Best South Hot Actress

Okay, so we have one more 'kiddie film' hoping to catch the audience attention this Friday, after the watchable Toonpur Ka Superrhero last week and the avoidable Rama – The Saviour a few weeks ago. I must confess, when I first glanced at the poster of Bhoot And Friends, I felt it would be an extension of Bhoot Unkle [2006]. Bhoot Unkle as well as Bhoot And Friends are produced by the same name [Aneesh Arjun Dev], feature the same actor as ghost [Jackie Shroff] and feature Bhoot in their titles. Furthermore, both feature kids in pivotal parts. Quite a few similarities…

Bhoot And Friends, directed by Kittu Saluja [Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii; 2007], is extremely low on hype. In fact, the awareness is so minimal that you may not have heard of this one at all. And even if you've heard of it, chances are you may not be too willing to invest two hours of your precious life on this movie since kiddie films made in India, generally, haven't been successful in cutting across the entire spectrum of movie-going audience - from kids to grown-ups.


As a film, Bhoot And Friends surprises you sporadically [the animation in the second half and the pre-climax, when the kids are thrown in a dark cave, are absorbing], but the problem lies in the fact that it uses the usual stunts and tricks [of kids throwing marbles and nails to make the villains slip on floor/road, kids combating an entire army of villains effortlessly etc.] and also corny and clichéd jokes that look completely out of place in today's times. I am sure, even kids would find those portions ridiculously childish.

Raghav [Markand Soni], a school kid, visits his grand-mom with his friends Roma and Igloo. While enjoying their vacations, they accidentally get involved in hunting for a lost treasure, which is also being sought and hunted by a notorious villain [Ashwin Mushran]. The kids meet a ghost [Jackie Shroff] with magical powers. The mystery of the lost treasure has to be resolved to save human lives held captive by the villain.

Portions of Reshma A. Dev's story bear an uncanny resemblance to Bhoot Unkle, but the screenplay writing of Bhoot And Friends is a shade better. In fact, the writer knows that a kiddie film ought to be packed with fun elements. But like I pointed out earlier, it isn't an exciting ride from start to end. Kittu Saluja's direction is better than his debut outing, but a better and tighter screenplay would've only made a big difference. On the plus side, the usage of animation [Jackie's flashback] and the adventurous finale [except when the kids combat the villain] elevate the film to an extent.

Kittu's choice of actors - the kids specifically - is perfect. Markand Soni and Ishita Panchal in particular are natural. The kid playing Igloo is okay. Jackie Shroff underplays his part beautifully. Ashwin Mushran looks convincing. Aditya Lakhia gets minimal scope. The villain's sidekicks are most irritating.

On the whole, Bhoot And Friends is decent in parts, but the problem is it isn't the type that would appeal to the kids completely, nor does it have those qualities that would appeal to the grown-ups. Besides, the lack of awareness will make the effort go unnoticed.


Director: Kittu Saluja
Cast: Jackie Shroff, Ashwin Mushran, Aditya Lakhia, Markand Soni, Ishita Panchal, Akash Nair, Tejas Rahate

Main Hoon Na and Om Shanti Om were smashing tributes to the wholesome entertainers of 1970s, Farah Khan's brand new outing Tees Maar Khan will make the most absurd, bizarre and wacky cinema of yore pale in comparison. Not just your cell phone, even your brain needs to be put on 'switched off' mode at the commencement of this film. Farah's fundas are very clear: Ask no questions and abandon all faith in logic, reason and rationale. Only then can you relish Tees Maar Khan.

Knowing Farah and her love and obsession for masala films of yore, it's foolhardy to expect thought provoking cinema from her. Tees Maar Khan belongs to the hardcore masala variety, which was savored with glee by the hoi polloi then and which continues to be hugely popular at single screens to this day. But unlike her past endeavours, Farah looks at the West for inspiration this time around.


Tees Maar Khan is the desi adaptation of Peter Sellers' 1966 Italian film After The Fox [CACCIA ALLA VOLPE], which now enjoys a cult following, but it bears the Farah Khan stamp in every frame. Like Main Hoon Na and Om Shanti Om, Tees Maar Khan is also a formula-ridden outing with tadka-maar-ke entertainment.

Creating heist films is tricky and tough. The director should ensure that action, thrills and wit are mixed and merged in right doses and Tees Maar Khan amalgamates it all with charming results, mainly in the first half. In fact, Farah's distinctive style transforms the simple premise into a truly vitalizing thriller that can be replicated, but rarely matched. She chooses to once again make a film she is most comfortable making and sticks to the staple formula of action, comedy and full-on masala. What really stands out is the relative effortlessness with which she handles the material.

On the flipside, the film slips towards the second hour. You feel that way primarily because the first hour is thoroughly entertaining with a good number of laugh-inducing sequences and three solid songs and though the second half is engaging at times, it doesn't measure up to the first half in terms of the entertainment quotient.

Final word? Tees Maar Khan is a film that will see a big divide in opinion: The masses may admire it, while the hard-nosed aficionados and connoisseurs of cinema will loathe it. For me, Tees Maar Khan worked in parts only.

Only once in a blue moon is such a great criminal born who is fearless as well as shameless! Tees Maar Khan [Akshay Kumar] steals cons and cheats all with such alarming audacity that even shame shies away from him. He and his gang comprising of Dollar, Soda and Burger have managed to keep the police, world over, on their toes.

Then one fine day international antique smugglers, the Johri Brothers, assign Tees Maar Khan the biggest con job of his life. He must rob antiques worth Rs. 500 crores from a heavily-guarded moving train. Will Khan and his gang, with some unwitting support from his wannabe-actress girlfriend Anya [Katrina Kaif] and the Oscar-greedy Bollywood superstar [Akshaye Khanna], be able to pull off this heist?

Tees Maar Khan is a crazy ride. Nearly everything in this picture is amusing, riotous and over the top. It's loaded with many laughter-inducing moments, with everyone exhibiting immaculate and faultless comic timing. The slapstick quotient is on the higher side, but there's plenty of verbal comedy as well.

Ashmith Kunder and Shirish Kunder's script wastes no time in establishing the ways and means of the heist. Once you get a hang of the goings-on, once you throw logic out of the window, there's ample pleasure to seek in this humorous entertainer which does not claim to break new ground. I'd like to make a special mention of the film's dialogue [Ashmith and Shirish], which comes across as the perfect garnish to the proceedings.

Of course, Tees Maar Khan is not without its share of slip-ups. The film gets messy in the second half, especially since Farah and her team of writers attempt to pack just about everything in this hour. Also, a couple of scenes don't register well. The sequence involving the 'headless ghost' appears futile. The heist is plain ordinary and doesn't conjure up the magic on screen. The finale in the courtroom and the premiere of the film fall flat as well. Even the comic scenes fail to evoke mirth in the latter half. The tracing-paper-thin plot comes to the fore in this half, frankly.

Talking of its soundtrack, the expectations are humungous again, since Akshay, Farah and Vishal-Shekhar team up to create a mass-friendly soundtrack. 'Sheila Ki Jawani' is highly energetic and stimulating and has already made its excessive presence felt. 'Wallah Re Wallah' is another track that stands out. The presence of Salman Khan in this number will cast a spell on viewers. The title track, repeated throughout the film, is truly wonderful. The choreography of all songs is top notch. Background score [Shirish Kunder] is apt. The review would be incomplete without acknowledging the contribution by cinematographer P.S. Vinod. The titles during the end credits are lovely.

Farah plays it smart by choosing to cast actors who fit their roles perfectly. Akshay Kumar dominates the proceedings, as always. The requirement of the role was, he has to be loud and hammy and it works well here. In this one, he is neither a nerd nor a geek; he portrays a hero and does a swell job. Akshaye Khanna springs a big surprise. Enacting the role of an Oscar-hungry superstar, the film explores the funny side of Akshaye very well. He has a substantial role, which he carries off with conviction.

While surfing television the other day, I chanced upon this hugely popular show that has a nonconforming storyline of two women vying for the same man's attention. One happens to be his sweetheart turned wife, the other, his ex wife, who, I realized, is pregnant with the man's child. Ironically, both women live in the same house. Since I had heard a lot about this show, I decided to watch the entire episode that evening. I was keen to assess if it held my attention for the next 20 odd minutes. It did. The drama, the conflict between the characters, the emotions, the situations the characters had landed into, all kept me hooked.

Okay, so why am I discussing a television program? Well, I have come to realize that practically every paarivaarik theme is tackled by television these days. I have also come to realize that television does far more justice to these themes than films. Which is what I strongly felt while watching Isi Life Mein.


Come to think of it, Rajshri Productions is synonymous with memorable films that became an instant hit with family audiences. The turning point was two films, Maine Pyar Kiya and Hum Aapke Hain Koun. Trendsetters both. These two films brought family audiences back to theatres, infusing life in the veins of a critically ill film industry then. These two films, besides Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, opened new vistas and horizons, gave birth to an altogether new breed of film-makers and reinforced confidence in Hindi cinema then.

Isi Life Mein tries so hard to be cool as well as a perfect family film in the same breath, but what comes across on screen is a lifeless fare. The love story doesn't work, neither does the paarivaarik portions. The culprit, you guessed it right, is the written material yet again.

Final word? A major letdown!

Isi Life Mein tells the story of two teenagers - Akshay Oberoi and Sandeepa Dhar. Akshay is from Mumbai, while Sandeepa hails from Ajmer. Sandeepa arrives in Mumbai for further studies and meets Akshay, who heads the dramatics department of the college. They are drawn towards each other, but don't express their feelings till the end.

Besides highlighting a present-day love story, director Vidhi Kasliwal remains faithful to the Rajshri tradition of showing the traditional side as well. The story re-introduces you to a world many of us may have consigned to oblivion thanks to the barrage of urban-centric themes that are churned out with amazing regularity. The film talks of familial bonding. It also packs in desi sentiments. But the problem is that the noble intentions don't come across convincingly on celluloid.

In terms of screenplay, Isi Life Mein is structured on the lines of Hum Aapke Hain Koun. The story barely moves in the first hour, but the film changes gears during the second half. Frankly, you expect a dramatic twist in the tale, but nothing happens. Ideally, the film should've concluded when the father [Mohnish Bahl] calls off his daughter's marriage, but the 'Taming Of The Shrew' episode and the bizarre culmination only makes the goings-on tedious.

Like most Rajshri films, the characters here are saccharine sweet. In fact, they are too good to be true and that, in my opinion, looks fake. Technically, it's a decent attempt, but content-wise, like I said, there is no plot at all. Music was always one of the USPs of Rajshri, but the music of Isi Life Mein is below par. The songs are better filmed, though.

The only noteworthy aspect of the film is its lead pair. Akshay Oberoi is talented - no two opinions on that. He has good screen presence, but most importantly, he acts very well. Sandeepa Dhar is another talent that catches your attention. Her expressions are just perfect. Also, she's extremely photogenic. Salman Khan is wasted in a cameo. Mohnish Bahl is his usual self. Shagufta Ali is okay. Prachi Shah does well. Aditya Raj Kapoor is wooden.

On the whole, Isi Life Mein lacks the Rajshri stamp. It tries so hard to be cool, but ends up falling flat on its face.

Was just wondering the other day, why do [most] Hindi films that tackle the horror genre don't really succeed in their endeavour of scaring the viewer? I mean, real stories concerning supernatural forces continue to make the rounds to this date and make us break into a cold sweat, especially when you listen to them in rapt attention at nights. So why don't these stories succeed in their motive of scaring us in the dark confines of a cineplex? Stories about ghosts, spirits, haunted mansions and paranormal activities aren't alien for us Indians, right?

Like the Ramsays, director Wilson Louis, known for spooky films (Ho Sakta Hai Mallika, now Kaalo), might soon have his name entering the record books. From the current lot of film-makers, here's one film-maker choosing subjects of the horror thriller variety; perhaps he doesn't wish to change tracks. Perhaps, his sole aim is to scare the living daylights of the viewers and also take them on a mysterious journey, which he does quite convincingly with this one.


Also, Wilson takes up the challenge to make a 'day horror film', which may have been extremely difficult to make in view of the fact that you can't conceal details of the visual effects in daylight. Moreover, to scare the audience in broad daylight, without a single shot of an eerie night, is a rarity. Another important aspect of Kaalo is that it's a creature-based movie, not a ghost-based horror.

Kaalo has its share of pitfalls, but the film holds your attention for most parts. It may not be the best in the genre, but makes for interesting viewing for sure.

Kaalo was a witch who lived in Kulbhata during the 18th century. She was killed and buried by angry villagers for sacrificing young girls to satisfy her greed for immortality, but her fear lived on. Years later, villagers spoke of Kaalo's sightings yet again. They claimed she was even more angry and dangerous and she was back to finish what she left incomplete. Kulbhata was vacated overnight by scared villagers.

All roads leading to Kulbhata were sealed by horrifying tales of Kaalo killing anyone who dared to enter Kulbhata. Until a bus carrying a few passengers on its way to Kuldevi had to pass through Kulbhata. One of the passengers on the bus was a twelve-year-old girl named Shona [Swini Khara], who is traveling alone to spend her vacation at her grandmother's house in the neighboring village.

During the course of the journey, Shona and co-passenger Sameer [Aditya Shrivastav] strike a rapport. Sameer is traveling with a bag loaded with gun powder to blast a small hillock, which would give way to a water canal for his drought-hit village. Badly disfigured and thirsty for blood, Kaalo could smell the girl from miles away... and heads straight for the bus. When the passengers realize they were staring into death, everything changes. They realize Shona is their reason for dying. Everyone wants her out of the bus, except Sameer.

The first thing that catches your eye is the way the camera moves in this film [cinematography: Pushpank Gawde]. That, very frankly, impressed me the most at the outset. The second thing I'd like to make a mention of is the visual effects, which makes this film stand out from the various films of its ilk. But the problem with Kaalo is that a few sequences are stretched unnecessarily and that slackens the pace of the film. Besides, the conclusion to the story is not convincing at all. The creature has supernatural powers, yet combats Aditya Shrivastav like a mortal. That's one cinematic liberty you can't digest. Also, though Kaalo belongs to the horror variety, it isn't chilling, terrifying or bloodcurdling, nor do you bite your nails in nervousness while watching the creature.

Director Wilson Louis goes a step forward when you compare it with Ho Sakta Hai and two steps forward when you recall Mallika. His handling of the subject and also the means and ways the creature eliminates one by one is the hallmark of the film. The camerawork, like I pointed out at the very outset, is top notch.

Speaking of performances, Aditya Shrivastav does well. Swini Khara doesn't get ample scope. Amongst the passengers in the bus, Abhijeet Satam, Aditya Lakhia and Raj Arjun register the maximum impact. Prashant Kumar is alright. Paintal and Sheela Sharma are perfect. Hemant Pandey is adequate.

On the whole, Kaalo is an interesting watch for fans of this genre. It has decent merits, but few shortcomings too along the way. If the horror genre excites you then try this one. However, the one factor that goes against the film is that it has been released without much awareness. One genuinely wishes that sincere attempts like these were released with a little more hype and fanfare or else all the sincerity goes completely unnoticed with an unsung release.


Director: Wilson Louis
Cast: Swini Khara, Aditya Srivastav, Paintal

Recall Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin. The turn of events in a single night kept you on tenterhooks all through the film. Payback has a different plot line, but like Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin, the story unfolds in one night. But the similarities end there. Frankly, Payback had the ingredients to be a riveting fare, but the mundane writing plays the spoilsport.

I've often said that most Hindi films sound damn interesting on paper. I am sure, the concept of Payback must've come across as fresh and innovative during story discussions, but the film comes down like a house of cards because the interesting idea becomes an uninteresting and unexciting screenplay, which tells on the film eventually. In fact, the film falls prey to predictability as it progresses.


Kunal [Munish Khan], who works for an insurance firm, loves Ishita [Sara Khan], an architect. One fateful night, Kunal meets with a fatal accident. While he lies in a pool of blood, no passerby cares to stop and attend to him. Kunal, still conscious, is losing hope, when Raghu [Zakir Hussain] stops to help him. Raghu admits Kunal to a hospital and disappears into thin air. For Kunal, Raghu is an angel.


Three months later, Kunal accidentally meets Raghu and invites him over to his place. The next night, when Raghu appears at Kunal's doorstep with a bullet shot in his shoulder, Kunal impulsively decides to help him out. But as the night progresses, Kunal gets to know that Raghu might have been a savior for him, but is actually an assassin. Kunal is in a dilemma. When things get dangerous and Ishita is also dragged into it, Kunal is forced to make a decision -- how far he will go to repay Raghu's debt?

Despite a hackneyed screenplay, which alternates between realistic and filmy situations, I'd like to single out director Sachin P. Karande's execution of the material. It's effective at places. A few chase sequences [action: Firoz N Boss] catch your attention. Background score is appropriate. There's just one song in the film, 'Jee Le', which is foot-tapping. The cinematography [Parvez Pathan] is just right, but the constant moving of camera, even during close-ups, tends to get irritating.

Munish Khan does reasonably well. Zakir Hussain is, as always, competent. Sara Khan doesn't get any scope. In fact, the romance between Munish and Sara is missing in the story. Mukesh Tiwari is effective. Gulshan Grover leaves an impression. Hrishikesh Joshi is just perfect.

On the whole, Payback could've been an interesting fare, but is let down by an inconsistent screenplay.

Payback cast & crew:


Director: Sachin P. Karande
Producer: Sarosh Khan
Starring: Munish Khan, Sara Khan, Gulshan Grover, Zakir Hussain, Mukesh Tiwari, Hrishikesh Joshi and Kunal Kumar
Music: Dev Sikandar

The third movie of your favorite Narnia series has released in the Indian theaters with lots of promises. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treaders is based on the fantasy novel of CS Lewis.

In the third film, the youngest of the kids Edmund and Lucy go back to Narnia accompanied by their intolerable cousin Eustace. Thus, Skander Keynes and Georgie Henley start their adventure in high seas and Dark Island.

The third movie gives you all the fun that you expect from a Narnia movie. The mean Eustace will be seen finding his noble side and thus giving you another moral lesson. The special effects used in the movie are watch worthy and will you take you to a fairy tale world.

It keeps your interest level intact with appealing 3D effects and dragon fires. However, one will be surprised to see the reluctant Eustace turning out to be a true hero at the end. He fights fearlessly the wicked creatures and sea serpents.

However, Aslan and the mean White Witch were not seen much in action and it might be due to their growing age. This will no way affect the charm of watching the movie at the weekend.

Genre: Fantasy
Cast: Ben Barnes, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley