Action Replayy review: A damp Diwali cracker!!!

Akki is back this Diwali with one of his favourite directors Vipul Shah with whom he has had 3 hits to add along with "Singh is King" where Vipul was the producer. The concept of time travel has been explored in Bollywood before also & here too they have made use of that concept. The movie is definitely the copy of Michael Fox starrer "Back to the Future", though the makers intended to give the credit to a Gujarati play. The plot involves Bunty (Aditya Roy Kapoor) being afraid to enter into a marriage with his girlfriend Tanya since he has been witness to his parents being on each other's throat at every moment. Tanya's grandfather Prof.Antony Gonzalves (Randhir Hapoor) has created a time machine & when he gives Bunty a deadline to decide on Tanya...Bunty decides to travel to the past & make things right between his parents.

The subject matter definitely had scope to be explored well..however the screenplay by Suresh Nair, Ritesh Shah and Aatish Kapadia falls flat. There isnt much of a plot & everything looks so easy...it lacked the punch to keep the audience interested. One major thing which I felt wanting was the humour element...it was just not sufficient..a couple of chuckles here & there wont do the trick. They should have added more substance & packed with some more comedy. However, there is no denying the fact that the humour element is really enjoyable & definitely not of the slap stick genre which has been the case in recent Akki movies. The music by Pritam is pretty average & doesnt linger on after watching the movie..though "Zor ka jaktka" is amusing.

In the performance department. Akki (as Kishen: Bunty's dad) has given a good performance varying from being a loser to a winner. Ash (as Maya: Bunty's mom) has essayed the role of being an arrogant shrew to perfection. Aditya Roy (as Bunty) is really likeable & though this is his 2nd venture following the debacle London Dreams, it should hold him in good stead. Rannvijay (as Kundan) who plays the negative shade is disappointing & fails to make an impression. As for the remaining cast, the veteran stalwarts like Om Puri & Kiron Kher has been wasted while Neha Dhupia is hardly noticed. Rajpal Yadav (as Bhiku) does infuse laughs but he has been under utilised.

Verdict: The combination of Akki & Ash should get the box office bells ringing atleast for the initial few days owing to the long weekend due to Diwali. However I doubt it would be a hit....though it would recover its costs. In short, watch it if you are an Akki fan or else forget it!!!

Regards...Ben

Karyasthan review: Mediocre yet entertaining in segments!!!

This Diwali witnessed the release of Dileep's 100th film "Karyasthan" directed by debutant Thomson. Coming on the back of a personal hit "Pappy Appacha" & a hit in "Malarwadi Arts Club" as part of his production house...Dileep would definitely be looking forward to this latest release to make a killing at the box-office to celebrate his ton in style. Anywaz this review will throw light as to how I felt about the movie.The plot basically involves two families Kizhakkedath & Puthezhath headed by the patriarchs Madhu & G.K Pillai respectively who are at loggerheads owing to a family dispute which dates back to many years. This paves the way for the entry of Dileep as Karyasthan for the Puthezhath family & in the process he plans to bring peace between these two warring factions. What connection does Dileep have with these families ??? how did these families became arch rivals...the answer to these questions forms the crux of the movie.

The story by Udaykrishna & Sibi.K.Thomas just doesnt bring anything new to the plate..its basically a rehash of many of the movies that we have seen before like Hero No.1 to cite an example. The first 15-20minutes of the movie is definitely one of the worst that I have seen in Malayalam in recent times...giving the impression of a B grade film. However after that, the film picks up & makes it a much more enjoyable venture thanks to the humour element. The debutant director doesnt have much of a story to rely on but still its execution is decent (except for the beginning) though he has used the conventional oft used path.

In the performance department, Dileep doesnt have much to do in this movie & being his ton, I naturally expected something different. He tries to play to the gallery with his humour & to a certain extent wins at certain places. Akhila (host of Munchstar Junior Singer) as Sreebala has given a pretty decent performance & gets to prove her dancing credentials in the song "Krishna" after all she was the runner up of Vodafone Thakadhimi in 2007. Suraj is back to one of his humorous best & though bordering along the "chalu" side...he was definitely able to evoke laughs. With a host of other characters being projected...most of them are just for numbers rather than performance.

The songs by Berny Ignatius are pretty average & at times seems unwanted as well...however there is one song where an array of stars from the silver screen descends to render a performance which makes for an interesting watch..reminiscent of Om Shanti Om or Serial Artists 20-20.

Verdict: It will garner a good initial being the festive season & also due to the added attraction of being Dileep's 100th movie. It will definitely recover its cost, but will it be a hit???  Well it could... since his previous venture "Paapi Appacha" wasnt even as good as this...however a good deal will depend on the humour element. In my opinion, if you dont mind a surfeited storyline & want some laughs..watch it or else avoid it!!!

Regards...Ben

Four Friends review: Frustratingly senti & lifeless!!!

This week saw the release of "Four Friends" which is the 3rd venture by director Saji Surendran after the hugely successful Happy husbands & Ivar Vivahitharayal prior to this. With an enviable track record & a star ensemble involving veteran Jayaram, Meera Jasmine, Jayasurya & Chakochan in addition to a cameo by legendary Kamal Hassan, naturally there was a sense of anticipation surrounding its release. So will Saji make it a hat-trick??? The story basically involves the friendship between 4 people from different walks of life & suffering from cancer, after having met at the cancer speciality hospital run by Dr.Nandagopal (Ganesh). They decide to embark on a journey to fulfill their wishes....the question now arises as to whether they will be able to do it or will they succumb to cancer??? The answer to these questions forms the framework for the plot.

Coming to the story, there is no denying that it has been inspired by Jack Nicholson-Morgan Freeman starrer "The Bucket List"...however Saji has definitely got it all wrong. His trusted script writer of the previous 2 hits, Krishna Poojapura just fails to come up with something that will grip the attention of the audience. The whole movie is melodramatic & doesnt leave the audience with anything to look forward to. To the amusement of the audience, Saji embraces friendship across religion (the protagonists being Roy, Surya, Gowri & Amir ); across gender & across class (Roy's a millionaire; Surya & Gowri : middle class & Amir's a rowdy). Another interesting thing which struck me is the family structure of the protagonists..Roy: orphan; Surya: son of loving parents & finally Gowri & Amir bereft of mother & father respectively (I presume even Saji didnt realise it!!! hahaha)

As for the performances, with not much of a well defined story to rely upon..all that the actors had to do was use loads of glycerine & rely on their acting prowess. Though all of them has given a decent performance that wont salvage the movie.

However, there are a few bright spots in this otherwise futile movie..the guest appearance by Kamal Hasan was just brilliant. His love for Kerala & his inspirational talk citing people from his professional & personal life was truly natural & moving. Jayasurya is one actor who always seems to try to bring something different to his character & here also..he deserves a pat for infusing life into his character with his varied appearance & Cochin slang.

Verdict: Taking a cue from its title..I dont think it will have substantial audience even for 4 days..So in short, dont bother watching this!!!!

Regards....Ben

Jhootha Hi Sahi review: Trite & Predictable!!!

The first thing that attracts us to the movie is the tagline "From the makers of  "Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na".To be frank that was the only factor which was likely to attract the audience as the star cast wasnt well known & the hero John Abraham has been going though a lean patch since New York.Even "Jaane Tu.." didnt have any known faces but it was fresh & engaging. So were the makers able to recreate the magic??? The plot involves a nerdy bookshop owner John (as Sid) having to become a suicidal helpline due to a printing mistake in the papers. Things takes a turn when he receives a call from Paakhi (as Mishka) who is on the verge of committing suicide due to a failed relationship. The question is whether John could help her out & what change it brings to both their lives...

Frankly speaking, the biggest flaw of this movie is the threadbare prdictable script & lack of chemistry between the lead pairs. Paakhi is also the writer for this movie & it lacks any freshness or punch to keep us engaged. Abbas Tyrewala (the director & husband of Paakhi) couldnt be expected to do justice with such a weak script...& so naturally the film falls flat. The first half is an absolute bore with hardly anything happening while the second half does have it light moments involving the friends of John & that keeps you entertained. The climax again is totally filmy & as it was reminiscent in "Jaane Tu.." there's a race against time. The music by AR Rahman is below par & fails to lift the mood of the movie.

In the performance department, John is the only saving grace & has come up with a refreshing change as the Clark Kent type character as opposed to the hunk that we know him. Paakhi lacks impact & her chemistry with John is an absolute zilch. As for the support cast, Raghuram (as Omar) is really good & surprises us with his humour as we have been familiar only to his mean & sadistic attitude in MTV Roadies. The rest doesnt have much to do & seems fine with the performances that they render.

Verdict: The movie is bound to sink without a trace..as I dont see much takers for this, except for couples preferring some privacy in the coolness of the Multiplex. So in short, I would suggest that you guys give this movie a miss!!!

Regards....Ben

Rakta Charitra-1 review: Bloodbath & violence galore!!!

The much awaited first installment of "Rakta Charitra" has finally hit the theatres with lots of expectations. The movie had evoked much interest even before its release as it was based on the life of the slain Telugu leader & factionist Paritala Ravi. Ram Gopal Verma (RGV) is back to his home turf as picturising movies based on the linkage between violence & dirty politics has always been his forte.Here too, he delivers his product true to his name & with such a horrific real story at his disposal he just had to make the right moves.So has he delivered to our satisfaction????

The plot is basically the rise of the protogonist to power (Vivek Oberoi as Pratap Ravi)...however for those who doesnt have much idea about the subject,here's a peek view. Pratap's father(Veerabhadra) was the trusted lieutenant of the sitting MLA of Anantpur,Nagabhadra Reddy, which didnt go down well with the MLA's bro Nagamani Reddy (Kota Srinivasa). He poisons his bro's ears, who in turn orders the execution of Nagabhadra. What then follows is a bloodbath..as Pratap's bro Shankar (Sushant Singh) seeking revenge also gets killed. This entices the entry of Pratap into the bloody battle & how he rises up the ladder of power with backing of Sivaji Rao (as NTR essayed by Shatrughna Sinha).

RGV employs the usual techniques with which we are now pretty much familiar to...be it the chantings in the background, dangerous looking villains, frames with shades of grey,black & brown and finally camera zoomin in on the limbs or eyes. However, there is no denying the fact that he keeps us engaged mainly due to the fact that this is a true account of something which happened. We cant help letting out gasps at the way men are being butchered & women being mere objects of pleasure. One of the main turnoffs in this engaging violent movie is the eery narrator & loud background score which at times turns out to be a pain to the ears.There are certain areas where you might actually get bored due to excessive violence but the end will get you excited as it provides a sneak preview to the 2nd part..with Surya coming into the picture as his nemesis. The writer, Prashant Pandey has done a commendable job in covering all the important aspects of Paritala's life along with some slick editing work.

Coming to performances, I was totally blown away by Abhimanyu Singh (as Bukka Reddy..son of Nagamani)...you just cant help wondering as to how evil a man can be & to realise this man actually existed..really gives you the jitters. Abhimanyu was excellent to say the least & as played the role with such perfection that you actually hate him. Vivek has always been at ease playing the gangster role be it Company or Shootout at Lokhandwala..here too, he is at his absolute best & Shatrughna Sinha with his stature & booming voice is apt for the role. As for other characters, they just shuttle in & out of the frame..so there isnt much to be said.

Verdict: Well the movie is definitely a strict "NO" for the faint hearted..coz in my view, this is one of the most violent Hindi movies that has ever released. The story is definitely engaging as its true with an interesting end though the treatment is nothing new. Will it be a hit??? pretty hard to say as it will have a very selective & limited audience as it will be a turn off for the fairer sex. So in my opinion, do watch it if you are a fan of RGV gangster movies or else avoid it!!!!

Regards...Ben

Aakrosh review: Refreshing change from Priyan!!!!

After churning out comedies by the dozen, Priyan has come up with an interesting venture "Aakrosh" which basically deals with the issue of honour killings which is hogging the headlines on a regular basis. Priyan has always shown that he is an expert when it comes to copying movies & making it palatable for the target audience whether its Malayalam or Bollywood. Over here also the story isnt much different, as Aakrosh is an Indianised version of the Gene Hackman-Willian Dafoe starrer "Mississippi burning", which was a brilliant movie & had many Academy nominations. The plot involves the missing of three medical students in the area of Jhanjar which happens to be the hometown of one of them.The CBI is brought into action to crack the case under the charge of Siddhant (Akshaye Khanna) & his subordinate Pratap (Ajay Devgan). As the movie unfolds it addresses the conflicts between castes & how even the police is hand in hand with the upper strata of religion. The crux of the movie lies in the fact whether the CBI can make the villagers overcome fear to become witnesses & can they get the wrongdoers behind bars????

The story is really hard hitting & a welcome change from the usual comedy fare of Priyan. Though the basic format is copied..Priyan has Indianised it really well by clubbing it with a prevalent issue. In the performance department, Ajay & Akshaye has done justice to their roles but for me the best was Paresh Rawal as the corrupt police officer. He is at his vintage best that you cant help hating the character he plays...a throwback to the yester years when he only did villainous roles.Bipasha as the wife of Paresh is decent while Reema Sen has given a credible job.

Another aspect of the movie which deserves special praise is the chase sequence of Ajay on the rooftops which is top notch stuff. The movie however has it downsides as well....it fails to sustain the intensity at times which is natural as its a shade too long.

Verdict: So how will the movie fare???? hmm..thts a pretty tough question..Priyan has definitely delivered a good movie but the overall product is pretty grim & doesnt have any music or humour. So that might be a turn off for certain sections of audience. As far as my opinion goes, you will enjoy it if you like reality stuff or else its better you avoid it!!!

Regards...Ben

Anwar review : Disappointing!!!

This week heralded the release of  "Anwar" directed by Amal Neerad who is by now well known among the audiences for his stylish flicks be it  "Big B" or "Sagar Alias Jackie". After having worked the two stalwarts of Malayalam industry..he trained his eyes on the next big thing..the young superstar Prithviraj. He has been winning accolades for his performance in  "Raavanan" & was last seen in  the masala blockbuster "Pokkiriraja". So naturally there was a lot of expectation from the audience. Before going to the verdict..here is a fleeting glance regarding the plot. The first thing which struck me about this movie is that its very clearly inspired from the Don Cheadle starrer "Traitor" with a couple of slight changes. It basically deals with Anwar (Prithviraj) being put in jail for a hawala case where he befriends Babu Seth (Lal),who is a suspect in the Coimbatore bomb blast. Needless to say, with time he becomes the trusted lieutenant of Babu...after having carried out a couple of blasts. This prompts Babu to entrust Anwar with a bigger mission by introducing him to Basheer bhai (Sampath).In the meantime, the police is hot on the heels of these guys under the leadership of ATS officer Stalin Manimaran (Prakashraj). The question remains as to whether Anwar can pull off the mission & why is he doing this or will Stalin track them down...for that you got to watch the movie.

The storyline is definitely a big let down...hardly anything happens in the first half & even in the latter half also when it tries to come up with something interesting..it fails to inspire the audience. Another thing which is found is that many of the sequences are just a rehash of the previous flicks..be it the hooded hero in the rain or climax in the beach or stun gun scene (Big B). However everything isnt negative...the biggest attraction of the movie is the excellent music by Gopi Sunder which is complimented by stunning visuals by Satheesh Kurup. "Kizhakkum Pokkum" rendered by Shreya Ghoshal is outstanding & is already a chart buster (reminds us of Kannalanae from Bombay)..along with "Kanninima Neele" By Shreya & Naresh Iyer (reminds us of Venilave from Sagar Alias Jackie). A special mention goes to the song "Njan" rendered by Prithvi & Mamtha which is really cool & has some great choreography as well.

Coming to performances, Prithviraj has performed decently given the scope of the movie. Prakashraj essays a role similar to Pashupathy in Big B, Lal seems adequate while Mamtha & Sampath is hardly seen. The editing of the movie is pretty slick just as in his previous flicks with the blasts being shot excellently..however there is no denying the fact that slow motion sequences are used a bit too much..so that after a point of time you squirm in your seats.

Verdict: So coming to the verdict of the movie..I would term it pretty disappointing, as the movie definitely lacks a good storyline. It might garner good initials owing to the fresh combo of Prithvi & Amal...but I doubt whether it will become a hit. So in my opinion. its not worth enough to be watched in a theatre unless you are a Prithvi fan.. or else you may as well check it out when it comes online or on TV!!!!

Regards....Ben