Saturday 22 March 2014

A Sparkling Solitaire My Review Ankhon Dekhi

Director : Rajat Kapoor

Starring :  Sanjay Mishra, Rajat Kapoor, Seema Pahwa, Namit Das, Maya Sarao, Manu Rishi, Brijender                    Kala



Dear Bauji,

Thank you for letting me in your life. I have always seen you around me. A soul in search of the true meaning of life. A little crazy, a lot stubborn, eccentric and with the heart of a child. Once something strikes you, you follow it unflinchingly, never caring what the world thinks. Or for that matter your wife, brother, kids, extended family and friends. Whether they call it Male Menopause or Bawlapan.

So when your over enthusiastic extended family member told you about your daughter's affair, you like any other concerned father went with the men to beat some sense into him. After meeting Ajju, who was nothing like the ruffian and roadside Romeo he was made out to be, you could not sleep that night. You had an epiphany and decided to only believe in things you have experienced yourself. You will not accept anything without having experienced it's existence, its truth. When you called Prasad just a delicious mithai, the Pundit ji was very upset. But your god was truth now. Even if meant wetting your pants in the zoo.

You live in Old Delhi, where family are neighbors and neighbors are family. Where terraces are joined together, as close as friendships lasting life times. Your house is warm and inviting, where a pateela of chai is on the stove the whole day... as slowly your friends start believing in your theories and see you as an excellent life code to abide by. They come and mill about, hanging on to every word you say or.... not say.

As you set yourself on the path of self discovery, I was with you... every step of the way. From leaving your job to standing on the road holding a placard, which reminded me of a gentle soul standing on a busy Mumbai crossing in Juhu. I wave at him as I pass him, and the smile he gives me in return is beautiful. Your love for your daughter is so endearing, I cried as it made me think of my father. I wanted to hug you when you decided to bow down and visit your brother... I wanted to hug your wife when she gets exasperated at you, and begs god to forgive you.

You made me think, contemplate, take a step back.

Life. How many times we meet ours, say hello to ourselves and tell ourselves our own truths. But when we do, everything becomes crystal clear, doubts removed and freedom found.

Thank You for standing up, breaking down, holding on and finally letting go. We need more of you.

With love.

So there, I said it. Ankhon Dekhi is brilliance in all departments. From writing (Rajat Kapoor) to acting. Sanjay Mishra is Bau ji. He delivers his finest. Seema Pahwa is perfect and they are made for each other, Cinematography by Rafey Mehmood (Remember Haasil?), Production Design, background score. Absolutely pitch perfect.

Rajat Kapoor,  you have delivered a sparkling solitaire, you have also acted in it and must say I was totally convinced that in your earlier life you were an oily haired, a bit stiff upper lipped C.A. As a director this is your best so far. Keep telling us stories...

The supporting cast is such a joy, Brijender Kala, Manu Rishi and Namit Das are super and so is Maya Sarao, what a refreshing new face on the horizon.

Ankhon Dekhi makes you want to go back home, and have a cup of chai with your parents and indulge them.... trust me, they do know better.

GO WATCH NOW!!!

My Verdict  4/5 

Saturday 8 March 2014

Hip Hip HappyRani My Review Queen

Director Vikas Bahl

Starring  Kangana Ranaut, Rajkummar Rao, Lisa Haydon, Bokyo Mish, Jeffrey Ho, Canadea Lopez Marco, Joseph Guitobh, Vinay Singh



How many times have you wished you could just leave everything behind and go some place where no one knows you, and you don't know anyone. Finding peace, finding yourself... no baggage at the end of the trip.

Happiness is so strange, the more we chase it, the further it runs. And then suddenly, when we least expect it, we find it. We all have our share of heartbreak, and our own coping mechanisms. Copious amounts of alcohol do help, so do friends, and music. When nothing works, just a good cry does.

I remember going away to Mcleodganj alone, when life was throwing some xxl lemons at me. That trip remains my most memorable one. Meeting some amazing people, drinking chai in the middle of a dried up river and hanging out with friends I had made there, talking about everything under the sun. I came back with some new resolves and though not entirely a new person, but definitely a happier one.

When Vijay (Rajkummar Rao) calls Rani/Queen (Kangana) to a coffee shop a day before their wedding, to tell her he can not marry her... her whole world comes crashing down. A world which is inhabited by most Indian middle class girls. Finding the boy of their vermillion colored dreams, marriage and then settling down. Rani locks herself up in her room while her whole family is in mourning. As the morning breaks, the Tentwallahs take down the shamianas and throw the heart shaped Vijay Weds Rani board in truck. So much for the big fat Indian weddings. What would happen now to this innocent, heartbroken Dilli di kudi... "I want to go on my Honeymoon!" She announces to her dad. From here begins her journey to a new world, in more ways than one.

Rani's solo honeymoon trip takes her to Paris and Amsterdam. A Rajouri Garden, Delhi's protected girl, who always moves with her younger brother, who gets shocked seeing a girl smoke, who quivers with anticipation at the mere thought of her first night, who has never been kissed....

From the first frame to the last slate on the credit roll, Queen keeps you warm in a hug, happy in her smile, sniffling in her sadness... rarely a movie comes out of Bollywood which creates enduring female characters who you want to make friends with, for life.

But it is not just about her. It's about us, women... "Hamare wahan na ladkiyon ko sab mana hai, dakaar lena bhi..." "Daddy aap mana karoge toh nahi jaaoongi" It talks of how we are controlled subtly from the day we are born... We take it as love, care and protection. And we do not realise the true meaning of freedom till we don't take a risk with our life...

Kangana Ranaut, take a bow. She is Rani. Her performance is so real... you forget you are watching a film. Her best film till date. Uninhibited, sincere, totally surrendering herself to the role.

Rajkummar Yadav is always a pleasure to watch. Nuanced here too, from cleaning up the table of Mehndi flakes nonchalantly after he tells Rani he can not marry her, to pataoing her earlier in the film.

The supporting cast, specially her room-mates in Amsterdam and ooooh the delicious Italian Chef is pitch perfect. I wanted to wave at them and request for a bunk bed in their room. Coming to delicious Lisa Hayden. You surprise me gurl! Hot, with a French accent that makes every word a seduction, she has come a long way from Rascals.

Power to Vikas Bahl for giving me such a delightful film. And fondly remembering Bobby Singh, the cinematographer who passed away tragically at such a young age and has shot most of the film. He captures Dilli's robustness and Amsterdam's De Wallen with aplomb. Anvita Dutt's dialogues are terrific, additional dialogues are credited to Kangana Ranaut.

The music by Amit Trivedi... Hungaama ho gaya truly.

I can go on and on about Queen. So much to love, laugh and rejoice about. From Eiffel tower chasing Rani to the sex shop in Amsterdam... to her letting go as she dances on a bar top...

Go buy your ticket!

My Verdict 3.5/5






Thursday 6 March 2014

Revolver Rani Official Trailer

Fist Queen and and Now Revolver Rani. Kangana Ranaut on a roll. I am enjoying this breakout phase of her.

Watch and have fun!