Maan Gaye Mughall-E-Azam

Ratring: ** Sanjay Chhel has penned a number of comic fares. Obviously, when Chhel takes charge and decides to helm a project himself, you expect his film to be one wacky ride. Indeed, Maan Gaye Mughall-E-Azam is wild in parts, thoroughly enjoyable at times, but you don't exclaim 'maan gaye' in the end. Maan Gaye Mughall-E-Azam prompts you to break into guffaws. Even the one-liners -- Chhel's a pro at it -- are dipped in wit-n-humour. Plus, the camaraderie between Paresh Rawal, Rahul Bose and Mallika Sherawat is superb. Lekin kahani mein problem hain… Chhel tries to pack sooooo much in one film. Love triangle, patriotism, terrorism, songs, the theatre group's woes… the outcome is clearly erratic and inconsistent. The comedy works, not the terrorism angle. Chhel seems inspired by JAANE BHI DO YAARO, but this inspiration could've done with a gripping screenplay. Another sore point is the absence of good music. To sum up, Maan Gaye Mughall-E-Azam is, at best, an average fare. Watch it for the humour and also bravura performances by its lead actors. Circa 1993: St. Louise, near Goa, is on a high alert due to illegal activities like RDX and arms landing at the coastal area. Set up in the same town is Kalakar Theatre Company, a theatre group of self indulgent dreamy actors who are always left with no choice but to perform the same age-old period play 'Maan Gaye Mughall-E-Azam' every time. One fine day, they get to know that an underworld don is planning a bomb blast in the country. The drama company gets into the act to save the entire city from this blast. Maan Gaye Mughall-E-Azam takes time to come into form. But when it does, the humour is unstoppable. Sure, you may find the theatre group's drama (Akbar, Salim, Anarkali) amateurish, but it works big time. In fact, the audi will reverberate with wild laughter at several places. But the writing lacks meat and that takes away the sheen. The pace picks up, drops, picks up again, drops yet again unfailingly. Humour is the highpoint of Maan Gaye Mughall-E-Azam and Chhel hits a boundary there. Ditto for his dialogues. Anu Malik's music is lifeless. Barring the title track, the remaining numbers are simply add-ons. Madhu Ambat's cinematography is fair. Maan Gaye Mughall-E-Azam belongs to Paresh, Rahul and Mallika. Paresh has mastered the art of making people laugh, but when you watch him in this film, you realize the tremendous potential this terrific actor possesses. Watch his take on Akbar or step in as Kay Kay's double; he's in top form. Mallika stands on her feet despite a giant called Paresh Rawal. Scrutinize her as Anarkali at the outset and later, as an aspiring actress; she's fantastic. Rahul Bose is known for serious and intense roles, but he breaks the shackles with Maan Gaye Mughall-E-Azam. His timing is perfect. Surprisingly, Kay Kay isn't in form this time. Pawan Malhotra does very well. Zakir Hussain doesn't get scope. Ditto for Tanaaz. Manoj Joshi is wasted. On the whole, Maan Gaye Mughall-E-Azam is an ordinary fare, laced with great humour at places.

Chamku Movie Preview

Where does one point a finger when one isn't quite enthralled to listen to the soundtrack of an album, let aside commenting later on whether it is good or bad? Is it due to 'thanda' vibes that the cast of the film gives (Bobby Deol, Priyanka Chopra)? Is it due to the title, which makes one wonder which genre does the film belong to? Is it the promotion, which gives a strong sense of 'deja vu' with routine mushy song and dance numbers? This is why even as Monty Sharma arrives with his second soundtrack after Saawariya and Sameer joins him as a lyricist, there aren't any expectations with Chamku when one plays on the music. However, there is a surprise at the very beginning of the album with 'Aaja Milke' indeed making you hear the number more closely. Starting with Shreya Ghosal, this song about togetherness of the two lovers is aided not just by some good singing but also Indian arrangements, which is the hallmark of Monty Sharma. Reminding of the kind of work that Sharma has done on the songs for Sanjay Leela Bhansali films; 'Aaja Milke' turns out to be a decent composition even though Shail's limited presence is on a duller side. Richa Sharma is heard next in a kind of number with which she is associated most - a sad painful number with a classic Indian touch to it. A situational track meant for the background score, it doesn't quite seem that 'Kithe Jawa' would be placed for it's entire 5.5 minutes duration in the film. Of course, Richa is good as she always is but the song by itself is hardly the kind, which would have listeners, excited enough to give it a hearing beyond the movie. Surprisingly the number is heard twice with 'Bin Daseyaa' being the title for the 'remix version'. Has Monty Sharma tried to create a 'Dola Dola' [Ismail Darbar] here with 'Gola Gola'? It seems to be the case as he gets a similar mood and style for 'Gola Gola' which is basically a 'Holi' number revolving around 'bhang' and the works! Abhijeet Bhattacharya and Vaishali Samant come together for this yet another 'desi' number in Chamku but here too, there isn't much that one ends up looking forward to. However, there are some hopes of the song getting a few eyeballs if supported by eye catchy choreography and picturisation. Longest track in the album comes next which lasts close to six and half minutes. Titled 'Trance', this one completely changes the mood and flavor of the album and takes the listener to hardcore Western arrangements. Saleem Shahzada, Soumya Raoh and Anaida come together for this fast paced number which is set truly as a 'trance' number and comes with a possibility of being played in nightclubs with the round of drinks and flashy lights in full force. A number which has lyrics in languages other than Hindi as well, 'Trance' again comes with a core situational appeal though one wonders where exactly could this be fitted in except for some dramatic action sequence! In the same slow mannered pace as 'Kithe Jawa' comes 'Dukh Ke Badri', which appears to be set in a village in the cow belt from where the film's lead protagonist comes. A number with a rustic feel to it, 'Dukh Ke Badri' is about looking positively in life and expecting better things to arrive. Sung by Kalpana, Parthiv Goel and Shail, it won't quite make a listener to put it on a repeat mode and in fact also forget 'Aaja Milke' which incidentally turns out to be the best of the lot. In nutshell, Chamku is a forgettable album which is clearly one of the weakest from the house of Vijayta Films. The songs by themselves may not to be a terrible hear but for a commercial film like Chamku, they just don't create any excitement. There is absolutely nothing that one takes back home after listening to Chamku and one wonders if it may just have been a better outing if only it was a song less affair.

Kidnap Movie Preview

From Sanjay Gadhvi, the master-director of mega blockbusters like Dhoom and Dhoom: 2, Kidnap is a high-octane edge-of-the-seat drama about a power tussle between a young boy and the father of the girl he kidnaps.

Sonia (Minissha Lamba – Bachna Ae Haseeno) lives with her mother, Mallika (Vidya Malvade – Chak Dey India) and grandmother because her parents divorced when she was ten. A week before her eighteenth birthday celebration, she gets kidnapped.

The abductor, Kabir (Imran Khan – Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na) is interested in speaking only to her father, Vikrant Raina (Sanjay Dutt), an affluent New York-based Indian businessman, with whom he has an old score to settle.

Vikrant returns to India to retrieve his daughter from Kabir’s clutches but has to carry out a series of daunting tasks set out by Kabir as a condition to rescue her. At the end of each task is a clue that helps Vikrant in coming closer to Sonia.

Is his mission as easy as it seems? How far will a father go to save his daughter? What redemption is there for Kabir at the end?

Sanjay Dutt’s first release of 2008, co-starring the latest teen sensation, Imran Khan, Kidnap makes for compelling viewing as the big festival release on Eid. It features music by Pritam.

Aashayein Movie Preview

Cast: John Abraham, Sonal Sehgal, Girish Karnad, Farida Jalal Directed by: Nagesh Kukunoor Aashayein is the story of an angry, confused, compulsive gambler who discovers new meanings of fortune and life through a dramatic turn of events. At a party celebrating his big gambling win, Rahul proposes to his girlfriend Nafisa. But within minutes of announcing his engagement to her, Rahul collapses on the floor. Aashayein After a medical diagnosis, Rahul discovers that he has only a few months left to live. The movie is a moving tale of Rahul's journey from darkness to light. It is a journey about love, hate, life, death and hope. Sonal Sehgal plays Nafisa, a doting and loving girlfriend who wishes and hopes that love will conquer all her troubles. Other characters touching Rahul's life include Sister Grace (Prateeksha Lonkar), who dedicates her life to the happiness of her patients in the hospice. There is also Parthasarthy (Girish Karnad), a fun-loving but stubborn character wishing to be reunited with his family, while the intelligent, virtuous and loving Madhu (Farida Jalal) wants to lead a normal life and not be ostracised while in the hospice. Also present is 10-year-old comic book lover Govinda (Ashwin Chitale), who dreams of everyone's life being just like a comic book. How Rahul gets influenced by these characters in the hospice and how he makes the most of his limited time is what Aashayein is about. This moving saga is directed by Nagesh Kukunoor of Iqbal (2005) and Bombay to Bangkok (2008) fame.

Movie Review Phook

Rating: ****

The great debate between science and superstition continues, but RGV's new film Phoonk tilts in favour of superstition. Surprising, isn't it?

The makers of the film had organized a contest. You'd be given a handsome reward if you've the courage to watch Phoonk all alone in a theatre, we're told. Honestly speaking, Phoonk isn't scary by any standards, but as a subject, it works big time because somewhere deep within us, we've heard of the power of the unknown.

Whether you're superstitious or not, you may've heard tales/experiences concerning jaadu tona. And you're all eyes and ears the moment someone comes up with an alibi.

Phoonk is easily amongst RGV's finest works (although BHOOTH was scarier) and it holds your attention all through.

As a viewer, you're keen to know how RGV would culminate this story. The culmination, of course, would meet with extreme reactions.

Some would rubbish it, but the believers might endorse the finale. In my individualistic opinion, it's outstanding!

All said, Phoonk is a fantastic experience. The subject -- black magic -- is its biggest star and that alone would ensure House Full boards outside plexes/cinemas.

Rajeev (Sudeep), a successful construction engineer, with a loving wife and two children, is an atheist to the core. He scowls at people who believe in the dark forces, till one day when an evil is let loose in his happy home, which threatens to destroy his family and shake up the very foundations of his convictions and beliefs.

Thanks to the hype and curiosity generated around the movie, you expect to be scared from Scene 1 itself. And RGV emphasises on lighting and artefacts, besides an eccentric woman (Ashwini Kalsekar), to create the right atmosphere.

Of course, you do get the jhatkas in a scene or two, but you don't clasp your hands tightly even once, nor does your heart goes dhak-dhak at a lightening speed.

Gradually, RGV plays with the camera (excellent camerawork by Savita Singh) and sound (Kunal Mehta, Parikshit Lalwani) to heighten the impact.

Like all RGV films, the camera angles bear the unmistakable RGV stamp, while the background score (Bapi-Tutul) takes an ordinary scene to the next level.

RGV is back with a bang. There's a certain consistency from start to end and this time, he gets the right subject to prove his detractors wrong. Every sequence bears the stamp of a genius that RGV is, hits and flops notwithstanding.

The performances are uniformly good. Sudeep impresses you with an excellent performance. Amruta Khanvilkar is efficient. Baby Ahsaas Channa makes a strong impression. Ashwini Kalsekar is top notch.

Zakir Hussain's tantric act is superb. Ganesh Yadav lends good support. K.K. Raina and Lilette Dubey, both doctors, are competent. Kenny Desai, Anu Ansari and the actress enacting the role of Sudeep's mother are perfect.

On the whole, Phoonk is a fascinating cinematic experience on a subject that's rarely tackled by the dream merchants in Bollywood: Black magic. The subject itself is the biggest star of the film, which would ensure a flying start at the box-office and in turn, prove a jackpot for its producers who've distributed the film themselves.

Shahid-Priyanka Chopra fall off bike, hurt

Actress Priyanka Chopra is sporting quite a few bruises after she and Shahid Kapur fell off a bike while shooting for Vishal Bharadwaj's film "Kaminay".

The accident took place in Pune late Thursday while a scene that required Priyanka to ride a bike with Shahid on the back seat was being shot.

The two were riding the bike on a slope that was slightly muddy when the two-wheeler skidded and the two fell off. And to make matter worse, the bike fell on top of them.

"By god's grace, I am fine and so is Shahid, except for a few cuts and bruises. I think the only thing that is seriously damaged is my ego, otherwise I am alive and kicking, " Priyanka was quoted as saying in a press statement.