Rann Release Date : 29,Jan 2010

When the watchdog of democracy turns into a business enterprise and when journalistic ethics are pawned off for TRP-friendly sensationalism, it’s time to sit up and take note. Without succumbing to cynicism typical of other filmmakers repeatedly offering us the so-called ‘slice-of-life cinema’, Ram Gopal Varma guides us through the innards of the fourth estate, revealing its dirty underbelly that serves as a handy tool for politicians in their power games in Rann. At the centre of the drama, without hogging the limelight, is Amitabh Bachchan, playing Vijay Harshwardhan Malik, the founding head of a news channel, India 24/7. In a media age where news is selectively edited, hyperbolized and presented with attention grabbing headlines and dramatic background music to boot, Malik is somewhat an oddball. A conscientious newsman, he sticks to his uncompromising journalistic ethics, even though it may lead to nose-diving TRPs for his channel. No surprise that his US-returned ambitious son Jay (Sudeep) doesn’t believe in his dad’s ideals and opines that the news channel ought to be run like a business company if it has to beat their rival (Mohnish Bahl), who believes in ‘creating’ news rather than reporting it. Things take a turn for worse when Malik’s son Jay and son-in-law (Rajat Kapoor) become pawns in the hands of the wily and cunning politician Mohan Pandey (Paresh Rawal) who masterminds a media-led campaign against his political rival to get to the Prime Minister’s seat. There’s only one man who can put a spanner in their working - Purab Shastri (Ritesh Deshmukh) who imbibes the lofty journalistic ideals of Vijay Harshwardhan Malik and an unwavering desire to dig out the truth and report it to people. Credit must be reserved for Ram Gopal Varma for not making ‘Rann’ a mere bland exposé of the world of overzealous hacks. Ramu pumps in enough drama, grit and a wee bit of suspense and thrills to make the movie a compelling watch. However, at times the maverick filmmaker does overflap in his flight of idealism. Sequences like the one where Bachchan is shown spieling against religious hatred on a national television seem far-fetched. Also the plot gets a little convoluted in the second half as the story keeps flitting between a dozen or so characters. There’s also humour to be found in some characters - like that of Rajpal Yadav, playing the creative director with a knack for sensationalizing even the dullest of news stories. In a sequence he tells a filmmaker (Gul Panag) that the media’s job isn’t very different from that of a filmmaker - that is, providing entertainment. ‘Rann’ boasts of some stupendous performances, not the least by Amitabh Bachchan and Sudeep. Big B somehow stays the central force of the film without hogging much footage, but it is Sudeep (of Phoonk fame) who truly impresses with his well nuanced performance. Ritesh Deshmukh takes to a serious role effectively and Gul Panag (as his live-in girlfriend) does emote well the few scenes she’s given. Paresh Rawal is superb as the debauched politician. On the sidelines, Suchitra Krishnamurthy (playing the programming head of India 24/7) and Neetu Chandra (the Muslim fiancée of Jay) perform well. Like his previous film ‘Sarkar’, Ramu’s cinematographer Amit Roy plays with light and shade and cans the shots from imaginative angles. The background music however gets jarring at times. Ramu can’t seem to do without it. Rohit Banawlikar’s writing is not without holes. The dialogues reek of superfluity in some sequences. ‘Rann’ takes off well but begins to lose momentum in intermittent reels. The drama does build up nicely in the last half hour - with a literal ‘sting’ in the tale - and concludes on a thought-provoking monologue by Big B.

Ishqiya Release Date : 29,Jan 2010

Get ready for tangy, pungent, sizzling and spicy stuff. Be forewarned, ISHQIYA isn't the fluffy, candyfloss, saccharine sweet story of lovers breaking into songs in mustard fields. In ISHQIYA, you just don't know what turn the story may take next. Not just the story, even the characters here are so impulsive and unpredictable.

You need to have a strong stomach to absorb ISHQIYA. It's high on drama, it's wild, it's real. But it's not dark, it's not sleazy, it's not crass. Frankly, you don't expect debutante director Abhishek Chaubey to make a stereotypical fare thanks to the tutelage by his guru Vishal Bhardwaj, who loves to swim against the tide and undertake risks in film after film.

You could call ISHQIYA a distant cousin of OMKARA. Set in Gorakhpur in North India, the film has a rustic feel, depicts characters that may make you uncomfortable and is laced with saucy lingo. Yet, it's different than OMKARA

Final word? You can't help but fall in ishq with ISHQIYA. Tired of sherbat? Try this spicy jaljeera for a change!

Two thieves, Khalujaan [Naseeruddin Shah] and Babban [Arshad Warsi], are on the run from their boss, Mushtaq. They seek refuge at a friend's house, but instead meet his widow, Krishna [Vidya Balan]. The time spent together draws the duo to her, Khalu with his tinted vision of old-fashioned love and Babban with his lustful eye. But the past catches up with all three!

There's no denying that the promos had prepared me of the journey ahead, yet it took me a good 15-odd minutes to get into the world of Khalujaan, Babban and Krishna. But once you get sucked into their world, the blurred images start getting clearer and clearer and you become an active participant in their journey.

The first hour passes in a jiffy, but the story actually gets dramatic and volatile in its second hour. It's at this stage that things start getting more and more unpredictable. The story does a somersault every 10 minutes and by the time it reaches its finale, you're curious to know how the debutante director would conclude this saga. The end, of course, will have its share of advocates and adversaries, but the fact remains that it's offbeat.

Abhishek Chaubey is a welcome addition to the ranks of avid storytellers. His choice of the subject and also handling of the material is what makes this film so eminently watchable. Not once do you feel that ISHQIYA has been helmed by a first-timer. Note the change of events in the song 'Dil To Bachcha Hain Ji' or the kidnap drama and the heated argument that follows thereafter. Even the passionate lovemaking sequence between Arshad and Vidya has been dexterously canned.

However, Chaubey and his team of writers could've kept the writing simplistic towards the finale. It's complex and also lacks clarity. Yet, all said and done, screenplay writers Vishal Bhardwaj, Sabrina Dhawan and Abhishek Chaubey deserve kudos for coming up with a film that keeps you hooked for most parts.

Vishal Bhardwaj's musical score has his unmistakable stamp all over. The film is embellished with two lilting gems - 'Ibne Batuta' and 'Dil To Bachcha Hain Ji' - which are a rage with listeners already and have been juxtaposed beautifully in the plot. Mohana Krishna's cinematography is first-rate. Dialogues [Vishal Bhardwaj] are acidic and a few lines are indeed startling.

Every actor in ISHQIYA delivers a sparkling performance! Naseeruddin Shah is superb as a romantic. He is matchless in the sequence when he learns the truth about Vidya and Arshad. Arshad packs in a bravura performance yet again. Post MUNNABHAI films, Arshad should be liked in this one the maximum. Vidya continues to surprise. It's a dynamic performance undoubtedly. PAA and ISHQIYA are two landmarks in her career.

The actors enacting the role of Jijaji, the kidnapped victim and Vidya's husband are all perfect. The child, who interacts with Arshad, is natural. In fact, every performance in ISHQIYA is worthy of mention.

On the whole, ISHQIYA is definitely worth a watch. The film has a riveting plot, great performances, soulful music, an absorbing story and skilful direction to make the viewer fall in ishq with it. It should appeal to the hardcore masses as also the multiplex junta.

Road To Sangam Release Date : 29,Jan 2010

Director Amit Rai
Producer Amit Chheda
Starring Paresh Rawal, Om Puri, Pawan Malhotra, Javed Sheikh, Swati Chitnis,

Yusuf Hussain, Masood Akhtar, Rajan Bhise, Sudhir Nema, G P Singh, Vijay Mishra,Tushar Gandhi, Rakesh Shrivastav

One look at the promos of Road To Sangam and you realize that this isn't one of those films you watch every week. Road To Sangam, in fact, pricks your conscience and mirrors a reality. Wars have been fought and are still being fought in the name of religion. Road To Sangam tries to seek answers to the burning issue and in the process, also talks of partition and the Muslims in present-day India. Made with honest intentions, this one's targeted at connoisseurs of cinema

Road To Sangam tells the story of a God-fearing, devout Muslim mechanic named Hashmat Ullah [Paresh Rawal], who has been entrusted the job of repairing an old Ford engine, not knowing its historic significance.

He is caught in a complex situation after a powerful bomb explosion rocks his town, leading to the arrest of innocent Muslim youths of his locality. A strike to work is called by the prominent leaders [played by Om Puri and Pawan Malhotra] of his community to protest against the unjust treatment meted out to those arrested youths by the police.

Will he support the protest and abandon the repair of the engine or go against the wishes of his community? A simple, thought-provoking story, Road To Sangam has some brilliant moments and also some sequences that you carry home. But what could've been told in a concise format seems stretched after a point. Also, besides moving at a snail's pace, there's also sermonising at times, which wasn't really required.

Writer-director Amit Rai explains his point of view, but the screenplay could've been firm for a stronger impact. Otherwise, the director has succeeded in extracting wonderful performances from the principal cast. Paresh Rawal excels in this film. This is amongst his finest works. Om Puri is equally competent, although the length of his role is limited. Pawan Malhotra is efficient, as always. Javed Sheikh is good. The remaining actors enact their parts very well. On the whole, Road To Sangam is mainly for connoisseurs of cinema and also for the festival circuit.