Udaan (movie): Little wings to "FLY"

Directed by: Vikramaditya Motwane
Release date: July, 2010

After 8 hours of long journey, 3 large pegs of rum and around 2 am in the morning I watched UDAAN. What attracts me most is the theatrical poster of the movie. A 16-17 year boy sitting confused and all his emotions and fantasies are around him. Everything which a teenage can imagine or desire is written there and why not, it’s written by my all time favorite Anurag Kashyap. I was all set to begin the 2 hours journey of fulfilling dreams. It’s also going to be special because I also have a dream but unfortunately still fighting to achieve it.  

About the story – Fours friends were caught by their warden watching an adult movie in the theater which results to their termination from the school. Rohan came back to his home town Jamshedpur to live with his father. He came to know that he also have a younger brother 8 years old (as his father married again). Rohan wants to be a writer and willing to study Literature but his father forced him to study Engg in morning and work in his Steel factory in the evening. The rest of the film is about the clash of the mindset/ideology between the father and the son, elder brother and younger brother.

As the story was written by Anurag Kashyap, you will expect something mind blowing. We didn’t watch the movie with the mindset that it will be a normal entertainer. We were waiting for the hurricane to blow our minds. However, I believe either the story was normal or it was presented in a very normal manner. You will feel that same scenes were repeated couple of times in the movie. There are no events which will lead to something exciting. The best part of the movie is its ORIGINAL Screenplay. You will love it for sure. Simplicity at its best! May be that’s the reason you will not find the story appealing. But the Screenplay is the back bone of the movie. It’s a slow pace movie and most of movie revolves around 3 characters. The conversation between the father (Ronit Roy) and Rohan is tense (most of the times), however it’s interesting and innocent between Arjun and Rohan. The poems used by Rohan (I guess there are 3-4 in total) are also new and refreshing.

It’s a very simple film about a boy who wants to achieve his dreams. It does not offer any Indian masala to audiences. But still it’s a must watch for the whole family. For parents to understand that sometimes in order to think best for their children they stop thinking what is correct. For teenagers to understand that if you want to achieve what you want than there is no one who can stop you.

Do watch it with your parents or younger brother/sisters.

Action Replayy (movie): A film without homework!

Directed by: Vipul Shah
Release date: November, 2010

After a long time the trailer was able to convey the right expectations of the movie. When the trailer came to charts the first impression about the movie was not promising and that’s TRUE. Most of the times the trailer looks very promising but in actual the movie is not a good one. But in case of Action Replyy the trailer was able to convey the right “picture” of the picture. Movie will disappoint you!

About the Story – Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai are married to each other for past 35 years. For such a long time what all they have done is fight, blaming each other and more fighting. Their only son Bunty believes that marriage was the biggest mistake done by their parents, due to which when his girlfriend ask him to get married he always run away from the scene. Bunty travels back to time so that he can change the arrange marriage of their parents to a love marriage, so that they will love each other and he will be able to marry his girlfriend. (Sorry to say but illogical thought)

The movie doesn’t look like its set up in late 70’s. Though the director tried a lot on clothes, locations, dialogues, so that it should give a retro look. However, the effort was not enough. In several shots including songs, you will feel the dress is of present time and if someone will not tell you, you won’t realize its set in 1970’s. Some of the special affects (like the first shot when Bunty came to 1975 and stands in front of VT station) are also not up to the mark. Story does not have much to offer. Actually there is no story. Just couple of events happenings now and then and director tries to make them humorous. It’s only Akshay, who will be able to make you laugh in 2 or 3 instances. That’s it, nothing else to cheer or talk about the movie. Songs are also not memorable (Jor ka jatka is an exception here).

Wait for the original DVD to be released or its premier on Indian television and provided that you don’t have anything else to do on that day than you can take the risk to watch it.

Aakrosh (movie) : Are you ready to pay the cost for "LOVE"?

Directed by: Priyadarshan
Release date: October, 2010 

When the trailers of Aakrosh came on charts it says – from the directors of Gardish and Virasat. The intensions were clear; don’t expect another Hera Pheri or De Dana Dan. This time Priyadarshan along with Kumar Mangat Pathak is going to hit the screen with a very serious issue of honor killing. The same was reflected in the very first trailer in which Ajay Devgan (in back ground voice) says – kya hum sach me azaad hue thee.

About the Story – Three college students went missing when they visited a village in Bihar. Its 2 months and government is not able to find them. In Delhi, media and college students asked for a CBI enquiry and a team comprises of Ajay Devgan and Akshaye Khanna is sent to Jhanjhar village to solve the case. After reaching there they realise that it’s not a routine work this time. No one from the villagers or the local police is helping them or talking to them about this. After that, a series of incidents happened in which several people were killed brutally, whole village is burnt, some people were hanged on the trees, some were killed in accidents etc. In the second half, CBI came to know that it’s not a murder case rather it’s on honor killing. In which people of higher cast kill the girl and the boy (who are in love) because they bring dishonor to the family or their community. In the end with the help of Bipasha Basu, they solved the case.

No doubt the subject was strong and for most of the audience who lives in metro, this needs to be addressed. Couples living in metros (who goes to McDonalds, Pizza hut, Cineplex, Disc and outings) should know what happen, when someone living in a small village dares to love. They are not just killed but murdered in such a manner that it will become a lesson for others. Not only the couple but their families also burnt or murdered. Couple of scenes like – the long chase scene, in which Ajay chase a guy on the roof and another one in which Ajay and Akshaye went to arrest roshini for the first time are worth watching. Not to forgot the scene in which Paresh Rawal beats Bipasha brutally by his belt behind the closed doors and in the end when Ajay took revenge and beat Paresh behind the door are delight to watch. The intensity of these scenes is so strong that though you are not able to see it but still from the screaming of the actors and background score you can feel it in your blood. That’s the magic Priyadarshan is able to create. I had a very strong expectation from the movie. The movie is GOOD, but not as I expected. The kind of experience Priyadarshan (director) and Kumar Mangat Pathak (producer) have, I have expecting the unexpected.

Ajay Devgan is perfect in such roles. Though I feel that director didn’t give him much space. Whenever we think that he is going to say a dialogue on which we will die clapping OR he will take the front seat and beat the other guy, Akshaye drew him from there.

Overall, we should watch it at least once. Just to know that life is not as easy as it seems in metros. Especially love is still a very sensitive matter in villages and if you dare to love someone outside your caste – be ready to pay the cost!!!!

It’s not that much brutal that girls or family members can’t watch it. So, you can plan it with anyone you want.