My Take On SHIVAAY - "Watch It For Ajay Devgn's Acting & Some Stellar Action Sequences"

Shivaay is an ambitious project that could have hit the jackpot but lost it's momentum completely after a positive commencement. Apart from a handful of arresting bits, this one falls flat as a movie in totality. Neither consistently engaging nor it has anything exciting to offer. Moreover the script is so lame & predictable that even occasional surprises look ordinary. The stale & uneven plot ruins the grandeur touch of this so called thriller. What works however is the super terrific performance by Ajay Devgn. It's a committed effort by the actor who is in his top gear and comes out as the film's biggest strength. He was the reason why I kept my patience on to watch it fully. But the same can't be said about him being the director as he failed there. The problem actually is he couldn't command the film and as a result it turned out to be a slog. Action portions no doubt are brilliantly shot, cinematography is first rate too. The little girl Abigail is endearing but the appealing emotions that were required in a family conflict & bonding, are missing here. I mean the melancholic moments hardly seem moving barring a few good scenes between the father-daughter duo. The character of Erika is simply bizzare & valueless. She's wasted and so are the other actors.

Overall, Ajay glitters as an actor but falters as the helmer of this lavish action flick. It's only fine in parts, otherwise a mediocre outcome. Thus, an one-time watch it is.

My Rating - 2.5/5

Shivaay deserved a stirring screenplay and judicious editing. Then it would have been a winner all the way!

My Take On AE DIL HAI MUSHKIL - "Lacks Novelty But Worth Watching"

Well, ADHM is an honest attempt by a filmmaker who is in his zone here. The movie is fun, moving but not entirely engaging and most importantly there's nothing new in it. Kjo through his movies talks sensibly about human relationships & their complexities. He's quite good at that. He did that marvelously in all his movies(especially in KANK and barring SOTY). Here he's in command too. But the screenplay offers hardly anything novel. Initial parts of the protagonists in this drama will remind you of 'KKHH' friendship between Rahul & Anjali, then post intermission, you will see 'KANK' like scenario and the plot ends with ingredients of 'KHNH' pathos. So it's a mix bag of Kjo's previous endeavours, however his presentation here is good & appreciable. I mean he very well knows how to use emotions where with heartfelt songs, meaningful dialogues and lovely performances. And there lies the strength of this film. Music is fabulous. The title track is a complete winner followed by Bulleya & Channa Mareya. Performances are so good too. Ranbir emotes with beauty. He's fantastic in all the melancholic bits. He makes you feel & root for him. No doubt he's an arresting talent. Anushka does her best here. I have never seen her this good before. She's the heart of the film and congrats to her for such a powerful act. Aish still looks amazingly beautiful. She delivers shayaris with panache but i found her role less effective. Fawad Khan has a sparkling screen presence. Wish he had a better part too(which I believe has been cropped up for the much talked about controversy). Nonetheless, he's a gem of an artist. And then there is SRK in one scene where he utters the film's most significant line which actually takes the film forward. What a charmer he's, that even in just a scene, he absolutely made his presence felt.

Thus, ADHM is a modern take on love, friendship and their dichotomy. An unrequited love story that's low on amusement yet is nicely made. Ultimately, it gives out the message which Kjo told us long back in his dream debut, 'KKHH', and that's 'Pyaar Dosti Hai'.
It's no 'KKHH' or 'KHNH', still it's a fair emotional cinematic experience. Neither great nor appalling. It's pretty much a soothing watchable experience. It won't be liked by masses though as it's not everyone's cup of tea.

My Rating - 3/5

Don't expect much and you won't complain. Watch it for its merits!

My Take On MS DHONI : THE UNTOLD STORY - 'Promises A Lot, Gives Very Less'

When a biopic of a notable personality becomes hagiography than a biography, typically commercial cinema than being originally appealing piece of art and unduly lengthy instead of perfectly inspiring, it fails to connect. And Alas! This MS Dhoni saga turns out to be a disappointment. Really had expected a lot but the above mentioned hiccups hampered this promising film that has a few terrific moments and could have hit a sixer, had it been aptly & more genuinely executed!!
It's surprising actually since a fine director like Neeraj Pandey has helmed this one.
The problem here is, it looks less of a biopic and more of a glorifying tale, that to told, in an 'Average Bollywood movie' way!! People won't be inspired as the struggle of the protagonist seems lame & unauthentic. Dhoni's romance, on the other hand, has been more highlighted. Thus it fails to strike a chord according to me.

However, Sushant S Rajput's beautifully committed performance is the film's biggest highpoint. He's absolutely a joy to watch on screen. I felt for his pathos, smiled for his success here.
Wish he had got a better film than this. Similarly, the shining legacy of MSD deserved a better biopic.

My rating :- 2.5 + Extra .5 (because of Sushant S Rajput) thus that makes it 3/5

Dhoni fans will love the movie, but the fans of good cinemas will come out with dissatisfaction. Another biographical movie (after Mary Kom & Azhar) falls flat!

BOLLYWOOD : Not About Big Stars & Their Blockbusters Only!

Well, Bollywood industry is widely renowned worldwide. It's loved and followed by people all over the globe. It features megastars and superstars who dominate through their cinemas. We have Mr. Amitabh Bachchan who has been working in films since last 45 years and still he's wooing all of us. We have 3 humongous Khan Megastars - SRK, Aamir & Salman who have been ruling the industry for more than two decades now. Then there are superstars like Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn & Hrithik Roshan who keep on providing good stuffs on celluloid. Among the current crop of young actors, the likes of Ranbir, Shahid & Ranveer have been quite popular and enjoy a nice fanbase. All these notable actors cum stars are well known by one and all. There's no doubt in that. But then the question arise, 'Is Bollywood about them only?' 'Do they only impart lasting movies?'
And the answer to that is a big NO. Why I say so because there are a lot of films that happened in last few years have managed to strike gold amongst the viewers. They have emerged memorable courtesy strong script and stunning performances. Now a days, audience very much prefers the storyline of a movie and it's presentation over starcast. If a film is good and well made, people welcome it, irrespective of who stars in that film. A big star, no doubt can give a fine film and make it a cult one. And some biggies are nicely doing that. But today we are noticing quality products more from small/moderate projects (low budget movies) that are eventually becoming winners. Films like Gangs Of Wasseypur, Paan Singh Tomar, Kai Po Che, The Lunchbox, Queen, Vicky Donor, Talvar, Dum Laga Ke Haishaa, etc are perfect example of movies minus popular faces yet they proved to be fruitful both critically and commercially. These are tagged as gems which have left their mark at the box office as well as in our hearts. Actors like Irrfan Khan, Manoj Bajpayee and Nawazuddin Siddiqui have been household names despite their 'non superstar' status. Audiences over the years, have matured and are welcoming new, gripping and unique subjects be it Rock On, Piku Or Udta Punjab recently. Moreover, female centric cinemas are setting a benchmark which was hardly witnessed in past. Almost every year, we are seeing and appreciating fabulous films revolved around women. Kahaani, English Vinglish, Queen, Mardaani, Tanu Weds Manu Returns have impressed us which didn't have any major male Superstar. Thus, actresses are getting their value like never before. Also biopics on commendable personalities are being seen these days. We have lauded some genuinely moving and inspiring ones since, you can say, last 4-5 years. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Shahid, Paan Singh Tomar, Neerja are some apt epitome.
Hence, it's pretty much clear that Bollywood in the present era, isn't only about lavish names and their grand movies. Typical, homogeneous, over the top formulaic stuffs don't amaze the viewers much. Yes Superstars are giving massive hits and they will continue delivering the same. But simultaneously, filmmakers are opting for novel and brave attempts on big screens and also succeeding. This indicates that people have changed their taste with every passing year and they hardly are being reluctant to watch & praise a finely crafted film of any genre or concept.
There's a saying which goes like 'Content Is The Real King'. It's indeed!

I conclude. Thanks!

My Take On SULTAN - "Immensely Watchable But Not Memorable"

Well to begin with, I can assuredly say that Sultan is a deeply promising film. A movie potentially very strong, features some genuinely robust and affecting moments that you will laud. It has a star cast who give total justice to their parts, from central players to side ones, all are impressive. The first half runs quite nicely. It has fun & emotions. But problem starts right at the interval point and continues post that. The screenplay suffers from repetitiveness to unnecessarily overlong scenes including a tiring climax. It's length is major drawback here which doesn't help the cause. And to be honest, I didn't find the justification of its run time. Abruptly it becomes a slog. Sharp editing and crispier direction could have done the job. But too much effort to make it better has actually ruined the party. However, Sultan is never an unwatchable experience. As I said, it has some breathtakingly lovely moments, dialogues in particular are well delivered. And actors here are all in good form. Salman Khan seriously commits himself to the titular role and comes up with a convincing show. He emotes well, does justice to Haryanvi accent. Body shape looks apt. This is surely an impressive performance from an actor, who's never known for his acting! So well done for that Mr. Khan!! Anushka Sharma meanwhile has an one dimensional part, yet she is quite commendable. Kumud Mishra is terrific and so is Randeep Hooda who shines even in a small role. Also worthy of mention are Amit Sadh and Anant Sharma who absolutely make their presence felt. Music is strictly average though. Barring Jag Ghoomeya and the title track, no other songs stand out. 
Direction is mixed bag I would say. Ali Abbas Jaffar deserves credit for some fine portions but he fails to keep the momentum up. Had it been little smartly made minus undue stuffs(the flaws I mentioned above), this could have been a great movie experience. In the end, it's only a decent watch thanks to its plusses.

My Rating - 3/5

It's watchable but won't be memorable!!!! But for Salman's efforts and a nice starcast, Sultan deserves to be watched!!!! A blockbuster that's thankfully not baseless!!!

My Take On Raman Raghav 2.0 - "Half Compelling, Saved By Nawazuddin Siddiqui's Brilliance"

Well, Anurag Kashyap and his movies that are raw, dark, bold and gritty always offer exciting & engrossing stuffs to the audiences. That's the reason, I am fond of most of his movies including my favourite of the decade (#GOW both parts). Here, in Raman Raghav 2.0, he returns to form and tells a captivating saga of a psycho serial killer who is in search of his soulmate. It's an interesting plot and Kashyap's storytelling is the same too but sadly not entirely. The problem I found here is that the chapters that include Vicky Kaushal, a.k.a, Raghavan or Raghav ain't that gripping, also they taste patience occasionally. In comparison to the parts of Nawazuddin's Raman, Vicky's Raghav ones are merely anything. Both the actors are commanding on screen though, but Nawazuddin is just something else. And in the end, it's solely his movie. Poor Vicky is convincing but looks feeble in front of the gem called Nawaz. And that's why, this otherwise smartly made thriller falls. Nawazuddin Siddiqui post GOW, has never looked back. He kept on giving splendid performances one after another. And with this one, he's set a benchmark. He's in his own league now, particularly like Irrfan Khan.
Thus, he makes Raman Raghav 2.0 a not to be missed watch. It's a film that's neither as memorable as Kashyap's GOW or perfect as his Black Friday. Still Mr. Kashyap is back with a good solid offering that should be viewed & lauded due to his trump card, i.e, Nawazuddin Siddiqui - the beauty!

My Rating - 2.5 (for the movie) + 1 extra (for Nawaz's stupendous acting) = 3.5/5

I was not fully satisfied in totality yet I enjoyed it thanks to the Killer RAMAN.

#सप्रेम 😍

My Take On UDTA PUNJAB - "Easily The Best & Most Important Film Of The Year"

Well to begin with, I would like to say that I have come across a lot of films based on reality that have stirring content but have never witnessed anything like Udta Punjab before. It is a bold, disturbing, poignant and veracious take on the tragic authenticity of drugs issue in Punjab. It's exceptionally well made that you will feel for the people, especially youth of this state. Abhishek Chaubey's direction & storytelling engages you right from the word go till the movie ends, through three parallel sagas, each having its own problems and sufferings. Shahid's part where he's playing a cocaine addict is uniquely amusing that reflects how a popular rockstar gets damaged due to this huge menace, Alia's episode is hard hitting plus deeply heartwrenching which mirrors a poor girl with high dreams becoming a prey of this harmful hiccup. Then there's third aspect that features Diljit & Kareena, shows how an unfaithful police force supported by some corrupt politicians ruin the state's youth courtesy creating & encouraging this dreadful drugs abuse for their own financial sake.
So Udta Punjab is an extremely serious & significant film told magnificently on celluloid, thanks to a stellar script also boasted with robust performances, excellent soundtrack, brilliant cinematography & background score. Only at a couple of places post intermission, the screenplay goes lazy and looks a bit tiring but overall the movie is so gripping & powerful that one can easily swallow it's minor flaws. Also expectedly, Amit Trivedi's music adds magic to this brave film. Each song takes the story forward and appeals immensely. ChittaVe, Ikk Kudi & DaDa Dasse being the best ones while Vadiya & the title track leave a lasting impression. But the biggest strength of this realistic drama is its faultless ensemble acts that brings life to it. Shahid Kapoor, the leading man here once again goes out of his comfort zone (post Kaminey & Haider) and delivers an incredibly striking performance that's both entertaining as well as fascinating. He commands the screen the moment he shows up. His character is the most interesting one amongst the four leads. He's vulgar, vulnerable and unpredictable. His dialogue delivery, way of throwing cuss words, expressions through eyes all are simply top notch. The best way to describe Shahid's corking performance is that he never went out of his character just for a second even. It's an award winning act. Indeed it is one. Then there's Alia who amazes me to a great extent. It's a role of a lifetime and the courageous actress nailed it completely via her heartfelt show. She is the heart of this movie and deserves every praise & accolade for this wonderful performance. I have never seen such depth, pain & maturity in her before this. Thus I was stunned by this crackling performer. Kareena, meanwhile, plays her part with assured nuances and comes out fully natural as one would expect from her. She justifies her value quite well. And the surprise package of the film is newcomer Diljit Dosanjh (a notable punjabi star) who does his Bollywood debut here. He is utterly fantastic and absolutely makes his presence felt amongst all his powerful co-stars. He should win best debutant award next year according to me.
In the end, the real hero of Udta Punjab is its director - writer Abhishek Chaubey along with co-writer Sudip Sharma who deserves kudos for making such a gutsy piece of cinema that displays us the ugly truth of drug abuse and how youth are affected by it. Also they give us a positive message in a very raw, believable manner. Thank You for this eye opener.

Thus Udta Punjab is a strong, heartbreaking and captivating flick that's bloody real & honest and powered by excellent ensemble cast. It's not only the best film of this year but one to come out in recent times too as its highly an impactful cinematic experience that's made with heart & brilliance. Henceforth, it's definitely worth all its hype!

My Rating -  4.5/5

Don't Miss It Guys! See It To Rave About It... ✌👊👍