Vicky Donor -- Funny Take on a Serious Topic

Saw the trailer and found it too hilarious! Was not too sure if the Arien will agree to watching a Hindi movie over the weekend especially wen Avengers was also running in the theatres but he decided to catch Vicky Donor with me on Sunday at 5:30.

The first half was absolutely hilarious. Ayushman, the MTV VJ, was a great choice and did a fantastic job. If I had to compare his performance with any other male debutant, it wud be Ranveer Singh (Baand Baaja Bhaaraat). The performance was effortless and believable. Yami Gupta, the Fair and Lovely girl, was quite real - pretty and very slim. The mother and grandmother of Ayushman were absolutely fantastic. The first half of the movie moves at a good pace, was funny, and at no point boring. The seond half was a bit of a let down with the script taking the road always taken in Hindi cinema. The movie ends in typical Hindi movie ishtyle and providing an easy solution.

The bengoli and punjabi aapas mein hate-hate was handled well. The mother and grandmother love-hate relationship was also well handled. Some dialogues and scenes were superlative. By not making a blade session out of typical rhona-dhona scenarios - the movie kept the audience enthralled. The other movie-goers enjoyed the movie completely as it was impossible to fake those laughs. Some of the punju stuff went a bit over the top -- we wished we had a translator arnd - but did not feel we missed much.

The only failing with the script, if that is what it is, was that they did not follow the story to its possibly arbid ending - they instead chose to end on a filmy note. If they had taken the risk, the movie would have achieved a beeg Thumbs-Up and possible cult-status. Anyway, it is a movie that had the guts to showcase a very serious topic in a manner that was not a documentary or an emotional atyachaar. The movie was a very in your face, adult comedy tht was not crass and served with dollops of humour and supported by very good supporting actors!

If you didn't already know, John Abraham not only does an item number in this movie but is also the producer. He is jes not a good-looking dude - he is a gutsy dude. Kudos to John Abraham and Shoojit Sircar.

Paan Singh Tomar -- Movie Review

A movie that did not set expectations -- no glam-sham -- no item numbers -- no cameos from super stars -- would it work? Work it did. A nice movie -- an excellent performance from Irfan Khan -- it worked almost as if it was a Vidya Balan movie :D

Irfan Khan as Paan Singh Tomar.

Image Courtesy: http://unboxedwriters.com/2012/03/paan-singh-tomar-guts-and-glory/run/

Its a simple, true story of how an unsung national athelete, who was in the Army, becomes a dreaded dacoit. Paan Singh's child-like innocence, his naivety was like a breath of fresh air. You may wonder how a dacoit can be naive or innocent - but Paan Singh (Irfan) just wanted answers for his questions. Why did his daddu (elder brother/cousin) take the produce from his (Paan Singh's) fields? Why, when he (Paan) questioned this, did daddu get angry and threaten to shoot him and his family? Why did the policeman not take his complaint seriously? Why did daddu kill his mother and beat his son to an inch of his life?

A lot of questions and no answers. The real Paan Singh Tomar.

Image Courtesy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paan_Singh_Tomar

The story is compelling but Irfan's performance makes it even more so. A well-told story that keeps you engrossed. Watch it when you have the time.

Kahani -- Movie Review

This was a movie I was not interested in, initially. This was largely because I had watched The Dirty Picture a few weeks ago and I could not believe Vidya could top tht. I had had major doubts 'bout Vidya donning the role of an uninhibited seductress (Silk Smita). Vidya was simply superb in that movie. I think everyone was surprised at her potrayal and her performance deserved all the accolades she received. Usually, after a power-packed performance in one movie, the actor does not give their all for the next. So, I was not expecting much.

The idea of a pregnant lady (Vidya) searching for her missing husband was intriguing but I somehow thought we would all troop in with high expectations and then think "Why Why Why -- why did I have to waste my weekend watching this movie of all movies?" I thought the Arien shared this view and so was quite surprised when the Arien said we were watching it over the weekend.


Image Courtesy:http://in.movies.yahoo.com/photos/

The movie was fast-paced, gripping, and demanded all your attention. Unlike most movies where they blade you with the over-indulgent flashbacks, this movie did a good job of the editing. Kolkata was noisy, colourful, dirty, and beautiful at the same time. It was enjoyable and Vidya has done it again - Fantastic! I felt guilty for writing her off as an actor who may not have given her all for the next project. She has carried the movie on her slender shoulders. She received good support from the inspector, who assisted her in her quest. The actor's name is Parambrata Chatterjee, a bengoli.

Watch it!!

Image Courtesy: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/features/article2973946.ece

The Drop -- Michael Connelly

During the second visit to the library, I picked up two books written by Michael Connelly - The Poet, and The Scarecrow. Both of them had Jack McEvoy as the main character. I liked The Poet more than The Scarecrow but I missed Harry Bosch a helluva lot. So, I was real glad that Michael Connelly's The Drop was available online.

Reading this book after Nine Dragons (Did not much like) and The Reversal (Liked), I was looking forward to this book. It brings Irvin Irving back into Bosch's life. Harry is assigned to the Open-Unsolved unit, and works with David Chu. At the express request of Irvin Irving, Harry and Chu are assigned a high jingo case which involves Irvin Irving. Meanwhile, Harry and Chu are also working on the cold case, that they were assigned to before the high jingo case. The two cases do not overlap and the author does a great job of giving the two cases equal importance. The book also showcases the relationship between Harry and his daughter, Maddie. Doesn't get all lovey-dovey and I am really thankful for tht.

Liked the book. However, the idea that Harry could lose his edge is scary. I remember reading the case where Harry and Terry Caleb investigate a case. You instinctively appreciate the edge tht Harry has which Terry did not - having left the police force a while ago. The fact that Harry could lose his edge is painful. Here is hoping thts not where Michael Connelly is going with his other books. Enjoy Harry Bosch too much for tht. Read it and let me know what you think.

A Thousand Splendid Suns -- A book review?

Its hardly fair to the author if I start my book review with "Do not read this book .." but thts exactly how I felt. I have never felt so depressed or drained of all positive energy as I was after I read this book. I am by nature a bit emotional and sensitive, but I did not expect to find myself crying after reading the first few pages. In fact, the unraveling of the relationship between Jalil and Miriam was like a punch in the stomach.

In most stories, there is a lot of hype about a particular scenario and you know for sure that that will soon hit rock bottom. Its more like a Tell. Its like how you know someone is lying. For instance, when the person rubs their nose or when they do not look at you while telling the lie. Authors also have a Tell. They hype-up the scenario into something too huge and almost too good. You know the main character is having all their hopes riding on this one thing - the idea, job, relationship, person, etc. and you know they will not get it.

However, in this story, the author makes you feel sorry for Miriam and the relationship she shares with her mother, and you are lulled into hoping the relationship with the father, Jalil, would somehow make things ok. And thats why when it unravelled, I felt like I had been punched. It was actually a double Tell. Grr..

I know I am talking in riddles. You'll understand wen you read the book. I think I should say If you read the book. At this point, I would like to say that there is no doubt tht the author is a fantastic writer, and extremely talented. Inspite of the punch, I felt compelled to read on. Maybe I needed to know if Miriam would ever be happy. For a reader like me, who keeps an eye out for the Tell, he lulled me and my eye before he punched me - quite a few times, I must say. Having said that, I must state that it is not a book for the faint-hearted or for the ppl who are looking for something light to read to pass the time. If you have read "The Kite Runner" and feel you can manage another book by the same author - go ahead and try it.