Kaabil- Film Review

My view of this film is mixed, tending towards the "Don't watch" side. Why? Let me explain.

The plot of revenge for a misdeed has been done to death in a number of formula films in the seventies and eighties, with better actors- Dharmendra, Amitabh to name just two. Even though Hrithik is good, he pales in comparison. He is also handicapped by the script that makes him blind. And revenge is the worst way, in my view, to show the Kabiliyat (ability) of a blind person.

What could (with a better story/script) have been a heart-warming journey to discover the everyday travails of a lovely couple in love (the first fifteen minutes are actually good), overcoming their lack of eyesight, meanders into a formula film of impossible-to-believe stunts that stretch your credibility. Yami Gautam is mostly wasted in cliched stuff, unlike in her earlier films (I think Vicky Donor was one of them). Comparisons may be out of place, but a remake of Koshish would have been a much better idea. (Gulzar's Koshish was about a deaf-mute couple, amazingly done by Sanjeev Kumar and Jaya Bhaduri). Might have given Hrithik/Yami a role of a lifetime.


And the last word- on the music. If Rajesh Roshan, one of my favourite music composers (with films like Julie, Yaarana, Des Pardes, Baaton Baaton Mein), has to come down to rehashing his own tunes, the end of the world must be close.

Earth-shaking News

We all are governed by what happens around us, so we badly need to know-

How many shirts Salman Khan owns. And if he does own some, why is there a perpetual shortage?

Did Sonam Kapoor sneeze before her first shot for her new film?

How many hours Modi sleeps in a day.

What Jackie Chan plans to write in his Will.

How much Bill Gates earns.

How Anushka will react to RCB losing out.

What was the raise that all the CEOs of India's biggest companies got.

What the latest report says about the impact of wine consumption on our heart.

Whether Kangana sent emails on behalf of Hrithik or did he, on hers? Or was it that Wikileaks guy playing a prank on both?

Our next meal depends on it. For the tadka.

Agneepath- Review

It is difficult to believe- the script, I mean, if you bring logic into it. That an entire village is moronic enough not to figure out there is a motive behind framing the honest school-teacher. Anyway, if you keep logic aside for a moment, it's a reasonably taut film, mostly due to the larger than life, Gabbar Singh-like character created for Sanjay Dutt.

The characters are very well-etched, strong and believable. Om Puri, Priyanka, Sachin Khedekar (I think)and the lovely young kid sister of Hrithik, add to the storyline with good performances. Even Priyanka's mom and the dai who helps deliver the kid (she happens to be a relative of mine, incidentally) do well in their short roles.

Unbiased from not having watched the Bachchan version, I think it qualifies as a good movie of its type. Whether you like the type (revenge, a la Deewar, with Rishi Kapoor playing one of the dons), is what you need to figure out. Hrithik looks passionate, somewhat like Ranbir Kapoor in Rockstar, but underplays his part, convincingly. The last bit of the fight is a bit over-the-top generally, but I guess, meant for the masses.

Chikni Chameli- Katrina seems to have discovered the 'body language' that the 70s extras used so effectively. The Ganesh song is very energetic and nicely picturised.