KARTHIK CALLING KARTHIK MOVIE REVIEW


KARTHIK CALLING KARTHIK is not your average Bollywood masala flick. This one involves you until the last frame. It's creatively plotted, artfully executed, brilliantly emoted and very well presented. A complete product, which will make the maker proud of his work. That is what every creative person looks for; satisfaction in his work. Debutant director Vijay Lalwani has done just that. Audience appreciation is something that is out of his control. Take a bow Lalwani, for an intelligent film. Of course, it has its genesis in A BEAUTIFUL MIND, the Russell Crowe film that won accolades. But therein ends the similarity. Karthik (Farhan Akhtar) is a loser in life. He does not know how to say no, is low on self-confidence and is a below average dresser. He is constantly being plagued by a dream of him having killed his older brother, albeit accidentally. This is what drives him to a shrink who tries in vain to convince him that it was no fault of his and he should stop blaming himself for his brother's death. But Karthik's psyche has been deeply dented. At the work place, though he is the workhorse, his efforts are never appreciated. A colleague piles his work on him and even the gorgeous Shonali (Deepika Padukone) has never even once noticed him in the four years they have worked together. To top it, he has been fired from his job. But all that seems to be heading for a change as Karthik, on the verge of committing suicide, gets a call from Karthik who guides him to reclaim his life and live with confidence. There's an instant metamorphosis in Karthik's character. He walks in with newfound confidence into his old office, dressed in a smart suit, walks into his boss' cabin and cleverly makes him aware of his contribution. Result, Karthik is offered his old job back. But he is in no mood; he demands a bigger post with staff under him. Then begins the wooing process and he does this with style, too.
Life reclaimed, Karthik's calls continue daily. He is warned by the caller not to mention this to anyone lest they think him to be nuts. But he mentions to Shonali who thinks he should see a shrink and from there on, his life takes a dive down to where it was. "I will finish you," says the voice from the other end, angry that he has let out his little secret. "If I could make you, I will break you." He manages to do just that. Farhan Akhtar is moving from strength to strength as an actor. No words would be enough to describe his rise as an actor of repute. Deepika Padukone, as the most sought after girl who has burnt her finger in many wrong relationships portrays the angst of many such women with aplomb. She is cute (as the role demands), confident and has evolved as an actor. She has worked hard on her body language and this shows in every scene, unlike in films like BACHANA AE HASEENO. Ram Kapoor as the khadoos boss is a powerful performer. Nor frills, just solid performance. Special mention to Vivaan Bhathena too, who fits into his role as the playboy-cum-office bully. KARTHIK CALLING KARTHIK is an emotional journey with the principal character. You feel his pain when he is down, celebrate his success when he takes charge of his life and love with him when he romances Shonali. Even when the final card is revealed in the end, you once again feel his pain. It's all in the mind, you see and Farhan brilliantly guides you on to this wonderful journey immensely helped by Vijay Lalwani. This is not candyfloss cinema. It will find its audience in those wanting to get involved.

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KARTHIK CALLING KARTHIK MOVIE REVIEW


KARTHIK CALLING KARTHIK is not your average Bollywood masala flick. This one involves you until the last frame. It's creatively plotted, artfully executed, brilliantly emoted and very well presented. A complete product, which will make the maker proud of his work. That is what every creative person looks for; satisfaction in his work. Debutant director Vijay Lalwani has done just that. Audience appreciation is something that is out of his control. Take a bow Lalwani, for an intelligent film. Of course, it has its genesis in A BEAUTIFUL MIND, the Russell Crowe film that won accolades. But therein ends the similarity. Karthik (Farhan Akhtar) is a loser in life. He does not know how to say no, is low on self-confidence and is a below average dresser. He is constantly being plagued by a dream of him having killed his older brother, albeit accidentally. This is what drives him to a shrink who tries in vain to convince him that it was no fault of his and he should stop blaming himself for his brother's death. But Karthik's psyche has been deeply dented. At the work place, though he is the workhorse, his efforts are never appreciated. A colleague piles his work on him and even the gorgeous Shonali (Deepika Padukone) has never even once noticed him in the four years they have worked together. To top it, he has been fired from his job. But all that seems to be heading for a change as Karthik, on the verge of committing suicide, gets a call from Karthik who guides him to reclaim his life and live with confidence. There's an instant metamorphosis in Karthik's character. He walks in with newfound confidence into his old office, dressed in a smart suit, walks into his boss' cabin and cleverly makes him aware of his contribution. Result, Karthik is offered his old job back. But he is in no mood; he demands a bigger post with staff under him. Then begins the wooing process and he does this with style, too.

Life reclaimed, Karthik's calls continue daily. He is warned by the caller not to mention this to anyone lest they think him to be nuts. But he mentions to Shonali who thinks he should see a shrink and from there on, his life takes a dive down to where it was. "I will finish you," says the voice from the other end, angry that he has let out his little secret. "If I could make you, I will break you." He manages to do just that. Farhan Akhtar is moving from strength to strength as an actor. No words would be enough to describe his rise as an actor of repute. Deepika Padukone, as the most sought after girl who has burnt her finger in many wrong relationships portrays the angst of many such women with aplomb. She is cute (as the role demands), confident and has evolved as an actor. She has worked hard on her body language and this shows in every scene, unlike in films like BACHANA AE HASEENO. Ram Kapoor as the khadoos boss is a powerful performer. Nor frills, just solid performance. Special mention to Vivaan Bhathena too, who fits into his role as the playboy-cum-office bully. KARTHIK CALLING KARTHIK is an emotional journey with the principal character. You feel his pain when he is down, celebrate his success when he takes charge of his life and love with him when he romances Shonali. Even when the final card is revealed in the end, you once again feel his pain. It's all in the mind, you see and Farhan brilliantly guides you on to this wonderful journey immensely helped by Vijay Lalwani. This is not candyfloss cinema. It will find its audience in those wanting to get involved.

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TEEN PATTI MOVIE REVIEW


TEEN PATTI is a cat and mouse game. What begins as a simple exercise to experiment with the theory of probability with real cash in gambling dens, takes a complex and deadly turn with greed taking the upper hand. Director Leena Yadav has scored high on casting with not a character out of place. Even though Mahesh Manjrekar, Tinnu Anand, Jackie Shroff and Shakti Kapoor appear in just two scenes, their characters leave a mark and are an intricate part of the plot. Also, Leena has used the final of the inaugural T-20 World Cup between India and Pakistan to telling effect. As Shakti Kapoor is gambling on the card table, his eyes are constantly on the television set as he monitors Pakistan chasing down India's total. With 5 balls to go and 12 runs to get for Pakistan, he changes his bets and places his money on Pakistan winning. We all know how Misbah-Ul-Haq holed out to Sreesanth at short fine leg. As the catch is pouched, he loses his card game as well! Brilliant. We have seen cricket matches as props within scenes, but this one is just too cool! It's moment like these that keeps you glued to the screen. TEEN PATTI is riveting and extremely well paced. Professor Venkat Subramaniam (Amitabh Bachchan) has cracked a theory that could redefine the laws of probability. He tries it out with a card game with a fellow professor and four students and hits bulls-eye. Professor Shantanu Biswas (R Madhavan) who has loan sharks knocking on his doors to pay off their dues sees this as an opportunity to amass quick money. He lures Venkat to try out his theory in real gambling dens. From here, their life spirals out of control as a blackmailer takes centre stage. Slickly shot, the film moves at a rapid pace keeping you guessing as to who the blackmailer could be. Venkat wants to call off the bluff, but by now, the students and Shantanu are overtaken by greed.

Dhruv Ganesh, Siddharth Kher, Vaibhav Talwar and Shraddha Kapoor who play the students caught in this game of greed are all excellent. Dhruv as Bikram, the student who needs money to fund his education plays his complex part with ease. Siddharth as Sid carries off the Johnny Depp look as well as his character effortlessly. However, it is Shraddha Kapoor, who makes her debut that steals the thunder. Confident and natural, she flits between the characters Aparna and Zeenat as though she is 20 films old. I last saw such brilliance in Farhan Akhtar the actor. Yes, Shakti Kapoor's daughter is a class apart and has announced her arrival with a bang. Amitabh has used his vast experience to let the kids hog the limelight by strategically taking the back seat. The film moves sharply between London and India and this is where Sir Ben Kingsly has been used as Perci Trachtenberg, the magician who Professor Venkat idolized. Screenplay, Dialogues and costume deserve special mention as also the music by Salim- Suleiman. The track Neeyat has been powerfully choreographed. Watch it for its casting, a young set of actors who deliver and a script that captivates. TEEN PATTI; ready for the deal?

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CLICK MOVIE REVIEW


CLICK lacks substance. It also lacks a credible screenplay and script. It's more like a project put together by students for a college project. To top it, the only actor who plays her part with eerie glee is the lady who plays Sneha Ullal's mother. It's one of those films you would want forget in a jiffy, never mind if there have been a couple of electrifying scary scenes. But a few scenes like these does not a horror film make. And director Sangeeth Sivan should know that. Avi (Shreyas Talpade) is a fashion photographer and one fine day, whenever he photographs, a female shape appears in the prints. This happens only after he and his girlfriend Sonia (Sadaa) are involved in a hit-and-run one night after partying with friends. While Sonia wants to get out of the car and check the accident, Avi does not want to risk a chance. So off they drive to safety and into an ordeal that begins to unfold.
If the ghost wants to trouble Avi, why does she do so only after the accident? Why not before? This is very strange because as the story unfolds you learn that the two (ghost and Avi) have a past. Also, very interesting is a scene where one of Avi's friend commits suicide and at the morgue, there are three bodies. All his friends. But according to the scene shown, only one committed suicide! There are also scenes with Chunkey Pandey and Avatar Gill, which borders on insanity.Scenes like these spell doom for this flick named CLICK.

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MY NAME IS KHAN MOVIE REVIEW


Viewed on the basis of the evaluation of Asperger Syndrome, Karan Johar has hit the nail on the head. He has handled Rizvan Khan (Shah Rukh Khan) with maturity. To top it, he has used the intelligence of Rizvan to home in on a very touchy topic and has succeeded. Islam is not about Jihad, it is about love and Rizvan in his own locked-in world unlocks the hate within from those around him. Many with Asperger Syndrome also get violent, but Rizvan freaks when he sees the colour yellow and cannot stand loud noise. Shah Rukh Khan has done a complete study of this syndrome and has delivered a terrific performance from frame one. Kajol, I dare say, is the Queen of Bollywood. All this talk of this heroine being the No.1 or No 2 is just mumbo jumbo when you see this talent explode on screen. Just natural. Pure bliss. We need to see more of you on screen, Kajol.
Karan Johar is known for his tearjerkers and he sticks to his format this time, too. But he also addresses an important issue, one that is tearing the world apart. His handling of scenes is very mature and real. The interaction between young Rizvan with his mother (Zarina Wahab) and his younger brother Zakir is poignant. Zarina's obsessive focus on Rizwan drives Zakir to the wall. The crack is easy to see; his hatred for his brother easy to accept. Rizvan, in one touching moment tells his brother that at least he is able to express his sadness through tears... as for him, it's a frustrating process all bottled within. Wanting to live his mother's dreams to lead a normal life, Rizvan leaves for America to live with his brother and wife. There, he assists his brother in selling his beauty products and meets Mandira (Kajol), already married with a six-year-old son. Their romance, which leads to marriage, is very well captured. She is a Hindu. He a Muslim. She adopts his surname and then 9/11 happens which radically changes the way the world sees Muslims, especially Americans. Tragedy strikes this happy family and Rizvan is on a journey travelling across the US to meet the president to tell him, 'My name is Khan, and I'm not a terrorist.' It is this obsessive or repetitive routine, which is the central theme of the film. He does meet the President and manages to change the views of many along the way. Karan and SRK have done what they had to for the viewers and peace at large; but in the real world, can love actually be given a chance? A beautiful movie with a beautiful message not to forget powerful performances from the jodi that stormed the screens13 years ago with DDLJ. Jimmy Sheirgill is once again proving to be a powerhouse performer. Soniya Jehan and Tannay Cheddha as the young Rizvan are fabulous. Zarina Wahab captivates with her emotions for both her sons. Yuvaan Makaar as Kajol's son is a confident actor. Go watch it. Karan has crafted a beautiful film, while SRK has authored a marketing strategy that will be hard for even Aamir Khan to beat!

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ISHQIYA MOVIE REVIEW


Vidya Balan has drummed up a delectable performance in ISHQIYA. She's the widow whose life has suddenly exploded from its shell; a lover; a woman who misses those 'tender' moments and one who is out to exact revenge. A bundle of contradictions who has a deadly secret up her sleeve. You can't help but fall in love with her character, Krishna Verma, delivered with intense finesse. Arshad Warsi is back in the 'circuit' with his powerhouse performance as Babban. A goon, with lust in his eyes who realizes what it is to be in love when he meets Krishna. He also learns the meaning of betrayal when Krishna trains the gun on him. A performance delivered with the accuracy of a lunatic. Naseeruddin Shah as Khalujaan puts life in the character of a pure romantic caught in the cesspool of crime. His careful romancing of Krishna is a pure delight. He draws you to his plight with his reaction when he learns his nephew, Babban, has already scored with her.
So, who's the one Krishna truly loves. Or does she love at all? She's this mysterious woman around whom the movie is cleverly woven. The movie begins with a bang opening with tender moments between Krishna and her husband who is a terror in his village. Verma is an ace at kidnapping business tycoons in Gorakhpur and demanding ransom. She wants him to surrender. He loves his clan more than he loves his wife. There's a blast in their home and she is widowed. Or is she? Khalujaan and Babban are two thieves working for Mushtaq, a don with a soft heart but a tough exterior. At first instance, you fall in love with these two characters with their quirky traits. They loot their boss and are on the run. They land in Gorakhpur to seek shelter in the house of Verma, their old friend. Instead, they meet his wife Krishna. Here is where the cat and mouse game begins. Khalujaan is fond of Krishna and she even responds, but Babban, has other plans where Krishna is concerned.
So, who's the one Krishna truly loves. Or does she love at all? She's this mysterious woman around whom the movie is cleverly woven. The movie begins with a bang opening with tender moments between Krishna and her husband who is a terror in his village. Verma is an ace at kidnapping business tycoons in Gorakhpur and demanding ransom. She wants him to surrender. He loves his clan more than he loves his wife. There's a blast in their home and she is widowed. Or is she? Khalujaan and Babban are two thieves working for Mushtaq, a don with a soft heart but a tough exterior. At first instance, you fall in love with these two characters with their quirky traits. They loot their boss and are on the run. They land in Gorakhpur to seek shelter in the house of Verma, their old friend. Instead, they meet his wife Krishna. Here is where the cat and mouse game begins. Khalujaan is fond of Krishna and she even responds, but Babban, has other plans where Krishna is concerned.

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VEER MOVIE REVIEW



It takes a brave man to say he'll take the flak if a film fails, and in the same breath mention that it would be to everyone's credit if it succeeds. This is precisely what Salman Khan has gone on record to say about his recent release VEER, the story of which is credited to him as well. It also takes a brave man to dream of a magnum opus such as this. The period, the drama, the grandiose feel of it all and the amount of money pumped in, reportedly Rs 50 Cr.

Set in the 19th century, this period drama is no classic epic, but it has the trappings to keep you glued to your seat. Yes, there are loopholes in the screenplay and script and some silly moments as well, but once you see the brave attempt by the makers you cannot but laud it. Only thing, they could have been more careful about the costumes worn by the lead actors. Difficult yes, but if enough research was done and as much importance given to it as the fight sequences, it could well have been another GADAR. The story told is about Pindaris, a group of tribals, who were true to their word, and who preferred death to betrayal. It's their fight to unite India, to fight the British who ruled then. A very interesting plot thought of by Salman, who plays VEER. The film also has interesting twists even though 'Boy meets girl from enemy camp' remains the central theme. It moves away from the staid formula of parents opposing and lovers uniting against all odds.

Here, Veer wins the heart if his girl in enemy camp and also convinces his tribe to look beyond to the larger picture; that of uniting India in its fight for freedom rather than fighting against one Royal family to exact revenge. The plot has its heart in the right place. Salman Khan as Veer is dashing and dynamic. He takes off from where he left in WANTED and LONDON DREAMS. His raw star power is full on display. Mithun Chakraborty is as solid as ever. Ditto Jackie Shroff. Much has been made of Newcomer Zarine Khan's resemblance to Katrina Kaif. According to me, the girl is a spitting image (healthier version) of Jacqueline Fernandez, who recently debuted in ALADIN.

Someone has rightly said, ''Let the attempt be a failure, but let there be no failure to attempt.'' Like a true Veer, Salman has taken a gamble, it's now left to be seen how the audience reacts to this fight to get the British out of India. Somehow, I get this feeling that the dice is loaded in favour of Veer Salman!

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