Chillar Party Release Date : 08,Jul 2011

Producer    Ronnie Screwvala, Salman Khan
 Director    Vikas Bahl, Nitesh Tiwari
 Music    Amit Trivedi
 Writer    Vikas Bahl, Nitesh Tiwari
 Lyrics    Nitesh Tiwari
 Release Date    08-Jul-2011

If you're here to read this review, you're either a minor or you're still stuck in your childhood, mentally. If not, you better be because this film, featuring an adolescent army, is by, for and of the kids (and may be the parents, who have to endure this film with them). And thankfully, the kids in question are remarkably unlike Bollywood kids. They're not pathetically dull, yet not over-smart like kids in TV soaps.
The movie begins with an innocent and a grammatically challenged acknowledgment, 'For the love of dog'. While you try to imagine if editing studios have spell-check, we cut into a detergent commercial. Yes, a commercial after the opening acknowledgment (is still better than in-film?). Since the commercial features kids, some people in the audience will actually applaud it, assuming that the movie has begun. Sigh.
Soon, we're ushered into an average middle class housing colony in Mumbai called Chandan Nagar Society. Each kid residing here is introduced deliciously along with peculiar details that dictate their nicknames. Like the one who's always handed down his elder brother's clothes is called 'Second-hand' and the one who doesn't wear an underwear is dotingly called 'Janghiya'. Anyway, these kids are cumulatively called 'Chillar Party' (CP) by the many neighbourhood uncles, aunties and a certain man who sounds like a woman (appropriately called Googly).
The film picks up pace and interest, as there's a new addition to this merry troupe of toddlers called Fatka, a little labourer who enters the society as a car cleaner with his mutt Bhidu (not to be confused with Jackie Shroff).
Just as the kids get into the swing of things, a politician declares a new law which would make Bhidu a chief target for the dog van. Now, although this may seem like a frivolous issue, it becomes a paramount concern for the CP. And the build-up is such that their concern and stress over the silliest things will easily trickle down to you.
The team of tiny tots formulates several stunts to stir media and public attention to take notice of their humble predicament. With just the right amount of drama, this seemingly trivial film, takes a turn for the better and becomes an inspirational tale of standing up for what you believe in. Unfortunately, it can't maintain the energy till the end. And when we reach a critical juncture in the film where there is a televised debate between the politician and the CP, it ends up being a preachy moral science lecture. Yawn.
'Chillar Party' gets full marks for the background score that actually holds up the intensity of scenes which would otherwise be ignored as feeble and weak. And also the screenplay is tight enough to hold your attention, even without the lure of a recognizable star or the attraction of an earth-shattering story.
Perhaps, debut directors Vikas Bahl and Nitesh Tiwari should be lauded for trying their best (and succeeding to a large extent) in engaging us in a story which has little potential, yet a world of possibilities.

Murder 2 Release Date : 08,Jul 2011

Producer    Mukesh Bhatt
 Director    Mohit Suri
 Music    Harshit Saxena, Sangeet Haldipur, Siddharth Haldipur, Mithoon
 Writer    Mahesh Bhatt
 Lyrics    Sayeed Qadri, Kumaar, Mithoon
 Release Date    08-Jul-2011


The sensationalism that Murder achieved half past the film, the sequel attains in the first ten minutes itself. Jacqueline Fernandez is as much seductive as Mallika Sherawat and comparatively more tastefully tempting. However the entire erotica in the sequel is completely peripheral to the plot. On the contrary while the first part involved only an accidental half-murder, the sequel indulges in rampant massacre. So while the sensuality in the treatment seems forced in Murder 2 , the semi-slasher shade attempts to bring more justice to the title.
Arjun (Emraan Hashmi), an ex-cop, is hired by a Goan pimp for an unofficial assignment. Several hookers have gone missing under mysterious circumstances and Arjun has to trace their whereabouts. He finds out that all the missing girls were called by the same person. When a new girl Reshma (Sulagna) is sent as bait to catch hold of the culprit, she falls prey of the serial killer. Arjun catches hold of the killer but has to get enough evidence against him.
Murder 2 isn't designed as a suspense flick since the identity of the serial killer is revealed much early in the narrative. Also it isn't about tracing the murderer since the killer is caught in the first half itself. While the investigative drama in the film doesn't go beyond an average episode of CID TV show, it is never the focus of the film either. The film tries to play more with the abnormal characterization of the psychopath-cum-sadistic killer who enjoys every 'bit' of his butchering business. From a sadistic slasher to an amnesiac actor, Prashant Narayanan switches shades in his character like a chameleon – credibly and effortlessly.
While Mahesh Bhatt's storyline finds its roots in the 2008 South Korean flick Chugyeogja ( The Chaser) , the antagonist is kind of Indianized by giving him a eunuch identity. As bizarre as it might sound, he was a womanizer who castrated himself and now seeks revenge on female form for his self-induced impotency. Mohit Suri's direction meets the prerequisites of the genre, making it a decently crafted film. He smartly builds up the tension and anticipation that a slasher film demands, showcasing some explicit blood-and-gore sequences, but never over-exploits the potential of the relatively new genre to the Indian audience. It's a calculated risk.

Bbuddah...Hoga Terra Baap Release Date : 01,Jul 2011

Producer    AB Corp Ltd.
 Director    Poori Jagannath
 Music    Shekhar Ravjiani, Vishal Dadlani
 Writer    Poori Jagannath
 Lyrics    Vishal Dadlani, Swanand Kirkire, Anvita Dutt Guptan
 Release Date    01-Jul-2011


'Amitabh Bachchan is a superhero.' I used to believe that, growing up. Comicbooks called Supremo said he was, and I gladly bought into the idea of this man who acted in movies by day and went off to rescue kidnapped younglings by night. It only worked because it was Bachchan, of course.

When we watched Hindi movies on video cassettes, Dad would fast-forward the songs while Mom would avenge herself by skipping through the protracted fight sequences. Except when it was Amitabh, because watching that man kick people is an electrifying experience. Filmmakers agreed, repeating the kick thrice, in rapid succession. He'd punch an extra in the gut, and because of how intensely he contorted his face into a focussed grimace, the dhishoom would resonate into reality. But you know all that already.
When we first see Amitabh Bachchan in Bbuddah Hoga Tera Baap, he's leaning on the rails of an escalator. There's a swagger-like quality to the way he slouches, like a casually lazy leopard in no rush to prove himself, or like Dev Anand [ Images ] a couple of decades ago: an old legend somehow carrying off a canary yellow scarf. Oops. That O-word. Bachchan's character despises being called old with Obelix-ian indignation, spurring him to go ahead and roar. And nobody, but nobody, roars like him.

Puri Jagannath's film is not a particularly well-crafted one. The story is threadbare, the scenes disjointed and abrupt, and poor Raveena Tandon [ Images ] is made to contort her face for almost a full minute. None of that matters. This isn't a masala film, it's a full-blown exploitation flick, and all that makes it work is the man under the spotlight. The extras can't stop smiling, almost as if Bachchan told them a knock-knock joke before the cameras started rolling, and they're all just basking in the grand silliness of this film. As are we.
Plot? Please. Amitabh Bachchan is a retired gangster freshly back in Mumbai [ Images ], and his triggerfingers are itchy. That's all that counts.

There's a cop, an ex-wife, a groupie, assorted mafioso, the cop's girl, a nosy landlady, a bizarrely brutal father, yadda yadda yadda. It's all utterly unnecessary, except to give the viewer a mild respite from Bachchan-gazing.

I'm not a subscriber to that larger-than-life school of cinema bequeathed to us from the South. Ghajini [ Images ], Wanted, Dabanng, Ready. All of it's been mostly painful, but they have centered around leading men thoroughly enjoying themselves, and people paying to watch that. Aamir Khan [ Images ] kicking a door down, Salman Khan [ Images ] with a moustache. All of that fades in comparison to Bachchan doing a greatest-hits medley in this film: a fight here, a wink there, a little bit of storytelling in that voice, and even the twist. I stand converted. He's the man, and he's plain Rajniffic.

Sonu Sood [ Images ], obviously cast because of his uncanny resemblance to the young Amitabh, is a solid actor but here, even playing a tough cop, is made to sigh and sob too much. Clearly there was only room for one alpha male in this corral. Prakash Raj [ Images ] is the primary baddie, while the ever-amusing Makarand Deshpande finds himself a lovely existential moment at the film's climax. There are a couple of young girls, but this film isn't about the young as much as it is about the timeless: Raveena Tandon still looks like a million bucks and is quite adorable as a starry-eyed Bachchanista, and the immaculate Hema Malini [ Images ] even makes this film's name sound beautiful.

There are a few beautiful Amit-Hema moments, highlighted with one where he nonchalantly discusses their backstory: about how they first saw each other at a traffic light, with him in a police jeep and her in an autorickshaw, her hands heavy with grocery bags and his bound in cuffs. A formerly married couple, they bump into each other, he upsets her, and she walks away sobbing, but turns around. Shamelessly the Naseeb title track plays in the background, and we cheer, for old screen romances are worth rooting for. The steel cage may have been replaced by a coffee shop at a mall, but the song remains the same.

As does the dude. Daddy clearly knows best, and Bachchan -- who even surreally lipsyncs to his son rapping about chicks -- is in such fine fettle that it's hard to not look past the circumstances and fall for his grin. Angelina Jolie [ Images ] might have shown us how to bend a bullet in Wanted, but when the Big B [ Images ] does it, you want to wolf-whistle. His clothes are screamingly loud but very hip. Asked if he'd like tea or coffee, Bachchan sneers. "Tea and coffee don't go well with soda," he explains. Ha. I'm going to go out on a limb and declare full-blown fandom for this character, who well and truly deserves a franchise. He might be a complete throwback, but this is a Hero. Next time they might consider pausing before he enters the screen to write BAAP in massive letters, though.

In the title song with that ridiculously groovy 'action-Jackson' loop, Bachchan sings about his past, saying he's split as many heads as he's broken hearts. It's a line worth dwelling on, considering he was the first icon to straddle all genres, from action to comedy to romantic drama, with unanimous success. It's been a staggering career, and the fact that he's nearly 70 and rocking a Harley Davidson is just awesome enough to make this film more than the guilty pleasure it is.

Aviator sunglasses aren't the wisest thing to wear when shooting with a sniper rifle in the glaring sun. But who cares when they're that damned cool?

Delhi Belly Release Date : 01,Jul 2011

Producer    Ronnie Screwvala, Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao, Jim Furgele
 Director    Abhinay Deo
 Music    Ram Sampat
 Writer    Akshat Verma
 Lyrics    Amitabh Bhattacharya, Akshat Verma, Munna Dhiman, Ram Sampat, Chetan Shashital
 Release Date    01-Jul-2011

Very rarely we come across a film that disgusts and delights in equal measure. A film that has us crinkling our nose, yet sticking a thumb up for approval. Delhi Belly is one such film. And though many of us feel, we're too old for potty humour, we're not. As you would imagine, Delhi's Belly manifests an upset stomach, rumbling constantly, warning you of its ominous contents. This sound can be roughly translated in words, by the song, 'I want to break free' by Queen.
The storyline is fairly uncomplicated for films in this genre. Parallel stories collide at certain parts but it seems natural and not Kukunoor-ish.  The film is about three Delhi bachelors, Tashi (Imran Khan), Arup (Vir Das) and Nitin (Kunaal Roy Kapoor), living in (by far) the filthiest bachelor pad constructed by any set designer ever.
Professionally, Arup is a cartoonist for an ad agency (weren't they called illustrators?), Tashi is a diligent journalist and Nitin is his photographer. Like every self-respecting bachelor, our lead trio has a sheer contempt for any household work and their landlord. Their routine life gets sticky once they get their shit mixed up (literally!) and deliver a wrong package. And just for fun, the wrong package is a stool sample!
Like 'Snatch', diamonds are the object of everyone's desire here too. But unlike 'Snatch', we just have one group of scums hunting for them that is headed by Somayajulu (Vijay Raaz). While they're on the run, they're joined by Menaka (Poorna Jagannathan) who hints on a subliminal relationship with Tashi but he's already going steady with doll-faced Sonia (Shenaz Treasurywala). Thankfully, this doesn't culminate into a love triangle.
A lot of people get seriously injured, a ceiling collapses, a few cars are dented but when you see a man with a live firecracker sticking out of his bum, you can hardly help yourself. Also you have Nitin taking dysentery to a level where the sound produced cannot be replicated by blowing into one's hand.
An aspect this film blatantly ignores is that our lead trio doesn't demonstrate Delhi-speak which is using voluminous and imprecise expressions in an idiotic fashion to say anything. But what it loses out in manner of speech, it makes up in visuals, as you see Delhi in its smuttiest and most deplorable avatar.
Among the cast, Vir is clearly the most talented and entertaining of the three and Imran is the least. Poorna is vivacious and lights up the screen with her personality and Shehnaz is, well, forced into ill-fitting clothes.
'Delhi Belly' is well-paced and the screenplay is cleverly woven to hold your attention and interest through the 96 minutes of its runtime. And although most songs are just used as a background score, 'Jaa Chudail' picturised on Vir's failed relationship is hilariously crazy.
This film may not be appetizing for all, but it surely has an appetite for potty sounds. A farting blockbuster for sure!

Double Dhamaal Release Date : 24,Jun 2011

Producer    Ashok Thakeria, Indra Kumar
 Director    Indra Kumar
 Music    Anand Raj Anand
 Writer    Tushar Hiranandani
 Lyrics    Anand Raj Anand, Mayur Puri
 Release Date    24-Jun-2011

No animals were hurt in the making of this film, unless you consider Ashish Chowdhury in his gorilla costume being abused by another gorilla (who is apparently the Emraan Hashmi of the ape world). This is ironic as Hashmi is himself often referred to as the chimp of the human world. And yes, this film is about the famously-foolish-foursome from 'Dhamaal' monkeying around like this was the Indian version of 'The Planet of the Apes'.  And if the brand of humour called 'idiotically hilarious' doesn't row your boat, don't get on this roller-coaster of non-stop madness. But if it does, enjoy the ride.
The film has quite a bit for a plot, considering such films can even manage without one. Our super-zeros, Adi (Arshad Warsi), Manav (Javed Jaffrey), Roy (Riteish Deshmukh) and Boman (Ashish Chowdhury) still love doing what they did in single Dhamaal: make money without actually doing anything constructive.
After several sequences inspired by 'The Three Strooges', a lot of junior artists getting severely hurt and some terribly childish jokes, they encounter their arch enemy from part one, Kabir (Sanjay Dutt). Kabir, who was a cop in the first part has undergone a logical career transition to become a millionaire conman. In his relentless mission to spell doom for our four lazy loafers, he is now assisted by two aides, love interest, Kamini (Mallika Sherawat) and sister Kiya (Kangna Ranaut), both of whom struggle for screen-space, as they're often (rightfully) ignored.
The film chugs along swiftly as each gang constantly tries to outfox the other through hilarious situations and exaggerated getups. Each of the four idiots plays an average of three characters in the film and mimics atleast 2 Bollywood actors in every scene. They manage all this while trying to seek revenge from Kabir, who leaves them in an oily mess (go figure). Also this time around they want to destroy Kabir's personal, professional and marital life as well. Why? There's a dialogue about how it makes for an ultimate revenge or something to that effect.
An interesting, insignificant character in the film is Bata Bhai (Satish Kaushik), whose assorted abusives make him a complete joy to watch. His winning one's include, "silent-film ke dubbing artist" and "lower-stall ki phati hui ticket". The film also takes a dig at many others but the one on Guzaarish is hilarious.  A fly buzzing around Manav's nose (when he's pretending to be a dement) is smashed with a slipper by Roy, who adds, "Iske machchar marne ki guzaarish bhi mujhe hi puri karni padti hain!"
The most unmentionable disguise has to be Boman's cross-dressing avatar as Barbara Gori, where he takes the film's title (double D) as a measure for an  inappropriately endowded part of his body. Yes, he should've stuck to the gorilla costume.
It's difficult to point out if any of the actors is better or worse than the other. Yet, Arshad and Riteish are natural bums and Javed Jaffrey couldn't be funnier if he were actually retarded. Mallika Sherawat will surely be elected as the union leader for item girls as she sneaks in an item number in a film where she actually has a proper role.
Apart from the title song, none manage to sufficiently impress or depress. Sanjay Dutt's dance steps on the title number may be just throwing lazy punches in the air but it does the trick.
The film works for a simple reason: it packs in so many gags, that there would be atleast a few you haven't heard. And then out of those, a few you'd actually enjoy. In the end, everyone finds something to hold on to.
With everything going in the film's favour, even Kangana's slury speech has almost found its way to recovery. Let's hope she's around in 'teeple dhamaal'.