‘Dedh Ishkiya ‘- Movie Review

Starring: - Naseeruddin Shah, Madhuri Dixit, Arshad Warsi, Huma Qureshi, Vijay Raaz

Director:- Abhishek Chaubey

Ishkiya is a North Indian slang word for a state of mind or a person who is mad in love. ‘Dedh Ishkiya’ promises you the same dust, rust and madness of the two central characters Babban and Khalujan whom you loved and admired in first part. They are little funny, little naughty, little scruffy, little dangerous and above all ready to be mad in love all over again.

The story begins in the trademark Ishkiya style ( Arshad warsi standing half naked in the grave and telling a joke.....excuse me latifa ....my little bit of Urdu got polished after watching this movie in front of a certain irritating Mushtaq bhai) who thinks himself as a Batsman man...sorry Batman!

Arshad's khalu ( a very loveable Naseer Saab) gets lost after a misadventure and then re-emerges as a Nawaab in the annual Jalsa of Mushayara ( The Annual ‘sher-o-shayari’ competition or kushti in the estate of Mahbubabad). The senior meets the elegant and beautiful Begum Para (Madhuri in her effervescent best) and ishq prevail over one sher after the other. But things are not what they look like in Mahbubabad. Every character has a different motive than the other and everyone has covered themselves with veils of different colors.

The narrative moves with a gentle pace entangled in a typical nawabi humor and some really thick Urdu. The  makers of the film Abhishek Chaubey and Vishal Bharadwaj makes a conscious effort of giving a comic treatment to situations be it climax or any other intense situation where they could have  easily lured in formulaic  treatment (Read: gravity defying stunts)

It's a geriatric love story and beats and walks with  a subtle pace. Vishal Bharadwaj chooses to give a very classical music for the film with almost no popular chart except for a classical thumri " hamri atariya pe..." Madhuri and New comer Huma quershi performs few kathak steps in this song ( we badly miss 'dil to bachcha hai ji' and ' ibn-e-batuta' ) background music of the film is just average.

Naseer saab and Arshad Warsi are within their respective characters (one of the toughest part of working in a sequel is losing the shock value of the character you first played and to be as close to the original one) both the seasoned actors remains successful in sticking to their original best. Huma Qureshi also blossoms well in the presence of such talented actors. Vijay Raaz is funny and slimy in his nawab avatar.

All in all a distinct nawabi itr this weekend!

Score Stack Up:-

+ ive:-  Good Story, Good Performance & Funny Dialogues.

-  ive:-  Music and moves with a slightly slow pace.

Box Office, Paisa Vasool Rating:- 3 out of 5

Tanmay's Rating : 3 out of 5

Scores Classifications- 
(5)   Very Good, Must Watch 
(4)   Good, Should Watch 
(3)   Almost there
(2)   One Time Watch 
(1)   On your own risk  

   

‘The Secret life of Walter Mitty'- Movie Review

Starring: - Ben Stiller. Kirsten Wilg

Director:- Ben Stiller

Based on James Thurber's 1939 Short Story of the same name, It is  second film made on this story. While one looks at the title of the  film and gets a feeling that this film would be an action-adventure saga of a secret service agent who lives a dual life and saving the world is his favorite past time, however what it offers in reality is a sweet story of Walter Mitty a quiescent personality who frequently breaks into daydreaming aka Mungeri Lal ke Haseen Sapne (in the Process picturing some really cool action scenes!)  

Walter (Ben Stiller) have feelings for his colleague at work, Cheryl Melhoff (Kirsten Wiig) who is looking for her man in life on a dating website e-harmony. Walter is struggling to send her 'wink' on the profile as he is a 'non-doer' in life. Chain of events let Walter to chase one clue after the other to find ace photographer Sean O'Connell ( Sean Penn in a guest appearance) and while he completes the journey; he rediscovers the true himself ! 

The film is a romantic-adventure-fantasy-comedy-drama film which takes you to some of the very beautiful and picturesque locales of Greenland - Iceland & Afghanistan. Stellar acts with honesty, his thin frame adds to the weight of the character he plays. The film might not be hilarious but has its comic moments. The best part of the film is its sweet story with almost philosophical message when Walter searches for the 'Quintessence picture' for the cover of LIFE magazine and discovers himself completing a full circle.

All in All a Sweet Doughnut for the Weekend !  

Score Stack Up:-

+ ive:-  Good Story, Good Cinematography and light heart film.

-  ive:-  Film moves with a calm pace

Box Office, Paisa Vasool Rating:- 3 out of 5

Tanmay's Rating : 3.5 out of 5

Scores Classifications- 

(5)   Very Good, Must Watch 
(4)   Good, Should Watch 
(3)   Almost there
(2)   One Time Watch 
(1)   On your own risk  

   

 

‘The Wolf of Wall Street‘- Movie Review

 

Starring: - Leonardo Di Caprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie

Director:- Martin Scorsese

 

Wolfi, Wolfi was the cry when he came to address them, He was no less than Alexander in passion and No less than Hitler in dramatics while he addressed his troops (Read: Sales team) on the office floor.

He lived a high octane, drugged (quite literally) and Sex filled life. His penchant for luxury (almost ugly) and hunger laced with smartness (Read: cunning!)  to make money was gigantic than any one. He would never take ‘No’ for an answer and did not believe in putting the phone down unless he would take ‘Yes’ for an answer from his clients. He was the ‘Wolf of Wall Street’.

 

Veteran Director Martin Scorsese brings a biographic crime comedy film based on Jordan Belfort’s memoir of the same name. A page by page adaptation of the book, the film looks at the greed & ambition filled life of Jordan Belfort whose journey of life from Rags to Riches was filled with twisting business ethics for closing deals, selling garbage pink sheet stocks to garbage people and making tons of greenbacks outwitting people and situations with a single aim in life BE RICH.

 

The film’s biggest plus point is superlative performance by the lead actor Leonardo Dicaprio (who is also co-producer) in the film. His body language, dialogue delivery and intensity in the performance are par excellence.

 

The character he plays has shades from his last outing (‘The Great Gatsby’). His depiction of a drug addict, sex fanatic and leader is amazing. Martin Scorsese (who earlier teamed with Dicaprio in 'The Shutter Island') confide in comedy coming from ‘F-words’, sex and nudity (which was edited for Indian audience) to tell the crime story. He justifies the use of language in the opening sequence in the film when Leonardo expresses surprise as a novice for the first time he comes to a broking firm. Mathew McConaughey’s cameo sets the tone of craziness from the beginning. Jonah Hill stupid and funny act serves as a good blend with Leonardo’s intensity.

 

The screenplay keeps you engaged and there is not a dull moment in the film. The background music adds to the careless flavor of the central character.

 

From an Indian audience perspective the film comes close to Maniratnam’s “Guru” (I can sense some frowning eyebrows!). Maybe someday, some filmmaker will make a film on late Harshad Mehta India’s very own Wolf of Dalaal Street!

 

ALL in ALL a Drugged outing for this Weekend !

 

Score Stack Up:-

+ ive:-  Super Performance, Great Narration & Comedy ( if Sex Jokes makes you die laughing)

-  ive:-  might put you off if you don’t admire below the belt humor.

 

Box Office, Paisa Vasool Rating:- 3.5 out of 5

Tanmay's Rating : 4 out of 5

 

 

Scores Classifications- 

(5)   Very Good, Must Watch 

(4)   Good, Should Watch 

(3)   Almost there

(2)   One Time Watch 

(1)   On your own risk  

 

   

 

‘DHOOM 3 - Movie Review

 

Starring: - Aamir Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Katrina Kaif, Jackie Shroff & Uday Chopra

Director:- Vijay Krishna Acharya

 

Vroom-Vroom and Dhoom Dhoom. India’s very own ‘fast and furious’ film franchise is back in its larger, bigger, snazzier and much more emotional avatar than its previous films. While Dhoom 1 and 2 was about ACP Jai Dixit and Ali’s (Abhishek and Uday respectively) adventures and story revolved around them as central characters, Dhoom 3 is an out an out Aamir Khan film !

He plays a vidushak, a joker, or hasod….with a double life where he steals money from the bank to fund his dead father’s unfulfilled dream of a successful ‘the great Indian circus’. After couple of failed attempts to catch him, the Chicago police calls ACP and his side kick to catch this master mind. Who disappears from one place and appears from another!

The film relies heavily on Amir Khan’s ‘broad & able shoulders’. His screen presence and performance marquee the loop holes in the screenplay and narration. The film offers ample gravity defying stunts and special effects (Don’t spare your brain in logic, just chill out and enjoy the thrill!) The music is good and makes you dhoom macha le all the way!

Such is the Amir effect in the film (from rolling credits to the tap dance in the title song) that Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra are  reduced as just supporting actors with the latter getting some really funny lines. Katrina Kaif looks sensuous in her gymnast role.

 

All in all a Happy Burger for this weekend!

 

Score Stack Up:-

+ ive:-  Super Performance, Great Cinematography & Amir khan

-  ive:-  Screenplay lacks details

 

Box Office, Paisa Vasool Rating:- 4.5 out of 5

Tanmay's Rating : 3.3 out of 5

 

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Scores Classifications- 

(5)   Very Good, Must Watch 

(4)   Good, Should Watch 

(3)   Almost there

(2)   One Time Watch 

(1)   On your own risk