Movies:Best of 2011

If you thought Hindi Cinema was just about love stories and dancing around trees, then the releases of 2011, will definitely force you to think again. The year brought on celluloid some brilliant stories and showcased the gamut of talent we have. I would call it the "coming of age" year of sorts - where some movies with thier content, acting, cinematography and graphics competed with Hollywood. Also, 2011 marked the debut of 3D Bollywood films! Here is a list of the top 10 movies of 2011 in the order they were released.

No One Killed Jessica:Inspired by the infamous Jessica Lal murder case of Delhi, this film stars Vidya Balan and Rani Mukherjee in lead roles. Vidya plays Jessica’s sister and Rani portrays a fearless reporter who wants justice. This docu-drama is sensible, sensitive,in your face and thought provoking. 

Click here to read complete review

Tanu Weds Manu: Rustic and bucolic in its feel, this rom-com is lighthearted with the right amount of drama,action and one-liners. Even though the audience has a clear idea on how the movie will end, it still keeps the audience engrossed,entertained and amused.You will fall in love with this one.

Click here to read complete review

Pyaar ka Punchnama: It is battle of the sexes in this young, hip movie which stars a host of new faces portraying a variety of identifiable characters. It explores the clichés attached to the genders or gender type-casting in its storyline. Pyaar Ka Punchnama was the surprise package of the year and a definite must watch for the youth!!

Zindagi Naa Milegi Dobara: Watch three friends embark on an once-in-a-lifetime journey to Spain - indulging in some extreme sports while there.Fresh, Fun, Full of witty one-line breathe fresh air to the age old "sseize the moment" philosophy depicted in this movie. The films has Hrithik Roshan,Abhay Deol, Farhan Akhtar and Katrina Kaif in the leads and has some breathtaking cinematography.

Click here to read complete review

Singham: If action-comedy is your forte, then the Tamil remake Singham does the trick. Ajay Devgn plays the though cop unafraid to do some breathtaking stunts and Prakash Raj does justice as the egoistic comic-villain. The storyline is tight and plays up village ethics and value systems as apposed to the convoluted city ideals. Unlike recent remakes, it does not have boorish language nor any gruesome violence sequences - giving it a mass appeal. 

Click here to read complete review

Ra.One: is Bollywood's first full fledged sci-fi adventure flick. It marks the onset of India’s new superhero G.One played by none other than Shahrukh Khan. Kareena Kapoor plays the "Chammak Challo" and Arjun Rampal plays the Raavan aka Ra.One. Released during Diwali time, it has an apt story of restoring the reign of good over evil in the world.The film has three versions -Tamil, Telegu and Hindi. Available in 3D

Click here to read complete review

Desi Boyz: join this mad comedy ride with the two hunks - Akshay Kumar and John Abrahim who take to being male escorts in London, when hit by recession. Add Deepika Padukone and Chitrangna Singh to the equation and the mercury starts soaring. Desi Boyz is perhaps the best comedy flick of the year directed by David Dhawan's son Rohit Dhawan.

Click here to read complete review

Bodyguard: starring noneother than Salmaan Khan as the Bodyguard of Kareena Kapoor this is an action-comedy. Salmaan returns after Ready in top form with some memorable one-liners. The storyline has something new to offer and the chemistry between the protagonists is smoking hot!
Click here to read complete review

The Dirty Picture: Film is the biographical account of southern siren Silk Smitha. Her rise to stardom and her ultimate tragic downfall.Viday Balan's unapologetic portrayal of the sex-symbol is commendable. The Dirty Picture has it all - plunging necklines, dumpy hemlines, crassness aglore. However the intentional indecency is supported by a decent, touching storyline so the skin-show doesn't come across as sheer shameless sleaze.Click here to read complete review 

Don-2: Stylish in its look, this action-thriller sequel takes the story forward of the indisputable Don played by none other than Shahrukh Khan. Lara Dutta and Priyanka Chopra add oodles of Oomph to the movie.Witty dialogues, stunning locales, greedy henchmen and some gut wrenching stunts are the USP of the film along with the ruthless, greedy Don. Available in 3D.

Other films which deserve a special mention are the films  Ready which along with Bodyguard set the box office ringing, starring one of the most bankable stars of the industry Salmaan Khan. An art house film which made its way to commercial audience and won appreciation was Aamir Khan's Dhobi Ghat. Ranbir Kapoor proved he is rightfully the heir of Raj Kapoor in his acting talent as showcased in the film Rockstar. If you are a die hard Amitabh Bachchan fan then watch him spoof his own movies in the light hearted action-comedy flick Bhuddah hoga..tera Baap. What a year 2011 has been, with these movies, its a wrap!

Agneepath: Chikni Chameli

After "Sheila Ki Jawani", Katrina Kaif now returns to the screen as "Chikni  Chameli" in a marathi mulgi avatar. The song sung by Shreya Ghoshal is an item number from Karan Johar's upcoming flick Agneepath. The remake stars Hrithik Roshan as the memorable Vijay Dinanath Chauhan aswell as Priyanka Chopra and Sanjay Dutt. The song "Chikni Chamali" is the hindi version of the popular marathi number Kombadi Palali from the film Jatra. No surprises here as the music directors for both films are the duo Ajay-Atul.

Agneepath is due to release on January 26th, 2012, Katrina's item number will definitely turn up the heat this winter! Check out official preview below:

Don 2: Mujhko Pehchaan Lo

Review: Dirty Picture

Verdict: Good
"K" Rating: 3.2 [in its genre]

Watch: DVD

If the boorish,in-your-face trailers of this movie left you astounded, then the movie will leave you gasping for air. Known for her raunchy movies, Ekta Kapoor's latest outing The Dirty Picture has it all - plunging necklines, dumpy hemlines, crassness aglore. However the intentional indecency is supported by a decent, touching storyline so the skin-show doesn't come across as sheer shameless sleaze. Infact the story and the subject kind of justify the rest.

The Dirty Picture is the biographical account of southern siren Silk Smitha. Her rise to stardom and her ultimate tragic downfall.A trend setter in the movie making business who turned even flop films into cash cows but faced the wrath of the so called keepers of moral police. She was condemed and denigrated by the very people who gave her the very work. The flick falters in the ending - the "downfall" seemed to be a bit hurried, also the sequence of Silk seeing her reflection and "waking" up to reality reminds one of the flick Fashion. Rajat Arora's dramatic dialogues and witty one-liners are impactful and also sprinkle plenty of humor. Dirty Picture spoofs heavily on the southern film industry. 

Hats of to director Milan Lutharia for setting his film in an era [the 80's] in an environment [South Film Industry] completely foreign to today's audience. Everything from the fashion to the flab - alien in today's times, has been dished out for the audience.Music by Vishal Shekhar is apt for the film as it recreates era beautifully.Bappi Lahari's "Oh lala" complements the item numbers and is well contrasted with the soft soulful "Ishq Sufiana".

Vidya Balan's sheer audacity in portraying a sex-symbol with an unapologetic attitude is commendable. Its a risk which her contemporaries would think thrice before undertaking as it could backfire tarnishing her image. She stuns the audience and critics as she dawns the avatar of "Silk" to the hilt.  The male ensemble caste stands firm on its own ground. Naseeruddin Shah is convincing as the aging, south superstar. Tushar Kapoor is comic. Emran Hashmi as the archetypal serious director brings class and morality to the movie. 

This movie is not for the faint hearted nor the family audience[A certificate] but definitely for those who go for shock value. We would categorize it right up there with Dev D. Look beyond the packaging and you'll find a thought provoking story.

Promo: Ek Mein Aur Ekk Tu

Watch the trailer of Dharma Production's upcoming romcom "Ek Mein Aur Ekk Tu". Shot extensively in the sin city Las Vegas it boasts the fresh pairing of Kareena Kapoor and Imraan Khan. Ek Mein Aur Ekk Tu releases worldwide Valentines Day, 2012.

Don 2: Music Video

Check out the latest promotional music video of upcoming flick Don 2. Here Shahrukh & Priyanka Chopra are seen flirting with Blue. SRK tweeted "Having fun shooting Don2 song...its so heartwarming to be with the ppl who lov u as they work. Thanx Vaibhavi Farhan & Bose..feel happy to shoot". He went on to add "Having a great time inspite of knee pain...the combo of Girl...Gaana and Gun...all ingredients Don loves. D2 with 3Gs..".  Check out the video!

Don-2 : Don Says #7

"Mujhe Andera pasand hai, tumhare aanewale kal ki yaad dilata hai"

Don-2 : Don Says #6

Catch the evil streak of Don, with his latest dialgue which marks our Don Says #6 - "Don aadmi ka naam bhool sakta hai, lekin yeh nahi bhulega - ki usse dafnaya kahan hai".

Review: Desi Boyz

Verdict: Great Entertainer
"K" Rating: 3.5

Watch: Theater/DVD

 The film released in overseas markers like USA on Wednesday, November 23rd due to Thanksgiving Holiday. In India it will release on Friday November 25th.

With comedy in his genes son of veteran directory David Dhawan's son Rohit Dhawan makes his directorial debut with Desi Boyz. This flick is unlike recently comedy flicks which have thread bare story lines and just hang on one-liners with a nonsensical ending. Desi Boyz is a great entertainer with good comic timings, funny dialogues and a simple storyline.

Akshay Kumar is in top form - the king of comedy has returned with this movie. John Abraham is great as usual. After Garam Masala [2005] it is a treat to see these actors return together and light the screen on fire. Deepika Padukone looks gorgeous along with stunning Chitrangda Singh. Anupam Kher, Monish Bhel, Omi Vaidya and Sanjay Dutt are befitting in their respective roles.

Story by Rohit Dhawan revolves around two friends who get hit by recession in UK and take to being male escorts. The sweet, innocent and mad ride which follows suit forms a hilarious tale. Telepathic conversations between John and Akshay are gelastic and augment their chemistry. It has some cliched characters and situations however overall it still offers novelty interms of concept. The ending of the film seems loose ended and makes way for a sequel. Cinematography by Nirajan is great with beautiful backdrops of London. Styling of the film is very hep by ace designer Manish Malhotra.

Music by Pritam is good. Certain songs bear strong resemblance to others, case in point "Jhak mar ke" reminds one of "Uden jab jab zulfein" from the 1957 film Naya Daur. Apart from that - "Allah Maaf kare" , "Subh Hone Na De", "Title track-Desi Boyz" are exceptional and already chart favorites.

Make time this holiday season to be entertained by these Desi Boyz who bring the house down.

Don-2 : Don Says #5

"Kisne kaha ki chamatkar nahi hote......zara mujhe kareeb se dekho..".


We could'nt agree more SRK! You are a "Chamakar" rising to such stardom.

Don 2: Trailer 3

Check out the latest poster of SRK's upcoming flick Don-2 which he tweeted along with the comment "my dream poster.when I joined the films dis is the pose i always wanted to do. Guy...Girl..& a Gun. Yay!!"
Also, the latest trailer of the movie with Usha Utthup's vocals...

Review: Rockstar

Verdict: eh..OK
"K" Rating: 2.8

Watch: Theater/DVD*

Imtiaz Ali's fourth outing as a filmmaker is the modern visual interpretation of Rumi's poem "Out beyond ideas of wrong doing and right doing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there."  It could be also called the heavy metal Devdas film.


Rockstar is a story of a middle class man Janardhan, who in order to be a "Rockstar" searches for a heartbreak but ends up with a smouldering soul.A confused upper middle class girl -Heer, who has to choose between what is right and what her heart desires.A Story of money hungry, ruthless entertainment business sharks, news crazed journalists.It is a love story - about pain and anguish, of ultimately of finding peace within. 

The screenplay is very loose and scattered - thouought the first half the audience has to piece together the sequence of events. The story itself has nothing "new" to offer, it isn't something we have not seen/heard of before however the treatment is novel and interesting. The movie could have been shorter and wears off the audience with its length. Rockstar has a stunning canvas with cinematography of the majestic snow capped Himalayas, Prague and world stages like the 02 arena in London. 

Music by the maestro A R Rehan is good. The album has some heavy metal, rock numbers like "Sadda Haq" to Sufi number "Kun Faaa Kun" to heart warming soft romantic songs like "Tum Ko" and "Aur Ho". 

Rockstar marks the debut of American-Czech model Nargis Fakri - her acting is decent and she looks her part of a Kashmiri girl perfectly, however her accented Hindi doesn't go unnoticed. The film has the last screen presence of Shammi Kapoor. It is a treat to see him onscreen as a Shanai Maestro along with Ranbir Kapoor. Ranbir's ode to Shammi Kapoor's Kashmir Ki Kali is beautiful. Rockstar showcases the metamorphoses of Ranbir Kapoor as a brilliant actor and performer. He definitely proves that acting is in his blood.

Overall, the movie did not live up to the hype it created. However worth a watch if you have the time. Theater - if you enjoy heavy metal otherwise wait for it to come on DVD.

Don-2 : Don Says #4

Here is the Fourth installment of "Don Says Series"...check out the new dialogue promo:

"Mujhe Logoan Ka Khoon Ka Koi Shokh Nahi, Vohi Mujhe Majboor Karte Hain"

G.One, Ra.One, F.One & Lady Gaga

It was F1, G.1 & Ra.1 in Greater Noida this past Sunday at the Inaugural Formula One Grand Pix. Adding to the international glamour quotient was Lady Gaga's performance at the after party. The Lady enthralled her "little monsters" as she lovingly calls her fans. The fashionista tweeted "Screw Hollywood. Its about Bollywood". King Khan's daughter Suhana is a big Lady Gaga fan, SRK tweeted "Lady Gaga is all heart & soul.gave me her glasses for my daughter.yippee..brownie points unlimited." 

As seen in this picture: G.One, Lady.Gaga & Ra.One

Don-2 : Don Says #3

Check our third installment of "Don Says" aka one of the many catch phrases/dialogues from King Khan's upcoming flick Don-2.


"Takat ek nasha hai, aur mein uss nasha banane wali factory ka eklota malik hoon"

Ra.One: The Review

Verdict: Phenomenon
"K" Rating: 4.5
"SRK" Rating: 5/5
Watch: Theater 

Ladies and Gentleman, more importantly boys and girls - get ready for the neo-age Ra.One to lightup the theater near you and do a dhamaka at the box office this Diwali. An apt story of restoring the reign of good over evil in a world where we fight mythical demons mostly in video games on our PS3 & Wiis.

Ra.One has set a new standard for Hindi Cinema. It is a visual treat for the audience in terms of the VFX and action sequences which are of International standards. Ra.One is a sci-fi movie which creates a new Indian superhero - G.ONE [ the Good One or Jeevan]. What works for the film is that camouflaged in the western look it is a very Indian film. The  core emotions and feel is very Bollywood minus the so called "dancing around trees". 

Ensemble cast of the film befits the characters very well - Kareena Kapoor looks stunning as the Chammak challo and portrays a gamut of emotions exceptionally well. Arjun Rampal as Ra.One [Raavan] looks the part with his shaven head, cape and ripped body adorned with tattoos. Armaan as the geek school boy obsessed with video games is great.Shahrukh Khan has never looked better than in the G.One Superhero avatar. It is not the run of the mill SRK romantic movie one might expect, after MNIK [My Name Is Khan]  this is yet another feather in his cap. 

Storyline is essentially a father-son story with a tight screenplay. The plot revolves around a stereotypical south Indian geek dad who wants to make friends and be a hero for his Brit-Indian adolescent gamer son. Trying to achieve this, he designs a video game which is when all hell brakes loose.

First 10 minutes of the movie might bewilder the movie goers as one is inside a video game [ likes of Lord of the Rings & World of War Craft] but fortunately for the audience the characters come out in our world. The first hour of the movie builds the base but tends to be slow, satirical but picks up pace soon enough.The movie spoofs on all - Bruce Lee, Michael Jackson, Kalnayak, Robot, SRK's own dialogues and ofcourse the stereotypical South Indians.

Music by Vishal-Shekhar is fantastic - collaboration with International singer like Akon has add a distinct flavour to Chammak Challo [ 5 versions in the album] and Criminal - which are a hit already. Soulful numbers like Dildara prove to be savory. There are couple of instrumental numbers which form the theme of  Ra.One - one which stands out is composed/conducted by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. 

All in all, Ra.One is sci-fi family adventure flick which will entertain the younger audience to the hilt. Kudos to Red Chillies and SRK for bringing a Hollywood like Superhero to Indian screen with the right amount of desi tadka.

Don 2: Trailer 2

The trailer two is out for DON -2, whose promotions are starting to pick up with 2 months left for release. The King is back with all the dialogues. Check out this one for a more indepth look at the flick. Seems Vardhan [Boman Irani] & Don [SRK] team up in Berlin for a mission in this one. 

Don-2 : Dialogue Exlusive

Indian Don's have always been known for their Dialogues - Don ko Pakdna mushkil he nahi na mumkin hai to Don ke dushman ki sabse badi galti yeh hai ki voh Don ka dushman hai.  The sequel to SRK starer Don is no exception - here Don promises to be more stylish, suave, evil with this own set of repartee. Check out one of his aboriginal dialogue from the upcoming film.

RaOne: Raftaarein Hain

The marketing genius has done it again.Shahrukh Khan is leaving no stone unturned for the promotions of his upcoming film Ra.One. SRK today launched a music video "Raftaarein" which captures the spirit of Team.One aka the making of Ra.One. Check it out:

Ra.One: Promo Criminal Song

For all those awaiting the second AKON song for the film Ra.One, here is the promo! Check it out!

Review: Mausam

Verdict: eh..let down
"K" Rating: 2.2

Watch: Theater/DVD

Mausam is a love story of a Punjabi boy Harry and an Kashmiri Pandit  girl Aayat which spans 3 continents over 7 years. A journey from the first crush of a village boy to the mature longing of an Air force pilot. Mausam has an old world charm, elegance about it which is a little out of pace with today's audience. 

The film marks the directorial debut of Pankaj Kapoor, the story is penned by him aswell. Pankaj Kapoor is an accomplished actor/comedian and we hope after this movie he sticks to just that. The storyline is flawed and weak, to the point actors potential seems wasted. Its a clear case of trying to stuff too much in the plot. Too many world events packed in the 7 year span, along with the extraneous last half hour makes the movie unnecessarily lengthy and dragging.  The characterization of Aayat from bilanes of Punjab, to Ballet classes in Scotland, back to Ahmadabad seems unrealistic.

Shahid Kapoor is brilliant in Mausam, he delivers a stellar performance and looks spectacular. He is THE reason to watch this film. It would not be an understatement to say he carries the movie forward on his shoulders. Sonam Kapoor surprises you with her capacity to portray a wide canvas of emotions with innocence. Anupam Kher is wasted in the film.

Music by Pritam is goes from some good soulful numbers, dance tracks to "less said the better" numbers. Two songs which stand out are "Sajh Dhaj Ke" and "Rabba Mein To Mar Gaya". 

Two big reasons to watch this movie are - Shahid Kapoor and the effulgent, picturesque cinematography  by Binod Pradhan. It does not live up the the hype it created but definitely worth a watch [at least on DVD].

The Chammak Challo's: Karishma & Kareena Kapoor

It seems the Kapoor sisters have a little more in common other than being famous actresses, having worked with same actors [ with all the four Khans- Aamir, Salmaan, Shahrukh and Saif!] and at times sharing clothes!  "Chammak Challo" song sung by Akon for the SRK starrer film Ra.One has Kareena looking fabulous. But did you know that didi Karishma Kapoor also has danced to the same song? [well not the same song, but a song with the same name] in the film Ajay with Sunny Deol? Check it out! Bollywood surely has come of age in terms of internationalization - from Kumar Sanu to Akon singing for these respective Hindi movies.Not to mention the look,feel,content and technology and yet at heart they still are very Indian.

Ra.One: Chammak Challo Lyrics!

This song by Akon from the forthcoming film Ra.One is already a hit on the charts. It comes in 5 flavors in the album, catering to all tastes. The full lyrics of the song can be found here:
http://www.top10bollywood.com/2011/05/chammak-challo-song-lyrics-from-raone.html

If you are wondering what Kareena Kapoor's lines in the song are, then look no further! Kareena is reciting a poem in Tamil, translated into English they go something like this:

"Unnai thottal unnullathai norukka maattiyo- If I touch you will it break your heart
Ennai pola pennai parthu mayanga maattiyo- If you see a girl like me will you fall for her
Kannil kannai pootti vittaal sirikka maattiyo - Will you smile if I lock eye with eye
Ennai unnil serththu vittaal ottikka maattiyo - If I stick myself to you, will you stick back to me.. "


Enjoy the song!
[Thanks to my Tamil friend for the translation]

RaOne: Official Music Launch

After much wait and hiccups the official launch of the music of Ra.One took place at FilmCity, Mumbai with all the cast & crew present. As a Bollywood director rightly puts it, "The album has everyone from AKON to ICONS!". The noteworthy songs of the album are - Chammak Challo [by AKON in a variety of flavours], Dildara [Vishal-Shekar's official take on Benny E.King's song Stand by Me], Criminal [by AKON again in a variety of flavors].  Music Cd's will be available in stores starting the 17th.

RaOne: Promo 3

Here is the latest promo of King Khan's upcoming superhero film Ra.One. It gives a little more insight on what to expect in the movie!

RaOne: SRK talks about Dildara

 A rare treat for all SRK fans...seeing 3 of him in one frame! No we are not talking about a triple role film he is doing, but about the promo of the song "Dildara" from the upcoming film Ra.One. The music is already creating a lot fo buzz. "Chammak Challo" sung by Akon and now we have "Dildara" based on "Stand By Me" by Ben.E.King for which rights were officially bought [ Bollywood Directors take note].

Ra.One: Poster 2

Shah Rukh Khan on WhoSay

RaOne: Dildara Song Promo

Much awaited second song promo of the upcoming superhero film Ra.One. SRK looks as fit & fabulous as ever. Check it out.

Review: Bodyguard

Verdict: Great!

"K" Rating: 3.0

Watch: Theater

Bodyguard is the Hindi remake of south superhit film of the same name, made earlier in Tamil/Telegu/Malyalam.Remake wise its a definite step up from the recent remakes.

The movie was falsely marketed as an action film - it is essentially a beautiful love story. The action sequences makeup only for about 0.5 hrs of the entire movie. Karishma Kapoor's voice over for Kareena adds interesting "tadka" to the screenplay. Kareena Kapoor is excellent in the movie and portrays a gamut of emotions skillfully. Salmaan - the more said, the little it is - he plays the role of the innocent, clear hearted yet strong Bodyguard to the hilt with plenty of style and panache. Hazel and Aditya Pancholi were a surprise onscreen.Katrina Kaif looks stunning and adds oodles of oomph to the title track, dancing with Salmaan.

What makes it Sizzle: the film works 3 big reasons:

1. Salman Khan - he looks better each day and in top form.

2. Amazing chemistry between Kareena & Salmaan - reminds one of the original romatic Salmaan.

   Scene with Kareena & Salmaan at the nightclub creates magic.

3. Kudos to the twist in the film - it adds a new spin to age old/predictable stories. We live in a real world where trust,honesty and integrity are becoming rare by the day. Siddique should be lauded for just attempting - we EOB, hope that other filmmakers also pay heed.

What makes it Fizzle:

1. It is a south remake - hence some sequences seem alien and humour unfit for the North audience - case in point Tsumani character.

2. Lack of realism - yes, there are parts in the inherent storyline which are very unrealistic. But we live in a world with movies like Golmaal/Dhamaal et al, hence can be forgiven in the larger picture.

Music by Himmesh Reshmmya is already ruling the charts. "Tere Meri" and "I Love You" are great.

Its a full on Hindi masala flick, watch to enjoy!

Promo: Rockstar

The promo of Imtiaz Ali's much awaited directorial venture with Ranbir Kapoor - RockStar is here! The story of  one man's journey to being a Rockstar, of meteoric rise and fall -all beginning with love.  Promo looks promising, newbie Nargis Fakri reminds one of Katrina Kaif's early days. Music by AR should be something to watch out for.

RaOne: Chammak Challo

Here is the 1:31 official Promo of the much awaited song Chammak Challo sung by Akon for King Khan's upcoming film RaOne.

Promo: Dirty Picture

Balaji Telefilm's film Dirty Picture is based on the south siren Silk Smitha. Soap Queen Ekta Kapoor better known for her Vamp & Values based TV Soaps, has Sleaze & S** as the USP for her films, gives her history [ LSD/ Rajini MMS/ Dirty Picture]. Witty Dialogues, Emraan Hashmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Tushar Kapoor and Vidya Balan make for a potential good watch- check out the naughty promo!

India's Most Desirable: Lady Gaga

Being a fan of Simi Grewal's talk shows, I was super excited when she returned to the television world with "Simi Selects India's Most Desirable". To me the show - novel to the Indian audience was about India's most eligible, thats why I raised my eyebrow when she announced the "Lady Gaga Special". I am not a big fan of Gaga and thought Simi was being opportunistic by jumping on Gaga's promotions for her impending India visit in October 2011. Having said, Simi's talk with Stepfani Germanotta on her journey to becoming Lady Gaga is moving. A girl at heart who has been wounded and not afraid to show who she is. Simi made me change my prescriptive on Lady Gaga by humanizing he.rLove her or Hate her - but can't just ignore her.This talk show makes it to my Must Watch interviews:

Review: Singham

Verdict: Great!

"K" Rating: 3.0

Watch: Theater

Singham - the hindi remake of the superhit Tamil film of the same name is a revelation.The film works as it is against the popular trend of south remakes of hard core action films. It does not have boorish language not any gruesome violence - making the film have a widespread appeal.

Singham does boast some over-the-top action sequences which defy laws of nature, and has some cheesy one-liners.l The storyline is tight and plays up village ethics and value systems as apposed to the convoluted city ideals. Language tends to be a problem as the movie as heavy usage Marathi - playing up the Maratha bravery image.

Prakash Jha is stellar as the egoistic comic villain. He never fails to deliver and surprise the audience going by his recent  line up of films.Aarti Aggarwal's role does not give her much scope to perform, however she looks beautiful and befits her character well.

Music by the Marathi duo Ajay-Atul complements the movie. Sheya Ghoshal's "Saathiya" and title track "Singham" are memorable. 

Overall this film has a mass appeal - it shall roar both in single screens and multiplexes, especially since no other movie is in sight for 2 weeks.Watch it - you'd be surprised, its a new take to action films.

Review: Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

Verdict: Great!
"K" Rating: 3.4
Watch: Theater

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (Zindagi...)is Fresh, Fun, Full of witty one-liners, has relate-able characters and situations which add to the "realism" of the film.Zoya Akhtar and Reema Katgi have breathed a fresh air to the age old "sseize the moment" philosophy via this movie.

It tells the story of three best friends on a bachelor trip across Spain, fulfilling a pact they had made long ago of each selecting an adventure sport and participating in it together. Friends on a journey of a lifetime with the stunning backdrop of Spain - find themselves and each other whilst letting go makes a rejuvenating watch. However on the downside, Zindagi.. misses out on the depth of characters as portrayed in its close relative Dil Chahta Hai. Nonetheless it has its own free spirited character, with the meandering pace of a road/travelogue movie. 

Farhan Akhtar,Hrithik Roshan and Abhay Deol - all are in full form, lighting the screen with their hot bodies, wit and on screen camaraderie. Katrina Kaif adds charm to her role but has little scope to perform.Kalki Koechlin befits her rule superbly and plays it to the hilt.Naseeruddin and Deepti Naval are a welcome delight onscreen.

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have done it again by accentuating the film with noteworthy music. "Ik Junon" is a memorable track along with "Senorita" sung by all 3 protagonists. Farhan's poetry adds depth of thought and soul to this flick.

Business wise it will do well in multiplex screens. It caters to the educated youth of today with urban sensibilities.To truly experience and savor Zindagi... catch it while it is running in a theater near you!

Promo: Don 2

Trailer for Don 2 is OUT!!! Looks like this will be a sequel to look forward too!Kyonki... "Don" ka intezaar to sare duniya kar rahe hai.........

Promo: Mere Brother Ki Dulhan

The theatrical trailer for the upcoming rom-com  Mere Brother Ki Dulhan is finally out!!Starring Imran Khan, Ali Zafar [Tere Bin Laden] as the "Brother" and Katrina Kaif in a gothic look as the "Dulhan". Check out this YRF flick!

Promo: Mausam

Starring Sahid Kapoor & Soonam Kapoor,  this "seasons" much hyped and talked about film's promo is out. This is Pankaj Kapoor's directorial debut  with his son, in a love story where Airforce  is the backdrop. Here is a the theatrical trailor!

Review: Bhuddah...Hoga Tera Baap

Verdict: Good!Fun!

"K" Rating: 3.5

Watch: Theater/DVD


Bhuddah...Hota Tera Baap, well certainly no one can say it as loud and clear as Mr. Amitabh Bachchan! In this film he is seen in top form - action, comedy, style, witty dialogues and oodles of attitude. As mentioned in the credits of the film, it is a tribute to Amitabh Bachchan from the 80's. The film revolves around him as he spoof's his own movies.

A Mumbai gangster Vijju (Big B) returns to the city from Paris on a secret mission. He has aged, but is in such top form that he can put the youngsters to shame. Thus this angry (old) man hates being called a "Bhuddah..". Add in a comic Villain (Prakash Raj) who is planting serial bombs and is out to kill the top cop ACP Karan (Sonu Sood) who has sworn to "clean up" the city. What follows next are punches, kicks, love, blasts, blows, bullets, awesome one liners and again love creating this funny action caper.Styling of Big B may catch you off guard as it is audaciously loud but it suits his character.

Vishal Shekhar's music accentuates the film very well, right from the title track to the medley tribute  Go Meera Go of Bachchan hit songs, to the soft soulful song Haal-e-Dil. Three songs out of the 4 are sung by Big B himself, it was nice to see him lipsync to Abhishek Bachchan in Go Meera Go. Raveena's item song "Chandigarh de star" is bit of a let down.

In a movie which has the towering presence of Amitabh, it takes a fine actor to hold their ground while sharing a screen space with the legend. Sonu Sood and Prakash Raj are such actors as they dazzle in their respective roles. Hema Malini suits her character. It was good to see Raveena back onscreen, but her role is half baked.

Grab your family and friends and head to the theater for this one. Whether you are a Bachchan fan or not, this is a fun watch if you love a good laugh Bollywood style.

Review: Ready

Verdict: Timepass

"K" Rating: 2.2

Watch: DVD/Theater

For this movie, you've got to ask yourself are YOU Ready for just watching Salmaan Khan?? *leaving your logic, verisimilitude outside the theater. If so, then get "Ready" for a full on comedy film with a healthy dose of drama and good music. Directed by Aneez Bazme, its a remake of a 2008 Telgu hit film of the same name.

The threadbare storyline revolves around Prem (Salman Khan) who falls in love with an imposter Sanjana (Asin) amidst a twisted plot of greedy warring uncles who want her wealth.Add to this Prem's "Hum Saath Saath Hain" type family who stand by thier son to get his love. The film is full of cheesy one-liners, and anything-for-a-laugh scenes. At one point Salmaan rips his shirt off and asks "Maaza aaya?".  The movie also is painfully dragged out towards the end.

Salmaan is in his full form, in this movie he had little/no scope to perform but plenty to entertain - which he does with his great comic timing and by his mere screen presence. Prem aka Salmaan describes his ideal woman in the movie - Khurrat, Kamini aur Honhaar. Well vivacious & gorgeous Asin definately fits the bill as Sanjana. Zarine Khan looks stunning in her cameo/item song. Ajay Devgn, Arbaaz Khan & Kangana Ranout can also been seen a short cameo.

 Music by Pritam has something for all - both the classes & masses.. The album contains footappers like "Character Dheela","Meri Ada"and "Dinka Chika" to soft ballads like "Humko Pyar Ho Gaya". Each song is complemented with "Salmaan moves" and/or breath taking locales of Bangkok.

Overall its a timepass movie which one can watch and laugh at certain scenes without getting too involved.

SRK Video Blogs to his fans!

King Khan stunned even Twitter folks with his record number of followers, when he joined the microblogging site. Now he is trying his hand at video blog - a first in Bollywood. Watch him in the video - looking great!

Review: Luv Ka The End

Verdict: Good

"K" Rating: 2.2

Watch: DVD/Theater

Finally we have an out-n-out teen flick which is fun to watch (post MP3). Its youthful, funny as it tells the story of how one teenage girl deals with heartbreak in an urban metropolis (Mumbai). It would not be incorrect to say its about female empowerment aka girl power. The movie is inspired by the Hollywood flick John Tucker Must Die.

Luv Ka The End marks the foray of Yash Raj Films's "Y Films" into the production arena. Y-Films will be targeting the Youth and encouraging new young talent in the industry.

With Luv Ka The End - a new star is born, Shraddha Kapoor ! Daughter of Bollywood's Baddie Shakti Kapoor, she went unnoticed in Teen Patti, but this movie completly Capulet's her! Taaha Shah is a good discovery, fits the role well. Pushtii Shakti as the quintessential "fatty/jugs" adds to the comic timing and laugh out loud moments.

Music by Ram Sampath accentuates this teen centric film and keeps beat with current trends in high schools - Luv Ka The End & Tonight are catchy. The Mutton Song - well barring the crass lyrics is trendy.

Summer vacation in schools will definitely help Luv Ka The End at the Box Office.

First Look: ZIndagi Na Milegi Dobara

Here is a tailor for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara - Zoya Akhta's much awaited film extensively shot in Spain. It stars Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Abhay Deol, Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin. The Story revolve's around an all boy's road trip in Europe or an extended bachelor party.Music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy sounds promising. Watch out for this movie as it hits a theater near you on July 15th 2011.

Maiden May

Spring is in full bloom and summer is fast approaching, its Maiden May at the box office due to the number of debuts in Bollywood in one single month! It happens rarely that no big “Star” movie releases and makes way for newbie’s backed by rock solid production houses.

May 6th 2011

Luv Ka The End: The very first movie out of Y-Films, Yash Raj’s Youth Film Division. It Stars Shraddha Kapoor (Shakti Kapoor’s daughter) and debutant Taaha Shah. It’s a teenage love story revolving around a girl seeking revenge from her unfaithful boyfriend.With a spanking new look and treatment, this is Yash Raj’s attempt to target the generation-Y. A definite check out if you like teen movies!

May 13th 2011

Bollywood is dishing out some Horror films which are bound to remind you its Friday the 13th!

Ragini MMS: Paranormal activity meets India’s MMS scandal! Balaji telefilm brings the Indian version of Hollywood’s hit film Paranormal Activity. A couple on a dirty weekend getaway, a camera to film the two and someone else?? Do Check this one out! it may just leave you screaming one way or the other. Kainaz Motival (From Wake Up Sid) and debutant Raj Kumar Yadav star in this horror thriller flick.

Love U…Mr.Kalakaar! If you are in a mood for the good old family style romance Rajshri Style, get ready for the debut on-screen pairing of Tusshar Kapoor and Amrita Rao. Music is by Sandesh Sandilya (K3G/Chameli fame) and has debut director S.Manasvi at the helm. 2 professionals belonging to different worlds; its Arts vs Finance finding common ground in this film, story wise!