kapil_chandana Reviews

Chashme Baddoor (2013)

Baddoor Cannot Be Buddoor

[4/10 · 25 April 2014]

Sir, is this your idea of remaking a film that you admire? Sir, you cannot just discard the film's soul, which had made it into a coveted entry in the library of Indian cinema, and just process the skin. Sai Pranjpe's Chashme Buddoor wasn't just a comedy, it was an ode to the vagaries of the city's lifestyle. It was a brilliant character study filled with memorable moments. Making your film "badder" (the cue in the title) to match the modern bad world, without backing it up with anything substantial, hardly counts.

The new Omi's rhymes fall flat compared to Rakesh Bedi's poetry. As stand-alone movie too, it fails to impress. Ram Gopal Varma made the same mistake with Aag, though your effort isn't horrendous like RGV's, it still comes across empty. Why attempt something if cannot raise or at least match the bar? Some shoes are hard to fill.

Dhoom 3 (2013)

Taare Motorcycle Par

[10/10 · 9 April 2014]

Indian film producers are often trapped in their own insecurities but you have to give credit to Aditya Chopra for not getting defensive. Of course there are certain basic restrictions for a Dhoom film, but he makes sure that we get yet another Dhoom spectacle without rendering itself derivative. If the first two Dhoom films were entertaining, this one ups the ante in every department.

When one shoots unbelievable, larger than life action scenes, the director's skill is tested the most. Because ordinary direction can make it look ridiculous, but "Victor" Vijay Acharya is a talented director, an artist in a way. He makes sure that extraordinary stunts are done with aesthetics.

If Dhoom 2 was a fun-filled heist-cum-romantic film, Dhoom 3 is high on emotions, thrills and suspense. It has one of the best twists in Hindi cinema. There is no heist shown in the film. Much like the very first Dhoom featuring John Abraham, the emphasis is on escapes. Like the foremost Dhoom, motorbikes make a full return to the Dhoom series. The songs are good, if not great. The new version of Dhoom song is as good as the previous Dhoom songs, which is a good thing. Malang's picturisation is good and it could have been better.

The performance are good from everyone. I wish Ali had more individuality this time. Here he is more like Jai Dixit's shadow assistant. Aamir Khan delivers another memorable performance. He called it his most difficult role ever and one can see why. His energy, expressions and versatility is apparent. This is a role in which he shines not only as a brilliant actor but also as a charismatic star. Versatility, whether it is in his acting or his filmography, is the key.

Chak De! India (2007)

Simple life, simple times

[8/10 · 9 April 2014]

I was there when it released. To be honest, I was expecting a good film with expected Hindi film touches but it turned out surprisingly even better experience. I loved the fact there was no need to add a romantic sub-plot involving SRK, since a typical Hindi movie is considered incomplete without the lead actor falling in love.

It is a simple story told skillfully by Shimit Amin and Jaideep Saini with SRK's one of the most memorable performances. Among the girls, 3-4 girls get most of the attention. I wish we had been told more about the other girls like Gul Iqbal but then such compromises have to be made to keep the film's length in check. The hockey matches are filmed very well without any sensationalisation. There is no hate or jingoism. At the end, you walk home with a feeling of triumph, the triumph of an underdog.