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.