CriticGirl91 Reviews

Bobby Jasoos (2014)

Adorable

[8/10 · 26 September 2016]

This film is about a struggling detective who tastes success after a sudden roller coaster ride. Bobby is extremely likable and her character is very well written. She is very human, with her little dreams and aspirations. She has her strengths, and her weaknesses. Her sharp mind and careful observation is what makes her fit into her ambition. Added to this, she is very lively and a little naughty that gives the movie a nice, fun spirit. Her story strikes a chord in the heart, without asking for sympathy. The events are well laid out, and the movie does not bore you for a minute.

Performance wise, its Vidya who runs the show with her confidence and fine nuances. She does a splendid job again after kahani and dirty picture. She fits into Bobby's character with ease, and does not impose her real stardom onto it. The hero is likable too, and seems to be made for his role. Arjun, Supriya, Benaf and other supporting cast are very realistic in their minimal roles. Kiran Kumar shines as always.The music is pretty humdrum, and could have been avoided altogether.

My only gripe is that the story seems a little stretched out, and the climax felt like it was out of a fairytale. Still, no harm done in this cute little affair that belongs to Bobby Jasoos a.k.a. Vidya. Looking forward to the sequel.

Youngistaan (2014)

Unbelievably Ridiculous

[26 September 2016]

If I hadn't already labeled one of the films that I watched as the worst one ever, this one might have easily taken the spot. To start off, this film is about the romantic life of the PM of the country, and has a singular agenda - to awaken people to the fact that having a live in relationship is the choice of two individuals and nobody else's business. What a deeply coherent and nuanced plot! So we have a very brooding protagonist whose expression seldom changes in the film, except when he attempts to portray joy and ends up reminding us of the last sickly person we've met. He is apparently a superbrain (he wears glasses, duh!) So, this guy arbitrarily gets chosen as the leader of the nation, despite having no relation with politics, which begs the question of his credentials (his girlfriend discusses the same!) The girlfriend is a typical character out of contemporary Bollywood - aggressive, demanding and basically, immature. Still, she's more likable than the hero and acts much better too.

So the PM goes around in supposed catwalks (he's too dead to even do that well), making youthful gestures and appealing to his 'youngistaan'. His lack of trust in the 'oldistaan' is never touched upon. The hero is a shrewd one, having a definite vote bank in mind, one that constitutes the majority and will be impressed by his interest in sports, his software career background, his live in relationship, his electronic voting system and his PDA. But let's not forget that he is the Bollywood guy who never does things for selfish reasons. So, true to his role, he makes a farce of leaving the dirty political game while secretly planning to enter the system from behind. He also does his song and dance routine while giving bhashans on unity and prosperity out of the blue while mainly focusing on the demarcation between person and professional living.

The hero then flings his invisible magic wand and in a matter of seconds (the rest of the film is about 'live in relationships'), solves issues of youth finances, farmer suicides, collision politics and not to forget, people's opinions about personal and professional lives of other people. Basically, one good person = one good nation.

This film is inappropriately titled youngistaan. It barely refers to the youth of the nation, and is neither based on a popular soft drink, but more to the choice of living in versus marriage for the young. I've never despised the living in concept, but now that it's been associated with this film, well! In sum, the film is too superficial to be either meaningful or funny. It tries hard to take a comic take on the everyday life of a most prominent personality. It flops miserably, because it is not daring enough to explore, to get away from the typical heroic image in bollywood. Besides, the less said about the performances, the better. What a waste!

The End of the Tour (2015)

From the Heart

[9/10 · 26 September 2016]

This is one of those films that fits into the very welcome genre of realistic films. It is picked from life, with no added drama. Plus, this film is unusual since it focuses more on dialogue and thought than on action.

We have two absorbing characters here, both of whom are strongly intellectual. Little does our protagonist know that the man he is going to meet for an inspiring interview will leave such deep impressions on his mind, that will be a part of him forever. The characters are sketched with depth. Their ideologies is what the film is all about, and they make for interesting viewing. I was apprehensive of my own interest in the film after the first few scenes. But after going through half an hour I could not get the film to pause.

Feelings of loneliness among the famous are not a new subject. But this film is much more than just that. It is about success, failings, isolation, rejection and insecurities. It portrays these most powerful human emotions in the simplest of ways. In the end, it does not seem to be about that celebrity, but about each one of us.

This film is so fine that words will fall short to describe it's intricacies. A film to be experienced.

Asoka (2001)

Terrible

[1/10 · 3 August 2016]

This film takes prime spot in my list of worst films ever. It is not about Asoka the great, but Asoka the shallow, annoying fool. I am sure that the legendary King Ashok must be turning in his grave after the release of this film.

My biggest objection to this film is that all it does is touch upon the fact that Ashok decided to sacrifice violence for the sake of peace. This should have been the main focus of the film for this is the main attraction of the legend. Instead, the director portrays a run off the mill love story, guiding it under the name of a great personality to sell a very mundane affair.

This film suffers on all counts. I'll try to make it brief. Beginning with the glaring aspects, the film has absolutely no budget to speak off. Kings and commoners look alike, all seem to be beggars which is attempted to be compensated under the name of realism. Acting is pathetic, with Shahrukh doing his routine over the top tactics, and Kareena struggling to emote in a single scene. Rahul Dev and the rest of the cast are as bad as ever. The story conveys nothing about the political drama of the time, and simply moves from one cliché bollywood scene to another. The dialogues and songs have absolutely no authenticity, and are difficult to relate to a historical film. Coming to Asoka, the lead character of this film who dominates ninety nine percent of the screen space (others are there only because the director had to show the faces of those mentioned on history), his portrayal is one of the most ridiculous ever even by Hindi cinema standards. He loves nothing more than his sword in childhood, decides to give it up behind a weird girl, decides to give up his loyalty to her for a girl who is rejected by her suitor, decides to give up his wife and children to avenge his mother's death, and finally decides to give up his victory for his old darling and her innocent brother. Phew! I wish they'd given up on making this film at some point.

Talking about other characters, Kaurwaki whines and sobs through the film and surprisingly; after a complete scene of the mutual decision of Kalingans to participate in the war, men and women alike; we are told that she is responsible for bringing the women into the war!? She learns to fight from Asoka, learns that she is adopted, but does nothing to help Kalingans until after the damage is done. Devi is the harbinger of peace who is the master of emotional blackmail in this film. She, supposedly unintentionally, takes a break early on in her wedding to give Asoka medicine and ends up marrying him due to 'unforeseen' circumstances. She also promises to keep her children away from Asoka to prevent him from ending his own lineage, and we are told in the end that his children helped him in his peace mission without any explanation for the same. Dharma is the lady who existed only to die in this film. Virat is the supposed comedian who never looks funny, and turns unexpectedly heroic at the end. He alongwith the routine comedians, appear to be creepy leeches who cannot pass off as funny going even by the lowest of standards. Sushim is another character only meant to die. This is one of the first films that gives no development or qualities to the protagonist, that would strengthen the hero's character.

With a heavy heart, I must admit that a very silly current serial on the life of Ashok is a thousand times better than this film. In terms of budget, performances and even the fantasy based characterization. Another example of the hotshots in Hindi cinema taking their fame for granted.

Spotlight (I) (2015)

An Experience

[10/10 · 3 August 2016]

I am so grateful to have had an opportunity to view this film. I simply Googled for the best film of 2015 and its name came up. It became obvious to me why this is the top ranked film once I watched it.

Spotlight takes up a very sensitive and attention demanding issue, and then deals with it with the perfect momentum. I need not narrate the script here, so I'll go into my appreciation of the thoughtfulness in every feature of the film.

The first feature is the mundane realism of the film. It does not make a single attempt at glamour. I felt I was looking into an actual magazine office, with real journalists and editors. Yet, the film is not a boring, slow paced documentary. It keeps elements of discovery intact, and right along with the journalists, the viewers keep experiencing the unfolding of the plot.

The next commendable feature is the story itself, which is given weightage to by the new editor of Spotlight in the film, and by the makers in reality. A bitter truth is at the helm of this film, one that should have never been ignored to begin with. A mass denial is the focus here, exemplary of society's reluctance to come to terms with its disorder , no matter how prevalent it is. Spotlight is not simply about the abuse of young children, it represents every humane issue that deserves spotlight.

The next noteworthy feature is that the characterization is true to life. Nobody is a protagonist or an antagonist. Nobody has ulterior motives. The victims are frustrated and shaken, but have moved on in life, the perpetrators are guiltless, and the journalists are distanced yet affected. They are up against competition while determined to aid the victims at the same time.

Performers are splendid, with a flow to them. None of the actors make their characters seem unfamiliar. There are no emotions that are unseen in real life. There are no personalities that we haven't met before. The editor is very contained like the work focused, no nonsense managers we meet. The senior journalist is farsighted while the field journalists have a difficult time relaxing their emotions. All very believable.

I can keep on admiring this film, for it is an experience more than an expression. As a psychology student, I recommend this film to every sensitive soul out there. Finally a film made for us.

Penguins of Madagascar (2014)

Sheer Waste of Effort

[1/10 · 3 August 2016]

Oh my this film! I don't think I would want my children to watch it if I was a parent. Simply because it is creepy on several counts. Firstly, the penguins look odd and the squids are a little disgusting to look at. Looks aside, scenes where people stuff their belongings in and out of the penguins are more distasteful than funny. The mutation of the penguins at the end is gory. The one penguin who talks very negatively in the name of being honest is not propagating anything useful. Particularly disturbing is the scene where everyone's darling baby penguin gets mutated without hope of repair and nobody could care less, shrugging it off as 'looks are not everything.' Then, the scene where the Revenge full squid finally finds a taker who doesn't take a minute before treating him atrociously . If I wanted a person to become crass and insensitive, this is the film for training.

Children's films should certainly work on two counts-attractiveness and morality. Simply because children are vulnerable. This film fails on both counts. Who doesn't find real penguins cute? The animation could have added to the cuteness quotient. Unfortunately, it takes away from it. The plot is so mindless and random, that I don't want to waste my precious time commenting on it.

For children, this film is a strict no. For adults, it makes for unintended humor l. Give it a miss.

Heartless (2014)

Heartless

[2/10 · 26 June 2016]

Hate to say this,but this movie is true to it's name. It is indeed, heartless.

A story that has potential but ends up being lost in an initial song and dance routine. It then raises hopes of being a revenge saga, which it fails to be. It gives a lot of due to a mother whose love is immeasurable, a due it deserves; but fails to do justice to the rest of the plot. It's nice that the hero has an all forgiving attitude in the end, but nothing justifies wrapping this up within a time frame of five minutes! The anesthesia bit is pretty stretched out, and needed more editing.

Performance wise, I will avoid talking about the debutante heroine. Deepti Naval's performance is soul stirring, like it always is. Kudos to her efforts in this weak tale. Adhyayan is bad, to put it honestly. He fails to emote for the most part. Surprisingly, Shekhar Suman, who makes a very unnecessary cameo looks like a robot here. Certainly not expected of him. Om Puri does his best in the little bit he gets.

Music is run off the mill.

I called the movie heartless because though the hero does manage to understand his mother's supreme love after what seems like ages, he seems superhumanly capable of suppressing his emotions towards the woman responsible for taking away his mother. Is this a failing on part of the actor, character or narration? I believe all of it! This movie would be better if it had exchanged it's endless beginning with the miniscule climax.

When I hear of films with unusual plots, it really gets me excited to give them a shot. But this one is a big let down.

Vishnu Puran (2000–2002)

A Masterpiece

[9/10 · 18 June 2016]

This show is as brilliant as Mahabharat made by the same production house. It has the same brilliant moral values, performances, narration, editing, etc. It does not fall short on any count, in fact, it excels.

BR Chopra's mythological shows like Mahabharat, Vishnu_Puran, Ma Shakti and Ramayan have had a maturity like none other. They have been aptly restrained while being supremely expressive at the same time. Very precise.

I loved three stories very much in this series. The first being Ramayan. I like it better than the Sagar version. The depth and drama were enchanting. The other was the story of Prahlad. Kinshuk Vai dya was such a heart stealer here. Finally, the most unforgettable one is the one that comes first, that of Dhruv. That simple and innocent tale brought tears to my eyes. Though not a part of the story of the ten incarnations, it was more heartfelt than any other. Mata Lakshmi's motherhood was love provoking.

I had a few disappointments thought. I felt that Nitishji could have been slightly more convincing in the role of Parshuram. Also, I really missed seeing him in the role of Lord Buddha. It would have been a treat.

Without picking on hairs, I think several aspects of this show are worth crediting. First, Niteshji's confident and apt portrayal or diversifiied characters. Next, the balanced presentation of every story. Also, the authentic language, consumes and locations.

Such shows really make learning about our culture a very interesting process. Do watch this show for some guilt free television viewing.

Dasvidaniya (2008)

Above and Beyond Excellence

[10/10 · 13 June 2016]

If this movie doesn't deserve a ten, none does.

It's one of those rare movies that comes straight from the heart and touches the heart. It's a simple story of a simple man with simple dreams. He manages to achieve each of these dreams, with some effort and some luck, and also has many heartbreaks in his journey. One of the most nondramatic and realistic films I've ever seen.

It's not possible for me to appreciate Vinay's performance in words. The supporting cast especially Rajat Kapoor, Gaurav Gera, and Neha Dhupia are unforgettable. The music is unexpectedly brilliant from this sweet little offering.

An extremely special mention for the song Meri Maa Mumma sung by Kailash Kher. It's like that moment, more precious than a gem, that you can experience only after the experience of a lifetime.

A must watch on your to do list before you die.

Sur (2002)

Not Up to the Mark

[6/10 · 12 May 2016]

The first thing I would like to mention is that half the stars that I have given are for the music itself. It has taken the movie halfway. Hats off to the legendary MM Kreem for his passionate music in the film.

Coming to the film now, Tanuja Chandra attempts well to bring out the life stirring impact of a mentor on a mentee, his encouragement can unleash all the hidden potential in her whereas his criticism can lead her to abandon her talent forever. The thought is good, but the execution is quite poor.

My biggest objection to the film is the character of the protagonist. It seems that she is out there to be abused, for she actually degrades herself after the abuse she faces from her mentor. Her sister played by Divya Dutta, showcases much more grit here. The mentor's character is not very likable either. He is unstable, perhaps the cliché 'good of heart' guy, which is poorly portrayed in the film as a man who jumps from one extreme to another for no apparent reason.

The plot could have been much better if there was more reality into it, and if everyone and everything did not fall in place as if divinity were the aim of life. The unnecessary overtone of a love story could have been totally avoided, too.

Performance-wise, Lucky Ali is quite good, though I appreciate his singing more than his acting. He could have done better on the lighter scenes. Gauri Karnik is pretty irritating to be honest, with her childish expressions. Maybe it works given the demand of the character, but a little more effort would have helped. Divya Dutt, Achint Kaur and Simone Singh are mostly wasted though they all give good performances. Kudos to girl power.

Lot of well-intentioned movies get lost in their own process. Sur, is sadly one of them. The music is timeless, though.

Corporate (2006)

Great Attempt

[8/10 · 7 May 2016]

I find it a little upsetting when a director who tries to make something beyond the typical masala and love triangles; and is simply bashed up by the audience without even considering his effort. Madhur has done a great job here, just like he had in Chandni Bar and Page 3. There are several aspects to be appreciated in this film.

The first of these is that this is a film driven by story. It is not made to present any commercial star as a fabulous performer. It is meant to expose the corporate life, and that is exactly what it does. It takes a third person perspective into the corporate world, and exposes people at various levels of a corporation, thus being just to every character in the film, irrespective of the screen time they receive.

The next appreciable point is that this film is blunt. It makes no attempt to justify or compensate for any misdoings of any actors or stars in the film and kudos to the actors for taking up these shaded characters.

The third point of significance is that the film is substantial. It goes into the depth of various processes and does not mind not ending up as a feel good film. It has a well thought out plot, and covers a lot of events that never stray from the theme of the film.

Additionally, actors Rajat Kapoor, Kay Kay and Raj Babbar are fabulous, as always. Kudos to Madhur for taking actual actors for his film. Bipasha is average but not irritating in the least. Madhur does a good job of narration barring his accent. I liked his narration because it was a good change from the usual, overly intense narrations. I liked the conversation between the peons which is so reminiscent of what actually happens in offices. Ritesh taking a share of Nishi's work, Nishi's pride of being a woman, Rajat's denial of his wrong decisions, Raj Babbar's desire to take revenge are all very interesting and refreshingly realistic plots.

On the downside, the editing could have been crisper, and made the film more compact. I wished to see more of Harsh Chhaya,too. Lastly, some scenes were plain awkward like the one where Nishi tells Pervez that he is not sorry for losing his job but for being defeated by a woman. Could have been more sensible.

Nonetheless, I wish to repeat that we need to encourage such films that have substantial plots and that respect the intelligence of us audience. I definitely recommend this one.

8 x 10 Tasveer (2009)

Taxing

[2/10 · 30 April 2016]

This movie is full of random occurrences and loose ends which leave the viewer frustrated to the core. Not what I expected from ace filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor.

Story-wise, the film does not make much sense since everything is conveniently depicted without any nuances behind the process. Okay, so Akshay's unfortunate twin is behind the whole mess, but how does he manage to land up everywhere going unnoticed? How does Akshay survive the burning of the Tasveer? How does Sharmila Tagore escape the brutal attack by her son? Why do two stupid lines motivate the evil twin to commit suicide? How did Ayesha Takia keep fooling Akshay all the time? When did she meet his evil twin? And the biggest question of all, what bearing does Akshay's photo entering specialty have at all in this film? By the way, the explanation of how he developed this ability was no less frustrating itself.

Performance-wise, Akshay is good. Ayesha is great here but has been cheated by the script like almost all others; especially Rushad Rana who seems to be what Jugal Hansraj is to Yashraj films, a compulsion. A waste of a good actor.

Why do I give the film 2 stars then? One, it is well-polished in its graphics, pretty comparable to western films. Also, Salim-Suleiman's outstanding music is a complement to even lousy films, more so in the case of this one.

Unlike many other reviewers, I wouldn't recommend this for even a one time watch. This is best given a miss.

Mod (2011)

Had Potential

[4/10 · 27 April 2016]

The one thing I cannot deny about this film is that it has its heart in the right place. Unfortunately, it makes several errors that are hard to ignore.

The movie begins well with a simplistic feel. It focuses on the issue of a father waiting morbidly for his wife, who is never to return. Correctly in her place, the daughter is tired of this wait. This point is well connected in the story later. However, in the dull moments of the film where it drags needlessly, it would have been nice to be introduced to the protagonist's mother in flashbacks.

It then moves on to some fan moments of the director as he pays homage to the legendary singer Kishore Kumar. This track was totally unnecessary to the plot, and a mere indulgence on the part of the director. He could have at least connected it by having the protagonist be a singer rather than a mouth organ player later. When things are so forced, the film seems to be straying all over.

Then comes the actual plot where Andy meets Aranya.It's stretched out,yet interesting as a mystery surrounds the air. Who is Andy? Is he really Andy? And the film then goes to the track of DID which was also introduced in Bhool Bhulaiyya, and I have the same complaint here, it is not given the footage it deserves. You don't take a rare major disorder and treat it like a typical car accident. I also had major issue with the fact that the poor protagonist who is blamed for something she had no hand in, is not given enough character for the audience to sympathize with.

Then comes an absolutely unrequired track of a money lender trying to buy off the protagonist by forgiving her loan. This gave me a complete Dor nostalgia and made me wonder about the director's obsession with female buying tracks. Is it not enough to have expressed it through one film? Finally, the protagonist believes love can cure an illness much better than therapy can. And this is what made me feel that the film has its heart in the right place. Unfortunately, I was very confused about what the protagonist wanted. Did she want Andy as she always claimed that she loved Andy? This means that she never wanted Abhay to be cured of his DID. That gave me the creeps. She took him away from Etc which was great. But what about further therapy? What did she plan on that? On the upside, the film is made with a lot of simplicity, and is narrated without unnecessary dramatization. Ranvijay has done a brilliant job here of showcasing two personalities without engaging in antics. Some songs also give a nice, humble feel.

On the downside, which is heavy here, Ayesha's acting is not emotive enough. Yes, she is a tough girl. but even the toughest melt to some extent in unexpected times. The songs were needless and boring for the most. And the worst part of this film was its very half hearted attempt to explore a different and likable take on a much discussed mental disorder. The perspective of love. Not what I expected from this remarkable director.

Fatso! (2009)

Not what it looks like

[1/10 · 24 April 2016]

This was a very strange film indeed did not match its title at any point. It had less to do with the protagonist being fat and more with the insecurity of a lover after his death about the growing advances of his friend to his girlfriend.

The script is poorly written and the screenplay is no better. We have Purab Koli move between his life and a transition which is portrayed as a government office. It's a sad attempt at what could have been pretty hilarious. The actors don't help much either for they don't look very involved at any point in the film. This is barring Ranvir Shorey who does a fantastic job as always. Vinay Pathak was also a delight though he made a minuscule cameo towards the end.

This is one film that requires a complete revision. The main things that could have helped though, would have been more background to Sudeep (Ranvir Shorey), more time for the development of Nandini's (Gul Panag) liking towards Sudeep, more humour, and some more emotions towards being cheated, death, and exchanging lives with a friend. I love Rajat Kapoor films. I watched this one after Aankhon Dekhi and it's no wonder then that it was a big let down.

Minions (2015)

The Cutest Best

[10/10 · 24 April 2016]

Who didn't love the minions in Despicable Me? This film does great justice to the little ones by making them look cuter and naughtier than ever.

Bob, STuart and Kevin are the perfectly adorable trio, and their adventures (rather misadventures) are what makes the movie a roller coaster ride. They are followers, not eager to be leaders in the least. And in their quest for an admirable leader, they win the contest set by Scarlett Overkill, a woman who has hidden intentions. Scarlett is horrendous yet lovable and that's what makes this film a perfect treat for children. Every character is fun in itself. There's also plenty of running, chasing, climbing and jumping to keep the audience thoroughly entertained. The best part though is the entry of little Gru at the end and the minions mad following of their best leader ever.

This movie kept me engage throughout and has left sweet memories after it's end. Couldn't ask for more.

Akaash Vani (2013)

Had Potential

[4/10 · 24 April 2016]

This film is confused in itself as it struggles between a love story and a story of emotional abuse. I understand the director's attempt to depict how Aakaash's love inspires Vani to want to live life to the fullest, but the execution fails on this prime point. It makes me wish that the film had been entirely about the second issue.

Beginning with the story, the first half is a typical love story that annoys with random double edged diaglogues. The songs are not memorable, and I guess this part stretches for a boring forty minutes until Vani's life changes dramatically. It is easy to be sorry for Vani here, seeing her helplessness as she witnesses the pain of her father. Full credit to Kiran Kumar here for his very realistic portrayal. The movie then goes to narrate the plight of a woman married to a very cold and abusive man who never physically assaults, but matches the damage with his nastiness. He treats his wife as nothing but an object to be ill treated. This is where the movie could have taken a new level, but unfortunately, it is either the budget or the editing that fails here. The narrative never moves outside Vani's apartment, and the audience would have definitely liked to explore this traumatic relationship at different scenarios. In terms of time, Akash returns soon and we have a love story presented to us again. An issue of great importance being sandwiched between a cliché love tale cannot make it's mark.

For the performances, I never really liked Karthik Aryan with his goofy smile in his first film. But here, it was worse perhaps because he was required to present a sensitive and inspiring character. All that came across was a superficial, wannabe cutesy protagonist. Nusrat had a great opportunity too. She's nice on several counts. She's non-irritating, looks pained when required and shows hers fearlessness well. Unfortunately though, she is quite melancholic and this does not work for 60% of the film which is about her love affair with Aakaash. The other actors are wasted, at best.

Luv Ranjan's heart is at the right place with the film. When Vani says she fought her way out for herself and not for Aakaash, I just wish the film had actually made it look so.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

No words

[10/10 · 18 April 2016]

This is the one of those movie I want to write about and forget. Not because it is a bad film bit because it is painfully beautiful. And whenever I think about this story, something inside me shivers.

I have nothing much to add to the above review except the ten stars that it deserves in its total. I can only say that this is a film that is above and beyond an excellent script, rich performances and a beautiful narrative. The film is soul by itself. One that connects with you and stays with you. It's not simply to be watched but to be experienced.

I watches this film as a student of psychology as this film is frequently mentioned across psychology books. It does provide deep insight into the real world application of psychiatric systems. It is an eye opener. This film can actually be converted to a compulsory exercise to arouse empathy in students, and why students but in people across the globe. If this film can't arouse your emotions, nothing can.

Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007)

Excellent Effort

[8/10 · 13 April 2016]

I'm being generous in my rating here, ignoring the unnecessary cheap humour, songs and wastage of time in the first half of the film. Simply because the film actually transformed to something amazing in the second half.

The story was excellent. It made a great mix of Indian culture and superstitions with psychiatric explanation. I loved the way in which the director has connected the belief of the entrance of a soul into an external body with dissociation identity disorder. It was a very unique exploration for Indian cinema. Also, the manner with which the psychiatrist treats Avni was interesting and well crafted.

Besides the issues I've mentioned above, there were other glaring faults in the film. Firstly, the characterizations were not deep enough and the very important part of Avni's past was skimmed over while certain love angles were given more screen space. Also, some characters were just to Bollywoodish and just there for the heck of being there. Perhaps, this was because the director took a more mystery orientation that is popular with Hindi audience as compared to an exploration of the psyche of an individual.

Performance wise, Vidya was quite there though she was pretty annoying in her normal role. The others were just ho-hum and anyway, most of them were wasted.

In sum, the movie can be watched by everyone, especially the superstitious folks and students of psychology.

Mahabharat (1988–1990)

A Rare Gem

[10/10 · 11 April 2016]

This is the best adaptation of an epic ever. Nothing has ever been as emotionally provoking as this series. It is one of those rare works that makes you understand that there is something beyond perfection.

Every episode of this series is full of lessons for us. Every episode has been carefully crafted from a philosophical, aesthetic and emotional point of view. The performances never felt like performances, but like actual lives unfolding in front of us. Mukesh Khanna as Bheeshma, Sure draft Pal as Drona, Girija Shanker as Dritharashtra,Nitesh Bhardwaj as Krishna, Gajendra Chauhan as Yudhisthir, Firoz Khan as Arjun, Rupa Ganguly as Draupadi these names are legendary. Nobody can ever take their place. It is apparent that these actors have breathed their characters for the show.

I watched this series on YouTube,and I remember watching 4 or 5 episodes back to back unable to wait for another to watch another episode. I had no words to admire the visual scenery, the outstanding camera effects, the poetic moral lessons, the heart wrenching Bhajans (Sabso unchi prem sagar, Kripa Krishna ki, samay Bada Balwan, yeh dharmayudh hai), the powerful narrative and meaningfuly edited episodes. I think every aspiring filmmaker should understand the process of getting the very best of the industry together and getting the best out of them.

Despite these uncountable positives, what stands out for me the most is the viewpoint that the series has taken. The victory of good over evil, the need for peace, the end of unfairness...all of these are the need of the hour. Ravi Chopra was bold indeed, not fearing to present the right as the right and the wrong as the wrong. He did not make a series to please character fans. He told the story as it was, without the use of gimmicks. Pure authenticity was his key. And that is what makes this series a masterpiece.

If there's one thing you must do in life, it is to watch this series. True, you could read the epic instead. But then you will never know what you have missed.

Ek Hasina Thi (2004)

Ho hum

[3/10 · 6 April 2016]

I read a lot about this film, the most misleading of which was that this is a psychological thriller. It was a big let down considering that I assumed it to be a very powerful story after going through the reviews. Unfortunately, the only thing that made it attractive was that the protagonist actually sought revenge for her own sake instead of acting like a goody goody carpet which is a trend in Indian cinema.

I could not connect to the so depicted vulnerability of the protagonist. After all, she was far too suggestible, allowing an obviously fishy looking so called friend to come to her house and letting him keep a bag there. She was very quick to get into an affair as well. Neither did I find the antagonist as powerful as implied. He was very bollyywoodish, beating five men simultaneously and all.

Urmila did a fine job and did make me feel sorry for her. I would prefer not to comment on the acting of the rest of the cast. It was nice not to have songs but the one included, title song was jarring enough to make up for that. The protagonist using the opportunity of meeting a well connected prisoner was good for a plot, but her going and getting her way all the time; like killing a goon with no one around were just instances of luck that took away from her power.

I wouldn't recommend this even for a one time watch.

404: Error Not Found (2011)

Nothing Short of Brilliant

[10/10 · 3 April 2016]

I can't see how this movie deserves anything less than 10 points.

I am a student of psychology but I do think this movie is a must watch for every type of viewer. The film is very well directed, with as much realism as possible. It is well paced to build the feel of the film and also avoids any bollywood drama and songs. The acting matches the excellence of the film. It excels in the technical department as well.

The best part is the climax, where the unexpected revelation takes place. It is very well explained. The protagonist is also aptly named as Abhimanyu, who knows how to get into a crisis, but not how to get out of it. From a psychological perspective, it is an experience to watch the psyche of both a zealous professor and an abused student.

A cannot-miss, this one is.

Perry Mason (1957–1966)

Brilliant

[10/10 · 1 April 2016]

Who doesn't love Perry Mason? I've read a lot of his books, and thoroughly enjoyed them. I was naturally skeptical when it came to seeing s TV series of his name, but was in for a pleasant surprise when I began to watch my favorite stories unfold on screen.

For the actors, Burr is extremely lovable as are Hopper and Collins. Though my favorite is Talman who has a very easy and realistic style to him. The stories are not distorted by any means, neither is there any attempt to glamorize or sensationalized them. This very simplistic approach is what makes this serial amazing. I need not describe the genius of the plots for they are known to all.

A rare gem of an adaptation of a much loved series.

Khiladi (1992)

Pathetic

[1/10 · 30 March 2016]

This is by far the most insensitive film I have seen. A dear friend dies, and there is no depiction of any trauma of the other friends. They simply get into a desperate frenzy to get the blame off themselves. Except the heroine, nobody seems to feel the least bit of sorrow in treating the body of their friend as a piece of garbage.

The comedy in the initial scenes is not slapstick, but offensive. Women are depicted very poorly in the film, just like in most other Indian films. The music is bad, barring one classic: vada raha Sanam. The characters are very one dimensional, either cheap or stupid. Acting is one of the worst aspects of this film.

As for the suspense, it's again a big let down. There is no clue given to the audience to suspect the person in question. Also, the entire film is wasted in meaningless catch or miss scenes, where it would have been more interesting if directed to the mystery.

Not only a waste of time, but annoying.

Eega (2012)

Must Watch

[8/10 · 30 March 2016]

I saw the Hindi dubbed version of the film out of curiosity with all the hype surrounding it. And u loved it! 

This film's brilliance can be mainly attributed to its creative storyline and fabulous visuals. Makkhi is thoroughly defined in its physical features, and the micro art aspect is well thought out. The story is that of typical rebirth with a mega twist. One that seems incredible, but is fabulously presented with heart warming sentiments. 

I liked the villain who looked perfectly lecherous, and harassed in the latter half. The heroine could have acted better though. The love story is sweet, and the fact that the movie never gets too depressing is the one I appreciate. It maintains a healthy balance of emotion and fun. 

This outlandish piece of work is a must watch. Kudos to the courage of the director!

Kaun? (1999)

Thrilling

[28 March 2016]

The cat and mouse game really got me hooked to this movie. My mind constantly thought of every different possibility in the climax. But what the writer had in mind was truly thrilling. The film is a good mix of horror and suspense. The acting by all three leads was fabulous. The only issue with the film is its length, especially in the beginning. It could have definitely been trimmed down. It's one of the most unusual films that I've ever seen. It has an atypical narrative which is very engaging, even more so because of the ambiguity of the circumstances . I loved the build up that made me want to come to the end really quickly. It's rare for me to be so absorbed in a film.

A definite one time watch.