KATHTHI (TAMIL) (2014)

Director A.R. Murugadoss is largely successful in  presenting story with a socially relevant theme weaved into a superstar action blockbuster narrative.

Vijay, in a double role, looks better than ever and has tried to flex some acting muscle too. While Anirudh's background score is rocking in several sequences, the same cannot be said about his songs. 

While movies which are star vehicles generally lack logic and try to mint money by through sheer superhuman characterisation of the star, Murugadoss, despite succumbing to much of those demands, deserves kudos for harnessing the star power to underline important issues like livelihood of farmers and market-driven media within a structure of a masala entertainer. 

The length of the movie is a definite dampener, especially those from a bloated first half (Diwali overeating ??) which could've been culled by Sreekar Prasad. Alas, it seems his hands were tied by supposed "Commercial" constraints.

Overall, if it had been trimmer by at least 30 minutes, this is one Kaththi (knife) which would've been sharper and could've pierced deeper !! Yet, it is better than a mere butter knife, thanks largely to Murugadoss' writing.

A GOOD ONE TIME WATCH !!

RATING - 2.5/5

HAIDER (HINDI) (2014)

Haider is the third offering of Vishal Bharadwaj's  trilogy of Shakespearean tragedies which included Maqbool (Macbeth) and Omkara (Othello). For his final instalment, he adapts what is perhaps the most challenging of the three, viz. Hamlet and sets it amidst an equally challenging setting of the restless paradise of earth, Kashmir, circa, 1995. Its brilliance lies in the successful juxtaposition of various strands of portent conflicts across several planes which belie any solution - those within, inter-personal as well as the smouldering geo-political conflicts - to find common grounds therein.

Haider (Shahid Kapoor), a student and poet studying in Aligarh has to hurry to his home in the valley when he receives the news of an army crackdown that destroys his home and also results in the disappearance of his father, Dr.Hilal Meer (Narendra Jha), who was taken into custody by the army for harbouring militants. However, on returning home, he is distraught to find little remorse of the disappearance in his mother Ghazala (Tabu) who appears to be settling down quite well with Khurram (Kay Kay Menon), Haider's uncle and his fathers only brother. Haider sets out on a mission to find his father and unravel the mystery surrounding his disappearance. He is assisted in his quest by his childhood sweetheart and local journalist, Arshia (Shraddha Kapoor). The gentle canter of the plot finds momentum at the halfway mark with the arrival of the mysterious and almost ghostly Roohdaar (Irrfan) who contacts Haider. When he discovers the fate of his father, Haider is consumed by rage and obsessed with revenge.  

The movie sets a gradual pace through the first half to familiarise the viewers with the simmering situation situation in the valley where the daily living is punctuated by overnight curfews, frequent crackdowns, constant fear of living in the shadow of gunfire, a deep-seated dread of being included in the growing lists of those who have disappeared and a security blanket which choked the life out of this paradise. Vishal Bharadwaj and his co-writer Bhasharat Peer cast an unflinching eye on the valley when the insurgency was active to bring us the images which feel very real. 

Haider gains immensly from its excellent star cast who provide superlative performances in their roles. Shahid Kapoor brings in his best performance till date to capture a very difficult part of Haider (Hamlet) which oscillates across multiple dimensions of love, loneliness, desperation, sorrow, seething rage to seek revenge, subtle hints of Oedipal complex and being on the threshold of lunacy. He has a simmering presence and emotes well in scenes with minimal dialogue even while nailing those where he morphs into an impromptu performer as in the 'Mike Testing....' sequence. Kay Kay Menon aces the role of Khurram (Claudius) who is devious in seeking recognition and power, yet not entirely lacking in warmth. But, Haider's best performance comes from Tabu who plays Ghazala (Gertrude). She plays a complex role which is mired in mystery; a woman whose heart seems tri-sected between the three men in her life - Dr. Hilal Meer, her husband, Khurram, her brother-in-law and Haider, her son. Or, is she just another helpless woman victim in a valley beset with violence, where survival is at a premium and it is only natural that if you survive the bombing of your home, you just jump into the nearest bomb shelter to preserve your self ? There are moments where she appears to drop her guard and lets her vulnerability seep through as in some of her conversations with Haider. Shraddha Kapoor is radiant as Arshia (Ophelia) who is smitten with Haider and tries to assist him in finding his father.

Vishal Bharadwaj also adds memorable minor parts, be it Irffan playing the ghostly Roohdaar who sets the plot into motion or  Narendra Jha who effectively underplays his part of Dr. Hilal Meer or the duo (Sumit Kaul & Rajat Bhagat) who play Salman and Salman bringing some stray comic relief in an otherwise grim tale or even the elderly grave diggers.

Vishal Bharadwaj appears to be an auteur in fine form here as he morphs his world famous source and transplants it to to the troubled landscape of Kashmir to achieve dual goals of narrating a poignant tragedy even as he makes a hard hitting political commentary of a festering wound that continues to consume and singe many a lives without any signs of healing. He and his co-writer Peer capture the insecurities, distrust, anguish and phenomenal sense of loss which permeate the psyche of generations of residents of what was once a paradise on earth as in the scene where Peer himself displays the deep seated scars of a population living in perennial fear. The beautiful, yet desolate images of the snowy landscapes captured by cinematographer Pankaj Kumar combine effectively with the dialogues, haunting background score and Gulzar's lyrics set to Vishal's tunes to present the mutation of this paradise into a morbid hell for its residents. In fact, Tabu's character of Ghazala could as well be seen as a metaphor for the valley itself which is caught between its allegiance between two blood brothers, shrouded in a mysterious veil of apparent self preservation only to let the vulnerabilities show in a few moments when she reaches out to her son affectionately and protectively. While the picture presents a political commentary that need not be entirely neutral, the essence of the commentary tends to abhor violence for any reason. 

This is a tour de force in film making as Vishal Bharadwaj marshals his entire arsenal - a fine adaptation, stellar star cast acing well fleshed out characters, superb writing, bewitching cinematography, soulful score and music and much more -   to make the boldest political movie of our times to stress that revenge merely begets revenge and can never be a path to seek freedom.  

Yes, the movie does have its fair share of flaws - a languid pace, for one - just as its characters do.. Yet, just as its characters shine through their flaws, the movie too soars to hitherto uncharted trails.  

Intense, grim, dense and somber, Haider may not be a movie that would suit everyone's palette, especially those who are faint of heart  and yet, if, "To watch, or, Not to Watch" is your question, "Steel yourself and don't miss this MUST WATCH which would haunt you long after you've watched it" is my most definitive answer.

A MASTERPIECE ! A MUST WATCH !!

RATING - 4/5

GATTU (HINDI) (2011)

Gattu (Mohammad Samad) is a nine year old boy under the care of his uncle, Anees Bhai, who runs a junkyard in the small North Indian town of Roorkee, Uttarakhand. Gattu is unlettered and wants to join school, but his wish is turned down by his uncle who feels he would lose a helping hand in running the junkyard. Yet, Gattu remains a bubbly and curious kid who thinks on his feet and has a naughty streak. His passion is flying kites and he dreams of bringing down Kali, a mysterious black kite which rules the Roorke skies and has cut down all her rivals. Gattu figures that to defeat Kali, he would require a vantage point which could only be provided by the terrace of the local school. Thus, he steps into the school with a uniform which he flicks from a clothesline and tries to blend in among a group of students on an exchange program from another school. The rest of the movie shows how he manages to sustain his student act by convincing teachers as well as his classmates and his pursuit of defeating Kali. 

This is a rare movie which puts the spotlight on the world of the scores of under-privileged children who dot the rural and urban scapes of modern India and their loss of childhoods in pursuit of quelling hunger and self-sustenance. But, what is remarkable about the movie is the treatment by director Rajan Khosa who deftly helms this film and brings to the fore the problems of poverty, illiteracy and lost childhoods without ever preaching or resorting to any needless melodrama.

Mohammad Samad is endearing as Gattu with a brilliant screen presence and wide eyed wonder which could convey a multitude of expressions effortlessly. While the rest of the cast including Gattu's schoolmates are well chosen, Naresh Kumar playing Gattu's uncle Anees Bhai is particularly impressive.

Gattu proves that if one's spirit is resilient, there could be beautiful blossoms even in the heat and grime of a junkyard. Like his titular protagonist, Khosa, despite being confronted by several challenges makes the most of his limited means by wearing a sunny attitude, quick wit and clear focus on realising his dream. Khosa is particularly successful in capturing the playfulness, curiosity, and innocent bonds of childhood naturally.

Gattu is an ode to the dreams that we all carry in our hearts and as the kites in the movie, this charming movie is sure to soar in the skyline of the viewer's heart. Do watch it. I am sure you would be smiling all through and may well reconnect with the long forgotten child in you.

A MUST WATCH !!


RATING -3.5/5

THANGA MEENKAL (TAMIL) (2014)

Was watching this much acclaimed/awarded movie yesterday on TV.

While there are no doubts that it is indeed a thematically different and visually brilliant film. Yet, Ram, with his sledge hammer subtle heavy handed handling, makes this into a mind numbing MELODRAMATIC mess ! 

A HUGE letdown !!

Strange choice as the Best Tamil Film of 2013 :(

RATING - 1.5/5

JIGARTHANDA (TAMIL) (2014)

Karthik Subbaraj who received unprecedented acclaim when he dished out Pizza (2012) as his directorial debut has served us a delicious drink in his second outing. Jigarthanda tells the story of a short filmmaker Karthik (Siddharth) who comes to Madurai to develop a script for his debut feature based on the life of real life don "Assault" Sethu (an excellent Simha). He settles down with his friend Oorani (Karunakaran) and attempts to profile the life of this ruthless gangster for his movie.

The duo follow several leads and covertly try to get inputs from various associates of Sethu including some of his goons as well as Kayal (Lakshmi Menon) whose mother is an Idly vendor with Sethu as a regular customer. Though Kayal is smitten by him and even proposes to him unilaterally, Karthik, with his single minded intention of making his movie, merely pretends to be in love with her to access details about Sethu in the same vein that he tries to leverage the weakness of others.

After a series of quirky and hilarious twists, Karthik and his friend land in a monumental mess when they are caught red handed by Sethu spying on his activities. Sethu presumes them to be working with the police who want to finish him in an encounter. What follows is a roller coaster ride that keeps the viewer guessing with several surprises fused with the process of  how Karthik manages to make his debut feature.

Jigarthanda proves unequivocally that Pizza was not a mere flash in the pan and Karthik Subbaraj is an auteur to watch out. His skills in cleverly weaving a metamovie on the travails of wannabe directors within the fabric of what is a gangster flick on an apparent level are praiseworthy. The narrative is embellished with Tarantinoesque flourishes of raw violence and oodles of comedy even in sequences where they are least expected.

While Siddharth is impressive as the opportunist aspiring director with a singular  focus who pays scant regard to manipulating others for his goals, Lakshmi Menon is convincing in an unconventional, albeit minor part of a smitten lover who could throw a spanner at her beloved's dreams when spurned. But, Jigarthanda belongs to Simha who nails the part of  the dreaded psychotic don, "Assault" Sethu, oozing terror from his every pore. He straddles the entire emotional spectrum of this layered character from being ruthless and menacing to being darkly hilarious. His performance is the lynch pin of the movie and deserves several plaudits and awards that are sure to come his way. Karunakaran, as Oorani, is impeccable in his comic timing and goofy expressions.

Karthik Subburaj's detailing is impressive - be it the pulse of the city that never sleeps (Madurai) or in the eccentricities of the minor characters. Santhosh Narayanan's score is brilliant and accentuates the intensity the proceedings. Although the songs may not be stand out chartbusters, that blend beautifully with the flow of the narrative. Cinematography by Gavemic U Ary captures the proceedings beautifully in resplendent tones.

Despite its self proclaimed tag of a "musical gangster" movie, Jigarthanda's ambitions are much more chimeric. It is also an effective dark comedy, a con movie and above all,  an incisive satire on the state of Tamil cinema where the constraints of commercial viability continue to choke the creativity of aspiring filmmakers.

Yet, at a deeper level, it is the metamovie where Karthik Subbaraj, appears to convey, through his namesake protagonist, through what could well be his personal experiences before succeeding in Kollywood, that despite these challenges, all is not lost for the filmmakers who could master these murky waters if they dare to remain steadfast in their focus and could smartly use their sails to navigate to the shores of success.

The movie is not without its flaws, especially the length which clocks a little less than three hours, resulting in some bit of drag in the second half. While it could certainly be trimmed by at least fifteen minutes, I felt it would be more of nitpicking as what was on offer was definitely delectable.

Wildly imaginative, unpredictable and laced with loads of humour, this layered multi-ingredient beverage is a YUMMY offering from Karthik Subbaraj. A delectable & praiseworthy dessert to follow that delicious Pizza which whets our appetite for even more... Bring it on !  

A MUST WATCH !!

RATING - 3.5/5

INCENDIES (FRENCH) (2010)

While religions all over the world overtly profess a language of love and offer a path to salvation, it is not uncommon to find their teachings hijacked by fanatics and zealots who spew hatred and incite teeming followers in the name of God to commit ungodly acts. Many a war have been waged and scores of precious lives lost, maimed and scarred in the name of religion which preach a blind hatred of others. This is a story of a society and in particular, a family, which had to bear the brunt of a civil war spawn from such mindless religious hatred.  

Jeanne and Simon, twin siblings in Canada, are taken by surprise when their reticent mother dies leaving a strange will which requires to deliver two letters from their mother. Jeanne is to deliver a letter to her father whom they thought had died long ago while Simon is to deliver another letter to a brother whom they were unaware of. Simon is clearly reluctant as he considers the demands in the will as an unreasonable, if not, a totally irrational request by their mother whom he believed was demented. Jeanne, however, sets out on a journey to discover her mother's past and to find out her father and brother.

Jeanne's journey is interwoven with a parallel narrative arc which depicts the story of their mother, Nawal, in her youth in an unnamed Middle East nation (probably Lebanon) with simmering tension between the its Muslim and ruling Christian populace. Nawal, a Christian, falls in love with a Muslim from a refugee camp. When she discovers that she is pregnant, she tries to flee with her lover. However, Nawal's brothers confront them and kill her lover in the name of family's honour. Nawal's grandmother saves her from her brothers' wrath for bringing dishonour to their religion and clan. Nawal's grandmother helps her to keep her pregnancy secret and promises to assist Nawal in having the baby under the condition that Nawal would send it to an orphanage upon delivery and leave to a distant city for her studies. Nawal fulfills her condition and leaves her village to pursue higher studies in a university even as the newborn which is tattooed by her grandmother is handed over to an orphanage. At the university, Nawal is an activist during her studies and when the threat of civil war looms large, she forsakes her studies to look for her son to take him to safety before the onset of full blown war. 

The rest of the movie oscillates between these two parallel narratives of past and the present, separated in time by a few decades - Nawal quest for her son and Jeanne's quest to unravel her mother's past. Nawal's search for her lost son takes her ever so deeper into the heart of an unfolding dark civil war, where her life is tossed around by the belligerent forces like a helpless vessel in a terrible storm. Jeanne's search, on the other hand, reveals her mother's troubled past and the traumas she had to undergo before she left her strife-torn native for Canada. These two intertwining strands culminate in an exceptional, SHOCKING and INTENSE revelation in the finale. Playing the reticent, yet resilient and psychologically complex character of Nawal, Lubna Hazabal as Nawal provides the stand out performance which is compelling even in her intense silences. The rest of the cast consisting Melissa Desormeaux-Poulin playing Jeanne, Maxim Gaudette playing the reluctant Simon as well as Rémy Girard playing the notary Maître Lebel, Nawal's former employer and the holder of the will who guides the twins in their quest provide competent performances.

Canadian director Dennis Villeneuve helms this multi-layered movie (adapted from a popular play by Wajdi Mouawad known for its poetic flourishes) with the assurance of masterly auteur with potent visuals, sharp writing and a deliberate pace that keeps the viewer glued to every detail. Villeneuve's brilliance is manifest in the manner in which he has crafted an ambitious non-linear narrative that transcends multiple genres of drama, road movie, thriller and anti-war movie. 

Overall, this stirring movie is an exceptional ode to the triumph of kinship, togetherness and love which trump over the seemingly invincible forces of hatred. Nominated for Best Foreign Language Movie for the 83rd Academy Awards (2011) has also received acclaim in several international film festivals. 

A MUST WATCH !!

RATING - 4/5

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 (3D) (ENGLISH) (2014)

A rare sequel that succeeds in elevating a series to the NEXT level. One of the BEST 3D animations ever which delivers scintillating & immersive visuals.. 

SIMPLY SUPERB WHOLESOME ENTERTAINMENT for the whole family ! 

A MUST WATCH (in 3D) !!