Review Report:KRAZZY 4

Cast: Irrfan Khan, Arshad Warsi, Rajpal Yadav and Suresh Menon
Director: Jaideep Sen

It would be wrong to slot KRAZZY 4 as a comedy. Sure, KRAZZY 4 remains faithful to the ongoing trend of providing laughs at the oddest of things, but it's more of a masala fare that's reminiscent of the 1980s cinema. Packaged in a modern avatar, of course.

A film like KRAZZY 4 is easy on your brains. It rests on a thin plot, but the makers have tried to package the proceedings with entertaining stuff from Scene A to Z. Sometimes it works, at times it doesn't. But the pros outweigh the cons in this case. Also, let's get one thing straight. This isn't path-breaking or ground-breaking cinema by any chance. It's targeted at the aam junta, not connoisseurs of cinema.

Also, one of the trump cards… sorry, make it two, are the dance numbers filmed on the two superstars -- SRK and Hrithik. Just these two numbers are enough to satiate the hunger of an avid moviegoer. Even the Rakhi Sawant track is an asset, since it's hugely popular with the desi junta [like 'Main Aayee Hoon U.P.-Bihar Lootne' and 'Beedi'].


In a nutshell, KRAZZY 4 isn't the kind of cinema that would invite debates or discussions. Its intention is to make people leave the cineplex with a smile and it succeeds in its endeavour.

Arshad Warsi is Raja: Truly the angry young man! His blood boils, his fists clench and he's ready to beat the daylights out of anyone who upsets him in some way.

Irrfan Khan is Dr. Mukherjee: He has decided that he's the Captain of the team! But so obsessed is he by the need to be in control of a situation, he doesn't realise he's totally lost control of himself and his mind.

Rajpal Yadav is Gangadhar: He's marching to a beat only he can hear; he's fighting for a cause that's long over. But in his mind he's still fighting for Swaraj.

Suresh Menon is Dabboo: He's everybody's pet and however far gone the rest may be, when it comes to Dabboo, everybody's protective. Even if he can hear and understand, Dabboo refuses to speak. And nobody knows why!

Dr Sonali [Juhi Chawla] treats them all. She has faith that all it needs is a little time and lots of patience to make them part of the mad, mad, mad world out there…

Rakesh Roshan's story takes a leaf out of ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, while Ashwani Dhir's screenplay tries to pack everything that's available on the shelf. The first hour is quite entertaining, with a few sequences compelling you to flex your facial muscles.

But the problem lies in its second hour. More specifically, the writing relies on the age-old stuff to reach the finale. Too many cinematic liberties have been undertaken in this hour, just to reach the culmination and it doesn't really work at times. Even the end outside the hospital looks contrived.

Jaideep Sen shows a flair for comedy, but had the debutante director opted for a slightly novel screenplay, it would've taken the film to another level. A few comic scenes are well executed and in terms of execution, Jaideep knows the grammar right.

Ashwani Dhir's screenplay may lack novelty, but the dialogues penned by him are witty and enjoyable. Cinematography is nice. Rajesh Roshan's music is up to the mark. The two tracks, filmed on the superstars, are top notch and what enhances the effect are the choreography and production design [of SRK track] and the visual effects [in Hrithik track].

Arshad Warsi is the best of the lot. His character is bound to work with the moviegoers. Irrfan's role doesn't offer him that much scope. Yet, the actor enacts his part with precision. Rajpal Yadav is quite funny at places. Suresh Menon is a surprise. He hardly utters one word in the film, but he delivers with expressions.

Juhi Chawla doesn't get ample opportunity. Dia Mirza is efficient. Zakir Hussain is okay. Rajat Kapoor is relegated to the backseat.

On the whole, KRAZZY 4 is slightly above the average mark, but the brand [Rakesh Roshan] coupled with the presence of the two superstars in its songs and of course, some great actors in comic roles should ensure positive returns at the box-office.

By Taran Adarsh

Review Report:U Me Aur Hum

Cast: Ajay Devgan, Kajol, Divya Dutta
Director: Ajay Devgan

Aamir Khan has raised the bar with TAARE ZAMEEN PAR. Comparisons between Aamir and Ajay Devgan, who makes his directorial debut with U ME AUR HUM, would be erroneous, but you can't turn a blind eye to the fact that the viewer would expect an encore with U ME AUR HUM. Will U ME AUR HUM live up to the humungous hype and expectations? Does Devgan have the trappings of a fine storyteller? Oh yes, he does!

Let's come to the point right away. Devgan needs to be lauded for choosing a daringly different theme in his debut film and most importantly, doing justice to it, handling it with extreme care. We know him as a powerful actor, now there's yet another designation added to his name -- avant-garde director.


Let's move on to the next query! Is the real-life couple -- Ajay and Kajol -- as dynamic yet again? The answer is, they're electrifying. Both pitch in bravura performances, reaffirming the fact that this jodi is amongst the finest of this generation.

One of the prime reasons why U ME AUR HUM works, and works big time, is because it's aimed at the heart. Anyone who's into relationships, anyone who believes in love, anyone who thinks from the heart, anyone who has watched his/her partner grapple a grave disease, will identify with a film like U ME AUR HUM.

To cut a long story short, U ME AUR HUM marks the birth of a powerhouse of talent. Watch U ME AUR HUM for various reasons, but most importantly, watch it for a new director who respects your 2.30 hours and the hard-earned bucks that you invest on watching his movie. It's time to fall in love with love… again!

The first time Ajay [Ajay Devgan] saw Pia [Kajol], she served him drinks. She affected him more than the alcohol, it was love at first sight. The first time Pia saw Ajay, he had a drink too many. She watched him make a fool of himself and was relieved when he passed out.

Ajay is on a cruise with his friends -- Nikhil [Sumeet Raghavan] and Reena [Divya Dutta], unhappily married, and Vicky [Karan Khanna] and Natasha [Isha Sharwani], happily unmarried. Ajay is having a wonderful time dealing with martial strife, lots of bad language and huge hangovers, when he finds Pia and time stands still.

After a disastrous first meeting, Ajay tries everything to woo her. He wants her, by hook, crook or even her little private notebook. She's not an easy catch at all, but finally, by sheer perseverance, he dances his way into her heart. Ajay and Pia develop a strong and special bond.

Happy marriages begin when we marry the ones we love, and they blossom when we love the ones we marry. And Ajay-Pia love each other dearly, but no marriages can be complete without problems, and Ajay and Pia have also have to face hurdles. Kajol is diagnosed with Alzheimer's. How does the couple face the crisis?

The one thing you must carry when you set out to watch U ME AUR HUM is a kerchief. For, this film makes you shed a tear at times, cry at places and weep in at least two vital sequences. But it's not just rona-dhona that you get to see in U ME AUR HUM.

The first hour, strictly average in terms of writing, has several sunshine moments. It's breezy, funny, at times silly, but interesting. What also catches your eye is the eye-filling cinematography [Aseem Bajaj in top form, yet again] on the cruise. The songs, the glam look, the subtle humor… you don't take to the film instantly, but you know for a fact that a volcano is brewing.

And the volcano does erupt in the second hour! Ajay Devgan, the director, shows his expertise in this hour as the story does an about-turn, exposing the delicate, sensitive and fragile relationships. Devgan reserves the best for the concluding reels and you finally get the answers in the end.

U ME AUR HUM is more of a director's film, than anyone else's. A theme like the one projected in this film could go dangerously haywire if entrusted in inept hands, but Devgan seems to have done his homework well. The only glitch is the length in its second hour. A shorter narrative would've only helped!

Robin Bhatt, Sutanu Gupta and Akarsh Khurana's screenplay casts a hypnotic spell in the second hour. Sure, the germ stems from THE NOTEBOOK [2004; James Garner, Gena Rowlands, Rachel McAdams], but the writers have altered the screenplay keeping Indian sensibilities in mind. It works! Ashwani Dhir's dialogues touch the core of your heart. Every spoken sentence has a meaning. Vishal Bhardwaj's music may not be a chartbuster, but it alternates between soulful and melancholic beautifully. Aseem Bajaj's cinematography is topnotch. Monty Sharma's background score is effective.

Now to the performances! U ME AUR HUM is like a medal that glimmers on Ajay Devgan's body of work. He's exceptional! Kajol, well, what can you say of an actress who has proved herself time and again? That she's undoubtedly the best has been proved yet again. Sumeet Raghavan is first-rate. Divya Dutta gets into the groove in the subsequent portions. Karan Khanna and Isha Sharwani are okay. Sachin Khedekar does a fine job. Aditya Rajput and Hazel get minimal scope.

On the whole, U ME AUR HUM is a well-made, absorbing love story that's high on the emotional quotient. And that holds tremendous appeal for ladies/families mainly. At the box-office, it's the kind of film that will gather more and more speed with each passing show. Its business at multiplexes should be fantastic. Overseas too should be excellent.

Very strongly recommended!

By Taran Adarsh

Karan Patel admits he irked Ekta

By indiaabroad

Mumbai,(IANS) TV Actor Karan Patel, the rebellious Robby of 'Kasturi', is becoming tardy, and Ekta Kapoor does not like it one bit.

With surprising candour, Karan admits that there was indeed a problem at Balaji Telefilms.


'Yes, I did come late for the shoot. But that's because I've taken on another show, 'Kaho Na Yaar Hai'. And initially there was some problem synchronising the two schedules although they're both shows for the same channel. I'm sure it'll be sorted out very shortly. For now I regret the inconvenience caused to the 'Kasturi' team and to Ekta,' Karan told IANS.


Karan admits things reached a head and the entire cast walked away en masse.


'Yes, the 'Kasturi' cast did walk out en masse because I arrived late. Then Ekta and I had a meeting and I explained my situation. And she's okay now. But it's not something I could help. Or something that I'd do intentionally.'


Kasturi's bad boy turned angel makes another strangely disarming confession.


Amita Chandekar, who has a vamp's part in 'Kasturi' and who partnered him in 'Nach Baliye 3' was never his real-life girlfriend.


'I'd like to clarify that I don't have a girlfriend. This was something I needed to clear for a long time. It's a misunderstanding that has been allowed to go on for too long. Amita and I are close friends. And we were together for some time, though not as a couple. Our togetherness was mistaken for something else. I'm much relieved to clear this notion,' Karan said.


So how did they end up being a couple on 'Nach Baliye'?


'We were friends and we suited the rules and regulations of 'Nach Baliye'...you could say we were a pair or you could say were never a pair. I never proposed to her. There was never a girlfriend-boyfriend tag. We were two people who hung out together quite often.'


Karan is currently one of Indian television's most coveted stars.


'Really?' he feigns disbelief. 'Now that you've brought it to my notice, I'm flattered and thrilled. Yeah, the change has been quite sudden, though I hardly get time off from television to see what I've achieved. I was just one of the bit players on 'Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki' where I was almost a junior artist. I was suddenly pulled out of the backbench to play the lead in 'Kasturi'. I never thought the serial would fetch me so much recognition. It just boosts your morale to know you've finally arrived. I guess I've made big progress,' says the scion of a Gujarati business family.


The young actor says he was always confident of his success. 'But I never knew it would happen so suddenly. One day I was just another face on television. The next day I was Robby in 'Kasturi'. Then 'Nach Baliye' happened. Now I'm anchoring a show for STAR. I couldn't have hoped for more.'


He admits the fan attention has multiplied. 'I'm now craving to make the next move...to cinema. Insha Allah, it should happen soon. Yes, television has its own place now. But when you do a lot of television, you become identified as the character you play in the soaps. Smriti (Irani) will be known as Tulsi no matter what she does in the future. But age and time are on my side. So I can be patient. I'll have to cut off from television, re-invent myself for the big screen. Yes, I do have film offers.'


He admits 'Nach Baliye' added to his popularity. 'Weekdays, I was seen on a soap. And during weekends I was seen as dancer on a reality show. So I was there in viewers' faces throughout the week. It gave me a chance to dance, something I am very fond of. I used to dance for Shiamak Davar's troupe earlier. Yes, I was preparing for stardom from my childhood.'

Very few can perform like Kajol: Ajay Devgan

By indiaabroad
New Delhi,(IANS) Kajol is a director's delight, says Bollywood actor Ajay Devgan of his talented wife whom he has cast in his directorial debut 'U, Me Aur Hum'.

'Very few actresses can perform like her. Doesn't every director want to work with Kajol?' Ajay told IANS.

'Working with her is a delight. When a writer writes his book, he uses words to express himself and when a director makes a film, actors like her help convey the message rightly,' added Devgan, who was in the capital Saturday to promote his upcoming film.

The actor denies he would only select Kajol for his future projects.

'Taking her in my first film doesn't mean that I would only work with her. Casting depends on who suits the role most, and for this character she fitted the bill.'

Apart from Ajay and Kajol, the movie also stars Divya Dutta, Karan Khanna, Isha Sharvani and Sumeet Raghavan. It narrates the story of three couples and how the successful marriage of one couple helps mend another's relationship and how the third is urged to tie the knot.

'I have not tried to make a pseudo intellectual film, instead a commercial one. 'U, Me Aur Hum' is about love, life and relationships. The aim is that people must come out of the theatre with a smile and feel good,' the national award winner said.

Ajay believes directing a film and acting in it is not difficult.

'Doing two things at a time requires a lot of hard work but once you are clear about what you want to do it is not that difficult.

'Moreover, direction wasn't a big change for me. I started my career as a director. I used to make small films and would do everything except acting in them. I always wanted to direct a full-length film,' he said.

'It all started with a thought that gradually took shape. Only when a second thought comes along will I roll out my next film.'

Commenting on whether his role in the film is a reflection of his personal life, he said: 'No, there are no similarities.'

'For instance, in the film the character falls in love at first sight but nothing like this has ever happened to me in real life. However, I believe in what the character believes in.'

Shilpa to do a song with Abhishek, John

IndiaFM
Post Celebrity Big Brother, Shilpa Shetty seems to be on a professional high. The tall and beautiful actress continues to make news, even though it's been more than a year since she stormed UK winning the reality show.

Now Shilpa, whose last release was Apne, surely seems to have jumped into the big league. The actress will be seen doing a 'special song' in Dharma Productions' Dostana starring Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham and Priyanka Chopra in lead roles. This Karan Johar production, directed by Karan's erstwhile assistant Tarun Mansukhani is currently being shot in Miami. "Yes, Shilpa is currently shooting in Miami along with Abhishek and John for a really special song for the film Dostana. I wouldn't really call it an item number,” said Shilpa's publicist Dale Bhagwagar. “However, the song is indeed going to be one hell of a sensational chartbuster. Let me put it this way, if she won over the nation with her UP- Bihar song you can expect her to win a reasonable part of the world with this song."

So what else is Shilpa up to these days? "Shilpa would be starting work on her film The Man opposite Sunny Deol. It's a Vijeta films production and co-directed by Sunny Deol and Neeraj Pathak. Her role in the film is quite similar to what happened to her in real life [read the instant worldwide fame]. She would also be seen in the international flick Hanuman where she plays Sita. They are in talks with Keanu Reeves to play the role of Lord Ram"

What about her plans of getting into production? "Yes, Shilpa is starting her own production called S2 Global Production. The first thing that was made under S2 global Production was Shilpa's Yoga DVD, which mainly released in the UK & international market,” said Dale. “The first film under her banner is an action comedy to be directed by Manish Jha (Matrubhoomi, Anwar). It's a two heroine project with Shilpa playing one of the heroines. The second female lead would also be a very famous Bollywood actress. I can't reveal much now."

For all those who are eagerly waiting for Shilpa's Yoga DVD in India, there is good news on that front. "Yes, she is going to release her Yoga DVD in India. Shemaroo has bought the rights at an astronomical price. Shilpa will be dubbing for it in Hindi when she returns from Miami,” he added. “The DVD got a fabulous response in the UK. It was a sell-out among the non-fiction DVD charts. So we are looking forward to its release in India."

Well, after speaking to her publicist all we can say is that Shilpa surely has her plate full and the next few months are bonanza time for her die-hard fans.

Amitabh Bachchan cleared in tobacco ad case

Panaji,(PTI) In a relief for superstar Amitabh Bachchan, a local court has cleared him in a case of an alleged violation of Goa's law against smoking after a poster showed him puffing a cigar. National Tobacco Eradication Organisation (NOTE), an anti-tobacco organisation, had filed a suit against Bachchan along with others objecting to his poster on the hoarding which showed him smoking a cigar and accusing him of violating Goa Prohibition of Smoking and Spitting Act, 1997.

District and Sessions Judge U V Bakre nullified the legal process against Bachchan initiated by judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) in the case. NOTE had accused the actor of indirectly suggesting and promoting smoking on a multi-coloured billboard advertisement that depicted him puffing a cigar while endorsing a brand of electric appliances.

The board was prominently displayed on Goa's national highway. NOTE had asked the court to prosecute Bachchan for violations the Goa Prohibition of Smoking and Spitting Act.

Bachchan's lawyer had in a revision petition filed before sessions court said the criminal case was registered despite the actor conveying in writing that he was not a party to the hoarding. PTI.

Review Report : 'Shaurya'

Film: 'Shaurya';
Cast: Rahul Bose, Javed Jaffrey, Kay Kay Menon, Minissha Lamba, Deepak Dobriyal;
Director: Samar Khan;
Rating: *** 1/2

It takes vision and courage to make a film about the de-escalating valour and plummeting morale of the Indian Army. 'Shaurya' is about the army, but it isn't a war film. The battles are all fought at the level of individual conscience. But never does it get preachy.

It's a film about the Indian Muslim's identity. But it steers miraculously clear of taking sides or becoming hysterically passionate on the subject. There have been significant films on the isolation of the Indian Muslim as seen through the eyes of a persecuted individual. One can immediately think of John Matthew Matthan's 'Sarfarosh' and Raj Kumar Santoshi's 'Khakee'.

In 'Shaurya', Deepak Dobriyal as Javed Khan, the Muslim army man accused of terrorist activities, reminds you of Atul Kulkarni in 'Khakee'.

There's even a predictable sequence where the mother of the accused comes visiting the lawyer's home in the dead of the night. Seema Biswas' cameo as Javed's mother is surprisingly lacklustre.

She demonstrates unnecessary restraint where a more dramatic pitch for the distraught mother would have carried the theme of persecution and isolation further.

Samar Khan seems exceptionally shy of emotional display. The relationships that grow within Joydeep Sarkar's intricately plotted courtroom drama seek solace in silences rather than dramatics.

Even the relationship that grows between the hero Major Siddhanth Chowdhary (Rahul Bose) and the journalist (Minissha Lamba) resonates with restraint rather than rhetoric. Buddies Bose and Javed Jaffrey, we are told, are inseparable. But that level of camaraderie isn't evident in the film.

The cloudbursts are saved up for the entire climactic interlude. The last 45 minutes are so stunningly honest that you wonder if the dormant spirit of the rest of the narrative was meant to mislead us.

The wake-up call - how a certain section of the government-sponsored agencies look upon the Indian Muslim - is hurled into our face with a ferocity that leaves us in state of stunned incredulity.

Credit must go to the writer, director and the dialogue writer (Aparna Malhotra) for telling it like it is about the alienation of a community.

More than Rahul Bose, who's remarkably in-sync and uniformly vibrant in playing his character, it's Kay Kay Menon as the biased army officer who imbues a compelling credibility to Samar Khan's honourable and brave intentions.

It would be no exaggeration to say that 'Shaurya' and its theme of the Indian Muslim's self-worth would not have worked without Menon's vital presence.

In the courtroom, when he spews venom against the community for 'polluting and poisoning' the country, Menon sounds frighteningly Hitlerian.

Again, we must stress that the director doesn't try to get fashionably polemical in addressing the sensitive issue of communal angst. Samar Khan mostly remains non-judgemental in his treatment of characters and their blemishes.

The trial of the silently smouldering Muslim is punctuated by bouts of humour between Bose and his screen-friend Javed Jaffry.

'Shaurya' reveals sparks of master storytelling and doesn't hide away from uncomfortable truths - from its opening titles, when on a wet, windy, and slippery night out in Srinagar, Javed Khan pulls the trigger on his senior, to the stunning finale when Shah Rukh Khan's voice recites poignant poetry defining valour and courage not as we see it but as the conscience knows it.

But the director could have easily avoided the limp pockets in the narrative, those telltale breathers when the buddies bond, lovers sing and the fringe characters try to get a face from the edges.

Forget the humbug. Just watch 'Shaurya' for its compelling and positively gripping insight into the heart and mind of the average Indian who hides his subconscious biases in the garb of fashionable liberalism.

The film's army backdrop is authentically captured by Carlos Catalan's panoramic cinematography. It captures the feelings and failings of the characters as fluently as the cascading tranquillity of the Srinagar backdrop.