Race 3 review: "Same old formula but with a bigger star & more ways to bust money!!!"

The eagerly anticipated World Cup is finally here & we have already witnessed a couple of high quality matches. With Eid ul Fitr also celebrated leading to the weekend, it has been an entertaining weekend. To add to the festivities, we have the customary Salman Khan movie hitting the screens & this time it happens to be "Race 3" which promises to be an all out action entertainer. So will it claim the numero uno spot in the box office just like how Federer achieved the No.1 ranking at Stuttgart???

Shamsher Singh (Anil Kapoor) was one of the leading arms & narcotics dealer in the world and ran his empire in the Middle East. He was assisted in his endeavours by his nephew Sikandar (Salman Khan) whom he trusted more than his own twin children, Sanjana (Daisy Shah) & Suraj (Saqib Saleem). This naturally makes them harbour bad blood towards Sikander & plots his downfall. However, Sikander were always a step ahead of them & kept them in check with the help of his trusted lieutenant, Yash (Bobby Deol). At around this juncture, Shamsher gets wind of a hard disk that contained sexual adventures of top Indian politicians & decides to blackmail them in exchange for favours to establish his empire in the country. However, the twins found it as an opportunity to eliminate Sikander. But it was much easier said than done.

Believe it or not, but it's been a decade since the "Race" franchise began with the director duo Abbas-Mustan having directed the first two installments. However, unlike the previous ventures; the latest movie has no connection with the others except for the title. It is helmed by Remo D'Souza, who in my opinion is an excellent choreographer but a mediocre director. For the audience who have followed the "Race" series, they will be aware that the basic template is a potpourri of style, glamour, double crossing & pulsating action sequences & that pattern is religiously maintained (or rather taken up a couple of notches) by Shiraz Ahmed. No one expects logic in such movies but even then it doesnt offer anything that captivates us. The action sequences choreographed by Tom Struthers (of "Inception", "Dark Knight" & "Dunkirk" fame, was top notch while Ayanika Bose deserves praise for the visuals but Salim Sulaiman's music was average.

It's an all out Salman movie & he has given the masses what they needed with a power packed action flick. Anil Kapoor is the only one who has survived from the beginning & has given an earnest performance. Bobby Deol makes a comeback from wilderness with a toned physique but seems like he forgot to flex his facial muscles. As for the rest, none of the performances deserves mention but kudos to Jacqueline & Daisy for the effort they invested in combat scenes. 

Verdict: Despite being panned by the critics, the movie galloped to the 100C club in just 3 days. With "Sanju", still a fortnight away, it should race itself to some mind boggling numbers. If you are in for some cool action sequences, then you wont be disappointed but dont expect an iota of logic. In short, it offers nothing new apart from exotic locations, fancy cars & Salman!!!

Rating: 1.5/5

Regards...Ben

Kaala review: "Ranjith's brilliance shines through as he utilizes Rajini, the actor & superstar in apt measure!!!"

Monsoon has hit the coast of India & it has unleashed its fury in various parts of the country. Hoping to create a similar impact on the box office is Pa Ranjith's "Kaala", one of the biggest release of the year. How often is the director of the movie that stars Rajinikant, the baap of superstars mentioned in the same breath??? Quite rare unless ofcourse the director is Shankar & hence it is credit to Ranjith's credentials that he has managed to achieve that so early in his career. So will the collections of this highly anticipated movie (for various reasons) be as eventful as Nadal's "La UnDecima"???

Mumbai, the financial capital of the country & one of the most expensive cities in the world is home to the rich and famous. Ironically, it also houses Dharavi, the biggest slum in the world with skyscrapers around it which is a stark reality of the economic divide among the citizens. It is here that the movie is based where a significant percentage of the population are Tamilians. Over the years, the gangster Hari Dhadha (Nana Patekar) had tried to wreck havoc in the area in the hope of seizing the land. Even after becoming the Union Minister, his aim remained the same though he presented it to the masses as government schemes which would change their lives for the better. However, all his efforts were thwarted by Kaala/Karikaalan (Rajini), the leader of Dharavi who saw through his devious plans. With power & money at his disposal, Hari Dhadha was hell bent on realizing his dream at any cost & what would it take for Kaala to stop him forms the crux of the movie. 

This is the second time that Ranjith had collaborated with the Superstar, with the previous "Kabali" giving us an idea about his directorial style. It was a commercial blockbuster, though it would be fair to admit that many werent quite satisfied in the manner that Thalaiva was portrayed. So naturally the responsibility to satiate the masses and critics alike in his latest venture had increased manifold. To be frank, the basic plot as such wasnt novel but the thought that has gone into many of the sequences deserves praise be it the colours used for the main characters, portraits in the background, his views on religion, gender etc. It had undoubtedly one of the finest climaxes that I have seen in a while. If at all there was a dampener, that was in the amount of time that it took to set pace in the first half. Most of  the technical aspects were top notch be it Murali G's visuals, art direction & Santhosh Narayanan's music with Kannamma being my personal favourite. 

In the performance department, first & foremost hats off to Ranjith for choosing Nana Patekar who as expected was mesmerising. The evil charm that Nana exuded was a delight to watch & that in turn elevated Rajini's performance. It's not so often that the legend manages to display his acting skills & that's what makes both "Kabali" & "Kaala" special. As Karikaalan, Rajini was brilliant & the scenes between him & Nana were the highlights. Equally brilliant were Easwari Rao & Anjali Patel, with the former's chemistry with the superstar making us yearn for more interactions between the two. As for the rest, Samuthirakani was fantastic, while Huma Qureshi & the actors who essayed the role of Rajini's son have done their parts aptly.

Verdict: As expected, it has set the box office on fire with 100 C being crossed in the global market in just 3 days. Records are expected to tumble as the movie is a mix of class & mass which will have most people sing praises about it. In short, dont miss it!!! (P.S: Aravind Akash's name in the movie was Shivaji Rao Gaekwad which happens to be Rajini's real name)

Rating: 3.5/5

Regards...Ben

Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran review: "Earnest effort though it lacks detail & intensity!!!"

Over the 70 odd years of Indian Independence, our nation have achieved numerous feats such as Green Revolution, White Revolution, ISRO's exploits etc. One such notable achievement was India's nuclear power capabilities which was accomplished on the back of the nuclear tests conducted in Pokhran in 1998. Apart from the fact it was a crowning moment for India, it is also one of the biggest failures of the CIA which had no clue about it despite the numerous satellites spying in the region. Though the events are well documented in print, Abhishek Sharma decided to re-create it on celluloid. So did he stick to the actual details or is it just merely fiction with an over dosage of patriotism???

It's 1995 & China has just conducted 43 nuclear tests which had sent our politicians into a frenzy due to the increasing might of its neighbours. Among the numerous nonsensical retaliation suggestions  that are floated at the PM's Office, Ashwat Raina (John Abraham), a IAS Officer proposes the idea that India also needs to conduct nuclear tests. His suggestion is met with ridicule & though the PM's secretary takes up the idea, Ashwat is sidelined & it reflects in the eventual planning as the nueclear test turned out to be a failure. As one would expect, Ashwat is made the scapegoat which breaks his confidence. However, three years later he gets a shot at redemption when Himanshu Malik, the new Principal Secretary to the PM puts him in charge of the nuclear mission. How Ashwat & his team accomplishes the task under the nose of the US spy satellites forms the crux of the movie.

Abhishek Sharma made quite a few look up & take notice of him with his debut venture "Tere Bin Laden" which released close to a decade back. However, "Parmanu" will be his first major movie in terms of budget & canvas on offer. Based on the Pokhran nuclear tests, masterminded by APJ & Co.; Abhishek in the company of Saiwyn Quadras & Sanyukta Chawla Sheikh (of "Neerja" & "Mary Kom" fame) has created a story that is more fictional than the actual truth. The whole mission seemed rather too simplistic though the tension built up towards the climax was credible. None of the technical aspects deserves a special mention as it average at best.

John Abraham has given a sincere effort & fitted the role of the protagonist. Boman Irani was impressive in his brief role while the rest of the cast were fine as well though I felt Diana Penty wasnt quite the right choice for her role.

Verdict: With not much competition in the first week, "Parmanu" was able to break even without breaking much sweat. However, with "Veere Di Wedding" having hit the screens this weekend; it remains to be seen how much more it will be able to collect. There is no doubt that the movie is decently crafted, but I felt it could have been more impactful. In short, you can give it a try!!!

Rating: 2.5/5

Regards...Ben