De Dana Dan Release Date : 27,Nov 2009

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty, Neha Dhupia, Ratan Jain

Direction: `Filmed’ by Priyadarshan

Chloroform is his norm. This hired killer places a wet napkin under his victim’s nostrils but knocks himself out, too, in the process. Distress. Johnny Lever, popping his eyes out of their sockets, has just goofed up the to-be-killed-guy’s photo docket. Haw haw.

A five-star’s waiter helps himself to the whisky tumblers and savoury starters to be delivered for room service. Rajpal Yadav he, and quite tee hee.

And a goldie oldie, with his sexy wife, is pretty boldie. Paresh Rawal goes pant-pant, huff-huff. Hyuk nyuk.

In fact, Lever-Yadav-Rawal keep the kinky kettle boiling for director Priyadarshan’s reunion of the male leading cast of Hera Pheri. No sequel, prequel or postquel, quite curiously De Dana Dan doesn’t assign sufficient footage to either Akshay Kumar or Sunil Shetty. Thank the lord, for the latter’s minimalism actually. He continues to be strictly oak. Eesh.

Sneeze aachhoo a couple of times and you might even miss out on Katrina Kaif, there only to exude the bimbettni quotient. Instead in the vein of the director’s Malaamal Weekly, this one goes ananas over its seasoned supporting players, even shoving the rarely seen thespian Vikram Gokhale (looking humungous, alas) into the fold. The less carped about the incorrigibly lechy Shakti Kapoor, the better. No zing in his stings.

As it turns out, DDD is a punishing snoozefest in the first-half its excessive length of some two-hours-40-minutes. Indeed you have to pinch yourself hard to keep your eyes half open in the pre-interval section. Totally Zzzzz-grade.

In the event if you’re late, very late, for this situational com-pom, not to worry. You won’t have missed much except 400 winks maybe. Mercifully, the tempo picks up halfway in this mix-yap-yap located in a Singapore “Hawtel” (pronunciation theirs). Zounds, its logo is shown constantly, presumably for discounted location rent – but honestly after witnessing the malarkey, only a miracle would entice you to check in there. Despair.

Anyway, count some 12 characters on the scene who are literally toppling over one another, once even as- four-men-on-top -of-one another to evoke a chhee-chhee Dostanasque comment.

Such asides apart, it seems the reason for the ceaseless farce is Akshay Kumar’s urgent need to get away from his tormentful boss (Archana Puran Singh, writhing, wriggling). She kicks butt (his), loves her dog ‘Mulchandji’ perversely and reduces Butt Boy to a nattering ninny. In collusion with Sunil Shetty, Butt seriously kidnaps the dog, and expects a huge pay-off. Oof.

The plot is incomprehensible beyond that point, cutting to the discounted hotel where a sangeet ceremony is on for..gasp..a dehydrated Chunky Panday and sulky Sameera Reddy. They seem quite remade for each other, but the screenplay sends the senior cast into a right royal tizzy . That’s fizzy only occasionally, at long last leading to a climax that’s a combo of the Titanic and The Poseidon Adventure. All the cast has to swim, drown, gulp, slide through corridors, look more distraught than all the loonies of It’s a Mad Mad Mad World and Kate Winslet-Leonardo Dicaprio bundled together. What to do? Some love stories have flood on them.

Admittedly, the water-gush scenes are technically skilful, far more detailed and impressive than the ones endured lately in Tum Mile.

In effect, then, the finale and the stray funny moments here amount to some 10 to 15 minutes which are worth a ticket-le-ke-dekko.

Yet, you can’t help wondering about the number of small, sensible films that could have been made on the kind of budget that must have been squandered here. Priyadarshan would vouch for that himself after the issue-centric Kanchivaram which is more than likely to be remembered as a far more momentous achievement in a career stretching over 25 years.

Pritam, yeah Pritam again, hammers out an ordinary score. Sabu Cyril’s set deco is uneven. The cinematography is overlit. Some shots have distracting elements like a girl fiddling around with a cellphone in the foreground. And the dialogue is cornball; Vikram Gokhale as a diplomat is equated to the good old sturdy Ambassador car. Puhlease!

Of the cast, Venus producer Ratan Jain fetches up to look more nervous than a struggler before an audition camera.Akshay Kumar evidently needs a break from such goofball gambols.

Of the heroines, Neha Dhupia as a couldn’t-care-a-damn call girl is the best of the female population here. Lever-Yadav-Rawal do go over the top. All of them are repetitive but at least they do it competently.. which is more than what you can say about De Dana Dan, a comedy in search of a hocus focus.

Kurbaan Release Date : 20,Nov 2009

Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Viviek Oberoi, Om Puri, Kirron Kher

Director: Renzil D'Silva

Post 9/11, there's anger, distrust, suspicion, uneasiness all around. Not a day passes when you don't hear of terrorists killing civilians in the name of religion.

Many storytellers have, in the past, narrated stories about terrorists and their nefarious and despicable plans. But let me state one thing categorically. You haven't watched a more profound, a more thought-provoking, a more dramatic story on this subject before KURBAAN. It's not just the most powerful film to come out of Dharma Productions, it's the most powerful film to come out of the Hindi film industry this year, thus far.

KURBAAN tries to penetrate into the psyche of not just the terrorist, but also someone who has been a helpless spectator all this while. This film is sure to spark off discussions and debates, although it must also be noted that it doesn't take sides or gets preachy.

Rensil D'Silva has chosen a burning issue for his directorial debut, which is a complete departure from Karan Johar's earlier films. For some inexplicable reasons, parallels are being drawn with FANAA [Aamir Khan, Kajol] and NEW YORK [John Abraham, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Katrina Kaif], but the fact remains that barring the backdrop of terrorism, there's no similarity with those films.

I've often felt that certain films are beyond box-office. Movies are not meant to merely entertain, but enlighten and educate as well. They need to prick your conscience and in the process, make an attempt to make this world a better place. KURBAAN does just that and for this very reason, it deserves a double thumbs up.

Final word? Drop everything else you're doing to watch KURBAAN. Movies like these need to be made, encouraged and lauded.

Avantika [Kareena Kapoor] is a teacher at a university in Delhi. She has come back from New York where she teaches, because her father [Aakash Khurana] has suffered a heart attack. During this period, she meets a Professor called Ehsaan Khan [Saif Ali Khan]. Soon, they begin seeing each other and love blossoms.

A few months later, Avantika receives a call from her university in New York, asking her to come back. Avantika breaks the news to Ehsaan. He, in turn, tells her he doesn't mind coming to the States with her. But first they need to get married.

Soon after the marriage, they leave to start a new life in New York. They buy a house in an Indian neighbourhood and move in. Just as they are setting up home, their conservative Muslim neighbours invite them over for dinner. The next morning, Salma [Nauheed Cyrusi], one of the women Avantika met the night before at the dinner, visits her under the pretext of gifting her sweets.

When Avantika invites her in, Salma tells her that she is in grave danger. Nothing is what it seems. Salma pleads with Avantika to help her. What follows next is a series of incidents that sucks Avantika into a vortex of danger and intrigue. As her life spirals out of control, Avantika realizes that she is a pawn in a huge game.

KURBAAN has two stories running concurrently - the love story between Saif and Kareena and the story of Islamic terrorists. Rensil sets the stage in the initial 15 minutes itself, after which there's a twist in the tale every 15-20 minutes, which catches you completely unaware. Rensil doesn't borrow from the past, which makes the proceedings thoroughly captivating.

The highpoint is the 35-minute climax, which leaves you spellbound. The culmination to the story shakes you completely, largely because it's pragmatic and has been executed most logically as well. In fact, filming the climax at the various underground tube stations must've been the toughest challenge for the director.

On the flip side, KURBAAN caters more to the intelligentsia or the thinking viewer and might not be lapped up whole-heartedly by those who survive on the staple diet of hardcore masala fares.

Some of the finest technicians in the business are associated with KURBAAN. Hemant Chaturvedi's cinematography is super. The film bears an international look all through. Salim-Sulaiman's music is well integrated in the narrative. At least two tracks merit a mention - 'Shukran Allah' and 'Ali Maula'. Anurag Kashyap and Niranjan Iyengar's dialogue are superb. The lines enhance the impact of several sequences. Thrills are, again, in sync with the mood of the film.

KURBAAN is embellished with superlative performances. Saif is extra-ordinary in a role that only proves his versatility once again. If he won your heart with a winning performance in LOVE AAJ KAL a few months ago, you need to watch this supremely talented actor underplay his part so beautifully in KURBAAN. As for Kareena, KURBAAN reiterates one fact yet again: She's the best in the business. No two opinions on that! Watch her get those emotional sequences right, it's incredible. Here's a performance that truly merits the highest praise and admiration, besides fetching her awards and accolades.

Vivek Oberoi is fantastic. Matching Saif and Kareena at every step, KURBAAN should be the turning point in Vivek's career. It's a difficult role to portray and only an actor with a wide range could've portrayed this part so effectively. Om Puri is top notch and so is Kirron Kher. Kirron is marvellous, especially in the penultimate scene. Dia Mirza, Nauheed Cyrusi and Kulbhushan Kharbanda lend credibility to their brief roles.

On the whole, KURBAAN is the most powerful film to come out of the Hindi film industry in 2009, so far. The film has a captivating plot, gripping screenplay, super performances and a climax that shakes you up completely. Watching this movie should be on top of your agenda this week.

Marega Salaa Release Date : 20,Nov 2009

Marega Salaa music is directed by Daboo Malik. Marega Salaa music director, Daboo Malik already has sing songs for 3 Nights 4 Days music and Kisaan music. Marega Salaa movie is coming in the direction of Devang Dholakia. Producer of Marega Salaa movie is Hema Hand. Recently, Saregama Music Company launched the music of Marega Salaa movie. Marega Salaa music has total 8 songs.

First song “Tu Hi Hai (Remix)” of Marega Salaa music is sung by Sunidhi Chauhan. The song begins with rap music. The song tunes on band and rap music. There is very bold blinking music also in the song. The song introduces club music. Instrumental music is very vocal in the song. Lyric of the song is also very bold.

“Tu Hi Hai” song of Marega Salaa music is sung by Daboo Malik. The song is original version of “Tu Hi Hai (Remix)”. There is not much difference between original and remix version of both songs. “Tu Hi Hai” song has also introduced rap music. The song is influenced by western music.

“Parde Wali Baat” song of Marega Salaa music is sung by Alisha Chinai. Singer of the song has sung the song in her style. The song also begins with rap music. Lyric of the song is very sweet and bold. The song tunes along with rap music and very bold instrumental music. This is situational song of Marega Salaa movie.

“Parde Wali Baat (Remix)” song of Marega Salaa music is also sung by Alisha Chinai. The song begins with blinking music. There is very bold band music. The song music is very similar to club music. Lyric of the song is also very fast. The song is very similar to “Kajra Re Tere Kare Kare Naina” song of “Bunty Aur Babli” movie.

“Sehra Sehra” song of Marega Salaa music is sung by Sunidhi Chauhan. The song begins with blowing music. Lyric of the song is very bold. Music of the song is not very new. You can feel rap music in this song also. This is item song of the movie.

“Sehra Sehra (Remix)” song of Marega Salaa music is also sung by Sunidhi Chauhan. Music of the song is also not much different. The song also begins with a long instrumental music. Lyric of the song is also very similar to original version of the song. Sometimes, lyric goes ups and downs with fast-paced music but you can’t differentiate a big line between original and remix version.

“Tu Hi Hai (Female)” song of Marega Salaa music is sung by Sunidhi Chauhan. Music of the song is also not very new. The song also has introduced rap music. This is rocking song of the movie.

“Aankhein Tumhari” is the last song of Marega Salaa music which is sung by Sonu Nigaam and Shreya Ghoshal. The song is very different from all songs of Marega Salaa music. Lyric of the music is very sweet. The song is very poetic. This is a meaningful song of the movie. The song is new version of “Thoda Sa Pyar Hua Hai” song of “Maine Dil Tujhko Diya” movie.

Overall, music of Marega Salaa is not new. You can listen to many bollywood movies’ songs which are similar to the Marega Salaa song. Music director, Daboo Malik has introduced only rap music in all song to make them different. English rap also has been introduced but all the song is on the same track. There is not uniqueness in the song of Marega Salaa music.

One of the largest music archive in India Saregama Music Company launched the music of film “MareGa Salaa”. The film is produced by Hema Handa and Directed by Devang Dholakia. The Lyrics and Music is composed by Daboo Malik. The music album of “MareGa Salaa” features artists like Sonu Nigam, Sunidhi Chauhan, Shreya Ghoshal, Alisha Chinai and Daboo Malik.

“MareGa Salaa” comprises of 8 songs. The first song of the album is “Sehra Sehra” by sensational Sunidhi Chauhan. It’s a typical Sunidhi Chauhan song, entertaining and a dance song. Followed my Sehra Sehra is “Parde wali baat” sung by Alisha Chinai is a let down by the popular pop singer. The song lacks the zeal and spirit for a happening dance track. The next song is “Tu hi hai” again sung Sunidhi Chauhan. This song is beautifully sung by the famous singer but the music could’ve been better. The next track is “Aankhein Tumhari “is a duet by Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal which is the best song of MareGa Salaa. It’s a soft romantic mass appealing song. The 5^th song of the album is a Daboo Malik version of “Tu hi Hai”. The music is good but Daboo Malik is better off as a music composer. The next song is a remix of “Sehra Sehra” by DJ Hash. DJ Hash has also remixed the song “Tu hi hai” which is the last song of the album, both the songs sound much better the remix way. There is a remix of “Parde Wali Baat” by Raamji Gulati and DJ Dev. The original one is a big disappointment but the remix is a good techno song if you don’t pay attention to the lyrics.

All in all, the songs of “MareGa Salaa” are a combination of good and bad songs. The remixes are the best tracks in the album.

Tum Mile Release Date : 13,Nov 2009

In TUM MILE, a couple faces two storms. The storm within, when they come face to face after their breakup. The storm outside, when a natural calamity strikes Mumbai on 26th July, 2005 [unprecedented rainfall devastated Mumbai on this date].

After JANNAT, director Kunal Deshmukh [KD] chooses a love story yet again. It's about an estranged couple, but the wallpaper in TUM MILE is the Mumbai floods. Naturally then, the expectations from TUM MILE are colossal, given the fact that TUM MILE is the first film that attempts to chronicle the natural calamity on celluloid, with seriousness.

Had KD limited himself to narrating the ups and downs in a live-in relationship, TUM MILE may've struck a chord. But if you're attempting a disaster movie [its promotions send out strong signals], you'd be eager to know how KD recreates the horrors of 26th July on celluloid. Let's not forget, the catastrophe is still etched in our memory and has tremendous recall-value.

While KD succeeds in depicting the tiffs between the lovers, it's the disaster aspect that doesn't make much of an impact. That's because you strongly feel that the infamous Mumbai floods should've been given more prominence, instead of using it as a tool to take the story forward.

26th July, 2005 rang an ominous bell for most, but amidst all the chaos and the tragedy, it re-united two star-crossed ex-lovers.

Two people [Emraan Hashmi, Soha Ali Khan] meet after a hiatus of six years. What starts off as a seemingly innocuous encounter on the same flight back to Mumbai, ends up as a rollercoaster ride through some of the darkest hours of Mumbai, as they see the city get swamped with disaster and loss... and are forced to stick together in this time of crisis.

26th July, 2005 remains etched in your memory and I'm sure, every Mumbaikar would've a story to tell vis-à-vis what transpired with them or their beloved/relatives/friends/acquaintances on that fateful day. TUM MILE also highlights the dilemma of a couple, who once shared a beautiful relationship, but have moved on in life after they split, till they meet again on 26th July.

Opposites attract and so do Emraan and Soha in TUM MILE. Although their story goes back and forth several times, the narrative doesn't confuse the viewer one bit. So far, so good.

But the problem lies in integrating the natural calamity with the love story. Even if you're a non-Mumbaikar, you'd vividly recall the images that were flashed on news channels continuously or perhaps, you may've watched the footage on internet. But in TUM MILE, the nature's fury doesn't come across strongly or effectively. In a few scenes, yes, you do draw parallels with real life, but the impact it ought to make is just not there. Something is amiss!

KD has handled the love story very well. The tiffs between Emraan and Soha are so identifiable. The 'Dil Ibaadat' song in particular completely moves you. But how one wishes the film would've focussed more on the characters' attempts to escape or cope with the disaster or its aftermath.

Pritam's music is melodious to the core. The cinematography does justice to the beauty of South Africa [romantic portions] and also during the flood sequences. But the usage of stock footage, at places, doesn't work. The computer graphics could've been better and more effective.

Emraan takes giant strides as an actor. He continues to surprise in film after film. Grossly under-rated despite having delivered competent performances in the past, here's hoping that people wake up to this talented actor after TUM MILE. Like Emraan, Soha too has evolved into a truly fine actor and TUM MILE proves it. The best part is, Soha is extremely natural and that's what makes her sequences so believable.

Sachin Khedekar is there for just one sequence. Mantra, as Emraan's friend, is confident.

On the whole, TUM MILE caters to the youth mainly. At the box-office, the Vishesh Films - Emraan Hashmi combo has cultivated a strong fan-base over the years and coupled with good music, which is also very popular, the film should find itself in the comfortable zone. However, the super-strong opposition in 2012 [also highlighting a disaster on celluloid and which has had a wide release in India] might eat into its business at places.

Aao Wish Karein Release Date : 20,Nov 2009

Every kid imagines what it would be like to be an adult. He wishes he could grow up quicker. Of course, once he grows up, a small part of him wishes he could go back to his childhood days. Quite an irony, isn't it?

There's a line in AAO WISH KAREIN that goes, 'If you want to be a part of a fairy tale, it's important that you believe in it [fairy tale].' The statement is applicable for everyone desirous of watching AAO WISH KAREIN.

In terms of concept, AAO WISH KAREIN bears a striking resemblance to the Tom Hanks starrer BIG [1988]. A decade-and-a-half ago, the Salman Khan - Sridevi starrer CHANDRAMUKHI also tackled a similar theme. In that respect, the concept isn't alien at all.

It's not sacrilegious if a film bears an uncanny resemblance to another film [it could be a coincidence], but films like these need to be well-structured and most importantly, supported by incredible actors who can make you believe in fairy tales. Also, the makers ought to take a stand at the very outset: Should it be targeted at kids or youth? You just cannot sit on the fence. In this case, you don't know if AAO WISH KAREIN is aimed at the kids or is it a breezy romantic flick, targeted at the youth.

All said, AAO WISH KAREIN has some endearing moments, but not enough to salvage it.

12-year-old Mickey's life was almost like a fairy tale: A beautiful family, best buddy Bonnie and his angel on earth - Mitika [Aamna Sharif]. One fateful day, Mickey's fairy tale is shattered into a million pieces. He realizes he's an adopted child and his 23-year-old angel Mitika too calls him a kid. A heart-broken Mickey sits all by himself until Hitchcock [Johny Lever] appears.

Mickey hopes for a miracle to happen. He wishes to become big. To his astonishment, he wakes up next morning and realizes that his wish has been granted. He has indeed turned big. But was this miracle a blessing or a curse in disguise?

The choice of the subject is perfect. But there's an inherent flaw in the story and that is, the 12-year-old kid seems to be in love with the pretty woman, but the moment his wish his granted and he transforms into a grown up man overnight, he continues to behave like a kid. Romance, therefore, just doesn't exist and even if it does, it's far from exciting.

Ideally, the writing would've worked had the kid-turned-grown up behaved like a grown up.

The culmination to the story is well penned, but, again, it might not work in entirety. The writers could've run their imagination wild, given the fact that they were writing a fairy tale, instead of taking the safe route here.

Director Glen Barretto has handled a few individualistic scenes well, especially the ones between Aftab and Johny Lever. Music is soothing to the ears, but the non-promotion or lack of popularity will make the effort go unnoticed. At the same time, there are too many songs in the second hour, which weren't required frankly. Keshav Prakash's cinematography is top notch. The locales of Himachal Pradesh and Goa are well captured on celluloid by the DoP.

Aftab pitches in a sincere performance. He looks the character. Aamna is easy on the eyes, although the role doesn't demand histrionics. Johny Lever is first-rate. Rati Agnihotri is good. Yatin Karyekar is alright. The kids are full of energy. Riteish Deshmukh makes a brief appearance towards the end.

On the whole, AAO WISH KAREIN is engaging in parts, but how one wishes the film would grab your attention in entirety. The wish of striking a chord and hence, succeeding at the box-office won't come true for this reason.

Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani Release Date : 06,Nov 2009

Cast: Katrina Kaif, Ranbir Kapoor, Salman Khan (Special appearence) Director: Rajkumar Santoshi


Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani, a comedy set in a comic book universe, is a frustratingly uneven film. Some of it is genuinely funny and delightful and some of it is repetitive, and annoyingly tedious.

But even in its most limp moments, what keeps the film from derailing is its lead pair: Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif. There is such sizzle and beauty and unadulterated charm here that you really can’t look away.

The story, co-written and directed by Raj Kumar Santoshi, is set in a picturesque little town, which seems like a cross between Goa and Ooty.

Specifics are irrelevant because Santoshi isn’t aiming for realism here. This is a cheerfully artificial world, in which Prem, played by Ranbir, lives with his parents.

Prem is a 9th standard drop-out whose main job is being the President of the Happy Club. The happy club hopes to make people happy but mostly its members boast about doing nothing.

Enter Jenny, played by Katrina, a lovely lady with a slightly troubling back-story: she is an orphan and the parents who adopted her are now forcing her into marriage with an obnoxious boy only because he is rich.

Jenny and Prem, who both have a tendency to stammer when they are emotionally wrought, become friends. And Prem, who can’t bring himself to tell her that he loves her, finds himself in the uncomfortable position of trying to get Jenny away from her own wedding so she can get together with her boyfriend, Rahul, who has issues of his own.

In its best moments, Ajab Prem is crackling comedy.

Santoshi keeps it light, fluffy and fun. There is a real sweetness in the scenes in which Prem and Jenny first discover that the other also stammers.

Some of the dialogues sparkle. The trouble is that the film cannot maintain this tone and energy. So, the humour dips and the gags become forced.

At times, the film strains so hard for laughs that it almost feels like the director is beating you with a stick and ordering you to enjoy it. But even here, Ranbir and Katrina don't let up. Of course, he carries the bigger burden.

Ranbir, as the bumbling nerd, is in almost every frame. Watch him in a ball room scene, in which his body won't stay still or at a cop station, hesitantly declaring his affection for Jenny.

Hopefully someday, Ranbir will find a script that matches his talent.

Ajab Prem isn't it. But the film is engaging enough, as we say in Mumbai, time-pass. Go for it.

Jail Release Date : 06,Nov 2009

Film: Jail
Director: Madhur Bhandarkar
Cast: Neil Nitin Mukesh, Manoj Bajpai, Mugdha Godse, Arya Babbar, Rahul Singh, Chetan Pandit

Madhur Bhandarkar is synonymous with thought-provoking, hard-hitting films. Right from CHANDNI BAR to FASHION, the expert storyteller has made movies that hold tremendous shock-value. In turn, Madhur has cultivated a rich fan-base for his films.

With JAIL, Madhur not only makes you visit a prison, but also makes you peep into the psyche of a prisoner. In the recent past, Sriram Raghavan's EK HASINA THI [2004; Saif Ali Khan, Urmila Matondkar] and Nazim Rizvi's UNDERTRIAL [2007; Rajpal Yadav] narrated the travails and anguish of innocents who were falsely implicated in a case. Besides, Nagesh Kukunoor's TEEN DEEWAREIN [2003; Naseeruddin Shah, Jackie Shroff, Nagesh Kukunoor] too narrated the story of three convicts. But JAIL is different from the above-named films.

Besides watching a thought-provoking story on celluloid, one has also come to expect incredible performances in a Madhur Bhandarkar movie. And JAIL too is embellished with superb performances from its key actors.

JAIL transports you to a hitherto unknown world that most of us haven't seen and if this is its USP, it's also something that might go against it. Irrespective of how strong its merits are, a section of moviegoers [read families/kids], who generally tilt towards feel-good/sunshine/entertainment-filled cinema, might skip this film due to its dry [and at times depressing] theme.

In a nutshell, JAIL mirrors a reality in true Madhur Bhandarkar style. It's hard-hitting, it's compelling, it's thought-provoking. The efficient storyteller has the courage to speak a new language in every film and for that very reason, JAIL should be on your agenda.

Parag Dixit [Neil Nitin Mukesh] is living a dream life -- a great job and a loving girlfriend [Mugdha Godse]. However, things take an ugly turn when, after a series of unfortunate events, he suddenly wakes up in jail. Parag is perplexed. The only salvation he finds is in Nawab [Manoj Bajpayee], a convict, who believes that Parag is innocent.

Soon, Parag is left with a choice, to either live a life with hordes of broken hearts and shattered souls amidst the prison walls or hope to see freedom some day.

JAIL involves you from the very start. The inmates, their crimes, their individual stories... you get drawn into a world that's very real. So real that you feel it's happening right in front of your eyes.

Madhur has a knack of narrating stories and he narrates the story of Parag Dixit with razor-edge sharpness. Besides, JAIL also enlightens you of the legal process, which also acts as an eye-opener.

At the same time, the legal procedures and also the behavioural pattern of the inmates tend to get repetitive after a point and that's when you start feeling restless. Nonetheless, the post-interval has some interesting twists-n-turns, like the convicts' escape from the police van; prior to that Neil and Manoj exchanging stares before Neil perches himself in the van; Neil getting thrown in a dark cell, spending the next few days in solitary confinement; a convict using the garbage van as the means to escape; another convict realising that his wife is now a cop's mistress. Also, the climax is touching and moves you.

Madhur hits the right note yet again. Madhur, Manoj Tyagi and Anuradha Tiwari's script involves you in most parts. Raghuvir Shekhawat's dialogues are true to life. There's no scope for music in a film like JAIL, but the three songs are smartly integrated in the storyline. Kalpesh Bhandarkar's cinematography is top notch. Special mention must be made of Nitin Chandrakant Desai's prison set, where the film is entirely shot.

Not only does Neil Nitin Mukesh deliver his finest performance to date, but the performance would easily rank amongst the finest this year. He conveys the pathos and helplessness that this character demands with amazing understanding. He deserves all praise for his extra-ordinary portrayal.

Manoj Bajpayee pitches in a memorable performance. In fact, the supremely talented actor is in form after a long, long time. He's subdued all through, which only goes to prove that he knows the craft so well. Mugdha Godse underplays her part beautifully. Also, she carries the non-glam look well.

Aarya Babbar is fantastic. This film should make people sit and notice this young actor. Chetan Pandit is first-rate. Rahul Singh is excellent, especially in the sequence when he confronts his wife. The actor who plays the part of Joe D'Souza is effective.

On the whole, JAIL is a well-made film from an expert storyteller. At the box-office, the film will appeal to those with an appetite for hard-hitting, realistic fares, but its clash with AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI will affect its business to an extent.