Archive for November, 2008
November 27, 2008 at 5:19 pm
· Filed under movienomics ·Tagged mumbai hostage drama, mumbai terror attacks, mumbai under attack
I am posting this as I watch CNN and CNN-IBN, alternatively, just next to me on TV in my hotel room in Chennai. As I approached my flight’s gate at Hyderabad’s aiport, my wife called up to tell me about the Mumbai blasts. Ok, so another set of blasts in a major city, so what? There have been so many such attacks over the past few years that honestly I don’t remember how many where and how anymore. However, later in the day I came to learn that the city of Mumbai is under attack and the hostage drama continues and the entire incident is now over a 24 hours. If you look at the methods of how terror attacks have taken place across Indian cities, I am sure you will agree with me if I say that if Mogambo was alive today, he would say Mogambo Khush Hua…
Much analysis has been done about these attacks in all websites and newspapers, but what I’ve been wanting to write for a long time now is that these attacks bear an uncanny resemblence to movie-style terror. Bombs on bikes, taxis, opening fire in public, and simply riding a car in the middle of the city with weapons firing at people, coming ashore on a boat loaded with weapons?—it is straight out of an action-packed masala film. Remember the ’80s Bollywood films that showed a Mogambo-type character in a hi-tech palace with hi-tech gadgets and wishes to unleash terror all over India? just watch Mr. India or any such films from that time frame—tons of them with a really bad guy wanting to spread havoc and terror in the nation. This is exactly what has been happening in India over the last few years.
Today, in Mumbai, it is a day of shock. Absolute shock. With this incident, there is no security left in India. Period. From this point on, it is only a matter of luck if each day goes by safely. So many attacks and so little has been done by our nation’s leaders. My father always says that life in India is cheap and such incidents will not make any difference. I fear the same may happen even after this incident in Mumbai. Today is truly a sad and shocking day for India. It is high time, I mean really high time, that the govt. got serious about counter-terrorism. Some time back, I was telling my friends that even as I walk on the streets of Hyderabad and I see a stationary vehcile I think if it will be blown up! I later learnt that even they too are begining to think like that.
I don’t think anybody can do anything about terror in India, just like how nobody can do anything about traffic jams in our metros. For this reason, every car has a God photo in the vehicle to protect against unforseen incidents. From now on, lets add something else to our daily prayers along with asking for food, clothing, and shelter…lets add God…don’t let anymore terror attacks happen in India or the world.
Of course, the only guy who can beat the Mogambo of terror is a Mr. India. Where art thou?
ps–the hostage siege still hasn’t ended as this post goes to press. I am going to bed now, I hope all will be well by the time I wake up in the morning along with all Indians.
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November 16, 2008 at 9:53 am
· Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged dostana 2008 movie review, dostana movie review, dostana review, gay scenes in dostana, karan johwar dostana review
Other than the gay comedy, more of that later, the only acheivement of this film would be that it helps break a stereotypical image we’ve had all along about Karan Johar films that they are all about rona-dhona-aur-pyaar. In Dostana there is no Karan Johar signature except those that come before the film begins where he says he is missing his family and the fact that the entire film is shot in a foreign country. There is no heavy sentiment, ultra dramatic scenes etc, the film delivers most of what the trailers promise. Yes, it delivers gay comedy in huge doses and episodes of fun, but unfortunately the trio have nothing memorable to tell about their donstana.
Kunal (Abhishek Bachchan) and Sam (John Abraham) are two cool dudes, the first a photographer and the latter a nurse. So cool that they both sleep with girls in the same house, wake up, introduce each other over juice and cereal and go by their day. All of a sudden, Sam and Kunal don’t have a house to stay and find themselves looking for the same house, which only wants two girls in the two available rooms for Neha baby (Priyanka Chopra). For a reason we never know, Sam and Kunal are so desparate for the house that they decide to lie that they are gay. And thus begins the dostana among Sam, Kunal, and Neha; Neha is hot wearing beach-like skimy outfits so obviously Sam and Kunal are drooling over her all the time. No other twists or turns come by which take the story to the next level. Abhimanyu (Bobby Deol) is the new boss for Neha and yes, he too gets attracted to her. Thus, most of the second half is all about how Sam and Kunal misguide Neha, Abhimanyu, and his son and at the end their bluff is called and pay for that act of lie wit a gay kiss in the climax!
The film has the expected gay comedy bits strewn at several places in the film. The best episode in the film is when Sam’s mother Kirron Kher comes from London to Miami when he accidentally gets the snail-mail from the US Postal Dept about her son’s gay status. Add to this, a tiny appearence of a gay Boman Irani. Rest of the film just seems to move on without much point or purpose. Of course, the production house goes all out to remind the audience that this half-baked comedy is coming from the house that brought you Kuch Kuch Hota Hai with John enacting a SRK in the background. The problem is that the story is not anchored well in a plot. For example, why do Sam and Kunal suddenly need a house? why is Sam so desparate for the house to the extent that he pops the idea of being a gay couple? no sense at all. The story could have been built better.
The best performance in the film is by Abhishek Bachchan who really lives it up being gay. I am sure he must have watched Friends at least a
100 times closely watching the performance of Joey because beleive it or not he acts just like Joey. Same mannerisms, body language, and way of talking. And check out Abhishek narrating the origins of their gay love and you feel he finally got a role that fits him best! John Abraham is fine and takes his shirt more number of times than Salman would. Bobby Deol looks like a dumb zomby-like cartoon with the same expression(s) whether he is happy or sad. Priyanka Chopra is fine, same act as usual, but here she looks like a LUX-TV Ad all throughout the film. The taking of the songs are good in the first half–maa da ladla is fun to watch. Shilpa Shetty sizzles (pointing to her breats as ‘yeh jawaniyan’) though in wierd outfits in Shut Up and Bounce that rolls as the titles begin. At several place in the film you wonder why Abhishek Bachchan ever agrees to do films along with handsome hunks who are showing their bodies of steel—he made this mistake in Dhoom and now agian here. Yes, the final gay kiss between the two lead actors is shot like the highpoint of the film. Parents wanting to take their kids might want to talk about being or not being gay.
Mr. Inkenti’s Movienomics Verdict: Only One Thumb Up. Has its share of fun, but it is gay and has a pointless story.
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November 11, 2008 at 1:27 pm
· Filed under movienomics ·Tagged daniel craig, hot scenes in quantum of solace, james bond quantum of solace movie review, quantum of solace movie review, quantum of solace review, quantum of solace telugu version
From the auto-driver to the guy in the BMW, from the little kid to the 65 year old if there is one movie line that has become part of mainstream cultures across the world it is Bond…James Bond. James Bond is the most accepted global figure who is a super human working for the government, driving-thrashing up state-of-the-art cars, sleeping with the ladies, and walking away cooly adjusting his tie. Irrespective of the conspiracy theories which senslessly plot for the end of the world present in most Hollywood thriller-spy-action films, every Bond film is eagerly looked forward to because the package contains a masala sachet that has all the above mentioned ingredients. It is this masala that adds to the taste. Quantum of Solace is a well directed noodle package that comes without the Bond-Masala sachet.
The film takes off where Casino Royale (another boring Bond film) finished. Don’t worry, you don’t have to go rent it and watch. What you need to know if you haven’t seen the previous one is that In Casino Royale Bond is in love and he thinks that his lady love betrayed him and dies. So, in Quantum of Solace, Bond is after that truth that is out there about why his love cheated him and then died. Now, coming to Quantum of Solace, the film begins with the news that the enemies (whoever they are) have infilterated the networks of CIA and the British Secrect Service etc. To the extent that the enemy spies even make an attempt to kill Bond and his mother-like boss, M. Bond then sets off all over the world to find out who and why an assination attempt was made on his boss. During this process, he is ruthlessly killing all the survivors and clues and we are made to beleive that it is because he is emotionally disturbed over his love’s death. Bond also finds out that an organization called Greene Planet is actually buying off local governments in poor countries, exploiting their resources, and basically running their countires. Bolivia for example. Apparently, this organization and its evil boss are creating artificial scarcity for water. Now, dont ask any questions about this absurd story as nothing is clear even by the time the film completes.
Needless to say, the evil guy is caught and killed and Bond also finds out that his love did not betray him 
after all—she infact was blackmailed and to save Bond’s life gives up her’s. Who and why are the enemies trying to kill M and Bond? Whats with the artifical scarcity of water?—Nothing gels. The story of the film is dissapointing. It is slick, fast, and there’s lots of action going on. James Bond is silent for the most part, does not smile, is always serious and brutal whenever he can. Only one scene where he seems to be flirting with a girl and only one scene where he kisses her back—so, no hot scenes in this B-film! (i mean, Bond film). The two girls in the film do not impress at all. No new car, no bond girls, not even the Bond…James Bond. The title track is awful. Oh yes, I must mention that I saw the film in Telugu and I must say that it was not bad at all. In fact, the Telugu Bond’s voice was royal and much better than Daniel Craig’s. The only place where audience at Sandhya 35mm broke into a laugther was when Bond shouts at a guy in Russia with a gun to his head asking him if he doesn’t understand Telugu! Even the Telugu version could not make this film amusing; it is that serious.
Daniel Craig as James Bond is deadly and that is the only world I can think off. He doesn’t look romantic or glamorous though. But cummon now, why a Bond film without all the mandatory Bond elements? If you are new to Bond films, like my wife and her cousin sister, then please don’t watch this one for starters (though both of them liked it). I remember when the title Quantum of Solace was announced all Bond fans felt it just didn’t fit the Bond culture and sure enough neither does the film. In fact, Richard Corliss of TIME in his review said that this film is more like a Bourne series film. In which case, Bourne Ultimatum was on TV just the other day and it was much more exciting with deadly background music. Oh yes, even the Bond theme music was missing or hardly there from the latest installment. I feel a deadly and awesome Bond in the form of Danial Craig is being wasted in Bond films that are not juicy and dry without any entertainment.
Mr. Inkenti’s Movienomics Verdict: Thumbs Down!
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November 8, 2008 at 4:52 am
· Filed under movienomics ·Tagged rab ne bana di jodi CD cover, rab ne bana di jodi CD package, rab ne bana di jodi CD price, rab ne bana di jodi music, rab ne bana di jodi music review, RNBDJ music review
What surprised me most was there was no obvious advertisement about RNBDJ’s music release date. As I stumbled upon the CD at Sangeet Sagar Music Superstone in Prasads I was bemused looking at the fancy image-changing outter cover, but was confused looking behind at only 6 tracks (including one instrumental). Yea, thats exactly how I felt…confused at how to react. Only 5 songs? and that too one of them is a bit so that makes it only 4 songs. On any Yash Raj films the expectations are high particularly on their music and given the extraordinary expectations one has on RNBDJ, the Original Sound Track is ordinary.
Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai (4:37) by Roopkumar Rathod is soothing and melodius with Roopkumar in full
form. The flute music and the middle of the song too continues with the soothing melody and lyrics are rich in love. Haule Haule (4:21) by Sukhwinder Singh is good because we have already seen it’s interesting video. A tiny part of it resemles the Chakde song just for a couple of seconds. The music in the song is stale and the tune is ordinary. With Dance Pe Chance (4:19) by Sunidhi Chauhan and Labh Janjua we get a break from the medium paced numbers and get to hear some tech-beats. Sunidhi does an excellent job and the lyrics are interesting and fun. Take a sample: o chal haath ghumale yaara….oh jaise suiya saath se baara…le ban gaya step soniye…tu ban gaya hep soniya…I really like the usage of the “step” in dances as it reminds me of how songs used to have dance steps! The music is peppy and energetic with the mandatory punjabi words being sprinkled in. Next in line is another peppy number with tech-beats and tunes and lyrics of famous Hindi films being sprinkled and stuffed. Sonu Nigam as usual gives a spirited performance. I think this is the item song in the film with SRK performing roles of the legends of Bollywood. It is an ok song and I am sure it will look good on screen. Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai (1:38) has a heavenly begining, but proceeds as a sad slow-bit version of the first song in the album. Dancing Jodi (3:54) is the instrumental version of Dance Pe Chance so nothing new about it. It is fine.
So the net total is 4 songs and they are all ordinary with no song really standing out as a blockbuster composition. Do we put the blame on the music jodi Salim Sulaiman or Aditya Chopra’s uninspring story (I am jumping ahead). Most of the songs look situational, which means that if the story is well scripted and the love story clicks the songs will look good. As a stand alone music album it dissapoints big time. I am not saying that they must have had another 4 remixes to big it a big one, but by the time you finish listening to the album you feel incomplete. Lets see how the film has shaped up. Yes, we miss Jatin-Lalit, the jodi that Rab made for Adi-SRK jodi. If it’s first song promo is any indication then it looks like all songs will be infused with life only because of the one and only SRK.
The CD packaging is again ordinary. Yea, the front cover is fancy, but you really really miss the T-Series packaging (remember OSO, Jaane Tu…etc) for the Rs. 160 that you put to buy the piece. A full-fledged package would have been more interesting with movie stills and commentaries.
Mr. Inkenti Movienomics Verdict: Thumbs Down Save your Rs. 160 for now and wait till you watch the film.
Mr. Inkenti’s Picks: Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai
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November 7, 2008 at 3:30 pm
· Filed under movienomics ·Tagged ek vivaah aisa bhi movie review, ek vivah aisa bhi, ek vivah aisa bhi movie review, rajshri films ek vivaah aisa bhi, rajshri films ek vivaah aisa bhi movie review
Yes, the only reason I saw this film is because I still have a crush on Vivaah. I still remember how a lot of my friends and family liked the film because it was so grounded and showed values that still inspire relationships. A lot of my friends, me included, thought that how nice it would be to get a girl like Amitra Rao, but wondered if any even existed in the cities today?! Coming to Rajshri’s Vivaah sequel Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi (EVAB), looks like the production house did a market research and found that a majority of the audience are sick of what is being churned out every Friday and want a simple and basic love story with sentiment, values, and tradition. Absolutely fine till there, but EVAB is nothing but non-stop songs and tries tooo hard to be traditional and ends up falling flat on it’s face.
Prem (this time Rajshri’s Prem is the handsome hunk Sonu Sood) and Isha Kopikaar (I can’t beleive i’ve forgotten her screen name!) love singing and get selected for a singing competition. They fall in love and on the day of engagement Isha’s father (our very own Alok Nath and you are bound to laugh when you see him repeat the same act) dies leaving Isha and her two little siblings. This is till the interval and these two lines of story goes on for more than an hour with non-stop songs, which are thankfully fine. Ok, nothing wrong with that, but the love story is neither exciting or entertaining. Isha then decides that she is going to raise her siblings, get them settled, and then marry because her mom-in-law (in good spirit and love) says that she wants her daughter-in-law to be completely devoted to her son. Our Prem boy decides to wait till the end of time. The siblings grow, graduate, jobs, the boy gets married, has a kid, his rich wife dislikes the rural setting and makes him leave home etc. One obstacle after another and finally after all is ending well, Prem and Isha get married. Yes, there are no signs of ageing whatsoever in the two even though easily a decade has passed except that Isha develops migrane because of the stress (no marriage + all family responsibilities etc). It is not clear what exactly Isha does to earn to raise these kids. By the end of it, you’re glad all got married so you can go home.
The story has no logic and makes no sense. There is absolutely no problem to show traditions or a love story in the back drop of deep rooted values about family and relationships, but it has to have a good story. Prasads was only half full today and some of the audience could be heard saying “bull shit theory”, “my foot”, and so on. The first half is completely useless and the second half is like films in the 60’s or 70’s. The pairing of Sonu Sood and Isha Kopikaar is good and the entire film revolves around Isha. How I wish the story was entertaining. Sonu Sood is handsome and beats any leading male actor today in Bollywood. He has the innosence, looks cool, pleasant, sauve and rough. Isha is looking great (better than Priyanka Chopra at least). It is nice to see all the traditions, but it would have worked better had the story made more sense and was entertaining. No doubt, most films today do not even show youngsters in love thinking about family and values and it is nice to see Rajshri sticking to their core values. We definitely need more films that are socially responsible, but let them be entertaining please.
If you are sick and tired of watching the crap that most Bollywood movies today are, you might be tempted to go watch EVAB for a change. Do not attempt it, instead go watch Vivaah on DVD again.
Mr. Inkenti’s Movienomics Verdict: Thumbs Down!
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November 3, 2008 at 2:02 pm
· Filed under movienomics ·Tagged shahrukh khan double role in RNBDJ, SRK double role in rab ne bana di jodi
I guess it is official now. SRK does do a double role in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. Check out the snapshot, it is quite zanny and exciting!…as SRK said the film is commerical, funny, entertaining, and there will be yashraj pan!
No doubt about that….what the industry, box-office, and audience (classes and masses) need is some entertainment. December 12th will definitely be the most awaited day for Bollywood—end of discussion.
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November 3, 2008 at 1:49 pm
· Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged haule haule promo, haule haule review, rab ne bana di jodi first promo song review, rnbdj music promo
Haule Haule we see Shahrukh Khan taking a bath in the outdoors in old-style, making his toast, eating alone, washing his dishes, riding and getting on and off the good old scooter with number plate PB 02 AC 2001 with PUNJAB POWER written on the leather cover. The song is good, and SRK adds the magic touch with his slow and gracious hand movements and trademark facial expressions.
The first song promo, 70 secs, for RNBDJ is a super-hit without a doubt because it continues to keep up the tempo the First Look set. We see a different SRK doing what he does best always, but the packaging is different. The heroine is a disappointment though. Definitely will not pull the crowds in like Deepika did for OSO. If she is supposed to be the oridnary jodi that the movie is talking about then she does fit that bill of being ordinary and decent. The backdrop setting of the basti or colony is superb, photography and all the related works are top class.
The song is good, yea…just good. I am eagerly waiting for the album. Will the album have any blockbuster-classic love songs? or will they all be just good like Haule Haule? SRK says the film wants to make a point and as I already wrote the point is as old as the hills so what needs to be seen is the story–will it captivate the heart?
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November 1, 2008 at 8:02 am
· Filed under movienomics ·Tagged rab ne bana di jodi first song promo, rab ne bana di jodi music preview, rab ne bana di jodi song promo
Read Mr. Inkenti’s Movienomics Verdict on Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi Music Review
While looking at my Blog’s Dashboard today, I found that a couple of visitors stumpled upon my blog searching for Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’s first song promo. I was curious, so I did a quick visit to yashrajfilms.com and sure enough it was displayed that November 2nd, which is Super Star King Shahrukh Khan’s birthday, Yash Raj Films will celebrate SRK’s birthday with the first song promo of the most awaited film of 2008. So stay tuned to www.yashrajfilms.com for the song promo and be sure to check out Mr. Inkenti’s Weblog for the Movienomics Review.
It doesn’t get more Majestic, with a capital M, than this. A production house celebrating a Star’s birthday with his fans with a sneak preview into the much awaited music of the film. Yash Raj Films (YRF) is really living up to the hype and ensuring that Shahrukh Khan is projected as the Super Star. The First Look was a super-hit, and the build-up to the music launch also is a sensation. Like I said before, Rab Ne Bana Di SRK-YRF Ki Jodi!
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November 1, 2008 at 7:44 am
· Filed under movienomics ·Tagged katrina kaif yuvvraaj trailer, salman khan yuvvraaj trailer, yuvvraaj theatrical trailer, yuvvraaj theatrical trailer analysis
The trailer came as a complete shock to me. Ramakrishna 70mm played the theatrical trailer of Yuvvraaj during the interval for Golmaal Returns. The first frame of titles along with the violin (which reminds me of Pardes) was greeted with whistles, but as the trailer rolled on the whistles faded and I was in for a shock!
Salman Khan looks jaded, tired, stressed, and is in need for lots of rest and meditation. Firstly, the trailer was badly cut. Secondly, if the trailer is anything to go by then the content of the film seems to stand on shaky ground. It looks like the film is about three brothers with the family name of Yuvvraaj. Katrina, how hopeless she is with this emotional role, is telling us the story about this fatherless family and goes on to use a word, which unfortunately I am not able to recollect but it was absurd. Apparently, the three brothers are fighting over the property and because of all this Salman Khan is a man with no-heart for love or something like that. Calling the trailer unimpressive is being nice to Subash Ghai, whose films I fondly remember, but actually the trailer was quite trashy.
Hmm…why would Subash Ghai take actors that just can’t act? Now, my next question is what kinda story is that? I hope I eat my own words once the film releases, but for now if the trailer is anything to go by I am least interested in this flick. Yuvvraaj releases on November 14th. Nope, this trailer is not yet on YouTube.com.
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November 1, 2008 at 6:47 am
· Filed under movienomics ·Tagged rab ne bana di jodi preview, rab ne bana di jodi sneak peak, rab ne bana di jodi SRK character, rab ne bana di jodi story, SRK name in rab ne bana di jodi
Thank you indiafm.com for the interview with Shahrukh Khan where he gives fans a sneak peak into what Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (RNBDJ) is all about. The First Look of RNBDJ got all SRK fans excited and others curious about SRK’s new and different (read non-Raj/Rahul) look. Ok, coming to the point now. Shahrukh Khan plays the role of Surinder Sahni who is the aam-aadmi or the average Joe kinda guy. SRK and Aditya want to present the perfect foil for the Raj and Rahuls that SRK has played over the years. The point the film wants to make is–you don’t have to be cool looking, what you need is a good heart (yes, i agree, there have been many films with this message and in this respect RNBDJ offers nothing out-of-the-box). SRK says there is a dialogue in the film which goes something like ‘dosti, masti ke liya Raj….lekin pyaar ke liya Surinder’. It is a funny film. There was no mention of a double role.
Lets hope the film has something else and new and different to offer because the message that RNBDJ wants to give is as old as the hills. Needless to say, the re-packaging of SRK in his new avataar might do the trick for RNBDJ and if the curiousity that the film has already built is any indication to go by then the film is all set to go on a roll. Next milestone is the music…all eyes and ears on it now!
Here is the link if you want to watch the interview: http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/broadband/video/Interviews/sQsr0×83/3/Shahrukh-Khan-Speaks-About-Rab-Ne-Bana-Di-Jodi.html
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