GULLY BOY - The same recipe, replacing Sugar with Jaggery!

Yes, a recipe for a Zoya Akhtar film - Philosopher protagonist, a journey or a struggle story, Javedsaab's amazing poetry or analysis of life & the world, the rich people's lifestyle - the last one changed to filthy roads & slums of Dharavi keeping the rest intact...

The story is quite predictable from the trailer; Ranveer is a slumdog who aspires to be a successful Rapper and achieves it in the end. But how do you prove the success of a Rapper in India? Should he get his first album sponsored? Or a chance to sing in a Hindi film? But all that is done in other films so we show him being selected for the start of a concert by an International star, duh! 

The film seems to have the idea from Secret Superstar, the stage performances inspired from Rock On, Mumbai diary shots inspired from Dhobi Ghat and Dharavi from Bhoothnath returns & journey of a poor boy from Iqbal with the typical unsupportive & regressive father angle.

While watching you get a few highs and then again back to the lows with story diversions to stealing cars (Struggle story - check), Slum kids involved in drug smuggling (social message - check), Breakup with Alia & reuniting with a kiss (Romance angle - check) and the best thing coming in the climax - the song Apna Time Aayega (Last catharsis - check). Honestly, this one looks more for film festival appreciations & then some typical formulas applied to make it a hit commercially.

The plusses have Ranveer Singh at the top (Fir Cha gaya - Bhai hard hai), the song 'Apna time Aayega' & 'Azadi' for its lyrics (suno aur samjho) and the rap battle sequence by Ranveer in the audition. Storywise Alia's character could have been avoided & the audiences would only miss some added humour. A few people support Ranveer's character unconditionally (despite being competition) for no great reason which causes disinterest. Also, some of the raps & rap battles are annoying. The poverty, the misogyny, the struggle, the smooching scenes make you feel bored at times & saturated with repetitions.

Overall would say go only if you are a diehard Ranveer fan else watch it when it comes on Amazon Prime.

Verdict - 2.5** on 5

SIMMBA - Faith in big-budget films restored!

So I went to a theatre for a movie after missing a lot of mixed feelings, mixed review films released this year... the last one I saw was Stree in September. Going by my gut and having some faith in Ranveer Singh's performance, Rohit Shetty's action and Farhad Samji's dialogue writing, I chose this one. I expected it to be a cop film with a predictable plot... there are two types of these made in India, either a Singham where the cop is an honest guy or a Dabangg where a corrupt cop realizes his duties after a tragedy with a good citizen. Simmba is the latter one and we all know it from the trailer itself but it proves the worth and gives what it promises from the trailers unlike many other releases this year starting from Sanju which was a good fiction film and one of the most dishonest biopics ever, Race 3 a disaster from the start, TOH shocking the Indian audiences as they always saw Aamir Khan as the hero but never noticed the director Vijay Krishna Acharya (Director of Tashan & Dhoom 3, yes you go for the actor and then complain about the content & direction, your fault!), 2.0 for its content yet again and Padmavat which had a hype about having things very sensitive, controversial and defaming a certain culture and their history but turned out too bland with just grand sets and Ranveer as Khilji to be the highlight... we expected more from the big films but the makers believe they can sell anything and now the audiences have stopped buying it, don't trust me? Check the collections of Zero vis-a-vis its budget.

Coming back to Simmba, Sangram Bhalerao is one adorable character, you will love him when he is corrupt, you will love him when he is honest, you will just love him every time. The next character to watch for is the one of Ashutosh Rana, yet another brilliant actor giving his best with a really matured performance. Sara Ali Khan as Shagun is cute, adorable and promising enough to bag the best debut this year with whatever role she has, all the other actors are good and the characters are well-written having a reason to be in the film. 

But the film isn't just about the character and has a message, a different way to lead you to the climax of the story which was otherwise predictable and you shall be amazed by it. Aspects in the first half like why Shagun's father is being discussed as the encounter specialist, why Simmba meets Bhau's family and makes a bond, why he creates a bond with Rana's family and a few others actually give you a connect in the 2nd half which is the sign of a good film, isn't it?

The film is Rohit Shetty's best till date... crisp direction, no unnecessary cars blasted, minimal action scenes and logic in most of the sequences. The brand of Singham has been wisely used to entertain and Ajay Devgn's cameo rightfully gets whistles and claps in a multiplex too. The film looks like each scene was shot keeping in mind that it doesn't repeat what it may and not bore where it can. The rape scene, the girl's death scene and the courtroom scenes were carefully done to not look cliched nor prolonged nor bore the wise audiences. You get to see only what is needed and rest of the time is invested in something that's maiden for you to watch. Unlike many other big banners who failed this year Dharma production yet again finances a film that shall make money proving yet again to be the smartest in this business. The only drawback is the songs which could have been avoided like in every other Shetty's films, no relation to the story, dream sequences and no great music apart from 'Aankh Maare' remake. The movie would be the same without almost all of those.

Jumping from the technical aspects and the practical analysis, lets get to the key to reach the heart of the Indian audience, the emotional quotient is high, the film gives a lot of catharsis with those superb dialogues placed exactly where you want them, the justice and empathy for rape victims, the idea of teaching the criminals a lesson, the background music giving a high whenever played, the fights with full emotions, the exciting cameos and those witty one-liners!

Simmba wanting a salute, Simmba wanting to protect the girl, Simmba wanting Shagun to love her, Simmba wanting to fight the criminals, Simmba's fandom for Singham is all fun to watch.

So Ranveer Singh is rightfully the best actor this year sharing the space with Ayushmaan Khurana for his two hits and the other biggies got their lesson that you cannot make movies for yourself, it should be for the audiences... Simmba has nothing out of the worldly weird or as they term 'out of the box' hook for the audiences, be it like that but the film gives you what the audiences are struggling to get in other films - ENTERTAINMENT. In all, this film has action, comedy, drama, punches, dialoguebaazi, emotions, social message, woman empowerment, cameos of stars in full style and powerpack performances... I guess we call it a hit these days even to a film that gives half of this! 

Still thinking, go for it while this paisa vasool film is in a theatre near you, else don't complain that you wasted your money on a senseless Hindi film by watching any weird biopics or those fictional 'based on true events' film!

Ratings - 3.5*** out of 5

P.S. Ranveer, tu cha gaya yaar, Mindichblowing performance!

STREE - Faded fun with Leftout Logics!

I saw the trailer, I saw the hook and got hooked with the idea. It was something different at least, a horror comedy which didn't seem as vulgar as Great grand Masti or as empty as a Golmaal Again, here was a ghost, the conventional Indian Chudail with some scary appearance and set up in a small town where people have ghost stories to tell. A few young guys who are playful about the whole thing and one of them falls in love with a girl who might be the actual ghost. Looked very interesting to me but eventually, Stree doesn't turn out to be as entertaining as it was expected.

The humour element is good mostly when there is Rajkumar Rao, Aparshakti Khurana and the third friend but other characters would bore you. The least you expect from an illogical comedy is the punches that would entertain but they aren't crisp or witty enough to meet your expectation and the plot is totally predictable scene-wise for the audiences, unlike the dull-witted characters who are still waiting for things to happen.

The first half almost takes you nowhere with just the love story between Shraddha and Rajkumar & revealing a fact to Rajkumar at the interval point... A character so stupid to take that long to understand who she is because he is in love!

The second half is where you feel things will get better but it doesn't as the story of the ghost and her problem is the very typical story of any village ghost with logic flaws, 'two lovers were killed by the villagers but only the female spirit is roaming to have her suhaag raat' (Why?)

What does Stree do after kidnapping the men and throwing their clothes is unrevealed, how does one guy (Rajkumar's third friend) come back is not known, why is he sometimes human and sometimes behaving like a zombie (The Go Goa Gone remains as Raj & DK are the producers), why do the villagers live with such a guy who seems possessed occasionally (Don't know), why does Stree choose Rajkumar Rao despite him being nothing special (no logics please, he is the hero maybe that's why), why is Stree so dumb to read 'Kal aana' and go away (A ghost who takes instructions, the characters call her with low IQ themselves in scene), why do they believe a crazy looking old Vijay Raaz and follow his detailing about Stree to be true based on his book on Chanderi (Because they never bothered to be so logical anywhere yet)...

So the movie goes out with being subtly humorous & a few scary scenes (actually just a Stree flying towards the screen with a background music) but wait, if you need something to add value to the lame storyline, lets put some patriarchy and women empowerment message... (Duh!) The topic was somewhat unique only if there was thorough detailing to the aspects which were touched upon & further left unattended. The climax gives you a twist which yet again isn't very appealing and could have been something more meaningful. It seems that the Writers and the Director are probably lazy to explore or research and just want to make a movie that mints some money.

The positives of the film would be a few performances, Rajkumar Rao yet again proving his talent, so does Aparshakti Khurana and Shraddha Kapoor doing it nicely. Shraddha even breaks her Girl-next-door feel and looks stunning playing her role gracefully. Pankaj Tripathi trying hard to be the noteworthy funny character but doesn't succeed fully (Writers to be blamed more in defining his character traits). You might also like one or two songs and can laugh at a few scenes if you watch it keeping the logic away.

Overall won't recommend this one, watch it for free when it releases online on Prime or Netflix or Hotstar or on its great World Television Premiere.

Ratings - 2** on 5

P.S. I probably missed the song video of 'Aao Kabhi haveli Pe' if it was in the beginning as I reached late owing to my bad habit or else it wasn't included which was yet again a negative. At least end credits mein gaana to tpwala daal dete!

SANJU - Few emotions, More disappointments!

Indeed a film you would want to watch by the trailer, why not? Rajkumar Hirani is the director (favourite director of many), Ranbir Kapoor is the hero (a really good actor), it is a biopic (trending these days), want more?? It is a biopic about one of the closest to the director-producer duo, more of the Vidhu Vinod Chopra camp's family member, Sanjay Dutt... But one big thing which every biopic or 'based on true event' movies fail is the honesty, the honesty towards the audience saying 'Yes this was just the trailer, come and watch the complete truth in detail'. Sadly Hirani failed in doing so to a great extent. It is a riskier project to make a biopic on an actor everyone has seen in so many films and having another actor mimic him and his body language, unlike a biopic where we haven't seen the person ever and Hirani fails to do justice with that. We need not compare this film to his previous films at all as he loses his best touch of giving you that smile on your face with a cuteness overloaded situation in every alternate scene. Here come the major negatives...

The film has quite a few emotional moments, Hirani edits the film himself and is experimental on the story timeline, but that doesn't really help to what is missing when you watch a biopic on a Bollywood actor. It really seems like a film made to justify Dutt's wrongdoings by showing him a naive person and blame the game on media. We agree that the media actually misuse the power to express and ruins image of the innocents for its masala breaking news but surely the justifications are difficult to gulp down here. 

The main story can be simply divided into two parts, the first half shows his journey from becoming a drug addict and struggling out of it and the second one is to justify his AK56 gun case. The problem is you promised 'one man, many lives', you gave trailer saying 'Ab tak 308 ladkiyaan tak yaad hai', you show him getting late for shooting in the trailer while you deliver a story of a single man with a single life who goes in and out of jail, you did not show his affairs with his leading ladies and it's impact on his personal or professional life, you did not show how he is on his shooting sets, how he landed up those movies like Vidhaata, Naam, Saajan, Khalnayak, Vaastav, Kaante which took his career up, his director friends Sanjay Gupta and Mahesh Manjerakar have nothing in the story, his production house White Feather films isn't mentioned, forget affairs there isn't mention about his previous wives, his daughter and the list goes on...

It would have been more pleasing had there been spots showing which movie was he working on when the other things happen in his personal life rather than changing his hairstyle & body size and leaving the audiences to guess which era was that part happening in his life. The buzz of characters like Salman Khan, Kumar Gaurav and Madhuri Dixit being in the film is a lie, you will be disappointed that no Bollywood actor or director is even touched in his life story. Repetitive ideas of writing a book on the central character and using the Radio as a medium to entertain doesn't help as it did in PK & Lage Raho Munnabhai. Most songs do not add to the entertainment quotient as well.

Having said all that, the film has a few positives in its name. The major part that hits you emotionally is his love for his mother Nargis, his bond with his father which is portrayed really well and a best friend making your eyes wet in a few scenes. The performance by RK is great (not his best till date but nicely done for this challenge of playing another actor and mimicking him), Paresh Rawal & Manisha Koirala are good. For the heroines, Sonam needs to improve a lot, Anushka disappoints with just nothing great while Dia Mirza has given her best with whatever she had. A special mention... not to Jim Sarbh but to Vicky Kaushal who is just fantastic with his performance as the best friend, one of the best-supporting actors we have had this year. The song 'Kar Har Maidan Fateh' is the soul of the first half, Rahman and Irshal Kamil did it again while other songs are a disappointment.

Overall this movie is made to clear Sanju's image with whatsoever means possible and mint money from yet another Biopic before it starts failing at the BO (many smaller ones have though). You can go for it once if you are a Ranbir Fan, a Sanju fan or a Raju Hirani fan will get disappointed if he expects more seeing the trailer.

Verdict - 2.5 out of 5

KAABIL - A one time watch!

Kaabil is somewhat Kaabil-e-tareef for some inspiring moments but not throughout. The movie has an average storyline which goes exactly as per the theatrical. There are hardly any surprising moments and the next move is quite predictable till the end. Also, it has a bit slow pace and quite simplistic sequences for a movie to be released in today's time.

Apart from that, the movie has too many plus points and empathising characters of Hrithik and Yami. The two as a couple are adorable and the cuteness of two visually impaired smart and nice people is very well picturized. The songs are melodious and with no silly lyrics or catchy words. The title track, Kuch din, Saara Zamaana and Mon Amour are fun and add value to the entertainment quotient. The dance in Mon Amour is worth watching with two amazing dancers struggling to coordinate owing to their incapability to see and yet enjoying it. Kudos to the choreographer along with Hrithik & Yami for doing this tough dance with so much conviction and making it believable.

Also, the movie somewhere makes an attempt to break the myths about visually impaired people which Bollywood has created over the years in viewers minds. the characters are independent and quite willfully accept their inabilities yet finding ways to manage very positively, unlike other movies where audiences are probed to sympathise with the poor blind characters.

About the performances, one of the best by Hrithik as well as Yami. Ronit Roy meets up the expectations totally with his dialects of a Maharashtrian politician. Hrithik is one watchable person in every frame and adds value to the film.

The first half is cute yet slow and you wait for the next thing to happen at times. However, the movie manages to engage the audience in the second part with the revenge which makes it worth watching once. Director Sanjay Gupta makes a fairly okay attempt after Jazbaa and at least maintains logic unlike many movies in today's time. Overall it was good but could have been much better with the novelty of the idea which was unexplored and some more twist and turns in the plot...

If you are a Hrithik Fan or if you find the trailers appealing you won't be disappointed.

Verdict- 2.5 on 5

DEAR ZINDAGI - A soft heart touching one time watch!

We have a superstar, a good heroine and a strong script.. so we need not shoot in London or New York or any exotic locations, Mumbai and Goa are just fine!

The movie is a feel good film and also an inspirational one for those who have emotional problems in life with solutions for all. We have the perfect characterisation of Alia as the confused commitment-phobic girl of today's time and SRK as the matured and quick-witted psychologist who is professional yet emotional, a couple of Alia's friends who are fun to watch and stereotypical Indian parents who have performed just satisfactorily. A couple of cameos as well which fit in well with the storyline. The film goes on a slow pace throughout which is weak point of the film especially until you see SRK entering. Also, the music is avoidable apart from one or two good numbers. In addition to it, a few product promotions like eBay and Gionee streched to emphasize.

Despite the slow pace, the story is engaging and presentation is pretty good to watch. The highlight is the conversations of Alia and SRK (therapy sessions as they called it) which could have been the weakest if not written and directed well. Gauri Shinde has done a good job to present them so well with some simple and not so filmy yet amazing dialogues to SRK which makes you wanting to see more of such sequences till the end. For the performances, Alia meets the expectation and SRK is the star of the film playing this difficult and not so starry character with so much ease and charm, he has yet another commendable and unexpected performance after ChakDe India and Don. The thoughts about life and explanations of how simple life can be (like the example of buying a chair or expressing love and happiness) are expressed with clarity and conviction.

Indeed this one is a one time watch for all, especially for the emotional ones.

Verdict - 3 on 5

AE DIL HAI MUSHKIL - The NRI friendzoned Generation...

Who is the Director? KJo and the cast? Ranbir , Anushka and Aishwarya, sounds great right! How I wish could say the same for the movie. The movie involves an immature one sided lover boy and a defensive convenience playing girl with her trump card of friendship... We have a dialogue saying 'Tum meri duniya ho, mera khandaan ho , sab kuch tum hi ho Par mere Aashiq nahi ban sakte aur main tumse jhut nahi bolungi'. Yes, you read that right!

The 1st half is all about the craziness of two young people trying to be fun but doesn't make you laugh for long. We have a Lisa Haydon as a lusty Bimbo (Girls are smart these days KJo, create some better characters for fun) and the cheesiest dialogues of all times which attempts to be a treat for Bollywood fans and reminds you of epic blockbusters which only include Dharma Productions and Yashraj Banner movies (Kuch Kuch hota hai, Kal ho na ho , chandni ,etc.) Those scenes were bearable only because Ranbir and Anushka acted pretty well despite of those cheesy dialogues. Plus we do not see any originality in the situations, some would remind you of Dharma banner movies,while somewhere seems to be inspired from Rockstar and other Imtiaz Ali movies. 

And before you thought you are depressed with the first half wait for the second. Here we have a gorgeous looking Aishwarya who is apparently a Shayar (Shayara the female of it) and that is visible from her dialogues. Come on you don't talk to a layman in Shayaris and Riddles even if you are in such a profession. Here is a world of NRIs who are filthy rich, no passion to be career-oriented, blessed with great talent... that reminds SRK in a cameo, a great painter who is depressed with his one-sided love for his ex-wife, the scene gives you a glimpse of Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna Returns. And you have a climax which is different, shocking and pathetically disappointing to watch. You start waiting for the movie to end. 

The good part is the performances by all the three actors. Hats off to Ranbir and Anushka for carrying it well so that we could sit and watch it till the end. The heartbroken madly in love type of Hero has only three good names in Bollywood currently - SRK, Ranveer Singh and 'Ranbir Kapoor'. They can make you believe that the character is in extreme pain of love be it any weak script as well. Aishwarya has very few scenes than Anushka which seemed the reverse from the promos. Fawad Khan had hardly anything and his major role was the controversy which gave a boost to the movie publicity. The best part of the movie is the music... We have the title track, Bulleya and Channa Mereya which are the soul of this film. The bestest Music, singing and best lyrics for this year I must say. Indeed you have an unnecessary party song and a punjabi wedding song with a Haldi sequence in a Muslim wedding (Misdirection is ok if its a KJo movie but these elements are necessary for business). 

Overall would say good performances, good music, cheesy dialogues, a weak script and bad direction makes it avoidable. 

Rating - Two stars **