Press conference of Dostana

Heroes - Movie Review

Jog your memory a bit. Samir Karnik's first two movies [KYUN HO GAYA NA, NANHE JAISALMER] have been critical and commercial disasters. But Samir has assembled an impressive cast for his new outing HEROES. The billboards look really impressive. You think, chalo, dekhte hain, will Samir deliver this time? Will his fortunes change for better? Come to think of it, you saunter into the auditorium with zilch expectations. HEROES is an underdog.

Before we delve any further, let's clear a few misconceptions pertaining to this film. Just because the promos highlight the men in uniform, it doesn't mean HEROES is a 'war film'. Sure, it talks about love for the nation, but HEROES is not anti-Pakistan, is not jingoistic either, is nowhere close to BORDER, LOC and the likes, in terms of content.

HEROES talks about a journey undertaken by two boys and the three letters they've to deliver to the families of the deceased. HEROES is more of an emotional experience, how each family copes with life after their beloved has become a martyr.

Besides evoking strong emotions, HEROES also arouses strong patriotic feelings. There're moments in the film that compel you to salute those who guard our nation, so that we can sleep in peace. At the end, the message it delivers is simple -- You don't have to be a soldier to love your country.

Back to the two pertinent questions we raised at the outset. Question 1, Does Samir deliver? HEROES is a revelation. Cinema is all about narrating stories and Samir proves that he's a proficient storyteller. Question 2, will he prove lucky this time? Well, HEROES has all it takes to strike a chord, with family audiences mainly. The moments linger in your memory much after the show has concluded.

Final verdict? HEROES salutes the heroes who guard our nation. It's a powerful film. A moving experience!

HEROES is the story Sammy [Sohail Khan] and Ali [Vatsal Sheth] who travel a thousand miles to deliver three letters as a part of their film school assignment. But little do they know that the journey they have embarked upon will give a new meaning to their life.

HEORES unfolds in three chapters. But before that you get to see the wild side of two misled youth who don't take life seriously. The first chapter, Salman-Preity, is the highpoint of the film. The emotional moments in this chapter are worth applauding. Note the moments between Salman-Preity and also between the kid [Dwij Yadav] and the two youth. The scene at the Indo-Pak border -- the fence dividing the two nations -- is amazing. Watch Preity missing her husband and also embracing his uniform. Another brilliant stroke! This chapter deserves a 10 on 10 for its high emotional quotient and captivating performances.

Chapter 2 is slightly less impactful than Chapter 1. The portions between Sunny and Bobby are well executed, but the writing isn't as compelling. Yet, the fight sequence -- when a group of hooligans act smart with Sunny's girlfriend [Hrishitaa Bhatt] -- is superb. Sunny's 'dhai kilo ka haath' and the way it shatters the tiles on the floor leaves a strong impact. Watch this sequence with the masses and you'd only hear whistles and claps. Another scene from this chapter -- Sunny paying his last respects to Bobby -- is moving.

The third chapter [Mithun, Dino] is the softest link. Nothing wrong with the writing or its execution, but something is missing, the pace suddenly dips. The match in the end works mainly because it has been edited well.

Samir Karnik takes giant strides as a storyteller. Binod Pradhan and Gopal Shah's cinematography is top notch. The DOPs have done complete justice to the panoramic locales of North India. Sajid-Wajid's music is a major asset. 'Mannata' is the pick of the lot. What a soothing composition! Ditto for 'Makhana' [filmed on Sunny, Bobby]. Dialogues are magnificent at places.

The ones who leave the maximum impression in this multi-starrer are, in this order, Salman [superb; one of his finest works], Preity [outstanding; has spoken Punjabi so fluently], Sohail [pleasant surprise; evolving into a very fine actor], Sunny [very likeable] and Mithun Chakraborty [mature]. Bobby is effective in a cameo. Wish he would've got more footage. Vatsal Seth is decent. Dino is just about okay. Dwij Yadav is first-rate. Prateeksha Lonkar is fair. Amrita Arora and Ria Sen are passable.

On the whole, HEROES is a genuinely well-made film with strong emotions as its trump card. At the box-office, the pre-Diwali dull phase notwithstanding, it has the merits to climb the ladder with a strong word of mouth. The film deserves to be tax-exempted for its noble theme and noble intentions.

Heroes cast attend Durga Puja event in Kolkata

Shah Rukh Khan did the dhunuchi dance at a Durga Puja mandap in Kolkata last Saturday. And today, Brand Ambassador Mithun Chakraborty has invited the cast and crew of Heroes to attend the grand aarti at the Badamtola Durga Puja in Kolkata.

Mithun admits, "I invited the cast and crew of Heroes to participate in the maha aarti at Badamtola. Sohail (Khan), Vatsal Sheth and producer Vikas Kapoor are expected to attend. Vikas, the producer of Heroes, is a dear friend, and I enjoyed working in the film hence the invitation to all."

Mithin is the brand ambassador of the Badamtola Durga Puja. The actor will be dressed in the traditional dhoti-kurta for the maha aarti.

He says that this is the first time that a puja has been branded, "I want the people behind this grand industry (Pujas) to flourish like the dhaki players and the idol makers. I want at least one puja earning to go to them for the full year and I am very sure that after seeing me, some other star will brand some other puja tomorrow. I hope the corporates too join in some big way."

When quizzed if he was paid to be the brand ambassador, he says, "Money has never been a criteria. The request came from a person who is very close to my heart almost like a younger brother. I wanted to stand by this cause.

Tomorrow, if another star becomes a brand ambassador and charges mega bucks, I have no problems with that. At least, my cause will be fulfilled because wherever there is a big star, a big corporate will follow."

After the maha aarti Mithun will be flying off to Hyderabad to cheer his ICL team, The Royal Bengal Tigers, which will play against the Lahore Badshahs of Pakistan on October 12.

First Look - Heroes

Bachchan Bahu refused to romance three men on screen

Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan would've liked nothing better than doing films with husband Abhishek Bachchan. She has on more than one occasion, told close friends that even professionally, being paired with Abhishek is what she is most comfortable with.

So when buddy Karan Johar offered Aishwarya a chance to work with Abhishek in Dostana, with the sunny beach-side atmosphere of Miami being a plus, she was all for it.

All seemed well, albeit, the role required her to romance not just Abhishek, but also John Abraham, and, finally walk away with a third man! The third man is to be played by none other than Bobby Deol, who makes a surprise entry at the end of Dostana. Karan Johar says, "Bobby has a very special role in the film." Special indeed, because he gets the girl from Abhishek and John!

Aishwarya refused Dostana simply because she couldn't see herself romancing three men on screen, with her married Bachchan-bahu status. Also, Dostana required her to sport a lot of beachwear. Having refused to wear beachwear in Dhoom 2 already, she didn't give a second thought to declining Dostana.

The lucky girl to have stepped into Aishwarya's role is Priyanka Chopra. Dostana is the second film where Priyanka Chopra has benefitted from Ash leaving the project, the first being Rohan Sippy's Bluff Master, in 2005. This would be Aishwarya's third project with John Abraham gone wrong. Gaurang Doshi's Happy Birthday never got made, and Sriram Raghavan's film is yet to take off.

Bobby signed for Karan Johar's next production

It's been a slow and steady climb for the langorous Deol. After losing out on plum assignments like Mani Rathnam's Yuva and Apoorva Lakhia's Mission Istanbul, Bobby Deol suddenly bounced back last year with a stellar performance in Yashraj Films' Jhoom Barabar Jhoom. Though the film was a dud, Bobby was widely appreciated.

And now, from Yashraj, Bobby moves to another biggie. He is now been signed by Karan Johar for his untitled production to be directed by debutant Tarun Mansukhani. The film already has Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham in it. So, where does Bobby fit in?

"You wait and watch," promises Karan. "Bobby is going to surprise everyone in Tarun's film. We needed a certain presence and an actor with specific personality for one of the leads. Bobby fitted the bill. He's going to be the band mutthi of Tarun's film."

Priyanka Chopra who plays the female lead in this breezy romantic film is looking forward to working with Bobby. "He and I go back a long way. I've worked with both Bobby and Sunny. If Sunny was my hero in my first film The Hero, Bobby and I did Kismat and Barsaat together. He has a fabulous role in Karan's film,” enthuses Priyanka.

Subash K Jha, IndiaFM

Apne - Movie Review

With SHRADDHANJALI, his directorial debut, Anil Sharma proved that he could make you moist-eyed. With HUKUMAT, he proved that he could pull off a vendetta fare with gusto. With GADAR, he proved he could handle a love story with two neighboring countries as the backdrop with remarkable ease.

APNE, his new endeavor, is all about familial bonding. In a way, the storyteller goes back to his roots in his new outing -- emotions.

APNE casts a father [Dharmendra] and his two real-life sons [Sunny, Bobby] in roles that suit their personalities. Besides, the backdrop of boxing makes the conflict in the story look convincing.

APNE is rich in emotions and a number of sequences, especially those between Dharmendra and Sunny, are electrifying. Also, the boxing matches [Chris Anderson] are pulse-pounding and you clench your fists tightly due to the tension that's depicted on screen.

But APNE has its share of shortcomings as well. Ideally, the film should've had a concise format of 2.15 hours, instead of 2.54 hours. Besides, the screenplay, although tight at most times, succumbs to mediocrity at places. Music too is another aspect that should've had a lingering effect, since it's not everyday that the three Deols come together.

To sum up, APNE is desi at heart and holds appeal for those who swear by desi flicks. A worthy effort nonetheless!

Baldev Singh Choudhary [Dharmendra] won a silver medal in the Olympics and made India proud. His only dream was to make history by becoming India's first World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. But sometimes dreams get shattered before they can be realized.

When in the U.S., fighting for the World Heavyweight Championship, the betting mafia conspires against him and gets doping charges leveled against him, which gets him banned from boxing.

For an athlete nothing can be worse than doping charges. Baldev wants to get rid of this stigma and pain by training his elder son Angad [Sunny Deol] in the sport of boxing and make him a World Heavyweight Champion and create history which eluded him.

But Angad has some other dreams, other aspirations, other commitments… Karan [Bobby Deol], the younger son, a musician, in spite of wanting to fulfill his father's dreams, is helpless. But the story takes a turn when Karan decides to live his father's dream. The situation spirals out of hand subsequently…

APNE grips you gradually. Anil Sharma and writer Neeraj Pathak open the cards at the very outset. The uneasy relationship shared by the father and son [Dharmendra, Sunny], Dharmendra's failed ambition, the turning point in the tale [when Bobby steps in to fulfill his father's dreams] make the goings-on watchable. The narrative only gets absorbing when the focus shifts to the boxing ring and the opponent [Luca] steps into the picture.

But there's a flip side too. The choreography of these sequences [in the boxing ring] is so real that it can be off-putting as well, especially for the faint-hearted. Also, the climax is well crafted, but, ideally, it should've ended when Sunny overpowers the opponent. The subsequent portions [Bobby's liver problem] only add to the excessive length.

Director Anil Sharma handles the emotional sequences brilliantly. In fact, a number of scenes bear the stamp of a solid storyteller. The screenplay [Neeraj Pathak] is taut, except for a few loose ends. Himesh Reshammiya's music is a complete letdown. Barring the title track, the remaining songs are uninspiring. Kabir Lal's cinematography is topnotch. The lush green fields and locales of North India give the film a rich texture.

APNE belongs to Dharmendra. No two opinions on that. The veteran roars like never before and proves yet again that he's a magnificent actor. Sunny is first-rate. Bobby is alright, but the one complaint that you hold against him is, why didn't he work on his physique when he accepted this role? If he's playing a boxer, he can't afford to show his flabby chest and stomach.

The leading ladies don't have much to do. Shilpa at least gets a few scenes, while Katrina is there to flutter her eyelashes only. Kirron Kher is superb yet again. In fact, she has a far meatier role than the two ladies. Divya Dutta is wasted. Victor Banerjee is natural. Jawed Sheikh gets minimal scope. Aryan Vaid is alright. Luca is excellent.

On the whole, APNE is rich in emotions and has the potential to strike a chord with families. Those who love emotional fares are bound to take a liking for its theme. At the box-office, it has the power to grow with a strong word of mouth. Business in North India will be the best. However, trimming the film will only elevate its status.

Jhoom Barabar Jhoom - Movie Review

Really big expectations? Oh yes! With the premier production house [Yash Raj] at the helm of affairs and Shaad Ali in the director's seat, JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM is expected to strike like a hurricane.

Let's come to the point straightaway. Don't look for a story in JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM. For, there's none here. What you get to see is a collage of interesting moments. It's not one of those conventional prem kahanis that have the lovers drifting apart or a misunderstanding creating havoc in their lives.

What goes against the film is the fact that you feel a vacuum at the end of the screening. Something is amiss. Sure, you are enamored by the gloss. You are awe-struck by the stunning locales of U.K. and France. You are hooked to the performances of Abhishek and Preity mainly. But, deep inside, it doesn't satiate you.

To sum up, JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM is all gloss, no substance. Body beautiful, minus soul. In desi lingo, unchi dukaan, phika pakwaan.

Busy London station. Delayed train from Birmingham. Two strangers waiting for the train... Rikki Thukral [Abhishek Bachchan], born in Bhatinda, living in London; and Alvira Khan [Preity Zinta], more Brit than the Queen herself, however with Lahori blood in her veins.

Crowded café. One table to share. Two hours to kill. Perfect setting for the start of a love-story. Hitch? Both Rikki and Alvira are engaged and have come to pick up their fiancés, who are coming by the same train. To kill time, they end up telling each other their “how I met my fiancé” stories.

Rikki met his fiancé Anaida [Lara Dutta] at The Ritz, Paris. Alvira discovers her prince at Madame Tussaud's. When a gigantic wax model of Superman falls from the ceiling, Alvira is a sitting target. But Steve [Bobby Deol], a lawyer by profession, saves her life, but steals her heart.

Stories unfold, time passes, the two strangers start enjoying each other. Actually, they have gotten alarmingly attracted to each other!

Director Shaad Ali has handled a number of sequences well. Actually, come to think of it, you do enjoy a few moments in this 14 reeler. But can you stretch a rubberband beyond a point? That's what the writer does.

Writer Habib Faisal's screenplay is as taxing as driving in monsoons on a road full of potholes. When you realize the film offers no story, you sit motionless, flexing your facial muscles at times, but remaining indifferent to the goings-on generally. The director and writer have substituted the script with stunning visuals. But that's no compensation. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music is quite good. 'Ticket To Hollywood' is the track you carry home. The title track is another foot-tapping composition. Cinematography is exceptional. The film is a visual treat. Choreography [Vaibhavi Merchant] is different, but Abhishek carries it off very well. Aki Narula's costumes are smashing.

JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM belongs to Abhishek first and Preity next. Abhishek is in terrific form. It wouldn't be erroneous to state that his performance makes the goings-on watchable at times. A lesser actor would've fallen flat on his face in the absence of a cohesive script.

Preity is lovely and takes to her character like a fish to water. In fact, the two actors make an attractive pair. Bobby is relegated to the backseat. Also, would someone please tell Mr. Deol to chop off those locks? Lara Dutta is confident, though she's not in the forefront either. Amitabh Bachchan adds to star-value. He only appears in one song, flashed throughout the movie.

On the whole, JHOOM BARABAR JHOOM is no patch on Yash Raj's illustrious films. The film is all gloss, no substance. Body beautiful, minus soul. At the box-office, the all-powerful Yash Raj brand coupled with the lack of biggies will ensure substantial revenue for its producers/distributors in the initial days, proving that sometimes, a bad film also makes money.

Bobby is Daddy Cool

Bobby is Daddy Cool. If you stroll into Hotel Land's End or JW Marriott chances are there that you'll spot the Deol dude in denim cut-offs or capris, frocking around with his kids or chatting up his friends. And unlike bada bhaiya Sunny who usually never steps out of his ghar and when he does is ready to beat a quick retreat, Bobby has no problems chilling out in the public eye and acknowledging his many fans.