For those who've watched the Iranian film, you'll realize that BUMM BUMM BOLE is not a patch on that film. And those who haven't watched the Iranian film and would view BUMM BUMM BOLE as an isolated case, BUMM BUMM BOLE still disappoints.
So what ails this film? There's no denying that Priyadarshan is one of the finest storytellers around, but if you've watched some of his recent films, you may've realized that they have been stretched beyond a point. That's one of the prime reasons why BUMM BUMM BOLE suffers.
Reason II: The finale of the film should be the best part of the enterprise, since the viewer carries home the end of the film, besides several wonderful moments, while making an exit from the auditorium. In this case, the finale is a complete letdown. What comes across is on-the-face, blatant promotion of a shoe brand and also an energy drink, which actually robs the film of its innocence. A film that should've been pure and considered a piece of art falls prey to commercial diktats. Why Priyan?
Every once in a while Priyan makes a departure from the kind of films he's known for and attempts a film that's real and unadulterated and for that, the avid storyteller deserves a salute. But is it necessary to make a 2-hour film, when the story could've been Indianized in approx. 1.30 hours?
What elevates the film to a watchable level at times are the two kids - Darsheel Safary and Ziyah Vastani - who are simply adorable, besides a few individualistic sequences. That's about it!
Khogiram [Atul Kulkarni], his wife [Rituparna Sengupta] and their kids Pinu [Darsheel Safary] and Rimzim [Ziya Vastani] belong to a terrorist-dominated region. Khogiram and Ritu have a hand-to-mouth income and can barely manage things. The kids are affected by this as well. They go to a respectable school as it is Khogiram's ambition to give them the educational opportunities he missed. But the financial crunch makes it difficult for kids to match the standards of the school. They don't have enough money for uniform or shoes.
BUMM BUMM BOLE has a simple, uncomplicated story and that's its USP. But what could've been narrated in a concise format is stretched so much that it tests the patience of the viewer. Besides several unwanted sequences, especially towards the second hour, the pacing of the film is painfully slow, which only adds to the woes.
The film falters mainly towards the finale, when Darsheel takes part in a marathon, but the entire sequence doesn't make you euphoric. Ideally, the race should've been an exhilarating experience, which it is not. Also, you can spot Darsheel wearing orthodontic braces; it's there in some scenes, it's missing in some scenes. Even otherwise, the braces don't go with his character.
There's no denying that Priyadarshan has shot the film well and the lush green locales make a sweeping impact. Also, he has executed a few sequences with panache, but BUMM BUMM BOLE doesn't come across as a film that would be lapped up by either kids or adults. Cinematography is top notch. Musically, the song on the kids is eye-catching.
On the whole, BUMM BUMM BOLE starts off well, but loses focus as it develops. Nothing to rave or rant about!
Rating: 1.5/5
With JAIL, Madhur not only makes you visit a prison, but also makes you peep into the psyche of a prisoner. In the recent past, Sriram Raghavan's EK HASINA THI [2004; Saif Ali Khan, Urmila Matondkar] and Nazim Rizvi's UNDERTRIAL [2007; Rajpal Yadav] narrated the travails and anguish of innocents who were falsely implicated in a case. Besides, Nagesh Kukunoor's TEEN DEEWAREIN [2003; Naseeruddin Shah, Jackie Shroff, Nagesh Kukunoor] too narrated the story of three convicts. But JAIL is different from the above-named films.
Besides watching a thought-provoking story on celluloid, one has also come to expect incredible performances in a Madhur Bhandarkar movie. And JAIL too is embellished with superb performances from its key actors.
In a nutshell, JAIL mirrors a reality in true Madhur Bhandarkar style. It's hard-hitting, it's compelling, it's thought-provoking. The efficient storyteller has the courage to speak a new language in every film and for that very reason, JAIL should be on your agenda. Parag Dixit [Neil Nitin Mukesh] is living a dream life -- a great job and a loving girlfriend [Mugdha Godse]. However, things take an ugly turn when, after a series of unfortunate events, he suddenly wakes up in jail. Parag is perplexed. The only salvation he finds is in Nawab [Manoj Bajpayee], a convict, who believes that Parag is innocent.
Soon, Parag is left with a choice, to either live a life with hordes of broken hearts and shattered souls amidst the prison walls or hope to see freedom some day.
JAIL involves you from the very start. The inmates, their crimes, their individual stories... you get drawn into a world that's very real. So real that you feel it's happening right in front of your eyes.
Madhur has a knack of narrating stories and he narrates the story of Parag Dixit with razor-edge sharpness. Besides, JAIL also enlightens you of the legal process, which also acts as an eye-opener.
At the same time, the legal procedures and also the behavioural pattern of the inmates tend to get repetitive after a point and that's when you start feeling restless. Nonetheless, the post-interval has some interesting twists-n-turns, like the convicts' escape from the police van; prior to that Neil and Manoj exchanging stares before Neil perches himself in the van; Neil getting thrown in a dark cell, spending the next few days in solitary confinement; a convict using the garbage van as the means to escape; another convict realising that his wife is now a cop's mistress. Also, the climax is touching and moves you.
Madhur hits the right note yet again. Madhur, Manoj Tyagi and Anuradha Tiwari's script involves you in most parts. Raghuvir Shekhawat's dialogues are true to life. There's no scope for music in a film like JAIL, but the three songs are smartly integrated in the storyline. Kalpesh Bhandarkar's cinematography is top notch. Special mention must be made of Nitin Chandrakant Desai's prison set, where the film is entirely shot. Not only does Neil Nitin Mukesh deliver his finest performance to date, but the performance would easily rank amongst the finest this year. He conveys the pathos and helplessness that this character demands with amazing understanding. He deserves all praise for his extra-ordinary portrayal.
Manoj Bajpayee pitches in a memorable performance. In fact, the supremely talented actor is in form after a long, long time. He's subdued all through, which only goes to prove that he knows the craft so well. Mugdha Godse underplays her part beautifully. Also, she carries the non-glam look well.
Aarya Babbar is fantastic. This film should make people sit and notice this young actor. Chetan Pandit is first-rate. Rahul Singh is excellent, especially in the sequence when he confronts his wife. The actor who plays the part of Joe D'Souza is effective.
On the whole, JAIL is a well-made film from an expert storyteller. At the box-office, the film will appeal to those with an appetite for hard-hitting, realistic fares, but its clash with AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI will affect its business to an extent.
By Taran Adarsh, October 16, 2009 - 11:22 IST
MAIN AURR MRS. KHANNA, directed by debutante Prem Soni, could've been an interesting story had the drama quotient been a bit stronger. What comes across is too simple and ordinary.
Actually, the problem lies in its writing. It wouldn't be erroneous to say that Prem Soni, the director is letdown by Prem Soni, the writer. The writing gyrates from interesting to ordinary to unconvincing and that bogs the film down. The inconsistency is evident all through.
Final words? This Mr. and Mrs. Khanna won't live happily ever after!
Raina [Kareena Kapoor], Samir [Salman Khan] and Akash [Sohail Khan] are three people whose lives get entwined at an international airport. Samir has to decide whether he wants to stay in the same city [Melbourne] that gave him so much and then took away everything or fly away to a new city [Singapore], to a new life.
Now let's analyse…
MAIN AURR MRS. KHANNA makes a promising start. The cracks in the relationship are evident when the husband starts facing problems on the professional front. He tries to re-locate to Singapore, but decides to send his wife to Delhi, to his parents' home. Convincing!
The wife decides to stay back in Melbourne and suddenly meets an 'angel' [Sohail Khan] and a friend's friend [Mahek Chahal], who gets her a job at the airport [within hours of meeting her] and a few scenes later, Mrs. Khanna shifts into a palatial mansion. Wowwwww! How can she afford a palace-like home in Melbourne from the salary that she gets, while working in a shop at the airport? Not convincing!
The wife and angel become friends. The angel is well aware of her marital status, yet loves her dearly. The woman trusts him as a friend. Convincing!
The question is, why didn't the wife confide in her husband about it? That she had to do it for the work permit? Of course, she states subsequently that she didn't want to complicate things further, but didn't she ever realise that the truth would be out sooner or later?
Also, when the husband is in Singapore, there's scant or zilch communication between the couple, which looks so unreal. There's just one sequence of the wife calling her husband, but the husband isn't responding to the call. Again, not convincing!
The ending is interesting, but the surprise appearance of Deepika Padukone looks forced in the script. Perhaps, it was incorporated so that Sohail doesn't come across as a loser. Strangely, Deepika's name is also Raina [also Kareena's name in the film] and she too was in a relationship with a Samir [also Salman's name], which looks fake.
Prem Soni has handled a few scenes well, but the writing is ineffectual. Dialogue, also by Prem, are wonderful at places. Sajid-Wajid's music is tuneful. 'Don't Say Alvida' and 'Rabba' are melodious compositions. The cinematography is striking. The locales of Melbourne give the film a perfect romantic setting.
The film has several star appearances: Deepika Padukone, Preity Zinta [okay], Dino Morea [hardly there for a few minutes] and Bappil Lahiri [yes, the veteran music composer has a proper role in the film].
On the whole, MAIN AURR MRS. KHANNA is weak in merits. At the box-office, the BLUE wave, followed by another strong opposition in ALL THE BEST will sideline MAIN AURR MRS. KHANNA completely. It's a non-starter!
Director: Anthony D'Souza Cast: Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Lara Dutta, Zayed Khan
Rating:
Blue is the perfect example of a good 100 crores going down the drain ( sau karod paani mein daal diya ). Sure the film promises some brilliant visuals and underwater images never seen before in Indian films thanks to one of the finest underwater cinematographers in the world (Pete Zuccarini). But sadly the credit list literally lacks the mention of a screenplay writer.
The scene opens in post-independence era of 1949 when a ship from Britain to India is bringing back its long looted riches. Strangely as per goofed-up geography, the shipwreck happens in Bahamas (that figures nowhere on the course of voyage). The treasure lies deep inside oceans untouched for more than half a century.
The scene opens in present-day Bahamas with good-friends Aarav (Akshay Kumar) and Sagar (Sanjay Dutt) fishing and fighting together. The latter addresses the former as Sarkar for being filthy-rich. But the former more aptly addresses the latter as Sethji (not for his possessions but perhaps his paunch). The fatigued seth with a potbelly pet romances a bikini babe (Lara Dutta) half his age.
Sagar’s brother Sam (Zayed Khan) is estranged from him for strange reasons. He races bikes rapidly and romances babes vapidly. Fleeing from mafia men, he returns to Big Brother house. By interval point you only relish the sight of fish but sadly get to see no meat in the plot.
In absence of a sane screenplay, the viewer is subjected to burnout action sequences and bike chases. By the time the oceanic treasure-hunt initiates in the climax, you see blue since the film is ‘in deep water’. Sadly the authentic aquatic life is put to no active use as even the sharks seem to be harmlessly herbivorous. Rather the regular hero-villain combats are replicated in the oceans to no groundbreaking effect with the marine life playing passive spectators to the proceedings.
Mayur Puri’s casual conversational dialogues sans any cinematic significance and the minimal background score fail to induce depth to the drama. The supposed suspense in the narrative is almost obvious from the start. A R Rahman’s musical score is plain passable this time. The art design by Narendra Rahurikar is decent. Laxman Utekar’s cinematography is fascinating as he captures the Bahamas beaches beautifully in his lens and uses effective close up frames on the cast. Designer Rina Dhaka deserves special mention for styling Lara Dutta at her sexiest best in those white, red, pink and bejeweled bikinis.
The introductory action sequence of a shark attack has been credibly choreographed by James Bomalick. But after a perfect startup for an underwater adventure, the action takes the regular ‘road’ until the climax while the adventure isn’t scripted thrillingly. Blue has munificent footage of marine world which has been stunningly shot by underwater expert Pete Zuccarini ( Pirates of Caribbean ). But the conventional storytelling doesn’t elevate its outcome beyond the visual brilliance of a National Geographical documentary.
Akshay Kumar is decent. Zayed Khan isn’t bad but doesn’t go beyond his regular self. Sanjay Dutt looks dreary and uninterested. With a perfect toned body, Lara Dutta looks desirable and adds grace to her liberal beachwear, not looking one bit vulgar. Katrina Kaif gets no scope. Rahul Dev is regular. Kylie Minogue’s item number comes out of the blue.
Director Anthony D’Souza deserves applause for testing water with entering an entirely new territory, not attempted before this side of Pacific. The logistics of such filmmaking are extremely demanding and he hasn’t compromised on the standards. But his storytelling certainly lacks the finesse which could have made this project a more entertaining fare.
Blue doesn’t glue you to the seat. Rather its corniness can make you see red
Mr and Mrs Khanna (Salman and Kareena) are forced to go their separate ways when financial insecurity strikes their marriage. Will the temporary
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Film: Main aurr Mrs Khanna (Drama)
Cast: Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Sohail Khan
Direction: Prem Soni
Duration: 2 hours 10 minutes
Critic's Rating:
Matrimonial discord does make for some high drama on screen. But only when there is a plausible reason behind the banter and break-up. Main aurr Mrs Khanna seems to fall short in this department since Mr and Mrs Khanna (Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor) squabble and separate for no reason at all. Seriously, is financial insecurity and joblessness reason enough to go your different ways, despite the fact that you are desperately in love? Also, why would an unemployed husband force his employed wife to pack her bags and return to her sasural, while he goes job hunting in distant shores?
Yet, that's exactly what Salman does. Failing to find re-employment in Melbourne after a financial goof-up, he tells his much-in-love waitress wife, Kareena, to go back to Dalhousie, while he flies off to Singapore in search of rozi-roti. Naturally, Kareena doesn't comply. She sheds a silent tear and stays back in Melbourne after a bunch of newfound friends help her find a new job and a work permit too. All she has to do is pretend to marry the friendly bartender (Sohail Khan) who whiles away his time befriending pretty belles at the airport. The bartender of course falls in love with Mrs Khanna, even though she makes it clear where her loyalties lie: solely with her long-distance pati, Salman who must return someday. Return, he does, only to find his devoted wife talking a bit too much about the bartender and his benevolent ways. Jealous, did we say?
Not really. For, Main aurr Mrs Khanna seems to have no passion at all. Neither love, nor anger, nor pain, nor envy. In an attempt to create a low key drama, debutant director, Prem Soni divests his film of all energy. Truly, this must be Kareena's most thanda performance which fails to strike a single chord. So unlike the feisty actor! Salman too seems to have slipped into somnolent mode, creating a laid-back Mr Khanna who fails to convey the frustrations of a jobless husband. And so infectious is the lethargy, it even manages to curb a usually effervescent Sohail Khan who prefers to play it over the top in most of his cameos. Here, you hardly can make out whether he is heartbroken, happy or couldn't care less.
Wish the Khannas had more EQ
Sanjay Dutt knows the secret of a hidden treasure in a sunken ship but is reluctant to ferret it out, despite buddy Akshay Kumar's pleas. It is
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Film: Blue (Adventure)
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Zayed Khan, Lara Dutta
Direction: Anthony D'Souza
Duration: 1 hour 58 minutes
Critic's Rating:
Bollywood goes underwater and comes up a winner. Blue is fresh and fulsome, boasting of some great deep sea shots ( by Pete Zuccarini, cinematographer, Pirates of the Caribbean fame), stunning above sea level action sequences, a crackling background music score and sound design by India's two Oscar winners (AR Rahman and Resul Pookutty), a short and engaging reel length that keeps the proceedings pithy, two hot girls (Lara Dutta and Katrina Kaif too in a glam guest role) and a whole lot of guy stuff....Like, bare-bodied Akshay swimming with the sharks and stingrays, lean and mean Zayed blasting away on designer bikes, Sanjay Dutt, sadly with a paunch, sparring with Akshay in the boxing ring and the threesome donning their diving gear to discover a hidden treasure in picture postcard Bahamas.
All this, when they are not pumping up the adrenalin with some rumbustious chiggy wiggy with Kylie Minouge who gets to shake a leg to the quintessential bhangra beat too, with our desi Singh is King.
Yes, Blue, touted as Bollywood's most expensive film (Rs 100 crore) dazzles with style more than substance. More than the storyline, it is the action sequences, the chases, the marine splendour and the opulent canvas of the film that gives you bang for your buck. Of course, you do wish the sharks were meaner, the treasure hunt more perilous, the danger more palpable instead of a climax that wraps up tamely. But the underwater ease with which the trio discovers the sunken loot is compensated with some stunning biker mayhem, atop trains, forests and the alleys of Bangkok and the Bahamas. Add to this, some neatly choreographed song-dance sequences, coupled with moodswings between dosti and dushmani amongst the main protagonists and you have a film that keeps the popcorn crunchy till curtain call.
Most of the drama springs from the unpredictable friendship between fisherman Akshay Kumar and his employee Sanjay Dutt who happens to be the best diver in the Bahamas. Is Akshay truly his buddy or does he need his diving skills to unearth a treasure that lies hidden in Lady in Blue, a British ship that sank in 1949 enroute to India? The entire first half is spent by Akshay in cajoling a reluctant Sanjay Dutt to jump into the ocean and retrieve the treasure. But Dutt has a sordid past which precludes him from taking the big leap, until it becomes imperative to do so...He must fish out the moolah to save his errant kid brother, Zayed Khan, from a biker gang that is desperate for its pound of flesh. Needless to say, the happiest person in this troika is Akshay, the archetypal gold digger who believes greed is truly good. Or does he have another motive up his dapper sleeve?
Amongst the lead players, Sanjay looks a bit out of shape, Zayed is fresh and adequate, while Akshay keeps you guessing about his ethical moorings. The girls, Lara and Katrina, sashay down the screen with aplomb, adding the requisite oomph in this high-on-visuals drama. Go, feast your eyes on brawn and cheesecake.
 Starring Shahid Kapoor, Rani Mukherjee, Rakhi Sawant, Sheryln Chopra, Anupam Chopra Directed by Anuraag Singh Rating: * Somewhere down the line in this mish-mash of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Chak De and what-have-‘youth’ Shahid Kapoor, looking as intense as a man who has just discovered he has acute molar ache scowls at Rani and says, “You should be an actress in films.” Actress she is. And a highly competent one. Rani has worked really hard on getting the Sardarji’s act together. At times she’s quite funny and poignant. But her attempts go to waste in a film that seems to move in a rudderless stupor. Rani Mukherjee is sorely let down in her made-to-order vehicle by a script that’s as phony and pasted-on as the moustache she pastes on to infiltrate the all-boy’s cricket team helmed by a Britain-returned dude from a broken family. Shahid’s Dad Anupam Kher lives in Amritsar, his mom Poonam Dhillon lives in London, and Shahid lives somewhere where Shah Rukh Khan lived in Chak De. Passports are not required.  Backgrounds are not very high in the list of this messy and annoying mishmash about crossdressing and the sporting spirit. While Shahid’s character we know is from a broken home, only God and the scripwriter know where Rani’s Veera/Veer comes from. Is she the illegitimate child of a cricketer who passed through Amritsar? Is she the distant desperate cousin of Hillary Swank in Boys Don’t Cry? While Hillary as a girl dressed as a guy got the Oscar Rani misses her award-winning turn by a wide margin, thanks to a script that meanders like a bumbling bumblebee which doesn’t know whom to sting. The story of the spirited girl’s sprint into a men’s game and into the coach’s heart lacks bite and humour. The dialogues are ultra-pedestrian, some of the exchanges between the rustic Rani and the posh Shahid shamelessly cadged from Jab We Met.  What were the makers of this film thinking ? Not much, we can easily see in the slithering progression of the material a dismaying lack of direction and motivation.After interval the wobbly narration just collapses in a tired heap, with scenes in a nautanki featuring Rakhi Sawant (utterly wa (i)sted) plunging to the bottom-most rung of mediocrity. The climactic cricket match between India and Pakistan (Veer-Zara strikes again) is as exciting as watching Kaminey with the soundtrack turned off. In Dil Bole Hadippa the soundtrack is so loud it drowns any finer point that the narration may possess. Don’t waste your time looking for silver linings in this dreadful cricket film. Somone one said cricket is a game played by 12 fools and watched by 12, 000 fools. No we know what he meant. |
The film has dealt with subjects India is talked about around the world - cricket, Punjabi flavour and colour and the Indo-Pak relations. And looks like it's Yash Raj banner's forte too-the whole Punjab angle, replete with sarson ke khet, bright hues, the bhangra, the lassi, the ganna and coming home from London thing.
Veera's masquerade as Veer is brilliant, kudos to the make up man who was called in all the way from London to work on Veera. Loads of rib tickling humour, cute romantic interludes, and patriotic incitements - the perfect ingredients of the Yash Raj films. Veera's speech at the end about allowing girls to give flight to their dreams, though a little drab, might make a few quite emotional. Rani's well-toned body and Shahid's muscles are quite a treat too. The first time pairing of Rani and Shahid isn't quite a bad idea after all. They do share some chemistry on-screen. Shahid sure has matured from his first video album cameo for Aryans in Aankhon Mein Tera Hi Chehra and looks like has a long way to go.
A steal from 2006 high school romantic-comedy 'She's The Man' where the actress disguises herself as her brother to play for a soccer team, but then most of the Bollywood films are inspired from here and there, aren't they?
By Taran Adarsh, September 18, 2009 - 17:54 IST
Let's elaborate. The plusses, first...
It's mandatory for cricket-based films like LAGAAN and VICTORY, which conclude with a cricket match, to have a thrilling finish. DIL BOLE HADIPPA too has a awe-inspiring end.
Also, the story of an ordinary girl who aspires to play cricket for the national team is motivating, with Rani Mukherji handling her part with complete understanding.
But there's a flipside too. The romantic moments between Rani and Shahid Kapoor lack fizz. Even the assorted characters in the film, like Sherlyn Chopra, Vrajesh Hirjee and Rakhi Sawant, contribute nothing to the film. They're mere props.
Write your own movie review of Dil Bole Hadippa!
Final word? You expect DIL BOLE HADIPPA to score a century, like several films churned out by Yash Raj. But it settles down in the half-century range. Strictly average!
While Veera dreams on in India, Rohan [Shahid Kapoor] is an accomplished captain of a county cricket team in England. Rohan returns to India to captain his father's cricket team, which has been losing consecutively for the last 8 years.
DIL BOLE HADIPPA has a patchy script. It's interesting initially, but takes the beaten path later. Rani's obsession for cricket is well established at the outset. So is the friendship between Anupam Kher and Dalip Tahil [who heads the Pakistani team]. Also, the initial scenes between Anupam and Shahid are well integrated in the story.
The film shows promise when Rani transforms from Veera to Veer. All this happens in the initial 20-25 minutes, but the story comes to a screeching halt thereafter.
Problem begins... Shahid loses his heart to Rani and the film suddenly turns into a love story. Sherlyn surfaces in between to spice up the proceedings, but nothing happens. The conflict during the finale - when Shahid learns the truth - doesn't make the desired impact either. Even the re-emergence of the mother [Poonam Dhillon] in the story looks like a complete compromise from the writing point of view.
However, the match between the Indian and Pakistani teams in the climax is well executed and though the viewer is well aware what the ending would be, it keeps you hooked nonetheless. Unfortunately, the final speech by Rani [after the match is won] is outright predictable. The film would've benefitted with an innovative end.
DIL BOLE HADIPPA belongs to Rani and as always, she delivers a sparkling performance as Veera as well as Veer, carrying both the roles effortlessly. Shahid plays second fiddle to Rani, which is very surprising. Nevertheless, he enacts his part well. Anupam Kher and Dalip Tahil lend decent support. Poonam Dhillon has nothing to do. Rakhi Sawant and Sherlyn Chopra are wasted. Vrajesh Hirjee is passable. Shri Vallabh Vyas does well.
On the whole, DIL BOLE HADIPPA is an ordinary fare. At the box-office, the film has some chances in North mainly thanks to the Punjabi flavour. The holidays ahead may help its prospects at plexes essentially, but the single screens will be dull.
For those who have missed the priceless Wanted promo, here's a recap: various shots of Salman Khan [ Images ] walking, talking, 'loving' and firing guns are set to a rather unbelievable voiceover telling us that 'He walks casually... he talks casually... he eats casually... he loves casually... he kills casually... but... he dances seriously.' On cue, of course, we cut to a montage of Salman dancing his feet off. I kid you not. Wanted is a film directed by Prabhu Deva, the spectacularly spineless super-dancer some call the Indian Michael Jackson [ Images ], or, even more iconically, Benny Lava. It is an adaptation of the Tamil Pokiri, which he had directed, itself an adaptation of the Telegu Pokiri, directed by Puri Jagannath. I would like to confess to fans of these originals that I haven't seen either of the two versions, but I confess it really doesn't seem to matter: borrowing the delightful phraseology of the Wanted teaser, all I can say about Prabhu Deva [ Images ] is that 'he directs... casually.' Wanted is a modern-day rarity, a B-grade actioner that really doesn't spend any time trying to class up its tackiness or pretend to make sense. Scenes merge for no reason whatsoever, the girl pops up wherever guns are fired, and Salman Khan's schizophrenic hair changes style in every single shot. The writing is both amateurish and crass, while the songs are plain hideous. And hey, who wants to waste time with twists? Just keep the punches thick and fast.
As a very frequent viewer of Hindi cinema, I hasten to assure you that an overall lack of pretension is a pretty good thing -- even if the product is unashamedly stupid. This film is longer than it should be, often makes no sense, and has one inexplicably bizarre moment involving Vicco Vajradanti, but it's a film that knows what it is. As a film made solely to let a Khan kick a**, it's decidedly more fun than Ghajini. (Not that that's saying much.)
Salman stars as a boorish gun-for-hire named Radhe, one various goons from various Mumbai [ Images ] mafia families hire at various times to kill each other, and Khan dutifully executes for the highest bidder. The ruthless mercenary doesn't ever seem to spend any of his money, however, and hangs around with an entourage of dolts (one of whom is Inder Kumar, best remembered from the horribly, fantastically masala Akshay-starrer Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi).
Meanwhile, Govind Namdeo is a tough commissioner hellbent on scrubbing Mumbai clean, not even letting politicians stand in his way. On the other end of the khaki spectrum stands Mahesh Manjrekar [ Images ], playing an atrociously lecherous police inspector, as corrupt as humanly possible. The mafia ranks are topped off by Prakash Raj [ Images ] playing all-powerful don, Gani Bhai. And then there's Ayesha Takia playing The Girl, a painfully braindead shrieker masochistically drawn towards our hitman hero.
Yeah, that kinda film.
Salman sleepwalks through so many mediocre projects that it's genuinely refreshing to see him have a ball with this one, throwing himself into both dance thrusts and clever kills with abandon. This isn't a film about acting, perish the thought, but one built around the star and Salman visibly preens in the wolf-whistles-to-be. He's straight out of a really tawdry comic book, but there's no mistaking he's a superhero. He's the goddamned Sal Man!
Ayesha Takia [ Images ], on the other hand, is given a truly raw deal. She's given a role that can only be described as mentally deficient, and while this isn't always a bad thing in B-movies, it's always sad to see a lovely natural actress shortchanged thus. Her look in the film is inconsistent and unflattering, and it doesn't help that Salman treats her like chopped liver.
I'm informed that the original film had stunts copied from a French film called Banlieue 13. I don't claim to know about that, but I must say action director Vijayan Master (also the man behind the original Pokiri) has done a bang-up job here. The kills are genuinely inventive and entertainingly violent, and while it never really gets gory, there are deaths cleverly sick enough to have been lifted from Mortal Kombat fatalities. And isn't that what matters in a film like this?
Eventually, yes. The first half stretches past its welcome and the romantic interludes weigh heavy on the barely-there narrative, but the second half is largely wham-bam-bodyslam and there's enough killing and cliche to enjoy the predictable ride. Post-interval, it's hard not to begrudgingly respond to Salman's stoic, mean treatment towards Ayesha. We haven't seen a hero this misogynistic in Hindi cinema in awhile, and this layer makes the romantic track bearable, and even, in bits, amusing.
Also resurrecting the second half is the presence of Prakash Raj, and it can't be stressed just how much of a good thing this is. The National Award winning actor goes out on a limb and enjoys every second of his villainy, and while a lot of it is camp, he sneaks in a brief glimpse of his acting chops every now and again. By far the best thing in the movie, this man.
Wanted features a lot that is ill-fitting, most notably the wardrobe. Everyone in the film wears things a few sizes too small, leading to most men flaunting their nipples, from Prakash Raj to Manoj Pahwa to Salman -- though it must be said that his obligatory shirtlessness comes about relatively inventively in this film. And while Sallu occasionally looks good, most of the film has him and his colleagues looking chunky, chubby and out of shape. Hmm.
Khan might be having fun, but the fact a film like Wanted underscores is how badly Bollywood needs a breed of younger leading men. And how the existing lot need roles that fit.
Rediff Rating:
REVIEW: WANTED (2009)
WANTED: Salman Ka Dum
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
Starring: Salman Khan, Ayesha Takia, Vinod Khanna, Mahesh Manjrekar, Prajkash Raj, Govind Namdeo, Inder Kumar, Aseem Merchant, Sajid.
Director: Prabhu Deva
If you are crazy about regular commercial masala films leaving your brains at home, Wanted is the right choice. Wanted is a canvas painted in south Indian colours where you can get a glimpse of Rajnikanth in our macho man Salman Khan. Woah hold down It’s a Prabhu Deva film, Bingo Wanted is undisputedly a well-written story with an excellent screenplay. But there is a flipside to it. It is a well-written story which lacks good direction and editing.
Wanted opens up with an interesting plot with commissioner Ashraf Khan (Govind Namdeo) leaving no stones unturned to eradicate underworld terrorism from the country. Radhe (Salman Khan) is a hardcore gangster known for brutality and commitments. All he knows is the language of money. His loyalties lies with any gang provided the money is right. His entry in Gani Bhai (Prakash Raj) gang under the wing of Golden (Aseem Merchant), the right hand of Gani and betrayal to his existing gang headed by Data Pawle leads to bloodshed, as disputes crop up unexpectedly. However, story takes a twist with Golden’s death, which compels Gani Bhai to take matters in his hands and fly back to India. How Gani Bhai realizes the trap of commissioner Ashraf Khan, and the truth of Salman Khan, would have been an exciting watch had Prabhu Deva tightened his script.
Cinematographers Nirav Shah and S Sriram are simply excellent. Special effects are over the top; could have been subtle. The music is awful, except “Dil Leke’ track, which is the only saving grace.
No refreshing treat for ears, as far as stereotypical dialogues go.
Wanted rides on Salman Khan despite his regular run-of-the-mill, yet nice performance. Ayesha Takia is good and looks gorgeous. Mahesh Manjrekar is perfect for his part as a womanizer. Prakash Raj as Gani Bhai has small, yet pivotal role and lives up to it beautifully. Vinod Khanna and Inder Kumar don’t have much scope, though they are instrumental to the pace of the story. Aseem Merchant is fairly good. Same goes for Govind Namdeo.
On the whole, “Salman Khan’ factor will pull the audience to make this film survive. Infact, half the battle is won, courtesy loads of hype. My verdict: One time watch.
Also starring Ayesha Takia Azmi in the lead, Wanted is a remake of the 2006 Telugu film Pokkiri. Wanted marks the Bollywood debut of ace choreographer-turned-filmmaker Prabhu Deva. Kudos to him for making Salman dance like never before. For the first time ever Salman seems to enjoy his steps wholeheartedly (with right expressions) and not dance for the heck of it.
Sallu's Ganpati song, Jalwa, was apparently kept secret from audiences for very long before the release. Undoubtedly, it is the best of the lot. And why not, when someone like Prabhu Deva himself has choreographed it, nothing but the best is expected.
The film definitely has a South Indian touch and feel to it but the best part is, as a filmmaker Prabhu Deva doesn't try to experiment much. Yet whatever he does (read silly) he does it with oodles of style.
Prabhu Deva's take on Mughal-E-Azam's song Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya with Sallu and Ayesha looks too funny. The lovey-dovey episodes between Sallu and Ayesha sometimes make no sense at all. Sample this… Sallu and Ayesha get stuck inside the lift. Ayesha is frightened and comes closer to Salman. She gives a coy smile and Salman smiles back as Ayesha innocently asks if it is Vicco Vajradanti... Being juvenile is an understatement at this point.
There are far too many songs, which could have been well avoided.
Radhe (Salman Khan) is a hardcore gangster. A sharpshooter with a sharp brain, he works for Gani Bhai (Prakash Raj), the dreaded Mafia don, but on his own terms. Totally fearless, Radhe single handedly eliminates Gani Bhai's enemies one by one; making more enemies in the process. He's astounded when the young and pretty Janhvi (Ayesha Takia) professes her love for him. Inspector Talpade (Mahesh Manjrekar), who doesn't know that Janhvi has developed a soft corner for Radhe, sets his lustful eyes on the chick.
Whether it's the Golden (Aseem Merchant) gang or Data Pawle's Gang; everybody wants the biggest piece of the lucrative cake that is Mumbai and the only way to get it is to eliminate whoever gets in the way. As Mumbai reels under bloody gang wars, Commissioner Ashraf Khan (Govind Namdeo) vows to make the city crime free and starts his campaign by arresting 200 criminals in.
The story by Puri Jagannath (who also directed the original Telugu film Pokhiri) is nothing path-breaking and resorts to regular formula like underworld gang war, undercover cops, love at first sight angle, etc etc. But Prabhu Dheva's fast paced direction doesn't give you time to ponder over what's happened and keeps you riveted with the heavy-duty editing and hard-hitting action (by Vijayan Master). The action might appear exaggerated but is very slickly choreographed. Time and again the script finds excuses to initiate another fight sequence but a cool and confident Salman Khan adds conviction to the kicks and punches he delivers.
The humour doesn't go overboard with some funny scenes and liners keeping the mood light through perfect comic timing of characters. Prabhu Dheva's passion for choreography comes alive onscreen as four dance directors make Salman groove like never before. Sadly the choreography isn't complemented with equally apt music by Sajid-Wajid. Also too many tracks interrupt the flow of the film which could have been easily cut short.
What actually gets the graph down is that after glorifying the hero throughout, the climax makes him weak on usual pretexts of father's death or friend's kidnap. The twist in the climax is something that you foresee coming much early. And once that is revealed, the film treads towards a mundane climax where the hero is set to terminate the villain.
Nevertheless Salman Khan alone makes 'Wanted' a worth watch. He looks supercool like never before and despite the hardcore action image there's an innocent charm to his persona. He dances with a new vigour, kicks some serious butt and kills ruthlessly. Ayesha Takia is cute and charming. Mahesh Manjrekar as the lusting and spiteful cop makes you hate every bit of his character. Prakash Raj is funny as international don Gani yet his character is not ridiculed down to a caricature. Vinod Khanna has just one sequence but is wasted otherwise.
There are times when you care a damn about nutrition and indulge in some lip-smacking junk food. 'Wanted' is just that recipe. Never mind some extra calories!
By Taran Adarsh, September 17, 2009 - 19:15 IST
Fans, rejoice, Salman is back with a vengeance with WANTED. This is his deadliest performance to date. Yes, you read it right!
Foes, sorry, you won't be able to lash out at him or pick on him or launch a vicious tirade this time. The spate of flops should come to a grinding halt with WANTED.
Let's get this straight. WANTED rides on Salman Khan's star power. He may not be the best actor in town, but in a film like WANTED, in a role that seems like an extension of his personality, you can't think of anyone else enacting this role with flourish.
A remake of POKIRI [made in Telugu and Tamil versions], WANTED is a full on masala film. Recall the successful potboilers of yore. Recall how the good guy would reduce 10 hoodlums to pulp in a fraction of seconds. Recall how heroism prevailed in the end, no matter how adverse the circumstances were or how powerful the villains would be. Recall those movies in which logic took a backseat since the focus was on entertainment... You relive those moments as reel after reel of WANTED unfolds.
Radhe [Salman Khan] is a hardcore gangster. A sharpshooter with a sharp brain, he works for Gani Bhai [Prakash Raj], the dreaded Mafioso, but on his own terms. Totally fearless, Radhe single-handedly eliminates Gani Bhai's enemies one by one; making more enemies in the process.
He's astounded when the young and pretty Jahnvi [Ayesha Takia Azmi] professes her liking for him. Inspector Talpade's [Mahesh Manjrekar] lustful eyes fall on Jahnvi. He doesn't know that Jahnvi has developed a soft corner for Radhe.
Whether it's the Golden Gang or Data Pawle's Gang, everybody wants the biggest piece of the lucrative cake that is Mumbai and the only way to get it is to eliminate whoever gets in the way. As Mumbai reels under bloody gang wars, Commissioner Ashraf Khan [Govind Namdeo] vows to make the city crime free.
Director Prabhu Dheva serves a hardcore masala fare that's not inventive or path-breaking by any standard, but the execution of several scenes as also of stunts takes the graph of the film Northward. In fact, if at all there's any film that competes with GHAJINI as far as raw appeal goes, it's WANTED. Every action/stunt/chase here is choreographed with aplomb.
Watch out for the action sequence at the interval point or the penultimate half-an-hour. The climax is sure to send scores of action lovers in frenzy, as Salman bashes the evil forces black and blue. It wouldn't be erroneous to state that the climax is worth the price of the ticket, samosa, sandwich, popcorn, nachos and cola put together.
But WANTED is not without its share of flaws. The film stands on a thin storyline and the viewer can guess what's in store next, which means that there's not much novelty in the plot. Besides, WANTED could've done without a song or two, thereby keeping its length in check.
Director Prabhu Dheva has presented Salman like never before. Most actors have drifted away from roles that hold tremendous mass appeal, that cater to the desi audience, like they did in the 1980s. SRK did it in OM SHANTI OM, Aamir Khan did it in GHAJINI and Salman does it so effortlessly in WANTED. The screenplay [Shiraz Ahmed] may not be foolproof, but it has its share of shining moments. Dialogues are clapworthy, especially those delivered by Salman.
Sajid-Wajid's music is of a mixed variety. 'Jalwa' is the best of the lot and the star presence of Anil Kapoor, Govinda and also Prabhu Dheva in this track will send the viewers into raptures. The remaining tracks oscillate between good and strictly okay. This review would be incomplete without the invaluable contribution by the action director. It deserves brownie points. Cinematography too is top notch.
Salman is like a ferocious lion who roars with all his might. The show belongs to the actor, who scorches the screen every time he displays the manic anger. Without doubt, Salman gives the power to WANTED. It's his best work to date.
Mahek Chahal radiates oomph. Aseem Merchant is alright. Raju Mavani is effective. Inder Kumar and Sajid are okay. Manoj Pahwa tries hard to make you laugh. Prateeksha Lonkar is as usual.
On the whole, WANTED rides on Salman, Salman and only Salman Khan's star power. A masala film that's aimed at the masses, WANTED is backed by tremendous hype and hoopla, which will result in the film taking an earth-shattering start at the ticket window. The Idd celebrations in the coming days will only enhance the business of the film, which means that the film will have a solid Week 1. The holidays in Week 2 should also be bountiful, thereby ensuring a strong place in the 'Hit' category.
