Barfi: Aptly Sweet !

I went to watch "Kites" because it was so hyped with Hritik Roshan in the lead. I was devastated by the movie. Just couldn't relate to it. So I was a bit negative about "Barfi" knowing it was directed by Anurag Basu. Good reviews even by habitual Bollywood bashers gave me some confidence to watch it. It took me almost a week to write this review because the movie really took some time to sink in !

The story is narrated mostly by Barfi's [Ranbir Kapoor] one-time lover Shruti [Ileana D'Cruz] and by the Police officer played by Saurabh Shukla using multiple short flash-backs. It takes quite some time to settle down with the happenings. But it doesn't slack at any moment.

It is a story of a hearing and speech impaired Burfi [originally named Murphy] who falls in love with the beautiful Shruthi and then loses her due to the gulf of class between them. It also is the love story of Burfi and Jhilmil [Priyanka Chopra] an autistic heir to a huge wealth owned by her maternal grandfather.

Time and again Shruti fritters away opportunities to attain her love. But she is an inherently nice girl and helps Burfi to reach his elusive love. A lot happens through the 16 reels at break neck speed even though we feel the movie moves at a leisurely speed.

Anurag Basu plays to the gallery using some endearing tricks like the hand of sleight in the painting scene. He also uses extreme symbolism when Burfi's bicycle breaks with a wheel getting separated as we see Shruti leaves Darjeeling railway station.

Accused of kidnapping and murdering Jhilmil, how Burfi establishes his innocence and how we reach the climax has been beautifully established. Saurabh Shukla has given a stand out performance and so has the entire supporting cast that includes Rupa Ganguly.

Ileana D'Cruz is absolutely beautiful and has given her best performance to date as Shruti. Priyanka Chopra is super-efficient in a somewhat inadequately researched role of autistic Jhilmil. But let us all stand up and applaud the arrival of a truly magnificent actor in Indian cinema. He was quite cool and efficient in his earlier movies including "Raajneeti". But this performance by Ranbir Kapoor straightaway elevates him to the class of people like his own grandfather Raj Kapoor, Kamal Hasan and such all time greats.

The camera work, back ground music and other technical aspects are top notch. Anurag Basu definitely deserves all the kudos he has been heaped upon since 14 September. We leave with a pleasant smile on our lips because the movie spreads happiness like the protagonist who is happy at all costs in spite of all the deficiencies and misfortunes, without ever blaming anyone.

My Opinion: A must watch. Even those who don't like the way the story unfolds will not be able to resist the charms of Ranbir Kapoor. A truly special performance!

"Ozhimuri" : A Document of Resurrection !

A Document of Resurrection !

What did I feel while watching Madhupal's poignant "Ozhimuri". Even as I felt amazed by the story, Direction and fabulous performances by the star-cast, I actually felt sad. What was Shweta Menon doing all those years of her prime, acting in C-grade Hindi movies ? In the past 3 years or so, she has dazzled Malayalam cinema like very few people have and here she once again proves her versatility. 

"Ozhimuri" is the story of a 55 year old lady Meenakshi [Mallika], who files a petition for separation from her 71 year old husband while her son Sivan Pillai aka Sharat Chandra [Asif Ali] stands by her. The junior advocate Bala [Bhavana] fighting the case for the husband Thanupillai [Lal] tries to convince the teacher son to withdraw the case. 

The story is constructed with a series of flash backs narrated by either Sharat or Meenakshi interspersed with court room proceedings. There is realistic touch to the proceedings. The Kanyakumari background fits the story because of the Tamil - Malayalam cultural clashes becoming the subject of discussion in a subtle manner.

A movie unravels the story of a man shown as one who beats up his wife and son for no reason and is shown as cruel and heartless. The wife, who is seeking divorce or "Ozhimuri" never once blames him of being a bad man. She in fact admits he was a great father. The son, who openly hates the father gradually comes to realize his inner feelings for his father. In the process, love blossoms between advocate Bala and Sharat.

How the dominating Matriarch Kaalipillai, played with absolute elan by Shweta Menon becomes responsible for the entire happenings forms the crux of the story. One more feather in her cap. But the movie definitely belongs to Lal who plays the henpecked wrestler Sivan Pillai and his woman hating son Thanupillai and is a serious contender for a lot of awards this year. He is just magnificent in every single frame.

Mallika plays perfect foil in a landmark movie of her career. This role will be remembered for long. Bhavana excels as Bala and Asif Ali would be another contender for supporting role awards. Nandalal as Thanupillai's side-kick gives another splendid performance after "Spirit". 

There is light-hearted yet completely realistic reference to the traditions of the Nair society before and after the reforms. How most houses did have wife-beating husbands also is shown in a matter of fact revelation by Bala. Though the younger Bala advocates restraint and reconciliation, the older lady Meenakshy wants separation even after admitting her husband was not at all a bad man. 

The final realization of the reason for "Ozhimuri" comes across as a real clincher. We get to see a witch of a woman refusing to believe her son refused to see her when the Sun was setting on her. It shows us how a man who detested his mother all life breaks down after performing her last rites. 

There is a son scared of becoming like his father and his girlfriend who tells him that he is not different from his father and that there was nothing wrong with that. The domineering mother-in-law's affection for the naive and good at heart daughter-in-law is shown beautifully. And finally, it shows the daughter-in-law who always admired and respected the mother-in-law finally realizing her words, "A woman must never surrender her self-respect to a man".

This is one of the most outstanding stories told on celluloid in recent times and Madhupal has made a superb "document of resurrection". It resurrects the life of a father and a husband and a son and a wife. In the process, it also resurrects Malayalam cinema from "Mr. Marumakan" and "Cobra". A subject as complicated as 'Divorce' of an elderly couple is told in a real life manner with very little dramatization and the movie doesn't slack or bore at any time.

My Opinion: Those who don't understand Malayalam and the cultural ethos of Kerala may not relate to this movie. But every Malayalam movie lover MUST Watch this ! 

Raaz-3 : 3 Times Repulsive !

3 Dimensional Rubbish !

Let me begin with a truth about Bollywood Heroines of today. 
There are only 3 kinds of Girls in Hindi Cinema today.
1] Those who have been smooched by Emran Hashmi !
2] Those who have kissed Emran Hashmi !!
3] Those who have not acted with Emran Hashmi !!!

Raaz-3, Vikram Bhat's latest 3-Dimensional Horror movie is indeed a Horror ! It seldom scares, it horrifies the viewer with complete repulsiveness. Raaz-3 is a Ramsay meets Manmohan Desai meets Vikram Bhatt movie that comes 35 years too late. Let me go into the details about the story, screenplay, Direction and such fundamentals and let me tell why it is repulsive.

1] For God's Sake: Emran Hashmi buries an idol of Ganesha on orders from Bipasha Basu. He assists her in terrorizing Esha Gupta with black magic. Then he falls in love with the tortured Esha. He realizes his only chance of saving his love lies in exhuming the buried God. Out comes the God and we know the Hero can't lose now. Mr. Bhatt, this is 2012. Couldn't you find any other plot to scare us and then deliver us ? 

2] God's must be crazy: Esha has usurped the Hindi Cinema's Numero Uno position from Bipasha. And with that, all the major projects and awards. Bipasha takes revenge on her half-sister by subjecting her to a lot of torture. But her master-stroke turns out to be driving Esha crazy and forcing Esha to strip before a party full of filmy people and the media. All of a sudden, all the producers who were after Esha because Bipasha was a spent-force, come back to sign Bipasha. Is Indian cinema so bereft of Heroines ?

3] Godawful idea: Bipasha meets a ghastly looking exponent of black magic who tells her he is actually dead and Gods are not allowed in his world. He then helps her to wreck havoc on Esha and also the viewers. And then he invites her to do what a living woman does with a living man in what must be rated as one of the most repulsive scenes ever in any Cinema. 

Without ever watching one, I can say a Santhosh Pandit movie couldn't have been worse. Tying the soul of Esha with a chain in another world and Emran actually trying to break the chain and bringing her back with the help of a "White Magician" is unintentionally hilarious. 

There is a classic scene of a mouse releasing the curtains from a Ganesh Temple while Emran Hashmi is fighting the evil in the other world. This would have looked silly in 1970s in a Manmohan Desai movie but perhaps would have worked.

Emran, Bipasha, Esha and all others try their best to 'act'. But what can any actor do if the whole movie sucks like the corpse Bipasha agrees to make love to ? And to make matters worse, the 3 D effects get on our nerves during the completely unnecessary songs. 

Raaz-1 had fabulous music and it did work to a certain extent. Raaz-2 won mainly because of a decent scare-quotient. All the hot scenes, kissing, smooching, stripping and skin show won't be able to save this one ! Time for some "Soul-Searching" Mr. Bhatt, this is your worst to date !

My Opinion: After paying a hefty sum for the tickets and suffering this repulsive movie, I am three times angry and would put it as: Naa-Raaz-3 !

Run Baby Run: Slightly Premature Delivery !

This Baby Doesn't even walk !

Let me first state this, Joshiy's "Run Baby Run" with Mohan Lal and Amala Paul is a big hit already and my opinion isn't going to make any difference on the out come of the movie. Not even an ant bite. Yet I have to say, this one promises a lot in the beginning and delivers a slightly premature Baby in the end.

The plot is a give away from the beginning. It is "Grand Master" meets "Spirit" meets "Passenger" meets "Patram" plot where Mohan Lal alters between his characters in "Grand Master" and "Spirit" and the plot is "Passenger" and "Patram" combined together.

There is suspense, there are thrills, there is comedy, there is extremely competent acting by the entire cast and then there is one-upmanship between the villains played by Sai Kumar and Siddique and hero played by Mohan Lal. But there are gaping holes in the plot and that is where we come out with a lot of questions.

So what are my points ? Amala Paul on a comeback trail in Malayalam cinema plays Renuka, a brash, overbearing and almost arrogant senior reporter cum decision maker in a TV channel. She also tells the Hero she knows Kalari, which she never told him during their courtship earlier.

And then through most of second half she just stands and watches the hero bash up villains. Forget running, she doesn't even attempt to walk properly. Joshiy probably forgot his heroine was a firebrand and ends up glorifying the cameraman's role played by Mohan Lal. Amala Paul's character promises a lot and ends up being a side kick in the end. That proves one thing. Amala Paul may be a big star in Tamil but she isn't Manju Warrier.

The title too is misleading because forget the Baby, nobody ever runs in the movie. There are neither chases nor thrills but a lot of scheming and sting operations. To give credit where it is due, these scenes have been picturized pretty well and that is why the movie works in the final analysis.

There are some surprisingly glaring omissions in the movie. Most of the characters remain absolutely unchanged during the 5 years intermission; except Vijaya Raghavan who seems to suffer accelerated ageing. That was perhaps due to the stress of a petty case hoisted by an arrogant cameraman.

Biju Menon as Rishi comes across as confused because he doesn't know if he has to appear serious because of a failing channel or if he has to appear funny because he has a funny friend. But he pulls it off because he is such damn good actor.

Technically the movie is good and the song sung by Mohan Lal manages to please his fans. I doubt if we needed it in the movie. It would have been better if we were to have it shorter by about 10 minutes.

My Opinion: Overall, this Baby is definitely a bit premature but still manages to entertain and is a definite welcome for Malayalam cinema starved of a big hit. So be it !