Author: aninditaroy444

Professor Shanku O El Dorado: This movie is a tepid introduction of Satyajit Ray’s Professor Shanku into mainstream Bengali cinema. There are no crests or troughs in the movie; the movie progresses in an even pace and is more like a documentary. The villains are cardboard cutouts. Most the cast is Brazilian and the movie is shot in and around Sao Paolo. Sandip Ray did not resort to much dramatization while introducing Shanku’s brilliant inventions. Dhritiman Chatterjee is well cast as Professor Shanku. Subashish Mukherjee did not raise much laughs as NC Biswas. The concept of El-Dorado was not well-explained. The CGI was good and the jaguar and the anaconda were almost life-like. There is a marked absence of any female character as with Ray’s movies for young adults. Although suited for children, they might find it boring and tiring even at 1 hour 34 minutes. Can give it a miss.

MARDAANI 2: If you want to watch one-take Rani in action dressed in khaki, then this movie is a must watch for you. Rani Mukherji is Shivani Shibaji Roy, a upright police officer who undertakes the mighty task of nabbing a ferocious serial rapist in Kota, Rajasthan on her petite frame. The movie takes upon a contemporary burning topic and handles it with subtlety and finesse. However the way rape victims are mercilessly bashed and depicted in utmost gory and grotesque way makes one cringe and feel that the movie is glorifying the act of rape. The performance of Rani Mukherji is top-class as the no-frills, no-nonsense cop which does not cower down under the misogyny of her male colleagues and the society at large. Newcomer Vishal Jethwa makes a sincere attempt to look convincing as the teenage rapist. His debut on the big screen is impressive but he does not come across as menacing and dreaded as his role demands. Sans any song, the movie is slick and crisp at 1 hour 45 minutes. The movie brings across some hard-hitting statistics at the end and this makes one ponder on the disgusting and disastrous state of things in India. Rani has been a consistent good actor and now backed by the most powerful production house in India, she is even better. Watch this movie to experience good storytelling, power-packed performances and a huge dose of feminism.

SAGAR DWIPEY JAKHER DHAN: The premise of the movie with the inclusion of an alien character provokes disbelief. If we can look past that, the movie is an enjoyable ride. Made mostly for children, the movie has excellent cinematography and impressive visual effects. Paambrata, Koel and Gaurav are well cast. The performances of Rajatava and Shantilal are good too. Kanchan Mallick has a prominent role. The movie is shot extensively in Thailand. Suspension of disbelief is required to enjoy this movie. As with all recent detective movies, the unfurling of the truth is too simple and direct. At 2 hrs 4 minutes, editing is crisp and the screenplay is taut. Overall, a pleasurable watch with no major hiccups.

PANIPAT: Grandiosely mounted, the movie is an account of the Third Battle of Panipat fought on Jan 14, 1761 and speaks of Maratha valour, bravery and strength. The war scenes are meticulously shot and the performances of Arjun, Kriti and Sanjay Dutt are brilliant. Sanjay Dutt is particularly convincing as the menacing Abdali and reminds one of Ranveer Singh’s Khilji in Padmavat. The climax is a little unexpected and the movie holds the tension and maintains the drama throughout. The music is quite pleasant. Although the movie is 2 hrs 53 minutes long, it is delightful to watch the palace intrigue, the coalition politics and the different intricacies of the war sequences. Padmini Kolhapure and Mohnish Behl shine in their respective roles. Zeenat Aman disappoints with her wooden performance. Suitable for children, this movie is a magnum opus meant to appeal to all.

PATI PATNI AUR WOH: This movie is a remake of the 1978 movie of the same name starring Sanjeev Kumar,Vidya Sinha and Ranjeeta. Despite having a readymade template, the film fails to improvise and does not leave a mark. Set in Kanpur and Lucknow, it has some fleeting interludes of small-city comedy. The proceedings are quite flat and at 2 hrs 6 minutes, the movie seems to be a drag. In the movie the patni is always dressed in ethnic and the woh is always clad in westerns-talk about typecasting. Bhumi, Kartik and Ananya play their parts well. Sunny Singh and Kriti Sanon show up as cameos. Aparshakti Khurrana is a delight. The climax is predictable and the husband is pardoned for his illicit affair. Merely a time-pass movie.

CHILI’S AT QUEST MALL: I was at the legendary Chili’s at Quest Mall today. It is on the fourth floor beside the Food Court. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas Chili’s is a Mexican American casual dining restaurant chain. The decor is contemporary urban American. The restaurant was sparsely populated on a Sunday. There were many waiters who hovered around me and made me comfortable. I was seated at a table overlooking the main road with a great view. I settled for Diet Coke, Country Fried Calamari and Shrimp and Chicken Fajita. The portions were huge and one needed a king’s appetite to devour them. Both the dishes were mouth-watering and delectable. The Fajita was their signature dish and was served with guacamole and shredded cheese. For desserts I ordered the Molten Chocolate Cake which was delicious. I could not eat the whole of it as it was too huge. The staff stopped by and apprised me of the rewards and redemption system. The prices were on the higher side but were commensurate with the wholesome experience.Can’t ask for more.

KOLKATA PANTRY: This restaurant has sprung up where Delices used to be. It is located at P596 Hemanta Mukherjee Sarani near Lake Girls’ School Phone: 093307 57855. It has a buffet Fri-Sun 12 noon – 10 pm. It is trying to follow the business model of Barbeque Nation and Flame n Grill ie of having an open grill on the table. On Saturday evening, the restaurant was relatively empty with only one table occupied. The decor was mostly brown and black signifying a dark and brooding atmosphere. I opted for the Non-Veg buffet. The staff fussed around me and engaged in small talk. Although it was a buffet, all the items were served at the table. Unlimited soft drinks was complimentary-that was a big boon for me. I was first served the Roasted Corn Chicken Soup which was quite delectable. Next I was served Fried Fish and Chicken in BBQ sauce which were also nice. Next they served the starters on the open grill-Achari Fish Tikka, Achari Chicken Tikka, Hariyali Fish Tikka, Tandoori Chicken Wings. Although they served Bhetki Fish, the fish had a scaly smell. The chicken items were good. I was already full but the staff insisted on serving main course which was a huge spread consisting of Chicken Fried Rice, Mutton Biryani, Prawn Ball in Hot Garlic Sauce, Chilli Chicken, Garlic Chilli Fish and Chicken Tikka Masala. I was too full to savour the taste of the main course. I was offered Naan but did not have it. For desserts they had many choices like Kesar Phirni, Mango Fod, Chocolate Brownie, Gulab Jamun and ice cream. I only had room for chocolate ice cream. In conclusion, I would say it was a mixed bag and I do not yearn for a repeat visit. Just copy-pasting the business plan of a successful restaurant does not suffice. It is important to have the levers for success too.

FLORIANA: Walking down Russell Street, I chanced upon age-old Floriana and was surprised to find it there still after 25 years. It is located at 13D Russell Street Phone: 033 4006 5878. The decor was vintage old-I doubt they changed the upholstery in decades. The restaurant bore the same look even after all these years. They even played 90’s music. There was no other customer in the restaurant-there was only one waiter accompanied by a Anglo-Indian manager. The waiter was very welcoming and made me feel at home. He perhaps belonged to the last generation of waiters who have never moved out of Park Street. There was a Scampi Festival going on and I ordered the Grilled Scampi along with Chicken Strogonoff. The restaurant did not compromise on taste and both the dishes were delightful and an ode to the taste buds. The quantity served was also adequate. For desserts they only had ice cream and I settled for my staple Chocolate Ice Cream which was sinfully decadent. While leaving the restaurant, the manager confessed honestly,”You are our first customer of the day. There are so many new restaurants, we cannot stand against the competition”. I was touched by his candor and I could only manage, “I will ask my friends to visit”. Pat came the repartee, “Do come again”. Visit this restaurant to get a powerload of aroma, flavor and taste.

LUNCH BUFFET AT JW MARRIOTT: I chanced upon the lunch buffet at JW Kitchen, the 24 hour coffee shop at JW Marriott after a long time and I had a ho-hum experience. Despite the hype and hoopla, I found it to be much ado about nothing. The decor had posh interiors and the cafe was very airy. Maybe it was a weekday and hence it had a limited menu. First I was introduced to dahi vada, patra and dhokla. There a salad counter and a live pasta counter. There were several non-veg items with fish,chicken and mutton. There was steamed rice and also Murg Biryani. There were no prawn items. The desserts were not too many and did not taste good. At the ice cream counter, the serving staff was very reluctant to serve. Pocket pinch is on the higher side. The staff was mostly disinterested and huddled together in a corner. In total,a mediocre experience.

PARANTHE WALI GALLI: This is a cramped-up den at 104, Lake Terrace Phone: 098367 60160 serving mostly paranthas. The place was packed like sardines on a Sunday afternoon. The decor was nondescript. I ordered Chicken and Cheese Parantha and Dhania Mirch Parantha. The Chicken and Cheese Parantha was soft and tasted good. The Dhania Mirch Parantha was on the hotter side. I also ordered Aam Lassi which was good. The cutlery and serving dishes were not of great standard. At the end for desserts, I ordered the Avalanche which was a chocolate cake surrounded by vanilla icecream with a dash of chocolate sauce and chocolate chips. It tasted regular. The prices were dirt cheap. If you do not care about ambiance and only about taste, this can be a must-go place for you.