Ritu's Reviews

Thanks to Shankar-Eshan-Loy, the songs already had you singing aloud in your car and dancing like a fool in your living room…or maybe that’s just me? A tribute it sure is, with not one but SIX love stories! How wonder boy, director, Nikhil Advani pulls it all together…or does he? - Find out!

For cinemagoers that constantly travel back and forth between Hollywood and Bollywood flicks, you may be under the impression that Saalam-E-Ishq is the adaptation of LOVE ACTUALLY. Well, it’s not, so try not to be disappointed. The concept may be similar, but the stories are different. Nikhil Advani along with Saurabh Shukla and Suresh Nair pen an original script. Now whether they should have just copied LOVE ACTUALLY or not, is debatable. Nevertheless Saalam-E-Ishq pulls together a dynamite combo of actors, each with their own story. In an effort to give each story exposure and all the artists fair share of screen time, the film is a lengthy 3 ½ hours long! As can be expected it wasn’t properly paced and it seemed like nothing was developing in the first half hour. It takes time to drive the point home. The stories with the most substance are the Akshaye Khanna/Ayesha Takia track, Anil Kapoor/Juhi Chawla, and John Abraham/Vidya Balan. They hold the most realism. Surprisingly, though a bit off track Sohail/Isha Koppikar provide comic relief rather than deep, trivial thought with their love story. Salman Khan/Priyanka Chopra’s story had too much inconsistency and Govinda/Shannon Esra are like Raja Hindustani meets Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam with a gori. But regardless of who had a weak story, who had a strong story, who’s role was longer, each actor performs with excellence. There are no complaints when it comes to acting. Each has given their best. But if there is any one person that steals the show, it’s Akshaye Khanna who repeatedly proves he can tackle ANY role and deliver it with freshness. His portions brighten the screen and give the film a lively presence. Shannon Esra too deserves special mention for doing a spectacular job, a pure natural sinking her teeth in to the character. A surprise highlight in the film that blows you away is Anjana Sukhani. Part of the Anil Kapoor/Juhi Chawla tale, this girl is absolutely hot and takes your breath away. From the supporting cast, Prem Chopra, Tinnu Anand, and Vishal Malhotra excel.
Without going in to too many details, if you look at Saalam-E-Isqh, on the surface it already has a lot of things going for it.
1) It’s directed by Nikhil Advani who gave us the ever so memorable Kal Ho Na Ho
2) It’s got a stellar starcast, your bound to be a fan of SOMEONE in the film
3) It’s got music by Shankar-Eshan-Loy who make every song worth the purchase
4) And finally it’s got a suave look to it with top-notch cinematography and classy sets.
But with that said, looking at the intricacies, Saalam-E-Ishq is a far cry from a perfect script or even a perfect film for director Nikhil Advani following Kal Ho Naa Ho. Sure he presents himself with the challenge of managing a whirlwind with so many stars and stories, but that’s something he chose. Advani’s script is not nearly as tight or in as much form, he could have easily focused on one or two, maybe three tracks and delivered a far more superior product. As a result it’s slightly disappointing and long – not living up to its entire hype with a lack of depth and definition. Still given he’s tackling 6 stories and 12 stars, what he’s able to do nicely, (which most aren’t) is wrap up and conclude everything in a way that it all makes sense and knits together.

Somehow Nikhil Advani with his all-star cast manages to pull viewers through 3 ½ hours by keeping them entertained with laughter and good music. Certainly a theatrical watch, Saalam-E-Ishq provides moments you can carry out with you, walking away with Ritu Mahindru’s 3 stars.

Posted by Ritu at 07:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

With heavy promotions and leading names, publicists know how to hype up a film. This critic breaks it down for you. Take a look at this candid review and see if the most controversial man of the year, Guru - villager, visionary, winner, is indeed all that he claim’s to be.

Who is Guru? Viewers and reporters, hound writer/director Mani Ratnam. Is he or is he not Dhirubhai Ambani? Well by now all associated with the film have gone blue in the face stating Guru is a fictional character. Deny all they want but those who know anything of the world famous chairman know the similarities are striking. Both Mani’s character Guru and Reliance head Dhirubhai began the journey of their career working for a Shell station outside of India and came back to the country to build a massive empire. Inspired by the leading deceased industrialist or not, the story of Mani Ratnam’s GURU stands on a notable platform. The concept and content are a unique experience for Bollywood viewers. Love, action, ‘ghar-wali/bhar-wali’, and ‘saas-bhau’, predictable drama don’t plague this script. It’s clearly focused on business, finance, government, power, greed, and ultimately the dream of India becoming a great economic superpower.
It’s a film that encourages progression. But while the framework of the script is strong Mani makes a huge blunder in conveying the final message. Perhaps that’s why GURU is controversial. The character believes in progression, however it’s not clear if his means are ethical. The moral of the story leads you to wonder if defiance of corporate governance and manipulation of balance sheets is the way to succeed. The inflated rise of Shakti Trading has all the makings that resemble the Enron scandal. Exciting as it sounds, key aspects remain uncovered.
As director Mani keeps the screenplay and pace balanced, extracting remarkable performances. Editing is up to par for the most part. Cinematography is award winning, as is the set direction, perfectly in sync with the period of time shown.
Dialogues by Anurag Kashyap are noteworthy.
“THA nahin HAI, aur RAHE gaa, Gurukant Desai” – the name that will remain synonymous with Abhishek Bachchan’s most powerful performance till date. Hardwork shows and in the end pays off, as Abhishek grows from his 20’s to mid 60’s. He delivers brilliantly leaving everyone stunned. The character doesn’t make Abhishek. Abhishek makes the character. Remove Abhishek and it would be a lackluster film. Thanks to Abhi, there are no dull moments as he keeps the film lively.
His better half in the film is not better than him in her enactment, but plays her role with grace. Ashwariya gains momentum in her performance as she transitions to the pillar of strength and 50/50 partner of her tycoon hubby.
Senior actor Mithun Charkarvathy is amazing in the film. Finally, a fitting role. Madhaven too, is a treat with a small but top-notch performance. Vidhya Balan’s character appears out of place, yet she does the best she can. The supporting cast is filled with seasoned actors who contribute immensely to the realistic feel of the film, each making a mark.
The Mani Ratnam/AR Rahman combination has yet to fail. Again the renowned composer delivers a hit soundtrack. Mallika Sherawat is the glitterati in the Arabic tuned song ‘Mayya Mayya’ that makes the song a blink-free watch. Unfortunately Abhishek’s papa wanna-be song Ek Lo Ek Muft is one that the film could have done without.

Films like Guru connect audiences to current affairs and place an emphasis on the country’s present achievements and potential to succeed rather than the usual scripts that poke at the irrefutable corrupt system or lucid state of poverty. Guru is a film that will strike a chord with young and elder audiences alike. A fine film, truly owned by Abhishek, makes way on Ritu's Reviews with a respectable 3 ½ stars.

Posted by Ritu at 05:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

When I heard the title, I SEE YOU, I immediately thought of the Sixth Sense. It reminded me of the line, “I see dead people”. The correlation was a bit strange, but what do you know, it wasn’t far from the truth.
The concept of I SEE YOU is about a ghostly love. One that only our hero Arjun Rampal can see, touch, and hear. But don’t worry, unlike the Sixth Sense, the film doesn’t give you chills and isn’t creepy. In fact, its more like the sweet love story, starring Reese Witherspoon, Just Like Heaven.
Not an entirely original script, evidently inspired by the Hollywood flick, this film earns some marks for its Bollywood presentation. However the screenplay execution isn’t conducive with the potential that lay in the script.
I SEE YOU gets overly emotional. If your willing to think with your heart and heart alone, than this film can sustain your interest and make sense. Otherwise the illogical course of events fail to appease. It’s not a film that will put you to sleep, but it is one that has a red alert warning for boredom. But if you’ve been able to get past most of the second half, which in comparison to the first half is not so smooth, than its worth waiting for the concluding scene.
Arjun Rampal inserts some touching moments along with debutante Vipasha. Both lack the power of chemistry that is needed in such a love story, but perform well individually. Without much scope to showcase histrionics, Rampal is memorable for his impeccable good looks, and newcomer Vipasha for her cute, girl-next door appeal. Of the supporting cast who deserve mention are, Chunkey Pandey who comes as a relief package, suiting his role and Booman Irani who makes a decent attempt to evoke laughter.
Cinematography is first-rate, capturing the lovely sights of London. Music composers Vishal-Shekar do an average job, with only ‘Halo’ really standing out.
Thanks to friendship, two very charismatic superstars add gloss for 5 seconds in their friend’s home production. Perhaps if anything, they are worth seeing!
I SEE YOU is not so much a theatrical watch as it is a pop on DVD. With the accessibility of the remote control, time and pleasure can both be salvaged. So tell yourself, I SEE YOU…at HOME…and save some cash. I SEE YOU is a 2 out of 5 star watch according to Ritu's review.

Posted by Ritu at 10:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Director Priyadarshan closes the year on a comical note with Bhagam Bhag. Marketed as “the greatest comedy show ever” the film takes notice thanks to its catchy publicity. However, true to its name and commercials, the film seriously runs all over the place. Rampant and confused as the keen viewer, you go with it.
A rib tickling first half gives you the fortitude to put up with the nonsense ahead. While Hindi comedies rarely make sense, this one is just all over the board. A few one-liners help save face. Directionless it hits the wall in the second half as it tries to change modes from comedy to murder mystery. Priyadarshan isn’t able to piece the puzzle together.
Editing it shabby. Technically the cinematography adds gloss, helping the film gain appeal. Pritam’s music is average.
Generally the formula of a Priyadarshan comedy includes Paresh Rawal, Akshay Kumar, and Suniel Shetty. But this time Suniel Shetty bowed out for good friend Govinda. The original comedy King makes a comeback and steps into the limelight. Sadly, he’s sidelined as Akshay’s sidekick and overshadowed by Paresh Rawal. Akshay is repetitive in his act, but his role has more scope. Paresh Rawal manages to appear fresh in every performance. Govinda on the other hand fizzes without even creating a sizzle. In fact Rajpal Yadav’s performance stands above his. Govinda may have gotten help from good friends to get his foot in the door, but it’ll be the public that decides if they keep him in the cold or let him in. Perhaps his act in Saalam-E-Ishq will make the final call.
Bhagam Bhag makes your mind run round and round. Providing barely just enough giggles, it’s worth a glance once, with Ritu's infamous 2 ½ our of 5 stars.

Posted by Ritu at 02:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)