rajivgill Reviews

Na Tum Jaano Na Hum (2002)

Boring, Boring, Boring! *Possible spoilers*

[13 August 2002]

Watching the trailers of Na Tum Jaano Na Hum can fool you into thinking the film is exciting and fresh. Watch the film itself and you'll keep taking toilet breaks in between.

Rahul (Hrithik Roshan) and Esha (Esha Deol) are penpals who fall in love with each other. Sounds cute enough, but catch is; they know almost nothing about each other! Esha doesn't know Rahul's name. They've never seen each other, but she's precisely sure of how much she loves him. Here's an alleged twist. Rahul's lifelong best friend, Akshay (Saif Ali Khan), wants to marry Esha. So he sends Rahul to check Esha out. If Rahul approves of her, Akshay will marry her. So ho hum. Rahul and Esha meet, and have absolutely no idea who the other really is. Rahul realizes Esha is his secret love on her engagement night.

The dialogue is bad, and the film moves at a very slow pace. At the end of the day, you don't feel for the characters. The love story between Esha and Rahul isn't developed enough for you to cry along with them. Esha keeps telling those around her, "You won't understand." She's right. I don't understand either.

Esha Deol isn't too bad an actress. She may not be the typical Bollywood beauty, but she's quite a delight to watch after some time. Saif Ali Khan is fine, but I do wish they'd stop giving him playboy roles. Hrithik Roshan is good. Shah Rukh Khan has a serious competitor in him!

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001)

Pass me the kleenex.

[13 August 2002]

Just when you think Bollywood couldn't get more melodramatic, Karan Johar comes up with K3G.

I'll be honest. I can't stand this film. Characters cry at the drop of a hat. To give them credit, all the actors excel in their respective roles (even Kareena, who gives me severe headaches with her clothes). Special mention should be made to Kajol (love the accent!) and Hrithik Roshan (this dude is beginning to impress me!). They're the bright spots of this otherwise damp (from all the characters' tears) film.

Songs are great, and so is the choreography. Check out Suraj Hua Madham. Not since Dil Se has a song captured my attention in this manner.

A lot of references are made to Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. I say, get a life and move ahead. We can do without the whole KKHH hangover. In fact, if you look closely, you'll see that K3G is really KKHH recycled. I mean, check this out.

KKHH: Little Anjali goes about trying to reunite Rahul and Big Anjali. Lots of tears shed. Touchy-feely reunion scene. Everyone cries happily in the end. K3G: Rohan (Hrithik Roshan) goes about trying to reunite Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan) and their Dad (Amitabh Bachhan). Lots of tears shed. Touchy-feely reunion scene. Everyone cries happily in the end.

If Bollywood keeps offering us films like this, I'll cry too (not happily). Pass me the Kleenex!

Daman: A Victim of Marital Violence (2001)

GREAT, though could have been better.

[4/10 · 25 September 2001]

If you read the tagline alone, you'll think this story revolves around the subject of marital rape, which would have made for an interesting plot. But Daman is more about Durga's (Raveena) life after marriage. Her husband, Sanjay (Sayaji Shinde) is unfortunately a psycho type who abuses her. She seeks solace in her brother-in-law, Sunil (Sanjay Suri). It's implied that they secretly love each other. Nothing develops, but it does help to provide the necessary tension. Some people I know think they should have made the two express their love for each other so Durga will have someone to walk into the sunset with at the end. But that's one of the reasons why Daman shines. It doesn't cater to the norm. Kalpana Lajmi has made this film by her own standards and that's to be applauded. However, Shaan's presence was unnecessary. It's pretty obvious that he's in the film only to give a breather of sorts. The film could have done without the little love story between Shaan and Reema Sen.

The film is told in flashback sequences and that's also beautifully done. But I still feel that the marital rape topic should have been the dominant issue, especially since the tagline mentions it. Daman, however, focuses only on Durga's trials and tribulations as a married Indian woman who has to listen to her husband. It talks of how the Indian society still gives second billings to women and how Durga tries her best to live with that.

Raveena's performance should be mentioned. Anyone who's not convinced of her acting prowess should watch Daman. Sayaji Shinde is like a clown. He's not as scary as say, Ashutosh Rana in Dushman or Shah Rukh Khan in Darr. Shinde makes me laugh instead. Sanjay Suri is also worth watching. He's a natural. Other characters in the film come and go. None are developed enough. You're left wondering why some characters do the things they do, where they come from, etc.

The songs aren't as hummable as the usual Bollywood numbers, but they're easy on the ears and will grow on you.

On the whole, Daman is unique and worth a watch if you're tired of the usual masala movies you've been subjected to. It's also worth watching if you want to see Raveena at her very best. But there are the few loopholes which you wish had been fixed.

Return to Pontianak (2001)

A disgrace to real pontianaks!

[1/10 · 24 August 2001]

The Pontianak is perhaps the scariest ghoul in Singapore & Malaysia. Many black and white Malay films have been made in its honor and none of them comes close to being scary. Not that you expect them to be scary. Filmmakers back in the 60s had no special effects to scare a 90s filmgoer like myself. Which was why I truly looked forward to Djinn's Return to Pontianak. Yet, I was horribly disappointed.

The plot is very weak. An American-Asian woman has been having dreams of her birth mother. With the help of some others, she ventures into some Malaysian-Borneo jungles, where they get lost and encounter a mysterious girl. The filming is done in a very Blair Witch manner, but it doesn't work for this particular story. When you speak of the Pontianak, whose very name is taboo among the superstitious, you expect to be scared silly, but this film will probably irk its viewers. For one, it's too draggy. After a while, you'll start screaming for a view of the Pontianak. The bad acting doesn't help and when she finally appears, the Pontianak looks more like a pretty beggar. And WHAT is she doing wandering about in broad daylight?? Everyone knows Malay ghosts come out only after dusk. Also there are only two "scare scenes" and they don't impress!

What's silliest, though, is Djinn's definition of a Pontianak. In reality, this demon is actually the spirit of a woman who died at childbirth. Period. According to Djinn, however, she's an undead who died at childbirth and is now controlled by a witch doctor. Huh??? The Pontianak is a lone ranger! She listens to no witch doctor, man! She lives in banyan trees (some say banana) and not at the base of some ugly hut!

Djinn needs to do more research and he should have focused more on the Pontianak instead of the irritating cast. Only Hiep Thi Le manages to please acting-wise. She's restrained and doesn't overact like the guy playing Raymond or that annoying girl playing Uzi. At the end of the day, when we watch a Pontianak film, we just want to see the Pontianak kill people. We want to see fangs and hear shrieky laughter. We want to shake in our little seats! And one last advice to Djinn, the next time you make a horror movie, please film it at night. Pontianaks just aren't fun in broad daylight!

Hello Brother (1999)

No Thanks Brother!

[1/10 · 24 August 2001]

A peon (Salman) discovers drugs in the package he's delivering for his boss. Being loyal, he informs the latter of this, only to realize that his beloved boss (Shakti Kapoor) is actually a drug lord. To guard his dark secret, Kapoor kills Salman. His heart is donated to a police officer who was shot in an encounter(Arbaaz Khan). He thus returns as a ghost and haunts Arbaaz, so the latter can help bring his murderer to justice.

The plot sounds promising enough, but due to too much slapstick humor, bad scripting and bad directing, Hello Brother fails to impress. Fairly good acting by Rani and Arbaaz, but Salman irritates to the core. He keeps on rambling in a high-pitched voice! God, tell him to stop already.

The songs aren't too bad, but Teri Chunariya sounds highly similar to Odh Li Chunariya from Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya. For some reason, Rani doesn't look as gorgeous as she normally does, in this film. I guess it's just the bad script getting to her.

Mela (2000)

Not Worth a Mela!

[3/10 · 24 August 2001]

You'd think that with hits like Raja Hindustani and Lootere in his bag, Dharmesh Dharshan would have a good entertainer in Mela. Not! Mela is really Sholay revisited. Sad to say, it doesn't even come close to Sholay.

So we have Twinkle Khanna, the village belle. Her brother (Ayub Khan) and best friend (Omkar Kapoor) are killed by the evil Gujjar (Tinnu Verma). She swears revenge against the latter. A series of events land her together with Kishen (Aamir Khan) and Shankar (Faisal Khan), whose help she enlists in her fight against Gujjar.

Twinkle truly brings to life the phrase damsel in distress to life! If she's not getting raped, she's plunging down waterfalls and being chased around by Gujjar's men. How she manages to find time to sing God-awful songs is beyond me. She's a truly drastic change from Darshan's usual heroines of substance. And having someone dub over her lines is the worst idea ever. Instead od sounding authentic, it sounds TERRIBLE, like she's overacting! Faisal Khan is a good looker, but it's hard to tell if he can act well. His role is pretty much like his previous one in Madhosh - the silent, stoic type. Aamir, as usual, is in his element as the playful Kishen. If not for him, this film would be lousier than it already is.

None of the songs are worth mentioning. The only one's that pseudo-decent is Dhadkan Mein Tum and that too, is a rip-off the background music of Ramesh Sippy's Andaz. Is Anu Malik THAT desperate?? Twinkle's outfits are awful, by the way! I may be a diehard fan of Aamir Khan, but there's no denying that Mela isn't worth celebrating.

Darr (1993)

C...c...c...cool!

[10/10 · 24 August 2001]

So many times, Bollywood has tried to remake Hollywood hits, only to produce total duds. Mercifully, Yash Chopra's interpretation of "Sleeping with the Enemy" is an extremely stylish and well-made films.

Shah Rukh Khan is obsessed with Juhi Chawla (who's looking her very best in here!). When he realizes that Juhi has a fiance in Sunny Deol, he stops at nothing to make sure she becomes his.

Every frame of this film is a delight to watch. Whether it's Shah Rukh chanting his trademark "I love you, K...k...k...kiran!" or the feel-good mushy scenes between Sunny and Juhi (who make a perfect match), you won't feel like leaving your eat in boredom.

Each and every song on the soundtrack is ear pleasing, especially Jaadu Teri Nazar and Tu Mere Samne. Like I said, Juhi looks like a Goddess in this film. Darr may not be SRK's best film (that honor goes to Baazigar), but it definitely figures as one of his most flawless performances! Sunny is OK. He's done similar roles before, but he's good.

Overall, Darr is g...g...g...great! ;)

Grahan (2001)

Doesn't live up to expectations.

[4/10 · 17 August 2001]

I have to admit that I was really looking forward to Grahan's release. The basic plot sounds good enough. Parvati (Manisha Koirala) is raped by some Chief Minister's son. He doesn't let her go until all her wounds are healed. When she does get away, she lodges a report against him, only to have his lawyer (Jackie Shroff) accuse her of being a whore. The CM's son gets away scot free while she's rejected by her fiance's family. What happens to her next is what form the basis of this film. This film had the potential to be a hit, but it focused too much on Manisha's "madness", thus neglecting her actual trauma. Her behaviour is unlike that of a rape victim. I wish the makers of this film had actually done some research before venturing to make this film. The songs really seem out of place and they're highly mediocre. Tamil films' Raghuravan is utterly waster in the role as Jackie's brother. This guy is too good an actor. They should have given his role more depth. Come to think of it, none of the characters are developed enough for the audience to relate to. I couldn't even sympathise with Parvati.

Grahan is a "could-have-been" kind of film. Watch it only for Manisha's acting.

Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye (2000)

It pains me to watch this *SPOILERS*

[3/10 · 17 August 2001]

When I read the reviews of Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye, I thought, "Huh?". It was THAT confusing. To be sure, I went to watch the film and what do you know? It's a remake of "The Wedding Singer". Several scenes have been changed to suit the whole essence of Indianness, but the rest of it is a direct lift from the 1998 Hollywood hit. Bollywood is no stranger to remakes, but this is one so poor that it pains me just to watch it. I groaned so much watching this and I realized I wasn't the only one doing so! One guy actually walked out of the theater and never came back! Salman Khan should seriously stop doing comedy roles. He shrieks and whines too much. Why can't he just take it easy? He doesn't do justice to the role originally acted out by Adam Sandler. He doesn't have Sandler's sense of comic timing. Rani is a wonderful actress and one of my favorites, but she's no Drew Barrymore either. The scene where she stands in front of a mirror practicing to say her new surname ("Hi, I'm Mrs Pugalia") doesn't match up to Barrymore's version ("Hi, I'm Mrs Julia Gulia"). I felt embarrassed watching that scene, even though I had loved the original. The music is not too bad. It's probably the only saving grace of this otherwise horrible film! Avoid this at all cost!

Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (2001)

Good enough for me. *ONE SPOILER*

[17 August 2001]

The plot is fine enough, but let's admit that surrogate mothers type of stories has been done to death. So it's really fortunate that this film has terrific performances to bank on. There's no questioning Preity and Rani's capabilities. They're among Bollywood's best performers and they certainly help to liven up CCCC. Surprise, surprise, Salman comes with a good performance himself. His restrained acting is a fresh change (for the better!). For once, he doesn't take his shirt off and I thank God for that. It would have done damaged to the film. One thing I like about CCCC is that it doesn't drag. It comes straight to the point. Rani and Salman's courtship is short and sweet. They don't take ages to introduce Preity's character. And I especially love the scene where a pregnant Rani dances in her room. There are subtle suggestions of impending doom and I truly commend directors Abbas-Mustan for executing that particular scene with style! All said and done, CCCC makes for good entertainment and hopefully, Rani and Preity will get Filmfare Award nominations (if not the Awards themselves) for their roles.

Mohabbatein (2000)

Massive Disappointment!

[17 August 2001]

Too much hype was made about this film and I'm sorry to say that it falls flat on its face in the end. It's draggy and you can't help thinking, "Cut the crap and get to the point". But the problem is, there is no point! It forces its tagline down your throat. "Some love stories live on forever", it insists. That's sweet and all, but there are better ways to show that than this film!

There are too many people in the cast. Kim Sharma is highly irritating. Her acting's unconvincing and her outfits are a disgrace! Shamita Shetty shows more of her body than her acting skills. Preeti Jhangiani is fine. The three young men show more promise, but I do wish their characters had shown more interest in their studies. They're way too carefree for students of a highly respected and strict school (or so we're told). SRK is well...SRK. He's doing nothing new in Mohabbatein. I personally feel that the role of Narayan Shankar is too elusive. There are many doubts with regard to his character, but Amitabh is perhaps the only ray of light in this otherwise clouded movie.

The music is melodious, especially "Humko Humise Churalo" and "Rhythms of Mohabbatein".

If I have any praise for this film, it's only for the music. Otherwise, it's a MAJOR disappointment and I have no doubts that it did well only because it a) is a YashRaj production b) has good music c) brings SRK and AB together

Sorry folks, but these Mohabbatein won't live on forever.

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999)

A Gem To Help Catapult the Hindi Film Industry

[9/10 · 17 August 2001]

HDDCS must have come straight from Sanjay Leela Bhansali's heart. Each and every scene is well-executed. It's a little unrealistic to have the husband help find the wife's lover, but movies have that little license to stretch the truth and I suggest we just let loose once in a while. Aishwarya Rai has been presented more beautifully than she already is. It's so ironic that she was once written off as wooden because she truly shines in this film. Her emotional scenes are a delight to watch. Even when she's not speaking, she communicates with her eyes, which is lovely. Even Salman Khan acts FAIRLY well in here. You can't tell when he's crying or laughing, but every time he irritates you, just turn to Ash for solace. Ajay Devgan does what he's best at. The romantic, silent hero. Hey, he's good at it, so I have no complaints.

The sceneries are beautiful. There's not a song on the soundtrack which I don't like. Chand Chupa Badal and the title song are especially beautiful. The choreography is superb. The "Tadap Tadap" scene is perhaps one of the best I've ever come across. I confess. I actually cried during that song. :P The characters are so well-etched that you really don't know who to root for. You want Salman to get the girl, but you feel for Ajay, too.

Bhansali is an artistic genius. He has surpassed his previous film (Khamoshi) with this flick. Can't wait for his Devdas.

Akele Hum Akele Tum (1995)

Sensitive and Beautiful *Possible Spoilers*

[10/10 · 17 August 2001]

A remake of "Kramer vs Kramer", AHAT tells the story of Rohit and Kiran, a couple drawn together by their strong ambitions of wanting to be singers. Despite protests from Kiran's grouchy parents, the two get married. As Rohit is busy pursuing his dreams, Kiran feels that she's being given a raw deal, stuck at home with household chores and their only son, Sunil. Tempers flare and before you know it, she walks out on Rohit and Sunil. The rest of the film is really about how each survive after that, with the couple both wanting custody of Sunil. Let it be known that this is a tearjerker, with scenes that will surely bring a lump to your throat. There are many tender moments between Rohit and Sunil. Kiran comes across as being rather selfish at times, but watch closely and you'll realize her pain, too. The music is passable, but the treatment given to the film is stylish. I wonder why it flopped. Perhaps the Indian audience is simply not ready for a mature love story.

Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994)

Definitely worth a watch.

[17 August 2001]

I'm not a fan of Salman Khan, but this is one film I'm glad I didn't give a miss. Great music, great acting and a simple storyline to tug at your heartstrings. The chemistry between Madhuri and Salman is remarkable. Look out for remarkable family/wedding scenes, which many other films have tried to ape in vain. Definitely worth a watch.

Baazigar (1993)

One of SRK's Best Performances

[10/10 · 17 August 2001]

If I had to recommend just one Shah Rukh Khan film, this will be the one. Baazigar is a story of revenge - a thriller romance. Ajay Sharma's family is betrayed by the villainous Madan Chopra. Subsequent events lead to his father and sister dying on the same night (the latter, in his arms). His mother is so traumatised she loses her mind. Ajay's anger and thirst for revenge is justified. As an adult, he plots Chopra's downfall and Chopra's two daughters are his tools. SRK is so convincing you forget he's not really Ajay. Some of the scenes make you grab your seat and go "Wow". Kajol is, as usual, a dynamic performer. Shilpa is OK. Johnny Lever must be one of the few people who can crack jokes in a serious film and not make you tear your hair out in frustration. His Babu Lal is an effective comic relief.

The songs are not too bad. If you've heard Anu Malik's previous songs, you'll realize that Baazigar has a number of rehashed tracks. Typical of Anu Malik, no? Overall, this film deserves at least an 8. I don't understand why its rating is low in here.