Elaan Review - March 2005

2 Stars. Elaan (Challenge). Directed by Vikram Bhatt. With Mithun Chakraborthy, Rahul Khanna, John Abraham, Arjun Rampal, Amisha Patel, Lara Dutta. At Ster Kinekor Cavendish, Cinema Nouveau. Mehboob Bawa reviews.

A Vikram Bhatt film is often, at best, a mediocre offering. This is, after all, the same director who made Aitbaar, a dud which couldn’t even be saved by the prescence of the Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan. Suffice to say, Bhatt has had few successes at the box office. In fact, you can count them on one hand and still have quite a few fingers unused. It was with this in mind that I approached Elaan with a feeling of trepidation. The fact that the film is being released in Cape Town months after being shown in other parts of the country also had me concerned. It is quite pleasing then, that while watching Elaan, I was entertained. Let me clarify, this is no masterpiece and has its fair share of glaring holes in the script, continuity errors and hugely over the top acting. But Bhatt doen’t take the film seriously, it’s all done pretty tongue in cheek, so you’ll even be entertained by the mistakes. On the positive side though, the acting is quite good and the international locations are a major asset.

The basic story premise is simple. An underworld don is wreaking havoc amongst the elite of the Mumbai business world by threatening their lives in order to extort money. He operates from a foreign country that has no extradition laws with India and therefore is untouchable. When he orders the death of a prominent businessman who dared to stand up to him, he incurs the wrath of the businessman’s adopted son, who swears revenge. The son teams up with a former police officer to carry out his plan. They bust a former member of the don’s gang out of jail to help them in their quest. On the way they are joined by a television reporter who fancies the son and the jailbirds’ girlfriend. Together this motley crew attempts to bring the don back to India to face justice.

Elaan marks the first major Bollywood appearance of Rahul Khanna who plays the adopted son Karan. Khanna has carved a niche for himself in the crossover Indian film market with films like Bollywood Hollywood. His Bollywood debut is a credible one, but to my mind he bears an uncanny resemblance to David Schwimmer (Ross in the TV series Friends) and this tends to distract when he tries to emote in a serious scene. The film also heralds the comeback of Mithun Chakraborty, a one time leading man in the 1980’s and early 90’s. He plays the don, Baba Sikander, and performs well as the chief villain, despite poor characterisation. Arjun Rampal as the police officer and John Abraham as the jailbird are surprisingly good. But Abraham, as he is wont to, does tend to overact in emotional scenes. The females, Amisha Patel and Lara Dutta, are really just there for window dressing and don’t add much to the film.

The major stars of the film though, are undoubtedly the international locations which include Venice, Munich and parts of Austria and Switzerland. Unlike other Bollywood films that merely shoot song sequences in foreign countries, important scenes of Elaan are set in the aforementioned locations and that adds to the stylish quality of the film.

Elaan doesn’t make for challenging viewing, but offers two hours of mindless entertainment.

Bewafaa Review - March 2005

1 star. Bewafaa (Unfaithful). Directed by Dharmesh Darshan. With Anil Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, Sushmita Sen, Manoj Bajpai, Shamita Shetty, Kabir Bedi, Nafisa Ali.

The producers of this dud, Boney and Sridevi Kapoor really are on a losing streak. This is their fifth flop in a row. To make matters worse their co-producers this time around is Sahara One, touted as one of the big players in Bollywood. I’m not sure how long they’ll be playing in the big leagues if they continue to produce films like Bewafaa.

On face value the film has potential. It features a fine cast, good music by Nadeem-Shravan and exquisite location cinematography by veteran director of photography W.B.Rao. But it’s failing is the script. The problem with many Bollywood films, acknowledged by Indian filmmakers, lies in the poor quality of the screenplays.

While I realise that most Bollywood films are steeped in fantasy and require audiences to leave their brains at the door, I do feel that they should still be credible. Bewafaa strains all levels of credibility from the first frames and the blame falls firmly at the feet of the director Dharmesh Darshan.

In the opening scene we are introduced to a husband and wife played by Kabir Bedi and Nafisa Ali. It is obvious that he is Indian, she is foreign and they have been married for a long time. But yet after their morning prayers he asks if she understands the meaning of the prayer he recited. Now if they were newlyweds, I could understand this scene, but they are not and in any case she is able to explain the prayer in detail. What’s up with this Mr. Darshan? There are many other scenes, which are as incredulous. Kareena, in her first scene, is woken from her sleep by her Mom, yet her face is fully made up and she looks like a million dollars. Perhaps she sleeps on a Sealy!

The story had potential, but the poor handling spoils it all. Anjali (Kareena) and Aarti are sisters. Aarti, the older sister, is married to Aditya (Anil), a successful businessman and stays in Delhi, India. Anjali stays with her parents in Montreal, Canada and is secretly seeing Raja (Kumar) a struggling musician. Aarti dies giving birth to twin daughters and Anjali is asked to marry Aditya and raise the children. She does this and breaks off her relationship with Raja. But despite her sacrifice, Aditya cannot forget his wife and ignores Anjali throughout the early years of their marriage. By the time he realises what he is doing, Raja is back in Anjali’s life and they have an affair. Does Anjali leave Aditya or does she stay with him for the benefit of the children? If you really must know the answer to this question, then watch Bewafaa. But you are better off avoiding it.

Darshan takes Bollywood back to the Stone Age with this offering and simultaneously does immense damage to the major stride women have made in Indian cinema. Bewafaa is an insult to the intelligence of all moviegoers.

What is sadder is that it is a big budget film shot on foreign locations with top stars, but the money has been wasted, and the box-office potential of this film looks bleak. Faithful Bollywood movie fans will certainly spurn this one, once word gets around that the makers of Bewafaa have not been faithful in their promise to offer a well made love story.

Bollywood on SABC 3 - February 2005

The Bollywood reruns continue on SABC 3 today with the award winning Raja Hindustani being screened at 2pm and the mediocre Shakti – The Power at 11.30pm.

Raja Hindustani is certainly the pick of the two and if you haven’t yet seen this tender love story starring Aamir Khan and Karisma Kapoor, check it out this afternoon. The director, Dharmesh Darshan, is on familiar ground with this tale of a poor taxi driver who falls in love with a rich girl and the trials and tribulations of their relationship. The film has all the requisite Bollywood trimmings including over the top drama, searing emotion, lots of songs and exotic locations. But it also features an award winning performance by Aamir as well as the much publicised “kiss” between him and his leading lady Kapoor.

I met Aamir in 1992 during his visit to Cape Town where he was performing in a stage show with other Bollywood stars, including Salman Khan. Even then he exuded warmth and professionalism, unlike his fellow actor Salman. These are attributes he still possesses today.

Aamir is a consummate actor who started his career as a child star with the mega hit Yaadon Ki Baraat in 1974, but his first major success as an adult actor came with the blockbuster Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak in 1988. He then went on a signing spree and accepted every offer made to him resulting in loads of flops. But he resurrected his career with the hit film Dil, two years later. Since then he has learned his lesson and become far more selective when accepting projects. In fact in an industry where it is common for actors to be working on numerous films at a time, Aamir strives to keep his assignments to a minimum. He ensures that all the films are different and takes a personal interest in all aspects of the production. This has led to many of his films achieving great success.

Some of the memorable ones are Dil Hai Ke Maanta Nahin (1991), Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander (1993) and Hum Hai Rahi Pyar Ke (1994). His transition from teen idol to a mature and sensitive actor came about with the Bollywood adaptation of Kramer vs. Kramer in Akele Hum Akele Tum (1995). Rangeela and Raja Hindustani (1996) allowed him to continue developing his craft by playing two very similar characters in completely contrasting films.

An important aspect of his success is the fact that he has thrived on carefully chosen characters and films. He has backed unknown names such as Ashutosh Gowarikar (Baazi and Lagaan) and John Matthew Mathan (Sarfarosh), creating exciting projects with them. Aamir has even worked with a mediocre director like Vikram Bhatt and given him one of his few hits with Ghulam.

In 2001 he reached another milestone in his illustrious career, when his maiden production Lagaan was nominated in the Best Foreign Film category at the Oscars. The film was a labour of love for Aamir who invested much of his own money in it.

Currently he is anxiously awaiting the release of his period drama, The Rising. Based on the life of the freedom fighter Mangal Pandey, the film is reported to be one of the most expensive Indian films produced to date.

He has also just launched two new films that will go into production in this year. Once again the stories will be fresh and different for an actor who constantly tries to re-invent himself.

Bollywood Buzz February 2005 - Indian Filmmakers visit South Africa

Indian Filmmakers visit South Africa


The much-talked about and long awaited visit by film producers from India, which has the largest film industry in the world, has finally materialised.

A delegation of high profile producers led by Amit Khanna, the chairman of the Film and Television Producers Guild of India, arrived in South Africa last Sunday with Cape Town being it’s first stop before visiting Durban and Johannesburg.

Indian film producers have shot in the Cape since 1996, primarily using our scenic locations for the popular song and dance sequences that proliferate many a Bollywood production. However, as Bollywood becomes a global force, its producers are keen to promote co-productions with foreign film companies.

Apart from Khanna the delegation comprises Manmohan Shetty - chairman of Adlabs Films, Pravin Nischol – CEO of Entertainment One, producer/director Ramesh Sippy of Sippy Films, producer Shabbir Boxwala of Sahara One and production executive Uday Singh of Cinevistaa.

Shetty is highly regarded in the Indian film industry. He started the concept of multiplex cinemas in India, owns the largest film laboratory, Adlabs, as well as the world’s largest Imax Dome cinema which is situated in Mumbai.

Nischol is based at Entertainment One, a production company formed by Shetty at the end of 2003 with the launch of ten films, each to be directed by a leading Bollywood filmmaker. One of the biggest films is Marigold. Starring Bollywood heartthrob Salman Khan opposite Hollywood actress Ali Larter (Final Destination 1 and 2), it is an Indian American co-production to be directed by Carroll Ballard (The Black Stallion).

Sippy has the distinction of directing Sholay, the longest running Bollywood film ever made. Produced in 1975, it is still playing in Bollywood cinemas today. He has launched four films this year, one of which will mark his return to directing after ten years.

Boxwala is the only one who has worked in Cape Town. A significant portion of his film, Dil Ka Rishta, was shot in various outdoor and indoor locations in the city. A great supporter of the city, he intends shooting his next film here as well.

Singh’s company is a family run business headed by his father and uncle. Their main focus is commercials, but they have produced two feature films. Their second venture, Garv, was a big hit last year.

The handling of this visit, organised by the South African High Consul in Mumbai, South African Airways, South African Tourism and the various film commissions, certainly leaves a lot to be desired. A week prior to their arrival, this writer wasn’t able to get any information about who the final list of delegates were, their itinerary or program during their stay in Cape Town. Phone calls to the organisers proved fruitless and Jennifer Mphylala of SA Tourism is yet to return a call placed two weeks ago.

According to Boxwala, he received his invitation a week prior to the departure date. This is unacceptable when dealing with such high profile industry leaders. Surely more thought could have gone into the planning of the trip. At this stage it’s not clear at whose feet the blame should be placed.

The arrival last Sunday at Cape Town International Airport was a comedy of errors. A lone Cape Film Commission official armed with a poorly marked signboard welcomed the obviously tired travellers who had to cart their own luggage battling through the hordes of other passengers. Did anyone think of arranging the VIP lounge and a welcome in keeping with our guest’s stature in the film industry? And the cherry on top? Being bundled into a Kombi with some having to keep their luggage on their laps!

When you only have one opportunity to make a lasting impression, then this is not the way to go about it.

Full credit to Cape Film Commission Marketing Manager, Bianca Mpahlaza, for playing the perfect hostess and ensuring that the rest of their stay was hassle free, although they were perpetually carted around in the Kombi.

Unfortunately a planned meeting with Premier Ebrahim Rasool, himself a strong supporter of the city’s film sector, never took place. But the delegation met his economic advisor, Tahir Salie, who assured them that their visit was appreciated by the Premier and he will reciprocate by visiting Bollywood when he goes to India later this year. Salie also said that the Premier will assist in any way possible to ensure that Bollywood filmmakers enjoy a memorable experience when filming in the Cape. These sentiments were echoed by the chairman of the Cape Film Commission, Laurence Mitchell, who seems keen to maximise the opportunities that Bollywood offers.

The most important aspect of the trip for the Indian delegates is creating business opportunity. While they enjoyed the city tours they were more interested in discussing potential co-productions and investment opportunities. In the words of Nischol, “ We are prepared to put up 50% of a mutually beneficial project. Bring us your 50% and let’s make movies.” These producers are serious about their industry and have the financial clout to make things happen. They are keen to effect change in our industry by working with filmmakers from the disadvantaged communities on Bollywood productions that will appeal to a global audience.

Black Review - February 2005

4 stars. Black. Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. With Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukherji, Ayesha Kapur, Shernaz Patel, Dhritiman Chatterjee, Nandana Sen. At Nu Metro, Canal Walk. Mehboob Bawa reviews.

When one hears the name Sanjay Leela Bhansali, words like epic, colorful and majestic come to mind. His films like Devdas, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Khamoshi were all filmed on that scale. Black, while reatining some of his trademark style is a more personal and smaller film.

Bhansali tells the story of Michelle Mcnally (played by Rani Mukherji and Ayesha Kapur at different ages) who is born blind and deaf, therefore developing a speech impediment as well. The film focuses on her relationship with her teacher Debraj Sahai (Amitabh Bachchan), whose mission it becomes to integrate her into society in order to live as normal a life as possible. As the years pass by, the two become intertwined in each other’s lives and develop a deep and meaningful relationship. When Sahai succumbs to Alzheimer’s disease, it is Michelle’s turn to ensure that he is stll able to live a life filled with dignity. If you do not shed a tear at the pain and suffering shared by Michelle and her family due to the lack of understanding of her disablities, then you have a heart of stone. Unlike other Indian film directors, Bhansali does not manipulate you into feeling sad, but rather lets the realism of the situation take centre stage.

Black is infused with a fairy tale like quality, replete with characters who despite being realistic are also larger than life, a story that despite depicting a life filled with sorrow also shows us that life can be lived with love and joy, no matter our situation. Bhansali always paints images on a large canvas and here he is at the top of his game, ably assisted by cinematographer Ravi K. Chandran in filling each frame with the finesse one is accustomed to when watching his films.

His one failing though, which is evident in his other films, is not being able to restrain himself or his performers from going over the top. While in this film it is less so , it is distracting nevertheless. Bachchan, in particular, is guilty of this in his opening scene, but more than redeems himself as the film progresses. The art direction by Omang Kumar is excellent. The film is set in the late 1940’s or early 1950’s, Bhansali doesn’t make a clear reference to a specific year, but it is definitely a period film. Here again, Bhansali errs in making the film too picture perfect. While the Indian town of Simla is amazingly recreated, the sets look pristine clean as if the town had just been built, which is obviously not the case. This too is a distraction. Some of the scenes look very theatrical, as if we are watching a filmed play, which also takes away from the overall enjoyment. Finally, the relevance of making Michelle walk in a Charlie Chaplin like manner is lost on me. Bhansali even goes as far as showing her walk past a cinema playing a Chaplin film, just to make sure the reference is not lost.

While this critique might seem like nitpicking, it is important to note that Bhansali is a talented filmmaker and therefore one expects that when he makes a film as fine as this one, he should not commit basic errors.

This is no Bollywood film, on the contrary, it is an Indian film with no songs, with a running time of less than two hours and a liberal smattering of English dialogue. But let that not put off die hard Bollywood fans. Watch this film, if only to see the Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan in a role that he has described as his best performance ever (I agree) and the talented Rani Mukherji perform in a way you’ve never seen her do before. Watch Black and be mesmerised at the talent of the young actress Ayesha Kapur, who outshines the experience of the aforementioned actors. Watch Black and appreciate the artistry of Bhansali, errors not withstanding, unfold on the screen. Black is a film the Indian film industry can be proud of and is certainly a classic in its own right.

Kisna Review - January 2005

2 stars. Kisna. Directed by Subhash Ghai. With Viveck Oberoi, Antonia Bernath, Isha Shervani, Amrish Puri, Sushmita Sen, Om Puri, Rajat Kapoor, Vivek Mushran, Hrishita Bhatt. At Ster-Kinekor Cavendish Nouveau. Mehboob Bawa reviews.

A film from director Subhash Ghai is always keenly awaited. He is known as the “Showman of Bollywood” as his films are always mounted on a lavish scale and so it was with great expectations that I watched his latest magnum opus.

But alas, Kisna does nothing to elevate Ghai’s status as a force to be reckoned with in the Indian film industry. Despite the film being panned by most film critics, I can’t agree entirely with their point of view. Yes, the film had loads of potential, which Ghai never fulfills, but there is a lot to savour as well.

The film is set, for the most part, in 1947. Viveck Oberoi plays the title character Kisna who, as a child, develops a friendship with Katherine (Antonia Bernath), the daughter of a ruthless British Deputy Commissioner. Katherine’s father is totally opposed to this friendship and despite her mother’s pleading sends his daughter back to London to finish her schooling. On her return she rekindles her friendship with Kisna. The third party in this triangle is Laxmi (Isha Shervani), Kisna’s childhood friend who is deeply in love with him. Her grandfather arranges her marriage to Kisna, despite his seemingly lack of interest in getting married.

Kisna’s brother belongs to a group of freedom fighters that are battling to be free from British rule. Their fervour is used to serve the selfish needs of Kisna’s uncle (the late Amrish Puri), who wants the British Commissioner killed in order to lay his hands on his land. Despite the announcement that independence is imminent, the British Commissioner and his family are attacked by the freedom fighters led by Kisna’s brother and uncle. As a result the commissioner is killed. Katherine and her mother are split from each other. Kisna finds Katherine and shields her from the mob hunting her. His mother orders him to take Katherine to a place of safety in New Delhi. This he has to do, despite his wedding taking place in a few days and knowing that this will pit him against his elder brother. However, he readily accepts, as the bond he shares with Katherine is extremely strong.

The rest of the film traces their journey to New Delhi with the mob in pursuit as well as Prince Raghuraj (Rajat Kapoor), a friend of the Commissioner, who wants to make Katherine his bride, but ends up raping her.

While the first half of the film is good with Ghai taking his time to set up the characters and their motivations, the second half is a dismal failure. The only bright spark being the quawalli (classical music) sequence featuring former Ms. Universe Sushmita Sen and Om Puri.

What makes the film weak is the screenplay, which is extremely poorly written. A team of four writers, including Ghai himself couldn’t come up with anything better than rehashing scenes from the infinitely better Hollywood film The Last of the Mohicans. While looking towards Hollywood for inspiration is common for Bollywood filmmakers, one expects more from a director of Ghai’s calibre. He has also edited the film and that is another of it’s weaknesses – scenes are totally disjointed and there is a complete lack of tension in the dramatic sequences.

Oberoi as Kisna is weak, not knowing if he should play the romantic hero or the warrior. He hams it up on both accounts. The supporting cast are average, but it is disappointing to see the recently deceased Amrish Puri cast in a role not becoming of his stature in the industry.


The best aspects of the film is the excellent performance of debutante Antonia Bernath, the agility of Isha Shervani, the sumptiously rich musical score by two great Indian composers, A.R.Rahman (Taal and Swades) and Ismail Darbar (Devdas), as well as the exquisite production design and impeccable casting of the women over the years.

But the cherry on top and ultimately the saving grace of the film is the breathtaking cinematography of internationally renowned director of photography Ashok Mehta. A favourite of many top directors, he has been a long time collaborator of Ghai and the showman can thank his lucky stars that he hired Mehta to work on Kisna. Shot on location in the mountain region of Uttaranchal in Northern India,Mehta ensures that each frame is lit and framed impeccably, making Kisna a joy to watch. It’s like visiting an art gallery and viewing one stunning picture after another. One could very easily pause any frame of Kisna and think that you’re looking at a painting. I don’t have enough adjectives in my vocabulary to do justice to Mehta’s work on Kisna. It’s worth seeing for this fact alone.

It seems as if its back to the drawing board for Ghai, a once great director who has failed to the deliver the goods yet again.

Vaada Review - January 2005

1 Star. Vaada (Promise). Directed by Satish Kaushik. With Arjun Rampal, Zayed Khan, Amisha Patel, Rajesh Vivek. At Nu Metro, Canal Walk.

I ended my Bollywood viewing last year on a disappointing note, so I suppose it’s only to be expected that I should start 2005 in the same vein. The rest of the year does hold lots of promise though, but the less said about this mismash of a disaster the better.

As with the last film I saw in 2004, we have an experienced director who can’t make up his mind about the content of his film. Is it a murder mystery, a love story or a bit of both? Well I suppose the latter would be the most apt description. The convoluted story revolves around the relationship between the scheming Rahul (Arjun Rampal), his wife Pooja (Amisha Patel) and her seriously deranged ex-lover Karan (Zayed Khan).

Rahul is blinded in a car accident and shortly afterwards meets Karan on an overseas trip, not knowing that he was Pooja’s ex-lover. When Karan sees Pooja again his feelings for her overcome him and he tries to resurrect the relationship. She refuses his advances, but Rahul sees them together and thinks that his wife is being unfaithful. Pooja ends up dead and the prime suspects are Rahul and Karan. That in a nutshell is what the movie is about.

Satish Kaushik is a mediocre director at best and he is all at sea with his latest venture. Rumi Jaffrey’s weak screenplay doesn’t help much, neither does the hit and miss cinematography by Johney Lal. His location photography in France and Singapore are picture postcard perfect, but his studio work leaves a lot to be desired with many shots out of focus. The music by Himesh Reshamiyya, normally a competent composer, is extremely disappointing.

A far as the performances go, Rampal comes out best as Rahul. Patel doesn’t have much to do, which is a good thing as she can’t do much anyway and Zayed follows up a good performance in the blockbuster Main Hoon Naa with a shocker in this one. He seems to have been inspired by his co-star in his earlier film, Shahrukh Khan, as his performance appears to have been inspired by Shahrukh’s crazed lover in the hit film Darr. Except that Zayed hams it up completely.

Ultimately, this was probably one of those occassions when everything just went horribly wrong.

Thankfully, the film clocks in at just about two hours, a rare feat for a Bollywood movie. But, it’s still two hours best spent doing something else. My advice; wait for a better Bollywood movie to come your way. There are some top titles lined up for release in the coming months. Many of which are going to be infinitely better than this one and that’s a promise.

Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Sathiyo Review - December 2004

1 Star. Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Sathiyo. Directed by Anil Sharma. With Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Bobby Deol, Divya Khosla, Ashutosh Rana, Danny Denzongpa.

I never imagined I’d end off my Bollywood viewing this year by watching a real stinker of a movie. There have been some pretty bad movies released during 2004, but this one really hits an all time low, especially considering the heavyweight talents involved in it. The film is sub – titled “An unusual journey of love”, unusual is a pretty apt description of this film.

The story focuses on Amarjeet Singh (Amitabh Bachchan), an army officer, who watches his son Vikramjeet Singh (Bobby Deol) sacrifice his life during the 1971 war with Pakistan. Before he does so, he makes his father promise that he will raise his son to be an army officer as well. Years pass by and Vikramjeet's son Kunal (Bobby Deol in a dual role) is now an army officer himself. However, he is only doing this to please his grandfather. He has expressed to his family that he would rather go abroad and start a business and become wealthy, as he is not cut out for the army.

At an army function he sees Shweta (Divya Khosla) and its love at first sight for him. But Shweta has a past. She's been married to an army officer, Rajiv (Akshay Kumar), who had to leave for the battlefield on their wedding day. He ends up in the custody of a Pakistani platoon led by a ruthless captain (Danny Denzongpa) and is tortured ruthlessly. Two years later, he is helped by a sympathetic Pakistani officer to escape and return to India, only to find his wife at a crossroads as she thought him dead and is slowly falling in love with Kunal.
Meanwhile on the war front India and Pakistan decide to work towards ending the war. However certain militants within the army backed by a senior members of the armed forces (Ashutosh Rana) conspire to continue the terror campaign. Their mission is to sabotage a holy pilgrimage, undertaken by members of the Indian community, at which high-ranking officials of both countries will be present.

Director Anil Sharma can’t seem to decide if he’s making a war movie, a love story, a human drama or an action thriller. Essentially the film is a war drama as the action revolves around the war between Pakistan and India, again! This is such old hat, especially since both countries have recently extended a hand of friendship towards each other. However, Sharma spends an equal amount of time on the other elements alluded to above. I don’t think he’s heard of sub-plots. Anyway there are so many plots in this plodding mishmash of a movie; it’s definitely not worth wasting your time on.

The talents of a competent cast are wasted; in fact they are made to look downright buffoonish at times. This will surely go down as a blemish on all their careers. There is a total lack of characterisation, with the Pakistani’s being made to look like murderous villians with no redeeming features, while their Indian counterparts are patriotic angels. Sharma and his scriptwriter Shaktiman, make no attempt to present a balanced view of the situation. Continuity errors are evident throughout the film, the special effects are totally unrealistic, music is a rehash of tunes heard countless times before and the direction is abysmal.

The biggest crime here is that if the human drama of the relationship between Bachchan and Deol had been the core of the storyline, with the war drama as a background, the film could have been promising. But to achieve this would have required a much better screenplay and a more competent director.

Bollywood 2004 Review

Bollywood Hits and Misses of 2004 by Mehboob Bawa


The Indian film industry experienced a year like any other in recent times. There were many hits and misses, but not one production exceeding all expectations. In fact it was pretty much the other way around with the biggies losing out and smaller films emerging as critical and commercial hits.

The year started with a spate of sex themed films aimed at the adult market. That’s Bollywood for you, if one style of film works then you can expect a slate of similar themed films soon after. The most successful was veteran director Mahesh Bhatt’s Murder. Known for his plagiarism of Hollywood films this one was no different. It had a good music score, passable performances and enough cleavage to click at the box office. Thereafter it seemed as if sex comedies were the way to go. The biggest success was Masti directed by Indra Kumar. It was a genuinely funny effort about bored husbands being set up by their suspicious wives. It was a major change in gear from director Kumar who previously had only made wholesome romantic melodramas.

Then the big guns came, blazing a star-studded trail across Bollywood screens. Leading the way was the biggest gun himself Amitabh Bachchan, with no less than nine releases in 2004. Not all of them were successful and some should never have even seen the light of day, but full marks to the Bollywood legend for attempting different roles and shedding his typecast image. His films that stood out this year include Khakee, Dev and Kyun Ho Gaya Naa. In Khakee he played a burned out police inspector fighting to keep an alleged Pakistani terrorist alive. Dev saw him as a police inspector again, but this time battling corruption in the police force in one of the most dramatic films of the year. Treading a much lighter path in the romantic drama Kyun Ho Gaya Naa, he played a cupid of sorts trying to bring lovers Aishwarya Rai and Vivek Oberoi together.

Female Bollywood stars never share the same kind of billing as their male counterparts, but former Ms. World, Rai, certainly stood head and shoulders above her colleagues this year. Not only was she wooed by and turned down the producers of the James Bond films, she ventured into the crossover market with Bride and Prejudice speaking English very credibly. Directed by Gurinder Chadha, whose previous outing, Bend It Like Beckham, received better treatment at the box office, the film did much to boost Rai’s popularity internationally. As a result she has signed a Hollywood film opposite Meryl Streep and there are many others in the pipeline. On the home front she embraced alternative cinema and her roles in the Bengali film Choker Bali and Raincoat were hailed by critics worldwide including the Hollywood trade paper Variety.

Shahrukh Khan had a great year with debutante director Farah Khan’s fun filled homage to the masala movies of the 1980’s, Main Hoon Naa and Yash Chopra’s disappointing Veer Zaara pulling in the audiences. His latest, Swades, while proving to be a commercial failure, is a critical success and deserved better treatment from the public. This simple but brilliantly told story of an Indian living in America but travelling back home to India to fill the void that is missing in his life, is a worthy follow up to director Ashutosh Gowariker’s Oscar nominated Lagaan.

Saif Ali Khan, after many years of duds found himself in the spotlight due to the success of Kal Ho Naa Ho, released late in 2003 and enjoying increased success in 2004. As a result he was offered the lead in maverick director Ram Gopal Varma’s songless thriller Ek Hasina Thi and starred opposite Rani Mukherji in one of the year’s biggest successes, the feel good romance Hum Tum. This film was a major moneyspinner for its producers Yash Raj Films. Another blockbuster from their company was the eagerly anticipated comeback vehicle of director Yash Chopra, Veer Zaara. The much hyped extravaganza failed to live up to expectations and despite raking in the moolah in the overseas market, its support in India is dwindling. Their other big hit was Dhoom starring Abhishek Bachchan. This film was definitely a sleeper as no one predicted that it would be one of the most successful and talked about films of the year. A sequel is already on the cards.

Bachchan jnr. also received acclaim for his performance in Mani Ratnam’s excellent Yuva, about the trials and tribulations facing Mumbai’s student population. He played the romantic hero in the entertaining Kuch Naa Kaho opposite Aishwarya Rai. His other solo release, Run, was an abysmal failure though. He was also seen to good effect as a lawyer defending Shilpa Shetty’s character who claims unfair dismissal in the Aids drama Phir Milenge. This topical film also featured an unusually restrained performance by Salman Khan as the person from whom Shetty contracts the virus.

Khan was back to his boisterous and buffoonish self in the comedy Mujhse Shaadi Karoge. The success of the film was largely due to a great musical score and a wonderful comic performance by Akshay Kumar, who after a series of mediocre to average roles, came into his own in 2004. He also proved his acting mettle as a cop who can be bought for a price in Khakee and the husband who has an adulterous affair in Aitraaz.

Rising star Hrithik Roshan couldn’t depend on aliens to help boost his box office status as in last year’s blockbuster Koi Mil Gaya. His only offering in 2004 was Lakshya. It was director Farhan Akhtar’s follow up to his sensational debut Dil Chahta Hai. It was hugely anticipated, but was released to mixed reviews. However, it did entrench Roshan as a force to be reckoned with in the acting stakes, as his performance as a youth looking for direction in life was superlative.

That’s the highs and a few of the many lows of Bollywood 2004. Next year seems set to start on a really good note as Bollywood’s A list directors including Subhash Ghai (Kisna) and Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Black) seem intent on starting the Bollywood year with a bang with their star studded productions.

Swades Review - December 2004

4 Stars. Swades (Motherland). Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. With Shahrukh Khan, Gayatri Joshi, Kishori Balal, Rajesh Vivek, Dayashankar Pandey, Master Smit Sheth. Hindi with English sub-titles. At Ster-Kinekor Cavendish Commercial.

For every person that has ever had to leave the land of his or her birth to make a life elsewhere, this film is for you. Swades is a must see film that cuts across nationalities, race, colour and creed. If it were not for it’s excessive length (it runs for just over 3 hours) and slow pacing this would have been a 5 star film. Despite starring Shahrukh Khan, India’s number 1 box office star, this film is far removed from the Bollywood melodramas that have been the mainstay of his success thus far. Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, whose previous film was the Oscar nominated Lagaan, the success of Swades lies in the fact that at its heart is a simple story, which is well told.

Mohan Bhargava (Shahrukh Khan) is a scientist working for NASA on a Global Measurement Precipitation Satellite Program, who left India in pursuit of a better life in America. This he has found in abundance as he has excelled academically and financially, but despite these successes there remains something missing in his life. These feelings reach a high point on the death anniversary of his parents. He specifically misses Kaaveriamma, the Nanny who became a mother to him after his parent’s demise and wonders what became of her. He decides to make it his duty to return to India, find her and bring her back to America with him so that she can enjoy the comforts she never had in her life. However, he is in the throes of an important project and is only given two weeks leave in order to settle his affairs in India.

Once in India he manages to find her living in a small village near New Delhi, a place that is in stark contrast to his life in America. How he adapts to rural life provide many of the films lighter moments. He slowly succumbs to the simplicity of village life and the realisation that this is where he comes from, it his roots and these are his people. Mohan also meets his childhood friend Gita (Gayatri Joshi), now a schoolteacher in the village, and a love blossoms between them. But is there a future for them, when she is devoted to her country and has no intention of leaving and he is intent, despite her objections, to take Kaaveriamma to America with him. How he integrates himself into the village life and traditions and in some way make a difference in their lives becomes the thrust of the film, over and above the initial reason for his coming to India. It is in fact through the wisdom of Kaaveriamma that he discovers his Motherland again. But what he sees saddens him and he sets about to ensure that in some small way he makes a positive impact on the villagers and in so doing empowering them to change their lives for the better.

This is possibly the best Indian film to be released in 2004. It has a story that has universal appeal and situations that many will be able to identify with. Moreover, the direction by Gowariker is brilliant, despite the fact that he could have leant on his editor a bit more. Khan in a role completely different from the norm is amazing. He has never given a more subtle and understated performance, which is worthy of an award. The supporting cast is brilliant and all credit to Gowariker for selecting a cast that, with the exception of Khan, are relative unknowns. Joshi, in particular, makes a commendable debut in the role of Gita. Having to match skills with Khan is no easy task and she acquits herself wonderfully. In fact this type of casting is a masterstroke, because you don’t get the feeling you are watching actors perform. It simply feels that you’ve been allowed to view the life of ordinary people in a typical Indian village. It is that realistic. This realism extends to the production design of Nitin Desai, the stark photography of debutante Mahesh Aney and the depiction of the song sequences. The music by multiple award winner A.R. Rahman is excellent and adds to the overall enjoyment of the film.

However, it’s precisely the realism that might allow the film to falter in the eyes of an audience weaned on the fantasy of Bollywood cinema. My humble plea to those people is not to expect to see your favourite hero Khan in his typical romantic roles. View the film with an open mind and you will be pleasantly surprised.

For those who already have nostalgic feelings about their place of birth, get ready to book your plane tickets, because after seeing Swades you are most certainly going to want to visit your Motherland soon.

Bobby Deol and Bipasha Basu Interviews - December 2004

The stars of Bollywood have graced the shores of the Mother City once again. This time it’s debonair Bobby Deol, visiting for the first time, and the beautiful Bipasha Basu shooting for the film Barsaat (Rain) in various parts of the Cape.

Talking to these stars is like catching up with old friends. Both are extremely casual and keen to chat about anything, even personal issues unrelated to the usual star talk. “I’m homesick”, says Deol in response to being asked whether he’s enjoying the Cape. He’s quick to say that it’s not the effect of the city that makes him feel that way but because his wife has just given birth to their second child, also a boy and he would love to be back with the family. “I try and take them with me as often as possible when I’m on location. But as my eldest son is in school, it’s important for him to concentrate on his studies. But I really miss them and especially my wife”, says an obviously family orientated Deol.

Basu is also very close to her family. A very proud Mommy Basu is with her on this trip. But far from being an over protective mother, she is more of a friend and confidante says Basu. “My Mom is really great. In fact my whole family has been very supportive of my career. No one else in the family has embarked on a career in entertainment. From my initial entry into modelling and now films, they’ve been behind me every step of the way.” Her career took off from her very first film Ajnabee, which had the taboo subject of wife swapping as its central theme. In fact many of her films have bordered on the risque. “You’re right”, she says, “It was a conscious effort to do something different. I wanted to attempt roles that I would be remembered for and I think that in a short space of time I’ve achieved that..” Fans will undoubtedly remember the poster of the erotic hit Jism, loosely based on the Hollywood hit Body Heat, which featured Basu in a provocative pose. Her sensual love scenes with co-star John Abraham was a major reason for the films sizzling success at the box-office. “I’ve conditioned my family to realise that it’s only a role I’m playing, nothing more. We are a small tight knit family and I value the relationship we share. When I’m not before the cameras, you’ll find me in coffee shops with friends, doing everyday things like anybody else. I appreciate the support the audience has given me and will always have time for my fans.

Deol is someone who has gotten used to dealing with fans over the years, not only his, as his father Dharmendra and brother Sunny are also well known Bollywood stars in their own right. “It wasn’t easy following in their footsteps as they are amongst the most highly regarded and respected actors in the industry. But even as a 3 year old, I knew that I wanted to be an actor”, he says with a smile. “I’ve managed to do a variety of roles and not been stereotyped as any specific type of character. I know that Hollywood films inspire many of our stories and I don’t necessarily have a problem with that. It shouldn’t be a total copy, but if it is a source of inspiration and we add to that our values and traditions then that's great. There aren’t many writers who are able to be totally original, so we work with what we have and do the best that we can given the circumstances. It also depends on what the audience wants. I acted in a film based on the life of Bhagat Singh, an important figure in Indian history, but the film flopped. Our audiences want to see upbeat films with a happy ending. I’ve also thought about Hollywood, but have no illusions about making it in that industry when Indian actors are not really known to western audiences. As that situation changes and opportunities start coming our way, I would consider it.”

Basu agrees with Deol’s sentiments, “I have made a commitment to move away from the provocative roles that I started with and focus now on pure commercial Bollywood cinema, be it comedy or love stories, I want to be a part of the typical mainstream cinema from now on.” Whatever she aspires to achieve, one thing is for sure, her family will always support her. Her Mom says that Bonnie (Basu laughs with surprise that her mother has revealed her family nickname) has never allowed her fame and fortune to go to her head. “She has always retained her roots and remains firmly grounded in her traditions and that makes me very happy and proud”, says her beaming Mom.

The same sentiments can be applied to Deol as he is very much the original family man. “I owe a lot to my Father and the way he raised us. Many people used to question his judgement when choosing roles. But what they don’t know is that my Father takes care of many people, almost like extended families and that is an expensive exercise. Therefore he signed as many films as he could, not always thinking about his career, but more about how he could help as many people as possible. In that way, I’ve learnt a lot about humility and I extend that to my family life and even my roles.”

Both these actors are a far cry from the image of stars that are cold, aloof and have no time for others. Their take on life is extremely refreshing and holds them in good stead in the often pretentious world of entertainment.

Bollywood on SABC 3 - December 2004

There’s a Bollywood double feature with a difference on SABC 3 today. At 2pm you can watch a rerun of the film Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai
(My Heart Is With You), one of the stronger films in the Bollywood line up. At 10pm there’s a screening of the monumentally successful Now or Never concert featuring the cream of Bollywood talent performing in South Africa.

The matinee feature stars Anil Kapoor and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai as strangers brought together by a series of unpleasant events and circumstances that eventually fall in love. Kapoor plays Avinash a respected businessman, who offers his home to a young lady, Preeti (Rai), who is victimised by society through no fault of her own. Surprisingly for a Bollywood film, it takes a harsh look at the conservative attitudes of a sector within the Indian community and the negative way that this reflects on woman in society. Quite often families shun their daughters, who have in their eyes brought shame to the family name, even if they were not really at fault. It is a poignant love story, extremely well acted by its leads and confidently directed by Satish Kaushik, a director with a chequered career. However, with this film he is in command of his subject for the most part, only faltering by including some completely unfunny comedy sequences, which do more harm than good to the flow of the film. The music score by Sanjeev and Darshan provides melodious relief from the drama that fills most of the screen time. At three hours, the film is about half an hour too long and could have been edited more judiciously, perhaps cutting out the silly comedy track completely. However, the film is definitely worth watching.

If you’ve never been to a Bollywood concert before, then you must watch the Now or Never extravaganza, which was held on the 28th December at the Absa Stadium in Durban last year. It was promoted by local film producer Anant Singh’s company Videovision and showcased the talents of arguably Bollywood’s top stars. The list of actors headlining the bill included Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan, hearthrobs Hrithik Roshan, Shahrukh Khan and Sanjay Dutt. The female component comprised the talents of Bollywood’s most beautiful and sexy stars including Kareena Kapoor, Shilpa Shetty, Sushmita Sen, Prety Zinta and Rani Mukherji. Videovision Entertainment won the 2003 Best Live Production Award of the Technical Production Services Association of South Africa for their work on this concert. A record crowd of over 50 000 people attended the concert. This event marked the first time that so many popular stars of Indian cinema have performed together in one show. So join the stars as they pull out all the stops to entertain their legions of fans in the Now or Never concert, tonight on SABC 3 at 10pm.

Tere Naam Review - August 2003

2 Stars. Tere Naam (In Your Name). Directed By Satish Kaushik. With Salman Khan, Bhumika Chawla, Sachin Khedekar, Savita Prabhune, Ravi Kishan, Sarfaraz Khan, Mahima Chaudhary. At Ster-Kinekor Cavendish. Mehboob Bawa reviews.

While this Salman Khan starrer is undoubtedly different to the fun-filled films we normally associate with him, it is still a wasted opportunity. Unfortunately, despite the prescence of a talented cast of supporting actors and a leading lady (Bhumika Chawla) making an incredible Bollywood debut, the film fails primarily because of a poor performance by Khan.

In Tere Naam Khan plays Radhe, an overgrown bully prone to violent outbursts, with a heart of gold. He is a college graduate without direction in life, so he hangs around the same college with his friends. They amuse themselves by intimidating the newcomers, but also offer protection to the people in his neighbourhood. His actions are frowned upon by his elder brother with whom he stays. His sister-in-law and niece love him to bits however and spoil him, much to the dissapointment of his brother.

Into his life comes Nirjara, a new student at the college. She comes from a deeply religious family and is attending college as her fiance wants her to enjoy the benefits of a tertiary education. He is a disciple of her father who is the chief priest at the local temple.

During his interactions with Nirjara, Radhe falls for her simplicity and uncomplicated ways, only for her to reject his advances. However she is convinced by her own fiance that Radhe’s feelings for her are genuine and that he has changed for the better because of her. As her feelings for him change and just as Nirjara is ready to accept Radhe, he commits an impulsive and rash act which changes the course of the film dramatically.

Director Satish Kaushik’s attempt to make a film which is very different to the mainsteam Bollywood fare on offer at the moment doesn’t quite come together because he compromises his material too often. His forte is the typical melodrama’s that Bollywood churn out regularly. While he is to be commended for trying something different, it is inexcusable that he still panders to the very audience that relishes the melodramas he is known for. By adding in a situational song sequence featuring the beautiful actress Mahima Chaudary, which has nothing to do with the film and drawing out the fight sequences, Kaushik insults his audiences as it seems as he believes that these type of scenes are ultimately what audiences enjoy. The scenes in the mental asylum are ludicrous and obviously exaggerated for shock value.

What saves the film from being a complete flop is the excellent ensemble acting of the supporting cast and a truly wonderful Bollywood debut by Chawla. A talented actress from the Telegu film industry, she is mesmerising as Nirjara and her leading man could have learnt a lot from her beautifully understated performance. If she continues in this fashion, she certainly has a bright future ahead of her.

The choice of Khan as the hero is a major contributing factor to the films’ downfall. While he may suit the frivilous roles he is known for, this character needed to be played by a more skillful actor and the less said about his hairstyle, the better!

Koi Mil Gaya Review - August 2003

3 Stars. Koi Mil Gaya ( I Found Someone ). Directed by Rakesh Roshan. With Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta, Rekha. At Ster-Kinekor Cavendish.

Hrithik Roshan meets E.T.’s cousin just about sums up this film. Directed by Hrithik’s father Rakesh, who directed his successful debut Kaho Na Pyar Hai, Koi Mil Gaya is being promoted as India’s first science fiction film. I don’t agree as director Shekhar Kapur’s 1987 release Mr. India featured Anil Kapoor as an invisible man in a film which also had sci-fi elements. However, this film is the first, to my knowledge, to feature spaceships and aliens. Unfortunately, they are the weakest part of an otherwise enjoyable film. Luckily director Roshan, knowing possibly that the effects work in his film is average at best, uses it sparingly.

The first half of the film is completely absorbing and showcases a terrific performance by Hrithik. He plays Rohit, a child in an adults body. This as a result of a car accident which kills his father and injures his mother, pregnant with him at the time. Hrithik’s acting skills really come to the fore in many scenes and you feel for his character every step of the way. His interaction with his classmates, all much younger than him as he has never progressed at school, his affection for the new girl in town (Preity Zinta), his treatment by the town bullies, coming to terms with his father’s dream of finding life on other planets and finally meeting an extra-terrestrial. Until interval this film is truly a magical experience.

The film slides post interval as we see more of the alien and the special powers it gives to Rohit and his young friends. These scenes are drawn out unecessarily. There is also a spate of unfunny scenes featuring comedian Johnny Lever which could have been left out completely. While this type of humour might work in India, it doesn’t travel well.. Perhaps it’s time that Bollywood producers consider releasing two versions of their films, one for India and another for the rest of the world.

It’s hard to imagine that four of the most experienced Bollywood scriptwriters (Sachin Bhowmick, Honey Irani, Robin Bhatt, Rakesh Roshan) couldn’t think of a more novel storyline than merely copying two of the most famous Steven Spielberg films of all time, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind and E.T. The Extra –Terrestrial. It is quite obvious that while director Roshan is quite adept at handling the conventional Indian story themes, he is no Spielberg. The alien, who is called Jadoo, is no match to Spielberg’s E.T. While some may say that is an unfair comparison, I reckon if you going to copy something then do it properly. The alien in this film looks like a blue dolphin with a big nose and the performance is as wooden as Pinocchio before he became a real boy. While E.T was obviously not real it had a lifelike quality. Jadoo on the other hand is as lifelike as a plastic toy.

The film was shot largely on location in Calgary, Canada and these locations are breathtakingly beautiful. The photography by Roshan regular Sameer Arya and Ravi K. Chandran (Dil Chahta Hai) is another plus in this uneven film. Music by the director’s brother Rajesh, another regular contributor to his films, is not as good as his earlier works.

The cast, including 70’s heroine Rekha (as Rohit’s mother) aquit themselves quite capably especially the child actors that play Rohit’s friends. They are very natural and are quite delightful in their scenes. Ultimately, what carries this fim is Hrithik and he is the main reason you should see it. This is a performance that needs to be rewarded with a Best Actor award.






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Sunil Shetty / Mahesh Manjrekar Interview - August 2003

Cape Town once again played host to a film crew from Mumbai, India. The Mother City is becoming increasingly popular with Indian filmmakers ever since the city was introduced to them as a viable location by local entrepreneur Ebrahim Kaskar of Shalimar Productions. He has co-ordinated various Bollywood productions since 1996.

The latest shoot was for the film Laloo Prasad Yadav directed by Mahesh Manjrekar and starring Sunil Shetty, comedian Johnny Lever and Manjrekar himself in the title roles. The 71 member Bollywood team arrived in Cape Town on the 9th of July for its month long shoot. I caught up with them at the tail end of a gruelling schedule which took them to many picturesque locations in the Cape. While preparing for an action shot involving himself and Shetty on motorbikes driving along the scenic coastline of Camps Bay and amidst shouting instructions to his crew, some of whom were in a helicopter, Manjrekar spoke to me about his film. “ It’s an out and out action comedy about 3 people, the title characters, who are after millions of rands worth of diamonds that have been smuggled into Cape Town. Shetty plays Laloo, I play Prasad and Lever is Yadav.” Many of the Bollywood films shot in the Cape utilise the locations purely to enhance the song sequences that Indian films are renowned for. Manjrekar explains that 75% of his film has been shot in the city and that it plays an integral part in the film. “All the main characters are from Cape Town.. We have used many popular landmarks and in fact we are the first Indian crew to shoot on Robben Island. I feel that this film will do a lot to boost tourism as it really showcases the beauty of the Cape.” It is well known that whenever Indian productions go on location, they take their entire crew and cast with them, rarely utilising talent from the country they are visiting. Manjrekar’s point of view is that it’s better to be safe than sorry. He says, “ We work with our own so that we are sure that the production will run smoothly as we are coming to a territory where we are unsure of the local talent. Having said that, I needed dancers for a certain scene and we were going to fly them in from Mumbai. Someone suggested a local alternative and after meeting them I was very impressed. They are in my movie and one of them, Nadia Tessner, will be coming to Mumbai to work on my next project. If only more Indian directors’ were interested in auditioning local talent. I’m sure they would be pleasantly surprised. After all our actors’ have proved themselves in Hollywood, so Bollywood should be the logical next step.

Earlier I had chatted to Shetty about the highlights in his career. Originally cast as a macho man in many of his earlier films, this talented actor has matured over the course of his twelve years in the industry and has garnered many accolades in his career. “ I’ve done all kinds of films”, he says, “ In Mohra it was the macho man, in Border I played a soldier. I’ve done comedy in Hera Pheri and now with this film as well. I’ve even done a character with negative shades in Dhadkan. I want to be able to do challenging roles and am happy that directors are confident in casting me as different characters and not typecasting me as an action hero. In fact in Laloo Prasad Yadav, I play an absolute nerd. It’s important for me to be happy with what I do. How much I achieve in life is up to the man above.

Hungama Review - August 2003

3 Stars. Hungama (Chaos). With Aftab Shivdasani, Akshaye Khanna, Rimi Singh, Paresh Rawal and Shoma Anand. At Ster-Kinekor Cinemas. Mehboob Bawa Reviews.

At the core of director Priyadarshan’s delightful comedy Hungama (Chaos) is a story about deception, lies and pretence. I have always been wary of comedy in Indian films as it tends to go completely over the top and detracts from the pace of the film. So to put myself through three hours of an out and out Indian comedy film was a major leap of faith. However, I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed the film thoroughly.

The film styles itself like a Shakesperian comedy of errors replete with mistaken identities, suspicion, false accusations and certain characters lierally being led up the garden path. I’m not going to even attempt to explain the story which has no less than ten main characters. In fact the director is on record as saying the film doesn’t have a definite storyline but that the script revolves around the comedic situations the characters find themselves in. The only thing that works against the film is that it is too long. This is a result of stretching out certain scenes and adding song sequences which makes the second half of the film drag on unecessarily.

There are many scenes which will have you in stitches. The pick for me was the man who is mistakenly thought to be electrocuting himself and the “fight” between Aftab Shivdasani and Akshaye Khanna. Just thinking about it now makes me laugh out loud.

The acting of the entire cast is excellent, but the standout performances come from Paresh Rawal and Shoma Anand. They play husband and wife respectively and much of the comedy takes place at their home. Anand, a Bollywood heroine in the 70’s, makes a welcome return to the big screen and displays a deft talent for comedy. Newcomer Rimi Singh deserves a mention for aquitting herself well in a difficult role.

The music by prolific Bollywood composers Nadeem-Shravan is melodious and the director has used two of the actual playback singers, Shaan and Sadhana Sargam, in the film showing them singing in a party sequence. Some of the songs were filmed in Malaysia and while the locations are suitably exotic, these scenes add nothing to the film as a whole.

It is a bold move by the director to release a comedy in this troubled period for Bollywood. Many formula films have failed at the box-office and he certainly is taking a chance. To his credit he has made a film that is original and deserves to be a box-office success.

Chori Chori Review - May 2003

1 Star. Chori Chori – Everyone Falls In Love. With Ajay Devgan, Rani Mukherjee, Sonali Bendre.

During the film one of the characters, with reference to the lead characters situation, says, “What this story needs is a good writer”. That about sums it up. This film could have been much more if it only had a stronger script. The premise of the film has been “inspired” by the Steve Martin/Goldie Hawn comedy Housesitter, an infinitely better film. The Bollywood version has been turned into a love story, albeit not a good one. The film was completed more than a year ago and is only being released now in the wake of its stars award winning performances in other more recent releases. Ajay Devgan and Rani Mukherjee will want to quickly forget that they were ever in this film.

Mukherjee plays Khushi, an orphan who is searching for her knight in shining armour. In her desperation to find true love she turns to deception and lies in order to fulfill her dreams. Devgan is the unlikely hero who she targets, but ends up being used by in his own game of deception. He is in love with Puja (Bendre) his childhood friend, but she doesn’t feel the same. After a chance meeting Khushi decides to move into his house and is mistaken for his fiance by his family. He eventually agrees to continue the charade hoping that Puja will be sufficiently jealous to fall in love with him.

The best thing about the film is its location. It was shot in the picturesque hill station of Simla in India. The beauty of this town is amazing.

I can only wonder what this film could have been like in the hands of directors like Karan Johar ( Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham) or Aditya Chopra ( Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge). This material is better suited to them. Chori Chori’s director, Milan Luthria, made a confident debut with the film Kacche Daage a few years ago. But with this, his second film, he falters badly. While he is definitely let down by a poor script which offers its actors no characterization, he must also shoulder most of the blame. The music by Sajid-Wajid is good, but Luthria inserts the songs at inopportune moments hampering the pace of the film. The climax has no less than 3 songs squeezed into it. This is completely unecessary. But then again so is the film.

Bollywood Buzz July 2003

Bollywood has had a torrid time during the first half of the year with some dismal performances at the box office and no real hit in sight. But things are looking up due to the recent successes of Andaaz, Chalte Chalte, Bhoot and Jhankaar Beats. But after those highponts one of the more eagerly awaited films Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon has become a major disaster at the box office. Despite being directed bt Sooraj R. Barjatya whose previous 3 films were major blockbusters and a starcast including Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor the film has flopped miserably. As a result of this, 22 minutes of the 3 hour plus film have been cut. But this has come too late as the damage has already been done and the film is considered a financial and critical failure. Even internationally the films takings have dropped tremendously after a superb opening weekend. Roshan now hopes that his next release, Koi Mil Gaya, will not be affected by the fiasco of his current failure. His fate though, lies in the hands of his father Rakesh Roshan who directed his debut film, the blockbuster Kaho Na Pyar Hai. Roshan snr. is at the helm of his next film Koi Mil Gaya due for release in August. It’s being heavily promoted and has a unique, by Indian standards, storyline involving aliens.
Audiences who appreciated top Bollywood director Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s award winning films like Parinda and Mission Kashmir will be thrilled to know that he has been signed to direct a film in Hollywood. Tenatatively titled Move 5 it will be co-produced by Chopra and the Hollywood production company Outlaw Productions whose previous films include the Denzil Washinton starrer Training Day and National Security with Martin Lawrence. This is a major transition for the talented Bollywood director as the English language film is being targeted towards international audiences. The story co-written by Chopra, focuses on the friendship between a chess player and a detective, both of whom have suffered the death of a daughter. When the chess player is killed, the detective sets out on a quest to find the killer.
Warner Bros is currently looking at making a Hollywood version of the story of the Taj Mahal. The project is already in pre-production, based on a script by screenwriter Kamran Pasha. The story of Taj Mahal, the monument of love built by the Emperor Shahjehan for his beloved Mumtaz, has long fascinated filmmakers and several Indian films have been produced on the subject. The most memorable the Bina Rai-Pradeep Kumar starrer Taj Mahal in 1963. The latest version, an Indo-Canadian co-production directed by Robin Khosla, is due to be released in August. Another film on the same theme, Akbar Khan's Taj Mahal - An Eternal Love Story, is to be released in November. The film stars Manisha Koirala and Arbaaz Khan. The film, which will be in Hindi and dubbed in English, is budgeted at a staggering US$13m, making it the most expensive film ever made in India. The script of this film has been co-written by our very own Professor Fatima Meer. Indian music video and commercials director Bharat Bala is making India's first IMAX film The Heart Of India, which will celebrate thousands of years of India's cultural heritage and the extraordinary architectural achievement that is the Taj Mahal. Indian music composer AR Rahman, who has worked on many top Bollywood films as well as Sir Andrew Lloyd Webbers’ production Bombay Dreams, has scored the music for the film.
Recently Cape Town has had a glut of Bollywood inspired musical shows. I attended a show featuring local talent and was happy to see that there are certainly quite a few up and coming artistes in our midst. Hopefully they’ll receive the proper encouragement and training as they certainly have lots to offer. However Capetonians have once again missed out on the bigger names. Prolific composer/singer Adnan Sami performed in Gauteng recently and according to reports the show was excellent. However it proved too costly to bring the entertainer to our shores. This has often been in the case in the past but recently Cape Town have seen major Bollywood artistes performing locally including Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan and Sonu Nigam. Let’s hope that these artistes haven’t hiked there fees to such an extent where we might lose out once again.

Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon - July 2003

2 stars. Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon (I'm Crazy About Prem). Directed by Sooraj R. Barjatya. With Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan.
The Barjatya's of Rajshri Productions, the producers of this film, have an impeccable track record in Bollywood with many hit films under their belt. Therefore this film has been eagerly awaited, especially since its director Sooraj R. Barjatya's last 3 films have been gigantic hits.
While Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon (I'm Crazy About Prem) may be perfect school holiday entertainment provididing hours of pleasure for many starstruck teenagers and possibly a few parents too, those expecting something along the lines of Barjatya's previous successes will be sorely disappointed. The film stars current heartthrobs Hrithik Roshan (Prem), Abhishek Bachchan(Prem) and the sexy Kareena Kapoor (Sanjana). However, despite their prescence and the pedigree of the director, the film misses its mark.
The story revolves around a case of mistaken identities. You would have noticed that both male characters are named Prem and therein lies the drama. Sanjana is the darling daughter of Satya Prakash (Pankaj Kapoor) and Susheela (Himani Shivpuri). Her mother is obsessed with finding a perfect (read rich) husband for her daughter. Into their lives comes Prem a friend of their other daughter. A mega rich businessman who arrrives in their small town on business, he is initially snubbed by Sanjana as she doesn't believe in arranged marriages. However, it's not long before everyone is totally impressed with him and our heroine is smitten as well. But the course of true love never runs smoothly as another Prem arrives on the scene.
Barjatya's film has his unmistakable stamp all over it, crowded home décor, oodles of mush and saccharine sweet characters. What is missing is the warmth and emotion that was the hallmark of his previous films. In an attempt to make his film more appealing to a generation hooked onto designer wear, MTV and everything hip, he has sacrificed the typical old fashioned values that have been the mainstay of Bollywood films over the years. Now there is nothing wrong with reflecting the cultures of today, but Barjatya merely uses it as gimmicks in the film and it ends up being completely over the top.
Roshan and Kapoor give the weakest performances of their short careers. There is nothing believeable about their characterisation. Roshan in particular is completely over the top and irritating. Bachchan on the other hand, in what amounts to little more than a guest role, offers a restrained and confident performance.
Music has always been a highlight of a Rajshri production and on this score the film fails to deliver as well. Composer Anu Malik doesn't offer any sparks in his songs and has even resorted to copying the music of The Mask Of Zorro as his theme music.
Despite being set in a small town in India, the director has shot the film extensively in New Zealand and Mauritius. While the photography, by veteran cinematographer Rajan Kinagi, is exquisite, it is quite obvious that this is not India.
One can always depend on Bollywood´s high-profile releases for melodrama as banal and predictable as it is pedestrian. It seems that Indian audiences can´t get enough of the grandiose musicals based on tried and true romantic storylines, and Hindi film producers are not keen on innovation when there is money to be made. Keeping this in mind, Barjatya's film delivers on all of its makers´ promises. The film has a grand look and no expense seems to have been spared on the production. It will please fans of Bollywood´s feature length soap opera genre to no end, but for moviegoers looking for quality cinema, there is nothing worthwhile in this picture.

Chalte Chalte Review - June 2003

3 Stars. Chalte Chalte (Walking Together). With Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukherji, Jas Arora, Satish Shah, Lilette Dubay, Johnny Lever. At Ster-Kinekor Cinemas.

As the film came to its predictable end, someone in the audience said, “Well it’s an Indian movie after all”. That about sums up Chalte Chalte (Walking Together). It’s a typical Bollywood fairytale romance with a measure of realism that offers an entertaining 3 hours at the cinema.

Director Aziz Mirza has carefully balanced his film into two parts initially focusing on the pre-marital relationship of Raj (Shahrukh Khan) and Priya (Rani Mukherji). She is a successful fashion designer and he owns a small transport company. It is obvious from the outset that they come from two different worlds. But despite this Raj woos and wins over the affections of Priya. This part of the film offers much song, dance and romance. Khan and Mukherji share a great on screen chemistry and this aids the film immeasurably. There is nothing new on offer from a story point of view, but the actors are obviously having a great deal of fun in some exotic locations which offer great entertainment value.

The film shifts gear in the second half, which focuses on the trials and tribulations of marriage. Here the actors talents are called into play and Mukherji definitely has the edge over Khan. She offers a very restrained performance while he tends to go over the top at times. It is quite evident from his track record that Khan excels in the romantic and humorous scenes and this film is no exception. The supporting cast are all adequate and actually contribute greatly to the development of the storyline. Quite often in Indian films there are too many superfluous characters in subplots that deter from the enjoyment of the film. Here there is none of that and even the obligatory comedian (Johnny Lever) serves as an inspiration for our hero to pursue his love.

Shot on location in Mahableshwar, Athens and Mykonos, the film is breathtakingly filmed by ace cinematographer Ashok Mehta (Bandit Queen, Dil Ka Rishta). The music by Jatin-Lalit and Aadesh Srivastava is melodious and another asset of the film.

Chalte Chalte won’t be winning any awards, the storyline is not new and there should have been a bit more character development. However, aided by a talented cast and first rate technical team, Mirza has worked within the script limitations and crafted an enjoyable tale with a lesson to be learnt for all of us.

Armaan Review - June 2003

3 Stars. Armaan (Desire). Starring Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Gracey Singh, Preity Zinta and Randhir Kapoor. At Ster-Kinekor Cinemas.

2003 has seen most Bollywood films flopping at the box-office as a result of stale and worn out storylines. Armaan (Desire) therefore comes as a breath of fresh air. Debutante director Honey Irani’s years of experience as a scriptwriter stands her in good stead as she crafts a fine story and avoids all of the typical Bollywood cliches that have been the downfall of many other films this year.

Set against a medical backdrop, the film revolves around the lives of Dr. Siddharth and his son Dr. Akash Sinha, played by Amitabh Bachchan and Anil Kapoor respectively. The senior Sinha (Bachchan), is a philanthropist, who owns a hospital. His one desire is to expand it into a state of the art medical center and is looking for funds to achieve his goal. His son (Kapoor), a respected neurosurgeon, is equally devoted to help realise his father´s dream. Gracey Singh plays Dr. Neha Mathur an anaesthetist, who joins the hospital as an assistant to Akash Sinha. Their cordial relation soon blossoms into love, with the blessings of Sinha senior.
But as this is Bollywood, all can’t be too rosy. The drama comes in the form of Soniya Kapoor (Preity Zinta), the spoilt daughter of business tycoon Gulshan Kapoor (Randhir Kapoor). Soniya falls for Akash and wants to marry him. To fulfill his daughter´s wish, Gulshan Kapoor strikes a deal with Dr. Siddharth Sinha. He is ready to finance the hospital project on the condition that Akash marries his daughter. By telling you more would be giving the proverbial game away. Suffice to say Armaan offers a simple story, but well told by the director Irani who is ably assisted by a more than capable cast and technical team.
Bachchan is in his element as the Doctor who lives for his profession and his son. He is matched perfectly by Kapoor who is excellent as Akash. Singh, in only her second film, follows up her role in Lagaan (Tax) with another amazing performance. It was good to see Randhir Kapoor on screen again. A popular actor of the 1970’s, he is convincing in a small role. The most difficult role is played by Zinta who tends to go over the top at times, but for the most part is convincing as a girl raised in the lap of luxury but without true love, leading to her having deep psychological issues.

The film contains some standout scenes. My favourite is the one where father and son unwind after a heavy day at the hospital by playing a musical duet. All credit to the director as she doesn’t succumb to the traditional Bollywood style of filmmaking by having them sing a song together. She has constructed a scene which is very different and completely realistic. The same approach is taken with the scenes at the hospital involving medical discussions and operations. Quite often Bollywood directors make the mistake of taking liberties with their script development which lead to totally unrealistic situations. Irani has definitely not gone this route and the result is to be seen in the film.

Music directors Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy whose hits include Mission Kashmir and Dil Chahta Hai once again offer a different and unique musical score. The photography by S. Ravi Verman is also a highlight of the film. Some song sequences were shot on location in Mauritius and South Africa and he has truly captured the beauty of these locations. Once again credit to the director as she hasn’t chosen the typical world famous landmarks of these countries as a backdrop to her songs. Instead she has opted for some unusual spots which are breathtakingly beautiful.

Some might find the film slow, but it’s definitely worthwhile.

Bollywood Buzz April 2003

Bollywood’s search for the first mega success of 2003 continues with Jism (Body) thus far being the only release which has performed well this year. The Hero which opened this past weekend and stars Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, Priyanka Chopra, Amrish Puri and Kabir Bedi has had the best initial opening of 2003. But it remains to be seen whether it can sustain its opening success. The only other major release, Ek Aur Ek Gyaarah (One and One Makes Eleven), starring Sunjay Dutt and Govinda has had an average response. This comedy produced by Subhash Ghai, one of Bollywoods’ top directors looks set to cover its cost only.

Ghai might be teaming up once again with Akshaye Khanna, his hero from the blockbuster Taal. This is the latest addition to his next directorial venture "Homeland" which also stars the Bollywood legend Dilip Kumar and Shahrukh Khan. The movie, said to be about the life of soldiers, has music by A.R.Rahman, responsible for the excellent soundtrack of Taal and currently making waves in London’s West End with the production Bombay Dreams.

Adding to the film industry’s woes is the battle between producers and distributors over sattelite and DVD/VCD rights. The release of two high profile films, Andaaz and Armaan, have been posponed due to theatres in India being closed as a result of this situation. Andaaz stars Akshay Kumar and was shot partly on location in Cape Town. Armaan, the more eagerly waited of the two, features a fine cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor and Gracy Singh. The film marks the directorial debut of one of Bollywoods’ top screenwriters, Honey Irani.

One of Bachchans’ next ventures is to be directed by Raj Sippy. One of the top directors’ of the 80’s, Sippy’s last movie with Bachchan was the mega hit Satte Pe Satta. Their latest collaboration will also star heartthrob Salman Khan who has been in the news recently mostly due to his off screen activities. He has allegedly threatened to kill actor Viveck Oberoi because of Oberoi’s friendship with actress Aishwarya Rai. Khan and Rai had a troubled relationship which she broke off recently. Bachchan is known as an actor who takes his craft very seriously and it will be interesting to see whether he will put up with his co-stars antics.

Rai has been in the spotlight very often of late. This talented beauty was involved in a freak accident on the sets of one of her latest films. An out of control jeep ploughed into her and she suffered a hairline foot fracture. As a result of the injury quite a few of her productions have had to be postponed including her negotiations with the producers of the latest James Bond film. They were on the set at the time of her accident and were waiting in line to discuss Rai’s possible role as the latest Bond babe. She’s still top of their list and are waiting for her to recover from her ordeal before meeting with her again.

Another production which is affected by her injury is Pathe UK's Bollywood musical Bride and Prejudice. Bend it Like Beckham director Gurinder Chadha has cast rising New Zealand star Martin Henderson, who played opposite Naomi Watts in The Ring, to appear alongside Rai in the role of Darcy.

Rai has also been confirmed as a member of the main jury at the Cannes Film Festival. She joins other luminaries from the film world including American actress Meg Ryan, French actress Karin Viard and French actor and elder-statesman Jean Rochefort. Also on the panel are American director Steven Soderbergh, Bosnian director Danis Tanovic and Chinese director Jiang Wen. Rounding out the group is Italian writer Erri De Luca. Patrice Chereau will preside over the jury.

The future certainly looks very rosy for the talented ex-Ms. World and these happenings will certainly take her mind off the dismal failure of her maiden effort as a producer, Dil Ka Rishta ( Relationships of the Heart).

Bollywood star couple Ajay Devgan and Kajol have also had some colour added to their lives with the birth of their baby girl. Kajol gave birth to her daughter in the Breach Candy hospital in south Mumbai about a week ago. Both Kajol and Ajay hail from families with film backgrounds. Kajol is the daughter of well-known actress Tanuja and Ajay is the son of fight master Veeru Devgan. They were married in 1998 and were a very popular on screen couple. Their hit films included Pyar To Hona Hi Tha, Raju Chacha, Ishq and Dil Kya Kare.