Ek Main Aur Ek Tu review: "One of the best Indian rom coms!!!"

Love is in the air with yet another Valentine's day upon us within a couple of days. Keeping this in mind, Karan Johar has decided to provide the audience with a romantic comedy to liven up the spirits. Romantic comedies are one of the most popular genres in Hollywood which is slowly finding its feet in India following the advent of Multiplexes. Though there has been quite a few of them in the last few years, it hasn't quite hit the jack pot on a regular basis owing to its predictable storyline. Will Karan Johar's "Ek Main Aur Ek Tu" be any different???

Rahul Kapoor (Imran Khan) is an uptight, introvert architect whose whole life has been intricately planned by his parents. But things takes a turn when he loses his job & fearing that it would be frowned upon by his folks, he frantically starts searching for jobs. At this juncture, he meets up with Riana Bragnaza (Kareena Kapoor), a hair stylist who believes in living life to the fullest. They spent the Xmas eve together & eventually end up getting married after a night of carousal. Realizing their folly, they decide to get their wedding annulled but with time they become fond of each other. So will the age old rule of opposites attract act as a deterrent to the annulment???

Karan Johar has always been an avid supporter of fresh talent & this time around he entrusts Shakun Batra with the mantle of directing this venture. Shakun in the company of Ayesha Devitre has come up with a predictable core story but what makes it endearing is the treatment meted out to it. The characterization of the protagonists is what makes it for an enjoyable watch along with an unconventional yet appropriate climax. Running at just under a shade of 2 hours, it doesnt take a toll on the patience of the audience as well. The music by Amit Trivedi was impressive & gels with the feel of the film especially the title track rendered by Benny Dayal & Anushka Manchanda; along with Auntyji rendered by Ash King. 

Kareena Kapoor has proved once again as to why she is indeed the most sought after actresses in the industry. Though Riana is a polished version of Geet from "Jab we Met", she still has been able to bring about a sense of freshness to the character. Imran Khan was the perfect choice as Rahul & stands shoulder to shoulder with his experienced co-star. As for the rest of the cast, all of them have done an apt job.

Verdict: The film is likely to garner an impressive opening owing to the interest generated by the fresh pairing & catchy music. Being an urbane film, it's unlikely to make a stir in the single screens but the Multiplexes are likely to make rousing business. In short, definitely one of the best Indian rom coms to have come out & should be a hit in all probability. If you have a fervor for rom-coms, dont miss it!!!

Rating: 3/5

Regards...Ben

Unnam review: "Sibi's aim to satiate the audience works satisfactorily!!!"

Since the beginning of last year, Malayalam industry is seen to be going through a period of transition with the influx of young blood & fresh ideas. Though this has been great news, it invariably found many of the stalwarts struggling to break out of their mold as is evident in the case of director Fazil & Sathyan Anthikad to a certain extent. However, Sibi Malayil who redefined the Malayalam films of the early 80's & 90s's has made a conscious effort to venture out of his comfort zone with films like "Violin", "Apoorvaragam", "Flash" etc. which however failed to replicate his golden years. This week he has come out with his latest venture "Unnam", which has got the audience excited with its catchy posters & promos. But is the film as enticing???

Remakes has been flooding the industry since the past few years which either indicates a dearth of ideas or to cash in on the success of the original. Anywaz, "Unnam" is the rip off the critically acclaimed "Johnny Gaddar", which catapulted Neil Nitin Mukesh into reckoning. The film unfolds with C.I Balakrishna (Sreenivasan) getting his hands on a consignment of heroin with which he plans to make some quick money. He seeks the help of his long time friend & retired gangster, Sunny (Lal) to sell off the stuff. Seeing this as an opportunity to help out his struggling friends, Aloshy (Asif Ali), Tommy (Prashant Narayanan),  Murugan (Nedumudi Venu) & Basheer; Sunny agrees to the deal. Each of them pitches in money to buy the heroin from Balakrishna & Basheer is entrusted with the task of delivering the cash. But their plan goes haywire, as Basheer gets killed & the money goes missing. Did someone else comes to know about their plan or was it one among them???

Unlike, "Johnny Gaddar", the screenplay by Swati Bhaskar over here is shaky mainly owing to the not so convincing performance by Asif Ali. Sibi Malayil has managed to do justice to his craft to a certain extent but the first half is surely not as gripping as it ought to be . Things does gets better in the second half & the climax sequence is likely to garner applause. The music by John P Varkey was mediocre & disrupts the pace in the latter half, while the sets showcased as the interiors of Tommy's hotel was appalling.

As I have already mentioned, Asif Ali's performance left a lot to be desired for as he fails to portray the insecurity & yet scheming mentality of the character convincingly. All the others have managed to do their roles aptly but the winner for me is undoubtedly, Prashant Narayanan known for his praise worthy acts in  "Via Darjeeling", "Waisa bhi hota hai" or the more recent "Murder 2"; who gives an impressive performance. I wouldn't be surprised if this film opens up more opportunities for him in Malayalam. 

Verdict: The catchy promos & posters along with no other major releases should ensure a decent opening. Though it did have a credible script, the execution & performances weren't able to impart a gripping feel to the film. In short, it's an average fare & you may check it out if you do have the time!!!

Rating: 2.5/5

Regards...Ben