Heart is Where the Home is!!

The title of this post seems weird..doesn’t it? Well, that is pretty much the gist of the movie “Sweet Home Alabama”(2002). It is the story of a girl, Melanie Smooter (Reese Witherspoon), from a small town in Alabama, who leaves her small world to become a hoity-toity New York City socialite. She tries her best to erase every memory of her past, and even changes her name to start a new life. She finds love, fame, and success in the city, but circumstances force her to take a trip down south, and life comes to a full circle.

Then begins a journey of redefining who she is, and what her roots are. Whatever you do, home is always home. How much ever you change, you can never estrange yourself from your home. Melanie changes a lot for the better, but still has strong ties with her home, and can blend into her own crowd easily even after a gap of 7 years! There are ups and downs, but she finally realizes her priorities, and her most heartfelt desires.

I thought it was a very warm movie, and I can bet that lot of people will be able to identify with Mel’s character to some extent. Reese Witherspoon is adorable as Melanie. Josh Lucas is sincere as Jake and so is Patrick Dempsey as Andrew. The supporting cast is also appropriate. I liked the way the director has successfully captured the southern culture, and even the accents are perfect.

In conclusion, the movie teaches a valuable lesson, (quote)“You can have both roots and wings”. You can fulfill your dreams while still being attached firmly to your roots. All in all, a very nice and enjoyable film.

"Offbeat", But Unbeatable!!

‘Manorama Six Feet Under’ gives you the same amount of thrill and excitement as a good suspense novel. It keeps you gripped till the very end. There are numerous twists and turns, plots and subplots, that ultimately lead to a brilliant movie. The tag line of the film “In the desert, nothing is what it seems” perfectly summarizes the plot. The story is not at all predictable; it keeps you guessing throughout. You may start developing your own theories to solve the mystery, but there is a remote possibility of you accurately predicting the end of the movie! The last 45 minutes are the best part of this film, where the entire mystery unfolds and leaves you completely stunned! This is where it differs from the usual suspense movies, which often fizzle out during the climax.

The story is based in a small village in Rajasthan, and the slow motion of the plot quite justifies the sleepiness of the locale. Abhay Deol has played the character of Satyaveer (SV) to perfection. He effortlessly portrays the “failed” detective novel writer turned sleuth. In my opinion, Abhay Deol’s strongest virtue is that he naturally looks and behaves like a “common man” and doesn’t seem to be “acting”! Gul Panag is good as the nagging wife Nimmi, but her “Hinglish” dialogues show traces of an upper-class and polished English accent, which does not go well with her character’s background. Moreover, an exact contrast to her is her brother Brij (Vinay Pathak), who has a heavy Rajasthani accent! Wonder how 2 people in the same household grew up with such huge linguistic dissimilarity! Anyways, this is a minor glitch, and does not affect the brilliance of the film at all. Raima Sen is perfect for her character of Sheetal. Kulbhushan Kharbanda is dependable as the minister P.P. Rathore. Sarika has a small, yet well-defined role, and she makes her presence felt. The other supporting cast is adequate. The background score throughout the movie is very good, and the title song is quite haunting! The cinematography is excellent. The director has been very meticulous, making sure that nothing looks out of place or fake. Right from the backdrop to the props, costumes, and make up, everything is just right.

In conclusion, ‘Manorama Six Feet Under’ is like reading a book on screen. Although some might get turned off by the pace of the movie, I would definitely recommend this film to everyone. It is one of the best mysteries of recent times. Kudos to the debutant director Navdeep Singh!

"Welcome"...No Thanks!!

When you have such a strong cast, you also have lot of expectations from the film. ‘Welcome’ does not live up to the expectations at all!

It is a “so-so” film, okay to watch on cable, but definitely not worth spending money in the theater. There is nothing new to it; it is another example of good actors coming together and not being able to create anything special! The story is very predictable, and is a kind of patchwork from various films. For example, Nana Patekar’s character Uday Shetty is a cross between Shankar from Major Saab (a don, who is a loving brother), and Aslam Bhai from Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega (LKLKBK)(a don with a strong passion for acting). He is a goofy goon, as portrayed by various actors in innumerable films; Sanjay Dutt in Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahi (2002), Johnny Lever in LKLKBK (2001), to name a few. Nana Patekar is his usual self, with nothing new to offer as such. Anil Kapoor is another don, named Majnu Bhai, a close associate of Uday Shetty. He has done a pretty good job with his role, and definitely adds on to the value of the film. One can easily notice that Majnu Bhai’s character takes a variety of traits from Circuit of the Munnabhai series, Crime Master Gogo of Andaz Apna Apna, and other similar "comic sidekicks". Paresh Rawal is decent as Dr. Ghungroo, but his acting is repetitive from so many of his other movies. Even though Akshay Kumar is the hero, he is often sidelined by the dons, and we don’t get to see much of his impeccable comic timing. Feroz Khan is ok as the “Godfather” of the dons. The heroines (Katrina Kaif and Mallika Sherawat) seem to exist merely to add oomph value.

The film drags all along until the climax, which is pretty much the only enjoyable part. The dialogues are not great..or rather, they are quite “ghise peete”. Songs are okay, but often seem forcefully inserted into the script in places where no song is needed! All in all, a forgettable movie.

It definitely did not seem like a “Welcome” change from the norm!

Melodious Romantic Comedy

Ask any girl what she thinks of Hugh Grant and the answer would most likely be on the lines of “He’s so cute!!” Pair him with Drew Barrymore and you have one of the cutest on-screen couples ever! This unique and one of its kind pairing prompted me to buy the DVD of this movie. With such a cast, I definitely had a basic level of expectations from the film. It sure did live up to my expectations, though I would have loved to see a bit more of “music” and “lyrics”.

‘Music and Lyrics’ is a feel-good film. It has a decent amount of music, and romance, with a touch of comedy. The movie begins with a recital of a 80’s band named “POP!”, and the opening credits show their journey, and subsequent break up. Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant) is the composer of that band, and life takes a drastic turn after the band members part ways. Alex is still living on his past success, but unable to come up with newer songs due to his abysmal skills in writing lyrics. Enter Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore), a plant lady turned writer, who teams up with Alex to come up with a new song for a hot teenage sensation’s (Cora’s) new album. The character of Cora really makes you realize how superficial the music industry of today is! The rest of the movie is typical; boy meets girl, they fall in love, then comes some drama, and finally a happy ending. However, there is something about this movie that makes you fall in love with it.

Hugh Grant looks as cute as ever (except in few scenes where you can see his wrinkles!!...after all he is almost 50!), and has some really good one-liners. He is very convincing as the washed out icon of the 80’s…and it is hilarious to see him shaking his hips, imitating the pop stars of those days! Drew Barrymore is as natural as it could get. And I found it pretty impressive that they have done the vocals themselves! Among the other actors, I thought Kristen Johnston, who played Rhonda (Sophie’s sister) was really good, and so was Haley Bennett as Cora. The songs that stood out include “Pop! Goes My Heart”, “Way Back Into Love” and “Don’t Write Me Off”.

One quote from the film summarizes my opinion about it:

“A melody is like seeing someone for the first time. The physical attraction. But then, as you get to know the person, that's the lyrics. Their story. Who they are underneath. It's the combination of the two that makes it magical.”

Even though the initial attraction in this film for me was the cast, there are lot of other things that made the movie a wonderful experience.

Little Dil, Some Dosti, Lot of Etc.!

The film focuses mainly on a college campus in Delhi, and the lives of our protagonists:

Apurv, a rich "dude", smooth talker,charmer, and a happy-go-lucky guy who thinks LOVE is nothing but a 4 lettered word;

Sanjay Mishra, an ambitious and budding politician,going to any extent for his dreams, possessive about his love and his beliefs in true love and dedication;

Prerna, a filthy rich aspiring super model, who doesn't know why exactly she is in love with Sanjay!

Kintu, a 16 year old school girl, who loves to go out with guys, but is apprehensive about anything serious!

Vaishali, a sharp spoken prostitute, afraid of falling in love!

The film basically showcases struggle; Apurv's search for love, his quest for 3 women to fulfill the challenge put forward by his friend; Sanjay's struggle to win the college elections and keep his girlfriend the way he wants her to be; Prerna's struggle to get into modeling, and understanding Sanjay's point of view; Kintu's journey from a naive school girl to a mature woman; Vaishali's turmoil of falling in love without meaning to.

All in all, a decent film. Performance wise Shreyas Talpade excels, Imaad Shah is OK, Smriti Mishra is good, Nikita Anand and Ishita Sharma support ably. The other supporting cast is also good and well suited.

In conclusion, I would say that the movie is good, but could have been better!

Amar Rahe!!

This post is not an obituary of any kind! It is a salute to the immortal and unforgettable dialogues in Hindi cinema. Scripts come and go, but some dialogues leave a mark. You can laugh at them, you can cry hearing them, you can fall in love with them...do whatsoever, you cannot forget them!

Let us start with the legendary Sholay:

1. Yeh Haath Humko De De Thakur...
2. Basanti..Inn Kutto Ke Saamne Mat Naachna
3. Chal Dhanno...Aaj Teri Basanti Ki Izzat Ka Sawal Hai..
4. Kitne Aadmi They?
5. Soowar Ke Bachcho..Woh Do They Aur Tum Teen...Phir Bhi Laut Aaye..Woh Bhi Khaali Haath...Kya Samajh Kar Aye They? Sardar Bahut Khus Hoga...Sabasi Dega...Kyu?
6. Itna Sannata Kyu Hai Bhai??...
7. Yahan Se Pachas Pachas Kos Door Gaav Mein Jab Koi Bachcha Rota Hai Toh Maa Kehti Hain So Jaa Beta Nahi Toh Gabbar Aa Jayega..
8. Che Goli Aur Aadmi Teen...Bahut Nainsaafi Hain...
9. Yu Ke...Yeh Kaun Bola??
10. Tumhara Naam Kya Hai Basanti?!!
    
11. Dekh Lena Gaavwalo...When I Death, Police Coming...Police Coming, Budhiya Going Jail...in Jail, Budhiya Chakki Pising, and Pising and Pising....
12. Sardar, Maine Aapka Namak Khaya Hai...(Sardar says): Ab Goli Kha..
13. Hum Angrezon Ke Zamane Ke Jailor Hai...He Haa..
    
14. Aadhe Idhar Jao..Aadhe Udhar Jao...Baaki Mere Saath Aao
    

Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro: (All from the amazing Mahabharat scene)

1. Shant Gadadhari Bheem, Shant
2. Dhanush Tod Diya...3 Rupaiye Ka Nuksaan Kar Diya...Main Nahi Karta Natak Watak...Bhad Mein Jao Tum Sab..
3. Draupadi Jaisi Sati Nari Ko Dekhkar Maine Cheer Haran Ka Idea Drop Kar Diya Hai!?!
4. This Is Too Much. Yeh Akbar Kaha Se Aa Gaya?
5. Draupadi Tere Akele Ki Nahi Hai. Hum Sab Shareholder Hain!!
   

Chupke Chupke: (Just a trailor...puri film will be in a detailed review)

1. Neeche Koi Shriman Aur Shrimati Peeke Aye Hai...Aap Nimnagaman Karenge Ya Main Unhe Urdhwagaman Karne Ko Kahoo
   
2. Bhojan Toh Hum Laupathgami Sthal Se Karke Aaye Hai
3. Param Pujya Jeejaji...

Others: (In no particular order)

1. Mogambo Khush Hua.. (Mr. India)
   
2. Mere Paas Maa Hai (Deewar)
   
3. Kkkkkkk...Kiran (Darr)
   
4. Main Ek Chota Sa Nanha Sa Pyara Sa Bachcha Hoon (Chaalbaaz)
   
5. Taarikh Pe Taarikh...Taarikh Pe Taarikh (Damini)
   
6. Kaun Kambakht Bardasht Karne Ko Peeta Hai? (Devdas)
   
7. Ya Toh Yeh Dosti Gehri Hai Ya Yeh Photo 3D Hai! (Dil Chahta Hai)
8. Rishte Mein Hum Tumhare Baap Lagte Hai, Naam Hai Shehenshah (Shehenshah)
   
9. Jaani...Yeh Bachcho Ke Khelne Ki Cheez Nahi...Haath Kat Jaye Toh Khoon Nikal Aata Hai (Waqt)
   
10. Jali Ko Aag Kehte Hai..Bujhi Ko Raakh Kehte Hai..Jis Raakh Se Barood Bane Usey Vishwanath Kehte Hai (Vishwanath)
    
11. Daroo Peene Se Liver Kharab Hota Hai...Maloom (Satte Pe Satta)
    
12. Jab Yeh Dhai Kilo Ka Haath Kisi Pe Padta Hai Toh Aadmi Uthta Nahi Uth Jaata Hai (Damini)
    
13. Pushpa..I Hate Tears (Amar Prem)
14. Saara Sheher Mujhe Loin Ke Naam Se Jaanta Hai (KaaliCharan)
15. Babumoshai.. (Anand)
16. Dosti Mein No Sorry, No ThankYou (Maine Pyar Kiya)
17. Bade Bade Deshon Mein Aisi Choti Choti Baatein Hoti Rehti Hai (Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge)
18. Mumbai Ka Bhai Kaun? ... Bhiku Mhatre (Satya)
19. Don Ko Pakadna Mushkil Hi Nahi Namumkin Hai (Don)
20. Koi Mar Gaya Kya? (Dil Chahta Hai))
21. Phata Poster Nikala Hero (Hero Hiralal)
22. Naam: Vijay Deenanath Chauhan...Baap Ka Naam: Deenanath Chauhan...Maa Ka Naam:Suhasini Chauhan (Agnipath)
23. Mooche Ho To Natthulal Ke Jaisi..Warna Naa Ho (Sharabi)
24. Hey Bhagwan...Utha Le...Mere Ko Nahi...Inn Dono Ko...(Hera Pheri)
25. Main Aur Meri Tanhai Aksar Yeh Baatein Karte Hain (Silsila)
26. Koi Desh Perfect Nahi Hota. Usey Behtar Banana Padta Hai (Rang De Basanti)
27. Bachche Ki Jaan Loge Kya? (Mr. and Mrs. Khiladi)
    
28. Hum Jaha Pe Khade Ho Jaate Hai, Line Wahi Se Shuru Hoti Hai (Kaalia)
29. Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota (Mard)
30. Sorry....Egjhaktly! (Salaam Namaste)

Phew...the list is going on and on...time to take a break! Probably will come up with another list some other time. Hopefully you didn't fall asleep while reading!!

Farah ka "Inspiration" K(a)han??!

I always like Farah Khan's films...be it Main Hoon Naa or Om Shanti Om. They are complete entertainers. Leave your brain at home and enjoy! The movies are nothing out of ordinary; they are a great mixture of all the masala that the audience wants to see, and pay 100 bucks for!

Speaking of OSO, let me get to the point...the dialogues in the film. Many are nicely penned..make lot of sense and give you a perspective on life!

For example, the sher "Kitni shiddat se tumhe paane ki koshish ki hai.. Ke har zarre ne mujhe tumse milane ki saazish ki hai.."..wah wah!

And "Hamari zindagi bhi hamare hindi filmon ke jaisi hai.. jaha pe end mein sab kuch theek ho jaata hai.. "Happies Endings".. Lekin agar End mein sab kuch theek na ho to woh the end nahi hain dosto.. Picture abhi baaki hai.."

I was appreciating the beauty of these lines and the writer's effort in coming up with simple, yet effective philosophy, when I came across a quote in the book "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho:

"When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it"

And I noticed that this has been used word to word as an "inspiration" in OSO:
"Agar kisi cheez ko dil se chaho to saari kayanat tumhe usse milane ki koshish me lag jaati hai.."

This seriously left a doubt in my mind about the originality of "creative" souls in the industry! If I caught this one case of "copy...paste", there might be hundreds more out there! Where is the creativity then? And aren't we always taught to cite our references?

After all, how much "inspiration" is too much?