cseabhi Reviews

1920: Horrors of the Heart (2023)

Total Shame

[1/10 · 18 August 2023]

Why the hell did director made this movie. Even the horror shows being presented on TV are much better than this. Mahesh Bhatt has co written the script. And I can't believe film maker of such stature is a part of this movie. And above all, why did Rahul Dev agree to do this movie. He is a brilliant actor and terribly wasted in this movie.

Terrible acting, screnplay, direction... a total mess. Director Horror elements are completely missing in this one. VFX is a joke in this one. Yes I know the movie is a low budget still some low budget movie have great vfx execution. A total shame for the 1920 movie series.

Aspirants (2021– )

A Heartfelt, honest and totally relatable Web Series

[9/10 · 26 May 2023]

"Aspirants" is a heartfelt web series that delves into the lives of UPSC aspirants, showcasing their struggles, aspirations, and the emotional roller coaster of preparing for one of India's toughest exams. Having lived in Old Rajendra Nagar as a resident for over 3 years, I can vouch for the hardworking, dedication, and commitment of these IAS aspirants. This place surely isn't an easy one to survive, but it does reward you for your perseverance.

The series revolves around the lives of three friends who come from different backgrounds but share a common dream of becoming IAS. Everyone who is struggling to settle in their lives and studying hard can totally relate to it. The writing is exceptional, bringing out the nuances of their characters and the challenges they face with authenticity and depth. The anxiety, insecurities, and little joys of life have been brilliantly framed.

What sets "Aspirants" apart is its ability to evoke a range of emotions. From moments of triumph to heartbreaking setbacks, the series tugs at your heartstrings. The performances are outstanding, with the actors immersing themselves in their roles and delivering powerful portrayals. This story not only belongs to UPSC aspirants but also resonates with every aspirant of competitive exams in central and state levels.

The cinematography and music further enhance the storytelling, creating an immersive experience for the viewers. The pacing of the series is well-balanced, keeping you engaged and invested in the characters' journeys. The dialogue "Final attempt nahi nikala. Palat ke dekhoge Zindagi ka 6 sal gayab. Self-confidence jamin ke niche ghusa hua hota hai" brings tears to your eyes, capturing the essence of the struggles these aspirants face.

Kota Factory (2019–2021)

A Compelling Web Series

[9/10 · 26 May 2023]

"Kota Factory" is a compelling web series that takes you on an emotional journey through the competitive world of Kota coaching institutes in India. This show beautifully captures the trials and tribulations of students preparing for entrance exams while living in a new city.

The series revolves around the life of Vaibhav, a young student who dreams of getting into one of India's top engineering colleges. The writing is exceptional, portraying the pressures and challenges faced by these students with authenticity and sensitivity.

What sets "Kota Factory" apart is its realistic portrayal of the education system and the emotional roller coaster that students experience. The performances are outstanding, especially Jitendra Kumar who shines brilliantly as a Physics teacher, Jeetu Bhaiya. Infact each and every scene or frame in which Jitendra Kumar is present, you might want to watch it twice. It's that good!

And the dialouges, the social and educational commentary and the teachings in the series are just great.

The series is shot in Black and White film type and this black-and-white cinematography adds a unique touch, capturing the essence of Kota's atmosphere and highlighting the contrast between dreams and reality.

"Kota Factory" is a must-watch for anyone who appreciates well-crafted storytelling and wants a glimpse into the lives of students in the competitive world of entrance exams. It's a thought-provoking and immersive series that will leave you reflecting on the education system and the sacrifices students make to achieve their goals.

Call My Agent Bollywood (2021– )

A Delightful Web Series

[7/10 · 26 May 2023]

"Call My Agent: Bollywood" is a delightful web series that will keep you hooked from the first episode. Set in the glitzy world of Bollywood, this show takes you behind the scenes of a talent agency, where the agents work tirelessly to manage the egos and demands of their celebrity clients.

What sets this series apart is its clever writing and witty dialogue, which keeps you entertained throughout. The storyline is engaging, and each episode leaves you craving for more. The talented ensemble cast delivers brilliant performances, bringing their characters to life with authenticity and charm. You'll find yourself invested in their personal and professional journeys.

Yes, this has its flaws and it do gets boring sometimes but still you are hooked to the series. I don't understand why the rating here is so low, this is definately not boring.

An Action Hero (2022)

A complete entertainer

[7/10 · 23 February 2023]

I had a wonderful time watching An Action Hero. It's surprising to me that the movie performed poorly at the box office given the impressive performances by Ayushmann Khurrana and Jaideep Ahlawat, and the original storyline that managed to be both entertaining and humorous. Director Anirudh Iyer has done a brilliant debut.

Ayushmann Khurrana's performance is yet another testament to his talent as a director's actor. He manages to shift gears from an action hero to a person fighting for his life, with such an ease. Jaideep Ahlawat shines in his role as the film's antagonist and as a person who is witty and dangerous at the same time.

Guide (1965)

Guide: A Timeless Masterpiece of Love, Passion, and Redemption

[10/10 · 19 February 2023]

Released in 1965, Guide is a timeless classic that has stood the test of time. Directed by Vijay Anand and starring Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman, the movie is a masterful exploration of love, passion, and redemption.

Set against the backdrop of rural India, Guide tells the story of Raju, a tour guide who becomes smitten with Rosie, a free-spirited dancer. As their relationship deepens, Raju finds himself drawn into a world of intrigue and deception, leading to a crisis of faith and a journey of self-discovery.

Guide is a visual and emotional feast, with stunning cinematography and unforgettable musical numbers. Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman deliver career-best performances, imbuing their characters with depth and nuance.

What sets Guide apart, however, is its universal themes of love and the human spirit. The movie speaks to the universal human experience of growth, change, and redemption, and its message is as relevant today as it was in 1965.

In short, Guide is a cinematic masterpiece that is not to be missed. Its beautiful storytelling, captivating performances, and timeless themes make it a true classic of Indian cinema.

Cinema Marte Dum Tak (2023– )

The pulp Indian cinema is back!

[7/10 · 21 January 2023]

I was not a big fan of 90's B or C grade movie but those films were certainly fun to watch. Especially for their witty and hilariously illogical dialogue.

The series which is created by Vasan Bala is about those B or C grade movies and their producers directors. The series revolves around life of four such directors - J Neelam, Vinod Talwar, Dilip Gulati and Kishan Shah. They are asked by the creators to return to film making after two decades and make four B grade movies, the type of movies they were making in the 90's.

This documentary-styled series is based on that only - it gives a peek into the lives of those directors and how they are living their life, which is not very luxorious. They are delighted as the creators of the series gave them a chance to make a movie.

The series shows us how they make movie with such low budgets and what are their struggle and with all these happenings, the directors discuss the business and politics that were affecting this kind of cinema industry back in those days.

I personally feel this is a good series which is based on reality and the lifes of four directors who were in their prime once but now living a low life. People who used to love those type of pulp indian cinemas would certainly love this series.

Even people who have interest in movies and how the movies are made, the ecosystem of movies, would also love this docu series.

Mission Majnu (2023)

Could have been much better

[5/10 · 21 January 2023]

Mission Majnu is a decent watch. It didn't wow me, but it wasn't a bad film either. The first fifteen minutes or so of the film are tedious; they improve as the plot progresses and become somewhat interesting and well-paced in the climax. The movie is set against the backdrop of India and Pakistan's nuclear missions, and Siddharth Malhotra plays the part of the Indian spy. I had very high expectations from Sidharth Malhotra's movie after the epic Shershah, but Mission Majnu is no where close to Shershah, its a very very average film.

Mission Majnu has its heart in the right place, but its the execution part of the movie which is not up to the mark. Shantanu Bagchi direction is not bad, but the script is very weak.

Action part of the movie is good but the love story is not very convincing. Siddharth Malhotra plays the part very well but still as a Indian spy he is not very much convincing in the movie. But he delivers an honest performance in the movie. Sharib Hashmi and Kumud Mishra deserve a special mention, as these two along with Sidharth Malhotraa makes this movie a decent watch. Rashmika Mandanna doesn't have much to do in the film.

The Bachelors (2017)

Heartwarming

[7/10 · 23 June 2022]

The story is about pain and grief, about a father and how he is dealing with the death of his wife. He along with his son is learning to adapt to the new life. The story is very simple and emotional and pretty straight forward.

Movie touches many subjects like depression, guilt and how to deal with loss. Some moments are really good and heart wrenching. J. K Simmons as the father was perfect and so was Julie Delpy as Carine. Both have given strong performances and their chemistry looks surprisingly good in the movie. Josh Wiggins as Wes was good but I have to say this movie belongs to JK Simmons and Julie Delpy as they were delight to watch.

The second half of the movie could have been better as first half was simply brilliant. Still overall this is a heartwarming movie and is certainly a good watch. Its enjoyable, relatable and will make you think.

Mimi (I) (2021)

Decent but gets boring somewhere

[5/10 · 29 July 2021]

Laxman Utekar is back with another social issue topic - surrogacy. The movie starts off as a light hearted comedy but ends up being an emotional one.

Mimi deals with the subject of surrogacy and how the society sees it and all the pros and cons related to this subject. Definately touching this subject is a brave act. But when you are making a film revolving around this topic, there is certain responsibility and that seems missing here.

The story looks fresh and important one but its the exeuction that has let the film down. The charcter of Mimi is very underwritten and the way the subject of surrogacy has been dealt with and explained in the film seems hurried.

Character of Mimi was very undercooked. Imagine a woman who agrees to become a surrogate mother in lieu of a heavy ammount of money, this is not an easy decision to make and it's not very easy and a cakewalk as shown in the movie. It's all very hurried one, as if director was in hurry to complete the first half of the story.

Even the emotional scenes in the later stage of the movie seems hurried one and not pretty convincing.

Kirti Sanon as Mimi though does a brilliant job, Pankaj Tripathi as Bhanu is brilliant as usual.

Laxman Utekar this time fails to make a convincing story and even the editing was not good as the movie was bit lengthy.

Mimi is not a bad film, its decent one actually but gets boring in between and not that convincing.

Music by AR Rahman is decent, not like his best work but definately better than other recent songs and music.

Hungama 2 (2021)

A complete failure.. dud

[1/10 · 29 July 2021]

The film was supposed to be special as Priyadarshan was returning to Hindi movies after a long time, but this one proved to be a dud. More like stale wine in an old bottle.

Priyadarshan has made some of classic comedies earlier but this one is no where near to his best work. Director seems confused from the scene one.

There was not even a good priyadarshan style humor in entire movie. Not a single moment which can be appreciated in the film.

Performance wise, this should supposed to be a great ride Ashutosh Rana, Tiku Talsania, Paresh Rawal, Shilpa Shetty, Johny Lever but the story was not there to support the performances and their performances seems forced.

Meezan who looked good in his first movie, but is just average and uncomfortable in the comic scenes.

It's boring, dud and a complete failure.

State of Siege: Temple Attack (2021)

Huge opportunity wasted - Could have been a great thriller

[5/10 · 29 July 2021]

State of Seige - Temple Attack could have been a top rated thriller but let down by its execution.

"Temple Attack" is loosely based on the 2002 Akshardham siege, though the narrative alters many of the actual characters, names, and events but it has been promoted that way - a movie based on Akshardham attack.

The plot is from India's most dark chapter in history but the writers intentionally set up a fictional screenplay. The subject should have been handled with responsibilty. When you are making a film similar to the actual event, there is certain responsibilty attached. At least the maker should have tried to show what actually happed, but there was no intention, no research and no execution.

Ken Ghosh fails to make this thriller realistic, even setting up a different story, the thriller is not edge of the seat type thriller. It's very predictive.

Akshaye Khanna as the NSG Commando looks very effective. Perhaps the only good point of the movie. Other actors such as Gautam Rohde and Vivek Dahiya gets very little screen time and they were decent.

Collar Bomb (2021)

Poorely executed

[2/10 · 29 July 2021]

A simple and effective plot - A cop races against time to stop a suicide bomber holding school children hostage. The bomber forces the cop to commit illegal acts in order to save the children, and there is a twist in all of this.

"Collar Bomb" is thriller with nice story on paper but it has been poorely executed. Despite the film's intriguing concept, direction and execution are very poor and choppy.

Director Dnyanesh Zoting not able to create that necessary tension and thrill element in this one. The film looses its steam from start itself which is very very slow and the climax is just bad.

Performance wise Jimmy Sheirgill, the only strong point in the movie is very impressive as a cop. He try to carry the film but at the end of the day the writing and direction was very bad.

All in all this is a avoidable thriller. Very poorely made film.

Haseen Dillruba (2021)

A pleasent surprise

[7/10 · 29 July 2021]

This is one insane Bollywood thriller - you'll might love the movie after seeing the unexpected finale. The film is enjoyable to see for its clever use of 135 minutes to blend suspense with sarcastic humour.

There are actually three winners in the movie. Apart from Taapsee Pannu's powerful performance and Vikrant Massey's brilliance, there is Kanika Dhillon's writing which is very brilliant.

Yes, there are flaws in the script and the story but despite its flaws, "Haseen Dillruba" is a pleasant watch.

Sardari Begum (1996)

Shyam Benegal's masterpiece

[8/10 · 17 July 2021]

This is the story of Sardari Begum who is a popular thumri singer and her life she lives on her terms and the challenges she faced. The movie starts with the scene when Sardari Begum gets killed in the riot and a young journalist Tehzeeb Abbasi (Rajina Raj Bisaria) comes to cover the news. She is shocked to see her father present during the funeral. Her father the narrates the story about Sardari and Tehzeeb is now on a journey to explore more about Sardari Begum, who she was and what was her life.

The movie touches various subject like the complex relationships, family issues, politics and the women in our society. There are many aspect of Sardari's life which also tells us about that time and our social mindset. Sardari Begum was a woman of many contrasts. She constantly rebelled against men's patriarchal attitudes and lived life on her own term. But when it comes for her daugther Sakina(Rajeshwari), Sardari puts all kind of restriction on her and wants Sakina to devote her life to music. The relationship between Sakina and Sardari was strained one.

Shyam Benegal has done a remarkable job in dealing with such a complex storyline. The credit must also be given to Khalid Mohammed, who has written a great story. It's not easy to portray this kind of story on screen with such ease. There isn't many flaw with the movie and this one is Shyam Benegal's masterpiece. Each character has been written with conviction and each of the characters in the movie tells you the life of Sardari from their own viewpoints.

Kiron Kher as Sardari Begum is just terrific. Maybe this is her best performance and she is extremely convincing as Sardari Begum. It can be said Kiron Kher has put all her talent into this film. Rajeswari Sachdev is just brilliant. She is actually on the screen in the second half and she delivers a great performance as Sakina. Rajat Kapoor and Amrish Puri has done full justice to their role and brilliant in their performances. Newcomer Rajina Raj Bisaria as young jounralist has done a commendable job and adds freshness to the screen. She is not seen much after this movie.

Music of the movie is another very strong point of the movie. Music composed by Vanraj Bhatia and lyrics penned by Javed Akhtar is brilliant, its like the soul of the movie.

Sardari Begum is a beautiful movie overall.

Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar!! (2000)

Well made movie, but with flaws

[6/10 · 16 July 2021]

This was Hansal Mehta's directorial debut and the effort was quite visible. Movie was made with heart but has its flaws.

The story is about Ram Saran Pandey who comes to Bombay in search of work and better life. He starts working in a garage. Ram Saran meets with Kamya Lal, who is a journalist and she is impressed with Ram Saran. Ram Saran is attracted toward her and thinks that she also likes him. But that is not the case, and the outcome of this confusion changes the life of Ram Saran.

Then there is many misadventure of Ram Saran's friend Gaitounde(Saurabh Shukla), Tito(Aditya Srivastav) and others. Saurabh Shukla who has written the story is quite good but this is not among his best performance. Aditya Srivastav does overact many times but is okay in the movie.

The biggest strong point of the movie is Manoj Bajpayee as Ram Saran, who is extremely convincing. He has many thoughts and personality changes going on throughout the movie and is able to portray that quite convincingly on screen. He is simply brilliant in every frame.

Tabu as Kamya Lal has done a brilliant job. She is a brilliant actress and delivers here.

There are some light moments in the film which is likeable. The music though is pretty average. The work of actors other than Manoj Bajpayee and Tabu has surely let down the script, but even then the movie was enjoyable.

Watch this movie only for Manoj Bajpayee and a pretty decent story.

Jahan Tum Le Chalo (1999)

An honest movie...

[7/10 · 16 July 2021]

Jahan tum le chalo is the story of Namrata(Sonali Kulkarni) who is in relationship with Shantanu(Nirmal Pandey). Shantanu is a womaniser and Namrata knows about his nature, still loves him. She herself is a journalist and raising important issue through writing. She has her own thinking and slowly stars questioning herself about Shantanu. She meets young and rich man Aakash(Jimmy Shergill) who provides some fun and excitement in her standstill life. The movie is sort of love triangle, and relationships of these three people.

This is the second film of Sonali and Nirmal Pandey which has impressed me quite a lot. Both of them are pretty amazing and given an honest performance. Nirmal Pandey is excellent as a womamizer and a lover. Sonali portrays her emotions and thinking quite well. Jimmy Shergill as a young man is quite convincing.

Director Desh Deepak, is quite honest in his approach and made a brilliant film that deals relationship.

Music is again brilliant. Vishal Bhardwaj and Gulzar combination ensures every track of the movie is soulful. Lyrics from Gulzar is brilliant and completely in sync with the movie.

The Square Circle (1996)

Amol Palekar and Nirmal Pandey's brilliance

[9/10 · 15 July 2021]

This movie is absolute classic. The way the subject has been dealt with and the philosphy this movie aims to give to the audience.

Daayra is very unusual story revolves around a girl (Sonali Kulkarni) who is abducted but manages to run away. He finds shelter with a transvestite(Nirmal Pandey). She is helpless and even raped one day. Nirmal Pandey tries to help her with philosphy and ask her to transform her personality into a man so that he feels safe in the world. He teaches her how to become a man in this world.

The movie is actually the relationship between Sonali Kulkari, the girl and Nirmal Pandey, the transvestite. The beauty of the movie lies in their relationship and the philosphy which Nirmal Verma provides. Each and every philosphy is an strong comment on our so called society.

Many dialouges of the movie will remain with you for a long time. Like when the girl is raped, the transvestite tries to console him - Izzat koi chamdi ka tukda nahi jise loota jaa sake(Respect is not piece of flesh which can be taken away).

There is a scene when the girl meets trasvestite for the first time. The girls asks why you are dressed like a woman. Trasvestite replies "Jo jaisa andar se hai, usey waisa hi bahar se dikhna chahiy(What we feel from inside, our outside personality should also reflect the same)".

Nirmal Pandey is just terrific as The Transvestite and Sonali Kulkarni as the girl is just amazing. Both have given one of their best performances.

Amol Palekar's direction is just top notch. He successfully proves his point and hits hard at our society.

Sunflower (2021– )

Sunil Grover's act is the only thing good in the series

[4/10 · 11 July 2021]

The series is not little lengthy, but dragged to a large extent. The story is short and is uneseesary dragged to 8 episodes.

First episode is fine and it holds your attention. But from the second episode the story looses its plot and perhaps the director gets confused as what to focus. The only saving grace was Sunil grover's performance which is enteraining and holds your attention somehow.

Other than that, no character is strong enough to hold the attention. It's 8 episode long and is dragged too much.

The ending is inconclusive and it just doesn't feel comfortable watching the whole series just to find out it's inconclusive.

It's highly unlikely I will watch the second season of this one, or if I decide to watch it, it would be only because of Sunil Grover. He is the only saving grace.

Sutradhar (1986)

The village politics and the power

[7/10 · 10 July 2021]

Sutradhar is based on a village politics where a young teacher Kumar(Nana Patekar) stand up against the local zamindar (Girish karnad). Kumar is also in love with the local school headmaster's daughter Prerna(Smita Patil) who is attracted toward Kumar and admires his nature. Kumar then stands in an election and win the local election. With the election, comes the power and soon Kumar is becoming like the Zamindar, who loves his power and politics.

The film shows village politics in a good descriptive way. How power changes a man and ideologies. Nana Patekar plays the young ambitious and courageous man with ease and perfection. There is that honesty and simplicity on his face in the first half and we get to see the layers inside him in the second half. Girish Karnad as the Zamindar is very effective.

Smita Patil has the stand out performance and you just admire her in the movie. This movie released after her death, so in the way this becomes a special movie for Smita fans.

Lekin... (1990)

Lekin - Gulzar's haunting masterpiece

[9/10 · 10 July 2021]

Gulzar is at his best when he is telling such an intriiguing story with such ease and perfection. Dimple Kapadia's mystery character and Vinod Khanna's performance kept me mesmerized.

Lekin is the story of Samir Yogi(Vinod Khanna) who is assigned a job to evaluate a haveli(castle) and report back. He is travelling to the village but meets a mystery woman Reva(Dimple Kapadia). There is some haunting mystery surrounding that woman and only Samir is able to see her. Samir is constantly seeing her and no one else belives him. But what is the truth?

The movie is completely gripping from the very fist scene of Samir and Reva. Gulzar is at his best in telling this story which is like a puzzle. He is able to create the thrill and suspense in this mystery movie.

Vinod Khanna has given one of his best performance in cinema and is completley brilliant. But what stands out is the performance of Dimplpe Kadapia. She is just brilliant. Completely transforms herself into Reva.

Music and the song are an important part of the story and all the songs are just brilliantly composed and written.

Madhumati (1958)

Timeless classic...Bimal Roy's masterpiece!

[10/10 · 10 July 2021]

Madhumati is super special as it will always be remembered as film which was the source of inspiration of many films in Bollywood based on reincarnation. Films like Karz, Milan, Om Shanti Om are many others have been inspired from this one.

It can be definately called as Bimal Roy's best work.

The plot is one liner - Devinder(Dilip Kumar) is driving with his friend(Tarun Bose) on a stormy night and landslide blocks their path. They take shelter in an old mansion. Devinder finds the place familiar and upon seeing a painting, he begin remembering some memory from another life.

In another life, Devinder is Anand and worked as new manager of Shyamnagar Timber Estate, owned by Raja Ugaranarayan (Pran). He falls in lvoe with Madhumati (Vyjantimala) and they are in love. Then comes Raja Ugra Narain who also wants to separate two lovers. He in turn kills Madhumati. Anand is devasted, he meets a girl whoo resembles Madhumati. And now has a plan which can help confess Ugra Narain that he killed Madhumati.

Madhumati is a beautiful story of two past lives and how they are interlinked and all the twists and turn that takes places in the story. It also emphasis on the emotion that true love never dies and is immortal. Bimal Roy's suspense element are top notch and certain sequence will keep you glued to the screen. And the last half n hour of the movie is just brilliant.

Every element of the movie be it the village, the cinematography, the hills all of them are essential elements of the movie and carries the movie forward.

There is something in Dilip Kumar's performance which will haunt you even after you complete the movie. He is simply amazing as Anand. With such ease he plays the role of Anand and the detailing are just amazing.

Vyjantimala appears in a tripple role but is as convincing. She is Madhumati and not Vyjantimala. Such a transformation and realistic portrayal of the character is just fabolous.

Pran again as the villian is perfect.

The whole movie however will be of Dilip Kumar's and Vyjantimala's as both of them have given such a memorable performance.

Music of the movie is as important as the story. All the songs are timeless classic and the way they have been shot is just exceptional.

Madhumati is surely an important movie in the Hindi Film History.

In Custody (1994)

Muhafiz..The Keeper.. Shashi Kapoor's and Om Puri's masterpiece

[8/10 · 8 July 2021]

In Custody is the adaptation of the novel by Anita Desai and revolves around a poet Nur Sahjahanabadi.

Deven(OM Puri) is a Hindi teacher and is in love with the Urdu language and poetry. He wants to take an interview of Nur Shahjehanbadi, the renowned poet. But there are several obstacles in his path. Nur is living a silent life with well wishers but not in a good condition. He refuses to give interview and says Urdu is taking its last breath. So now, what will Deven do?

The movie is an important movie for a lot of reasons. How a declining language affects people, the poet who was once an eminent poet is now almost forgotten. How the family of poet suffer and the feelings of a poet.

Shashi Kapoor as the poet Nur, is just terrific. He is completely convincing and just by looking at him we feel that we are seeing Nur Shahjehanbadi in front of us. He makes us feel that the character of Nur is so real. There is that pain and emotion that reflects on his face.

Om Puri as the college professor is just superb. Shabana Azmi as Nur's wife is terrific. She plays the part of dominating and irritating wife with perfection.

But it's Shashi Kapoor's movie all the way. He just stals the show from all the actors and dominates the screen with his voice, body language and mannerism.

Riding on amazing performance, this movie is an important movie both for cinema lovers and poetry lovers.

Miss Mary (1957)

Meena Kumari as Miss Mary is the surprise package

[8/10 · 8 July 2021]

The movie is special for one reason - You will get to see the comic and lighter side of Meena Kumari.

The story is very simple. There is an vacancy for a school and the owner wants a married BA pass couple as school teachers. Arun(Gemini Ganehsan) is unemployed and he along with Mary(Meena Kumari) pose as the married couple to get the job. The employer also have a missing daughter and RK Raju(Kishore Kumar) as the private detective is trying to find where she is. When he see Mary, he is convinced she is the missing daughter.

The whole movie revolves around this story and there isn't much twist and turn for the movie. But what you will see is an out and out comedy movie. A light movie which can be enjoyed by family altogether.

You will love Meena Kumari in this avtaar and she is looking extremely beautiful. Kishore Kumar as RK Raju, the detective delivers perfect performance and is able to keep you entertained throughout the movie. Gemini Ganeshan as Arun is a treat to watch.

The music is very soulful. All songs are lovely and soft.

Kaajal (1965)

Watch it for Meena Kumari

[8/10 · 8 July 2021]

For the most of first half this movie there was Dharmendra and Padmini in the spotlight and that was all fun and romance and light moments. But the second half totally belongs to Meena Kumari who is just terrific in every scene.

Kaajal is based on Gulshan Nanda's novel 'Maadhvi' and the story is somewhat complex. Madhavi(Meena Kumari) and his brother Kaushal(Sailesh Kumar) lives with Ranimaa(Dugra Khote) and Rajesh(Dharmendra) is her only son. Rajesh is fond of Kaushal and Madhavi. He meets Bhanu(Padmini) and falls in love with her. Both gets married. Kaushal then dies in an accident and Rajesh thinks he is guilty. However Bhanu is not comfortable with Madhavi and is jealous of her. Madhavi runs off from home and tries to end her life but is saved by Moti(Raj Kumar). He marries her. But the drama gets twisty.

There is layers in every character. And the second half of the movie is not an easy watch. There is lots of emotions involved and relationships being tested.

Director Ram Maheshwari has done a terrific job. This was his first film and he manages to pull it off with command. The execution and adaptation of novel to movie is good. Though there are some weak points. He manages to show characters with conviction.

The movie is completely based on Madhavi's life and the drawback I find in the movie was the in the first hour of the movie there was not much of her character being shown. The first half was filled with all fun and romance and light moments and its actually the second half when the story develops and it's disturbing to some extent.

You feel for Madhavi while watching the movie and Meena Kumari has done complete justice to her character. The pain and the sufferings is completely visible and it's hard to see Meena Kumari in this movie, you will only notice Madhavi. She is completely in the character and gives a memorable performance.

Dharmendra's is also terrific as Rajesh. He is also suffereing because all of the drama going on and his jealous wife and he is aware of the suffereing of Madhavi.

Raj Kumar is superb as a drunk husband with negative character. He manages to pull off his character with such ease.

The whole movie is just about relationship and the misunderstandings and sufferings.

Music of the movie is another strong point and every song of the movie is a classic.

All in all this is story telling at its best and more than story telling, its the performance that will impress you, especially the character of Madhavai played by Meena Kumari.