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JAWAAN (2023) : review

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And finally the much hyped, much awaited Jawaan saw light of the day ! Big stars, big budget( humongous budget actually), big music composer, everything super large. But does it meet the expectations of the average viewer? No it goes not. Read on.  A decorated jawan locks horns with a criminal called Kaali, this is in 1986 ( the year movies like Aakhri Raasta released, just for reference). Kaali gets him eliminated and send the pregnant wife to jail. The baby born in jail grows up to become the hero (look alike of the father) and decides to avenge the misdeeds done to his innocent patriotic parents. Well, isn’t it a masaaledaar full on Bollywood- Tollywood drama subject ?  And then the director Atlee also borrows ideas and references from various retro movies, some idea from Sholay (1975) as the hero assembled a gang of jailed Qaidis in order to form a team to nab the villain, then there’s an entire episode borrowed from Dhartiputra (1993), and the basic theme is copy pasted ...
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JAWAAN (2023) : review

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And finally the much hyped, much awaited Jawaan saw light of the day ! Big stars, big budget( humongous budget actually), big music composer, everything super large. But does it meet the expectations of the average viewer? No it goes not. Read on.  A decorated jawan locks horns with a criminal called Kaali, this is in 1986 ( the year movies like Aakhri Raasta released, just for reference). Kaali gets him eliminated and send the pregnant wife to jail. The baby born in jail grows up to become the hero (look alike of the father) and decides to avenge the misdeeds done to his innocent patriotic parents. Well, isn’t it a masaaledaar full on Bollywood- Tollywood drama subject ?  And then the director Atlee also borrows ideas and references from various retro movies, some idea from Sholay (1975) as the hero assembled a gang of jailed Qaidis in order to form a team to nab the villain, then there’s an entire episode borrowed from Dhartiputra (1993), and the basic theme is copy pasted ...
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Gone With The Wind ? …….

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‘What went wrong’? Or rather why it went wrong, it’s not that easy to dissect and find out why some artists just fizzled out after an initial spark! Revisiting some dashing leading actors who ‘sparked’ and then vanished from the silver screen.  Prithvi was almost like an 90s Hrithik Roshan, those light eyes, a good height and he could act as well. Dil ka Kya kasoor(1992) a musical that made him a star. Followed by second lead roles in Platform(1992), Ikke Pe Ikka(1994) and then sliding lower to a junior artist in Daraar(1996) and then shifting to tv. He had it in him, but luck didn’t favour.  Avinash Wadhwan had a good personality, and acting skills as well. Movies like Aayee Milan Ki Raat (1991) and Meera Ka Mohan(1992) did well with good music, but did very little for his career. He was unceremoniously pushed into the supporting role category and soon vanished from the big screen only to surface on tv in Daddy roles.  Ravi Bahl  could dance well, Narsimha (1991) ...
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The Sunset Nightingale: Sulakshana

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‘I asked for the Mike, I was given the mirror’  ‘If I were a boy I would’ve married LATA MANGESHKAR’  Just two of the many quotes attributed to yesteryear’s star singer Sulakshana Pandit, a former star forgotten by film lovers and her own fraternity as well.  Sulakshana was born in 1954 in the illustrious Pandit household which boasted of renowned classical vocalists like Pandit Maniram, Pandit Pratap Narayan(her father), pandit Jasraj and many others. In the mid 60s she along with her father and older brother shifted to Bombay and started singing as a child star in movies like Taqdeer(1967).  Her rose complexion and golden tresses only added to the film makers and Co singers recommending her to take up acting as an alternate career. She struck gold with the suspense thriller Uljhan(1975) her debut as a lead star opposite Sanjeev Kumar. She alternated between a singer and an actress and struggled hard to establish herself as a singing star. She appeared in films like...
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BHOOL BHULAIYAA 2- Review

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Priyadarshan’s sleeper hit bhool bhulaiyaa(2007) gets a poor cousin in the form of this franchise successor bhool bhulaiyaa 2 this time spearheaded by comedy king Anees Bazmee. Now Bazmee is nowhere in the league of Priyadarshan, considering his penchant for brainless comedies (some of which have become all time blockbusters) and the ‘brainlessness’ reflects in every frame of this horror- comedy!  Set very evidently in Rajasthan inorder to justify a ‘Royal’ background for the story, a lot of paranormal events start occurring in the Thakur family during the course of a wedding preparation week. Rooh Baba (Kartik Aaryan) arrives to solve the mystery which is deep rooted in the dark past of the Thakur’s.  Comedy- okayish, mystery- hollywoodish, music- pathetic. Overall is a bore drama, there are some genuinely funny moments specially the ones involving Mishra and Yadav, but Aaryan acting like a poor man’s Akshay Kumar is a big letdown. Advani looks as beautiful as 70s Dreamgirl b...
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DIAL D FOR DETECTIVE: rewind to Doordarshan part 2

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Revisiting the good old days of Doordarshan yet again, when it wasn’t exactly a boring cousin of the satellite channels like ZeeTv or mtv. One genre that has intrigued viewers over the years is suspense murder mysteries. With a common base of a chilling murder committed and then a detective is summoned to investigate. Sometimes it’s the detective who coincidentally ends up being at the place of the crime, convenient isn’t it? But that’s what crime genre lovers have loved all these years. From Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot to our very own Byomkesh Bakshi and the hot selling detective novels featuring Kaala Pahad and Dhananjay, we’ve had an amazing range of entertaining investigators, here’s a quick revisit to five detective serials from the golden days of Doordarshan.   KARAMCHAND (1985)  Termed and credited as India’s first detective series on television, though I’m unsure if it’s true, but certainly an engaging and thrilling series. With generous humour added to give it...
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THE ASPIRANTS (2021) review

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Streaming on: YouTube  Directed by: Apoorva Singh Karki  Cast: Naveen Kasturia, Shivankit Singh Parihar, Abhilash Thapliyal, Namita Dubey, Sunny Hinduja, Kuljeet Singh, Nupur Nagpal, and others.  In my case TVF seems to be having an 100% entertainment success rate, never disappoints. If you liked the Kota factory series then this is a must watch , from stereotyping ‘coming of age’ as visiting Goan shores (Dil Chahta Hai) or an expensive kidney sale overseas adventure (Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara) we get to watch what it actually means to come of age in this series. Friendship, betrayal, companionship, puppy love, ambition, motivation, you’ve got it all rolled into this five episodic ‘intellectually’ satisfying series.  Set in old Rajinder Nager, Delhi the series time travels between the present and the past wherein we get acquainted with three young men ‘well settled’ in their respective jobs of an IAS officer, a business man and a professor. We get flash backed recurr...
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REWIND TO DOORDARSHAN - part 1

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So the unavoidable lockdown makes you yawn in despair? And you have had an overdose of espionage spy thrillers and crime dramas on the ott platform ? Then revisit some good old feel- good slice of life television series from Doordarshan days which are available on YouTube and some other steaming platforms. What you’ll invariably and unmistakably find these retro serials is the simplicity of the characters that’s awfully missing today!  Kachchi Dhoop (1987)  Directed by actor Amol Palekar this desi ‘little women’ featured future one film wonder Bhagyashree in a pivotal role along with Ashutosh Govarikar and Palekar himself. Sweet, sugary and simple it’s the perfect remedy for a bored viewer! The characters are simple and relatable, they speak in a sing a song manner and make you fall in love with their on screen trials and tribulations.  Idhar Udhar (1985)  If you are an sitcom fan then this show is unmissable! Starring the talented Pathak sisters playing roomies alo...
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AJEEB DAASTAANS(2021): review

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Directors: Neeraj Ghaywan, Kayoze Irani, Shashank Khaitan & Raj Mehta  Streaming on : Netflix  An anthology series with four shorts from the house of Dharmatic productions helmed by Karan Johar and company. It’s like continuing with the tradition of Lust stories, Ghost stories etc, these are like twist stories exploring unconventional human relationships with an unexpected bittersweet twist at the end.  MAJNU In an affluent family live an incompatible couple who haven’t consummated their royal marriage for over three years, the wife longs for attention & love. One fine day a young boy enters their lives & is employed as a finance manager for their business. Things get awry when both the husband & wife get hopelessly & sexually drawn towards him.  Can be termed a black comedy, it’s got these subtle comical undertones & thanks to a brilliant actor like Jaideep Ahlawat it’s thoroughly enjoyable. Armaan Rahlan exudes machismo and that’s perfect c...
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10 Slice of Life 70’s Bollywood Classics

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70s era ushered in a new wave of middle of the road cinema which focussed on slice of life events and occurrence that would be highly relatable to the audiences, not only during the 70s but viewers watching them during the television telecasts would also lap up such offbeat movies. Revisiting and listing top ten favourites from the Slice of Life Genre of 70s Bollywood, brief and quick synopsis.  Buddha Mil Gaya (1971) directed by the principal of offbeat cinema Hrishikesh Mukherji lovingly called Hrishida was a comical suspense musical. R.D. Burman’s music was soulful, can you forget Raat Kali Ek Khwab Mei Aayi(Kishore)? With the ever jovial Om Prakash portraying the intriguing Buddha who’s connected to a series of cold blooded murders and the fresh cast of Navin Nishchol, Deven Verma & Archana, this may not be a blockbuster but it’s certainly a fun watch.  Considered a cult classic that paved way for realistic middle of the road films Rajnigandha (1974) is like a fresh ...
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