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.