LUCK BY CHANCE Review: Zoya Akhtar’s First Attempt to Get Lucky in The Tinsel Town

Star rating:

Cast: Farhan Akthar, Konkona Sen Sharma, Dimple Kapadia, Rishi Kapoor, Cheetah Yagnesh Shetty, Saif Ali Khan, Hrithik Roshan

Director: Zoya Akhtar

Producer: Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani, Zoya Akhtar

Lyrics: Javed Akhtar

Cinematography: Carlos Catalan

Zoya Akhtar’s (daughter of the famous lyricist Javed Akhtar and sister of the young and famous director turned actor Farhaan Akhtar) directorial debut film “Luck By Chance” is a contemporary take on the Hindi film industry. Although, the similar subject was dealt with in the movies like Om Shanti Om as well as Khoya Khoya Chand, this movie is something different.

There are certain reasons that set this film apart from its counterparts. The movie stars all the biggies of Bollywood. It boasts of 25 prominent actors in its star cast. While actors like Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar, Shahrukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Rani Mukherji, Shilpa Shetty, Karan Johar, Kareena Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham, Ranbir Kapoor, Akshaye Khanna, Vivek Oberoi, Boman Irani, Anurag Kashyap, and Rajkumar Hirani make a guest appearance, Farhan Akhtar, Konkona Sen Sharma, Hrithik Roshan, Rishi Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Sanjay Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia, Isha Sharvani, and Saurabh Shukla are in the main lead. After watching the movie I realized that all these actors are not just stuffed in for star-value, but go in sync with the script. Zoya Akhtar succeeds in extracting perfect performances from each and every member of the cast.

Yet, another fact that sets the movie apart is that it is for the first time that two of our Indian film icons, Shahrukh Khan and Aamir Khan have made a special appearance in a movie together, despite them having not shared the same frame ever before. The movie also makes behind-the-scenes, action director, Yajnesh Shetty alias ‘Cheetah’ face the camera. Yajnesh Shetty’s zest for martial arts led him train big stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgan, and Govinda. He also produced Govinda starrer Hum Tum Pe Marte Hain.

Luck By Chance is a journey of an actor named Vikram Jaisingh (director turned actor Farhan Akhtar) who comes from Delhi to Mumbai to make it big in films. Sona Mishra (played by Konkona Sen Sharma) has been struggling in B-grade cinema and wants to switch to more meaty roles. Meanwhile, film producer, Rommy Rolly (played by lover boy of 80’s Rishi Kapoor) announces a new project starring popular film-star Zafar Khan (played by superstar Hrithik Roshan). Zafar’s exit from the project is Vikram’s entry ticket to Bollywood. Luck shines bright on him as he is short-listed for Rolly’s film. But as he gains professional fame, his personal life goes for a toss with a failed relationship with girlfriend Sona.

Zoya manages to pull off satire on several actors who make you laugh at their own expense (Mac Mohan, Sanjay Kapoor and Anurag Kashyup). Also the film-in-film setting gives ample scope for several parody pieces on Bollywood clinches. The uniqueness of Luck By Chance lies in its nervy spoofs that it makes on the film industry, without exaggerating the outcome. On the whole, the music of Luck By Chance stands for quality like most of the albums by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. The album has a robust mix of songs of different genres, a trademark of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy that enthralls audiences and at the same time give them good music to hum.

Raaz The Mystery Continues: A Well Crafted Horror Movie – Review

Star rating:

Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Adhyayan Suman, Kangna Ranaut

Director: Mohit Suri

Producer: Mukesh Bhatt

Lyrics: Sayeed Qadri, Kumaar

Cinematography: Ravi Walia

“Raaz – The Mystery Continues” although not a sequel to Mahesh Bhatt’s previous release, Raaz (starring Dino Morea and Bipasha Basu), yet deals with a similar subject of evil spirits and ghosts. Directed by Mohit Suri of Awarapan and Woh Lamhe fame, this supernatural thriller explores the evil side of human nature. The movie is about a brooding artist Prithvi (played by Emraan Hashmi), who experiences mysterious and distressing visions about Nandita (played by Bollywood’s bold babe Kangana Ranaut), a woman he has never met, although he paints her on the canvas. Intrigued by these visions, Prithvi tracks her down and warns her about the accidents that are waiting to happen.

Refusing to believe him at first, Nandita accepts the fact by witnessing the striking resemblance between Prithvi’s paintings and the near-death incidents in her life. The only way she can change her fate is to unravel this mystery, at the risk of alienating herself from her boyfriend, Yash (played by Adhyayan Suman, son of the famous actor and stand-up comedian Shekhar Suman.) Nandita then risks her love and her life to unravel this mystery. If the mere narration of the story scares you and gives you goose pimples, just imagine what I underwent watching it. Fantastically directed, the movie maintains the suspense right till the climax.

Music has always been a focal point of every Vishesh banner films. The music of “Raaz – The Mystery Continues” is also doing quite well. The songs of the movie reached the top of all the music charts. It is interesting to note that the songs have been sung by different singers, including reality show contestants, Toshi and Sharib. This is indeed appreciable, as we get to hear many voices that adds versatility to the music of the movie.

However, unlike its title Raaz (secret), the movie unfolded all the secrets behind the controversies surrounding its promotions. It used Kangana’s personal life ( Kangana’s affair with Adhyayan) as a publicity gimmick. This act of Bhatt’s created a rift between the producers and the actress, who then refused to take part in the promotion of the movie.

The movie also created a tiff between the producers of the film and the censor board on the issuance of the U/A certification, owing to Kangana’s nude scene in the movie. While the censor board wanted to issue the A certificate for the movie, the producers of the film demanded for a U/A certificate. The actress denied of having done any such scene in the movie. However, the actress admitted to the censor board’s objection to the horror elements of the film. After watching the movie, I can say one thing that Kangana has really done some bold scenes in this movie.

Inspired by Indian myths and legend and focusing on the relationship between good and evil, the movie can be a real dose of entertainment for all those who want to experience some real thrill and excitement.

Slumdog Millionaire: Rekindling India’s Oscar hopes

Star rating:

Cast: Dev Patel, Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Madhur Mittal, Freida Pinto

Producer: Christian Colson

Director: Danny Boyle

Music Director: A.R.Rahman

Screenplay Writer: Simon Beaufoy

I just could not resist my temptation to watch Slumdog Millionaire owing to its amazing storyline and the fact that the movie has received not one, or two, but 10 Oscar nominations. While, composer A R Rahman accounts for three of them, veteran lyricist Gulzar is also a co-nominee. Director, Danny Boyle has also got an Oscar nomination. India’s arrival at the mecca of film awards is nothing short of spectacular dream. I took my whole family to watch this movie. To my surprise, it has been released with more than 200 prints (in both Hindi and English).

The film has been on a roll having won nearly 64 awards (the film has won accolades from Golden Globe for best film, direction, screenplay and music score), 11 Bafta nominations and 10 Oscar nominations. Owing to this, the film has grossed 44 million US dollars in its pre-Oscar run and is expected to cross $50 million this week itself.

Adapted from Vikas Swarup’s Booker Prize winning novel ,“Q & A” , Slumdog Millionaire is a film about Jamal Malik (played by Dev Patel, also played by Tanay Chheda and Ayush Mahesh Khedekar), young man from the slums of Mumbai, who appears on a game show Kaun Banega Crorepati (the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?), hosted by Prem Kumar (noted Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor). Jamal makes it to the the final question, but the police starts accusing him of cheating. Police inspector (Irrfan Khan) interrogates and tortures Jamal Malik, who then begins to offer an explanation of how he knew the answers. He conveys his explanation as a series of flashbacks documenting the particulars of his childhood, and of Latika (played by Frieda Pinto, bollywood’s fabulous fresh face), the girl he loved and lost.

In spite of receiving accolades from the film fraternity, the movie is being protested by several dozen Mumbai slum residents, calling the film’s title insulting. Not only this, Anil Kapoor and A R Rahman have also been sued in a Patna court for allegedly calling slum dwellers’ names in Slumdog Millionaire. One Tapeshwar Vishwakarma, general secretary of Slum Dwellers’ Joint Action Committee, on Tuesday filed a complaint case in the court of chief judicial magistrate Raghavendra Kumar Singh, charging the duo with defaming slum dwellers by calling them names.

Amidst all the praise and rejection, the entire cast of the film is just waiting with their fingers crossed for the upcoming Oscar awards.

Chandni Chowk To China: The first Bollywood movie with Hollywood connection

Star rating:

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Mithun Chakraborthy, Ranvir Shorey, Gordon Liu, Roger Yuan

Producer: Rohan Sippy

Music Director: Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani, Loy Mendonsa

Cinematographer: Himman Dhamija

Action Director: Dee Dee Ku

Chandni Chowk to China (CC2C), released on 16 Jan has been a much awaited movie. The reason being, the film is the first-ever Bollywood Kung fu comedy. The movie combines not only Bollywood dancing with kung fu, but also Bollywood actors with their Chinese counterparts. Yet, another reason which made the film a much talked about issue, was its association with Warner Brothers, the venerable and famous Hollywood studio. Besides, it is also the first Indian film to have been shot in China. Moreover, the music score by Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy, Kailash Kher, and Bappi Lahiri adds to the flavor of the movie.

Directed by Nikhil Advani (director of “Kal Ho Na Ho”), CC2C centers around Sidhu (Akshay Kumar), a lowly Indian cook who runs into two strangers from China. These strangers believe that Sidhu is a reincarnated warrior from the past and persuade him to accompany them. Thinking that it will lead to a life of riches, Sidhu follows the men to their village in China, but due to a scheming translator named Chopstick (played by Ranvir Shorey), Sidhu unknowingly promises to free their village from the clutches of a criminal warlord (played by real life kung-fu master Gordon Liu), a Chinese martial arts expert and actor, whose credits include Crouching Tiger, Kill Bill: Vols. 1 and 2 and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. During his journey, Sidhu meets his lady love Sakhi, played by stunning model-turned-actress Deepika Padukone (who started her career with none other than King Khan). The cast also includes Bollywood veteran Mithun Chakraborty as Sidhu’s father figure Dada. All the characters have looked apt.The movie has been well directed and is a must watch for all those who wish to watch some great actions scenes and stunts.

CC2C opened in select theatres in more than 50 markets, making it one of the largest initial releases of any Bollywood film in the United States and Canada.

Through “CC2C”, Warner Brothers have produced their first Bollywood film for the global market. They believe that CC2C will open up the world of Indian cinema to American audiences. Yet, another reason for Warner Bros to associate themselves with Indian cinema is that in India, US films account for only 5 per cent of revenues. And so, Hollywood film companies are also stepping into Bollywood. In the past couple of years, Sony and Disney have produced films in India.

Last month, Warner Brothers announced a three-picture deal with People Tree films: an emotional drama with Nikhil Advani, a romantic comedy, and a political thriller. The day is not far when every single Bollywood movie will have a global presence owing to its association with international film producing companies.

Kaashh….. Mere Hote: Whipping Up A Teenage Infatuation Tale

Star rating:

Cast: Kumar Saahil, Hemant Birje, Sneha Ullal

Producer: Shravan Kumar

Director: B.H. Tharun

Music Director: Sanjeev, Darshan

Lyricist: Labh Jajua, Sameer, Satyaprakas

Directed by B H Tharun Kumar, “Kaashh … Mere Hote” is a movie that follows the same line as that of Rajat Mukherjee’s “Pyar Tune Kya Kiya”, released in the year 2001. The movie wants to drive home the point that the teenage attraction is not love, but just infatuation. Though, the concept of the movie was not very novel, I was inclined to see the movie as Sneha Ullal, better known as the look-alike of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is back with a bang after a long period of hibernation in this film. Finally, I was able to watch the movie on Friday itself.

Produced by Shravan Films International, Kaashh…..Mere Hote is a musical thriller. When a top composer (Shravan of Nadeem-Shravan fame) decides to become a film producer, the least you expect is a good musical score. Especially so when his own sons (Sanjeev-Darshan) are roped in as composers. And, it is offered by the movie. Besides, it is interesting to note that the songs have been sung by six singers, some of whom are newcomers. This is indeed appreciable, as we get to hear many voices and also, it adds versatility to the music score of the movie. The music of the movie, was released by superstar Salman Khan. Incidentally, Sneha Ullal had made her debut with Salman Khan in Lucky – No Time For Love.

The main storyline of this musical thriller is that Krish Kapoor (played by the debutant actor, Kumar Saahil), is a well-known fashion photographer. He is in love with his wife Radhika (played by Sneha Ullal ). Radhika works in a department store and both are a very happy together. Soon after their marriage, Krish gets an assignment to shoot in Mauritius for a magazine. During the shooting schedule, Piya (played by debutant actress, Sana Khan), who is a model falls in love with him. Krish gets Karnal Batra’s (played by none other than `Kaka’-Rajesh Khanna) bungalow in Mauritius on rent for a few months. This makes Piya always want to meet him and stay with him.

Very soon, Piya’s love turns to obsession and Piya goes to the extent of even killing anyone who comes in her way. If that’s not all, she will also resort to black magic to get her love. Soon, one after another, murders begin to occur in town. And the case is given to I.G. Danda (Johnny Lever), who is, as usual, a very funny character in the film. In all a must watch film.