Reviews by DNA
Dangerous Ishhq is like watching a Dr Brian Weiss book in 3D, after about 30 pages, it gets monotonous and uninteresting. There’s only so much curiosity you can have in somebody else’s life. By the end of the ordeal you wish to be treated to a past life regression theory to find out what was it that drew you to it. Go curse your karma now.
Kapoor’s most challenging role looks like a fancy dress competition in 3D. Except for their garb, nothing changes in terms of performance for either Kapoor or Duggal -- same shit, different era. The film probably is a modern day memorial to the wannabe-masala-ended up-corny films of the late 80s and early 90s, but trust me, it is likely that those will entertain you far more than this one. And if you decide to watch it despite this review, be warned, it will haunt you through your future lives. Dangerous Ishhq takes mediocrity to a whole new level.
The storyline is weak and predictable but does justice to add to the confusion the director aimed to create. The dialogues are witty, but fall flat on most occasions when combined with the weak script. The main characters have been given their individual traits, each of which brings a cheer. In the end, one does agree there is a genre called madcap comedy and intelligence has nothing to do with it. Yet again, you cannot question the sensibility of the cine-goers today and all one demands from movies today is reasonable humour. Go in with a promise that you’ll be entertained, but don’t expect an exhilarating journey.
Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu is a delightful film that keeps getting better along the way, and ends fabulously. Clocking under two hours, the film is a breezy watch that will leave you with a smile. Highly recommended.
The common man's rage, which you expect to dazzle you (or rescue you from the repeated adventures of Bharat babu) doesn't happen right until the end of the film, by when, you want to clap simply out of the delight that the film is over. Gali Gali Chor Hai may hope to ride the Anna Hazare tide but it does nothing to put a point across and it certainly fails to entertain.
Devoid of fluff, the hyperbole toned down, and shorter, Agneepath would have been a far superior film. In its present form, it packs in enough punch to warrant a viewing. How much you enjoy it, though, will be directly proportionate to how much melodrama you can withstand. Old school Hindi film lovers, however, are in for a treat.
This is B-movie paradise. The writing is juvenile, the dialogues a joke, the acting over-the-top, yet everyone seems to be taking themselves so seriously, you can't help but see the funny side to it. Abbas Mustan ensure Players to be a laugh-riot, a comedy the writers of The Italian Job could have never imagined possible. Welcome to Bollywood, folks. And a Happy New Year.
Sadly, with a director who showed much promise with his first film, Don 2 should have been more than just another big-ticket Friday film that rests solely on the shoulders of its lead actor. What keeps Don 2 alive, then, is its pulsating action. It helps the pace quicken as the film progresses, including a thrilling chase sequence and a wonderfully choreographed-and-shot pre-climax sequence. Watch Don 2 for some kick-ass action. And Shah Rukh Khan.
Apart from some well-choreographed dance practice session by Longines Fernandes and Neha Dhupia there isn’t much working for Pappu Can’t Dance Saala. Pull out that original ‘Pappu Can’t Dance Saala’ song from Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na and dance your heart out. Saurabh Shukla’s Pappu… can only make you sob. Skip, skip, skip.
This reviewer is still figuring what the storyline was and where it was headed to justify the existence of the film and this review.
The writing is amusing. Writer and director Pawan Gill garnishes his script with all the cheese in the world, using every possible English idiom to emphasise emotional tension. You can’t help but snigger. One could carve out a neat almirah out of the wooden Sunny Gill, while Simran Kaur Mundi could be his pink curtain.
The plot is not exactly original but seems to work. Manoj Bajpai is, as always, flawless in his performance as the quintessential villain. The film stretches post interval and you will find yourself checking your watch a few times. The director (Maqbool Khan) could have done a bit more to develop the plot at a faster pace and given the lady of the movie a little more to do. Watch of you must, check out the stellar performances.
With a highly entertaining first half, and a mediocre second, The Dirty Picture falls short of being truly remarkable. But for that ‘boombaat’ of a performer, Vidya Balan (one star solely for her), and entertaining dialogue, the film is worth the ticket price. Watch The Dirty Picture for the gutsiest, most versatile actor we have today.
Given all this, you approach Desi Boyz with a sense of trepidation. However, things aren’t as bad as they seem. The Dhawan boy impresses with his hold over the craft, with slickness and style, and Kumar and Abraham play off each others' personalities well to make a lovable jodi. At the onset, you are impressed with Dhawan’s making -- the film looks fresh, and more in the Karan Johar Dostana mould than a regular haphazardly put together comedy. The basic plot - two out-of-job guys becoming male escorts -- has potential, and the casting seems apt. If your expectations are low, you may not be disappointed with Desi Boyz. To be fair, it’s Akshay Kumar’s best film in quite a few years.
Even in Rockstar, Imtiaz’s penchant for writing comes through -- the detailing is spot-on, the dialogue conversational and witty, the storytelling unhurried. Imtiaz the director doesn’t do too badly either. Rockstar is probably his most polished film, and he benefits from the association with cinematographer Anil Mehta and editor Aarti Bajaj. And he benefits from having a livewire of a lead actor on board. Ranbir Kapoor has been Hindi cinema’s next big thing for a while now. With Rockstar, he lives up to the hopes pinned on him to deliver big.
What could have been an entertaining and perky comedy turns out to be silly and unbearable even in the first half. A total waste of resources, watch Loot at your own risk.