Govinda : The Entertainer of the 90s

From my Facebook Post dated 9th Aug 2017

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10156403305462004&id=682637003



As i was driving back, the FM was on in the Car and like it usually happens if you are a movie buff, whenever a song plays from the times gone by, one suddenly feels a surge of memories, emotions associated with the time when you hear or watch that piece of music or movies...The radio was playing the song from "Hero No 1".Govinda

The name that every avid movie goer in the   90s remembers with fondness...Govinda, the man who had it all but yet didnt quite get it all...If ever there will be a Golden list conpiled of the actors in Hindi cinema who were blessed with comic timing, Govindas name would be deeply ingrained in that...There would be very few actors in Indian cinema who could better Govinda in  pure comic timing...I can think of the late mahmood, Sanjeev kumar and Kadar khan.....
Also if there were ever a list to be made of the best dancers in Hindi cinema, Govinda would again figure right at the top of the list...

An actor with brilliant comic timing, and extra ordinary sense of dance...This is the thing thats different about Govinda....When other dancer actors dance, Like Hrithik roshan or tiger Shroff, the dance looks so much more professional and like a real tough job to do....But when Govinda dances, its all heart and less of technique..one cant take their eyes of Govindas bountiful frame, when he gyrates his ample body with the grace of a slithering snake and mouth wide open ready to laugh out the loudest laugh........

Mid 90s was also a period when me and many of my friends, were transitioning an important phase in life...From school to college, moving from teens to 20s....thats a tricky time to be in life stage....when one is in their 20s, then Higher studies and jobs ensure that your primal worries remain only about survival....But its that delicate phase when one is moving from teens to 20s, is when things can go awry.....
Luckily for us we had Govinda and his movies to transition us through that phase...

Salman Khan wasn't quite the star that he is today...Aamir was as usual selective..shahrukh was overdoing his lover boy Rahul image with Kuch Kuch Hota hai, dil to paagal hai , mohabattein..movies that made one shed litres of glycerine and tears in the halls....Akshay Kumar was struggling to find his act together....

Those were the days when Govinda was ACtually a much bigger commercial success with the very successful template of movie making with David Dhawan....Thank you Govinda for helping me and many of my friends help make that smooth and simple transition to Early 20s...those were the days of Single screens and you were the man of the hour then....
Hero No 1, Coolie No 1, shola aur shabnam, Anari, bade miyan chotey miyan, Haseena maan jaayegi Jodi No 1, some of your  all time rib ticking movies....

I still cant get your character of Chacha ji in haseena maan jaayegi, out of my mind.....Thanks for giving us those songs and those movies  and more than anything else thanks for making 90s so cool with your work..........

Movie :DoDooni Chaar : Simplicity at its best

From my FB Post : 22nd Aug 2017

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10156446854907004&id=682637003

Was watching Do Dooni Char on TV...This is one of this movies that one doesn't get bored of watching over and over again..A movie which has lot of heart and soul in it. A Movie that touches a cord with almost everyone and connects with people at a level. Story about a Happy go lucky middle class family who are struggling with great hope...Rishi kapoor, probably in one of the top performances of his very long career..
Duggal sir of Do Dooni Chaar, has to be one of the top most endearing, lovable and cuddlable characters ever in Hindi cinema..Duggal sir, has typical Delhi Punjabi middle class stamped all over it and in what a way !!! The white sports shoes below the trousers, the half sweater below the Coat, the scooter, the characterisation, Rishi Kapoor just nails it with his effortless charm, sincerity, nuanced maturity and depth ,to pull off a character like this

The thing thats endearing about the movie is that it in no way, makes the existential struggle look like a draconian and morbid task, how typically.movies portray subjects related to middle class and living in right budgets....This movie celebrates "living within your means" and yet to try and strike that delicate balance between "means and desires, between "wants and neccessities", between "living for the moment and planning for the future".....Truly typical of how life is and should be........always treading the middle path.....

#dodoonichaar #Rishikapoor

Irrfan Khan : The Only time i didnt like him

This blog post is reproduced from my FB post written on 7th Oct 2017. This is perhaps the only time i didnt find Irrfan to be the amazing actor i  have known him to be

 https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10156594922267004&id=682637003



#IrrfanKhan

Its almost like a blasphemy in bollywood circles to write what I am about to, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do..

I have been a big Irrfan khan admirer and fan for as long as I can remember...Infact i very vividly remember having spotted this man, way back in the TV serial "Banegi Apni Baat"..The man with big, round , super expressive eyes, a sublime, subtle and gentle intensity...Very assertive but not at all aggressive set of eyes....Eyes that can probe ones soul with their non challanted glare, raw emotions and naked sincerity...And this has been the strength, that Irrfan khan has been playing to....Keeping the characters as real and authentic as possible...His dialogue deliveries follow a different journey....straight from heart and mind to  the audience ears, somewhat skipping the editing board of melodramatisation of scripting and dialogue writing.... He has been the Harbinger of the parallel cinema wave for too long and now with an international acclaim as well..

However as all good things must come to an end, so did my crazy belief in Irrfans abilities....

The movie Hindi medium just exposed too many chinks in Irrfan khans otherwise superpowrful armour...that movie completely left me heartbroken and dejected.....irrfan khans serious limitations as a versatile actor come to the fore with glaring clarity...There was no way in hell he got the characterisation correct.....There was nothing Chandni Chowk about him..

And when i did a retrospective check , I realised that yes, Irrfan khan actually has been different versions of Irrfan khan in all the movies that he has played.....But not the characteer.......

Thr characterisation that have an element of Irrfans personality are the ones that are most memorable.....like Lunchbox.....that movie , no Indian actor could have come even 10% close to what Irrfan did.....becuse that role required a certain sensitivity, a certain emotional nuance, an intensity thats mild and sincere and eyes that can pierce your soul......This is the genre that Irrfan Khan is at his best and no Indian actor can come close to him..But when you move away from that and into uncharted territory of different and unexplored characters, Irrfan khans limitations as an actor are accentuated........

#Kaultimes

Baaghi 2 : FInding the Genre

#Baghi2
Was finally able to watch a full on Action Masala movie after a long time. Tiger shroff comes of age in this action packed, thriller. I think he needs to master this template for atleast a couple of movies and he will be the next big thing in bollywood. The boy surely has the right attitude and discipline to do that for sure

Baghi2 is an out and out Tiger shroff flick, where,  he single handedly takes the action of Hindi films to an altogether new level, and the best thing,he looks bloody damn convincing in doinf that. He dances like a dream, His stunts are superlative, he has a physique like steel, has a decent voice, and most importantly has eyes that don't lie

The story is gripping from the word go....The screenplay is taut except in a few places and keeps one hooked on. Disha Patani just about manages her role, in playing a damsel in distress who reaches out to her ex boyfriend to help in the biggest trial of her life. The suspense running through out the film,keeps the audience hooked with some moments of weak screenplay giving in a major part of the suspense, for an involved audience. If you are a movie buff, wudnt take much time for you yo figure out the suspense

All said and done, the action sequences,even though a bit drag,end up looking so damn good, all thanks to  Tiger shroff,who iss much improved. The tough guy act seems to go down well with him, his stunts are jaw dropping,his chiselled physique speaks volume of his grit and sincerity, That sincerity reflects in his eyes and comes about in the performance, even with limited emoting capability...Clearly the lad has evolved big time.. the film has an ensemble star cast and is ably supported by The Great Manoj Bajpai, who plays a small but impactful role, The inimitable Randeep Hooda, whp clearly brings cheers to the audience with his whacky one liners..
Deepak dobriyal and Prateek babbar , have done a reasonable job... Prateek Babbar seen in a negative avtar, is a mean and menacing man..

All in all, Baghi 2, is a great masala entertainer with great action and lots of sincerity thrown in

Movie Review :Fanney Khan :A story of hope in times of despair

Movie Review : Fanney Khan 

Attempting to write a movie review after a Long time. A draining work week leaves one with barely enough time and energy to enjoy the few indulgence on weekend, a hard drink and Amazon primes extensive movie collection, which seems to be becoming my stress buster for the last few weeks 

I watched Fanney Khan during one such weekends. The story of a struggling factory worker, Prashant Sharma, who is also a small time musician, who ends up singing in the local mumbai chawl orchestras.Such is his passion for singing, that he names his only daughter after the legendary Lata Mangeshkar. He worships Rafi Sahab and wants to make it big as a singer. Eventually as it happens with most of us, passion is replaced with responsibility, dreams are replaced with just sleep, creativity is replaced with job, praises and accolades are replaced with Salaries, this is what precisely happens to Prashant Sharma. In the quest to survive, he forgets to live and forgets about every thing else except his dream 

There is a dialogue in the movie ,That dreams either get shattered or achieved. However for the protagonist, the dreams changed. Instead of dreaming for himself, he dreams for his daughter to become a famous singer. This forms the basic plot of the movie and how the father sets about to do anything possible to make sure that his daughter gets that one elusive opportunity that can let her shine. Opportunity, the big difference between the "Great" and the " Strugglers" and it's try across so many spheres of life, at work , school,jobs

Anil Kapoor as Fanney Khan will tug at your heart strings with an easy going earnesty that will melt it away sooner or later. The beauty about the movie is that inspite of all challenges and Strugglers, Fanney Khan is all about Hope. Th film is all about keeping your dream and chasing it with happiness and Hope and not angst. Anil Kapoors character is real, relatable, endearing and yet heroic. He is a loser who wants to win only for his daughter. Kapoor charms us with a sincerity and honesty that only he can evoke in a character...His eyes are gleaming and they convey the struggle and joys of the character Prashant Sharma 

Aishwarya rai as the iconic singer Baby singh is quite good. Finally Aishwarya rai seems to be pretty relaxed in front of the camera..I don't think she still makes the cut as a good actor but she foe sure looks much relaxed and that's the 1st step to Being seen as a good actor

Rajkumar Rao shines as the innconect friend of Anil Kapoor and provides the comic relief with his impeccable sense of light and subtle humour 

Divya Dutta is good as usual. She does a Fair job of the role

The new girl who plays Kapoor daughter deserves a special mention

Overall a quite movie with a great message,Live life and keep dreaming.....

"Dreams can come true even in dreams,you don't need to be awake " 

Anil Kapoors best work and we wonder why he wasted his talent trying to just work for his kitchen

Pavan Malhotra

Image Credits: Wikepedia IPTC PhotMetadata, Creator Picasa 3.0

I am sure most people can relate to this very familiar face. We have seen this actor many times in different roles, but very few manage to remember the name of this very dependable character actor, the very talented & a veteran actor, Pavan Malhotra

My earliest memories of Pavan Malhotra are from the Serial Nukkad, where he plays a memorable character. Not Many would know that Pavans very early film as Lead was Bagh Bahadur, where he potrays difficulty of rural life in Bengal. He also acted in the cult movie, Saleem Langde pey mat ro

Malhotra shot to fame when he did the role of Tiger Menon in Anurag Kashyaps Black Friday, He is known for his role in Milkha Singh, Akshay Kumars Rustom, Don, Bang Bang, Shahid-Kareena starrer Jab we Met, Anil Kapoors Mubarakan many more

He had also featured in an ICICI Bank commercial

Trained in Theater, Malhotra holds the screen with this dynamic presence. Rugged Punjabi good looks backed with a ferocious intensity make him apt for roles as diverse as an angry villain to his brilliant comic timing in films like Judwa2 & Mubarakan
Actors like Pavan Malhotra, don't believe in hogging limelight. They prefer to work on their craft, deliver the job & move on

Movie Review: Setters

https://www.bollywoodlatestforu.com/2019/05/setters-movie-box-offic

Hidden in obscurity on Zee5 Cinemas is this beautiful Gem of a movie called Setters. It took me about 15 - 20 minutes of Casual surfing on Zee5 Cinemas to finally get to this movie. The trailer was impressive & I decided to treat myself to a weekend watch of this movie

The Plot
This movie is based on the Big Nexus of Paper Leaking racket that spreads across the country for examinations like Banking, Railways, Engineering. The Kingpin of this Nexus is Varanasi based Henchman, Bhaiya Jee (Pawan Malhotra) & his trusted aide, Shreyas Talpade. Its a very well oiled network including a perfect last mile delivery mechanism for ensuring the papers are leaked to the students just 2 hours before the exams. Shreyas uses his trusted team of people to do this job for him including Photographers to create fake IDs, Coaching institute owners to get the vulnerable candidates who will pay the big money to buy papers, a trained craftsmen to fool the biometric & create fake admit cards

There is pressure on administration to cut this menace to size & enters SP Aditya Singh, Aftab shivdasani to put an end to this mafia. To make matters worse, there is also a personal history between Aftab & Shreyas, both of whom belong to Varanasi & were good friends at one point who were preparing for the State Civil exams & also had a common love interest. In a Twiste of fate, Aftab shivadasani walks away with the girl & the coveted State Police Top job, whereas Shreyas moves fast on the other side of the law. Hence begins a Cat & Mouse chase between Aftab & Shreyas. There are some very slick & smart sequences in the film where Shreays seems to get the better of Aftab on most occasions
The plot of the film is pacy, with some interesting twists & turns

Cast

The film boasts of an eclectic star cast who have some interesting roles

Pawn Malhotra plays the Tough Don Bhaijee, who controls the Paper Leaking Mafia. Malhotra plays the role of his lifetime & does ample justice to his abundant talent with a meaty power backed role'

Aftab Shivadasani, is back after a big hiatus. He delivers a fine performance  with great screen presence & a very restrained & controlled performance

Shreya Talpade, has the Author backed role in the movie & the key protagonist. One wonders why Talpade doesn't get enough roles to showcase his variety

Clearly, Pawan Malhitra & Shreyas Talpade not getting & doing meaningful roles in Hindi Cinema is a loss to Bollywood more than anything else

Jameel Khan, Vijay Raaz & Rishi Manu, do an exemplary job in their limited role & hold the audience attention well to their respective parts

A very well made movie but lack of marketing & promotions, made this little gem lying in obscurity lose its due. Do watch on Zee5 Cinemas

#moviereview @zee5cinemas #Shreyas #Aftab #Setters