Movies with Rummana

“Cinema is the ultimate pervert art. It doesn't give you what you desire - it tells you how to desire.” ― Slavoj Žižek

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Yahoo Movies Review: Hichki

What makes this story delectable is how well it is seasoned - peppered with humour, emotions and lessons for all of us.

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Yahoo Movies Review: Raid

Cast: Ajay Devgn, Saurabh Shukla, Ileana D’Cruz

Direction: Raj Kumar Gupta

Rating: **1/2

A thriller about an income tax raid set in Lucknow, 1981 – that’s the premise of ‘Raid’. Raj Kumar Gupta brings us an interesting story, but it is just not gripping enough. Inspired by a real-life incident, the plot lacks the edge that portraying a tense operation such as this one demands.

If I were to compare this story to a similar one in recent times, I think Neeraj Pandey’s ‘Special 26’ (2013) comes close. While the raid in ‘Special 26’ was a fake one, the intrigue and build-up was something that kept the audience invested. In comparison, the plot trajectory of ‘Raid’ is predictable and the only engaging aspect are the exchanges between Ajay Devgn and Saurabh Shukla.

Here’s how it goes. Tipped off by an anonymous source, an upright Income Tax officer decides to take on the most powerful person in Lucknow. Undaunted by the threats from local politicians, Devgn decides to walk right into the lion’s den where he takes on Shukla and his family to unearth Rs 420-crore worth of undeclared wealth. Devgn plays the polite, honest and rule-abiding officer who looks to carry out the raids in a legitimate manner. Shukla is his anti-thesis, the brash, vengeful and corrupt local politician who threatens Devgn with dire consequences when he is himself caught unawares of the amount of assets his family has amassed over the years.

Raj Kumar Gupta creates a compelling canvas of the arid Hindi heartland, of a time when there was complete dependence landline phones and limited connectivity to get things done. Also, the joint family dynamics with an authoritarian patriarch at the helm, makes for an amusing interplay.

Unlike his loud and boisterous portrayals in films such as ‘Singham’, Devgn’s performance here is understated, his dialoguebaazi restrained. His brooding looks only add to the overall effect when he’s trying to figure out his next move.

It is Saurabh Shukla, however, who steals the show as Tauji. He nails the portrayal, getting the character’s humour, sarcasm and anger spot on. It is intriguing to see how he remains calm and enjoys a jalebi even as his entire house is being ransacked by IT sleuths. Tauji may look like a buffoon, but you wouldn’t dare take anything he says casually.

What’s utterly disappointing is that Ileana has nothing really to do except make very brief appearances in nice handloom sarees, and disappear after mouthing words of encouragement/appreciation for her husband. Isn’t it time we gave heroines more agency?

We have seen Raj Kumar Gupta deliver immensely engaging films such as ‘Aamir’ (2008) and ‘No One Killed Jessica’ (2011). ‘Raid’ pales in comparison. It is definitely worth a watch. Sadly, considering the theme, not as gritty as I would have liked it to be.

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Yahoo Movies Review: Dil Junglee

Cast: Saqib Saleem, Taapsee Pannu

Direction: Aleya Sen

Rating: **1/2

‘Dil Junglee’ is a sketchy romantic comedy – a love story with credible lead actors, but a predictable plot that’s unlikely to tug at the heartstrings.

The director rushes us through a first half where it is difficult to gauge whether our hero and heroine are really in love or if it’s just a relationship of convenience. Post the intermission, the action moves to the United Kingdom, all the while cruising along an expected trajectory. There are no surprises, no twists, no fuzzy moments that you can carry home once you have left the theatre.

Dilli ka munda Sumit Uppal (Saqib Saleem), is an aspiring actor and also a star trainer at the local gym. Our hero from Lajpat Nagar is a typical Delhi boy who hopes that his washboard abs will ensure a rousing entry into Bollywood. All he needs are a few spoken English lessons and he would be Mumbai-ready, he thinks.

Karoli Nair (Taapsee Pannu), the daughter of a London-based business tycoon, abandons her business studies and comes to India hoping to publish her book. The book is not her priority, she believes in “true love”, wants to get married and have kids once she finds her prince charming. On the side, she teaches people English and comes across as needy, unambitious and a stupid romantic.

Seven years after their romance goes kaput, Sumit and Karoli meet again, involved with other people, but with the embers of their young love still glowing. The rest, as you can well imagine, is as predictable as an Indian’s love for curry.

While Saqib pulls off the crass Delhi boy act convincingly, he falters when playing the lover. He comes across as flakey when professing his love. Taapsee essays the part of a socially awkward girl and confident entrepreneur with equal ease. It is again the romantic part where she flounders. It is as if our protagonists are not quite sure about how to make the love feel real.

It doesn’t help that the supporting cast is a complete letdown. They are either loud and brazen or boring and non-descript. Their portrayals add nothing to the storytelling.

Director Aleya Sen’s approach remains superficial at best. We never really get to see Dilli ki gulliyan or get a real flavor of the city. Even in London, a cursory drone shot of the London Bridge isn’t enough to give us a feel of that city. At least, that would have added a dimension to this tepid tale.

I was hoping for a nice warm little love story, more along the lines of, ‘Meri Pyaari Bindu’ or ‘Bareilly Ki Barfi’, but this one left me thoroughly disappointed.

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Yahoo Movies Review: Pari

Cast: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chatterjee, Rajat Kapoor

Direction: Prosit Roy

Rating: **

Watched #Pari last night, has to be my Wife's best work ever! 🤩 One of the best films I've seen in a long time. Got quite scared but so very proud of you @AnushkaSharma ♥️

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) March 2, 2018

Don’t believe what Virat Kohli has to say.

‘Pari’ is yet another horror film that begins with promise, but soon gone awry.

It could have been so much more than the failed attempt it turns out to be. Prosit Roy fails to keep the plot together after building up the intrigue commendably up to the intermission. Just when it looks like the story would stand out in the crowd of clichéd Bollywood scary movies, the storyline begins to unravel.

The second half – sloppily written and patchily told – is really a curse on the audience. Once this tedious and protracted attempt at scaring started to drag down an insanely convoluted path, I couldn’t wait for the ordeal to end.

Here’s what happens. A guilt-ridden Arnab, played by the very talented Parambrata Chatterjee, decides to help Rukhsana (Anushka Sharma) after her mother is killed in an accident involving his family. The unkempt Rukhsana, chained like an animal in a secluded hut in the jungle, is found by the police after her mother’s sudden death.

A few days later, the girl seeks refuge at Arnab’s house claiming that there are people in cahoots with the police trying to kill her. Arnab is too nice to turn away an injured girl whom he now feels responsible for. He decides to provide her shelter till he can figure out an alternative.

The first half plays out interestingly – the accidental death of a mysterious woman, oblique references to some sort of a cult, the strange affection between Arnab and Rukhsana – there are so many interesting possibilities at this point.

The main leads (both Parambrata and Anushka) approach their parts with complete sincerity. Parambrata’s character is almost reminiscent of Kamal Haasan’s role in ‘Sadma’. Anushka, as the freckled, traumatized, weird girl, really sinks her teeth into a completely deglamourized avatar. Alas, neither can rise above a script that just keeps spiraling downwards post the interval.

What follows is standard Bollywood scary fare – creaky doors, flickering lights, discomfiting darkness, weird noises, blood and gore. Eventually, the power of love tames the evil spirit – or so the director would have us believe.

By the end of it, I wasn’t terrified, I was simply exhausted!

How long before Hindi film directors can come up with a compelling horror film such as Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Raat’ or even ‘Bhoot’?

Watch it if you dig the horror genre – Anushka’s acting is definitely worth a dekko, as hubby Virat as already publicly proclaimed.

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Yahoo Movies Review: Welcome to New York

Cast: Diljit Dosanjh, Sonakshi Sinha, Karan Johar, Riteish Deshmukh, Lara Dutta, Boman Irani

Direction: Chakri Toleti

Rating: *

There is no fun to be had in this spoof. ‘Welcome to New York’ is a tepid satire that lacks both substance and fizz.

It’s like watching one of those long, insipid, banal award shows that leave the audience with no hope for an escape.

If you want to hear about the plot, well, there is none. The film is based on two under-achievers, Teji and Jeenal Patel (played by Diljit Dosanjh and Sonakshi Sinha respectively), who are selected for a big Bollywood event. Then, chaos ensues.

Karan Johar plays a double role – enacting himself as well as the villain. As the bad man, he appears entirely inept at coming across as menacing. As himself, he decides to reach into the innermost recesses of his being and draw out the most effeminate characteristics to a play stereotypical gay person.

Diljit and Sonakshi flounder along trying to make the most of non-existent script. It’s actually painful to see a gifted actor such as Diljit being made to play a bumbling sardar.

After sitting through almost two hours of non-stop nonsense, I failed to understand why anyone – leave alone a whole bevy of Bollywood A listers in cameos – would have wanted to invest their time and energy in as shoddy an affair as this one.

And why on earth was this shot on 3D?! Why?

I still cannot decipher the reason behind this over-120 minute apology of a movie. Is there something I failed to glean from the storyline? Are the proceeds and profits (wishful thinking, methinks) going to charity? Did everyone work on this film for free?

Please do tell me if you are courageous enough to watch and find out.

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Yahoo Movies Review: Aiyaary

Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Sidharth Malhotra, Rakul Preet Singh, Naseeruddin Shah, Kumud Mishra, Anupam Kher, Adil Hussain

Direction: Neeraj Pandey

Rating: **

Neeraj Pandey’s ‘Aiyaary’ is stupor-inducing. I kept waiting for the thrills, the resolve, the payoff. Alas, there were none!

Pandey has a history of helming robust thrillers – his plots are crisp, taut and promise edge-of-the-seat drama. Special investigations, covert operations, counter-intelligence and honest men-in-uniform are his mainstays. There are always two parties trying to outsmart each other and it’s ever-so-intriguing to witness the cat-and-mouse chases that have formed the crux of most of his work.

‘Aiyaary’ is a stark exception in that it follows a linear trajectory, and utterly fails to surprise and engage.

This is a story about two army officers – Colonel Abhay Singh and Major Jai Bakshi (played by Manoj Bajpayee and Sidharth Malhotra respectively). The younger Bakshi, who once took bullets for his senior officer, Colonel Abhay, has now turned rogue. Disillusioned by corrupt political machinery and the men leading the country, he seems to be convinced that for the people in high positions, it is all about gaining more power or more money. If it is all just about that, Bakshi reasons, why should he too not make the most of it?

And so, with the help of his girlfriend – a hacker/online tech wizard – he decides to take on the mighty and the powerful. It is now that a hot pursuit begins between the former army mates.

Though the concept is an interesting one on paper, it could have done with more pace and intrigue. Instead a lackadaisical unraveling of the many complications of the story – too many vested interests, verbose dialogues and a 160-minute-long runtime – only serves to test one’s patience.

With arms dealers, lobbyists, politicians, officers, journalists, even assassins and the nexus connecting them jostling for screen space, I was almost confused into a state of semi-somnolence by the intermission.

No doubt, Sidharth Malhotra looks dapper, but his character is no Jason Bourne – ergo, the visual appeal becomes a bit drab after a point. Manoj Bajpayee looks sharp and is a pro at such roles. Unfortunately, Bajpayee – along with an ensemble cast comprising Kumud Mishra, Anupam Kher, Adil Hussain – is let down by a convoluted plot and abstruse writing.

The scenes shot in Cairo and London pique some interest, but they fail to build up to a crescendo, such as the one you’d expect from a thriller. Even the romantic track between Sidharth and Rakul Preet is insipid, though the pair certainly infuses some life into the catchy ‘Lae Dooba’.

This has got to be the weakest of Neeraj Pandey’s works. Watch it if you must, but ‘Aiyaary’ just doesn’t have the quintessential panache that Pandey has exhibited in his previous thrillers – especially in ‘A Wednesday’, ‘Special 26’ and ‘Baby’.

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Yahoo Movies Review: Pad Man

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Apte, Sonam Kapoor

Direction: R Balki

Rating: ***1/2

‘Pad Man’ is a well-intentioned film that does a commendable job of handling the “taboo” topic of female hygiene. With Akshay Kumar playing a very convincing protagonist, Balki manages to keep things relevant and engaging.

Inspired by the incredible real-life story of a social activist, the narrative recounts Arunachalam Muruganantham’s bold fight against social stigma and ridicule as he invents an indigenous and affordable alternative to expensive sanitary napkins.

For Arunachalam, a school dropout, the struggle begins at home when he fails to convince his wife and sisters that using a soiled cloth during menstruation is not just unhygienic, but a frank invitation to serious infections and disease.

The compelling, almost unbelievable, story is obviously the centerpiece of this presentation. However, picking an issue such as the menstrual cycle and its attendant problems – and making it watchable for the mainstream Indian audience – requires more than just a little skill.

With such bloody issues to tackle, the storytelling, understandably, isn’t flawless, but it is still engaging enough barring a few excesses.

Here, I think a comparison with Akshay’s last socially-relevant film – ‘Toilet – Ek Prem Katha’ (2017) – is only relevant. Based on the social scourge of open defecation, the previous film and the ‘fix’ it provided seemed to be rather simplistic. Too much time was spent on the build up and over attempts at finding a jugaad, rather than looking for a real solution.

‘Pad Man’ does an excellent job of taking things head-on. Our protagonist’s struggles are real and he is undaunted in his efforts. Akshay deserves a loud round of applause for taking an unflinching stance in this one – in a role that has no provisions for him to show-off his toned body, his athleticism and his fun-filled song-and-dance routine. He sinks his teeth into the character with sincerity, belting out a robust performance sprinkled with welcome doses of understated humour.

Making menstruation and sanitary napkins dinner table conversation is no mean feat.

Balki builds a credible mise en scène – the dusty roads of rural Madhya Pradesh, the poor homes of the locality and especially, the separate section where women are quarantined during “impure” days. The setting merges seamlessly with the storytelling.

Such is the earnestness of the effort, I am even ready to overlook some of the overindulging parts – though the melodrama does get a tad overboard at times. Also, the romantic track with Sonam Kapoor is completely unnecessary. I mean, come on! Is it too much for us to expect Bollywood to have two mainstream stars acting alongside each other without falling head-over-heels in love? This side narrative appears entirely forced and superfluous.

Barring the tiny hiccups, this film does a commendable job of destigmatizing “periods”. This unique physiological phenomenon is a norm rather than an exception, so why not be more inclusive about discussing it?

There’s this funny scene where Akshay buys sanitary napkins for the very first time and it is delivered to him under the counter, wrapped in a newspaper as if it is contraband. This is the bitter truth not only in rural India but across medical shops all over the country – we are groomed to ask for female hygiene products in hushed tones.

As India hurtles ahead to match the developed world, it is only logical that her cinema follows suit. Thus, we need more films that send out a strong social message and don’t brush perceived taboos such as mental health, feminine hygiene, and sex education under the carpet.

Do watch this one – it is an interesting story about an incredible man.

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Movie Review: Padmaavat Sanjay Leela Bhansali's ‘Padmaavat’ is a visual spectacle and Ranveer Singh is just brilliant.

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Yahoo Movies Review: 102 Not Out

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor

Direction: Umesh Shukla

Rating: ***

Essentially endearing though it is, ‘102 not out’ needs the stellar performances of Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor to ride all the way into our hearts. Umesh Shukla’s film lacks the fine balance that would have made it compelling throughout, but the story of an unusual relationship between a 75-year-old son and his 102-year-old father is by itself an interesting premise – enough to keep one invested.

The son (Rishi) has embraced old age and is happy to be living the predictable-albeit-drab life of a senior citizen. His father (Amitabh), instead, is feisty and headstrong and wants to break the record of a Chinese man for having lived the longest. To accomplish this feat, the father threatens to send his son to an old-age home, because he wants to be surrounded by positive energy and not by a defeatist who is awaiting his own death and has no zeal to be alive.

The father, thus, sets up several challenges for his son. Successful completion of these tasks would allow the younger person to avert the impending move to the old-age home. The tasks are set to resonate with the son’s past and although they seem to make sense in the bigger scheme of things, they make for a very dull watch.

All the humour, the emotions and the drama here are courtesy of these fine veteran actors whose unusual camaraderie comes alive on the big screen. Amitabh laces his performance with humour, affection and tacit anger. He is indulgent, stubborn and intolerant of ungratefulness, all at once. Even at the ripe old age of 102, the strength of his character is all very apparent.

Rishi is in top form as the slightly bewildered son – unsure of how to deal with his father’s bizarre demands. Underconfident and overcautious, he is wary of being confrontational initially, but it is interesting to see him evolve and become resolute as the plot progresses.

Rishi also has a son in the US – one who rarely visits him and – and it is in the moments when he is himself struggling as a father that the actor in him shines through. For, aren’t these issues that confront us all – ungrateful children who take their parents for granted; children who assume their inheritance to be a birthright?

There are genuine moments that will make you smile and tear up. What is lacking is a directorial flourish that would have lifted the performances from merely good to something extraordinary.

That there is not even a cursory attempt at making the actors’ wigs look natural is not simply amusing – it is a huge letdown.

Watch ‘102 Not Out’ for the lead actors. Their memorable portrayals alone make this one worth a visit to theatre.

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Yahoo Movies Review: Beyond the Clouds

Cast: Ishaan Khatter, Malavika Mohanan, Gautam Ghose, G V Sharada, Tannishtha Chatterjee

Director: Majid Majidi

Rating: ***

‘Beyond the Clouds’ is an intriguing tale about two siblings trying to negotiate an unfortunate turn of events. As they struggle to find a way out of their misery, the accidental associations they form make for some compelling moments.

Amir, played admirably by Ishaan Khatter, is on the run after a drug bust and seeks shelter at his sister’s place. Things get complicated when his sister Tara (Malavika Mohanan) is arrested for assault after she tries to avert a rape attempt against her.

Though they have been estranged for a few years, orphans Tara and Amir have only each other for support.

Chased by the police and his former criminal associates, Amir tries everything in his capacity to procure bail for his sister. While Tara seems to have managed to learn survival tactics in the outside world, in jail she is ill-equipped at handling the situation and dreads what might befall her in custody.

Majidi is most skilled when he is weaving the tale of the relationship that Amir forms with the family of the man assaulted by his sister. It is a complex relationship with real issues and conflicts, but it is also a very human connection that a young boy forms. Amir, who has just found a way to make easy money through not very fair means, is not really a hardened criminal. In fact, he charms you when he becomes a caregiver for the family of the man responsible for landing his sister in jail.

In prison, Tara, maternal by nature, becomes a foster caregiver for a little boy. Chotu’s mother is unwell and sentenced to life for killing her drunkard husband. This little boy has been living in jail with his mother since he was a three-month-old. Such is his existence behind bars that he has no idea what the moon looks like when Tara tells him a story.

Moments like these transport the film to another level. The dynamics between the siblings, however, seem tenuous and fail to convince you of the extent of their desperation.

Majidi is at his best when he uses the interplay between light and shadow to portray some tender moments between the child actors.

Debutant Ishaan deserves a special mention. He personifies innocence with an edge – empathetic and yet always eliciting a fear of what he could be capable of when pushed to a corner. His performance makes you sit up and take notice.

‘Beyond the Clouds’ is definitely worth a watch. If nothing else, Ishaan Khatter’s character will make you want to believe in goodness and humanity.

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Yahoo India Movies: Blackmail

Cast: Irrfan, Kirti Kulhari, Arunoday Singh, Divya Dutta

Direction: Abhinay Deo

Rating: **

‘Blackmail’ could have been a wickedly humourous story. Alas, the ineptness with which an interesting subject is handled renders the whole exercise futile. This thriller/comedy seems to stretch on endlessly, neither providing the thrills nor the laughs.

This is unusual territory for Bollywood – a husband decides to blackmail his wife’s lover after he finds out about their affair. This move to try and extract revenge while making some money on side sets in motion a sequence of events that spirals out of control. Unfortunately, it also spirals out of our director’s control – he churns out a long laboured tale that gets repetitive and predictable.

The silver lining in this tepid film is Irrfan – he infuses life into the languid proceedings. As Dev Kaushal, he sits at work for long hours with no inclination to head home, suggesting that there is nothing really there for him to go back to.

We don’t know how he got here but it is clearly implied that is marriage boring and his life mundane.

An early return from work, in the hope of rekindling the flickering flame of his marriage, Dev realizes that Reena (Kirti Kulhari) has been cheating on him. He weighs his next move; instead of a spontaneous angry reaction, he decides to turn the tables on them. Is he suave enough to get away with it though?

Well, if you want to find out, you have to take the long circuitous route taken by the filmmakers.

The others in the acting department – Kirti Kulhari, Arunoday Singh and Divya Dutta – completely ham it up. In the absence of a compelling storyline, they are mere caricatures.

In his attempt to play to the gallery, director Abhinay Deo throws in the “Bewafa beauty” song performed by Urmila Mandotkar, but it contributes in no way to the dull affair.

After the promise of his directorial debut, “Delhi Belly”, Deo hit rock bottom with his subsequent releases: “Game” (2011) and “Force 2” (2016) were all duds at the box office.

“Blackmail” disappoints because it did have the potential to be an intriguing tale. If you must, watch it for Irrfan’s delightfully nuanced performance.

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Yahoo Movies Review: Baaghi 2

Cast: Tiger Shroff, Disha Patani, Prateik Babbar, Deepak Dobriyal, Manoj Bajpayee, Randeep Hooda, Darshan Kumar

Direction: Ahmed Khan

Rating: *1/2

‘Baaghi 2’ is as clichéd as a typical Bollywood action movie can be – full of revenge and drama, with a distasteful item song thrown in as an afterthought. The film sacrifices logic and rationale at the altar of daredevilry.

If there is a recipe for how not to make an action film for the millennial, Ahmed Khan, I would say, has definitely got his hands on it.

I did walk in with zero expectations. The director had managed to rope in some big guns in the acting department (Manoj Bajpayee and Randeep Hooda, for instance) so I thought just maybe there’d be something unexpectedly good here.  Maybe, despite my apprehensions, I would eventually be pleasantly surprised.

Alas! That wasn’t to be.

Here’s how it goes.

A three-year-old is abducted and the mother reaches out to her ex-lover to try and find the missing daughter. Simple enough? Our interest is piqued with the gradual reliasation that the there might be something amiss in the mother’s version of events. That no one seems to have witnessed a crime committed in broad daylight only adds to the suspicions.

Where is little Rhea? Is there a nexus between the police and the drug mafia? Is the father telling the truth when he suggests that his wife is imagining the abduction?

Despite over-the-top action sequences and an asinine approach by an army officer, the first half keeps you invested, somewhat. The wife’s ex, Captain Ranveer Pratap Singh (played by the astoundingly brawny Tiger Shroff) has almost a covert task at hand – to locate his former girlfriend’s daughter without the father’s knowledge;.

The case is closed by the police for lack of evidence, yet Ranveer’s first move is to annihilate a police station teeming with cops because one of them makes a suggestive remark towards his former beau.

That our commando is big on valour, but not on common sense, is suggested throughout, albeit unintentionally. Handling a case as delicate as this one, where a single a misstep can cost a three-year-old her life, not one of our bronzed protagonist’s moves involves a considered thought about the possible dire consequences. He is ever ready to unleash his wrath and beat his opponents to a pulp. Forget about following up on leads and networking – Tiger Shroff’s character just “keeps calm and beats them up”.

If one were to compare, Tiger Shroff is Salman Khan multiplied by ten – only without even a fraction of the ‘bhai’s’ sex appeal. When Tiger’s insanely shredded commando takes on his opponents Arnold-style, he just doesn’t bring down a few, he single-handedly obliterates an entire platoon.

I’m even ready to overlook the excesses (this is, after all, an Indian ‘action’ movie) if the story at least made an attempt at coherence. But if the filmmakers feel that displays of muscle definition and exhibition of gravity defying stunts can replace an actual storyline then all stuntmen would have become Bollywood superstars.

It is almost blasphemous that quality performers such as Manoj Bajpayee and Randeep Hooda are treated as mere placeholders. Despite their undoubted ability, they are given no agency to make an impact in the script. (Remember Hooda’s cameo  in ‘Sultan’ where he made us take notice of him). In ‘Baaghi 2)’, he just saunters around like a hippie, leaving one to wonder how he is even allowed to turn up to office like that.

Deepak Dobriyal’s attempt to reinvent himself as a serious actor is turning out to be an epic fail. His Hyderabadi accent sounds utterly fake and he just isn’t effective playing the token good Muslim, reminiscent of the 1980’s potboilers.

Much has already been said about Jacqueline Fernandez’s remake of ‘Ek Do Teen’. To add my two cents, it is an assault on the senses. A gyrating Fernandez might be much better sculpted than Madhuri in ‘Tezaab’ (1988) but her raunchy moves are downright repulsive. It is as if an electric current is being passed through her as she sways jerkily to this item number. Dear Jacqueline, you can do justice to ‘Chittiyan Kalaiyaan’, you can probably attempt ‘Chikni Chameli’, but please stay away from cult classics like this one.

This film starts off as a covert operation for a child abduction case, but by the end of two hours it starts playing out like a war on the big screen, complete with choppers, machine guns and all the ammunition needed for a full-fledged assault.

The sheer ludicrousness of the entire exercise is exasperating.

If you enjoy videogames where all your favourite character does is beat the opponents to a pulp then you will definitely like ‘Baaghi 2’. I didn’t. Obviously, I enjoy good cinema more than I enjoy a good videogame.

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Yahoo Movies Review: Kaalakaandi

Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Deepak Dobriyal, Vijay Raaz, Sobhita Dhulipala, Kunaal Roy Kapur

Direction: Akshat Verma

Rating: **

‘Kaalakaandi’ boasts of dark humour and some robust performances. If being risqué was the only criterion for success, it would have been a raging hit. Alas, the plot is just too whimsical to make sense beyond a point.

Three storylines run in parallel on a rainy Mumbai night and the protagonists, by and large, keep you invested. Saif Ali Khan, Deepak Dobriyal and Sobhita Dhulipala are the focal points of these stories that all try an experimental approach.

Saif, playing the role of a teetotaler and non-smoker, discovers he has stomach cancer and just a few months to live. Shocked and devastated, he wants to check off his bucket list before time runs out. Dobriyal and Vijay Raaz are a local gangster’s henchmen, but they no longer want to run errands. They think it’s about time they made it big on their own. Sobhita is on her way to earn a PhD in Boston, but finds herself mired in a drug bust and hit-and-run case.

These are interesting tales on their own, but while one is amused over the eccentricities of the characters, the plot doesn’t quite follow a logical trajectory. I remember watching the zombie comedy ‘Go Goa Gone’ (2013) in which Saif played the lead and even though there was a need for a suspension of disbelief, the film made for a fun watch.

The same cannot be said for ‘Kaalakaandi’: the film is peppered with moments of genuine humour, but that doesn’t absolve it for the lack for a coherent script.

Saif as a terminally ill patient high on a psychotropic drug is a treat to watch. It’s pity that his bold experiments with different roles – such as this one and the one he essayed in ‘Chef’ (2017) – are being let down by shoddy writing.

‘Kaalakaandi’ tries a fresh approach – it’s for a niche audience with some edgy scenes and bawdy dialogues – but I am not sure if this is everyone’s cup of tea. Watch it if you must. Saif – in top form here – will keep you entertained, even if the film fails to.

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Yahoo Movies Review: Fukrey Returns

Cast: Pulkit Samrat, Varun Sharma, Ali Fazal, Manjot Singh, Richa Chadda, Priya Anand, Pankaj Tripathi

Direction: Mrighdeep Singh Lamba

Rating: **

‘Fukrey Returns’ has moments of genuine humour, smart repartees and good comic timing by the actors – however, none of these can salvage the shoddy writing. The chaos is no longer funny, it feels patchy.

A flimsy plot about four boys, who are essentially losers but have figured out a way to make easy money, was amusing the first time but the sequel required more than just a few wisecracks. The losers (Fukreys) have had a good run since their last outing, but now it’s payback time for them. Their nemesis – the ruthless, vengeful and money-seeking Bholi Punjaban (Richa Chadda) – is also back from jail.

The first half manages to keep you engaged. The second slips into a chaotic mess. There’s too much going on and it is hard to keep track who’s conning whom. By the time you reach the climax, you no longer care about the lottery or the lost tiger cub or the treasure they are looking for or the corrupt politician – all you want is for the ordeal to end.

What made the film somewhat watchable is Pankaj Tripathi’s performance. Richa Chadda is good as the feisty Punjabi kudi, but her part feels repetitive this time round. The rest of the cast – Pulkit, Varun, Ali and Manjot, appear more confident than they did in the original, but they don’t really bring anything new to the table. They are also let down by sloppy storytelling.

As the film unravels, it gets as clumsy and annoying as Varun’s character. I laughed a bit and was interested for a while on how they would manage to arrange the money they needed, but eventually I was too bored to even care.

Watch it if you must. You wouldn’t really regret it if you even give this one a miss.

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Yahoo Movies Review: Qarib Qarib Singlle

Cast: Irrfan, Parvathy

Direction: Tanuja Chandra

Rating: **1/2

This understated love story by Tanuja Chandra needs patience. What keeps you invested in this road film is Irrfan’s impeccable comic timing.

A 35-year-old widow succumbs to peer pressure and signs up to find love online. A few wrong connections later, she meets the 40-year-old, never-married, Yogi, who claims to be passionate about poetry. Their first rendezvous makes them look like a complete mismatch, but Yogi’s eccentricities and spontaneity render him likeable, despite his over-the-top ways.

As the oddball couple decides to embark on an impromptu trip, we discover their little quirks and wonder whether the two will actually find true love.

We travel to Rishikesh, Jaipur and finally to Gangtok, but the focus remains so much on the protagonists that even though we are part of their journey, it hardly feels like we have seen much of the beautiful landscape. Except a peripheral glimpse of the Ganga aarti from the banks of the river, there is no real insight into the many places this couple visits.

The plot is interesting – two people actively seeking companionship surely makes for an entertaining theme – but the couple is so encumbered by the past that they find it impossible to move on. While they both take regular digs at each other, they fail to let go of their insecurities.

Parvathy’s sincere approach to this portrayal makes her real and vulnerable as she tries to traverse an unfamiliar path. Irrfan brandishes his craft with skill – here is a suitor who is aware that women don’t particularly take to his looks, but he is a wordsmith and sure knows how to charm women. Despite his constant blabbering and sudden snoring in the midst of conversations, Yogi does have an understated appeal.

There are some moments of love and laughter, but the lead cast lacks the chemistry or the instant connection that is a prerequisite in any successful cinematic love story.

I can’t help compare ‘Qarib Qarib Singlle’ to ‘The Lunchbox’ and feel this one just doesn’t tug at the heartstrings like the latter, which was a heartwarming tale that unfolded over inanimate letters.

Watch this only for Irrfan.

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Movie review: Ittefaq 

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Yahoo Movies Review: Golmaal Again

Cast: Ajay Devgn, Parineeti Chopra, Arshad Warsi, Shreyas Talpade, Tusshar Kapoor, Tabu, Kunal Khemu

Direction: Rohit Shetty

Rating: *1/2

‘Golmaal Again’ is foolish and bizarre. With the tagline – ‘No logic sirf magic’ – Rohit Shetty seems to promise us a fun ride as long as we are ready for a suspension of disbelief. It is okay to expect your audience to play along sans rationale, if the film, at the very least, tries to make an attempt at genuine comedy: but the humour here is tepid and the jokes inane.

Trying to dole out a Bollywood comedy by peppering the narrative with a horror angle seems to be a new stunt by our director. If only there was some thought given to the storyline. Alas, the filmmakers seem to have lost the plot from the word go.

In this instalment of the ‘Golmaal’ series – the plot revolves around a ghost who was killed by our villains. Tabu’s character can communicate with spirits and therefore, she is the preferred medium. She gathers our ensemble cast, with Ajay Devgn playing the lead, hoping that they will help the friendly ghost seek revenge and achieve salvation.

The plot sounds interesting and we have actors who have impeccable comic timing but they are let down by a flimsy script and insipid dialogues. The director takes too long to set up the story and has the same repetitive jokes hoping that the nostalgia will work. We are well into our second half when things actually get moving but by then it’s time to shoddily wrap up the film. We realise quite late in the film that there was really no need to implore the beefy guys to help, our ghost can manage things on her own.

I really like some of Rohit Shetty’s films, especially when he collaborated with Ajay Devgn for ‘Singham’, the action flick really worked. It is, however, difficult to accept the brawny Devgn as someone who is afraid of ghosts and goes into hiding at night and is easily scared by the mention of the dark spirits even during the day. It just doesn’t work.

I understand Tabu’s desire to let her hair down with a Bollywood masala film, but roles like this one are a colossal waste of her talent. Dependable actors like Sanjay Mishra, Arshad Warsi and Shreyas Talpade get few opportunities to show what they are really capable of.

The only funny moments in the film are when they take a dig at Bollywood actors being paired with heroines half their age – those dialogues make for some genuine laughs.

The sets look fancy and the production is slick but it just doesn’t come together as an entertaining watch. None of the original songs has recall value, the tracks that work are remixes of popular 90s’ songs.

I was disappointed with ‘Golmaal Again’ and I really wanted my money back.

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