Bhagam Bhag (भागम भाग)(Hindi, 2006)

Priyan Sir, congratulations on your hattrick of bad comedy movies this year. First, it was Chup Chup Ke, which we tolerated because of Rajpal Yadav. Then there was Malamaal Weekly, which we could not tolerate inspite of all our respect for your earlier ventures. Now there is Bhagam Bhag where you have tried to replicate the Hera Pheri formula by Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal and creating a movie around confused identities. You have also taken the yesteryears' king of street-style comedy, Govinda. Alas, it doesn't succeed this time as well. My sympathies with you, sir!

Bhagam Bhag traces the antics of Bunty (Akshay Kumar) and Babla (Govinda) as they run across London to try and find a heroine for their stage show owned by Champak Chaturvedi (Paresh Rawal). Bunty meets Munni (Lara Dutta), who turns out to be Mrs. Nisha Chauhan, wife of Vikram Chauhan (Arbaaz Khan) and later turns out to be Aditi. In the fray are Commisioner Mehra (Jackie Shroff), a gangs of street thugs, a Don and his goofing assistants and taxi driver Gullu (Rajpal Yadav). With everyone around behaving suspiciously and everyone running after everyone else, the movie is aptly named Bhagam Bhag, though you end up wishing someone had run away with the movie reels and you had been spared of watching this movie.

Performances look completely tired. Akshay Kumar hams throughout the movie, Govinda looks a has-been, Paresh Rawal is repetitive, Lara Dutta is as confused as the multiple names she has in the movie, Jackie Shroff should have retired long time back. The story of the movie and its execution is as painful to watch as a cat dragging food from rubbish bin.

Anyone watching this movie complete should get an award for masochism. I was saved by the games on my mobile.

Recommendation - Avoid. Take a detour if your car is passing anywhere near to a theatre showing the movie.

Rating - ✘✘✘

The Pursuit of Happyness (English, 2006)

Down and Out in the U.S. of A. A rags to riches story is always a good draw. This film is different. Yes, it is based on a true life rags to riches story. For a change though, its not a riches through luck or inheritance story. It is the story of a down and out guy whose wife leaves him and he is left caring for his pre-schooler son, at a time when he is absolutely penniless and is just starting in a new, uncertain career. It is the story of his struggles, his determination and his love for his son. Its not the story of a man never breaking, its the story of a man breaking, then picking up his pieces again and starting again. Its not the story of success through determination, its the story of trying and failing repeatedly, of having so many setbacks that you feel like quitting and actually mentally quit a couple of times, but then start again and go on. It is the story of...

The Pursuit of Happyness is the story of Chris Gardner (Will Smith) and his son Christopher (Jaden Christopher Syre Smith), a father's care of his son inspite of difficulties and a man's determination to the pursuit of happyness. To me, what Chris tells his son in basketball court symbolizes the movie and is a message for all of us "Don't ever let someone tell you, you can't do something. Not even me. Because when people tell you can't do something, it is because they can't do that thing".

Wonderful acting by the real life father-son duo of Will Smith and Jaden Smith, wonderful execution of the story line and real inspiring stuff of struggle and determination.

Recommendation - I am not writing too many complimentary adjectives here, you watch the film yourself and decide on your own. Its just too good a movie.

Recommendation - ✔✔✔✔

Kabul Express (Hindi, 2006)

Kabul has dominated world news headlines for quite some time now. Here was a Bollywood movie being filmed in Afghanistan, a place where just a short time ago, Bollywood movies were banned. So it was with a lot of expectation that I had gone to see the movie.

Now what happens if you take George Bush as a subject and make a movie whose main theme is intelligence? That's what happened to Kabir Khan. He took the subject of two Indian journalists in Afghanistan caught the current situation in Afghanistan where the local Afghan polulation is wirch-hunting Taliban supporters; and he gave the story a comic, emotional bend. If you are exclaiming, "That sounds interesting", you have obviously not watched the movie. In an attempt to put a comic twist to an inherently tragic environment, Kabir Khan has delivered a movie which is neither here nor there.

Kabul Express is the name of the jeep in which Khyber (Hanif Hum Ghum), a local Afghan driver is taking Suhel (John Abraham) and Jai (Arshad Warsi) and which is hijacked by Imran Khan Afridi (Salman Shahid), a Taliban supporter trying to get across the border to Pakistan. The movie has some very witty moments in the dialogues between Imran and Jai, but otherwise, you are let thinking throughout the movie, where is this leading? Will this movie get on with it and say what it wants to say or not? No, it does not, it just leaves you feeling stupid, much like the donkey standing in the middle of the road obstructing the jeep at the end of the movie (you are supposed to laugh in that scene, incidentally).

The acting levels in the movie vary from John Abraham's can't-act-to-save-my-life to a brilliant performance by Salman Shahid. Arshad's timing is impeccable, as is the rustic-ness of Hanif Hum Ghum. The pace of the movie is very dragging, cinematography portraying a dry arid hills very well. The direction and the story are the film's weakest points.

Recommendation - Surprisingly, I met some people who liked the movie. So don't take my word for it, go watch the movie. But don't tell me I didn't warn you.

Rating - ✔

Main Meri Patni Aur Woh (मैं मेरी पत्नी और वो)(Hindi, 2005)

Every once in a while, a movie comes along which charms your way into your heart with just its simplicity. No big budget, foreign locations, exotic stories or stars with style. Just a bunch of good actors in an interesting story about people like you and me. There was this era of wonderful telefilms shown on doordarshan in '80s which somehow just ended.

Main Meri Patni Aur Woh is the story of Mithilesh Shukla (Rajpal Yadav), a short, average-looking, reserved sort of guy who gets married to a tall, beautiful, outgoing girl Veena (Rituparna Sengupta). The films traces Mithilesh's inferiority complexes and the doubts arising in his mind regarding his wife because he does not consider himself worthy of her. The arrival of her friend, the smart and charming Akash (Kay Kay Menon) intensifies his complexes.

The movie portrays the situation in a light mood, making us laugh at Mithilesh and sympathise with him at the same time. Absolutely brilliant acting by Rajpal Yadav, in a role which relies on his facial expressions a lot, ably supported by other actors as well. The movie is well-paced, the story very earthy, the language very normal and undramatic. It charms you with sheer simplicity of execution. And it charms with the simple love that Mithilesh and Veena share. No dying for each other stuff, simple living with each other.

Recommendation - Go get the DVD now!
Rating - ✔✔✔

Happy Feet (English, 2006)

This one is for you, my dear childhood friend Puneet. This one is for all those people who dare to be different, who do not conform to the norms of people around them just to be accepted, who do not accept things just because someone in authority is saying that, who try to discover what is unique inside them and then pursue that uniqueness.

Happy Feet is the story of an emperor penguin who cannot sing. Singing, which is the basis of penguin society, which is how penguin mates find each other, and here is the guy who can’t sing to save his life (NO, I am not talking about myself here). So what can he do? He can dance (See, I told you I am not talking about myself). He can juggle his feet, make music with wonderful tap dance. So what happens? He is shunted as a non-conformist, he is told he has caused a bad omen which has resulted in reduction of food supply.

Happy Feet is the story of a penguin who sets out to prove that being different is OK, that if you are determined, things will always work out and that you shuld not be afraid to explore things beyond your horizon.

Happy Feet is also fun, not all preaching. Good songs, good music, good animation.

Where the film lacks is a strong, terse storyline. The films seems to be dragging the same message throughout, and parts of it have you saying “get on with it, man”.

Overall, a good movie to watch and enjoy.

Rating – ✔✔