Tees Maar Khan Release Date : 24,Dec 2010

Producer Shirish Kunder, Akshay Kumar, Farah Khan
Director Farah Khan
Music Shirish Kunder, Vishal Dadlani, Shekhar Ravjiani
Writer Ashmith Kunder, Shirish Kunder
Lyrics Shirish Kunder, Vishal Dadlani, Anvita Dutt Guptan
Release Date 24-Dec-2010

Farah Khan knows exactly what she wants (rather what she can get) from her cast and employs them to that effect. With her trademark film-inside-film setting, when she wants someone to play the role of a boisterous, atrocious and artificial actor in her film, the natural choice is Akshaye Khanna.

Katrina is cast as the quintessential Bollywood actress who has to wear more makeup and less clothes and do practically nothing in the film. The biggest novel (rather navel) factor she brings to the film is her super-sexy midriff and her hip-hot gyrations. With Akshay Kumar coming into picture, Farah seems to leave behind her Manmohan Desai masala method and adapts her film to brother Sajid Khan’s slapstick sensibilities.

Ten minutes into the film and Tees Maar Khan (Akshay Kumar) is introduced in the league of two other chindi chors, though he makes claims of being an international crime master. His latest assignment is to loot a locomotive loaded with valuables worth crores. Since the booty is in bulk, he would need help from many hands.

Khan hatches a plan to shoot a fictitious film in a village from where the train passes and use the oblivious villagers to rob the train. He lures superstar Aatish Kapoor (Akshaye Khanna), who aims for an Oscar Award, into his mock movie and casts his wannabe-actress girlfriend Anya (Katrina Kaif) as the leading lady.

Remade from Vittorio De Sica’s 1966 film ‘Caccia Alla Volpe’ (After the Fox) starring Peter Sellers, the only major innovation that Tees Maar Khan shows is to shift tracks to train theft from the ship in the original. While the climactic train heist could have worked as a smart suspense element in the favour of the film, the entire fabricated film formula is revealed at the very onset, leaving nothing to your imagination.

Also it appears too far-fetched that a filmstar like Aatish Kapoor won’t comprehend that this one-take shoot, filmed by a single handheld camera is a hoax for heist. Unfortunately the audiences are not as gullible as the villagers in this film.

The Academy Awards and its Bollywood aspirants (from Aamir Khan to Anil Kapoor) seem to be the butt of most jokes here. The film emphasizes and also employs the widespread sentiment of how a poverty-stricken India has become a perfect recipe for Oscar wannabes.

Farah however takes things a little too far with a literal Oscar Award setting in the final reels. Also this time around Farah Khan seems to have gone slack on her signature spoofs, which were a highlight of both Main Hoon Na and Om Shanti Om. Even her trademark end credits are not much inventively conceptualized or different from her earlier attempts.

On the contrary, the film retains a more fervent feel and flavour of Akshay Kumar brand of loud and slapstick comedy. Akshay’s gags are dreary and add to it the other Akshaye’s antics are deafening. And if that is not enough there is a recap of all these histrionics in the climax as a part of the film inside the film setting.

Akshaye Khanna could win the Ham Scene of the Year award for getting possessed by his character in the bank robbery sequence. Then there’s a headless horseman’s anecdote which could make you feel ‘sleepy’ for its ‘hollowness’.

The dialogues written by Shirish Kunder and Ashmith Kunder in synchronized stanzas try too hard to be funny but fall flat at most instances and are repeated too often without much repeat value. Vishal Shekhar’s music has mass appeal. Farah Khan’s raunchy choreography to Sheila Ki Jawani has Katrina Kaif at her sexiest best. One expected some action in the train robbery sequence but there’s none over here.

The role is custom-made for Akshay Kumar and while he plays it effortlessly, he is clearly getting repetitive in his comic act. Katrina Kaif is categorically hired for her sex-appeal and she exudes loads of it. Akshaye Khanna is expected to act terribly and he does that with such perfection that it gets on your nerves.

Apara Mehta makes up as a cheap imitation of Kirron Kher. Arya Babbar gets no scope. You never get to know whether Avatar Gill’s character is a spinoff on A K Hangal from Sholay or he plays a blind man for no good reason. Aman Verma hams. Salman Khan invites whistles and claps in his cameo.

To sum up in Tees Maar Khan’s trademark style of dialogue delivery, Akshay Kumar se zara hatke comedy expect karna aur Akshaye Khanna se kuch bhi expect karna bekaar hain. Tees Maar Khan doesn’t even guarantee thirty good laughs in its three hour runtime.

Toonpur Ka Superrhero Release Date : 24,Dec 2010

Producer Kumar Mangat, Krishika Lulla
Director Kireet Khurana
Music Anu Malik
Writer Raagi Bhatnagar, Kireet Khurana
Lyrics Munna Dhiman
Release Date 24-Dec-2010

Toonpur Ka Superrhero is not only India's first live action full-length animation feature, made on a lavish budget, it also has all the matinee masala that the other Friday offerings do. There's a hero, a heroine, a bunch of virtuous as well as wicked characters, a femme fatale and a baddie. The only difference is that this film has flesh and blood characters intermingling with animated characters.

Twenty-two years ago, Robert Zemeckis gave moviegoers Who Framed Roger Rabbit, which is talked about to this date. It was one of the initial motion pictures that depicted animated film characters interact with human beings. But it took years of development, preparation, research and homework for the makers of Toonpur Ka Superrhero to integrate animation with live action. Thankfully, the effort is worth it.

The motive of animation films or films like Toonpur Ka Superrhero is to entertain the entire spectrum of audience, from kids to adolescents to adults. So far, the target audience for our animated films has only been kids. But, hopefully, Toonpur Ka Superrhero should change the attitude and outlook. It's a film for kids and adults alike, who may take away different things from the experience, but who will be united in their sheer excitement of this visually exciting experiment. Of course, the film lacks finesse at places, but at least director Kireet Khurana and the technicians who worked on the film have made an effort to charter a new path, which, in my opinion, is worth acknowledging.

Final word? Toonpur Ka Superrhero blends inventive animation with old-fashioned values to deliver a decent family adventure. This one's an underdog!

Bollywood actor Aditya Kumar [Ajay Devgn] leads the perfect life: He has a doting wife in Priya [Kajol] and two adorable kids. But his children want him to be their hero not just on screen, but in real life as well. He can't do any of his own stunts, that's why gets stunt doubles, but he has to find a way which will make him look like a real-life hero in front of his children. Aditya finds an opportunity to become his kids' hero when he somehow lands in his kids' favorite cartoon show, Toonpur, where he must work with the Devtoons [good guys] to fight the Toonasurs [bad guys].

One doesn't take to Toonpur Ka Superrhero initially. Right from the lifeless and flat commentary [by Sanjay Dutt] at the very commencement of the film, to the sundry animated characters one is introduced to, to the conflict that Ajay has with his kids, Toonpur Ka Superrhero fails to take off the way one expects it to. But, gradually, the proceedings start making sense. Slowly and bit by bit, one gets a hang of things, although the impression that you hold at the intermission point is strictly okay.

It's the post-interval portions that do a complete turnaround. In fact, the film actually takes off in this hour and I must add, it has several moments that keep your attention arrested. For instance, the song with Rubdoot is appealing and so is the confrontation with the villain, Jugaro. The climax leaves you with mixed feelings. It holds your interest in bits and spurts, not in entirety.

Toonpur Ka Superrhero could've been an invigorating experience from start to end if it was backed by a watertight screenplay. The writing just doesn't complement the animation, which, in my opinion, is path-breaking by Indian standards. The visual excellence aside, the film doesn't engage you in entirety and that's a shortcoming. The music [Anu Malik] is pleasant and easy on the ears. 'Jeetoge Tum' stays with you; it's a motivational track. However, the picturisation of the songs is better, with a good integration of live with animation.

VOTE: BEST OF BOLLYWOOD 2010

Ajay dares to accept a challenge yet again. It must've been most tough for this intense actor to don a character which involves working with imaginary creatures in an animated film. To act with cartoon characters is extremely challenging because it's almost like attempting a soliloquy or a monologue. He must have had no actor across for the action-reaction custom. But he delivers a convincing and credible performance yet again.

Kajol doesn't really get scope, but she handles her part well. Veteran Tanuja appears in one sequence. Child artiste Amey does well. The animated characters, especially Bolly, Guppy and the villain's moll, are most noticeable.

On the whole, Toonpur Ka Superrhero is a delightful and endearing kiddie movie. It has an engaging narrative [second half mainly], neat performances and adorable animated characters. The real stars are the technicians [who created the animated characters], the director [Kireet Khurana] and of course, its lead man [Ajay Devgn] who pulled off a technically remarkable achievement of having humans and animated film characters interact with each other. Revisit your childhood while watching this one!

PayBack Release Date : 17,Dec 2010

Producer Sarosh Khan
Director Sachin P. Karande
Music Dev Sikandar
Writer Upendra Sidhaye
Lyrics Irfan Ibrahim
Release Date 17-Dec-2010

All he wanted to do was to payback one good deed with another. But Kunal's simple desire turns into a nightmare as he gets sucked into hitman Raghu's heartless world. His attempts to payback do not end with an awkward thank you over a cup of tea, but carry on relentlessly as he saves the killer from bullets and bash-ups by the rival gang, headed by Mukesh Tiwari.

The film maybe a small timer, but it scores in terms of its unusual story and the gritty twists and turns that hold your attention as the film poses an important question: how far would you go to express your gratitude for a good deed. Also, the film may explode violently in places, but it celebrates the basic goodness of man that lies hidden somewhere deep inside, despite the wicked ways of the world. Watch out for a winning performance by Zakir Hussain and Mukesh Rishi in this simple uncluttered film which has a different appeal. With a bit of polish and better performances from the other players, it could have been a winner.

Mirch Release Date : 17,Dec 2010

Producer Reliance Big Pictures
Director Vinay Shukla
Music Monty Sharma
Lyrics Javed Akhtar
Release Date 17-Dec-2010

Now when was the last time you saw a Bollywood film dissecting female sexuality without being apologetic about it? Can't remember, can you? Bollywood has mostly turned its back to the sensual woman as a protagonist. Typically, there have been just two ways mainstream cinema has viewed female eroticism. By and large, the Indian film heroine is represented as a romantic, albeit asexual creature, who is terribly low on oestrogen. And in case she doesn't have an hormonal imbalance, she is straight-jacketed into the whore and vamp category. The Sex And The City sisterhood has still to find a place in Indian cinema.

Vinay Shukla tries to undo this lapse by delving into four tales where the woman seeks out sexual satisfaction on her own terms. Having earlier made Godmother, another woman-oriented film, the director does seem to have an adequate understanding of the female psyche. All his four stories have a delightful and cheeky charm to them. Two of the stories feature Raima Sen as the protagonist as she enjoys a bit on the side, first as a carpenter's (Raghubir Yadav) wife and then as a modern woman who finds a lover, just to spite her suspicious husband (Shreyas Talpade). The other two focus on Konkona Sen Sharma's naughty escapades, first as an unsatiated young queen of yore and then as a shrewd wife of a philandering husband (Boman Irani). Add to this the turbulent romance between the scriptwriter and his girlfriend (Shahana Goswami) and you have a film that holds your attention. But not completely....

The garbled end and the misconstrued tenor of the film do act as a deterrent. Even as the women seem to be enjoying themselves with their unbridled expression of their sexual needs, the film tends to view them as the traditional not-to-be-trusted temptress. Overlook that and you can enter a world where women indeed are full-bodied flesh and blood characters. Both Raima and Konkona are a treat.

No Problem Release Date : 10,Dec 2010

Producer Anil Kapoor, Dr Bhupendra Kumar Modi, Rajat Rawail
Director Anees Bazmee
Music Pritam Chakraborty, Sajid Wajid, Anand Raj Anand
Writer Anees Bazmee
Lyrics Shabbir Ahmed, Kumaar Anand, Raj Anand
Release Date 10-Dec-2010

The one thing I've observed in Anees Bazmee's movies is that the plotline may be bizarre and outlandish, but each of his films has stood tall on the entertainment quotient. Perhaps, that's one of the reasons why his movies have struck a chord with a big chunk of moviegoers [read the hardcore masses]. The heroic triumph of No Entry, Welcome and Singh Is Kinng endorses this statement.

The most difficult thing is to make people roll with laughter and that's precisely what Bazmee does in film after film, for viewers of all ages. Follow these three mantras religiously, while watching an Anees Bazmee film: Don't seek logic, don't ask questions and just keep your thinking cap outside the theatre. You need to follow these rules while watching No Problem as well. Unfortunately, Bazmee's latest outing is so mind-numbingly dull that you wonder how could he come up with such a soulless and charmless film.

No Problem doesn't have a smart plot, theek hain, No Problem. But the bigger problem is it doesn't have those genuinely funny sequences and crackling dialogue either that you associate with the accomplished director's films. Honestly, I never expect to watch a path-breaking story in his films, but I do expect them to deliver hearty laughs, which No Problem doesn't. In the past, in films like No Entry, Welcome and Singh Is Kinng, Bazmee had handled the multiple characters with aplomb, but the writing is so inconsistent this time that one has to actually struggle to stay attentive.

Final word? No Problem is meant to be a crowd-pleaser, but, sadly, it lacks those clever one-liners, bursting-with-energy sequences and amusing goings-on to make your two hours in the cineplex worthwhile. No Problem has a huge problem: It fails to entertain!

Yash [Sanjay Dutt] and Raj [Akshaye Khanna] are small-time crooks and childhood buddies. Raj wants to lead an honest life, but Yash always manages to do something that jeopardizes Raj's chances of turning over a new leaf. When Yash robs the First Village Bank, the innocent bank manager, Zandulal [Paresh Rawal], also falls under suspicion, just because he had sheltered Yash and Raj under his roof.

In Durban, Arjun [Anil Kapoor] is a bungling cop, married to Kajal [Sushmita Sen], the daughter of the Commissioner of Police [Shakti Kapoor]. Kajal has a split personality -- one moment she's a loving wife and mother, who, for 10 minutes every day, transforms into a terrifying maniac intent on murdering her husband.

Diamonds worth millions have been stolen from the International Diamond Centre by the gang lead by Marcos [Suniel Shetty]. Arjun is as determined to find these ruthless robbers, as Zandulal is to find the two crooks who robbed his bank. Yash and Raj try to avoid Zandulal, who does not realize that they are his neighbours.

Meanwhile, Raj falls in love with Sanjana [Kangana Ranaut], Kajal's younger sister. But just before the engagement, Zandulal threatens to expose Yash and Raj unless they return the money they stole from his bank. Cornered, Raj and Yash agree to commit one last robbery. They rob a minister's house, minutes before Marcos arrives. The minister is tortured and killed, because Marcos cannot find the stolen diamonds.

Now starts a game of hide and seek, as Arjun goes after Yash and Raj, the prime suspects in the minister's murder and Marcos also hunts them down because he's figured out that they have the diamonds. Yash and Raj must prove their innocence and also somehow or the other pay back Zandulal.

No Problem has an outrageous plot, exaggerated and overstated scenes, but unlike Bazmee's previous films, this one tries too hard to make you laugh, but fails miserably. You expect the gags and punch lines to hit you from all directions and you also expect to break into guffaws, but barring a couple of scenes, which do bring a smile on your face, you just don't react to the goings-on. In fact, the writing is the weakest link of the enterprise. It lacks in drama, it lacks in unadulterated humour and everything seems to fall into place too easily. It jumps from one sequence to another and often forgets what's tackled before, in the previous sequence. The continuity jerks are evident at a number of places, frankly.

Bazmee is flogging the age-old formulas over and over again. It worked in the past because those films were rich as far as the entertainment quotient was concerned, but it doesn't work this time around. The music is functional, with 'Mast Punjabi' being the most energetic track of the enterprise. Cinematography is eye-pleasing and the locales of South Africa are eye-filling.

Bazmee's movies bestow its actors ample scope to push their comic boundaries, but No Problem doesn't. Of the central cast, Sanju tries hard to carry off his part, Akshaye is just about okay, while Anil hits the right notes and Paresh, as always, stands out. He delivers in every sequence. Kangana is wasted, but Sushmita shows a flair for comedy. Suniel Shetty is as usual. Neetu Chandra doesn't get much scope. Shakti Kapoor is funny. Baby Saloni is okay. As for Vijay Raaz, what is he doing in this film?

Oh yes, there's a family of gorillas as well as a shoal of fish in a mini aquarium - yes, they form an integral part of this story. The gorillas appear from nowhere and save the heroes in the climax, while the fish swallow the diamonds before these gems reach the villain's hands.

On the whole, No Problem has some funny moments in the first half, but gets agonizing towards the second half. It has several problems: It lacks a cohesive screenplay, it lacks in entertainment and most importantly, the humour falls flat. No Problem is full of problems.

Band Baaja Baaraat Release Date : 10,Dec 2010

Producer Aditya Chopra
Director Anees Bazmee
Music Salim Merchant, Sulaiman Merchant
Writer Maneesh Sharma
Lyrics Amitabh Bhattacharya
Release Date 10-Dec-2010

After Lafangey Parindey failed to take off at the box office, the Chopras appear to have decided not to tread untested grounds, and to return to their well-tried (oh so well tried) concoction of lavish weddings in the backdrop of north-Indian cultural revelry. The result is a frothy, feel-good movie, though not with much substance.

Shruti Kakkar (Anushka Sharma) has her eyes set on becoming a wedding-planner. Armed with a 3-year part-time experience, she has the blueprint of her company "Shaadi Mubarak" ready, with one golden rule in it: "Jisse vyapaar karo, usse kabhi na pyaar karo." In comes Bittoo Sharma, who, after a failed attempt at hitting on Shruti, decides to pair up with her in business instead, to escape from his father's not-so-grand plans for him – becoming a farmer.

The duo hits it off in the wedding business with their smart networking skills, and with Bittoo's talent for manufacturing cheesy lines spontaneously winning over clients. What follows is a one-track, vibrant and boisterous tribute to the great Indian wedding, replete with songs, dance, choruses and the works.

In the midst of all the bonhomie, it's Shruti who goes astray and ends up sleeping with Bittoo, and eventually falls in love with him, too. Bittoo, not liking the emotional twist in business, starts acting weird, and before long, Shruti realises that it was just a one-night stand for him. She feigns normalcy for sometime, but soon her hurt feelings raise their hood, and she starts snapping at Bittoo for almost everything.

After some cat-dog fight sequences in which the two snarl and pounce at each other, they split their business, and Bittoo starts his own company, "Happy Wedding".They soon realise that their magic was in their team, and after ruining a few marriages, they decide to come together for the big wedding of the daughter of a business magnate.

Anushka Sharma impresses as the confident and spirited creative head, and Ranveer Singh arrives as a full-fledged actor in his debut film. With his craggy looks, he suits the role of the uncouth, happy-go-lucky hero to a T, whose poor mastery over English does not come in the way of his running a successful "bijness".

Whether they are mouthing quick repartees or hurling abuses at each other, the lead pair have their chemistry shine through, and provide the best moments in the film. The mature Shruti with a responsible business sense makes a perfect foil for the impulsive Bittoo.

Though supported by an able cast and good writing, Band Baaja Baraat is unlikely to set the cash registers ringing because it just presents old wine in a new bottle. In an age when film-makers are going the extra mile to dig up novel concepts to feed to an increasingly choosy audience, the movie invokes memories of numerous films from the Chopra camp itself. Also, the film lacks the starpower of a Shahrukh or a Rani which would have drawn fans to the theatre.

The music by Salim-Sulaiman is strictly average, and the songs stay with you only when they are being played on screen. Aseem Mishra's cinematography, however, is top-notch, bringing to life the colour-palette and flamboyance of Indian weddings in every frame.

If you are in the mood for a no-brainer entertainer with a pretty heroine and a street-smart hero, and have not received enough marriage invitations this season, you can kill a couple of hours watching this.

RakhtCharitra - 2 Release Date : 03,Dec 2010

Producer Ram Gopal Varma
Director Ram Gopal Varma
Music Dharam Sandeep, Kohinoor Mukherji, Imran (1), Vikram (1), Sukhwinder Singh, Amar
Lyrics Roop, Shabbir Ahmed, Vayu, Abhishek Chatterjee, Sarim Momin
Release Date 03-Dec-2010

This is perhaps the first time in Bollywood that a single story is broken into two parts (RAKHT CHARITRA and RAKHT CHARITRA 2) by the same director. And both parts have released in quick succession, which is a laudable effort indeed. Ram Gopal Varma's PHOONK 2, which was a sequel in true sense, carried the same story of PHOONK ahead, but there was a decent gap between the two films. On the other hand, GOLMAAL, DHOOM and MUNNABHAI series had completely different stories and there was a sufficient gap between two parts. Barring the main characters, there wasn't anything similar between the installments.

RAKHT CHARITRA 2 marks the entry of Surya in Bollywood. He wasn't part of RAKHT CHARITRA. A humongous name down South, he starred in the Tamil version of GHAJINI in 2005. Aamir Khan starred in its Hindi version in 2008.

Ram Gopal Varma continues the revenge saga in RAKHT CHARITRA 2 that he started in RAKHT CHARITRA. In case you missed the first part, fret not. RAKHT CHARITRA 2 starts off with approximately 25 minutes footage from the first part.

The films trace the life of Pratap Ravi (Vivek Oberoi). While the first part was about his rise, the second part is about how his enemy Surya (Surya) takes revenge. What Pratap did to Surya that makes him want to kill him is what RAKHT CHARITRA 2 is all about. Bhawani (Priyamani) plays Surya's wife. All the other characters are the same as the first part.

RAKHT CHARITRA 2 is not a bad film. It's disappointing because it falls in comparison with the first part. Although there is bloodshed, violence and gruesome murders that take place, RAKHT CHARITRA 2 is definitely not as gory as the previous part. Ramu doesn't carry on the momentum and tautness that he had established in RAKHT CHARITRA. It even lacks the drama which was the highpoint of RAKHT CHARITRA.

Phas Gaye Re Obama Release Date : 03,Dec 2010

Producer Ashok Pandey
Director Subhash Kapoor
Music Manish J. Tipu
Writer Subhash Kapoor
Lyrics Shellee, Gopal Tiwari
Release Date 03-Dec-2010

Movie Review: If you can connect the crumbling of Wall Street to the `vela' (idle) gangs of moffusil India, you got to be smart. And if you can translate Obama's `Yes We Can' anthem into a bunch of small time hoodlums' war cry, then you got to be extra smart. And that's what smarty-pants director Subhash Kapoor manages to do with his smart-alec cast of actors who bring to life a roll call of characters that make you chuckle with glee.

From the Big Apple to the backwaters of small town India, this comedy of errors lives and breathes fire through its colourful characters and its witty screenplay. Unlike the usual run-of-the-mill comedies which Bollywood thrives on, Phas Gaye... makes you laugh because of its zany situations, rather than elicit canned laughter by making people slip over banana peels, go scatological or hit and pinch each other insanely. If Om Shastri is a conniving wheeler-dealer from Amreeka, then Bhaisaheb (Sanjay Mishra) is the local dada who is bogged down by the `mandee' (recession) in his business of extortion and kidnapping. Yeh mandee aaye kahan se? (Where has this recession come from) he asks his cronies. From Amreeka, they reply and manage to connect their crime and punishment graph to the going-ons in world politics: the trauma of Obama, the fate of Saddam, the goof-ups of Bush. And it isn't Bhaisaheb alone but his entire biradari (brotherhood) of bhai-log (small-timer Manu Rishi, Lady Gabbar Neha Dhupia, crooked politician Amol Gupte) who seem to affected by the economic meltdown in Obama's regime.

Terrific performances, ticklish humour and a trick-and-treat plot line: Phas Gaye Re Obama is a delightful end-of-the-year surprise package. After gargantuan disasters like Chandni Chowk to China, Warner Inc seems to have realised that small -- yet smart -- is truly beautiful. Remember Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge?

Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey Release Date : 03,Dec 2010

Producer Ajay Bijli, Sanjeev K. Bijli, Sunita Gowariker
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Music Sohail Sen
Writer Raoul V Randolf, Ashutosh Gowariker
Lyrics Javed Akhtar
Release Date 03-Dec-2010

Movie Review: Ashutosh Gowariker may have hit the headlines with films like Lagaan and Jodhaa Akbar, but there is one film of his which looms large in terms of cinematic excellence. And that is the less successful Swades which peddled patriotism as the need of the hour; but it did it ever so softly, subtly andsensitively...Still remember it! Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey echoes a similar theme in a similar tenor. It celebrates the sentiment of desh-bhakti, yet once again with a sense of refinement.

The high point of Gowariker's film is the fact that it combines high-octane drama with a high degree of restraint. The film unfolds like a relentless thriller with loads of action involving the band of revolutionaries as they go about their bloody business. Yet no one hollers the national anthem at youor grows hysterical with patriotic pulp. Instead, the director gently salutes the spirit of nationalism in a seminal scene where the bunch of teenage revolutionaries discover the hypnotic allure of a hymn like `vande mataram' while resting under the shade of the trees in their village. And the fact that it all begins with a bid to get back their football field makes the teenage uprising even more endearing.

The film has an interesting ensemble cast of young boys who enlist in their local school teacher's (Abhishek Bachchan) desi army. Abishek's Bachchan's Surjya Sen is simple, uncluttered and played straight from the heart as are Deepika Padukone's Kalpana Dutta, Vishakha Singh's Pritilata Waddedar and Sikandar Kher's Nirmal Sen. Like the revolution, the romance too is underplayed and both Deepika and Vishakha create a smouldering, yet silent ardour on screen for their respective heroes. For there isn't much time -- and opportunity -- for love under the shadow of the bullet and the bomb, is there? The film maker has tried to recreate the 1930s Chittagong in Goa, but the authenticity of the period piece doesn't suffer. Both the styling and the cinematography of the film exhibit an eye for detail. But it is the director's narrative style and his attempt to re-tell history through a racy-pacy tenor that gives the film its movement and manages to drive the message home.

Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey helps you rediscover forgotten heroes -- and a forgotten sentiment -- at a time when a scam-tainted nation needs to celebrate the national sentiment the most.

Allah Ke Banday Release Date : 26,Nov 2010

Producer Ravi Walia
Director Faruk Kabir
Music Kailash Kher, Chirantan Bhatt, Hamza Farokhi, Paresh-Naresh, Ishq Bector, Tarun,
Writer Faruk Kabir
Lyrics Sarim Momin
Release Date 26-Nov-2010

"Allah Ke Banday pays homage to all the kids exposed to offense, misdeeds and crime," debutant director Faruk Kabir told me when he screened the first promo of his film for me. In times when senseless comedies, rom-coms and thrillers are being lapped up at the box-office, here comes a director telling a realistic story of a bunch of bad young men taking up guns when they are preordained to take up education, taking up abhorrence when they are meant to take up love. The consequences are drastic, with these kids turning into negative forces, taking up crime as their mission as grown-ups as well.

Now, this is a parable most directors would fear to make in their debut film, but Faruk seems to be on a mission to make Allah Ke Banday watchable not only for its genre. The question is, does his statement that Allah Ke Banday isn't a film about crime, but our society in general come across effectively? Does Allah Ke Banday have the power to magnetize the viewers all across or does it cater to a miniscule audience? Let's analyze.

The Indian social order is evolving and so is Indian cinema. More and more directors are coming up with fresher ideas to tell tales that highlight and also influence changes in the fabric of our society. Faruk Kabir also seems like a youngster brimming with ideas, having a lot to tell in his own individualistic style. However, Allah Ke Banday is not without its share of flaws. The screenplay vacillates between interesting and not-too-exciting moments.

Yet, all said and done, it's an honest attempt, a notch above the ordinary!

Allah Ke Banday is a film that spans the life of two twelve-year-old boys living in one of the most ruthless slums of Mumbai. From delivering drugs for the Mafia to looting people with their transvestite friend, the two aspire to assert their position in this world of crime. But when they are wrongly convicted for a murder and sent to the Juvenile Reformatory, they discover a world more chaotic and tough to survive in, than the one they left behind.

The senior inmates, with the participation and permission of the dreadful Juvenile warden [Naseeruddin Shah], subject the two friends to all kinds of torture to suppress their sense of power. But not the ones to take it lying down, they start developing a more sinister criminal psychosis, instead of reforming and set on a quest for ultimate power. Set free at twenty three, Vijay [Sharman Joshi] and Yakub [Faruk Kabir] form a gang of teenage boys to rule the slums they were born in. The vicious cycle of life continues.

Does Allah Ke Banday take inspiration from a foreign source? Is it inspired by the gangster flick Cidade De Deus aka City Of God [2003], as being widely alleged? I would say that the source of inspiration seems more like Sleepers [1996], which starred some of the best names in the business [Kevin Bacon, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Brad Pitt]. But despite the similarities, I must add that Allah Ke Banday is not only well shot, but makes an equally powerful impact. Besides choosing an offbeat subject for his debut film, Faruk has gone a step further and shot it at real locations too and that, very frankly, takes the film to a different level altogether. The film wouldn't have worked had the director erected sets of a reformatory or the slums where crime breeds.

On the flipside, the writing isn't convincing at times. Sharman and Faruk run the show from a dilapidated mansion-like structure in the basti, pushing school-going kids to the world of crime. This is done valiantly, without any fear of law enforcement agencies, which is difficult to absorb. Besides, Allah Ke Banday is dark and like I pointed out earlier, it tries to be as close to reality as possible, in terms of the lingo spoken by the characters or the bloodshed depicted in the film and that could act as a deterrent. Also, the film stagnates in the middle of the second hour, partly because there's not much movement in the screenplay.

Faruk Kabir makes a powerful impact as a storyteller. His handling of a difficult subject deserves brownie points. The sequences in the reformatory are very well shot. Ditto for the sequence when Sharman encounters Naseeruddin Shah, who is now reduced to a life worse than a beggar. There's not much scope for music in the film, but I'd like to single out the background score, which complements the goings-on well. The cinematography is eye-catching. The real locations have been deftly captured on celluloid. Dialogue are power-packed at times.

With a talented cast like Naseeruddin Shah, Sharman Joshi, Atul Kulkarni and Zakir Hussain, you expect nothing but the best from each performer. Naseer has limited screen space, but he's dynamic every time he appears on screen. Sharman depicts the intensity very well. In fact, this is amongst his better works. Atul Kulkarni is wonderful, while Zakir Hussain is top notch. Faruk Kabir enacts a pivotal part himself and must say, he makes you sit and notice his talent as an actor. Anjana Sukhani doesn't get much scope, while Rukhsaar too gets less screen space. Suhasini Mulay is effective. The two kids, enacting Sharman and Faruk's parts, are excellent.

On the whole, Allah Ke Banday is a gritty, stimulating and provocative cinematic experience with a flipside: Not many would prefer a dark film about kids taking to crime and felony. Its appeal, therefore, will remain restricted to a niche audience.

Break Ke Baad Release Date : 26,Nov 2010

Producer Kunal Kohli
Director Danish Aslam
Music Vishal Dadlani, Shekhar Ravjiani
Writer Renuka Kunzru, Danish Aslam
Lyrics Prasoon Joshi
Release Date 26-Nov-2010

With a promise of entertaining the youth, debutant director Danish Aslam tries to offer you an old story with some new twists and turns incorporated in it. However, you will enjoy the chemistry between the two young leads Imran Khan as Abhay and Deepika Padukone as Aaliya. They are childhood sweethearts, who share their first kiss when they watch Kuch Kuch Hota Hai for the third time. So, it’s genuinely a love story but with some added fun elements.

Aaliya is ambitious, gorgeous and stubborn while Abhay is aimless in his life. For Aaliya, love is not everything and wants to be a renowned actress. But they can’t stay without each other even when they fight. You must have seen her saying ‘Main Shah Rukh Khan hu’ during the promos and that is one funny seen where she is totally drunk. Even though, she is insensitive sometimes but knows Abhay is the strong pillar of her life.

To fulfill her ambition, Aaliya leaves for Australia and Abhay follows her. Here, you can see some funny but confusing scenes between them. Finally, Lillette Dubey enters the scene and she does not mind calling Aalia ‘chudail’ even when she has divorced thrice in her own life.

It has a soulful music and a story that youth can relate to. So, it’s not a bad idea to watch the movie during this weekend with friends!

Guzaarish Release Date : 19,Nov 2010

Producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali & Ronnie Screwvala
Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Music Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Lyrics A.M. Turaz, Vibhu Puri, Late Jagdish Joshi
Release Date 19-Nov-2010

Within a Victorian structure, inside an artistically designed home, behind billowing curtains and surreal lighting schemes sits quadriplegic Ethan (Hirithik Roshan), trying desperately to shoo a fly off his nose. Unable to use his limbs and accepting his fate, he lets the fly sit-- a passing visitor in Ethan’s handicapped life.

Sanjay Bhansali returns to form with the creation of a fascinating world where fact meets fiction. While the dreamlike production design and costumes inspired from modern art are awe inspiring fiction, Bhansali’s research on euthanasia (or mercy killing) seems to be based on fact. Does fact blend seamlessly with fiction? Unfortunately not.

Right from the start Ethan seems to embrace the brighter side of life. He laughs in the face of adversity, always has a mischievous one-liner on his lips, and even hosts a radio show to counsel depressed listeners and share the joys of being alive. If the point of a fulfilled life wasn’t made clearly enough, the background songs remind us literally, that ‘life’s good!’

Yet, in the very next scene, Ethan calls his lawyer to tell her he’s had enough and wants to die. She must fight the legal system and their stand against mercy killing. Just when and why did the man who fought death and went on to write a book about living successfully as a quadriplegic decide to end his life, is never clearly explained. From this point on, no matter how hard the director and his actors try to elicit sympathy for Ethan, it is hard for one to connect with him.

The flashback scenes showing Ethan in his full glory are beautifully treated and Roshan is gracefully choreographed in stunning settings. His magic tricks are initially exciting to watch, but you soon realize that the gravity-defying stunts that he performs are beautiful but unrealistic, never attempted by the likes of the great Harry Houdini even. The stunts seem to owe more to the wire-work and CG departments of the film, than any authentic magic research.

But there are some heartening moments in an otherwise style dominated film; like the scene where Ethan reminisces about his mother and says that the biggest magic trick he performed was to put a smile on her face; the scene where Ethan’s former lover (Moni Kangana Dutta) calls him on his radio phone line understanding his need for euthanasia is nicely done. Dutta has this one scene to prove herself as an actress and she does so with all heart.

Another well executed scene is the penultimate courtroom sequence where Ethan locks the unsympathetic government lawyer in a small a box for sixty seconds. As Ethan describes the free environment in the outside world, the lawyer begins to suffocate and pleads to be let out. Ethan releases him and makes his point. ‘Imagine living in a box your entire life, if you could not stay inside for 60 seconds’.

While Hirithik Roshan does well for the most part, he is challenged by an ill-defined character. It is Aishwarya Bachchan as Sophie, Ethans loyal nurse for 14 years, who brings some heart to the slickly made Guzaarish. Aishwarya chips in a restrained performance as the stern nurse whose only purpose in life is to care for Ethan. The actress seems to have matured enough to give this otherwise airy film some solid grounding.

Guzaarish is based upon a great idea (as were the English films ‘The Sea Inside’ & ‘Whose Life is it Anyway’) and has some terrific moments. But sadly for the cast & crew who seemed to have worked hard to make this film, it is also over-the-top, has forgettable music and a weak climax. Watch it for a peak into Sanjay Bhansali’s wonderfully imaginative mind but be prepared not to feel his heart.

Shahrukh Bola Khoobsurat Hai Tu Release Date : 19,Nov 2010

Producer Amarjeet Singh
Director Makrand Deshpande
Music Vasuda Sharma
Writer Makrand Deshpande
Lyrics Makrand Deshpande, Vasuda Sharma
Release Date 19-Nov-2010

'Shahrukh Bola...' would easily hold the distinction of being one of the most pointless and lacklustre films to have hit the screens this year. Given the fact that it's title contains the name of a superstar, it is all the more heartbreaking.

Reason being that there isn't any script to begin with. Moreover, the presence of Shahrukh Khan appears to be nothing but a (poorly) disguised marketing tool. His name does appear at the beginning, in the end and then a few times during the 100 minutes length of the film. Still, it hardly holds any prominence whatsoever in the bigger scheme of things.

In fact there is a loose thread of 'Devdas' that runs right through the film. While the lead protagonist here is Sanjay Dadheech, a bookseller at traffic signals, his Paro is a flower-seller (Pritika Chawla) and his Chandramukhi, a slum prostitute (Choyoti Ghosh). Choyoti loves Sanjay, Sanjay loves Pritika and Pritika loves Shahrukh, and that too because she has seen 'Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge' dozens of times, knows the film's dialogues by heart and believes that he is her God ever since she had a chance encounter with him where the superstar complimented him with five words - 'Ae Ladki, Khoobsurat Hai Tu'!

However, the entire Shahrukh Khan buck stops here as the film is mainly a triangular love story more than anything else. In addition, there are also some random sub-plots being thrown around a local gangster (Makrand Deshpande), a 'bhai', a cop, a drunkard, his wife and a journalist couple. To the pity of the audience, there isn't much that ties them up together and worst, none of it is really important to the film's storyline, if one can even acknowledge the presence of one.

'Shahrukh Bola Khoobsurat Hai Tu' has such an incoherent screenplay that at number of times, you are totally lost w.r.t. the semblance of the scene which was playing earlier and the one which has followed soon after. Worse, there is no real 'mudde ki baat' here as more than half a dozen odd sequences are just thrown in that do not bear any relevance to the film. There is no clarity on the purpose behind the story telling as well while entertainment value is absolutely nil.

Even performances are just about okay; nothing exceptional here. Pratika is decent but marred by a characterisation that never quite explains how Shahrukh managed to turn into a God like figure for her. Sanjay is hardly the kind that makes for a lead actor in Bollywood. Choyoti is okay while the couple playing the journalists hardly leave an impact. Music too is nothing to boast about.

2010 is throwing some real turkeys at the box office. Just a few weeks back there was 'Hisss', then there was 'Raama - The Saviour' and now 'Shahrukh Bola Khoobsurat Hai Tu'. One wonders though how could Shahrukh Khan actually lend his name to this film. Though he does appear in a couple of shots in the entire film, one strongly suspects that he actually bothered to even go through the script that director Makrand Deshpande must have offered to him.

A Flat Release Date : 12,Nov 2010

Producer Anjum Rizvi
Director Hemant Madhukar
Music Bappa Lahiri
Writer Ajay Monga, Hemant Madhukar
Release Date 12-Nov-2010

The horror genre has suddenly found its way back in Bollywood. The recent past saw films like 1920, RAAZ- THE MYSTERY CONTINUES, 13B, ROKKK, HELP, SHAAPIT and MALLIKA. Out of them, 1920 and 13B stood out, for it gave the audiences exactly what the wanted- some spine-chilling moments and a decent storyline. Isn't that precisely what one expects from a horror film?

Most of our Bollywood horror films have one thing in common- revenge. No doubt, there are a few exceptions, but this has been the case right from the Ramsay Brothers' horror films. A spirit returns to avenge the harm done onto her causing trouble beyond imagination. A FLAT traverses the same route.

Rahul (Jimmy Sheirgill) returns from the US to India after his former love Preeti (Kaveri Jha) is going through a tough time. On his arrival, his father (Sachin Khedekar) is mysteriously found dead in Rahul's separate flat. Even Preeti disappears suddenly. Rahul, who visits his flat to find out clues about his father's death, finds himself ensnared. Will he be able to find out the truth is what ensues.

Like many other horror films, A FLAT is marred by a flimsy second half after an impressive start. Till the intermission point it draws you in with its intriguing plot. The problem starts in the second half where the graph of the film suddenly plummets. The back-story is hackneyed and totally takes away from the otherwise decent film. They say, all's well that ends well. Unfortunately, this one doesn't, leaving an awful impression on your senses. Having said that, the film is technically very sound. Right from the camera angles, to the background score, to the editing, everything is brilliant. The transition between present and past in done with precision.

Dunno Y Na Jaane Kyun... Release Date : 12,Nov 2010

Director Sanjay Sharma
Music Nikhil
Lyrics Satya Prakash, Vimal Kashyap
Release Date 12-Nov-2010

The film has had its fair share of trouble, both with the Censor Board and then with the self-appointed moral police which has threatened the lead actors with dire consequences for portraying a homosexual relationship. Sure does speak poorly of our prudish society....

Dunno Y definitely isn't India's answer to Brokeback Mountain, even though the film makers have tried to be bold and adventurous while portraying the passion between the protagonists: a sleaze club dancer and a sedate married man with middle class bearings (read morality). But the film perks up more because of the veteran women -- Helen and Zeenat Aman -- who are fresh and vibrant as the quarrelsome saas-bahu jodi. If Zeenat still looks glamorous as the single mother who tries to provide for her family after being abandoned by husband, Kabir Bedi, then Helen oozes charm as the vitriolic mother-in-law who breathes venom, yet stands by her daughter-in-law in times of stress. Between them, the seasoned actors create enough moments to make the film watchable in places.

There is a degree of sensitivity while tackling the homosexual relationship, nevertheless the drama lacks punch and the conclusion becomes self-defeatist. Surely, there could have been a bolder climax if the film wanted to lift the taboo from this bond.

Action Replayy Release Date : 05,Nov 2010

Producer Vipul Shah
Director Vipul Shah
Music Pritam Chakraborty
Writer Suresh Nair, Aatish Kapadia
Lyrics Irshad Kamil
Release Date 05-Nov-2010

To recreate the bygone era and tell a story about it is nothing short of a challenge, and that's exactly what director Vipul Shah is out to achieve with his latest outing Action Replayy.

Time travel stories are no longer alien to Bollywood. We have had our share of movies where characters have either travelled into the future or into the past.

In Action Replayy, one of the protagonists travels into the past because he feels only if he betters the past will his family live in harmony in the present.

Special: All about Action Replayy

Action Replayy does not share any similarity with David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button [2008]. However, the film does bring back memories of the outstandingly executed Back to the Future, a 1985 American science-fiction film directed by Robert Zemeckis.

The only difference is that the character played by Michael J Fox accidentally goes into the past, but in Action Replayy, the boy seems to be on a mission.

A light-hearted rom-com with a dash of sci-fi thrown in, Action Replayy should be viewed without really seeking much rationale or logic behind every action and reaction.

Of course, Action Replayy is no perfect film, for it has its share of blemishes, which actually curtails its growth to an extent.

Bunty [Aditya Roy Kapur] loves his girlfriend Tanya, but runs a mile whenever she mentions marriage. His phobia with matrimony stems from his parents Kishen [Akshay Kumar] and Mala's [Aishwarya Rai Bachchan] acrimonious marriage.

But now Bunty is in a fix. Tanya's grandfather, Professor Anthony Gonsalves [Randhir Kapoor], has given him an ultimatum - get married to Tanya or stop seeing her. Bunty knows that unless he does something fast, his dreams of living happily ever after with Tanya will bite the dust.

As Bunty's surprise party for his parent's 35th wedding anniversary deteriorates into yet another explosive fight between Kishen and Mala, he decides to turn back the clock and rewrite Kishen and Mala's destiny and alter their disastrous marriage into a romantic affair of the hearts.

And how does he do that? By using the professor's time machine to travel back in time. To a time when Kishen and Mala were not married. To a time when Kishen's father Rai Bahadur [Om Puri] and Mala's mother Bholi Devi [Kirron Kher] were sworn enemies.

To a time when Kishen was a certified nerd, bullied merciless by Kundan [Rannvijay]. To a time when Mala couldn't stand the sight of Kishen and took great pleasure in ragging him.

Images: Akshay & Ash ride the 'love scooter' | Akshay Kumar turns DJ | Preview: Action Replayy

Bunty has to transform his father from a wimp into an eligible bachelor and his mother from a tomboy into the epitome of feminine grace. Then he has to attempt the impossible - make them fall in love with each other.

And finally he has to make his grandparents agree to their love marriage.

Doesn't the synopsis sound really good on paper? But the question is, has the director executed the wonderful story idea with panache and have the writers come up with a taut screenplay?

Action Replayy is the fifth film Vipul Shah and Akshay Kumar have done together afterAankhen, Waqt, Namastey London and Singh is Kinng [which was produced by him and directed by Anees Bazmee], and it's evident that the two share great work chemistry.

Also, I genuinely feel that Vipul's script sense is good; he likes to attempt diverse genres, exploring new territories each time he attempts a film.

When attempting a movie on a concept like time travel, it's imperative that the writing should be so persuasive that the viewer is influenced into believing that people can travel into the past or future.

In this case, a little bit of additional gyan would have only enhanced the impact of the story. But whatever minimal is said about time travel in the film doesn't register effectively. An unfortunately, the time machine itself looks tacky and tawdry, and does little in convincing you that this piece of scrap can transport you into a departed era - 1975 in this case.

The screenplay writing is flawed and a few tracks just don't cut ice. The track involving Rannvijay is lacklustre and the least convincing. Also the track involving the warring neighbours [Om Puri and Kirron Kher] is half-baked.

The portions involving Randhir Kapoor and Neha Dhupia are undeveloped and the climax is far from comic.

The blame falls completely on screenplay writers Suresh Nair, Ritesh Shah and Aatish Kapadia for coming up with an unimaginative screenplay, despite having a brilliant concept in hand.

What really salvages the otherwise flawed script is the pace and the length of the film and, of course, the performances of its principal cast. The film moves at a brisk pace, although I wish to add that if a couple of scenes from the first hour are deleted, the second hour would get a bit more impactful.

Vipul Shah seems to have kept a strict vigil on the length of the film, not allowing it to over-exceed and making it less burdensome and more enjoyable for the viewer.

However, the film is not a patch on his earlier works, especially Waqt and Namastey London. He's made far superior films in the past.

Pritam comes up with a likable score, with Zor Ka Jhatka and O Bekhabar, which is soothing and reminds you of a Yash Chopra composition. Nakhre is catchy and hummable. Sejal Shah's cinematography is alright.

I'd like to make a specific note of Salim-Sulaiman's background score, which is amongst the best of 2010. The duo's contribution to the film is immense, since even an ordinary sequence gets enhanced with the right sound.

The costumes and styling deserve brownie points, while the sets of the bygone era are realistic. The only negative is the time machine.

Both Akshay and Aishwarya remain faithful to their characters and come up with winning performances. It requires a lot of courage for a good looking man like Akshay to look the opposite of what he is, with buck teeth and long hair, and he carries it off convincingly.

He's wonderful in both young and old parts. Ditto for Aishwarya, who enacts the over the top Mala with understanding of the character. Even the elderly Mala has been effectively portrayed by her.

The real surprise is Aditya Roy Kapur, who looks extremely persuasive as the demoralised and dispirited son of Akshay and Ash. He's fantastic. This act should open new vistas for the youngster.

Special: All about Action Replayy

Distinguished actors like Om Puri, Kirron Kher and Rajpal Yadav come across as mere props with sketchy characterisations. They are under-utilised, but despite this they give all their might and power to the roles.

Rannvijay is the least convincing, while Randhir Kapoor and Neha Dhupia are wasted.

On the whole, Action Replayy is a light-hearted rom-com. A slightly dreary first hour, but a racy second hour with top notch performances makes it a decent watch this Diwali.

Golmaal 3 Release Date : 05,Nov 2010

Producer Dhilin Mehta
Director Rohit Shetty
Music Pritam Chakraborty
Writer K. Subhaash
Lyrics Kumaar
Release Date 05-Nov-2010

‘Golmaal 3′; Star cast: Kareena Kapoor, Ajay Devgn, Mithun Chakraborty, Kunal Khemu, Tusshar Kapoor, Arshad Warsi, Johny Lever, Ratna Pathak-Shah; Director: Rohit Shetty; Rating: *** – completes a rib-tickling trilogy.

It is touted as the first trilogy of Indian cinema. It’s about time that the distant cousin of Hollywood had one. Yet, what’s important is that Bollywood did not need to have trilogies as one hit film has the habit of spawning a whole generation of films that look and feel like the original. ‘Golmaal 3′ also suffers from that syndrome. Thankfully, it only feels like its previous avatars.

Despite retaining most characters from its previous outings, ‘Golmaal 3′ enters a hitherto uncharted territory. Madhav (Warsi), Laxman (Khemu) and Lucky (Kapoor) are the three scheming sons of Pritam (Mithun) who manage to lure Vasooli (Mukesh Tiwari) into one scheme after another.

However, as luck would have it, in everything they start, they find competition from three other down-on-their-luck kids Gopal (Ajay Devgn), Laxman (Shreyas Talapade) and Dabbu (Kareena Kapoor) with funding from Puppy bhai (Johnny Lever). Gopal and Laxman are the sons of Geeta (Ratna Pathak Shah).

Inevitably, locking horns they end up destroying each others businesses. What the two groups don’t know is that their parents are unrequited ex-lovers. When Dabbu finds out she schemes and unites the two lovers in a marriage without letting their children know about their step-brothers. All hell breaks loose when they finally find out and a hilarious war engulfs between the two groups right under their parents noses.

Like its predecessors ‘Golmaal 3′ has enough laughs going through the film to keep the momentum. Johnny Lever as the Ghajini-style forgetful don who adopts a new filmy avatar every few minutes has the audience in splits. The few spoofs of old Hindi films, full of camera pans and quick zooms, will nostalgically tickle the funny bone. The twists of various popular phrases and known adages, raises more than a chuckle.

Mithun gets to do his ‘Disco Dancer’ once again. Theatre veteran Ratna Pathak-Shah waltzes through the film with aplomb. Arshad Warsi is his usual tapori self while Shreyas Talapade and Kunal Khemu do a good job. It is however the beefed up Tushar Kapoor who seems to be trying too hard, and despite raising giggles, fails to arouse laughter. In the first part he, looking the most vulnerable, was the funniest of the lot.

Director Rohit Shetty tries his best in merging comic vignettes into one comprehensible film. However, had it not been for the funny dialogues, his lack of directorial verve would have shone out. He is spared the fate by some ingenious dialogue writing by Robin Bhatt (‘Aashiqui’, ‘Sadak’, ‘Baazigar’) and Yunus Sajawal.

Now that Bollywood finally has a trilogy, will it please also make one that also has some real standing in the world of cinema?

27-13.20 Nakshatra Release Date : 29,Oct 2010

Producer Ravindra Singh
Director Mohan Savalkar
Music D.J. Sheizwood, 43923, Harry Anand
Writer Mohan Savalkar
Lyrics Harry Anand, Nawab Arzoo, Rani Malik
Release Date 29-Oct-2010

7-13.20 Nakshatra is a film directed by Mohan Savalkar. This film is a romantic thriller that deals the complexities of life. It is a story about a dreamer, whose dream is mislead by destiny, as it charges ahead to prove itself. It is a story about the dreamer who then chases the law of love, truth, justice and destiny.

The film reveals the story of Ajay (Shubh Mukherjee) who gets an opportunity to write a script for a movie, an aspiring screen writer, he is thrilled, more by the thought of finally being able to prove himself to Jiya [Sabina Sheema], the girl he loves. A robbery being the main theme of the plot, Ajay works hard at getting the script right. Just when everything seems perfect, Ajay is arrested for a crime he hasn't committed.

Sharad [Anupam Kher], a family friend, promises to bail him out as soon as possible. But the mystery deepens when a spate of murders start taking place. So who is the main killer and mastermind behind the plot forms the rest part of the film.

Performance wise, Shubh Mukherjee is improved. He delievers a better performance than his debut in Aasma. Sabina Sheema seems confident. She is perfect for her role. Milind Soman is just okay. Anupan Kher has no scope. Rest of the cast are just fine.

Daayen ya Baayen Release Date : 29,Oct 2010

Producer Sunil Doshi
Director Bela Negi
Music Vivek Philip
Writer Bela Negi
Release Date 29-Oct-2010

Daayen Ya Baayen is a film directed by Bela Negi. The film is about a Quoxotian character, inspired from our folk tales of the Himalayas. The movie is simple and believable yet it lacks the drive at several instances.

The film reveals the story of Ramesh Majila (Deepak Dobriyal) who returns to his small scenic village located in the mountains of Uttarakhand. He is looked upon as a hero as any other city return man is treated in the villages of India. He claims to be a writer by profession in Mumbai and wrote for many of the serials that were telecasted. Soon he turns a joke for all the villagers when he decides to settle down in the village and takes the job of a English teacher at the local school. He is looked down by not only the villagers but also his wife for his impractical ambition of opening a Kala Kendra ( art center) , poetic thoughts and radical ways of teaching.

Life takes a dramatic turn for him when one of his random poetic invention gets selected for an ad jingle and wins him a swanky luxurious red car. This prize gets him adorns and love from children and grudge from others. He rises to a heroic status overnight. However his life spirals into a series of comic conflicts as he struggles to match the rest of his life to the car that adorns his cowshed, undoing himself completely in the process and losing the respect of his most ardent fan, his young son. When the car is stolen, he sets out on a journey to recover something more than his prized possession - his lost dignity.

Performance wise, Deepak Dobriyal has done his part very well. Bharti Bhatt is fine as a house wife. Manav Kaul has no scope. Badrul Islam is fine. Pratyush is excellent.

On the whole, Daayen Ya Baayen is a simple film with a simple story yet really enjoyable.

Maalik Ek Release Date : 29,Oct 2010

Producer Kishori Shahane
Director Deepak Balraj Vij
Music Anup Jalota, Jaideep Choudhary
Writer Deepak Balraj Vij
Lyrics Anup Jalota, Manoj Kumar, Amit Khanna
Release Date 29-Oct-2010

It's indeed a whole new role for Jackie Shroff. The actor who enunciated the quintessential tapori in Hindi cinema now plays the saintly miracle man in Malik Ek. And surprisingly, he plays it well, with a restraint and an earthiness that brings alive the seer.

The film is essentially a chronicle of the miraculous incidents that marked the life of people who interacted with the sage and ended up becoming his devotees. But more importantly, it shows the protagonist espousing a secularism that is desperately needed in today's India. When his devotees ended up fighting with each other on his religious affiliations and his antecedents, Sai Baba gave them a sermon on the essential unity of man. Who's a Hindu and who's a Muslim? he yelled and espoused the `Malik Ek' (One God) philosophy to the warring factions.

There is a warmth and simplicity in the narration, although the over abundance of songs and commentary does act as a deterrent. This one's a biography that's essentially meant for the believers.

Musaa Release Date : 29,Oct 2010

Producer Mahendrabhai Katariya
Director Himanshu Bhatt
Music Jaydeep-Eliyas
Writer Himanshu Bhatt
Lyrics Sandeep, Ibrahim Ashq
Release Date 29-Oct-2010

'Mussa' an upcoming Bollywood Movie starring 'Jackie Shroff, Sameer Aftab, Sushant Singh, Yashpal Sharma, Akhilendra Mishra, Daya Shanker pandey, Firoze Irani, Avtar Gill, Monica, Lijna Jariya, Nitin Kothari directed by 'Hamanshu Bhatt' and produced by 'Mahendra Bhai Katariya'

Music is scored by 'Santosh Sharma, Jagdeep, Ilyas'

'Mussa' comes as a package of action, romance, sentiment and drama, that covers all sections of the movie lovers.

Rakht Charitra - I Release Date : 22,Oct 2010

Producer Sheetal Vinod Talwar, Madhu Mantena
Director Ram Gopal Varma
Music Sukhwinder Singh, Bapi, Tutul
Writer Prashant Pandey
Lyrics Sarim Momin, Vayu, Shabbir Ahmed, Prashant Pandey
Release Date 22-Oct-2010

Welcome to the law of the jungle. Where there're no rules. Where the life of a human being is not worth a penny. Where goonda raj reins supreme. Where men are butchered and women abducted and raped. Where the police obey the orders of the goons. Where guns, swords, bombs, knives and sharp weapons are a man's best friends. Welcome to Rakta Charitra, based on the true story of Paritala Ravi.

Buzz up!

Ramgopal Varma is known for dark and gritty cinema and Rakta Charitra is not just the film-maker's, but also Hindi cinema's most violent film so far. Be forewarned, Rakta Charitra is not for the lily-livered. Nor is it for those who love to visit cineplexes with their families, weekend after weekend, to watch that perfect family film. This one has just one song (not needed, actually), no romance, no comedy/humour, no phoren locations, no good looking faces, no family gatherings and no striking sets that are mandatory for escapist cinema. RGV is a rebel, he likes to make movies he believes in and Rakta Charitra proves it yet again.

Let me add, Rakta Charitra is not one of RGV's most accomplished works. Perhaps, one of the reasons could be because he's now churning out gangster and crime-based films with amazing regularity and obviously, there's not much he can explore due to the limitations of this genre. But, yes, Rakta Charitra has a fascinating story to tell and even if you aren't acquainted with Paritala Ravi, you might identify with Rakta Charitra because the essence of the film is revenge.

Final word? With a title like Rakta Charitra and all the blood and gore in the film, it's certain that the film holds appeal for those who like to watch brutality in cinema, which, in turn, cuts off a sizeable section of the audience (ladies and kids). However, from the content point of view, I'd say that Rakta Charitra is the best bet of this week.

Rakta Charitra deals with emotionally volatile people and is set in a rural environment. It tells the story of Paritala Ravi (Vivek Oberoi), a soft-spoken person, who took law in his hands to avenge the murders of his father (Rajendra Gupta) and brother (Sushant Singh). Paritala Ravi's name sent shivers up the spines of not only his rivals, but even the law enforcement agencies. He rose to become a minister eventually. The first part ends with his undertaking a mission to end goonda raj in the state.

By now we've come to expect zany camera angles, tight close ups, a raging background score, power-packed performances and abstract stories from RGV's films and Rakta Charitra is no different. Expect all this and more [read bloodshed] in Rakta Charitra. Since Rakta Charitra is based on a true story, there's not much one can comment on it, but the manner in which the incidents unfold keep you hooked. Of course, it's a vendetta fare, yet one is keen to fathom what essentially provoked a soft-spoken individual to transform into a killing machine.

Barring the incidents in the initial reels, there's not much movement in the story in the first hour. In fact, there are killings and more killings. But the story gathers momentum when an iconic actor turned politician enters the scene and takes Paritala Ravi under his wings. The sequences between Shatrughan Sinha and Vivek are, frankly, the preeminent and most excellent parts of the enterprise. The post-interval is different because the killings reduce and Paritala now fights his opponent from the corridors of power.

Rakta Charitra gets lengthy in its second half and one genuinely feels that RGV should've curtailed the length of the film by a few minutes, although the introduction of Suriya's character at the end only raises the curiosity for the second installment.

RGV has handled a number of sequences brilliantly, but the film leaves you with a sense of deja vu off and on. Glimpses of films like Sarkar and Sarkar Raj, besides Satya and Company, though not remotely similar to Rakta Charitra, flash across your mind. It's a little intricate to encompass all incidents in the screenplay, but writer Prashant Pandey makes a sincere effort. Cinematography (Amol Rathod) catches your eye. Action scenes are true to life. Background score compliments the mood of the film.

All RGV films are embellished with powerful performances and Rakta Charitra is no exception. Vivek Oberoi breathes fire and venom and comes across as the most appropriate actor to infuse life into the character he portrays. He's super efficient and his act in Company and Shootout At Lokhandwala pale in comparison. Shatrughan Sinha is remarkable. A powerful personality could've only been portrayed by a powerful actor and the veteran enacts it with amazing ease. Abhimanyu Singh is superb as the opponent. You hate him for being so evil and that only goes to prove how effective he is. Radhika Apte is good. Zarina Wahab is first-rate. Ashwini Kalsekar is excellent. Ashish Vidyarthi, Rajendra Gupta, Anupam Shyam, Sushmita Mukherjee, Vishwajeet Pradhan and Kota Srinivasa Rao shine in their respective parts. Sudeep and Darshan Jariwala get no scope.

On the whole, Rakta Charitra is not for the faint-hearted or the lily-livered. The violence, the blood and gore depicted in the film will shock and disconcert you, which only goes to establish as to how proficiently the subject material has been treated. The film is targeted mainly at those who love to watch aggression, violence, bloodshed, brutality and massacre on the silver screen, but a chunk of the movie-going audience (ladies and kids) will choose to stay away from this scene of carnage. The business in Telugu and Tamil versions is expected to be excellent, due to the strong identification with the subject material.

Dus Tola Release Date : 22,Oct 2010

Producer Kunwar Pragy Arya
Director Ajoy
Music Sandesh Shandilya
Lyrics Gulzar
Release Date 22-Oct-2010

As a kid, one of my favourite shows on TV was 'Malgudy Days'. It left an indelible impression on my mind, memories that I cherish to date. When I watch films set in a hamlet with assorted characters that seem straight out of life, memories of 'Malgudy Days' come alive instantaneously. That's precisely what I felt while watching Dus Tola.

Buzz up!

Having a similar storyline as the Malayalam film Ponmuttayidunna Tharavu, Dus Tola has an interesting plotline and boasts of a few endearing moments, but the outcome is plain and simplistic. Also, the writing is quite erratic; it involves you at a few places, but is yawn inducing at most times.

Final word? Lacks the glitz and sparkle!

Shankar (Manoj Bajpayee) is the much loved goldsmith of a quaint coastal town Sonapur. Shankar is head over heels in love with the town beauty, his cunning astrologer neighbour's daughter Suvarnalata (Aarti Chhabria). Needless to say, Shastri (Dilip Prabahvalkar), Suvarna's father, is opposed to the budding romance.

Suvarnalata cooks up a fool-proof plan to manipulate her father into accepting the alliance. She convinces a smitten Shankar to make a necklace of not one tola, not two tolas, but ten tolas of gold so he can show Shastri that he can take care of his daughter and he is a suitable husband for her. Shankar puts everything he has at stake and slogs day and night to make a necklace for his beloved.

A shocking turn of events leaves Shankar flabbergasted. He feels cheated, but the truth is out soon.

What goes around comes around - this is the message that Dus Tola attempts to send across. But director Ajoy and the writer take their own sweet time to convey the message. The numerous stories and parallel tracks running concurrently divert and deflect you attention, driving you away from the main plot. These include the romantic track between Manoj and the dance teacher (drab), Govind Namdeo and his third wife's story (forced) and Manoj's father's scenes (in poor taste). Even the climax is ridiculous. If the writing is patchy, the direction is equally inconsistent. The songs gratuitously adjoin to the length of the film.

Manoj Bajpayee is completely miscast. A younger lead man would've looked more convincing in this role. Aarti Chhabria doesn't look convincing either, though she puts in every effort to look the character. Siddharth Makkar is fairly good. Amongst the plethora of actors, Dilip Prabhavalkar and Ninad Kamat seem real.

On the whole, Dus Tola will go completely disregarded and eventually fall into the category of those films that arrive without a bang and leave without a whimper.

Director: Ajoy
Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Aarti Chhabria, Siddharth Makkar, Pallavi Sharda, Govind Namdeo, Asrani, Dilip Prabhawalkar