Movie Review - Singham Returns

The Lion is back with a bang

DIRECTOR: ROHIT SHETTY

GENRE: ACTION, DRAMA

STARRING: AJAY DEVGN, KAREENA KAPOOR KHAN, ANUPAM KHER, AMOLE GUPTE, ZAKIR HUSSAIN, DAYANAND SHETTY, MAHESH MANJREKAR

FINAL VERDICT: ***1/2

“Aata Maajhi Satakli”!

These are surely the new ‘three magical words’ which will be on everyone’s lips courtesy Singham Returns. Singham, which released in 2011 couldn’t have got a better sequel. A successful movie franchise is said to be the one, when the sequel is a better offering than the original film. I’m glad to say that Singham is indeed a successful franchise.  Singham Returns is a notch ahead than its predecessor in terms of storytelling and the screenplay. The story of Singham Returns is much more intense as compared to the first film in the franchise.

The story is now set in Mumbai, and Bajirao Singham (Devgn) is the DCP (Transferred for no reason from his previous post it seems.) And two minutes into the movie, we have Singham dominating the scene and passing on a lecture of philosophy to a bunch of dim-witted youngsters. The first half revolves around black money and the views of Guruji (Kher) on the same. Guruji is shown as the modern day Gandhi who meets a similar fate as the latter. Ironically, Guruji is also Singham’s mentor and role model. The crux of the plot is about how Singham and his team nab the culprits and try to cleanse the society from such parasites.

Amole Gupte’s character as the self proclaimed Baba is a cocktail of the so called “spiritual and religious leaders” of India. In one of the scenes it is evident, that the doings of a certain BAPU are shown (Pun intended). Nonetheless, Gupte is entertaining to say the least and he deserves accolades for his role. Zakir Hussain plays Gupte’s crime partner, and Hussain too is great like Gupte.  

But our man is BAJIRAO SINGHAM!!! Ajay Devgn isn’t often seen in films. But when he does one, he makes it a memorable one, that’s a certainty. (Himmatwala included in the list)! Singham Returns is no exception and Devgn gives his best. And when an actor of Ajay Devgn’s caliber gives his best, the movie is bound to be sensational. The energy and positivity can be felt in Devgn’s dialogue delivery. With this stellar performance from Devgn, he has sent a clear cut message to B Town movie lovers. “Don’t you dare think that I’m out of the race for the most bankable actor!”

Kareena plays Avni, an outspoken girl, and is awfully loud throughout the movie.  She acts in the same way she did in Golmaal 3. The character traits are similar as well. Blabbering before thinking is one such common trait. Overally, Kareena is OK and she does moderately well in the limited screen time she gets.  Any other actress could have done this role but she outclasses Kajal Agarwal, who was ‘not that great’ in Singham.

Along with Devgn, the spine of this movie is Rohit Shetty. Shetty’s purple patch and Midas touch is present this time around as well. His direction is razor sharp and to the point. Directors like Shetty can make lame and dreary stuff look profusely entertaining. The direction is accompanied by catchy dialogues and an ideal screenplay. Both the halves of the movie are equally eye- catching and not even a second of this film seems to be stretched.

Another radiant aspect about Shetty’s film making is that he gives a lot of attention to the locations. His previous outing Chennai Express was an example of the same. This time too he has done the same and has made Mumbai look simply beautiful.

As a whole, the movie is a mass entertainer and sends a strong message for the youth of this nation. On a personal note, the announcement of a third film in the Singham franchise would really excite me.

Movie Review - Kick

A Tasty MASALA Dish

DIRECTOR: SAJID NADIADWALA

GENRE: DRAMA/ACTION/THRILLER

STARRING: SALMAN KHAN, JACQUELINE FERNANDEZ, RANDEEP HOODA, NAWAZUDDIN SIDDIQUI, MITHUN, SAURABH SHUKLA

FINAL VERDICT: ***

DABANGG

READY

DABANGG 2

KICK

The above mentioned films starring our very own Bhai are the one’s which are a part of my personal ‘First Day First Show’ Club. After spending approximately three hours in the cinema, I am glad to say that Kick, like the predecessors of my club, is indeed equally entertaining, if not more. Frankly speaking, after watching the first trailer of Kick, my perception of the movie was that of a genuine action-thriller. But Bhai being Bhai, he made Kick look like just another Bollywood action film. Still, it was surely worth the watch.

The title of the movie perplexed me greatly before the release, and finally after watching, I was able to comprehend the exact meaning of it. Kick refers to the ‘thrill’ which DeviLal (Salman) wants to undergo and relish. Needless to say, he puts the lives of several people in jeopardy for that. Its while experiencing one of his Kicks, where he comes across Shaina (Fernandez). Like they say in Bollywood:

A guy and a girl meet. (Though the guy may look atleast 20 years elder to her)

They annoy each other

They eventually fall in love

Their families finally make a mess of their love

Kick is no exception, and the above mentioned cycle is a chunk of the first half. The movie seems like a typical Salman film for the first 30 odd minutes, until the character of the Devil is unleashed. To eradicate the act’s of Devil, Himanshu (Hooda), a young and dynamic cop is assigned the case. What follows ahead, is like a typical B Town film, but the motive behind the acts of the Devil is really heart-melting. In the due course, several characters are shown. Saurabh Shukla, who plays Jacqueline’s father is there for a limited period, but entertains greatly.

The weirdest but the most entertaining character is that of Siddiqui, who is the Home Minister’s nephew. Siddiqui is one hell of an actor. Give him any role. Tough or easy. He will oblige you by effortlessly portraying it. Be it the sadistic Faizal Khan in Gangs Of Wasseypur, or the compassionate Shaikh in The Lunchbox; Nawaz is always at ease. This is Nawaz’s first try in a semi-comic role and he has indeed done justice to the role. In fact, his acting is the aspect which stands out in the film.

Apart from Nawaz, Hooda too has played his part with ease and grace. Playing an aggressive cop and a shy silly-romantic guy in one go will put several actors under stress. But mind you! Hooda is not of them. Randeep succeeds in playing the role of Himanshu with ease and leaves a positive impact in the heart's of the viewers. The lesser said about Bhai’s acting, the better. Bhai is Bhai in almost every film. Only in the emotional sequences, we see a different shade of Salman, which is of course a rare sight. Fernandez’s role isn’t worth bragging about. But she too does well in the limited screen time that she gets.  Her portrayal of the chicken-hearted  Shaina is a welcome sight and it’s a pleasure to watch her. She is one of those rare actresses who do not annoy the common cinema lover.  

The music and the soundtrack of the film by Himesh Reshammiya remains one of the strengths of the film. The track ‘Yaar Na Miley’ by Yo Yo Honey Singh (India’s best contender for a Grammy! Enough said) stands out and gets you grooving. Singh’s voice perfectly suits Salman and the so called rap by him is thereby pleasing to hear. The only aspect lacking is that of a better dancer in Singh’s track. Nargis Fakhri is strictly OK as a dancer. There are better dancers than her around! That’s for sure!

The locations shot are a massive asset to the film. The camera work and the cinematography department deserve a special mention for their excellent work. The photography done makes the film more pleasing to watch. Warsaw has been beautifully depicted and shot to say the least.

The one shortfall which remains though is that of the film diverting too much from the plot of the Devil. Rather than showing the typical lame Bollywood stuff, the director could have concentrated more on Devil’s character and his activities, which were galvanizing to watch. One would expect Mr.Sajid Nadiadwala, a man with more than 25 years of experience in cinema to direct more efficiently, but sadly that is not the case. Its an honest attempt at directing nonetheless.

Kick is a must watch for all Bhai fans, who genuinely feel that Bhai can do anything. For rational cinema lovers, it’s a one time watch flick!

Movie Review- Holiday – A Soldier Is Never Off Duty

Worth the Holiday

DIRECTOR:  A.R. MURUGADOSS

GENRE: ACTION, THRILLER

STARRING: AKSHAY KUMAR, SONAKSHI SINHA, SUMEET RAGHAVAN, FREDDY DARUWALA, ZAKIR HUSSAIN

FINAL VERDICT: ***1/2

Before leaving for the movie last night, I visualized Holiday being nothing more than a movie filled with dim-witted stunts and some cheesy dialogues. To my utter surprise, Holiday was far better from what I had expected.  After giving some forgettable performances in movies like Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobara and Boss, Akshay Kumar is back with a bang. Writing him off after a couple of poorly made movies is nothing but defying common sense. A similar situation had occurred over a year ago, when the so called ‘critics’ had advised Kumar to retire from acting. But then he gave a stellar performance in Special 26, which made his critics look like mere dummies.  And now, its Holiday, which makes him stamp his authority over B-Town.

Akshay Kumar plays Virat Bakshi, an officer from the Indian Army, and more importantly, a secret agent of the DIA. During his holiday, he eventually falls in love with Saiba (Sinha), a boxer, cum volleyball player cum tennis player cum athlete. Too many sports aren’t they? Well, that’s what is shown in the movie.  After all, it is a Bollywood movie, and mind you, expect the unexpected! The plot revolves around the concept of sleeper cells, being operated by the nameless Daruwala. How Kumar uses his analytical approach and physical strength to save the city from devastation forms the crux of the plot.

Kumar as Virat Bakshi is simply phenomenal and completely steals the show as a Secret Agent. His acting skills were never under the scanner, nor will they be after this movie. As a viewer, its really pleasing to see Kumar doing some breath taking stunts with utmost ease. Not just his stunts but the analytical conducts which he uses in foiling terror plots too are a delight to watch. The role of Virat Bakshi was tailor made for Kumar, who seems just like a real life Army Officer.

It is famously said that the marriage of Bollywood films with perfection is rare. Holiday is a perfect instance of the above statement. Despite being profusely entertaining and riveting, Holiday has a few shortfalls which the audience has to deal with. On numerous occasions, as the movie transcends deep into the appealing plot of sleeper cells, there is Sinha’s character which pops up and ruins the thrill. In one particular scene, as Kumar is about to reveal about a sleeper cell’s agenda, we have a romantic song coming out of nowhere and making a mess of the thrill. Sinha as Saiba is strictly ‘OK’ and reducing her screen time would have made the film spicier.

Sinha, like an annoying fly in the ointment tries to bring in the glam factor, but fails miserably. Barring Lootera, Sonakshi has acted in the same manner in all her films. This sometimes makes me wonder that is Sinha incapable of having some variety in her acting? If not her acting, then its her choice of roles, which makes her an easy target for the critics. Freddy as the nameless antagonist is moderately good, but Vidyut Jamwal as the villain might have been a much better choice. Freddy might well be just a ‘one-movie-bloke’, unless the Bhatt camp makes him a superstar out of nowhere! (Pun intended) Sumeet Raghavan as Virat’s childhood pal efficiently supports Kumar in a majority of the scenes, and he hardly gives critics a chance to bash him.

The music department deserves a tick in its box. The track ‘Ashq Na Ho’ by Arjit Singh dedicated to the ultimate heroes of the Nation, the Army men, melts the hearts of the viewers. ‘Blame the Night’ is another peppy disco number which is a job well done.  The direction of AR Murugadoss remains a plus point for the film. The message conveyed through the movie is meant to glorify the Indian Army and the sacrifices endured by the soldiers. This message is clear and creates a vivid impression into the mind’s of the audience.

Despite having a few flaws, Holiday is a well made movie which utterly thrills the viewers and mesmerizes them with sheer ease. This movie is a must watch family entertainer and a complete ‘paisa vasool’.