.S :: Welcome, the first hit of the year ! A 'Bhains' is just about to grunt, a 'Gulaabi bhains' to be precise ;-) ~~3.5*

Kai Po Che (2013)

Rock On ! ///// once again..

[14 July 2013]

Kai Po Che is a movie made from the heart . Laced with Amit Trivedi's flawless music, Deepa Bhatia's editing (crisp 2 hrs reel length) and one of the best adapted screenplays by Kapoor and Chetan Bhagat in recent times , its one that touches u time and again even as u watch the protagonists battle their lives on the screen . Encapsulating the Godhra Carnage, Bhuj earthquake and with Cricket as its firm base its a winner in all aspects . Movie's PSU is in fact its young ,vibrant, unadulterated starcast ..

Kai Po Che had got me hooked right from the time it was announced , remember borrowing '3 Mistakes… ' from a friend ,always believed that a movie with Abhishek Kapoor at the helm of affairs could do wonders ..

Post Ragini MMS , Shaitaan , GOW and Talaash .. Rajkumar Yadav has finally arrived .. one of the most natural actors of these times, am glad he s the leading guy here . Sushant Singh Rajput is brawny in his act, expect gals to swoon over him maybe in times . Amit Sadh is calm composed , Amrita Puri is sweet and chirpy Can only say that Abhishek Kapoor has 'Rocked on' yet again.. Deserves a thumping 4*

P.S. :: U may want a second helping of this potpourri once outta the theater .. :-) Perhaps Farhan-Ritesh shouldn't have moved on and believed in Kapoor's conviction .

English Vinglish (2012)

Welcome Back Devi ji ! :)

[14 July 2013]

Star Cast: Sridevi, Adil Hussain, Mehdi Nebbou, Amitabh Bachchan (cameo)

What's Good: Original Queen of cinema is back, Gauri Shinde's spectacular debut as a director, spectacular performances all around

What's Bad: Not much, a bit slow maybe at times

Loo Breaks: None.

Watch or Not: Comeback of the year > You would want to catch Sridevi, who is present in almost every frame here, even a 15 years sabbatical and yet no hint of rust whatsoever, is commanding and totally in the role of Shashi Godbole. A light hearted ,feel good movie made with a big heart and so near to the real world we live in, music and cinematography add to the cinematic brilliance.

English Vinglish is a smart, crisp tale of an average Indian housewife (yes, she's a good cook, a caring lady) who tries and breaks the shackles and tell the world there's high time they better take notice and respect her for what she is and not just crap her down with her insensitiveness,she is devastated at times as her teenage daughter tortureher for not knowing the language. It's a feel good, inspiring story, atear jerker at times and even delight you with all its charm at others. Given a chance the pretty housewife here, Shashi Godbole (Sri –charming as ever) joins an English coaching class, destined to learn it within 4 weeks. But will she be able to adjust to the hustles and bustles of the family life with it? Will she get back her respect? And will she succeed in her endeavours is the big question.

English Vinglish Review – : Script Analysis Writer – Director Gauri Shinde is totally into her own here. It could have been another Zabaan Sambhaal Ke if gone wrong, but her narrative and portrayal has paid off. The Dialogues are quite realistic and there are times when you would find that Shashi is shown very helpless, especially in the first half, adds on to the vulnerability and the likability factor even though you hate her daughter who hates her for not knowing the language.

English Vinglish Review –: Star Performances Sridevi as Shashi Godbole shines out, she connects with the masses and one cant help but feel that the 49 year old actor's 15 year vanvaas was a tad too long. She's worked with a female director for the first time and its paid off. Adil Hussain as Shashi's husband is decent at times but a bit harsh when dealing with her. He feels she's just good enough to make ladoos . Its sad that an actor of his repute hasn't had much to offer in Bollywood, his last outing we remember ,a certain Jasoos Vijay on Doordarshan, 10 years ago !

Shivansh Kotia as the little kid is quite impressive, adds to the charm,would want to see more from him. French actor Mehdi Nebbou is well cast and his eyes speak a lot as he tries his best to bring back love in Shashi's life.

The characters in Shashi's English class are well cast and there's a South Indian, a Chinese, A Spanish , gay teacher and an African who bring the cheer here, a certain taxi driver Salman Khan too from Pakistan, whom you just don't wanna miss. Big B in a cameo, could we as for more.

English Vinglish Review – Reader's View: Direction, Music and technicalities Gauri Shinde's debut is full of colors so bright and a promise so tender, with such an outing the industry would expect a lot from her in times to come. Amit Trivedi's music bring the needed kick to the film at times , perhaps was the best man for the soundtrack. Add Resul Pookutty and Swanand Kirkire on the Lyrics and you get just what the doc ordered .

Nice and crisp with a running time of 140 minutes, the Editing is to the point .

English Vinglish Review – Reader's View: The Last Word Go for it ! When you count the best movies of the year , English Vinglish would be right up there in the Top 5, would have gone with a 3.5*, but Big B's cameo and Gauri Shinde's 1st outing deserves a 4* from my desk .

It's a movie made with a big heart, a great comeback , an emotional feel-good tale you don't wanna miss.

Take some lessons from Devi and pay her your obeisance , you will surely be rewarded so much on the EQ front. Do take the morals as you walk out of the theater, love thy mother, she's special ,in every sense of the word.

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013)

BMB Worth a Dekko !

[14 July 2013]

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag >> There are few stories that are made for the big screen ,are just waiting to be told...perhaps, those which become sweeter with time, ROMP's Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is one such tale of pathos, and a dedicated patriotic runner living with shattered pieces of his ruined past. At the helm of affairs here is Rakesh Omprakash Mehra whose last genuine hit was RDB ,alongwith Prasoon Joshi, he gives us another remarkable movie which isn't flawless, has glitches and is clichéd ,yet pretty much watchable. Pavan Malhotra and Prakash Raj as the inspiring coaches are one of the best of the lot...Rebecca Breeds as Singh's love interest is chirpy and bubbly (one can envy Farhan ,romanced a Spaniard inn ZNMD and an Aussie here ! :)), Sonam s hardly there. Divya Dutta is incredible ! What a lovely performance :) Daleep Tahil as Pandit Nehru is utterly laughable and miscast ! The star here is offcourse the all rounder, a personal idol ,the real 'Mard' - Farhan Akhtar who fits perfectly in the role and makes it his own. He not only lends the intensity but also a sense of vulnerabilty to the well written character by Joshi. Binod Pradhan 's Ladakh shots are exquisite and the production value is for everyone to have a look at. I would have gone with a 4* but at 187 minutes its just that 10-15 mins longer in the 1st half. Am going with a 3.5* for this period drama,it has all the recipe to be a mass entertainer...loads of claps and hoots in the climax as the journey came a full circle..

P.S. :: A couple of blink-and-you-miss Special appearances in the second half makes the 'run' sweeter.

Eega (2012)

A Flying Entertainer

[14 July 2013]

Rating: 3/5 stars (Three-Stars)

Star Cast: Sudeep, Nani , Samantha and the protagonist – A House fly!, Ajay Devgan (voiceover)

What's Good: Imagination, inventiveness , inspite of its absurdities at times, Director Rajamouli is able to carve a hilarious tale out of a make believe world where logic is intertwined with fantasy, some great computer graphics and visualisation.

What's Bad: The name itself maybe, the climax seems a bit extended.

Loo Breaks: Few and far between in the first half . Close to none in the second, you would want to grab the scheming 'Makkhi' as it plots the downfall.

Watch or Not: Not just for the kids, even the adults might want to have a look at least once at this piece. They just might end up rooting for the 'housefly' !

Makkhi, a revenge story of Jani (Nani) who is head over heels in love with Bindu (Samantha), left only to be murdered by play boyish businessman Sudeep (Sudeep) . Jani then is reborn as a housefly on the path to revenge and tries his best to avenge his death. But would he be able to quench his thirst for Sudeep's blood, would he be able to reunite with Bindu, his love? or would he be quashed under one of the devious plans of Sudeep?

On the surface, Makkhi looks like just another Southern flick on the piles that we catch every week on the idiot box, one that you might ignore but scratch and look beneath it and you get a refreshing Revenge flick after many years, so what if it's a rebirth tale , so what if the protagonist is just a housefly here ! For the common masses Humse Hai Muqabla , Dashavatram, Nayak and Robot have been perhaps the Southern movies they loved having a dekko at , this might be another one added to the kitty.

Makkhi Review: Script Analysis Rebirth, well, it has been a tried and tested formula for ages , ever since we had Karz and Karan Arjun etc. But the revenge and rebirth gets a new angle as we witness it all from a housefly's point of view. So expect the fly to be smacked with a tennis ball, fall and come out of a sherbet, survive in a running drain , eagles flying all over and even shots of bullets and tantric vidya to name a few. Some brilliant thought process and visualisation, reservoirs of creativity unleashed here.

Makkhi Review: Star Performances Sudeep as the womanizer, a business tycoon lynching at every gorgeous woman he eyes stands out from the rest. He has been hailed as the King of remakes in down south, using Tamil and Telugu titles to make it big in the Kannada cinema. However, here he has done his bit. As a devious money minded soul, he never thinks twice before enticing women to clinch deals or even killing his partners for profit. The only thing that stops him in his march though is a small, harmless housefly. He plays his part here and stands out from the rest of the cast. Jani doesn't have much of the role assigned to him however he does bring a smile or two in the initial half an hour. Samantha as Bindu is calm and composed in her role. She is in love but is too hesitant to tell him, her scenes with Nani add charm to the story. But the star here is the protagonist Makkhi who has been crafted with some exquisite and fine artistry by animators from around the globe.

Makkhi Review: Direction, Music & Technical Aspects Director from south, S. S. Rajamoulli ,who earlier gave us Vikramarkudu and Maryada Ramana (Rowdy Rathore and Son of Sardar, the Hindi remakes) is back with his Telugu flick Eega dubbed into Makkhi . He is able to touch the heart of his audience just by the sheer brilliance with which he captivates the mind of the housefly here. The music best said is just the right mix here for such a movie, the track 'Are Are Are' by KK is a hummable ballad, stays with you. The title song is catchy too, though the entire soundtrack isn't for keeps. The screenplay and the VFX, Animation and computer graphics makes your chest swell up a bit that the film's after all made in India. The movie has about 2234 live Action Animation shots and around 90 minutes of the 137 minutes is animation based.

Makkhi Review: The Last Word The movie deserves a 3* from my desk. A blend of Animation , VFX, visualisation and some great screenplay, 'Makkhi' is an art that's worked for Director Rajamoulli yet again. Definitely a must watch for the kids and Animation lovers.

Not just for the kids, even the adults might want to have a look at least once at this piece. They just might end up rooting for the 'housefly' !

There's even a Makkhi dance with the end credits, expect Salman Khan's towel dance and Ajay Devgan's Son Of Sardaar performance by this cheeky fly as you leave the theatre.

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013)

YJHD :: Lets fall in love....... again ! ;)

[7 July 2013]

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani :: I kinda found it decent enough..the movie had it clichéd plots and theme but was stylized for the Gen Y . Laced with soulful music with Ranbir s energy and DP's hotness ,was a decent recipe ,Kalki was the show stealer for me with her vivacious act ..Dragged in th 2nd half and started a bit slow... I would still have gone with a generous 3*..a well mad feel good romantic comedy entertainer

P.S- We were more than 30 odd and I enjoyed every 1's company..made d viewing experience that much better. :) Always knew it would hit the Rs.100 Cr barrier , am glad its crossed that and in style. done close to Rs.190 Cr and counting ;)

Robber (I) (2013)

A Masterpiece in every sense of the word ! :)

[7 July 2013]

Years ago I watched Dev Anand's entertainer -Nau Do Gyaarah (perhaps my only start-to-finish black n white feature) ,the movie had it all:- drama, suspense, comedy, romance, action etc. Motwane's Lootera is one such flick, in the same genure (and no I haven't read the O.Henry book)... ... Prepared with a thick batter of emotions, spruced with romance ,garnished with suspense and drama with a tinge of comedy ,its a mouth watering dish u wont want to miss from Phantom-Balaji house this weekend . Great performances by both the leads (Sonakshi s a voluptuous surprise ;) , Ranveer 's show).. I was initially a bit sceptical with the star cast but both of em have been used pretty well ! Its a period movie with an old world charm to it all the way. Base a movie in Bengal and u already have half of my loyalty...brilliantly captured, mesmerizing cinematography..a beautiful canvas on the celluloid , good narration and a fabulous score by Trivedi are enough treats in store for any movie buff... I am going with a thumping 4.5* outta 5 for Lootera, its one movie that would be talked about for times immemorial and would be etched in the minds of those who are in love, and those who shall be. By the time u leave the cinema hall with moist eyes and the humdrum of the background score in ur head , u know Motwane has aced it yet again , a remarkable flight after another great -Udaan ..

P.S.-- If u have loved ur Bodyguards, Singhams , Cocktails ,high on testosterone - Bhatt factory products, and other Sallu Bhai stuff or are excited about SRK's Eid release..., chances are u would abhor this one, so better not go. Its sad to hear crass about a movie of such a stature

Bol (2011)

Speak Out...!

[31 August 2011]

Your eyes well up as the narrative unfolds,as the protagonists fall into a trap one after the other & life becomes mesh of complexities, there's frustration and sweat on your face and a sense of helplessness resonating from the 70mm screen... Just how many times has this happened to you while watching a movie, as tears roll down your cheeks,you just let them flow & experience the cinematic brilliance on portrayal..

Shoab Mansoor's "Bol" is one such hard-hitting, rock solid film that wakes u up from d slumbers & u witness d harsh realities of an impoverished Muslim household where the preference for male child leads to 7 daughters being born & thus begins dere journey into d world of poverty & disdain. Debutant Hummaima Malick & Manzar Sehbai's stellar performances & a great script were the perfect setting Bol... Atif Aslam needs to work a lot on his dialogue delivery and his best in d movie comes only in d song-Hona Tha Pyaar.. Mahirah Khan is decent in d screen presence but the starlet here is Hummaima. Hope she has a role to play in Indian Cinema too.. The movie's already reached a cult status but is for the afficianados & d film buffs. Deserves a 4/5.. Go for this one,its a touching tale..

Aarakshan (2011)

Worst ever ,from a Great Director...

[14 August 2011]

How many times do you go to watch a movie with no or zero expectations... Never. There is always an acid test a filmmaker needs to go through for any movie. And even with Aarakshan, there would always be parallels drawn with Prakash Jha's Raajneeti. Although , quite a different subject and even if we don't compare this with his biggies like Gangajal, Apaharan and Raajneeti, still, Aarakshan is a 3 hour long duel filled with illogical set pieces, spineless storytelling and inappropriate casting that fails to convince and is impressive. Decent performances by Big B and Saif ,saves the day even as Mr.Jha fails to bring out a "Karaara Jawaab" like stellar performance from Manoj Bajpai.. Prateik Babbar hams a lot and needs to hone his linguistic skills and voice modulation ,though I strongly believe the lad will go a long distance. Deepika is simple and sober and the performance or whatever little we saw is fine.

The movie is very confusing in itself and it seems the director isn't sure what he wants to portray, a documentary, social drama,or just a comment on just the education culture. The first half shows how the long nurtured relations are destroyed and castrated even as the winds of reservation sweeps the nation ,but there's always a disconnect with the viewer and the emotions just don't come out gracefully. Although there are definitely some high voltage power packed sequences between Babbar and Saif and Saif and BigB /Bajpai..but the movie turns out to be a lecture in disguise. Even as you hope that the second half would bring in a spark of brilliance ,what you get is an inept story that dwindles to solving personal vendettas and one incessantly keeps staring at his watch as the movie drags on.. The movie deserves a 2/5 with an advice of Watch it only if you Must..or watch only if you have Quashed Each of your Desire (QED) { a mathematical formula that filmmaker has turned into a joke}

Delhi Belly (2011)

Delhi Belly : Highly Recommended

[9/10 · 4 July 2011]

DK Bose finally ran ..and ran as if his life depended on it.. Blatantly unapologetic at times and simply mindless at others..Delhi Belly is the best thing to have happened to Indian Cinema.. Its a fast paced entertainer with no potholes, perhaps a few farts at places..:-P :-).. Abhinav Deo does full justice to Akshat Verma s script and kudos to Aamir Khan prod.for taking up the project... Every character in d movie is v.neatly etched out..be it the 3 blokes or the goon's men... Ram Sampath's music used as d background score keeps d pace alive and makes it a Helluva ride...! And with Mr.Khan's antics in d Disco no.,u cant help but take d movie alongwith u as u leave d theater ..with a smile on ur face.. Go For It...!!!