Author: aninditaroy444

Here’s my quick review on the recent release BAAGHI 3 starring Tiger Shroff and Shraddha Kapoor:
BAAGHI 3: This movie is fun, action, romance, great music and dances all punched in 2.5 hrs. Modeled after Karan Johar’s Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham the movie takes great pain to describe that it is all in the family. And family is all that matters to keep the bollywood box-office juice flowing. Tiger Shroff has the machinations of a superstar if not the breadwinner of the family-his mild-mannered sibling Vicky has pychological problems but yet holds up to a police job at the ruthless Mumbai Police HQ. Riteish Deshmukh hams along famously with his counterpart Ankita Lokhande. Shradhha Kappor dances up a storm in the Wink Song “Ek Ankh Maru to”(a Bappi Lahiri remix) as the covered up trash-talking girlfriend. She also gets a spot in the superhit song “Dus Bahane” from the movie Dus from the other decade. Abhi B was dancing with Zayed Khan but God knows what happened. The BigB is still searching for work through Just Dial. Tiger Shroff’s real life squeeze Disha Patani prances around in a bikini in a supposedly original Tanisk Bagchi gentle song and shows some tough love. Some tough franchise this-can only be weathered on a sunny day. Tiger Shroff has a long innings in the box office if he stops agreeing to ensemble casting and formula pot boilers and masala movies that’s oh-so Bollywood. Look’s like some 90’s kid is holding Bollywood together.People be people that’s all it counts.

International UnWomen’s Day here I come!Thappad is a two and a half torturous tale of humiliation and the misdemeanor of the misogynist and patriachiacal society of a nation that runs on desi ghee. The censor board turns in its grave as the world starts slowly moving towards the first financial year of the twenty-first century.Move on Bollywood your makeshift, gimmicky, sponsored movies are as good as rat poison, that makes me wonder Hum Aapke Hain Kaun? Crazy Kiya Re! Whatever!!!Here’s my detailed review of “THAPPAD”:
THAPPAD(“The Slap”): The first thing I perceived about this painstakingly put movie is the “horror movie” like ensemble casting that is set up to make the female protagonist look bad and ghoulish. The former beauty queen Dia Mirza shows up as a bored housewife who does not take pangs with her upwordly mobile husband. Taapsee Pannu is a wonderful socialite who dances up a storm at her husband’s office party but is suddenly “slapped” by her husband but the course of events do not make her happy or sad but only alleviates her pain and indignity. The audience loses its patience and even the whistle-blowing members of the male audience start getting upset over a no song-no dance-no music pregnant pause of a movie and seeks out for food and water at a much needed loo-break. Died in the wool theatre maverick Ratna Pathak Shah and another Pune Institute scholar Tanvi Azmi whispers sweet-nothings to the “victim” and move on with their daily chores while the angelic domestic help holds it together for Taapsee Pannu who continue to amaze with a restrained performance and being the director’s actor. The ültra-educated yet socially challenged and illiterate father can only hand her a broken harmonium as she washes out into thin oblivion as the movie ends in negativity, depression and burial of a society that is steeped in disharmony and unfairness and injustice.Shot primarily in Lucknow, Benaras and New Delhi, with a minimally invasive script and minimum investment(low on makeup, lighting, the works) this movie has marched onto March 2020 with only box-office success as its target for the regressive society that’s Bharat. Manav Kaul shows up in a brief cameo but fails to make an impact. Good old Ram Kapoor shows up as the disgruntled lawyer worried over a “financial settlement”. Strangely there is no married bachelor friend around to keep “she” alive.
ME TOO!Yawn!Change the game!TWhile I reach out for a cardiac monitor!To be Continued……

SHUBH MANGAL ZYADA SAAVDHAN: This movie is based on the homophobia of small town middle class families towards bromance. This movie is a one man show of Ayushmann Khurana who has risen above nepotism in Bollywood and currently rules the box-office as the numero uno male protagonist. The dialogues are very witty and staccato jumpshots of the ensemble cast make viewing really interesting. Ayushmann’s no holds barred performance is top class. The supporting cast comprising of Jitendra Kumar and Neena Gupta excitingly moves the movie to the Dilwale Dulha Le Jayenge anti-climax. Jitendra durably shines as the homosexual Hepastion to Khuraná’s Alexander. The movie is innovative but some of the scenes of homo-kissing is savage and shocking. The movie makes flitting remarks about neural terminologies like “Hypothalamus”, “Dopamine” and “Parkinson’s Disease” to explain the attraction of two men. The ending credits roll on to the song “Yaar Bina Chain Kahan Re” with a guest appearance of the once-famous Bappi Lahiri. Definitely a far more enjoyable watch than the Bengali “Nagarkirtan”. This movie with its adult content might be suitable for the multiplex audiences in major metros but might hurt the morality of small town viewers. Fultoos entertainment with some risque shots.

LOVE AAJ KAL PORSHU: This movie has a major Truman Show hangover. A few dialogues are witty and a few scenes are view-worthy but overall the movie is cringe-worthy. Paoli Dam shines in a brief role. It was great to see Good Old Anirudhha Chakladar in a cameo.The movie cannot be termed as a concept movie. It does not create any lasting impression. It follows even Hollywood with incesssant use of the F word. A catchy movie created to capture the hype around Valentine’s Day. Madhumita Sarkar is major eye-candy and would save you from a heartbreak in case you choose to sit through it.
These reviews are also available at my site: http://www.aninditaroymusings.com

LOVE AAJ KAL: This movie is several shades paler to the trailblazer Love Aaj Kal released in 2009. Chor Bazari became an anthem and Twist became a rage. Thanks to Saif Ali Khan’s able shoulders and Deepika’s effortless acting and the flawless acting of two foreign ladies (they did not stick around in Bollywood long enough) and a coherent storyline the movie reached out to several people across denominations. But this movie is a caricature and not even a satire and makes mockery of the act of love and sex. Repeated smooches and semi frontal nudity make matters worse. There is no plot whatsoever. Only staccato scenes of love making do not make a love story. There is no memorable song as well. Kartik Aryan looked uncomfortable as Sara Ali Khan’s love interest but still carried the torch all through the movie disregarding the real life feeling of discomfiture and stifling. The movie make some snide references to cult movies like Maine Pyar Kiya and the Sky is Pink and the like. Sara Ali Khan’s physical transformation is commendable and she is confident in her own skin but her acting skills are much to be desired. It’s time Bollywood stopped legacy casting and believed in talent and meritocracy. The main flaw of the movie is that nothing is subtle. In one scene Sara Ali Khan puts really small clothes in the wardrobe emphasizing her extra small almost zero figure.The performances are really average. The ensemble cast is terrible. Tough guy Randeep Hooda also failed to deliver thanks to pure direction. I had major deja vu feelings during the bike riding scene and could really connect to it. However the protagonists break into a mad dance at the climax and end with a dialogue “Je Kare Ki Tere Sath Kunwe mein Kood jaye Magar Dil Hai Na” Whatever it is, it sounded strong and less punishing. You can watch it for some voyeuristic pleasure.

DWITIYO PURUSH: A whodunit that failed thanks to a confusing climax. A sequel to Baishey Shrabon, this movie had chases, blood and gore and a mystery but everything got marred by a convoluted and illogical climax. There are smooches galore-man smooching man and man smooching woman. There is also nudity. It is a star-studded movie with Parambrata, Abir, Raima, Gaurav,Rwitabrata and Babul Supriyo who play their characters well. The music by Anupam Ray is passable. The movie will not give you a satiated feeling because of its ending which lacks sense or a clear and sound reasoning.

STREET DANCER 3D: Definitely not a movie one would like to shimmy to. Full of repetitive dance moves and mediocre performances, the movie at 2 hrs 30 mins is a tedious watch. The only time the screen lights up is during Muqabla 2.0 by Prabhudeva. The storyline is hammy and the music is nothing to write home about. The 3-D effects are useless except for throwing things the audience’s way. Nora Fatehi dances up a storm. Varun Dhawan and Shraddha Kapoor, despite adequate performances, suffer due to a horrible screenplay. Aparshakti Khurrana shows up in a sidey character. Be prepared with deal with Varun Dhawan’s horrible British accent. Hopefully the makers stop here and not make a sequel. This movie is best suited for dance-junkies.