The Indian Panorama

Tag: Ali Zafar

  • Dear Zindagi – MOVIE REVIEW

    Dear Zindagi – MOVIE REVIEW

    STORY: Kaira (Alia) is an astute cinematographer who is bohemian in her approach to life. Enter Dr Jehangir Khan (Shah Rukh), a top-notch therapist, who helps her lay her innermost demons to rest.

    dear-zindagiREVIEW: In a scene from the film, Alia who is heartbroken, bites into a green chilli. As her eyes cloud over, she looks at her best buddy Fatima (Ira Dubey) and says — “the chilli is pungent.’’ Tears, silly fears and frailties all part of the life process. So brave it we must. This kind of sums up the life lesson writer-director Gauri Shinde’s second directorial film imparts.

    But unlike her first film English Vinglish that hit the bullseye subtly, here the message is hammered. Of course some of the writing has merit. There are funny and clever one-liners. There are numerous analogies drawn to explain the innumerable relationships one encounters in today’s fast-fleeting urban life. Some of this makes you chuckle, some of it makes you cry. So far so good. However, the first half of the film meanders, making you restless. Frankly, things actually begin to look up just before intermission when SRK, without his trademark outstretched arms, makes an appearance.

    As said earlier, the protagonist played by Alia flits like a butterfly from Raghuvendra (Kunal) to Sid

    (Angad) and later to Rumi (Ali). And there is a backstory to show why she is so messed up. Honestly, her angst bites to some degree but not entirely.

    To analyse why she is the way she is, Alia makes an appointment with SRK a DD (dimaag ka doctor) in Goa. It is on his couch that she is able to voice her fears. As he meticulously picks up the pieces of her past and

    ‘pieces’ her together, the film allows the viewer too to confront some of their own anxieties. So it isn’t all in vain.

    Feisty Alia, one of the better actors of the current generation, turns in a nicely nuanced performance. And SRK in his sober-avatar possessing infinite gyaan tempts you to seek out a therapist. If you’re in the mood to do some soul-searching this weekend, this film could do it for you.

  • Movie Review-Chashme Baddoor

    Movie Review-Chashme Baddoor

    Cast: Ali Zafar, Siddharth, Divyendu Sharma, Taapsee Pannu, Lillette Dubey, Anupam Kher, Rishi Kapoor
    Direction: David Dhawan
    Genre: Comedy
    Duration: 2 hours 11 minutes

    STORY: Shy Siddharth loves feisty Seema – but his buddies falsely boast of flings with her, breaking the couple up. Can love be remade?

    MOVIE REVIEW: The answer’s yes – love can be remade and so can a lovely film like 1981’s Chashme Buddoor (CB). This version’s as different as paapri chaat from a dhokla. But it retains the original’s madness, masti and movie-mania. The remixed CB unrolls in Goa where phatichar shayar Omi (Sharma) is addressing, ahem, the St. Stephens College of Arts and Science, while wanna-be hero Jai (Siddharth) is over-acting into a rape scene. Watching the dolts in full bloom, CB has you chuckling from the start.

    Things only get better when sober Sid (Zafar) pops up, yodels with his cheap chums and explains their drought of dough to doughty cafe owner Joseph Futado (Kapoor) and landlady Josephine (Dubey). Meanwhile, Seema (Pannu) is escaping an arranged marriage, scooting towards the three idiots. Love happens – but after lust, lies and lots of laughs.

    CB’s boy-band impresses with consistent acting. With his silky sleaziness, Sharma often steals the show while Siddharth’s comic rhythm is a revelation. Zafar is endearing with his clenched-jaw charm, graceful as he dances, cute as he romances and rather hot when he throws a punch or two. Pannu’s bubbly without being overwhelming while Kapoor and Dubey light up the screen with their little love story – hardcore CB fans, you’ll find their romance does chamko! But the star remains the story, spicily modernized, yet its salt still that passion for filmi fun, rainy moments, shared chattris, judwaa bhais, overpowering Ma’s, red coats-yellow pants (Dhawan clearly enjoying a Govinda flashback), cheap shers, cheaper lusts and triumphant love. CB’s music is catchy, its lines too – “Bomb woh thi, blast main ho gaya!” – while the hilarity underlines the wise adage: friends stab you in the front but good friendship deserves chashme buddoor.

  • MNS threatens Asha Bhosale show ‘Sur-Kshetra’, but singer to go ahead

    MNS threatens Asha Bhosale show ‘Sur-Kshetra’, but singer to go ahead

    MUMBAI (TIP):
    The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has threatened to disrupt Sur-Kshetra, a music show in which eight vocalists from Pakistan and an equal number of Indian singers are scheduled to participate.

    The MNS’s film wing, the Chitrapat Karmachari Sena, on Thursday wrote to the channel on which Sur-Kshetra will be aired from September 8, and to noted playback singer Asha Bhosale, who is on the show’s grand jury, spelling out its views. “We respect art. But Pakistan did not reciprocate this sentiment when it summarily banned Salman Khan’s Ek Tha Tiger recently. We will not allow any shoot of the channel if it goes ahead with the show involving Pakistani artistes,” said the letter.

    Buoyed by Raj Thackeray’s recent morcha condemning the mob rampage at Azad Maidan on August 11 and the Supreme Court’s latest verdict confirming Ajmal Kasab’s death penalty, the MNS has begun to flex its muscles to earn a niche in Mumbai politics, say party watchers. “Pakistan has been inflicting injuries on India by plotting terrorist attacks. There is no need to undertake such a show on TV,” said Ameya Khopkar, chief of the Chitrapat Karmachari Sena. “If the show goes on air, we will deal with the situation in a manner befitting the MNS,” he warned.
    Tight security was arranged at the suburban hotel where the channel held a press conference on Thursday in the run-up to the show. Bhosale held hectic consultations with the MNS functionaries as well as senior MNS functionary Shalini Thackeray, urging them to call off the stir. “The show aims to promote peace and harmony between two neighbouring countries,” she stated. The press conference was held nearly three hours behind schedule, following high tension at the hotel.

    Later, addressing mediapersons, the veteran singer tried to defuse the crisis by declaring her “love and affection” for MNS chief Raj Thackeray. “I will always love Raj even if he abuses me…I know he loves my songs,” she said, adding that she also loved Maharashtra. However, despite these statements, Bhosale refused to be cowed down and confirmed her participation in Sur-Kshetra. “I am a simple woman who believes in humanity and in spreading love and understanding through music,” she said. “I am a singer and not a politician. I know I am working with good people.”
    After the 26/11 terror attack, many Pakistani actors disappeared from the Indian scene. Comedians like Kashif and Shakeel Siddiqui and a TV show participant Zaheer Abbas had to leave India immediately after the attack. However, despite the Shiv Sena’s and MNS’s constant protests against Pakistani actors in TV shows and films, producers continue to work with them. Nearly half a dozen Pakistani actors like Meera, Veena Malik, Ali Zafar, Imran Abbas and Humiama Malik are acting in Hindi films. Some music directors fly to Dubai and record songs with singers Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Atif Aslam.