Mohandas – A Man Lost in his Own Nation

“Fake lives are real and the real does not even exist.”

I heard about the movie Mohandas a few months back. I searched on Youtube and after playing with the keywords for a while, finally found the trailer. I was interested as I loved Mazhar Kamran’s work in Satya. After finding the trailer interesting, I kept waiting to hear more about the movie from someone on PFC. Sadly, no one recommended. Nor did anyone talk about the movie. Last week I came to know the movie is releasing on 4^th September. I was worried whether the movie will release in Bangalore or not. Thankfully it did. It is running 2 shows in entire Bangalore. Talk about fate of Hindi indie films in India!

The film tells the story of Mohandas, a brilliant student despite economic backwardness and how his life turns topsy-turvy when he finds out someone impersonified him and is working in the coal mines instead of him. His story is then sent to a news channel based in Delhi and how a journalist tries to uncover the truth.

Mohandas revives the cinema of the late 70s and early 80s when movies talked about social inequities and had something to say. It looks really different than the rest of the Hindi movies just because of the landscape. The barren lands, the coal mines, the dust, the poverty all adds up to create an atmosphere of frustration just like the protagonist is experiencing.

There is a scene in the movie when Mohandas says, “Woh kagaz kahan se laoon, jo yeh baat bataae, ki main hi main hoon." And then you see the despair in his eyes and the camera shifts to the all the other characters present there and no one has an answer. That makes the movie scary and very topical. Identity theft is a very serious issue in the internet age and several instances have been found. The movie which talks about it is located in a village in Madhya Pradesh which probably does not have electricity.

The beauty of the film lies in its story. Here there is a movie which has a story to tell. You get deeply engrossed into the movie as it progresses. It is like slow burn. As the movie progresses, one feels the frustration, anger, despair of the protagonist. The rustic color palette that the movie uses due to the real locations is so different than the regular Hindi movies we see, that it becomes a character of its own.

The characterization in the movie is also very realistic. We see a lot of people with gray shades for a change. There is a local journalist who is interested in Mohandas’ case as it might help him get a break into national television. Although the local people talks about Mohandas’ case, no one is interested to really help him out.

Towards the end of the film, after the verdict is given, the cast breaks into song and dance mode. It kind of comes out of place in context of the movie and I was wondering why on earth the director added this. Thankfully the movie does not end there and the reality prevails. The movie ends brilliantly. It feels like a tight slap on the face. Although it might feel pessimistic, it is actually closer to reality.

Coming to technicalities, the cinematography is really good. But we expect that from Mazhar Kamran. There were two instances where it went out of focus, but I think it was the flaw of the projection. The background score (and sometimes the lack of it) adds to the mood of the movie. Since real locations have been used, it looks very believable. However, one scene at the beginning of the movie which shows Sonali Kulkarni’s apartment is very unrealistic. How come she, a journalist live in such a posh apartment? Even if she does, the color choices of the interior decor are cringe worthy. There are instances in the first half where the pace slackens and probably needs a little bit of editing. The flaskback of Mohandas’ childhood is very clichéd. Similar scenes of poor child shining in school have been shown umpteenth times.

Coming to performances, Mohandas has an ensemble cast. Nakul Vaid underplays the role beautifully. His eyes do show the pain. Sonali Kulkarni is good. Aditya Shrivastav as always is brilliant. Uttam Halder, someone I never saw before is really good as the local journalist. Govind Namdeo, Sushant Singh and Akhilendra Mishra are competent. Sharbani Mukherjee falters to some extent. I thought she didn’t look the part. Also the way she speaks is unconvincing.

Mohandas is a rare Hindi movie which dares to speak something different. It is an independent movie in the true sense. It makes a very strong socio-political statement of the current times.

It is flawed. But then flawed brilliance is still brilliant, right?

Post Script:

One noted film critic (or not) while reviewing Mohandas has said, “…not all stories have the potential to be adapted for the big screen. Mohandas suffers due to this reason.”

There were 7 people in the theater other than me. Except for one guy, I don’t think anyone was even remotely interested in watching the movie. I could overhear popcorn discussions frequently.

While coming out there was huge rush as Fox also finished next door. The discussions were detailed analysis of the northern and southern hemisphere of Udita Goswami and what cars Arjun Rampal drove. Within moments of coming out of the theater, it felt like another India.

Wake Up!

Shattered Dreams

Secluded for ages
Don't know what to do
Life's been an abusive pain

Traveled the dark alleys of drugs
Thought they will provide sunshine
Instead took me to another cosmos
So brutal; Left me battered

Self mutilation was the only way out
Looked around for inspiration
Found it; Two slices on the wrist
A surging pain of relief

Quarter of a life flashed
Thought will see only nightmares
Wait! The images I recall are of joy
Is this what life has been?

Confused. Why now?
Do I want a second chance?
But it's too late
All I see is darkness ahead

Eyes open. I see blood all around
I am cowardice personified
Never tried hard for anything in life
Yet complained, "Amores Perros"

Wake Up!
It's never too late
Wake Up!
Redemption tastes good, always

Antaheen – Longing For Love

http://passionforcinema.com/antaheen-%E2%80%93-the-longs-for-love/

‘Antaheen’ is a collage of love stories, without saying the most abused phrase in Hindi (or Indian) cinema ‘I love you’ even once. Perhaps that is why I identified with it so much. The love shown here seems real, one that can happen in our lives and change them forever. Love comes in many different ways at various points of the lives of the characters in ‘Antaheen’. Love is watching Kolkata in the rains, a de-familiarized landscape. Love is Persian poet Rumi’s love poem written on the glass divider and rain drops falling on it. Love is talking about a kite trapped in an antenna. Love is also patiently waiting for the phone to ring so that one can hear the voice of the unknown caller. Love is also a phone call to one’s separated wife and requesting her if he can come over and stay with her for a few days just to feel that emotional attachment and the sense of belonging. Love is also a nod from a busy and indifferent businessman to his servant to give his wife medicine, when she suffers from migraine.

Moments like these make ‘Antaheen’. It is in all these fragments that we understand the totality of love in this film.

I enjoy discussing the craft of the movie more than the story line or the entertainment quotient. ‘Antaheen’ gives ample opportunity to do that. Let’s start with cinematography. Abhik Mukhopadhyay, I believe, is currently the best cinematographer in India. His work in ‘Bhalo Theko’ is a testament to that statement. I think he outperforms himself in ‘Antaheen’. Kolkata has never looked so up-market, chic and romantic. The sky scrapers, view of the city from the high rises, roads and traffic jam amidst rain, clouds, indoors all add up to give Kolkata a new look for viewers. The songs are wonderfully shot and for once the lyrics and the shots merge perfectly.

The editing compliments the cinematography perfectly. There are frames where the camera lingers on for couple of seconds more before its transition to the next scene which makes them extra special. The pace is slow. But that is ideal for a movie like this. It is almost a contrast to the fast paced urban life in the movie. I think the slow pacing is deliberate to bring out the pathos of loneliness in the middle of urbanity.

The soundtrack of ‘Antaheen’ is the best Bengali soundtrack I have heard this entire decade (or more). The songs with their picturization are special, especially ‘Jao Pakhi’. Also, the songs merge into the narrative very smoothly.

Aniruddha Roychowdhury’s direction deserves merit. He previously made ‘Anuranan’ (Resonance), a film that dealt with urban relationships. Although I liked that film, somewhere down the line I felt it was a little hurried, especially at the end. In ‘Antaheen’ he gets it right. It ends hitting the perfect note. There are many sub-plots in the movie and he handles most of them brilliantly. ‘Antaheen’ is very emotional movie and to sustain the emotional quotient till the very end is commendable. He also extracts great performances from the cast especially the newcomers.

Talking about performances, Antaheen has a stellar star cast with performers like Aparna Sen, Sharmila Tagore and Rahul Bose. There are also two debutants, Radhika Apte and Kalyan Roy. Let’s talk about the debutants first. Both Radhika Apte and Kalyan Roy are phenomenal. They are so good that one forgets about Aparna Sen and Rahul Bose although they have similar screen time as the debutants. Radhika Apte’s eyes speak a thousand words. Her performance is one of the most spontaneous performances in recent times. Kalyan Roy as the laidback, separated husband who loves books, foreign wines and Sensex is equally brilliant. It is the star performers who falter to an extent. Rahul Bose is his usual self. Also, his one dimensional character didn’t help. Aparna Sen on the other hand has an interesting role. I don’t think she played a corporate lady before. It's a new look for her too. Yet, she looks a tad tired with her performance. Sharmila Tagore is wasted in a small role. Except one scene where she talks about her story, all she does is bring Jasmine tea.

The biggest flaw of the movie is the endorsements which keep coming in almost every frame of the movie like a pop-up. It becomes an irritant and makes some scenes a laughing stock. Also certain scenes went a little overboard and became melodramatic. Rahul Bose quoting Jim Morrison in a hostage situation is hard to digest.

The movie becomes the journey of all the characters on a self discovery trip and long for love. Some end alone, some together. But the longing remains.

Great Soundtracks……Terrible Movies

The most common allegation about the Hindi film industry that people make is that its worst phase was from mid 1980s till the mid 1990s. Movies released during the late 1980s are in most people’s “Torture Series”. However, there are a lot of movies which had really exceptional music even though the movies were terrible.

Being born in 1981, the late 80s are almost a blurred memory. The only thing I remember is we used have a monthly movie time when dad used to hire a VCR and we were let to watch movies. That was the good part. The bad part was that out of 10 movies shown, 8 were Bengali movies of Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen. Not that they weren’t great. They were and still are. But, we had seen them so many times that we got bored of them. Also, I don’t think anyone below 10 would really be interested watch those movies. What we (we being my cousin brother and I) waited eagerly was when were shown the non-Bengali stuff. It used to be mainly Chaplin/Laurel-Hardy/Tom and Jerry or the live action comic book movies like Superman/Batman etc… Once in while we were let to watch Hindi movies.

Even then I was too young to understand most Hindi movies. But, what I used to like about them is their soundtrack. Later in my late teens, I revisited most movies by getting their VHS tapes or VCDs. And most movies were indeed shocking.

Jeeva – 1986 – Raj Sippy – RD Burman – Sanjay Dutt/Mandakini

My most favorite song from the 1980s is ‘Roz Roz Aankhon Tale’.

I don’t remember anything about the movie from childhood other than loving the song. Later when I watched it again I almost felt like throwing up when that song played. Why? No offense but when I saw Mandakini lip syncing it, it was way too much for me to digest. Add to that the horrible movie. Did all the movies made that time had to be ‘Gaon ka chora’ returning as a dacait to take revenge? Well, what more can we expect from the famous Raj Sippy – creator of such wonderful movies as Loha (1987), Shehzaade (1989), Saugandh (1991), Mr. Bond (1992), Ikke Pe Ikka (1994), Paandav (1995) among others. The only film I remember liking is ‘Satte Pe Satta’. But, to his credit most his films did pretty well at the box office.

Jaanbaaz – 1986 – Feroz Khan – Kalyanji Anandji – Anil Kapoor/Feroz Khan/Dimple/Rekha

A film which had songs like “Pyaar Do Pyaar Lo”…“Har Kisi Ko Nahi Milta”…“Jaane Jana” among others.

I don’t even want to comment on the film as I had no idea what was going on. For me watching Rekha performing to ‘Pyaar Do Pyaar Lo’ with a group of dancers who seemed to be doing some kind of S&M on stage was painful enough.

I however loved watching Sridevi wearing chiffon sarees and dancing to ‘Har Kisi Ko’.

Vijay – 1988 – Yash Chopra – Shiv Hari – Rishi Kapoor/Anil Kapoor/Meenakshi/Kimi

One of the poorer works of Yash Chopra (but infinitely better than ‘Faasle’). But the movie had a pretty decent soundtrack. Songs like “Badal Pe Chalke Aa”…“Zindagi Har Janam”…“Meri Aankhen Hai” were moderate hits then.

The movie was like the song picturization itself. Watching Kimi Katkar in a Yash Chopra movie itself is a shock. Add to that Kimi’s dress and suddenly around 1:14 into the song Anil and Meenakshi pops out from nowhere. Damn scary!

Goonj – 1989 – Jalal Agha – Biddu – Kumar Gaurav/Juhi Chawla

I remember watching this movie when I was really young. The only thing I remember is the song “Saama Yeh Suhana”. It’s one of my favorite songs. The movie however definitely isn’t.

Everytime I watch the song, I cringe at the expression of the actor from 0.40 - 0.42. It’s worth treasuring.

It is surprising whenever I talk about this song, most people think of the song ‘Saama Hai Suhana Suhana’ sung by Kishore Kumar from the movie ‘Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani’. The co-incidence is that Jalal Agha featured in the song ‘Saama Hai Suhana Suhana’ while he was the director of ‘Goonj’. I wonder if he paid tribute to the song by keeping the same lyrics in his own movie.

Yaara Dildara – 1991 – Mirza Brothers – Jatin Lalit – Aasif Sheikh/Ruchika Pandey

The horrible movie had couple of huge hits, “Bin Tere Sanam” and “Tum Hi Humari Manzil”.

“Bin Tere Sanam” was a big hit then but even a bigger hit now thanks to the remix version. The other song that was really popular is “Tum Hi Humari Manzil”. I do not recall much of the movie other than that I couldn’t finish watching it as it was so bad.

I know Aasif Sheikh did lots of movies after that as a character actor. But I have no idea about the actress. Probably her first and last movie.

Drohi – 1992 – Ram Gopal Varma – RD Burman – Nagarjuna/Urmila

One of the most under-rated soundtracks of RD Burman and also of the 90s. The best song obviously is beautiful “Tum Jo Mile To” sung by Suresh Wadkar.

Not only this song, “Dooba Dooba Nashe Mein” sung by Asha Bhonsle is also a very interesting composition. This movie forms the base for the now cult classic “Satya”. Drohi is almost frame to frame similar to Satya. Yet this doesn’t even come near to Satya.

Mashooq – 1992 – Mirza Brothers – Shyam Surender – Ayub Khan/Ayesha Julka

The Mirza Brothers were back after the disaster of Yaara Dildara to create another disaster, Mashooq. But like in Yaara Dildara, this movie also had a great soundtrack.

Couple of songs were huge hits. “Deewana Dil Dhoonde” and “Kaun Ho Tum”.

The other songs, “Yeh Dhadkan Mere Dil Ki”…“Tum Dil To” were also decent enough. Wish the movie was half as decent as the soundtrack.

Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayi – 1993 – Mahesh Bhatt – Annu Malik – Rahul Roy/Pooja Bhatt

Probably Annu Malik’s best compositions ever as a complete album. I don’t recall a single song that was even average - forget bad. From “Tere Dar Par Sanam”…“Baadlon Mein Chuup”… “Aane Wala Kal”…“Dil Deta Hai”…Dil Mein Sanam” to my personal favorite “Shairana Si Hai” – every single song is a gem.

Sadly, the movie didn’t even get a theatrical release. It was probably the first movie ever to premiere on TV (Zee TV if I recall correctly). Even then, the movie was horrible to say the least.

Imtihaan – 1994 – Harry Baweja – Annu Malik – Sunny Deol/Raveena/Saif

Two movies released around the same time. One was Deewana starring Rishi Kapoor and Shah Rukh, while the other was Imtihaan. Both had literally the same plot. One was a smash hit, the other flop. Imtihaan was the later and deservingly so. However, the soundtrack of the movie was actually great. It had some of the best songs of 1994.

The soundtrack consists of great songs such as “Is Tarah Aashiqui Ka”…“Chaha To Bahut”…“Do Baate Ho Sakti” among others.

The Gentleman – 1994 – Mahesh Bhatt – AR Rahman/Annu Malik – Chiranjeevi/Juhi Chawla

How can there be any list about soundtracks without the mention of Rahman. So here it is, Mahesh Bhatt’s disaster ‘The Gentleman’. The funny thing with this movie is although the music of three of the biggest hits of the soundtrack is given by AR Rahman, he only gets a ‘thank you’ note at the beginning and Annu Malik’s name is mentioned in the credits.

“Roop Suhana Lagta Hai” and “Chika Bika” were huge hits. The picturization of ‘Chika Bika’ wasn’t even close to that of the original by Prabhu Deva. The movie was again the same modern day Robin Hood story. I don’t recall a single good movie Mahesh Bhatt made from 1994 to 1999 with the exception of Zakhm.

The above list includes 10 terrible movies with great soundtracks. Wish the directors worked half as hard on the screenplays as the music composers did towards their music.

Footnote:

I am focusing only on movies which had great soundtracks but were terrible movies and also flop at the box office. There are a lot of horrible movies with good music which were successful at the box office. Since they were successful, it means certain segment of people appreciated them. So, I am not taking them into consideration.

Who is Taran Adarsh?

First published on http://passionforcinema.com/pseudo-critics-trade-analysts-and-the-aam-janata/

Whenever we write about someone renowned, we quote something about him. So, here it is.

The genius filmmaker Anurag Kashyap once said, "Taran Adarsh is the son of the person who made the film "Gupt Gyan". It is Taran's favorite movie. Whatever he knows about cinema is from that movie."

After such an introduction, I am sure Taran would be proud of himself if and when he reads this article.

Lets start with what Taran does. He is a trade analyst who also review movies based on the trade indication. He is NOT a film critic. He is supposed to review the movie based on the boxoffice collections and NOT by the merit. So, the best of movies, if it flops, are supposed to be given lower ratings. On a scale of 0-5, the biggest hits are supposed to be rated 5 and the disasters are supposed to be rated 0.

Lets see how honestly he does his work.

[Taran Adarsh's review taken from his own website www.bollywoodhungama.com]

[Boxoffice details of each film is taken from www.boxofficeindia.com]

Let's start from the year 2001.

The following films are the biggest hits of that year.

1. Gadar - Ek Prem Katha. The film collected 70 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran Adarsh gave 3/5

"...GADAR is worth the watch for its brilliant dramatic and confrontation sequences, splendid performances and touching moments..."

@ni's comment: If it's so brilliant and the biggest hit of the year, why give 3/5?

2. Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham. The film collected 49 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran however gave the movie 4/5

"...It has style, substance, it takes challenges and doesn't follow formulas -- and that is its biggest strength..."

@ni's comment: It does not follow formulas - LMFAO...

3. Lagaan - Once upon a time in India. The film collected 27 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gave the movie 3/5

"... those who expect the film to be a war waged by Indians against the British will be disappointed to see a film that is devoted completely to a cricket match. This 'battle' is fought with a bat in the hand, not swords or guns..."

@ni's comment: Tussi great ho!

4. Dil Chahta Hai. The movie collected 16 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gave the movie 2/5

"...The biggest flaw of the film is that it has been treated like an English film. To be honest, it is too western for the Indian masses to digest..."

@ni's comment: So you mean masses only understand films like Gupt Gyan that your dad made?

The following film is the disaster of that year.

Yaadein. The movie collected 10 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 2.5/5

"...the fact cannot be denied that the film holds appeal for the youth. It has a modern-day feel and at the end of the show, the feeling is pleasant...Businesswise, the distributors of YAADEIN should recover their investment within the first three/four weeks, which will automatically classify it into the hit category. "

@ni's comment: I wish Subhash Ghai had this much faith in the movie. Did the distributors read the review? I wonder.

2002
The following films are the biggest hits of that year.

1. Devdas. The movie collected 33.25 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 1.5/5

"...it lacks in merits and most importantly, repeat value, which is so very vital to recover the colossal investment that has gone into its making..."

@ni's comment: The biggest hit movie of the year and give 1.5...Good going

2. Raaz. The movie collected 22.50 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 2/5

"...RAAZ is a well-crafted film that has the right combo required for a psycho-thriller - eerie atmosphere and tuneful music. But a theme like this always has its share of non-believers. In that respect, the response to the film will be mixed..."

@ni's comment: This was the biggest hit of that year Taran. What happened? Did you wet your undies while watching or what? Darr ke mare 2/5?

3. Kaante. The movie collected 19.75 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 3.5/5

"...KAANTE takes a step forward in terms of content and technique. An apt example of progressive cinema that breaks the shackles of stereotype..."

@ni's comment: Have you heard a movie named "Reservior Dogs"? I guess not. Anyways, Kaante with its copy-paste Tarantino treatment is progressive for masses and Dil Chahta Hai is too western? Jai Ho!

The following film is the disaster of that year.

Shakti - The Power. The movie collected 6.25 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 2.5/5

"...On the whole, SHAKTI - THE POWER has the power to satiate the appetite of those looking for meaningful entertainment. The hype surrounding the film and the presence of several powerhouse performers should generate a power-packed opening for the film, which in turn should augur well for its investors..."

@ani's comment: Meaningful cinema - OMG!!! LMAFO...

2003
The following films are the biggest hits of that year.

1. Koi Mil Gaya. The movie collected 43.50 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 2.5/5

"... KOI... MIL GAYA tackles a novel concept as far as the Indian screen is concerned. But this genre is bound to meet with mixed reactions, varying from good to just-about-fair to disappointing..."

@ni's comment: The biggest hit of the year gets 2.5/5

2. Kal Ho Na Ho. The movie collected 35.25 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 4/5

"...On the whole, KAL HO NAA HO has all it takes to emerge victorious..."

@ni's comment: Biggest hit gets 2.5/5 and this gets 4/5. Kya ho gaya Taran?

The following film is the disaster of that year.

LOC - Kargil. The movie collected 20 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 4/5

"...On the whole, L.O.C. is a powerful experience. It has power-packed direction and power-packed sequences that remain etched in your memory even after the show has concluded. More than anything else, L.O.C. is a triumph for the master film-maker who has the guts and the vision to make a film of this magnitude!"

@ni's comment: 4/5 to the disaster of the year. Jio!

2004

The following films are the biggest hits of that year.

1. Veer-Zara. The movie collected 41 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 4.5/5

"...On the whole, VEER-ZAARA is a winner all the way - in terms of direction, scripting, music, performances. The film will sweep the box-office like a hurricane and set new records in days to come. A sure-shot blockbuster!"

@ni's comment: This is Taran's highest rating ever! So, according to Taran, Veer-Zara is the greatest film of our times. ***Jai Kaala Bandar***

2. Dhoom. The movie collected 29 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 1.5/5

"...On the whole, DHOOM is a terrible letdown thanks to its insipid script. At the box-office, DHOOM will lose its sparkle after the first day or two of glory!"

@ni's comment: Kya ho gaya? Yash Raj Films se kine interview nahi diya kya?

The following film is the disaster of that year.

Rok Sako To Rok Lo. We couldn't find the collections for the film. Did it release everywhere? I doubt! Taran gives the movie 3/5

"...ROK SAKO TO ROK LO has tremendous youth appeal...it can carve a niche for itself. At the box-office, the film should be patronized by the youth..."

@ni's comment: Oye! You're not reviewing Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar. This movie is the almost scene by scene copy of it. Open your eyes Taran ji...

2005

The following films are the biggest hits of that year.

1. No Entry. The movie collected 44.84 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 3.5/5

"...On the whole, NO ENTRY is a joyride that is bound to click with the masses in a big way..."

@ni's comment: Wow! You got one correct at last!!!

2. Bunty Aur Bubli. The movie collected 35.62 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 1.5/5
"...On the whole, BUNTY AUR BABLI just doesn't have the meat to enthrall the moviegoers...the film doesn't have the power to sustain after the initial curiosity subsides...Disappointing!"

@ni's comment: One more Yash Raj Hit. One more misguided review from you!

3. Mangal Pandey. The movie collected 28.32 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 4/5

"...On the whole, MANGAL PANDEY is a film of epic proportions. A genuine attempt at bringing alive a great hero on celluloid, the film will only bring pride and prestige in the domestic market as well as on the international platform."

@ni's comment: So this gets better rating than the biggest hits of the year even though its turns out to be a disappointment of epic proportions. Great job!

The following film is the disaster of that year.

Paheli. The movie collected 13.09 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 4/5

"...On the whole, PAHELI is one of the finest films produced in the recent times. A film like this proves yet again that we don't need to seek inspiration from outsiders [read Hollywood], when the Indian literature is rich enough to provide us with captivating stories. From the business point of view, PAHELI has already proved to be a profitable venture for its producers even before its release and the non-theatrical revenue [satellite rights, et al] will only add to their profits."

@ni's comment: Already profitable before release and yet it turns out to be the disaster of the year. Are you high??? One of the biggest hit of the year gets 1.5/5 and the disaster of the year gets 4/5...Wah wah!

2006

The following films are the biggest hits of that year.

1. Dhoom 2. The movie collected 80.53 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 4.5/5

"...On the whole, DHOOM 2 is a winner all the way."

@ni's comment: So now Dhoom 2 adds to Veer-Zaara to become the best ever reviewed film by Taran Adarsh. Great for Indian cinema!

2. Krissh. The movie collected 73.47 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 4.5/5

"...On the whole, KRRISH is a winner all the way. "

@ni's comment: Krissh becomes the 3rd movie to get the best ever rating. Nice collection! Also don't you know any other sentence than "winner all the way"?

3. Rang De Basanti. The movie collected 51.15 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 2.5/5

"...On the whole, RANG DE BASANTI will have its share of advocates and adversaries. A well-made film, it caters more to the elite and the thinking viewer than the aam junta or the masses..."

@ni's comment: Again 'aam janta' comes into picture. Just coz' you're too dumb to understand metaphors, does that mean 'aam janta' is like you?

The following film is the disaster of that year.

Baabul. The movie collected 15.97 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 3/5

"...On the whole, BAABUL makes a statement in a convincing manner. The film rests on three aces -- emotions, performances and execution -- which will attract the family audiences in large numbers..."

@ni's comment: It really did make a statement. That no matter how many stars you have, a poorly made film will always flop.

2007

The following films are the biggest hits of that year.

1. Om Shanti Om. The movie collected 79.42 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 4/5

"...On the whole, OM SHANTI OM is Bollywood masala in its truest form and also, at its best..."

@ni's comment: Wow! You got another one correct! How many does that make? 2 correct predictions in 5 years? ;)

2. Chak De India. The movie collected 67.69 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 2/5

"...On the whole, CHAK DE INDIA is a well-made product, but its fate at the ticket window wouldn't be as glorious as its intentions..."

@ni's comment: What about your intentions of sabotaging this movie? And how you failed. Lmao...

The following film is the disaster of that year.

Eklavya - The Royal Guard. The movie collected 18.30 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 4/5

"...EKLAVYA - THE ROYAL GUARD has its heart in the right place. A must for every cinegoer!"

@ni's comment: The film had the heart in the right place. The audience didn't. Which basically means another wrong prediction on your part.

2008

The following films are the biggest hits of that year.

1. Ghajini. The movie collected 117.48 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 4.5/5

"...On the whole, GHAJINI is a winner all the way..."

@ni's comment: Phir se "winner all the way". Don't you know any other sentences or what? Just coz' you're such a loser, you have to use the sentence "winner all the way". LMFAO...

2. Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. The movie collected 85.56 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 2/5

"...On the whole, RAB NE BANA DI JODI is vey desi at heart with a strong start and an equally strong emotional end. Having said that, you cannot deny the fact that you expect much, much more from Aditya Chopra. RAB NE BANA DI JODI is no DILWALE DULHANIYA LE JAYENGE, it's not MOHABBATEIN either. It's lower than that!..."

@ni's comment: Damn man! Don't you get tired trying (in vain) to sabotage films.

The following films are the disasters of that year.

1. Karzzzz. The movie collected 10.93 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 4/5

"...On the whole, KARZZZZ is rich in entertainment. Himesh's tremendous popularity amongst masses, its chartbusting musical score and the fact that it's a remake of a much-loved film will only lure masses in hordes...Damn the pseudo critics who even rubbished KARZ three decades ago. Go by your instinct and have a blast!"

@ni's comment: OMG! You're damning the "pseudo" critics when you're trying to be one since the last 10 years and failing every single day! What a pathetic loser you are...

2. Yuvvraaj. The movie collected 16.95 crore Net at the domestic boxoffice. Taran gives the movie 3/5

"...On the whole, YUVVRAAJ is interesting in parts, with the penultimate 20/25 minutes taking the film to an all-time high..."

@ni's comment: Yeah, we can understand. How high a person needs to be to feel the climax takes the movie to an all-time high. You having said that take yourself to an all-time low...

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Taran's predictions:

His all time highest rating for Blockbusters are: 4.5/5
- Veer-Zaara
- Dhoom 2
- Krissh
- Ghajini

His all time highest rating for Disasters are: 4/5
- LOC Kargil
- Paheli
- Eklavya
- Karzzzz

So, according to Taran, Blockbuster and Disaster is same.

So, you yourself can judge what type of Trade Analyst he is...
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He doesn't stop there. He tries to sabotage movies due to personal issues.

Proof 1:

Taran Adarsh vs Anurag Kashyap

No Smoking was given 1/5 and the movie was a disaster.

Dev.D was given a 1/5 rating.

"...On the whole, DEV D is NO SMOKING II. Does one elaborate more?"

The movie till now has grossed 12 crore Net for a 6 crore movie. So, its a Hit. Does one need to elaborate more?
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Proof 2:

Taran Adarsh vs Yash Raj Films

This is the list of the following Yash Raj releases over the 2 years. Check Taran's rating and the Boxoffice Net collections.

1. Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi - 2/5 - 85.56 crore
2. Roadside Romeo - 2/5 - Not Available
3. Bachna Ae Haseeno - 2.5/5 - 36.64 crore
4. Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic - 3.5/5 - 21.54 crore
5. Tashan - 1.5/5 - 27.87 crore
6. Aaja Nachle - 1.5/5 - 14.85 crore
7. Laaga Chunri Mein Daag - 1.5/5 - 19.20 crore
8. Chak De India - 2/5 - 67.69 crore
9. Jhoom Barabar Jhoom - 1.5/5 - 25.22 crore
10. Ta Ra Rum Pum - 3.5/5 - 35.02 crore

Just check the ratings and the collections. You will understand what Taran Adarsh is.
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Proof 3:

Taran Adarsh vs Rakesh Omprakash Mehra

1. Aks - 2/5

"...On the whole, AKS scores in terms of technique, not content. It has Amitabh at his best, a strong visual appeal, foot-tapping music that gels well with the goings-on, but a not-so-impressive second half will prove a stumbling block. If you don't believe in supernatural, you'll probably dispel the concept of the film..."

This review is so funny. If you read it you will find he has praised everything and yet given a 2/5 rating. Taran says if you don't believe in supernatural, you'll probably dispel the concept of the film. The same person now praises movies like Raaz 2 lavishly and gives 3/5. Just coz' ROM made the movie ahead of its times and Taran didn't have the brain to understand it, he trashes it.

2. Rang De Basanti - 2.5/5

"...On the whole, RANG DE BASANTI will have its share of advocates and adversaries. A well-made film, it caters more to the elite and the thinking viewer than the aam junta or the masses..."

The less said the better. We all know what happened after that. As they say...the rest is history...

3. Delhi 6 - 1.5/5

"...DELHI 6 has a terribly boring beginning [first hour], an absorbing middle [second half] and a weak end [climax]..."

Only Taran Adarsh can summarize like this.

Now the film has grossed more than 33 Crore in 3 days. So, Taran Adarsh couldn't digest that.

This is what he did:

"After D6, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra to make D1, D2, D3, D4, D5?"

http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/features/2009/02/24/4887/index.html

Read the article and you'll understand how dirty can a person be. Just because no one from the Delhi 6 team bothered to go to the crapy Taran Adarsh show, he started sabotaging against the movie.
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At the end all I want to say is...

"Get well soon" and "Get a life, dude!"

One more thing...Taran try watching your face once in the mirror. You will understand what Delhi 6 meant to say.

Cheers...
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This is for the cynics. Read the following link which proves that Taran's father BK Adarsh really made "Gupt Gyan".

"...the series of films made in the early 1970s by BK Adarsh, father of film critic Taran Adarsh, such as Gupt Gyan..."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/24441280.cms

I am Legend - A Review

Having read the novel already, I didn't know how the film will shape up coz the novels ends very grimly as Dr. Robert Neville (Will Smith in the movie) is being captured by the Nightwalkers and he accepts his failure and moves on. Also, the 'Legend' name in the novel came frm the fact that Neville was immune to the infection caused frm the Virus (to be precise the Nightwalkers' bites). So, the Nightwalkers themselves looked upon to Neville as a Legend.

So, when I started to watch the movie, I was quite amused to see that they have changed the plot considerably. But, on a brighter side, it actually made the film better in a way that it had "hope" which lacked in the novel. Definitely a better idea for a feature film.

Coming back to reviewing it, first things first. The opening sequence is the best opening sequence for me this year. Hands Down. Manhattan never looked so lifeless, so lonely, and so devastating.

Note 1# Hands down one of the best Production Design of the year...

I will not delve to much into the plot to spoil it. I will discuss more on the technical aspect of the film which I actually understand more than the writing process

Note 2# Will Smith proves once again he is the biggest salable actor on earth....77.4M opening..phew!!

Note 2.1# Will Smith can act..and act pretty well...!!! Bravo...

Very few films actually portrayed the last man standing on earth so well. There was actually 2 more films made on this topic. The more popular among the 2 is 'The Omega Man' (1978 probably) and I have seen it. It wasn't a good film.

I must admit that for the first half of the movie, 2 things stand out...and stand out in a big way.

#1 The painful, inhuman loneliness of Will Smith.

#2 The Human-Animal bonding. Few films have actually captured the Man-Dog bonding as it is done in here. The plot helps as Sam (the dog) is the only other living character for the first half of the movie. Still, very impressive.

The rest of the movie is fight against the Nightwalkers and some twist and turns which I won't reveal.

But, there are 3-4 really well made shock (horror) scenes. Very neatly done.

Now, the flaw...

I found only one. The CGI of the Nightwalkers could and should have been better. They look almost staright out from the Computer Games

A little more flesh was the need of the hour

Overall:

I really liked the movie and whole heartedly recommend this to everyone. It a little change from the usual Hollywood/Bollywood movies also. And, it does raise a few questions which mutate in our minds long after the film is over.

300 - Movie Review

I have seen many movies. And, by many I really mean many. But, I have never ever got a sadistic pleasure in my entire life watching limbs getting chopped, people getting hacked. It is so fucking kool...!!! Watching people die never gave me such a high. Its like watching the best ever video game on celluloid.

Where shall I start? First and foremost I think, I must mention about the surrealistic world we are treated to. Its like a dream with stunning images which I thought only existed in paintings.

The film combines elements of the actual battle from 480 B.C. with other clashes between the mighty Spartans and the overwhelming forces of the Persian "god-king" Xerxes but the essence of the legend is intact.

Xerxes, at one point tried to rule all over the world. But, Leonidas, the King of Sparta and his handful (well...actually not) of 300 brave men fought to death to preserve the freedom for Sparta. Their effort provided inspiration for all Spartan soldiers to reunite and fight again.

On one hand, it is about the war of the Spartan against the Persians, on the other it is also how the Queen of Sparta, Gorgo, tries to make all the politicians in the Sparta Assembly understand that the action of Leonidas is just. To prove this, she even agrees to adultery with the traitor Theron who plots against Leonidas.

Gerard Butler as Leonidas, the King of Sparta is awesome. There isn't much of a scope of displaying histrionics here, but still he manages to impress.

One more thing. People might tend to think this is a GUY MOVIE. I beg to differ. Sure barring Gorgo, there isn't a single female character of importance, but Gorgo is the most powerful role after Leonidas. And the ever so pretty Lena Headey plays it gracefully. To make your presence felt in a movie like this is an impressive feat.

Rodrigo Santoro as Xerxes was however a little disappointing. With all his piercings, he looked more funny than menacing.

The love making scenes between Leonadis and Gorgo are like poetry. Shot so awesomely. The only love making scene so brilliantly shot, which I can remember, is in Fight Club.

The background music is simply out of the world. However, I personally would have liked heavy metal tracks played in background while the battle scenes are on. I don't know what the results would have been. But, I would have liked it for sure.

The cinematography and the special effects are so freaking awesome, that its better not to use an adjective to define them. When you watch the war scenes, the only sentence you say is "What the fuck?". Trust me, this time it means in a really good way ;)

To sum up, I think its a merge of Gladiator and Sin City. Well, the best parts of those two movies together will make 300.

Do yourself a favor. Go and watch 300. Your idea about films will definitely change.