Movie Review: 'Dostana'

Movie Review: 'Dostana' – 2008 (Hindi)

Director: Tarun Mansukhani

Producer: Karan Johar

Cast: Abhishek BAchchan, John Abrahm, Priyanka Chopra, Bobby Deol, Kiran Kher, Boman Irani.

Music: Vishal – Shekhar

Genre: Comedy

“Dostana” which is very recently released is all in all good entertainer, it is mad comedy with little seriousness and little romance. It also dares to talked about the taboo around homosexuality.

If we have to talk about USP of “Dostana” it will be two guys who pretending to be gay, and there gay gags, Abhishek Bachchan’s superb comic timing, John abrahm’s hot body, Priyanka chopra in golden Bikini, peppy songs, and beautiful and exotic Miami.

First of all we should appreciate Karan Johar as he decided to come out of his stupid ideas around “K” letter. And now after “Dostana’s” success he and all the others like him infatuated with “K” will know that it is the content what really matters. Second thing he decides to take the homosexuality out of closet and treat it as a normal thing. We should appreciate the courage by Abhishek Bachchan and John to accept this kind of role and perform it brilliantly.

This movie is not at all about homosexual couple it is about two guys Sam (Abhishek Bachchan) and Kunal (John Abrahm) who just pretends to be gay to get a apartment. And after they get apartment they both fall in love with a landlady Neha (Priyanka Chopra). And there is Neha’s Boss (Bobby Deol) who also loves her. So in the end it is story about three guys chasing one girl and one of them gets her.

While watching movie first things come to your mind is the 'Kantaben' episode from Karan Johar's movie ‘KAL HO NAA HO.’ I am sure this movie idea has been derived from there. But in this movie takes ‘kantaben’ episode to next level.

Out of the star cast Abhishek Bachchan stands out big time. This is one of his best performances so far. He brings the house down in some scenes with his immaculate comic timings. The scene in which he narrates his love story with john is hilarious. After disappointment of ‘Drona’ this should urge him do selective and quality films. Priyanka Chopra did good job and gave 100 % to her role. She looks amazingly hot and sexy in every scene. This is her second successive hit after many flops so she must have been relieved. John Abrahm’s acting may be not that impressive he certainly could have done better but his physically being there in the film, did wonders for film. No one else could have managed that. Bobby deol was little dull. Boman Irani and Kiron Kher very small roles in the movie but the scenes involving them are the best of the film. Even the kid who played Bobby deol’s son was cute and lovable. Some of his expressions were brilliant.

Technically also movie was of top class, good cinematography, good music, good editing and good direction. And Shilpa shetty in opening song was very pleasing for eyes.

Overall it was entertaining and one of the very few good movies released this year. May not be the best but I think Abhishek Bachchan can easily get nomination for best actor in comic role and surely should win award for it.

If I have to rate the film I will give 7/10 and it very very good score.

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Movie Review: Golmal Returns (2008)

Golmal Returns (2008) - Hindi

Director: Rohit Shetty

Cast: Ajay Devgan, Arshad Warsi, Kareena Kapoor, Tushar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade, Amruta Arora, Celena Jetley, and others.

Genre: Comedy

“Golmal Returns” is clearly a effort by director and production house to cash on the success of its prequel “Golmal” which was released two years back and made by same director and production house.

Now “Golmal” was a good movie appreciated by crowd and did some very good business although it was also no brain comedy. So when same director, production house and almost same cast (except Sharman Joshi, who was brilliant in first part) comes up with sequel of that movie we start expecting more out of “Golmal Returns”. But not only this movie failed those expectation but it cannot maintain the standard of Golmal. It is not 10 % good as prequel.

By this I don’t mean movie is unbearable altogether, there are some good moments in the films. There is good performance by Tushar kapoor. Shreyas Talpade also stands out of bunch of star cast. But on the whole movie is no good. When I walked out of theatre I feel lost and irritated with myself that why I choose to watch this movie. I feel like someone robbed my money and even more so because it was my treat to my cousins and friends. It was 180 Rs. Per head in movie time. I feel like my money was wasted.

We understand that director wanted to make no brainer movie but how can you be so obvious. The film might have earned very well on box office but it was all because it’s prequel “Golmal” was very much fresh in peoples mind. And other thing benefited them is that they released it in Diwali festival. That help them big time. It has only one competition “Fashion” which also released on same day. Although “Fashion” is far better movie family crowd prefer “Golmal Return” as “Fashion” supposed to be a very intense movie. And people prefer light hearted movie in festival time. Although after festival week “Golmal Return” will die its natural death as it don’t have content to survive.

Issues with the films are that actor like Arshad Warsi who is sure shot crowd puller is not utilized at all. I couldn’t understand why actors like Ajay Devgan and Kareena Kapoor do this kind of films don’t they feel they have some kind of responsibility towards crowd as people spent there money on reading the star cast. There is a song called ‘Tha Karke’ on which they spent 5 corers of Rupees. The song was not at all necessary for the film. Film could do without this song. So why director does spends so much money in vein. It seems these corporate houses are negligent about investors money that too in these trying times of global meltdown.

Anyways if I have to rate this movie I will give 2/10 and this only for Tushar Kapoor and Shreyas Talpade.

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Movies to watch befor you Die - (11 - 20)

11. Black (2005) – (Hindi)

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Writer: Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Bhavani Iyer

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukharjee and Others

Genre: Drama

Rani Mukharjee gave performance of her life…

12. Jane Bhi Do Yaaron (1983) – Hindi

Director: Kundan Shah

Writer: Ranjit Kapoor, Satish Kaushik

Cast: Nasruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapoor, Satish Shah, Ravi Baswani, Om Puri, Satish Kaushik, Neena Gupta, Bhakti Barve

Genre: Comedy

The best climax scene you will ever see in any movie…

13. Sholay (1975) – Hindi

Director: Ramesh Sippy

Writer: Salim - Javed

Cast: AmitabhBachchan, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan, Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri, Sachin, Keshto Mukharjee, and others

Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Romance, Thriller

The biggest entertainer and biggest blockbuster in Indian film industry.

14. Godfather (1972) – English

Director: Francis Ford Coppola

Writer: Mario Puzo

Cast: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and others

Genre: Drama, Thriller, Gangster

This has been rated as one of the best movie made by critics all over the world.

15. Titanic(1997) – English

Director: James Cameron

Writer: James Cameron

Cast: Leonardo Decaprio, Kate Winslet, and others

Genre: Drama, Romance

This is how movie should be made

16. Ashi Hi Banavabanvi (1987) – Marathi

Director: Sachin Pilgaonkar

Cast: Sachin, Ashok Saraf, Laksmikant Berde, Supriya, Ashwini Bhave and Others

Genre: Comedy

Music By: Arun Poudwal

One of the best movie in Marathi

17. Dil Chahata Hai (2001) – Hindi

Director: Farhan Akhtar

Writer: Farhan AkhtarKassim Jagmaggia

Cast: Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshay Khanna, Preity Zinta, Dimple Kapadia, Sonali Kulkarni and others

Genre: Romance, Drama, Musical, Comedy

Music By: Shankar, Ehsan, Loy

Started new trend in bollywood, greatest movie on friendship..

18. Deewaar (1975) – Hindi

Director: Yash Chopra

Writer: Salim - Javed

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Neetu Singh, Nirupama Roy

Genre: Drama, Family, Action, Crime

Unforgettable dialogues….

19. Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995) – Hindi

Director: Aaditya Chopra

Writer: Aaditya Chopra, Javed Siddiqui

Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Amrish Puri

Genre: Romance, Family, Musical, Comedy

Music By: Jatin Lalit

Die Hard Romantic, excellent Music

20. Andaj Apana Apana (1994)- Hindi

Director: Rajkumar Santoshi

Writer: Rajkumar Santoshi, Dilip Shukla

Cast: Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Raveena Tandon, Karisma Kapoor, Paresh Rawal and Shakti Kapoor

Genre: Comedy

It’s a Mad, Mad Comedy.

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Movie Review: The Godfather - Part 1

The Godfather – Part 1 (1972)

Director: Francis Ford Coppola

Writers: Mario Puzo (novel)
Release Date: 24 March 1972 (USA)

Genre: Drama | Thriller

Actors:

Marlon Brando ...as Don Vito Corleone

Al Pacino ...as Michael Corleone

James Caan ...as Santino 'Sonny' Corleone

Richard S. Castellano ...as Peter Clemenza,

Robert Duvall ...as Tom Hagen

This supposed to be the best movie made ever and after watching the movie I won’t disagree. I wanted to see this movie for so long as every time any gangster movie releases, people say it has been inspired by “Godfather”. But somehow or other I couldn’t watch it till today. What trigger me to go fetch this DVD from library is hindi movie “Sarkar” which is brilliantly enacted by Amirabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan. And it is said that “Sarkar” is heavily inspired by “Godfather”. So I thought if inspired movie is so good then the original has to be outstanding and I can say after watching this movie it is outstanding and brilliant movie made ever.

What makes this movie the best is brilliant script, brilliant direction and above all perfect casting. Each and every actor outperformed his role. I was watching this movie after 36 years after it released. But it still feels so fresh and contemporary. After watching this movie I realized that almost every gangster movie I watched has been inspired by “Godfather” some way or the other. So it can be said as a bible for gangster movie.

I don’t whats up with these gagster movies which we love, we know whatever they are doing is illegal, wrong not ethical but we still get involved in these movies. And above all we start liking these characters. I think what we like is the Power or Control these people posses there arrogance is attractive for people. Everyone of us secretly has a desire to posses a power to control whole world. That’s what this movie shows the main character Don Vito Carleone posses the power and contacts. There are people to catch every word out of his mouth. He controls people around him like puppet. And that’s why movie poster has puppet strings.

This movie is a story of a Don for whom most important things are control and his family. It is a story of falling of Don Vito Carleon and emerging of his son as Don which he never expected or wanted to be in his business. The movie is about his rivalry with other families (read gang). He don’t take money for favors he does for people he want there loyalty for him. It is a story of a Don who even though mafia king works on ethics, his refusal to get involve in drugs even though it involve big money or dire consequences otherwise. He chose other option and so if other family wants to do the drugs Don Carleone has to die. And that’s what other family tries, they attack him. And this trying time Don’e youngest son has to get involve in the family business to save his father although he was reluctant to get involve earlier.

Every scene and all the actor is brilliant in this movie but highlights of it is acting of Marlon Brando and Al Pacino. Then there is scene in which right hand of Don carleon is strangled is outstanding. And with so lively expressions. And there are some dialogues which can not be forgotten ever, like “I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse” and “It's not personal. This is business”.

All I can say in the end is Don’t miss this movie. I am going to fetch the DVD of other two parts as soon as possible. As for Rating for this movie it gets 10/10.

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Movies to watch before you die - I

Hey this is the list of movies everyone must and must watch, it is not necessarily in order I like.

1. Anand(1970)- (Hindi)

Director: Hrishkesh Mukherjee

Producer: N.C. Sippy

Starring: Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan

Wonderful movie, touches your heart, makes you cry, make you laugh, teach you to love your life and enjoy every moment of it. Timeless music by Salil Choudhary

2. Jo Jita Wahi Sikandar(1992)- Hindi

Director: Mansoor Khan

Producer: Naseer Hussain

Starring: Aamir Khan, Ayesha Jhulka

One of the first bollywood movie on sports, and school rivalry, amazing songs best climax any movie can have. And very good title for movie. Song Pahla Nasha express exact feeling when you are in love for first time and you can feel it while listening the song and feel like you are in love.

3. The Butterfly Effect (2004) – (English)

Director: Eric Bress, J. Mackye Gruber

Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Amy Smart

What to say a marvelous movie well thought, well planned, well directed and well performed.

4. Dangerous Minds(1995) – (English)

Director: John N. Smith

Starring: Michelle Pfeiffer

Just watch it and you never realize when you get involved in story.

5. Samna(1974) – (Marathi)

Director: Jabbar Patel

Writer: Vijay Tendulkar

Starring: Dr. Shriram Lagu, Nilu Phule, Mohan Aagashe

A masterpiece…

6. Golmaal(1979) – (Hindi)

Director: Hrishkesh Mukherjee

Starring: Amol Palekar

A light hearted comedy, wind up after hectic week and get relax.

7. Hera Pheri(2000) – (Hindi)

Director: Priyadarshan

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, Sunil Shetty, Tabbu

Laugh your heart out, paresh rawal in performance of his lifetime.

8. Jab We Met(2007) – (Hindi)

Director: Imtiaz Ali

Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor

New age bollywood lovestory. Excellent script and dialogues.

9. Jane Tu Ya Jane Na (2008) – (Hindi)

Director: Abbas Tyrewala

Producer: Aamir Khan

Starring: Imran Khan, Genelia D’souza

Again new age bollywood lovestory…

10. Rang De Basanti (2006) – (Hindi)

Director: Rakesh Omprakash Mehra

Starring: Aamir Khan, Siddharth, Sharman Joshi, Kunal Kapoor, Atu Kulkarni

Youth centric and patriotic movie. Every Indian who feels strogly about India must watch it.

(This is not end of the list many more to come, if you have anything to add up visit next time for some more when you finished watching these….)

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