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Posts tagged common man
Movie Review: SHOR IN THE CITY by FENIL SETA
02 years ago
2 years ago, there arrived a small gem of a film, 99. Directed by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, it was a terrific roller-coaster ride and showed how one can come up with a gripping and funny tale based on a true incident. And when the director duo announced their next, Shor In The City, naturally I was waiting for it with bated breath. The film is ready since months but couldn’t release as it was touring festivals, wowing the audiences worldwide! This further upped my curiosity by many notches! Finally, Shor In The City has released and thankfully, meets all the expectations! It is quirky, engaging, completely absorbing and gives a paisa vasool time to the viewers!
The story of the movie: Tilak (Tusshar Kapoor) is newly married to Sapna (Radhika Apte) and runs an illegal book printing house alongwith his rowdy buddies Mandook (Pitobash Tripathi) and Ramesh (Nikhil Dwivedi). A routine robbery in the train results in their world going upside down. Abhay (Sendhil Ramamurthy) is an NRI who has come back to India to start a new business. As news spread that a rich NRI has arrived, the local goons (Zakir Hussain, Suresh Dubey) threaten him to pay ‘protection money’. Sawan (Sundeep Kishan) is an aspiring cricketer who wishes to get into Under 22 Mumbai Cricket Team. But he realizes that won’t be possible unless he coughs up a huge amount of money, something which he doesn’t have. On the other hand, his girlfriend Sejal (Girija Oak) is pressurizing him to act More >
Movie Review: NO ONE KILLED JESSICA by TARAN ADARSH
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in External Reviews
By Taran Adarsh, January 5, 2011 – 08:36 IST
Most storytellers entertain, a few enlighten. A scattering number of celluloid visionaries entertain as well as enlighten. Rajkumar Gupta fits into that exceptional variety of film-makers that opens up thought-processes about the condition of the homeland without losing the cinematic elements that constitute a film.
To reconstruct on celluloid a true occurrence that is oven fresh in public reminiscence is not a trouble-free mission, but Gupta takes up this colossal challenge of placing together the controversial and litigious story of Jessica Lall’s murder case on celluloid. However, having sensitive and explosive material on hand is not enough. The execution of the subject is of paramount importance. Fortunately, the one-film-old director interprets the events of the murder case in remarkable style and form and makes it a cinematic experience that haunts you even after the film has concluded. Gupta does complete justice to the spirit of the story, which had created headlines and still remains well etched in our memory to this day.
BY BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COMA few monsoons ago, Rajkumar Santoshi’s HALLA BOL commenced with a shootout sequence at a party. Of course, HALLA BOL wasn’t about this incident alone, it was just a tiny segment in the narrative. NO ONE KILLED JESSICA focuses on this true-life incident [with no deviations] and its strength lies in the fact that it sucks you into the world of dirty politics and power More >
Amitabh Bachchan returns to stage
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
By Subhash K. Jha, December 6, 2010 – 10:52 IST
For the first time since he started his career as a movie actor in 1969, Amitabh Bachchan returns to stage, albeit in a most unexpected way.
The Big B will play himself on stage in Mahesh Manjrekar’s Me Shahrukh Manjarsumbekar and that too in Marathi. But not in person. He will be speaking to the play’s main protagonist played by Siddharth Jadhav, from a screen image which will be flashed at every performance of the play.
And since the play will be in the form of an ongoing political comment with the politics changing in every performance according to the current headlines, it looks like the Big B has a long innings ahead on stage.
“You can say that,” laughs Mahesh Manjrekar, who returns to his first love, stage direction, with Me Shahrukh Manjarsumbekar. “Amitji will be seen in a dialogue with the Siddharth Jadhav character who plays the common man. The politics will change. But the two characters played by Jadhav and Amitji will remain the same.”
Interestingly, the Big B has played a part in the movie version of Me Shahrukh Manjarsumbekar. The movie entitled Struggler features Mahesh Manjrekar as the common man. Struggler is now ready for release after 5 years since its completion.
Says Manjrekar, “It’s a coincidence that the play and film are going to be out at the same time. The movie is very different from the play. I’ve made a lot of changes in the play. The play will have an ongoing commentary on current More >
Rishi-Neetu: Ek main aur ek tu
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
THEY STILL ROCK: (L-R) Arindam Chaudhuri, Rishi, Neetu and Ranbir Kapoor
They were once called India’s sweethearts – now they’re back!
Suruchi Sharma (BOMBAY TIMES; October 13, 2010)
They were last seen together on screen in the movie Dhan Daulat way back in 1979, just before they got married. And now, after 30 long years, the power couple of Rishi and Neetu Kapoor is back to win people’s hearts. Do Dooni Chaar, which released on October 8, is also being described as Neetu’s big comeback. The movie, in its very first week, has seen a good response and is being described as a celebration of the common man’s life in a heart warming and entertaining manner. Debutant director Habib Faisal has also garnered praise for his first venture from scriptwriter Jaideep Sahni and others. Jaideep says, “After contributing to many directors’ films with his writing, Habib has made his mark with a lovely film.”
The producer of the film, Arindam Chaudhuri, managed to pull off a coup of sorts to bring back yesteryears’ superhit jodi after 30 years. How and why did he think of bringing them together? “The reason was the novelty factor. Once the script was ready, we thought of getting Rishi Kapoor for the lead actor and almost simultaneously, Habib, the director, Shubho, the executive producer and I thought of getting Neetuji too,” shares Arindam. Was it difficult getting both of them together? “Not very difficult,” says Arindam, adding, “Rishiji agreed More >
Knock Out trailer faces censor trouble
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
By Subhash K. Jha, September 4, 2010 – 16:51 IST
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Click above for more movie stillsThe Sanjay Dutt-Kangna-Irrfan Khan thriller Knock Out is in censor trouble. The trailer has been banned by the censor board for an allegedly derogatory reference by Irrfan Khan to the 1000-rupee note.
Apparently, when someone in a scene wonders aloud why the 1000-rupee note is pink in colour Irrfan retorts, “Because it is created from the blood and sweat of the common man.”
The censor board raised an objection to what they see as a derogatory reference to the Indian currency. Rather than deleting the objectionable reference, the film’s makers have gone with the trailer to the revising committee.
Someone very close to the project says, “Why should the reference to the 1000-rupee note be seen as derogatory? What we’ve said is that politicians build their wealth on the betrayed trust of common people. Isn’t that the truth? Besides in Aashayein we have John Abraham constantly throwing money around, kicking and shoving wads of currency. Why didn’t the censor board object to that?”
Producer Sohail Makhlai confirms that the trailer has been stopped by the Censor Board. “It’s true they object to a dialogue on the 1000-rupee note. We’re now taking the trailer to the revising committee.”
BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COM
The curious appeal of Salman Khan
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
By Pritish Nandy (TOI blogs), September 1, 2010 – 12:20 IST
After years, the promos of a film have really excited me and I’m dying to watch it, first day, first show. No, I have no idea if the film is good or bad. In all probability, it will be awful. Two recent films in this genre were ghastly, though they made lots of money in the box office. And one of them, being a Aamir Khan film, assumed iconic proportions and got the star the moniker of being a matchless marketing whiz, particularly because he stole the thunder from under Shah Rukh’s nose. While Shah Rukh was doing his usual number for Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Aamir came in from behind with his buzz cut ushers in the theatres announcing the arrival of a thunderous blockbuster two weeks later. The whole focus shifted overnight from Surinder Sahni to Sanjay Singhania. Both films were as ordinary as they come. But Aamir’s went on to become a huge hit, announcing the arrival of a new genre in Bollywood: the Tamil bloodfest.
Its success quickened the release of another bloodfest, this time with Telugu origins: Wanted. You can’t get cheesier than Wanted. It’s possibly the worst movie you have seen, shoddily scripted, badly crafted, crudely put together: an astonishing display of plywood machismo. But even that couldn’t stop it from becoming a huge blockbuster simply because Salman Superbrat swaggered through the film with his trademark cheekiness, doing nothing, just being himself. That made the movie. If, More >
The inspiration behind Akshay’s retro look in Action Replayy
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
By Joginder Tuteja, August 14, 2010 – 14:53 IST
The first look of Action Replayy is out and as was promised by the makers when the movie had gone on floor, this Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai starrer indeed carries a retro look based on the 70s. In fact if one closely notices the attire and get up of Akshay Kumar, it is not difficult to draw parallels with the lead heroes of the yesteryears.
Says a senior unit member of Action Replayy, “The actors were supposed to look totally different from how they have been presented on the big screen so far. Akshay has gone through different wardrobes in films like Khatta Meetha and Housefull in the past where he played a common man. However, when it came to donning a totally different look, he last went through a drastic change only in Chandni Chowk To China. Now again in Action Replayy, he has taken the big step and totally reinvented himself.”
Results can be seen in not just the manner where he is shown driving a scooter but also the guts he has shown by wearing a pink shirt with a black web print over it. His blue coloured bell bottom trouser is another highlight of his attire while the hairstyle reminds one of a kind that Sunil Dutt donned in late 70s/early 80s.
“That’s right”, he adds, “Looking at Akshay’s hairstyle, you immediately tend to remember Sunil Dutt from his Zakhmee (1975) days. Such thick hair and the way it was parted over the forehead was quite a trend during those days. It is apparent that Akshay was More >
Leander Paes to make his Bollywood debut
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
By Bollywood Hungama News Network, August 12, 2010 – 14:55 IST
Leander Paes has been the flag-bearer and the sports magnet for the game of tennis in India. His passionate and lionhearted performances whenever he’s played for India, has established him as the action man of Indian tennis. But Leander will soon be seen in a new avatar in the glamourous world of Bollywood.
Yes…you heard it right. Leander will be making his Bollywood debut in Rajdhani Express directed by Ashok Kohli. The film has him playing the role of a common man. Leander has always been an admirer of Mahatma Gandhi, and when he read the script, it struck a chord in him, as it reflected Gandhiji’s immortal words “Be the Change that you would like to see in the world” in an entertaining and engaging way.
Leander has been receiving film offers since1996, but he was too engrossed in tennis and self admittedly, not ‘ready’ to take the plunge. However, he has always been an avid film lover and feels that films do have the power to transport you to an exhilarating world. The tennis sensation believes that his ability to connect with people will serve him good in the world of cinema too. Besides the noted Bengali Poet and dramatist Michael Madhusudan Dutt is his ancestor, so he does have some acting talent in his genes.
It will be interesting to see if this tennis champ who has won many hearts with his on-field performance has yet another ‘ace’ up his sleeve with Rajdhani Express.
BOLLYWOOD More >