megha6582 Reviews

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)

Exceeds expectations!

[8/10 · 17 November 2010]

How glad am I that the decision was made to split the last book into two movies! Combining such massive content in one movie would inevitably have ended up looking rushed and in turn would not have done any justice to the much awaited final installment of the series.

In my opinion, Harry Potter ceased to be a book/movie just for children a long time ago. This is much more apparent with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The story has evolved along with the characters and it has gotten darker and more thrilling every step of the way. The lead actors have come such a long way since their adventures during the first year at Hogwarts. This movie sees a grown up and mature Harry who is the only hope to save the wizarding and muggle world from Lord Voldemort and his followers. Together with his best friends Ron and Hermione, he sets out on a dangerous quest to destroy the elusive Horcruxes, magical objects that protect a part of Voldemort's soul. In the process, he comes across the legend of the Deathly Hallows and realizes their significance in destroying Voldemort. The next movie will see Harry torn between a desire to acquire the Deathly Hallows and continue on with his mission of destroying the Horcruxes.

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry has improved in leaps and bounds since he first appeared on screen. Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley gets an opportunity to show different sides of his personality and not just appear perpetually disgusted or perplexed. Emma Watson as Hermione Granger is always a delight. She has tremendous screen presence. I do wish though that there was a bit more chemistry between her character and that of Ron. The scenes that were truly touching in the movie were Hermione leaving her parents home, the brief moment where she dances with Harry in the tent and the death of the house-elf Dobby.

As a whole, I thought the movie stayed faithful to the book as much as possible without any major changes. The supporting cast was good, the pace was reasonable and the cinematography was excellent.

Aisha (I) (2010)

Good attempt......not award winning material though!

[6 August 2010]

I caught the screening of Aisha yesterday. Since I went to watch the movie without any expectations, I was not disappointed. Although in hindsight I think on several minor points, the movie could have been better.

The character of Aisha (Sonam Kapoor) is a free-spirited, narcissistic and arrogant girl who fits in like a glove with the elite society. She loves shopping, wearing designer clothes and accessories, holidaying and enjoying good food and drink. She also has a strong penchant for match-making which she believes she is really good at (like everything else she does!). She has a father who dotes on her and doesn't really care much about her ridiculous shopping sprees, family members who think she is nothing short of perfect, two friends who follow her around like puppy dogs and doting admirers who are at her every beck and call. Naturally, Aisha has her head up in the air and thinks that everyone else are inferior to her or in her own words "bechaara". But her vanity and superiority complex does not come across in a direct way. Her character is not a obnoxious. She does try her best to do good and she truly believes that whatever she does is in the best interest of others although there is a hidden motive of selfishness which she alone fails to recognize. The only person who is not convinced is Arjun (Abhay Deol) who is her sister's brother-in-law. He constantly criticizes Aisha for meddling in other people's affairs which annoys her to no end. He believes that she should mind her own business while she believes that everyone else's business is her own. While on one of her match-making projects, she comes to realize that she is not perfect and has the tendency to be shallow and superficial. She makes up with her estranged friends and come to the realization that her life is incomplete without Arjun.

What I liked about this movie is that in the form of Aisha, the filmmakers have tried to show a real person. Aren't we all fed up with the stereotypical larger than life, compassionate, heart of gold, sacrificing, goody two-shoes Bollywood heroine? This movie shows that a person can be good at heart yet still have shades of gray and that doesn't necessarily make the character a negative one. This movie has a refreshing spin on how characters are perceived.

The performances are good. Sonam is convincing as the main protagonist. Abhay is a natural actor and I think he will go a long way with the right kind of roles. Ira Dubey and Amrita Puri play their parts well as Aisha's friends but I wish both their characters had more depth to them. Cryrus Sahukar, Arunoday Singh, Lisa Haydon have small roles and do justice to them. The music is hummable.

I Hate Luv Storys (2010)

Corny from start to end...

[5/10 · 7 July 2010]

Brace yourself for one of the biggest Bollywood chick-flicks in recent history. Although I seriously doubt how many chicks will really like this movie!!!

First of all, I'm not sure if this movie was intended to be a parody of all the classic Bollywood love stories or that is just wanted to use the clichés for the entertainment factor. I cannot understand that when the lead pair is good looking young and reasonably talented, why would the director not put more effort into making an original love story? We have been subjected to Hollywood rip offs for so long.....but seriously Mr Director, Bollywood rip offs are in no way better!!! For heavens sake, let the classics remain classics. With the exception of the opening scenes of the film which revive memories of some of the hit love stories of the past (DDLJ, Dil Kehta Hai and Hum Tum), I didn't see the point of making any further reference to past movies. The director has tried to humorously incorporate all the clichés of the great Bollywood love stories and tried to give it a modern twist (as in Om Shanti Om)......but unfortunately, there is nothing new or "different" about this movie. It just didn't work.

Sonam is as cute as a button. She is surely one of the most beautiful actresses we have in our industry today. Her character however is silly and superficial. Imran is cool and can easily pass of for the playboy types but he seriously needs to learn how to emote. He does well in the scenes where he is supposed to be cool and funny but when the time comes for him to profess his love, he might as well be talking to a wall! I hope he takes some tips from his famous "maamu". I wish I could say that I loved the chemistry between the lead pair....but I would be lying through my teeth. And please, what was with Soman's loser BF always color coordinating his clothes with her?? Is that supposed to indicate the depth of love or something?? The trait of a good director is to put his/her point across without being ridiculous in the process!

The reason I gave this movie 5 stars (I am being extremely generous here) is because I think both Sonam and Imran look great and have the potential to be good actors, some of the humorous dialogues were original, the music of the film is hummable, Imran's fat friend was funny at times and the cinematography was generally good.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)

Not great......but not bad either!

[6/10 · 2 July 2010]

The first thought that came to my mind after watching Twilight eclipse was that this movie is better than its predecessor New Moon, which I thought for the most part was slow-paced, bleak and dull. This movie has some good moments but that said, it has its share of flaws too.

Liked: Chemistry between the lead actors, conversation between Edward and Jacob in the tent, the interaction between the Cullens and the werewolf clan, the action sequences and the occasional funny lines.

Disliked: The dialogues, that fact that the acting hasn't improved as much as I would have liked, the Volturi (I dunno what in the world they were doing in this movie), the replacement for Victoria (she doesn't look mean enough) and Bella's endless confusion (make up your mind girl!).

I'm sure the die-hard twilight fans would love this movie. Those who haven't read the books or watched the previous movies, might end up scratching their heads a bit. As for me, I've decided to go read the books.....it might make me a tougher critic of the movies but I think it just might be worth it!

Ghajini (2008)

A good attempt

[7/10 · 1 January 2009]

First things first....lets not be ridiculous and begin by comparing Memento to Ghajini. That was an English movie and this one is a Hindi movie. Ghajhini quite obviously has been made to cater to the taste of the Indian audience. Whether or not the director A.R Murugados has acknowledged Christopher Nolan's masterpiece doesn't really mean much to the regular movie-goer. It makes more sense to compare the Tamil movie to the Hindi one since both have been directed by the same person. On the whole I would say that the Hindi Ghajini is better than the Tamil one. The main reason is the last half hour which was pathetic in the Tamil version, and even though the Hindi one could have been shortened much more, it still is a marked improvement. The rest of the scenes are a frame to frame duplicate so nothing much to comment about there. I did however miss the chemistry between the lead pair though. There was a lot more chemistry between Surya and Asin when compared to Aamir and Asin. Coming to the performances, Aamir Khan has done a wonderful job as usual. He must have struggled to acquire that body at his age and he looks good. The very lovely Asin is competent in her Hindi debut. Although her character is a bit too goody-two shoes kind, she manages to win over the audience. Not much can be said about Jia Khan. She needs to take more acting classes & desperately put on weight to avoid the risk of being mistaken for a stick! The sound track by AR Rehman is good although I expected a bit more from the musical maestro. The only complaint I have from the movie is the negative character - 'Mr Ghajini'. The director should have cast someone else for that role. When a movie has revenge as its theme, you need to see a villain who can evoke extreme feelings of hatred within the audience.

In a nutshell, Ghajini is a movie that has been shot well, has some good performances and a great background score. Watch it for Aamir Khan. However, the movie is violent so leave the kids and faint-hearted at home!

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008)

A simple love story!

[7/10 · 16 December 2008]

Rab ne.... is the story of a simpleton Surinder (SRK) who ends up with the girl of his dreams Taani (Anushka) but is unable to evoke feelings of love in her since their marriage was brought about by certain unfortunate circumstances. The story goes on to show how Suri tries desperately to woo his wife by undergoing a makeover to become a smooth talking-savvy Raj. Fortunately for him.....in his new avatar, his wife does not recognize him to be her plain, boring, middle class husband (Ummm....that part by the way, a little hard to digest!). His attempts to win her over succeed and now the damsel in distress cannot decide what to do. Should she continue to be a 'good' wife and live in a loveless marriage with the person who has done so much for her or should she follow her heart and go back to being the old Taani who loves to laugh, have fun and live life to the fullest with Raj? Throw in a dance show premise and u have the story of Rab ne bana di jodi.

The entire movie is shot in Amritsar and every scene has a realistic look. There are no perfect 'dream-like' houses, streets or even songs in the movie. The movie is fun in places (catch Taani riding a bike aka Dhoom 3), slow paced in certain others (most of the emotional scenes)and downright boring in a couple of scenes (one notable being the scene where SRK talks to the mannequin dressed like him). The songs are alright.....I expected more from the score of a Adi Chopra movie. SRK is good but his age has really started to get the better of him. The 'cool' look (meaning: tight clothes, tattered jeans, colored hair, metal chains) don't really suit him anymore! Maybe another actor in the same role would have done a better job. The newbie Anushka is quite good in her debut movie although she has a long way to go in the emoting department. Her wardrobe and make up have been dealt with well. Vinay Pathak as Suri's friend Bobby is OK.

If you are an SRK fan, you will like or may even love this movie. If you are not, you will probably end up finding it boring and uninteresting. For those in-between, go watch it to find out!

Dostana (2008)

Happy and gay!

[6/10 · 20 November 2008]

Dostana belongs to the genre of Hindi movies which are tying to break out of the conventional stereotypes. For one, the subject of the movie is one which is relatively unexplored in the bollywood film industry. The film is set in Miami and revolves around two guys - Abhishek & John who pretend to be gay in order to secure an accommodation in an apartment owned by a picky landlady. The lady's main concern - any men that she allows into the apartment might compromise the honor of "baby" meaning Priyanka Chopra. So, to solve the problem the two guys uncomfortably and very unconvincingly pretend to be a couple but alas, little did they know that "baby" would turn out to be a real hottie and turn their little game into a struggle. To add to their misery, enter guy number 3 to turn the triangle into a square and there is chaos everywhere! The movie does not tackle the sensitive subject of homosexuality. It just uses it as a way to get some laughs (remember Kal ho na ho and Kanta bhen?) Some of the dialogues are quite outrageous but the movie manages to get away with it.

Abhishek Bacchan and John Abraham have sparkling chemistry and some of their scenes together are genuinely funny. John gives a surprisingly restrained performance whereas Abhishek tends to go over the top sometimes but is funny all the same. Priyanka looks really fabulous....I think this movie is the best she has looked till date. Her performance is pretty decent too. Kiron Kher as the loud, over dramatic Punjabi mom is OK. We have seen her in the same avatar quite a few times now. Bobby Deol is a bit of a let down.....I wish I could have seen someone else in the same role. Last but not least, I wish the very talented Boman Irani had a bigger role. He always is an asset to any film especially with a comic premise.

In all, this is a good movie for time-pass and it will guarantee a lot of laughs. Watch it!

Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na (2008)

Paisa Vasool!

[7/10 · 18 July 2008]

Jaane tu ya jaane na is a movie that has been made keeping the new generation in mind. It does mirror Dil Chahta hai to a certain extent in its youthful and refreshing outlook. The cast is young, peppy & pretty darn good! Most of the characters are well defined, the notable ones being Jai (Imran Khan), Aditi (Genelia), Savithri (Rathna Pathak) & Amit (Prateek Babbar). However, more depth could have been added to the characters of Jai & Aditi's buddies. Also, the characters of Sohail and Arbaaz seem a tad silly!

For his first movie, Imran Khan is good.His character of a peace loving, non-violent 'good boy' is sweet and endearing. I think he would be well suited for comedy roles as he seems to have a good comic timing. Genelia has proved before that she can act. The best part about her in the movie is that she looks natural -no heavy make up or hair do's - she looks and behaves like a normal 20 yr old. The very pretty Manjari Phadnis as Meghna is decent. Prateek Babbar has done a good job in his first film. He character is very unusual and he fits into it like a glove. Rathna Pathak as always is brilliant as Jai's over-protective mom. Naseerudhin Shah & the whole 'Rathore' melodrama is fun and tickles the funny bone. However Paresh Rawal as the annoying police officer has been wasted. We have come to associate him with the funniest & wittiest one-liners so anything less than that is a bit of a let down.

The music is good but not something I would call Rehman's best. But it still is different and goes well with the whole young theme of the movie.

In all, this movie about friendship and love is good and worth your money spent. Don't expect a 'different' story, a bunch of bad guys & typical bollywood masala and you won't be disappointed!

Jodhaa Akbar (2008)

Visually appealing!

[8/10 · 23 February 2008]

I watched Jodhaa Akbar today. Needless to say, I had a lot of expectations from the movie considering Ashutosh Gowarikar's earlier releases - Lagaan and Swades, both of which were tremendously appreciated.

The movie is good. I say good but not great! It probably could have been better. I'm no historian so I will not get into the dispute of whether the facts depicted in the film are true or false. The movie grabs the viewers attention throughout so that should be a good enough reason to go and watch it.

Coming to the performances, Hrithik as Akbar has done a wonderful job. He looks the part and his portrayal of a commanding but considerate and tolerant Moughal Emperor looks natural. It is a very controlled performance from his part. Aishwarya looks gorgeous in the movie and she truly does suit the character of a Rajput Princess. As far as her acting goes, she is just about average. The on-screen chemistry between the lead pair is sizzling. It is one of the highlights of the movie. Both of them look great together.The supporting actors are good especially Sonu Sood as Jodhaa's cousin, Sujamal and Ila Arun as Akbar's wicked foster mother.

The songs are few and not much can be said about them apart from the fact that they are well picturised. The costumes and jewelery are quite spectacular. The cinematography is good too. The war sequences & the scenes in the lavish palace have been well shot. These aspects along with the good looking lead pair make the movie a visual treat.

Don't try to compare the movie with its predecessors or try to question the historical significance and I think you will like the movie. Its definitely worth a watch.

Like Stars on Earth (2007)

A Revelation!

[9/10 · 20 February 2008]

The first time I saw the rushes of Taare Zameen Par on TV, I didn't give it much thought. I thought, OK, this looks like a small budget movie with no star cast, a bunch of kids, doesn't look like it has any songs and possibly an educational message (how frightening...as if we didn't have enough of that already!!!). In one word - 'BORING'. But when I was dragged along to the movie, I realized how wrong I was!

Taare Zameen Par is a wonderfully made movie. For once, I can say that it really is 'different' (A term often grossly misused by the Bollywood film fraternity!). The fact that the film doesn't have a big star cast (with the exception of Aamir Khan of course) is a good thing because we get to see some seasoned performances by lesser known actors like Tisca Chopra & Vipin Sharma. They make the character of a middle class couple coping with the day to day stresses of life look very real and believable. The child actor Darsheel Safary has done a brilliant job. There are some scenes in the movie that are truly touching.

I must confess I didn't know anything about dyslexia before watching the movie but after watching it, I'm glad that I'm aware of this condition which I'm sure leaves parents of such children confused and very distressed.This educational and social message I didn't mind one bit! In today's world, when everyone wants to join the rat race, its refreshing to see a different perspective and take on life. It is an eye opener and in my opinion every parent should watch it.

I'd like to say kudos to Aamir Khan for making such a good movie. Wish more movies like this were made. Go watch it!

Corporate (2006)

Falls short of expectations

[6/10 · 20 August 2006]

I have seen Madhur Bhandarkar's earlier films, Chandini Bar and Page 3 and I was tremendously impressed with both of them. Naturally, I had a lot of expectations from 'Corporate'. The promos looked interesting and the film was being promoted in a big way. I watched the film yesterday and I must say...I'm disappointed. The film revolves around the corporate world, unmasking the treachery, betrayal & lack of ethics of corporate giants & Politicians. In some places, the movie has striking similarities to Page 3 and the director's signature style comes across. The same sleaze (Big shots like ministers and top notch executives sleeping around), pre-marital sex, peon's huddled together discussing the personal lives of their bosses and who's sleeping with whom , item numbers popping up when not required, actresses with no integrity…..and so forth. It gets a little tiresome at the end and u end up thinking "Doesn't anyone have principles? Are all the rich and powerful the same?"

What is most disappointing in this film is the character of the main protagonist. In Bhandarkar's earlier movies too, women have been the main protagonists but in this movie, you don't feel for Bipasha's character. Even though she is victimized, you don't feel any sympathy for her. I'm in no way saying that Bipasha has done a bad job in the movie but it's certainly not a role that she'll be remembered for. Her character in the film, Nishi, is of a divorced corporate executive who is ambitious, intelligent, crafty and who doesn't hesitate to resort to a few tricks of her own to steal the company secrets of a rival. She is single, independent and not in any way bothered about the fact that she is the butt of office gossip because of her relationship with the chairman's brother-in-law. She knows exactly what goes on in the corporate world, all the shady deals, the fact that her boss can stoop to any level for 'profit' (which BTW, is the bottom line in the corporate world) and yet, she blindly owns up to a crime that she has not committed (throwing away her reputation & career) and expresses full faith in her company and colleagues that they will eventually bail her out. I mean, that is something which is a little hard to digest. You might end up thinking "Well, serves you right for being so stupid!'

As for the performances, this movie can in no way match up to Chandini Bar or Page 3. Everyone is just about OK. I feel Kay Kay has been wasted. He is such a talented actor but has so little to do in this movie. Minisha Lamba & Sameer have insignificant roles. Raj Babbar, Rajat Kapoor, Vinay Apte and Harsh Chayya are adequate.

But everything said and done, I'd still recommend this movie because it is watch able. The first half is boring but the pace quickens in the second half & the plot becomes interesting towards the end. Only one word of caution….....don't expect too much.

Omkara (2006)

Hindi cinema at its best!

[9/10 · 9 August 2006]

I wish Bollywood made more movie like these. Its such a refreshing change from the usual masala flicks with the same tried and tested formula....the same old love triangles, glam dolls in skimpy outfits, the hero and heroine breaking into a song and dance routine at every given opportunity etc etc. In stark contrast, Omkara comes across like a breath of fresh air. Even though the movie is a bit slow paced, it is gripping and doesn't make you want to take your eyes off the screen. The dialogues are powerful and the use of expletives throughout the movie adds humour. The director has done a fine job and I hope that he continues the good work in the future.

The performances are mind blowing. Me Dependable, Ajay Devgan as usual comes up with a good performance. His dialogue delivery is flawless. He fits the role to a T. and I can't imagine anyone else as Omkara.

Kareena Kapoor is really a surprise package. She breathes life into her character as Dolly. Her innocence and freshness comes across right from the start to the end. I wish she does more such substantial roles instead of wasting her talent in the kind of movies she has done so far (with the exception of a few).

Konkana will slowly emerge as one of the best actresses of this generation. Despite her unconventional looks, she manages to slip into any given character effortlessly. She comes across as a very intelligent actor and I'm eager to see her in many more movies to come. I wish she had more scenes in this movie. That is the only complaint I have with Omkara!

As for Vivek and Bipasha, even though they have been given small roles, both of them are impressive.

Coming to the star of the show, Saif Ali Khan...it was a treat to watch him. He has come a long way since the days of Yeh Dillagi. He is slowly starting to display his mettle as an actor. As Langda Tyagi, the scheming, wily and two faced right hand man of Omkara, he has the most interesting and challenging role in the movie and he exceeds all expectations. His expressions and dialogue delivery are very impressive. Way to go Saif!

I would like to conclude by saying that this is one movie which should not be missed. Go watch it (but leave your kids at home!).

Fanaa (2006)

It is just about OK

[5/10 · 1 August 2006]

Well, I'd say that this is an average movie. First lets come to the plus points. The main plus point is the star cast. Its a treat to watch Aamir and Kajol in the same movie. Both of them r fine actors and always do justice to the roles that they r given. Kajol has lost a lot of weight and looks stunning. In fact, I'd say that she hasn't looked better! Unfortunately, the same can't be said about the leading man. Coming to the rest of the cast, the child actor has done a good job and is endearing. The second plus point of the movie is the music. The songs are really good and well picturised. They will surely go on to become the biggest hits of the year. Now for the minus points. The major minus point is the first half. It is quite boring & slow paced. After sometime, the shayaris get real irritating and you just want to shout at Aamir and tell him to stop! Some parts of the movie are really unbelievable... for example how Kajol, even though being blind, dances like a pro! I don't think even a trained dancer (who has vision) will be able to match steps with her! There are many more such instances. Aamir has packed on a few extra pounds and looks old. I also think that his talent has not been made use of by the director. He is capable of so much more but since his character in the movie has not been defined properly, its hardly his fault. I also cannot understand what a Tabu is doing in this movie! She is such a talented actress but has been utterly wasted in an insignificant role. The same can be said for Rishi kapoor and Kiron Kher. Well, in all I'd say it is a movie that you can go and watch once. Not too good but not too bad either.

Neal 'n' Nikki (2005)

Simply awful!

[2/10 · 31 July 2006]

I did have some expectations from this film because 1. It was a Yash raj production 2. When the songs were first shown on TV, they seemed catchy 3. The star(??!) cast was new. Well, I must tell u that I just couldn't sit through this movie. Uday, (with his red lips-what were the make up artists thinking???!) tries hard to look cool but fails miserably. I won't even get started on his acting (if u can call it that). 'Cleavage queen' Tanisha with all her screaming and ranting n raving just makes you want to pull your hair out in frustration. I think Uday was slightly more tolerable than her! She seriously needs to take acting lessons from her sister. The story is pathetic...the same old tried and tested formula. Absolutely no originality. There is nothing worth watching in this movie. Makes me wonder why it was made in the first place!