Guru - Villager, Visionary - Winner for sure on the celluloid!

Guru is about a middle class person who starts dreaming big and tries to make the impossible possible in his own way. He is a bold-decision maker, risk taker right from a very young age. When most people in the era think about making a secure job in a government with a minimum education required, Guru fights against the will of his father to start working in a far off land Turkey. From there starts the journey of Gurukanth Desai to Guru Bhai, from rages to riches, from a village to a big city and very truly, from a human to a visionary – fulfilling the dreams of thousands of people including him selves.

The fantastic thing about the movie is Manirathnam for sure. The story and screenplay are so good that you hardly notice the story moving away from the main path towards the end. The screen play is next top perfect with each character properly laid from their start to their end keeping in mind the progress they make in the story of the film while adding to it. Guru is among Mani’s better works for sure. Though you could wonder, why he hasn’t shown the negative shades of Guru’s character more prominently on screen, with the final output he has given, you actually give it loose eye.

As always Manirathnam-Rahman’s chemistry does wonders on the screen. The duo makes some trend setting films together and Guru stands out in them in recent past. Background score is beautifully done. Two of the songs – Jaage Hein and Ay Hairathe – are used as a back ground songs. Jaage Hein acts as the glue holding all the film together. Most of the songs take the story forward except for Ek lo Ek Muft. This number sung by Bappi Lahari and Chitra ji , in fact, downs the temp a bit. But having said that, the script is so well supported by the characters you can hardly notice it.

The peculiar characteristic of Mani’s characterization is the ability that he provides for actors to perform and excel in their roles. Each of the actors have been rightly chosen fitting into the character visualized. Mithun Chakraborty’s character of an honest editor bent to show-case truth and only truth to the public is very good. And Mithun gives a very good performance far way better than his previously when-did-it-release movie with Rahul Khanna and gang. Notable performances by Madhavan (as a reporter dead against the way things Gurukanth does) and Aishwarya Rai (as the wife of Guru) add to the screenplays presentation on the screen. Vidya Balan bags another good role, though the character could have been given more strength. Mallika sizzles, oozes beauty in her own way – That’s the usual Mallika for us!

And finally Abhishek Bachaan. His previous work with Mani – Yuva – was addressed as his best performance then. And Guru is going to cross that barrier by a huge margin. He literally brings live the character with his gestures and the honesty. Dawning a role that spans about 30 years is not easy for an actor. Abhishek shows he has grown out of the shoes of his father to stand on his own feet and perform such difficult task with ease and in such a way that you might actually wonder if it’s a completely Abhishek’s signature movie and not Mani’s. Such is the versatility shown by Abhishek and Guru is definitely going to be a great performances among the movies he has done till now and he would do in future.

Guru should stand out among the Indian films recently for the obvious reasons – Mani’s amazing work, Abhishek extra-ordinary performance and Rahman’s magic. Guru is a phenomenon. Through its message – Dream and Dream big, do everything to achieve it - hopefully it brings more good directors/story writers not necessarily of Mani’s caliber to the Indian cinema.

Fahrenheit 9/11

It’s more of a documentary than movie that shows the possible motives of Bush administration to help Bush pockets get fatter from the aftermaths of the sad day 9/11. To showcase such prolific, defaming material and comments against the No.1 in the No.1 country of the world needs a great deal of courage. Michael Moore seems to have a great deal of it - contacting the senators to get one of their children sent to help the army people in Iraq, was a pretty good idea. He lays down his facts very nicely in the start of the movie, with details of Bush's adventures in businesses and his interest. And the way he links his interpretations of the way Bush has acted in the way he has leads the audience think that Bush has started this major human massacre without much thought of the Magnus job he has taken on.

The documentary sounded a lot near to the truth. But truth is to be left to the decision of the people and not to be rubbed on to the minds. Mr. Moore shows only one angle of the story – his brutal hatred towards anything that’s Bush related even minutely. Had he show cased a little bit of the other angle, Fahrenheit could have been even more interesting. But given the burning importance of the issue he is dealing and his own pre-conceived, loath-Bush thoughts, it could have been difficult even to ‘think’ on the other angle.

So what’s this whole “Hunt Osama – Kill Saddam” about – Let live people with freedom? I definitely don’t think so. Death of innocent people is inevitable in any war, but to such huge numbers and remember, the numbers are increasing every day. These huge death tolls don’t answer any kind of reasoning behind for that stupid decision to declare War on Iraq. If that’s the way even democratic nations is going to work – Stronger Bullies the Weaker - with little protest from weaker countries, there needs to be the formation of a stronger consortium to guide the interests of humanity in general and peace in people lives in particular.

The Happy Feet – Happy ending does miracles

“The Happy Feet” is about a penguin which can not do the normal penguin thing – to sing nicely. But he has been gifted with a peculiar habit, of tapping his feet and dance along. Being not-so-liked person in the community, he is forced to being with himself and away from the lady penguin he likes. As with all the things in life where there are different communities following different ideas to lead different yet special lives, our protagonist gets to a community where dancing is “THE” thing. Finally he ends up saving their community from being extinct.

Such animated films, don’t need a very good story to get to the audience. Great animation, loveable characters and amazing voices are the most important things other than CREATIVITY. Each of these is present in plenty through out the film. The graphic work done in the movie is par excellence. Especially, the scenes involving the whale chase and the zoo scene are very well done.

The film leaves such a nice message: Let the other creatures in the food chain survive along with us. The extensive fishing done near the Antarctic’s is the cause for such intelligent creatures Penguins becoming extinct.

Vegetarianism is the way to lead life. Be Vegetarian, Be happy while being socially responsible.

Deja Vu - An experience in illusion

Doug (Daniel Washington) is an ATF agent who happens to investigate a powerful bomb explosion which kills 500-odd navy soldiers and their families. During the investigation, Doug comes to know that there is a rather out of the world tool/mechanism, through which they shall be able to see what some one was doing in the past and change a bit of their actions in the past. Later he uses the same principle to save those 500-odd people killed.

Good things first – Denzel Washington is superb in the role. He fits himself so very easily into an intelligent yet arrogant, talkative yet precise and more importantly fact talking agent that you are bound to amaze at this actor’s capability. Denzel carries of the movie very easily and the way he describes the blast scenario and the cause of it at the starting it superb.

It is completely incomprehensible to even comprehend such an idea. Most part of the movie seems to be very childish – the scenes involving tracking a person using cameras way up in the sky simply map to Google Earth and its address location. Tony Scott gets into the details of the character and the filming so much that you will be surprised at the variation that he gets in the movie. The way the shots involving past and future have been taken leaves their mark on the viewer. The story could have more promptly written or scientifically done. All the scenes involving viewing someone else in the past, doesn’t make a lot of sense.

All in all, a movie well taken. A good watch if you like Denzel. But most things in this wonderful world, it could have been done in a better fashion.

Déjà vu – It’s an experience in illusion, very confusing one to say the least.

Umrao Jaan - Gosh, why did they make it !

Umrao (Aishwarya) who has been liked as a lady only in a single way of beauty. Nawab Sultan (Abhishek) makes it to the brothel and they both fall in love. The love falls due to various misconceptions.

The saga of a courtesan retold again doesn't seem to be worth the way it has been told. The movies goes ahead with a snail pace, so much so that you plead for a break to recharge yourselves for the worst ahead just after just 20 minutes.

The story lacks pain from the way Umrao has been depicted. Aishwarya Rai doesn't have the capabilities of an actress required to play Umrao. Even though she cries when her love goes away, shouts when her love disowns her, there is one thing lacking - seriously - : The pain is not visible on the screen. With the beauty she carries, had she put in a little more effort, the movie could have been a lot lot better.

JP Dutta's screen play is bad with little for the watcher to guess ahead. Agreed the story has been told before, but to attach the movie to the audience today, it should have been a bit more fast and the screenplay a bit more tight.

In any movie based in a different period, the music plays a very significant role. The music doesn't seem to be fitting into the 19th century period. Anu Malik could have been better.
The only saving grace of the moving is Abhishek with his little cameo. Though his role is very limited, he gets the aura of a Nawab to the role which is very very required. Shabani Azmi does her best as the owner of the brothel.

You need not watch the movie even if someone pays your ticket. In fact this Umaro Jaan, mite not leave you with any Jaan once its over.

Rang De Basanti - Colors of life!!

What a movie - Wonderful, Amazing, terrific…..Words seem to fall short !!

I was very impressed with his previous movie - Aks - and was very eagerly waiting for this. The way all the characters have been built in the movie shows the command of the director. Aamir, Sidharth & Atul Kulkarni are clearly the best performers in the movie.

Major Positives :
1. Blending of the past and present. (Editing was amazing - Getting the smooth transition of past and present is quite difficult and he has done with amazing ease)
2. MUSIC - Rahman clearly adds his value to the movie. Luka Chuppi is doubly wonderful on the screen!
3. Definitely not the last on the list, Aamir & Gang. They have been together all through the movie and have outperformed they roles.

I still wonder how Aamir has Okayed a movie where he shares the same screen time as the rest of the others !! NO OTHER STAR IN HINDI WOULD HAVE DONE SO!!

The story could have been presented a bit more nicely. My points:
1. I am really worried "HOW" any crime can be committed so easily. Minister without security is like Fedrer not being in form.
2. More could have been projected about the agitation all-over (if at all there was any ) after the death of these projected-revolutionaries.

Having watched Rang De Basanti after quite some days of its release, I must admit that this is one of the very few movies which made me - THINK!!

8/10 - Need to watch it again!!

IQBAL - Dream Big, And Chase the Dream

IQBAL - a story of about a physically handicapped youngster whose SOLE (Read: desperate) aim in life is to play cricket for Indian team. His belief in himself and his never-give-up attitude towards his dream finally leads to his dream-come-true.

The story is set against the background of a middle class Indian village family (Exactly don't remember the state though). The beauty of an Indian village has been beautifully depicted on the celluloid. Nagesh Kuknoor gets across the message about the politics involved in Indian cricket, mixing it with the success of the dum-and-deaf 18-year old something.

The brilliance of the movie lies in the fact that the characters have been given all the due attention that they require and due to their performance on the screen. The characters of the GURU of IQBAL(played by Nasserudin Shah) leads us to believe that most things in the world can be changed. The best character of the movie though is the sister of IQBAL. She has just fitted to the character like "T". Also, the background score adds up to the movie depiction.

Nagesh has, hence, shown again that his so-lively way of narrating a story - the audience like in today's world.

IQBAL - A MUST WATCH FOR ALL THE MOVIE LOVERS!

The best dialog in the movie :
Nasserudin Shah : Allah tho bohut kuch booltaa hai, Mein Es Liye peeta hun, Taakee Allah joo boole mujhe sunaayee naa de (The LORD says many things, I drink so that I am not able to hear all that ! )