ahwaan_padhee
Joined Oct 2011
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Directed by : Shaad Ali Star cast : Aditya Roy Kapur,Shraddha Kapoor, Naseerudding Shah, Leela Samson Music : AR Rahman
While we are recovering from the torment that Aditya Chopra inflicted on us with his take on modern-day live-in relationships Befikre that released almost a month back, Shaad Ali's OK Jaanu, a scene-by-scene rehash of Maniratnam's Tamil superhit - O Kadhal Kanmani,has ensured that we stick to the inertia. The millennial romance which stars the love-struck couple, Adi(Aditya Roy Kapur) a Techie who devises computer games and is headed for Silicon Valley and Tara( Shraddha Kapoor)who wants to pursue Architecture as a career in Paris, doesn't offer anything new but brings back memories of Saathiya, Shaad's first foray into Bollywood as director.
Adi and Tara meet at a friend's wedding and sparks fly instantly. They start dating each other and eventually live-in.Both are sure about their relationship clause - they don't to string in any form of commitment into it.Both have different ambitions and want to pursue their dreams independently. Until love gets in the way .Shaad offers us with a been there-seen that premise, without any interesting moments spicing up the plot. Rather it's interesting to see the elderly couple who are Adi's landlord, played by the versatile Naseeruddin Shah and Leela Samson.Unlike Adi and Tara, their love has endured misfortune and defied time. This couple makes the younger ones realize the deeper meaning of love.
Both Kapur and Kapoor are sincere in their respective parts and they share an effortlessly easy chemistry with each other, but they are not magnetic enough to distract us from the film's flaws - its juvenile writing and the hollow plot. Bereft of emotional depth, rarely does it try to induce a sense of urgency. In fact, AR Rahman's infectious soundtracks (employed from the original) is a major mercy, which glosses over the film's flat narrative.
A word of praise for DOP, Ravi K Chandran who immaculately captures the essence of the Mumbai city - its crowd, the buses , the locals. Its vibrant and colorful.I was awestruck with the nuances of the Begum Akhtar paintings and the vignettes of the monuments (in Ahmedabad) brought on the celluloid, and also the artistically- curated rooms .And mind you, there is too much of it which jars your head..like the frequent montages of Adi and Tara pubbing at night clubs and driving endlessly on the Mumbai streets.
On the whole, OK Jaanu is a strictly OK, feel-good movie which hardly shows much potential. Its like a soufflé that will sink like a stone at the box office.
While we are recovering from the torment that Aditya Chopra inflicted on us with his take on modern-day live-in relationships Befikre that released almost a month back, Shaad Ali's OK Jaanu, a scene-by-scene rehash of Maniratnam's Tamil superhit - O Kadhal Kanmani,has ensured that we stick to the inertia. The millennial romance which stars the love-struck couple, Adi(Aditya Roy Kapur) a Techie who devises computer games and is headed for Silicon Valley and Tara( Shraddha Kapoor)who wants to pursue Architecture as a career in Paris, doesn't offer anything new but brings back memories of Saathiya, Shaad's first foray into Bollywood as director.
Adi and Tara meet at a friend's wedding and sparks fly instantly. They start dating each other and eventually live-in.Both are sure about their relationship clause - they don't to string in any form of commitment into it.Both have different ambitions and want to pursue their dreams independently. Until love gets in the way .Shaad offers us with a been there-seen that premise, without any interesting moments spicing up the plot. Rather it's interesting to see the elderly couple who are Adi's landlord, played by the versatile Naseeruddin Shah and Leela Samson.Unlike Adi and Tara, their love has endured misfortune and defied time. This couple makes the younger ones realize the deeper meaning of love.
Both Kapur and Kapoor are sincere in their respective parts and they share an effortlessly easy chemistry with each other, but they are not magnetic enough to distract us from the film's flaws - its juvenile writing and the hollow plot. Bereft of emotional depth, rarely does it try to induce a sense of urgency. In fact, AR Rahman's infectious soundtracks (employed from the original) is a major mercy, which glosses over the film's flat narrative.
A word of praise for DOP, Ravi K Chandran who immaculately captures the essence of the Mumbai city - its crowd, the buses , the locals. Its vibrant and colorful.I was awestruck with the nuances of the Begum Akhtar paintings and the vignettes of the monuments (in Ahmedabad) brought on the celluloid, and also the artistically- curated rooms .And mind you, there is too much of it which jars your head..like the frequent montages of Adi and Tara pubbing at night clubs and driving endlessly on the Mumbai streets.
On the whole, OK Jaanu is a strictly OK, feel-good movie which hardly shows much potential. Its like a soufflé that will sink like a stone at the box office.
Four years back, English Vinglish, directed by Gauri Shinde, attempted to instill a great degree of self-respect and liberated attitude in the housewives through her cinematic vision which also mirrored the stigmas and narrow-mindedness of our society. Her second directorial venture, Dear Zindagi ,too tries to snuff out the rooted prejudices against mental illness and seeking therapy for its remedy.It is a slice-of- life drama set in an urban milieu which gives sweet little but insightful messages about life while employing the interactions between the protagonist and her life coach as the agent.
Alia Bhatt plays Kaira,a young, independent and budding cinematographer working in Mumbai ,whose life is in a mess.Volatile and commitment phobic,she is grappling to come over the bitter break-up with her boyfriend and her major problems arise out of her insecurities in life.She returns to Goa, her native,to stay for some time with her parents with whom she also has some unsettled issues - something that our youth would so strongly identify with.It is where she finds her shrink in Dr. Jahangir Khan( Shah Rukh Khan), a mental therapist, who helps her overcome her inner demons by giving a whole new perspective of life.
With a spanking new and refreshing approach, Gauri Shinde makes the right noise with utter sensitivity and sensibility. The film has got its heart at the right place but the major drawback lies in its languid pace and meandering plot.You really wouldn't mind grabbing a popcorn in between and even step out second time for a beverage, thanks to its lazy momentum. To give credit where it's due, some of the sequences sparkle with the way they are depicted. Kaira's sessions with Jugs(Jahangir)are deeply engrossing and specially her moment of emotional breakdown, while narrating her tumultuous childhood backstory brought a lump in my throat. The narrative sees their interaction unravel against the scenic landscape of Goa with Amit Trivedi's soulful scores injected at the right junctures. However, you can't discount the contrivances in terms of the short- lived romantic flings of Kaira with her suitors.
The prime reason to stay invested with this fare is the intuitive performance of Alia and the level of genuineness she brings on the board.She works on her instincts,without a hint of affectation and that's what makes her character so relatable. Its a treat to watch Shah Rukh khan come back to his restrained self where the power of performance triumphs over his megastar image.With a dash of natural charm and empathetic lines, Shah Rukh complements Alia in the 'therapy' sequences toweringly. The film's preachy tones get subdued with their sheer dynamics which inflict us with genuine warmth and awe.The supporting ensemble appear in flashes - Kunal Roy Kapoor, Ali Zafar,Angad Bedi and Ira Dubey are sincere in their respective parts, but the script doesn't give them much of opportunity to make an impact. Yashaswini Dayama who plays Alia' best buddy is a revelation!
I go with 2 and half out of 5 for Dear Zindagi, an extra half for Alia's knock-out performance.
Alia Bhatt plays Kaira,a young, independent and budding cinematographer working in Mumbai ,whose life is in a mess.Volatile and commitment phobic,she is grappling to come over the bitter break-up with her boyfriend and her major problems arise out of her insecurities in life.She returns to Goa, her native,to stay for some time with her parents with whom she also has some unsettled issues - something that our youth would so strongly identify with.It is where she finds her shrink in Dr. Jahangir Khan( Shah Rukh Khan), a mental therapist, who helps her overcome her inner demons by giving a whole new perspective of life.
With a spanking new and refreshing approach, Gauri Shinde makes the right noise with utter sensitivity and sensibility. The film has got its heart at the right place but the major drawback lies in its languid pace and meandering plot.You really wouldn't mind grabbing a popcorn in between and even step out second time for a beverage, thanks to its lazy momentum. To give credit where it's due, some of the sequences sparkle with the way they are depicted. Kaira's sessions with Jugs(Jahangir)are deeply engrossing and specially her moment of emotional breakdown, while narrating her tumultuous childhood backstory brought a lump in my throat. The narrative sees their interaction unravel against the scenic landscape of Goa with Amit Trivedi's soulful scores injected at the right junctures. However, you can't discount the contrivances in terms of the short- lived romantic flings of Kaira with her suitors.
The prime reason to stay invested with this fare is the intuitive performance of Alia and the level of genuineness she brings on the board.She works on her instincts,without a hint of affectation and that's what makes her character so relatable. Its a treat to watch Shah Rukh khan come back to his restrained self where the power of performance triumphs over his megastar image.With a dash of natural charm and empathetic lines, Shah Rukh complements Alia in the 'therapy' sequences toweringly. The film's preachy tones get subdued with their sheer dynamics which inflict us with genuine warmth and awe.The supporting ensemble appear in flashes - Kunal Roy Kapoor, Ali Zafar,Angad Bedi and Ira Dubey are sincere in their respective parts, but the script doesn't give them much of opportunity to make an impact. Yashaswini Dayama who plays Alia' best buddy is a revelation!
I go with 2 and half out of 5 for Dear Zindagi, an extra half for Alia's knock-out performance.
Directed by Shujaat Saudagar, Rock On 2 chronicles the journey of the estranged music band Magik after 5 years where the prequel had left it.Here , the friends – Adi,Joe and KD( respectively played by Farhan,Arjun Rampal and Purab Kohli) who are busy with their individual lives, unite for a purpose and with the inclusion of new talents – Jia(Shraddha Kapoor) and Uday(Shashank Arora).
Unlike Rock On,which blended music so seamlessly into the film's emotional fabric , the sequel doesn't quite recreate the 'magik' of its original.Saudagar's approach appears labored and the narrative is saddled with plot contrivances that you can guess from a mile.The film's bright spots lie with the assuring camaraderie with the Magik men, even though they have transformed into more mature,sullen and mellowed versions from their impulsive selves' with the lapse of time.The visuals of the Meghalayan landscape is stunning and juxtaposing Shillong as the rock capital is a righteous endeavor.
The films tracks have nothing great to rave about and the emotional core seldom connects with our hearts.But to give the credits where its due,its the earnest performances of the actors – Farhan,Arjun and Purab that makes you stay invested with it.
Rating 2.5/5
Unlike Rock On,which blended music so seamlessly into the film's emotional fabric , the sequel doesn't quite recreate the 'magik' of its original.Saudagar's approach appears labored and the narrative is saddled with plot contrivances that you can guess from a mile.The film's bright spots lie with the assuring camaraderie with the Magik men, even though they have transformed into more mature,sullen and mellowed versions from their impulsive selves' with the lapse of time.The visuals of the Meghalayan landscape is stunning and juxtaposing Shillong as the rock capital is a righteous endeavor.
The films tracks have nothing great to rave about and the emotional core seldom connects with our hearts.But to give the credits where its due,its the earnest performances of the actors – Farhan,Arjun and Purab that makes you stay invested with it.
Rating 2.5/5