Woodstock Villa (2008) User Reviews

Very Very Average!

[cool-bhargava · 4/10 · 1 June 2008]

I saw this movie only because it was a White Feather Production whose previous film Dus Kahaneeyain was a good film(considering all ten stories). It's coming up with new ideas which have never been applied in Bollywood, plus 'The Great Indian Butterfly' and 'Pankh' also look very good in the trailers.

But this film was really a disappointment, the new actor Sikander Kher, son of Anupam Kher really dint act well nor did any one else and even the soundtrack is pathetic. The only reason that one can sit through the film is because it's not slow and second that the storyline is not all that bad, mildly predictable but bearable.

Too much style

[silvan-desouza · 4/10 · 11 March 2014]

Sanjay Gupta is known for stylish films but at times style overpowers content, WOODSTOCK VILLA is one such film, the film is short in length but has more style and slow motion then a TV serial. The film has an interesting plot and good twists and turns which sometimes are irrational though yet it works at times however the problem is predictability and overdose of style

Direction is decent Music is okay

Sikander Kher in his debut is raw but does well in some scenes, yet his voice is a distraction and also his presence, Arbaaz Khan is okay Neha Oberoi is okay rest are okay

Debutant Sikander Kher delivers a confident performance

[sumanbarthakursmailbox · 3/10 · 19 December 2009]

The best thing about director Hansal Mehta's Woodstock Villa is that it's only about an hour and a half long. And for the first hour and fifteen minutes, nobody knows what's going on in the film. Nobody but the characters in the film, I presume.Sitting there in my seat I felt like I was being repeatedly stabbed in the eye, blinded by the saturated tones, the zip-zap editing, the crazy camera angles and generally by the filmmaker's irritating attempt to show off with stylish technical gimmickry. How you wish he'd paid as much attention to his wafer-thin plot.Without going into too many details, let me just say the film centres around the kidnapping of a successful businessman's wife and the ransom demand that follows. The kidnapper, one later discovers, may not be calling the shots in this operation after all. Woodstock Villa is one of those films where nothing is what it seems, it's a story of cheating spouses, double-crosses and mistaken identities. Constructed from a screenplay that's full of little holes, the film trades common sense for convenience. And as a result, you find yourself gasping in disbelief at the half-dozen or so slip-ups in the plot. It's the kind of film where cops talk in riddles, and Sanjay Dutt pops up in a pop song for no reason at all. It's the kind of film that thinks adultery and murder are the most lethal ingredients for a tight thriller.On the upside, debutant Sikander Kher delivers a confident performance as a morally questionable lothario caught in a web of deceit. He has an engaging presence and impressive dialogue delivery. Now if only he'd chop those long tresses and take a nice, clean shower. His co-star newcomer Neha Uberoi is easy on the eye, and fortunately is not expected to perform any acting histrionics. Arbaaz Khan, as the businessman whose wife goes missing, turns in a competent performance. Much like Rise and Fall, the short film he co-directed with Sanjay Gupta for that anthology of shorts Dus Kahaniyaan, Hansal Mehta's Woodstock Villa too suffers from the same disease - it's all style and little substance.Watch if you have time to spare, it's not a film I can recommend strongly

not brilliant but not bad at all.....

[xxTusharxx · 5/10 · 3 December 2008]

Woodstock villa.....the title seems promising especially for a thriller. but the movie does not live up to the interest it created initially. i agree with a fellow commentator that if this was made a short film of around 10-15 minutes, the impact would be much better. the story is not worthy of a lengthy film but anyways i did not find it totally bad at all. one thing that works in the favor of this movie is sikander kher....the guy has a talent inherited from his parents (Anupam and kiron kher). i wont say the twists were unpredictable but nevertheless overall its a watchable movie... not highly recommended but worth a one time watch, if only for sikander..

Never waste your money on such a horrible flick!

[Jason_Charles_Bourne · 1/10 · 2 June 2008]

With this one "Bollywood" has once again proved it keeps on wasting lacs of money to introduce youngsters who can't act, can't dance, don't even look good and most unluckily aren't backed up by good storyline. I went to the theater with lot of expectations from Sikandar(Unfortunately I never saw him in the newspaper, magazines) who is related from the family of great names like Anupam Kher and Kirron Kher. In the end I could only say if you don't have a good face for Hindi movies you must know how to act and how to dance (Unfortunately, my dear, Sikandar, you know nothing of them!!). The whole story is based on a kidnap/murder, which is rather comical than being a thriller. The music scores are pathetic and I must add the songs are not required in the movie at all. And specifically I just don't want to discuss about the storyline because there wasn't any real story behind, it's all real CRAP!

Disappointing

[varun899 · 5/10 · 13 June 2008]

Only one word - it was a disappointment. I read some reviews about the movie and someone compared it to johnny gaddar so I was really looking forward to this one. The movie is unexpectedly short. Direction, screenplay is good and so is Sikandar Kher and Neha Uberoi. Its a stylish flick from white feathers but Sikandar deserved a better debut.

I think the movie started really well, picked up good pace but loses pace in the middle. There are 3 songs that are so unwanted and annoying. Sanjay Dutt cameo song is good but again they could have just kept it in titles and not made a part of the movie. Both Gulshan Grover's and Shakti Kapoor's characters are added to fill the space. All in all, the story line is really short for a movie. I thought this could be the 11th story that Sanjay Gupta could not fit in Dus Kahaniyaan. If this was made as a 10 min story, it would have been really a good short story.

Do you know what is even worst? Even the story that I felt was so short - is not original. Its a copy of 1958 classic Vertigo.

What a joke!!

[jeetrana · 1/10 · 4 June 2008]

Unbelievably stupid amateur effort.

Complete waste of time. Of the 10 people in this theatre in London tonight where I watched it, half walked out midway through the film. I hung around thinking surely things would improve since the plot and direction had hit rock bottom....and how wrong was I...they kept digging.

Songs are pointless except one catchy tune. All the songs are out of place though.

Film's plot is embarrassingly stupid. The director has gone overboard trying to make this a classy project. The production team must be living on a different planet to think that this movie has anything good to offer. I am so upset wasting my time that I would term this film as a real TRASH.

The direction is AWFUL!! Real amateur. A smart kid can do a better job with directing this. 'White Feather Films' - I'll be wary of them henceforth.

GUYS STAY WELL AWAY!!!!!!!!

A movie with "wooden" performances, not worth "stocking" and obviously not seeing!!!

[talktej27 · 1/10 · 25 September 2008]

I'd too much expectation from this one, but it turned out to be a real letdown and the most tragic experience. The plot has been frequented and the execution could only have made the difference. Considering that director is Hansal Mehta (dir of "CHHAL" which wasn't outstanding, but nevertheless, was far satisfying than expected), I felt that though the plot isn't fresh, the execution will be effective and make the movie worth watching. But again, I was wrong. It's been handled in the worst way it could have ever been. All the songs were totally unnecessary and were purely intended to extend the duration of the movie, since a movie needs to be more than just an hour. Otherwise, the topic fitted the best for a TV series episode {I remember having watched many TV episodes with same plot, however can remember only one series name for now and that's "SURAAG" (produced by Adhikari Brothers; Sudesh Berry playing the lead role) and "APRADHI KAUN" with Ashutosh Rana playing lead role}.

With the director and script at their worst, most of the actors too tried to match up with them and delivered their worst performance ever (especially Sachin Khedekar). I can't understand why Sikandar (Kher) chose to begin his career with such a disastrous movie script. Anyways, his acting suited his choice, it was also as worst as the movie, if not more!!! There's no point in discussing Neha Uberoi, Arbaaz Khan and others' performances.

If you haven't watched this movie as yet, you're quite lucky and do yourself a favor by not even considering to watch it. Save yourself from a tragic experience by skipping Woodstock Villa, a movie which truly deserves to be in a trash box.

Against Sanity and Logic

[gurpreetbhalla · 3/10 · 21 March 2015]

A loose story with twists which though intended to bring out awe and thrill instead just ends up disgusting the audience with a senseless and illogical plot. It all starts with a business man played by Arbaaz Khan getting a call from a kidnapper demanding a ransom of 50 lakhs to free his wife . Later revealed that it was a setup by his wife to test the loyalty of his husband planned with a protagonist played by Kher who she befriends in a bar . Seems to be an ordinary story until the time all those twists are un-curtained which sound way to far fetched and completely put off the audience off to an extent level that you just want to leave the movie midway.

A thriller that will shock, thrill and surprise the audience. (Minor Spoilers)

[springsunnywinter · 8/10 · 3 June 2008]

The title "Woodstock Villa" is a bit odd for a Bollywood movie and I did not know what it is. My best guess is that it is a name of a place and I was right.

The story focuses on Samir (Sikander Kher), an unemployed Punjabi boy. Street-smart, Samir has a weakness for beautiful women, easily falling in love with them. So it's not very difficult to imagine Samir falling for Zara's charms. But what makes Zara even more attractive is her proposal – asking him to kidnap her. But little does he know that he is being trapped in a web that is going to change his life forever! Samir needs answers before he gets sucked further in the whirlpool he has created. Beautiful and seductive, Zara (Neha Oberoi) is a charming and wonderful wife in husband Jatin's (Arbaz Khan) eyes. But she can also be totally wild when on her own. Changing personalities on a whim, Zara plans her own abduction to test her husband's love.

Jatin is a rich, suave businessman of few words. He zealously guards his social position and values the respect he enjoys from his peers and the media. He also loves his wife Zara. But after her abduction he fears the worst. Is it was too late to express all the feelings he nurtured for her? So when Jatin's wife disappears, a hostile and taunting ransom demand follows. As the true nature of the stakes (for the captor and his captives) are revealed, Woodstock Villa slowly transforms from a film noire into a chilling and shocking thriller. Woodstock Villa is contemporary entertainment that breaks new grounds in Bollywood film-making with every clever twist.

Directed by Hansal Mehta, it is a compelling film about swiftly changing moralities in today's world. The film introduces Sikander Kher (son of Anupam Kher). Much loved Bollywood actor, Sanjay Dutt makes a special appearance in a song and dance sequence, while Shakti Kapoor provide able support. Music is pretty good composed by Anu Malik and the best song is Dhoka.

The only downside of the film is that it has a bit of dodgy screenplay (which is the story put onto screen), which can be a bit difficult to understand the story but if you listen to every word they say and think hard then you will be able to understand. Overall it is a good and intelligent thriller.

Not a bad start...

[jaskunwar993 · 8/10 · 4 June 2008]

Sikander is new, and so is Neha. We gotta take it a bit easy on them, come on people. Sikander didn't act bad, and neither did Neha! Of course it's a different thing than Arbaaz Khan doesn't know acting... The storyline wasn't bad...but the soundtrack was humiliating, no doubt. Woodstock Villa, the opening of Sikander and Neha to Bollywood, is, overall, a treat to the eye and the ear. The small twists were little bit expected, but the overall effect was surprising still. If you take my opinion, then if you like movies which pass your time easily, and have a bit of thrill and suspense in them, then go for it. A brilliant cinematography, choreography, beautiful editing and a good production and direction will leave a good impression. The strategy of the whole storyline is good. 6/10 - not a bad start for both the newbies. After all, Times of India gave it a *** and a half...Can't be that bad can it, when Jannat and Bhoothnath got a ** and a half each? Hoping for something better from both next time. Nice try Hansal. Not a bad shot.

A thriller that doesn't spoon-feed.

[Achyut_Prashast_Singh · 10/10 · 25 November 2023]

First off, this film is a remake of the Japanese thriller Kaosu (2000), albeit with songs and some original scenes/characters.

Woodstock Villa had been on my watchlist ever since I found myself addicted to the soundtrack. However, learning that it might be a remake, I checked out the original film first, and still ended up enjoying this remake. In fact, having watched the original, I was able to understand certain twists because both films don't spoon-feed. You actually have to use your brain to figure out what went down in several scenes.

Which is another reason some might find the twists far-fetched and maybe even unbelievable. However, Woodstock Villa is filmed and picturized like a true neo-noir and has a flair. The BGM enchanted me completely and I keep listening to it every now and then. As for the songs, I just thought maybe one song could at least have been taken out, given how fast the pacing is. You don't want speed breakers in watertight thrillers. However, the soundtrack is otherworldly in terms of quality and melody, due to which I can excuse this minor flaw.

Woodstock Villa is a thriller for the thinking viewers. The fact that it bombed with such low ratings proves it. The film, although a remake, has a better climax and ending than the original film. I took some time to figure out why it played out like that, and the moment I understood why, I realized this was a really mind-bending thriller. Give it a watch, but be prepared for the songs to slow down the film a bit at times.