chiragdashj Reviews

Gunday (2014)

GUNDAY- Grow up YRF, lame script and awful direction may help you financially but is that enough?

[4/10 · 15 February 2014]

Once again a movie that was worth waiting as everything about it was superb. For me it was the ultimate action movie to see Arjun Kapoor of Ishaqzaade fame who has that intensity in his eyes and Ranveer Singh in an excellent phase of his career with Irrfan Khan who always selects his roles in movies according to the script. Add to all these the superb music of Sohail Sen, who has pulled off a brilliant musical album.

Set in 1971, Calcutta, two childhood friends Vikram & Bala fighting the odds where they were separated from each other in 1971 Bangladesh liberation, and then gradually developing to local Gundeys as usual blaming the system and law for the same. The movie starts off in grand style with the enthusiastic Jashn-e-Ishqa which is shot lavishly. Priyanka Chopra also had an interesting introduction where she bumped into both the male leads in a gents toilet in a hilarious conversation which may sparkle some laughs. And also a beautiful scene in the fish market where some old songs were playing in the background was a good one. Irrfan Khan was casted as a superbly intelligent cop who was given the duty to bring Vikram and Bala to terms. But he relied more on other factors to break Vikram & Bala's unity rather than his intelligence, helplessly, which can't be disclosed as it will reveal the twist of the plot.

The major problem with "Gunday" is haphazard writing with some predictable twists which we have seen regularly. The characters were written in such idiotic style they never had a feel of themselves in the story. Both the Gundays were just busy showing their romancing skills with Priyanka and between themselves which lacked the spark.

I mean to say you will not fear them as Gundays they were more so like jokers. Remember a scene in Gangs Of Wasseypur where the character Faisal Khan cut off the head of his friend and hung it outside his house to invoke fear in the minds of people and to show that he has arrived.That was a different master class movie after all and this is a commercial one but no instances of cruelty was shown by the Gundays, so that we could believe that they are the real Gundays.

Irrfan Khan in a short role has done the best work as usual but it is still hard to understand why did he signed the movie as he is very selective in his approach? In the climax scene where he asks Arjun Kapoor to surrender really the direction couldn't even spare him from looking awful.

The story never grips you as an audience and therefore the movie appears long and boring. Direction by Ali Abbas Zaffar is extremely ordinary, and shall compete with Vijay Krishna Acharya's Dhoom 3 for the worst direction. Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor have some sort of chemistry between them but that is not enough for a 2hr 34minute long movie. Also add to it a disgusting scene where Priyanka Chopra dances in front of the single screen theater to Sridevi's Mr India movie song which invokes a fight between Arjun Kapoor and one of the side actors.

Gunday had everything in it's favor a superb promo, foot tapping music, excellent star cast, solid dialogs but it unfortunately suffered with it's messy direction.Tons and tons of slow motion action scenes makes you restless in your seats.

I wonder the fabulous dialogs would have worked like a magical spell if only the movie had some substance in it. This movie could have been so much better if at all some research had been done in making a better scripted film, but that was not the case. Dialogues like these would create some whistles, clapping and superb song sequences will make a time pass but that does not even make the movie an average watch. Go in with standard expectation yet there is a chance you may come out disappointed, and of course that will depend on your personal choices.. Irrespective of what the movie is but Arjun Kapoor and Ranveer Singh both have acted well and surely to look out for in the near future..

Hasee Toh Phasee (2014)

Volcano Of Talent- Parineeti is the female version of Ranbir Kapoor- She alone is worth the ticket price and rest all is bonus

[7/10 · 9 February 2014]

Portraying an indifferent character on screen, Parineeti as Mental Meeta just carries the role like Ranbir Kapoor single handily does in most of his movies. Blessed with superb acting skills Parineeti Chopra effortlessly slips under the skin of the character and is so hard to take your eyes off. She plays the role of an awkward, unstable scientist who has developed a molecule after her years of research which can provide energy to the buildings.

Probably rated as the best actress of her generation, undoubtedly she is the flavor of the movie, and she stamps her authority in style right from start to the end. She is the Tom Boy in the movie-the cool dude who can steal money from her own father, elope from house, eat tooth paste, repair cars, solve problems of her boyfriend, twinkle her eyes faster than Diwali Led lights and an absolute genius in her own way.

From start to end it's the character of Meeta that keeps you hooked to the screen emotionally in a way that you forget all other flaws of the movie. That's the sign of a terrific actor and the thin line between an average and an excellent actor. When she cries you cry with her and when she laughs you really feel good, she steals the show whenever she is there. And just don't bother about Sidharth Malhotra, as he has his limitations as an actor probably the way he is build and is strictly average but his average work is also overshadowed by the the brilliant Junior PC who is actually way more superior and senior in terms of acting than Priyanka.

The dialogs are penned superbly by Anurag Kashyap and the outcome of the movie is a superb blend of a Johar & Kashyap fun ride. Direction by Vinnil Mathew is original especially the climax scene where Parineeti delivers the acting of a lifetime rooting for the protagonist in her own natural way, which will certainly have an emotional impact on you.

The movie sometimes goes off beat in middle but who cares when you have Parineeti Chopra as the leading lady, her performance alone will recover the costs of your tickets and rest all is bonus. She should easily earn herself nominations in Best Actress category at the Filmfare..

The most beautiful Scientific Love Story ever made.

Jai Ho (2014)

One of the best social action movies in recent times- I don't mind leaving my brains at home, as long as the heart is in the right place

[7/10 · 28 January 2014]

I cannot believe i would be reviewing a Salman Khan movie but it's certainly worth it. Neither am i a fan of illogical commercial movies nor a die hard Salman fan. Probably i must say i have no soft corners for Salman Khan for the work he has done in his real life. Probably, I am a Salman Hater and i consider the Being Human initiative of Salman Khan rather as his discount for his sins. I confess that i also hate Big Boss. But I promise you my review will be unbiased and strictly on my personal opinion, which may not match with others.

Decided to watch Jai Ho reluctantly, purely on word of mouth basis as i didn't wanted to be tortured as i was in Dhoom 3 or any of the previous Salman movies. The trailer didn't impress me neither did the songs and the director being Sohail Khan, it was a complete no, no for me. I was quiet surprised this movie getting such low collections as in India movie runs because of star power and not because of content, and that's what got my attention. It was strange as for the first time in so many years a commercial movie having good audience reactions didn't clicked at the box office as expected.

So, decided to explore what went wrong and here is my review of Jai Ho.

Jai Ho directed by Sohail Khan as we know is yet another Telugu remake of Stalin. Jai Ho is Salman Khan style of making a movie and delivering a social message in style. From the beginning itself Jai Ho enters into pacey mode thanks to the brilliant screenplay which hides most drawbacks and over the top scenes in the first half. The first half of the movie is brisk and emotional too. Salman as an actor has his drawbacks in the emotional scenes but not when he roars as a tiger and take down the local goons in style in his own way. Genelia D Souza performs the role of a lifetime by playing a character of a handicapped girl superbly in an short and emotional role, that was the best part of the movie, which leaves you emotional even after the movie is over.Tabu as Salman's sister is bang on. In first half Salman bashes the bad guys in style, and the action scenes were superb not like his previous movies. There were almost 3 songs in first 15 minutes but it was OK as long as other things are good. Daisy Shah the new comer showed her dancing skills more than her acting ones. When it comes to the chemistry with Salman, they struggled, but the child artist Naman Jain completely made up for Salman by creating a sparkling chemistry with his ma mu (Jai) and Daisy Shah with his superb comic timing. When Salman was not busy with his roaring, Naman Jain was busy teasing Pinky(Daisy Shah). The first half was sleek, quick, brisk, emotional, superb. The 2nd half of the movie was also not bad, and the idea of Jai starting a chain of not to say Thank You and instead help 3 people and ask them to help 3 more people worked aptly as it was told with the right heart. There are a whole lot of actors in the movie, probably Sohail Khan has casted every one he knows in the movie. But all of them have done a decent job. The chase sequence where Salman saved the child was executed brilliantly along with the war flashbacks. Action scenes were really good and who better than Salman can pull them off without flexing a bone. The only problem i thought was the climax of the movie where the director was in a hurry to end the movie, but we wanted more. And the whole tank thing where Sunil Shetty comes right away from Border and LOC Kargil movie to help Salman could have been a Little bit better. But, flaws like these are pardonable as there are so many other things which are good.

Probably Salman wanted to make a film on society so he chooses Jai Ho, and he showcases it in his own style. You cannot stop whistling and clapping for him when he roars like a tiger and beats the hell out of the goons. Jai Ho has a good script in it's place. A more sensible director could have given a better output but this script is made for Salman Khan and he delivers. I remember watching Singham where Ajay Devgan was fantastic and so is Jai Ho, It's the best Salman Khan movie after Wanted so don't miss Jai Ho. Box Office Collection not as expected but hope it speeds up by word of mouth publicity..Salman delivers a social message in style so this movie restores my faith on good commercial movies. It's not completely without flaws but, it's the best i enjoyed in cinema in recent times. Watch it and have a blast... So, I never mind leaving my brains at home as long as the heart is in the right place. JAI HO...

Dedh Ishqiya (2014)

Best way to kick start 2014- Kickass Dedh Ishqiya- Masterclass direction by Abhisek Chaubey

[8/10 · 11 January 2014]

Directed by Abhisek Chaubey, Dedh Ishqiya is the sequel to Ishqiya. It is not a typical stereotype movie. This is something new and refreshing. The cast of the movie no doubt is superbly done but secondary to the direction by Abhisek Chaubey which is done with excellent craftsmanship and finesse.

The movie defines seven stages of love from attraction, (attachment),(love),(trust),(worship),(madness)followed by(death).

It's not a boring movie on any terms rather, it's a highly entertaining one of course if you prefer intelligent movies.

Nasser will steal your heart with beautiful Urdu poetry and Sharai, leaving a stunning impact in the song where he recites the magical lyrics of (without background score) for Madhuri.

Arshad entertains you with his cheap sense of humor and witty dialogs like

Madhuri Dixit as Para Jaan makes an excellent comeback and dominates the movie with her gorgeous screen presence. Huma Qureshi an highly under rated actress, as Munira Aslam Zia matches Madhuri step by step and creates a superb chemistry with Babban, outclassing him every time he approaches her.

Vijay Raaz as Jaan Mohammad also makes the movie interesting with his unique dialog delivery style and leaves you wanting more of him when he decides to contest Khalu for Begum's hand over rounds of Sharai and target shooting.

More than 75% of the dialogs are in Urdu, for which the whole movie is subtitled. This is an odd one out movie, and cannot be synopsized as every scene is done with minute details and with all the Urdu accent and all. The songs are good and suits the mood of the movie.

For people who are considering Dedh Ishqiya as an art movie then i must say it's not. It's a movie that is entertaining as well as classy and it's treated in a different way, i must say it's a poetry rather. Scenes are not added or dialogs does not appear to be mouthed as in any commercial movies. This movie shows that how can you make a 2hr 30 minutes engaging movie without any mindless scenes and with a simple plot. After the movie ends you cannot choose your best moments and dialogs because there are so many of them. The climax of the film takes place at a railway station called 'Bap'. Hilarious nuances like these are scattered generously all through the film. And some scenes are there where you will just stand up and applaud the direction...

Dialogues, situations, star cast, music,excellent direction and superb screenplay makes Dedh Ishqiya a indifferent thrilling heist love story..way better than Ishqiya.. If you're a fan of clever lines with terrific actors, great writing, masterful direction and Urdu poetry then this is for you and the rest, admirers of highly commercial cinema may find this movie meaningless and boring but still this movie is a treat for it's target audience...Excellent Movie

Dhoom 3 (2013)

DHOOM 3=Pathetic, Its like TV Series of CID where ACP Pradyuman along with Daya, hammers your brain time and again and still carries on for 15 years...

[2/10 · 24 December 2013]

The name associated with D3 was no ordinary name it was the Perfectionist Aamir Khan. Coming straight to the point, i have several questions in my mind- Where is Sanjay Gadhvi the original director of Dhoom series and WTF is Vijay Krishna Acharya, the man who created the disastrous movie Tashan doing in an Aamir Khan movie. Are you kidding me, Aamir in such a movie, pathetic is the word.

Most people have watched the movie, some liked and some didn't that totally depends on your personal taste. I knew commercial movies are without logic but being an Aamir Khan movie i thought there would be something new but i was wrong.

The director considers the audience LKG children's and has made the movie accordingly, by underestimating the intelligence of viewers. The direction and screenplay is pathetic. Chase, chase, chase then song then those two idiots Abhisek and Uday being fooled by Aamir then chase again and Katrina in the middle used as showpiece and then the movie ends with Judwaa Aamir Khan falling from the bridge. What a retarded script?

Dhoom 1 and Dhoom 2 were not extra ordinary but were watchable because of John and Hrithik. But this time Aamir himself cannot save this disaster. It appears like Sanjay Gadhvi got Piles and asked Vijay Krishna Acharya to direct one installment of Dhoom.

In a scene where Abhisek was tied down by Aamir in an amusement park, and where the toy rider was speeding to crush him and he was saved by Uday, i was hoping had that ride crushed Abhisek so that his character would have died permanently and he could not torture more in Dhoom 4. Like In Uday Chopra mentioned the engine, and other technical details of a bike, after hearing just a faint sound of the machinery like wise i can also predict Dhoom 4, Same Abhisek giving angry looks, Uday ogling at girls and another new villain Srk or Salman getting cool bikes to escape and at the end not to forget falling from the bridge at the end.

What a funny scene where Aamir uses smoke to discard SWAT team from the bank. Imagine how SWAT team forgot to wear mask before entering and also imagine Chicago police needing the help of Abhisek and Uday to catch a thief. It's OK still, after it's a Hindi movie.

Some people found the auto scene over the top, yes it was indeed what you could do is to held your head in despair, but how can a BMW bike turn into a boat and then a submarine, and then again back to bike, OMG. In D4 they will turn BMW into a plane and then into a satellite..Disgusting..And at last when both BMW bikes were merged it reminded me of the bike in Sholay that bike was much better..

The director played these stunt clips again and again in flashbacks to irritate more. And the magic tricks were no cool, same clips were played numerous times.

The amateur direction does not help Aamir here, he is not in full form here. Aamir is a fantastic actor but the direction is so bad that it even doesn't give Aamir a chance to show his skills. In interval the suspense was revealed. And after that Sahir and Samar both characters were handled by Aamir. The director was such an idiot whenever bot the frames of Sahil and Samar were showed, then one had to create joker like faces to help the audience to recognize that the one making faces is Samar. The audience are more intelligent than the director. It was poor direction rather than poor acting. But the acting by Aamir can also not save this movie. And he is also not in his full form here.

Sidharth Nigam as the child artist here was the shining star of the movie who has even overtaken Aamir Khan, in terms of acting in this movie. But it's not Aamir's mistake he had to do a movie like this to maintain a balance with logical and commercial movies. It's like any other Srk or Salman movies..

Aamir himself is his own competitor, he is going to be back with a bang in PEEKAY.

However D3 is going to be a blockbuster for sure because these are the type of movies that succeed more in India. This movie falls short of the standard of Aamir Khan but still it's better than Chennai Express and other Sallu movies. So those who are looking to watch D3 may proceed. Watch it at your own risk. You may like the movie that depends on your taste.

This review is what i feel about the movie. Even i went with my family and friends and some of them liked the movie. And those who like sensible movies take two tablets of Paracetamol...

The only thing i liked in the movie was Sidharth Nigam and the trailer of Gunday which was Kickass hope that doesn't turn out be the same.

My rating of D3 would be 2 star out of 10.... It's not Dhoom Day, it's Doom's Day