Movie Review: Boduguard: Stale Formula

The three consecutive Eid releases of films starring Salman Khan Wanted (2009), Dabangg (2010) and Bodyguard have a pattern to it. It’s a template that has finally got tiresome, the lack of creative control of the directors is certainly telling in all three instances. Khan’s introduction with exaggerated fight sequences, followed by a song visual extolling the hero, followed by a semblance of a story packed with more fight sequences and songs, the Khan shirt unravelling to profile the famous topless body and a happy villain-killing ending. While Wanted was a new experience in its presentation for the Hindi film audience, Dabangg had the spark of originality, a celebration of formula beneath its redundancy.  No such welcome escapism here.

Lovely Singh (Salman Khan) is a bodyguard. As the loose narrative unfolds, Lovely’s dad, also a bodyguard, succumbs to a road accident, while his pregnant mother is saved by a wealthy landlord Sartaj (Raj Babbar). Years later, Lovely is called by Sartaj to guard his daughter Divya (Kareena Kapoor) at her college. There is no back-story on why Sartaj or the daughter is targeted. Anyway, Lovely’s constant presence irritates Divya to such an extent; she pretends to be a girl in love with Lovely. The medium is the cell phone and an unidentifiable number. Events so unfold that Divya falls in love with Lovely, but for some unfathomable reason, she doesn’t reveal her identity. The villains are mere props, a brief but sturdy turn by Aditya Pancholi needed some space. The final thirty minutes go horribly wrong in its blending of love, betrayal and sacrifice. These parts needed flesh and reason and the script provides no explanation to the bizarre happenings. 

As for Salman flying from one moving local train to another one's rooftop, his power punches and bone crunches, we have seen enough. They are like a much-repeated product advertisement, not a film. Salman is earnest, his meeting scene at the garden is one of his best acted parts. Kareena plays her part well, the weak characterisation lets her down. The supporting cast has little to do. The comic attempts are an irritant.

Rarities

An obese man sports a t-shirt – SIX PACK COMING SOON. The other moment - Rahat Fateh Ali Khan lifts an average Himesh Reshammiya composition with his rendition of Teri Meri Meri Teri. Pritam’s guest composed I love you is a pleasure to listen, zestfully sung by Ash King and Clinton Cerejo.

Movie Review: Dabangg: More comic book fun please!

Abhinav Kashyap's Dabangg is a Salman Khan show, a wannabe crowd-puller. There is no pretence made that it is a comic book masala entertainer that will please the mass audience. No morals or cinematic risk here. All tried and tested. Even exhibitionist vulgar at times. So it all boils down to the treatment. There are rare moments of comic inventiveness, the old Hindi film revenge, the invincible hero and the docile heroine. So does it work? Only just about.

Chulbul Pandey (Salman) is a corrupt yet fearless cop in small town India. He loves his mother Naini (Dimple Kapadia) but is unable to stand his stepfather Prajapati Pandey (Vinod Khanna) and stepbrother Makhanchan (Arbaaz Khan). His dubious deeds attract the local goon Cheddi Singh (Sonu Sood) who tries to rope him in. On failing to do so, he plots Chulbul's fall by creating a rift between the brothers. The abrupt death of the mother acts as a catalyst to the bitterness. 

Meanwhile, our crooked cop falls for the hot pottery lady Rajo (Sonakshi Sinha) and tries to make amends to bring the family back together. Not before some delightful over the top action, that includes Salman's flexing vengeful muscles that flings his shirt off, and how a villainous stab doesn't affect him.

Dabangg has to its advantage Salman Khan's competent performance, his undeniable gift of screen presence. Sinha makes a confident debut. The show-stealer is certainly Sonu Sood with his enjoyable wicked take on the small-town goon. The razor sharp editing ensures that there are no slack moments. A couple of song picturizations add popcorn fluff of the movie. The same can't be said of the exploitative revenge track, the honest politician track and the lack of groove on the side stories, all sacrificed for Salman's larger than life act. You could also be put off by some of the ribaldry that emanates from the film. Watch it if you want a repeated, light, half-baked Hindi film masala with a slight ting of inventiveness.

Hero-Villain Moment 

Sonu Sood aptly exaggerated to Malaika Khan's Munni badnam huvi before Salman arrives on the scene much to the villain's disgust.

Movie Review: LONDON DREAMS: Killing with the formula

An ambitious Indian musician making his mark in the London music scene brings along his childhood friend from India to be a part of his band only to discover the friend overshadows him with his gifted talent. Driven by jealousy and madness, the musician must achieve his dreams at any cost, and so unfolds the story.

The premise inspired from the 1984 Hollywood film Amadeus has its moments, but Hindi film escapism and musical song sequences ensure that the effect is fleeting. Salman is a surprise, he does manage to convey the freedom of his character, while Ajay Devgn - playing a man in a maddening pursuit of his dream, though good, is ineffective because his character is too glum, too hidden (despite been a musician).

Watch it for Salman's carefree portrayal, the rest is all old stale wine, in an old bottle.

Hindi film music: Yuvvraaj: Rahman returns

Anil Kapoor and Salman Khan in a pre-release still from the film

Yuvvraaj
Music by A.R. Rahman
Lyrics by Gulzar

Flashback blah blah blah
Director Subhash Ghai has always had the knack to obtaining exceptional music for his movies. For almost two decades, he worked wonders with Laxmikant-Pyarelal, notably Karz (1980) and Ram Lakhan (1989). In 1997, Nadeem-Shravan deviated from their usual style to create some unique music for Pardes. It was in 1999 that Ghai got AR Rahman to work on a rocking score for Taal.
Rahman then worked with Ghai on Kisna (2005), he couldn’t work on the entire album due to other commitments so Ismail Darbar (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Devdas) composed the other songs of the album.
As the trailers reveal, Yuvvraaj has a Taal-like feel in its visuals, but the music is a clever contrast to Taal's music.


A.R.Rahman


Gulzar

The album
Main hoon yuvvraaj is a dialogue-piece by Salman Khan mixed with Beethoven’s fifth, a prelude to Tu meri dost hain, a melodious song by Benny Dayal, Shreya Ghoshal and AR Rahman. Shano may take time getting used to; its languid pace is something different from other party-based songs. Tu muskura has a soothing calm in its flow, while Mastam mastam expresses a joyous celebration, one of the creative peaks of the album, Sonu Nigam is at his best here.
Zindagi by Srinivas has a ruminating tone to it. Dil Ka Rishta is a brother-bonding kind of song, with innovatively used English lyrics. Manmohini morey is strictly classical song, the one song in the album that may take some patience to listen to.
The Shano remix is a tolerable listen, under three minutes, it is over before you know it, a Rahman album doesn’t require a remix, unless AR himself does the honours. Overall, the album makes for a very satisfying listen.

For an attentive listening experience, shut yourself in a dark room with the music system, close your eyes and press the play button. It works every time.
In the process you identify what you like and don't like listening to, and why...

Prabhudeva's Choreography: two video links

From a Micheal Jackson wannabe, Prabhudeva has created some great choreography for commercial Indian films.
He has turned director too, with Pokiri..a film he is currently remaking in Hindi with Salman Khan in the lead..
Pokiri (Tamil) is not much of a film, but has couple of refreshingly choreographed songs.

Here is one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on99zTWTn3c

and another:
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=ATCJQnID50g&feature=related

Turn on your speakers and enjoy.....