Ritu's Reviews

As NRI’s living in America traditions have been modified. In the old days wedding matches would come through relatives, word of mouth that so and so is “of age”, or through the matrimonial section in your local newspaper. But now living abroad even parent’s have become savvy with the Microsoft era and logged on to Shaadi.com to find the appropriate match for their otherwise pre-occupied son or daughter. Vivaah is the story of a present day couple that gets engaged the traditional way and their journey to marriage. See if the ideals of the Bharjatiya’s will sit well with you.

In this day and age where career comes first for both; educated guys and girls, Vivaah re-institutionalizes the virtues that marriage acts as a backbone to success. It shows how goals can be better achieved with a partner who’s actually your support vs. an obstacle. A classic view and presentation, this Bharjatiya film gets back in alignment with the good old wholesome Rajshri way. It goes back to the roots of Indian tradition and shares a beautiful message.

Sooraj Bharjatiya begins with a sensitive narration by Alok Nath gently unraveling the bond between a father and his precious daughter to set the tone. The film is throughout emotional, with light humor and tear-jerking moments.
The dialogues are well penned for the most part, barring some predictable lines. Alok Nath and Amrita Rao give the film a warm feel with the affectionate relationship they share and the intro scene where Shahid and Amrita meet leaves an impression.
Shahid Kapur instills lively vigor in his character, portraying it sensibly. Amrita Rao suits the part and uses her facial expressions to emote, as her character doesn’t have much to say. At times the innocence of her character is overkill, a blunder on the part of the writer. Alok Nath is superb and Anupam Kher is very good. Seema Biswas is full of conviction. The rest of the supporting cast portrays their roles with confidence.

The cinematography is low-grade. While it uncovers the beauty of India, the technical finesse of the film is poor. The entire film has a dated look as if it was shot in the ‘80’s with low-grade technical equipment.
Rajshri films never fail when it comes to good music, but in Vivaah they don’t quite impress. “Milan abhi aada adura hai” is the one song that follows you, since its repeated every so often.

The story will strike a chord with conventional audiences but risks being rejected by contemporary viewers. Conventional audiences will appreciate this film that instills the rich sanskar, morals, they were raised with, while contemporary audiences will find the film to be very idealistic. It would have done a better job of reaching out to all audiences had it not been filled loads of melted Velveeta cheese. Some moments in the film are just too cheesy and sappy to be a hit with modern youth, while others are far too dramatized and unbelievable. At some point you want to say, "Give me a break!! Are you kidding me?!". After all, what girl doesn't say anything the entire time she meets a new guy and what couples in this day and age don't care to meet more than once and decide its done in the first meeting? It's just not a film of today's senses. Where you have the "Dil Chaata Hai's", "Saalam Namaste's", and "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna's", showing progression in sync with current trends and youth, Vivaah puts you in a time machine and takes you back to the basics.

Still, all said and done, the film is touching. Even if it’s idealistic, it’s surely something to strive for. If you can look beyond the film lacking any sass and accept it for a simple story with an honest message, you’ll enjoy it. Vivaah journey’s through Ritu's Reviews with 3 stars.

Vivaah gives Rajshiri fans what they miss seeing – wholesome family entertainment with values.

Posted by Ritu at 10:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

J.P. Dutta wowed everyone with Border, one of the best Indian War film made till date. He then followed up with Refugee and L.O.C Kargil. Each rejected by the box office and only remembered for the painful length suffered by audiences. Dutta’s films sort of became the longest running joke…literally! Shifting gears from war, he now takes his hand at recreating a masterpiece and directs Aishwariya Rai as his Umrao Jaan.

“Umrao Jaan Ada” by Mirza Haadi Ruswa was an Urdu novel, adapted on the big screen in 1981 by Muzaffar Ali, starring Rekha. J.P. Dutta now engages audiences with his adaptation and entrances them with Aishwariya Rai.
The story is a deep, sensitive, drama about a young girl and her tragedy in life, when she’s kidnapped and raised to be a courtesan. To compare Muzaffar Ali’s version to Dutta’s would be pointless. That was then, this is now. Both are available for your viewing pleasure, so if you liked the classic and aren’t open-minded to the remake, don’t bother because it won’t compare. They never do.

Dutta tries his level best to handle the classic with grace, ensuring visual appeal. A period film set in the early 1900’s, he preserves the authenticity of the time. The film takes you back and makes you feel a part of the era.
Music by Anu Malik with lyrics by Javed Akhtar is likeable once seen on screen. However the songs are not as nearly as haunting and evergreen as the ‘80s Umrao Jaan. For a film whose backbone is music, its not as expressive. In fact it may feel like there are one too many songs, out of which one or two could have been chopped, trimming the length by 15-20 minutes. Standard for the Dutta, the film runs long, but is still bearable. The pace is slow, but should be expected given the mode.

As for his sense of direction, he extracts strong performances. Actors such as Kulbhushan Kharbundha, Himani Shivpuri, Divya Dutta, Ayesha Jhulka,, and Puru Raj Kumar fit the mold and perform with proficiency. Shabana Azmi steps into her mother’s shoes, playing the role her own mother played in the yesteryear’s film; as always a fantastic performance by the seasoned actress.

Besides being a remake of a classic directed by J.P. Dutta, this film was talked about and long-awaited because it starred celluloid lovers Aishwariya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan. After rumors set fire that they were having an affair during the making of this film and just before the release, news hit stands that they’re supposedly getting married, audiences couldn’t wait to see the chemistry between the two. Publicity stunt or not, it worked. Aishwariya and Abhishek made for eye candy. With respect to their chemistry, it was’nt fully unleashed, but made a romantic sight. As for their individual performances, Abhishek does well. He stands firm as a Nawab with the right stature and confidence.
Umrao, ulf, Ashwariya, gives liberally to her character. Breathtaking and stunning, are words that fall short in describing how mesmerizing she looks. Her eyes are amazing and captivating. As Umrao, she puts everything BUT her jaan into the character. Although a very solid performance, there’s something missing in the expression of her eyes. Here if compared to Rekha, she lags far behind. Rekha put her soul into Umrao Jaan, brought the character to life, and was the ultimate mujra godess. Aishwariya on a separate level entertains and touches, but isn’t the picture of perfection. But to her credit, where only Sanjay Leela Bhansali could do wonders with his muse, J.P. Dutta has brought her a long way as well. She may not earn the national best actress award like Rekha, but without a doubt will earn a nomination.

Umrao Jaan is not your typical peppy, upbeat, Bollywood flick. It’s a serious drama with little to no light moments. If your in a somber mood and want to let your emotions plunge into a delicate saga, then Umrao Jaan will grant that wish. Umrao Jaan dances off with Ritu's 3 stars.

One after the other, we see re-makes. It almost makes you wonder if Bollywood’s out of stories and that’s why their recycling… Whether that’s the case or not, audiences new and old alike are enjoying the walk down memory lane.

Posted by Ritu at 11:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sometimes you think a film’s going to be a complete bore so you walk in to the theatre grudgingly already having made up your mind. That’s a bit how I felt about Jaan-E-Mann. The ads made it seem like a tasteless comedy and in comparison to my anticipation for Don I felt like it’d be a chore to watch. But I was pleasantly surprised and proven otherwise.

Debutante Director, known to many as choreographer/director Farah Khan’s husband, Shirish Kunder plays multiple roles for a first timer. He pen’s the screenplay, writes the dialogues, directs, and edits! Given the huge array of responsibilities he proves he’s able to manage them all with proficiency.
The screenplay is a love triangle with a comedic twist. However it’s nowhere near a basic triangle, as you’d imagine. The story factors in a good mix of new concepts. The dialogues are hilarious with great timing between the characters. As for the direction, Kunder’s able to provide capable guidance but is weak in some areas.
From a technical standpoint, certain scenes make the right use of special effects while others abuse it. Too much color, flashy lights, and loud sets distract. It wouldn’t be hard to mistake the experience, the same as watching a cartoon. Cinematography covers the usual sights of New York, now seen plenty times. After a slow start, the editing keeps the pace fluid.
The film is a musical of sorts as the songs brief you through moments and tell a short story. While they serve a functional purpose it takes away from completely enjoying the soundtrack on its own. Anu Malik does a fair job. The top 2 notable tracks are , “humko maloom hai” and “aajnabee shehr hai”.
With producer Saajid Nadiawala backing the project and the team of Salman and Akshay resurrecting the magic of Mujh Se Shaadi Karogi, the film undoubtedly provides laughs. The flashback sequences are the real treat worth watching! At times the scenarios are so silly that laughing at them, even while you roll your eyes at the buffoonery give comic relief. Salman and Akshay have better chemistry with each other than they do with their heroines. The two make an excellent pair. Both deliver fantastic performances. Salman is a natural in his role and performs with ease. Akshay has to work a bit harder to fit in his role, but does so with mastery. Preity plays her part with grace. Anupam Kher is a bit over the top.
Jaan-e-Mann has a lot going for it and a lot against it. It’s major plus point is its talented cast. Its major drawback is that it’s a romantic comedy whose humor can be interpreted any which way varying on the audience. Not to mention it’s special effects gone wrong give it a tasteless look.
But all said and done, it’s a goofy film that can be watched with family for a fun, frolicking, time! A pat on the back to Shirish Kunder for a well executed first attempt, hopefully not the last and to the team of Salman and Akshay for hitting the bulls eye again with great camaraderie, earning Ritu's 3 stars.

Jaan-e-Mann and Don do cater to the same audience. The difference is in their genre and the mood of the viewer. If your up for something snazzy with superior direction and technological finesse, than Don is your pick. If you want something light, tension free to laugh at or with, Jaan-e-Mann will do the job.

Posted by Ritu at 11:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)