Where Bollywood Comes Alive
Posts tagged anu menon
Good old-fashioned romance dead in Bollywood?
11 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Bharati Dubey | TNN (THE TIMES OF INDIA; March 11, 2012)
A blasé Kareena Kapoor speaks about having sex to Imran Khan in Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu. Imran and Katrina Kaif pair up, leaving Imran’s brother in the cold in Mere Brother Ki Dulhan. Coyness, romance, sacrifice in love… none of these once-vital elements in Bollywood exist any more. Romance speaks a different language.
“The grammar of love has undergone a sea change,” says screenwriter Mushtaq Sheikh. “From the speed to the language, the entire process of falling in love has changed. The young are in a hurry. They have no time to wait to fall in love or even be selfless about it. They want results. And if they are spending time falling in love, they need to see what they are getting back in return.”
Flash back to the days when love did not declare itself. Lovers then chose to convey their emotion silently—a shy note, a quiver of the lips… and an endless wait. Recalls writer Dilip Thakur, “There used to be a build-up to the first eye contact between the hero and heroine, be it Rajendra Kumar’s hand brushing against Mala Sinha’s in Dhool Ka Phool, Rajesh Khanna singing Mere sapnon ki rani in Aradhana or Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol crossing each other’s path before meeting on Eurorail in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge.”
Films like Break Ke Baad, Delhi Belly or the recent Rockstar are anything but love at first sight or virginal. However, the last did have a resonance later of the self-destructive Devdas, an old favourite. But More >
London Paris New York gets ‘U/A’ despite adult content
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Parag Maniar (BOMBAY TIMES; March 2, 2012)
Speculation was rife that the Censor Board would pass London Paris New York with an Adult certificate, thanks to various situations in the film with adult references. The Board’s decision to go with a U/A (Under Adult Supervision) certification has come as a relief to the film’s makers.
Vijay Singh, CEO, Fox Star Studios India says, “The U/A certificate shows that the Censor Board has been progressive in its attitude. London Paris New York was never targetted at an adult audience but a younger age group. The film has been given a contemporary treatment keeping them in mind. It’s a sincere attempt to bring something different to the romantic comedy palette.”
Producer Goldie Behl of Rose Movies adds, “The board has been kind in passing certain content in the film. It was an integral part of the plot as it conveyed the thoughts of today’s youth. I am glad that a creative and modern genre is being accepted.”
Director Anu Menon says, “By exploring new ideas, Indian cinema is going through an exciting phase. London Paris New York is my attempt to push the boundaries and make a mark.”
For lead pair Ali Zafar and Aditi Rao Hydari, today is a day of nervous excitement. “The film defies stereotypes and dares to be different,” says Ali. Aditi adds, “It is different from conventional romcoms that people have seen so far.”
London Paris New York hits theatres today.
Movie Review: RAAT GAYI, BAAT GAYI? by TARAN ADARSH
03 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in External Reviews
By Taran Adarsh, January 1, 2010 – 12:32 IST
After almost five years, accomplished actor Saurabh Shukla returns to the director’s chair with RAAT GAYI, BAAT GAYI?, a film that’s making the right buzz. Making an adult comedy that talks of one night stand is tough. But giving the serious issue a humorous take is tougher.
RAAT GAYI, BAAT GAYI? is about relationships and also looks at the philanderers, who, despite being committed, don’t mind having a PYT in a closet, for no strings attached fun.
You may draw parallels with THE HANGOVER because the protagonist can’t recall anything that happened the previous night. But it must also be said that the film throws a few surprises, which makes it completely different from any film, past or present.
BY BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COMBut there’s one factor that throws a spanner. There’s not much meat in the story. Also, it unravels at an excruciatingly slow pace. In fact, the wheels start moving only towards the penultimate 20 odd minutes, when the answers start coming.
In a nutshell, RAAT GAYI, BAAT GAYI? offers a few laughs, not laughter unlimited!
Rahul [Rajat Kapoor] wakes up with a bad hangover after a party the night before. There, he had met a sexy young woman Sophia [Neha Dhupia]. They got drunk and there were sparks flying. But Rahul doesn’t remember what happened after that. Did they go all the way?
His wife Mitali [Irawati Harshe Mayadev] is in a particularly bad mood and Rahul suspects that she might know about his little More >
Movie Review: QUICK GUN MURUGUN by FENIL SETA
03 years ago
A film like Quick Gun Murugan can easily please its audience. Reason is simple-it doesn’t give a chance to its audience to complain that the film is nonsense because the film is indeed nonsensical and audiences are well aware of it before venturing to see it. And this is what makes Quick Gun Murugun an entertainer-it fulfills all the expectations associated with it. It is illogical, the characters are weird and it is a complete spoof. And most importantly, the film is unique!
The story of the movie: Quick Gun Murugun (Dr. Rajendraprasad) is a South Indian cowboy who feels it’s his duty to destroy evil. He decides to teach Rice Plate Reddy (Naseer) a lesson after he learns that Reddy is converting all vegetarian restaurants into non-veg in a village in South India. Unfortunately, QGM fails to finish his ‘duty’ and is transported to Swarglok and from there to present-day Mumbai. Reddy is now a rich man and is about to begin a chain of restaurants, called McDosa which would provide world’s first and the best non-veg Dosa! QGM plans to stop him. On the other hand, our hero is in a dilemma when he comes across voluptuous Mango Dolly (Rambha) who loves him like crazy. But QGM feels he can’t think of any girl other than his first love Locket Girl (Anu Menon). How Quick Gun Murugun solves his ‘problems’ is what the film is all about!
In the entire duration of 90 minutes, senseless but humourous situations take place in the film and majority of them are pretty More >
Movie Review: QUICK GUN MURUGUN by TARAN ADARSH
03 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in External Reviews
By Taran Adarsh, August 28, 2009 – 09:28 IST
[English, with generous dose of Tamil] Recall the cinema of 1970s. The villains would spray bullets at the hero, even throw bombs at him, but the hero would come out unscathed. The hero, in turn, would fire in the air, the bullet would hit the lamp post, bounce towards the villain and enter his skull. The hero was truly a superhero.
Welcome to the crazy, madcap world of QUICK GUN MURUGAN. In this film, the hero and villain are at loggerheads. The fight is between vegetarian and non-vegetarian [meals]. Here, the villain wants to make the best dosa in town and kidnaps women who have the perfect recipe for making delicious dosas.
BY BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COMQUICK GUN MURUGAN is not the stereotypical movie, but it borrows from all stereotypical movies that made Indian cinema so distinct from rest of the world. The best part is, QUICK GUN MURUGAN is innovative.
One sentence verdict? Try this dosa… it’s delicious!
// <![CDATA[//Quick Gun Murugun [Dr. Rajendra Prasad] is an unlikely superhero. He is a sincere South Indian cowboy who considers it his duty to serve and protect. The movie revolves around the misadventures of Quick Gun Murugun and his fight with his arch villain Rice Plate Reddy [Nasser].
Quick Gun Murugun enters into an epic battle that spans time and space, from a small South Indian village to Swarglok and then finally to the cosmopolitan Mumbai. He is torn between Mango Dolly [Rambha], who loves him and his More >