Movie Review: Padmaavat..not a worthy sacrifice

Its no secret that I am not a fan of the Bhansali brand of a cultural and arts show disguised as a movie - and that too at 3 hours long. It is surprising though, that despite knowing that, I've ended up watching all his so-called magnum opus' in the theater. Padmaavat, sadly, is no exception to either of those two statements.

All that controversy prior to the release of the movie was for naught. If history was distorted, it surely wasn't to show Rajputs in a poor light. Of course, if one truly viewed the movie from a more in-depth standpoint, one could argue an unintentional subtle commentary on the choices and decisions of our Indian princes of those times. However, on the surface, its all aan baan shaan for the Rajputs so this was much ado over nothing.

I could understand if Shahid Kapoor had protested though. Such calibre is given a completely one-dimensional and weak role that one wonders why it needed Shahid Kapoor to begin with. This is a role he could do in his sleep - with one constant expression on his face, through the movie. A few scenes in which he is meant to erupt about the Rajput rules and style - he thunders at such a decible that it borders on hamming. Perhaps he was also voicing his own frustrations with his character in the movie.

Much has been said about Deepika's gorgeous presence in the movie - I'll simply say that's a huge overstatement. Deepika has the most blank expression on her face through the 3 hour runtime and lapses back to her monotone dialogue delivery. After such strides forward with movies like Piku , Padmaavat is almost a step back for her. In fact, Bajirao Mastani was a better expression of her talent as well as her beauty. The only jewel in this rather over-embellished but finally unimpressive crown is Ranveer Singh and this one is a Kohinoor at that.

Ranveer embraces the vile and despicable Khilji with such fervor that he might well be the barbarian himself. His presence is the only thing that lifts this movie from its pedestrian standards and gives it a chance to shine.From his unpredictability, to his on-point barbarian dance moves - everything about Khilji has a unique stamp of its own. Despite these efforts though, we still get a very superficial view of Khilji - his motivations, his ambition, his ego or even his obsession with Padmavati herself. Character development is not one of Mr. Bhansali's fortes.

Padmaavat starts off strong moving at a rapid pace initially - to the point that you are wondering, what else would be shown for the remainder of the movie. However, when talks of Diwali and Holi celebrations abound while the enemy is at the gates, its a grim reminder that Bhansali is in-charge and the folk dance is about to begin. The song Ghoomar, while exquisitely choreographed, is just a shimmering display of more jewellery. Deepika does the routine as if its a chore to perform while the blank expression on her face continues. The song between Ranveer and his Man Friday is too nonsensical to even comment on. The CGI, where it comes in, is painfully apparent. I didn't watch this one in 3D - the mere thought of those glasses on for 3 hours would've cancelled the movie watching plan altogether - so I can't comment on that either. The climax, if we can call it that, is just too over-done - with heavy background score and repeat sequences of Rajput women running everywhere, to commit an act that is now, rightfully lost to the pages of history.

Ultimately, Padmaavat, while a visual extravaganza - is not worth the sacrifice - the sacrifice of 3 hours of your time at the very least. Neither is it worth the 180 cr that went into making it in the first place. Here's hoping I don't go for the next Bhansali offering in the theater - I've made enough sacrifices already.

Movie Review: Newton..smart and intelligent

Ever since the trailers came out for Newton, it has intrigued. With smart humor and a seemingly scathing view of our current political scenario, it was one we believed could be the better watches of 2017. Well, if it needed any more bolstering, its now going to be our official entry to the Oscars. While I am not sure of that particular claim, I can confirm that much like its namesake, Newton is a one-of-a-kind which, if it doesn't come up with an astounding discovery and has nothing to do with falling apples, still applies a restrained but critical lens on the state of our country and makes a powerful impact on its audience.

Think of a more subdued version of Peepli LIVE - while vastly different in terms of their subject matter - the treatment given to the movie is quite similar. Things are implied, not stated. There is a lot of speaking through metaphors and analogies, none of which is truly explained. There is a significant amount of symbolism which you can easily miss if you don't dig deeper. You need to see the apple fall from the tree multiple times to truly get all the deeper stuff.

From the outset the movie is slow and measured. Its in no hurry to tell its story and yet, somehow it captures your interest. Some scenes linger and you linger as well, thinking if there's particular significance to these scenes. Some have it, others don't but you don't mind the pacing. There's a particularly telling shot conveying helplessness despite best intentions which could well feel like a fitting end to the movie itself.

A lot of the 'dialogue' actually happens in the background - a mother harping about her son not getting married, a policeman talking about how appearing as a maoist (while not being one) is a sure shot to making money, a flurry of shots of just faces - simple, wearied and clueless - these aren't the focus or spoken by the protagonist - yet are amongst the most revealing in what the director is trying to convey. Its protagonist is far from ideal or a role model - and yet he leaves his mark for at least trying.

Newton didn't really need the prowess of Rajkummar Rao. Now that it has him though, the storyline is uplifted by a wonderful restrained performance. Through the intermittently blinking eyes, the plain manner of speaking and the quiet determination of the not-so-stupid common man - Rao gets well into the skin of his character. He is wonderfully complemented by Pankaj Tripathi, though the characters are adversaries (if you can call them that). The supporting cast notably Raghuvir Yadav and in a short cameo Sanjay Mishra also provide fine touches.

Those who would expect a satire that's easily understood and provides a lot of laughs should best stay away. Newton is one of wry humor, that too only on the surface. Peel the layers and you'll find a movie of substance - that is bound to leave an impact.

Movie Review: Lucknow Central..no thrills behind these bars

There is plenty an inspiring movie when it comes to convicts planning and plotting in a jail cell. In fact, I had thought of far more interesting and apt titles like Lucknow Central..the not so great escape or Lucknow Central - far from redemption. However, it would've been blasphemous to name this rather ordinary offering in the presence of these greats so I kept it simple and boring (pretty much like the movie).

The issues with Lucknow Central are several - not enough mystery and intrigue, no connect with any of the characters, not even the protagonist, trying to do or show too many things and not a thrilling enough build up or climax. And then, there's the pacing that finishes whatever little hope remains.

While it starts off at a brisk pace, the set up feels too contrived - as if this is only a flimsy sequence to land up the protagonist in a jail cell and that's when the real story begins. Even so, the sequences feel disjointed and over-extended. In the hands of a more seasoned director, it may well have been presented with a lot more finesse. As it stands though, it all feels like it came together too easily. Unfortunately, this feeling continues pretty much till end-credits

One of the biggest challenges of the movie is the protagonist - Kishen himself. A small town guy with big dreams - he seems far too sure of himself irrespective of the situation he is in, making him closer to Michael Scofield than an Andy Dufresne. Its almost like he has a free hand to decide which direction he wants to take his life and hence the movie, while plot-wise he is supposed to be in a desperate situation. While Farhan performs Kishen earnestly, the character itself lacks depth.

The songs are somewhat of a saving grace with Meer e Karwan sounding particularly melodious. Rangdaari is the opening song, but by playing it in the background, every few minutes in the first half, it loses its charm. The other big support is the supporting cast who still seem to believe they have a good thing going, and give it their best. There is a particularly inspired bit with a superimposing of Kishen while the movie Agneepath plays in the background. While not perfectly executed, its a novel touch and you wish there was more such novelty on offer. Apart from that, the humor provided largely by the supporting cast is a welcome relief amidst the tedious and slow proceedings on-screen.

I guess this criticism is particularly harsh because I've seen the TV series Prison Break. If I hadn't, I'd probably be okay with not knowing back stories and a more fleshed out version of the supporting characters, expecting meticulous and deep planning at every step of the heist and even then facing a fair number of unforeseen challenges and situations. However, I am pretty certain that even if I hadn't, with its rather convenient plot developments and absolute lack of urgency despite the supposed heist Lucknow Central would still have fallen woefully short.

Movie Review: Bareilly Ki Barfi...quite a tasty treat

Packed with delicious one-liners, smart writing and credible performances, not from just the main trio but the supporting cast as well, Bareilly ki Barfi is one of those particularly flavorful sweets that might come in a plainly wrapped package of no big stars or a known director, but one that hides a delicious treat inside.

I think with the movie offerings we've seen off late - whether its the Dulhania variety or may be the Hello Zindagi selection, we are particular starved of one that made us truly and genuinely laugh. Not slapstick, in your face stuff. Just simple, intelligent humor through the narrative, dialogues and the quirkiness of its characters. Last I can recollect that happening was the first half of Raanjhanaa or Vicky Donor.

The biggest disservice to this movie is actually its trailer which gives away most if not all of what you can expect from a storyline and plot build up perspective including a few of the good one-liners. You don't want to sample this treat ahead of ordering the full box - trust me on that.

There is also the fine garnish of the narration which while told in a rustic tone, has its own share of engaging lines and you look forward to more of that strewn across the movie runtime. The songs are there, but they aren't distracting or painfully long. Its more like they get you to pause and savor the flavours so far to get you primed for more.

 Its not all just sweet - there are some bittersweet moments that are well executed and the movie also makes an understated commentary on some social issues. There is a beautiful father daughter relationship, the inner turmoil of a builled young man, the blind selfishness of a jilted lover that barely come to the fore, but are yet mixed in there somewhere with the rest of the tasty ingredients.Not all of it tastes equally well though. There is the particularly bitten almond that is the climax of the movie that woefully falls short and completely ruins all the flavors that were melding together so well earlier so much so that you wonder if the barfi really was that tasty in the first place.

One of the main elements of this recipe are its actors - both the leads as well as supporting cast deserve a mention here. Ayushmann Khurana does justice to his character while Kriti Sanon is full of energy and effervescent true to her character of Bitti. Seema Pahwa and Pankaj Tripathi play the supporting act as Bitti's parents but bring out their individual characters really well. However, the biggest praise should undoubtedly be reserved for Rajkummar Rao. If this is a barfi, then he is the khoya that makes the movie delicious and gets you craving to sample more. His dual act, if we can call it that, is so perfect, you won't want to miss a single dialogue, mannerism or response from him.

Bareilly ki Barfi then is packed with all the ingredients that make it a tasty treat. While such a barfi would be typically be heavy on the stomach, this one gets lighter and more fun with every ingredient - go and sample it for yourself.

Movie Review: Dunkirk...a cinematic triumph that redefines a genre

I’ve never been a fan of war movies, in general. Somehow the genre never really appealed to me. Nolan’s Dunkirk though is a one of a kind experience. I don’t know if I should characterize it as a war movie per se or I should reflect whether the others were really war movies in the true sense. It’s a genre defining experience and is Nolan at his boastful best. Christopher Nolan, that is, not his brother…

After having watched all the Christopher Nolan movies after the epitome that was The Dark Knight, I have come to the conclusion that this is what Christopher Nolan does best – wide angle IMAX cameras, a vision for action in its most elemental form (not the Paul Greengrass shaky camera variety), simple notes that build to crescendo, large explosions and giant pieces with minimal CGI. Dunkirk gives this Nolan the best possible backdrop and canvas and he paints with aplomb.

Nolan moves the camera lens from the sidelines to the very heart – so much so that you live the experience as much as his characters. In a war movie – that’s a paradigm shift. You aren’t see a bombing happening somewhere on the horizon while you are safely in the trenches. Instead the explosion goes off near your very ear as you crouch helpless and vulnerable, in the middle of an unintended battlefield. And the onslaught is relentless – the explosions, the gunfire, the roar of a fighter aircraft’s engines and to top it off, the uncertainty of it all.

There are no heroes on this particular battlefield, just desperate and helpless men trying to survive. This is what the actual war would’ve looked and felt like and this is possibly our first, real look at it – and far from looking grand and victorious – it looks and feels hopeless and despairing. That is why when there is a glimmer of hope somewhere down the line, it feels like a shining beacon instead.

While he uses a grand cast of characters – his staple dependables like Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy as well as adding the masterful Mark Rylance to the mix, its all for nought pretty much. This isn’t a hero  movie and doesn’t require great acting chops. This is just a director showing, no strutting, while he showcases what he can do. This is the Joker armed with guns, gasoline and gunpowder, wreaking havoc with our minds.

And he doesn’t make it easy. What could’ve been a simple sequential narrative is split across 3 mind exhausting timelines that come closer to each other as the movie progresses. When the movie abruptly breaks for intermission, you aren’t sure what the ‘story’ is or if there is any at all.

It is in his final flourish that Christopher Nolan shows any focus on emotions and a narrative. Done with his circus act of planes, boats and bombs, the camera finally moves to his characters, the situation they are in, their apprehensions, their little triumphs and the event in its entirety that was termed a colossal military disaster. There are moments here and there, strewn about – that indicate what the movie could’ve been had there been more focus on its narrative as well – this is where Jonathan Nolan’s contribution is missed the most, I suppose.

However, Dunkirk, as it stands is amongst the best that Christopher Nolan has made and it is cinematic triumph at that. Its not everybody’s cup of tea, mind you, there’s no tinted glasses here – there’s death and despair at every corner and that can be depressing. However, it is a masterpiece that re-defines this particular genre and gives all the other directors of such movies, plenty to think about.

Movie Review: Jagga Jasoos..an entirely different case

When I first heard of Jagga Jasoos – I thought this would be Anurag Basu’s answer to Detective Byomkesh Bakshy. Then the trailer came and I was utterly baffled. It looked more inspired from Jim Carrey’s Ace Ventura: Pet Detective than the famous sleuth. Thankfully, as it turns out, it is neither – but what it is – well its an entirely new genre – new to Bollywood at least.

Beyond doubt, this is Bollywood’s first true musical. I haven’t done a lot of research before saying this but of all the movies I have seen, this is the one that resembles a musical the most. One that doesn’t use songs as a crutch or a necessity. The music and songs are in the fabric of the movie itself. Okay so maybe it goes a tad too far with songs like ‘Sab khana kha ke..’ (a catchy number but ill-placed in terms of plot progression). Even so, there is a lot to be appreciated on the whole approach to the movie making itself.

This is the movie directed by the man who gave us Barfi. That deliciously thoughtful entertainer that left a distinctly sweet taste in the mouth (I really don’t care for all the talk of it having copied scenes, it was an original script!). While the movie has his signature touch – a poignant theme, good use of sounds and music intermingling well and clear plot progression – its not as refined a product as Barfi was.

Saswata Chatterjee – we first got glimpses of his potential with the thrilling Kahaani. While much of the credit could have gone to his character rather than his acting in that movie, with Jagga Jasoos he more than makes a mark. His fatherly character perfectly conveys every emotion within a heartbeat and when crumples into tears at a sense of personal loss – you’d shed a tear too with him.

Ranbir is in full flow as well but his character itself is not as strong. That said, he catapults into a different league in the more emotional bits. Katrina Kaif looks pretty but her role is pretty minimal despite a fair amount of airtime.

One challenge the movie faces is in conveying what it wants to be – a vehicle to spread a social message, an amateur detective’s foray into an unknown and dangerous world, a musical with the usual song and dance routine – so it ends up being a bit of everything. That’s a bit sad because when it tries to be just one thing, the movie really shines.

Jagga runs along at a fair clip and despite being told in ‘chapters’ – continues to capture your attention throughout. Some of the progression is fairly outlandish but it happens in such a flow that you let it pass. Jagga then is a musical adventure – there’s no case here and no mystery to solve. If that doesn’t spoil things for you, you really should go for this crazy ride.

Movie Review: Spiderman – Homecoming…welcome return but a new species

Marvel extended universe now has one of the coolest animation intros you’ll see across the board. The way it creates the build-up you really gear up for something spectacular. Avengers was and continues to be their finest ever and they leverage that to the full extent.

They also pulled out all the stops for Spiderman Homecoming – multiple teasers, so much branding and even a custom IMAX countdown specifically for the web-slinger. While the idea of this new countdown works the execution isn’t all that good and the original still shines through despite being much older. That holds true for our friendly neighborhood Spiderman as well.

Its been eons now that the Sam Raimi version of Peter Parker and his web slinger breathed life into our favorite superhero and in my view truly embodied the spirit of Spiderman (Especially Spiderman 2). Since then sadly we’ve had Spiderman 3, and the two reboots which simply didn’t cut muster and give us enough of the sperhero we wanted to see more of. Now making yet another comeback, Spiderman Homecoming gives us Spidey in a whole new avatar. While many will call this one the coolest Spiderman movie yet, I feel it trades off being cool to being more heartfelt and genuine as the Sam Raimi movies.

Captain America – Civil War. That’s what gave Spidey his exalted status in the extended Marvel universe. What started off as a delightful cameo in a superhero ensemble movie is now its own feature – with Spiderman Homecoming. Thankfully, there isn’t yet another origin story here. Spiderman became spiderman after a bug bit him and that’s that. Let’s get to the good stuff.

And there is plenty of it. The action though it comes in fits and starts, is blindingly fast but due to slick camerawork and high quality effects one can follow most of the proceedings. The movie walks a tightrope between a teenager’s growing up problems and a superhero who’s trying to come off age. While it comes off as goofy and fun for the most part, the movie really comes into its own when it changes tone for a bit.  That too is short-lived though and after all the good work, the climactic battle on a jet in the night is a bad advertisement for all the terrific action prior to it.

Much like the other MCU offerings, there are generous doses of humor every now and then, but one does get the feeling that this version of Spidey is trying too hard – too hard to make you laugh, too hard to build connect and concern for its chief protagonist and too hard on many other fronts. It just removes some of the sheen from the offering.

I think my biggest grouse (and this is more a personal view than a movie flaw) is the direction it takes Spidey in – making him a protégé for Ironman rather than a standalone superhero. Had we not seen Raimi’s version of Spiderman, we might’ve bought it, but after having seen that – I can’t see spidey as a kid in an iron-man’esque suit. That just spoils it for me.

One of the main reasons why the new Spidey works though is Tom Holland. Perfectly slipping under the skin of this very different Spidey, Holland brings a sense of childlike innocence to the character – as both Parker as well as Spidey. Even with the Sam Raimi/ Tobey Macguire movies – once he wore the suit, Spidey knew what he had to do. In Holland’s case though, he is still clueless on what is expected off him – and in its own whacky way – that works. Another aspect that brings some much needed gravitas to this Homecoming is Michael Keaton. With perfect screen presence, Keaton steals the show in a handful of scenes and despite a weak character for a villain, he more than makes his presence felt.

Overall then, Spiderman makes a welcome return – even if it does bring home a very different creature than what I expected. Oh, and there’s no end credits scene – just mid-credits. But you might still want to stick around – just to see the smart prank Marvel pulls off with the crowd.