Tuesday 24 July 2007

REVIEW------AAP KA SUROOR [DIS IS 4 PURE FUN]




The film directed by Prashant Chadha stars Himesh as himself, a singing sensation from India who's currently in Germany on a concert tour.While in Germany, Himesh is accused of murdering a television journalist and as a result, he is arrested by the local police. Meanwhile, he's also fallen for a pretty young girl who’s handling his events schedule, and surprise surprise, she seems to return the sentiment.


But now that he's been charged with murder, her daddy won't allow her to have anything to do with this singing-dancing criminal. For Himesh, or HR as he's affectionately referred to in the film, there's only one thing left to do: he must prove his innocence, and win back his ladylove.



The problem with Aap Kaa Surroor is that it takes itself way too seriously. And that's a problem because you and me and everyone in the audience isn't exactly taking this film too seriously.



I think we see this film as the result of one man's misplaced sense of self-importance, even as an indulgence on the part of Himesh. Which is why it's absolutely hilarious to see him all shaven chest, dressed in shirts with plunging necklines, serenading the heroine like a 21-year-old chocolate hero.



That scene in which he meets the heroine for the first time will go down in film history as one of the stupidest boy-meets-girl scenes.



Never before has the Gayatri Mantra been used more inappropriately than in Aap Kaa Surroor, in which it's used as background score, a mobile ringtone, and even a pop tune that Himesh belts out on his guitar.



All blame for this nonsense must be directed towards the screenplay which is cliched, unimaginative and amateurish to say the least. When the writers can't come up with an original enough idea to show why the heroine starts falling for Himesh, they shamelessly throw in a little orphan girl with a terminal illness, who Himesh predictably treats like an angel.



As for that scene in which the heroine says she's the luckiest girl in the world because she's managed to take a picture of Himesh flashing his elusive smile, I have to say it's more a gaping-mouthed jackass-like laughter which is now captured on camera for posterity.




Alas, as entertainingly idiotic this film is, it's still not entertaining enough to forgive it all its faults. We're led to believe that this television journalist showed up at Himesh's door seeking an interview, while all along she was performing a sting operation on him.



My very simple question to the writers of the film: why was she conducting a sting operation on him? We've been given no reason to believe he's a Shakti Kapoor-kind of lech who was waiting to be trapped.



Also, isn't it a little too convenient that the murder mystery which the German police haven't been able to solve, is cracked within minutes by Himesh and his band of jokers?



The only time you really smile with the film is when they crack those in-jokes, those smart one-liners directed at themselves. Like that joke on Himesh's nasal voice, and the one about his obsession with hats.



The autorickshaw scene, however, is neither funny nor clever, it's really quite stupid. How did those autos land up in Germany is what I really want to know!



In his new avatar as an actor, Himesh Reshammiya is evidently out of place. Dialogue delivery is clearly not his strength, perhaps that's why his lines are few and far between.



However, he does have guts, I must admit, for putting himself in a position where many will undoubtedly mock him. And not without reason either.



But as a singer and a composer, Himesh hits all the right notes again with Aap Kaa Surroor whose biggest strength is undoubtedly Himesh's superhit soundtrack.



It's a pity poor Mallika Sherawat can't do much to elevate your spirits, but that's because she's straitjacketed in a role that's badly written and does little justice to her screen presence.
Newcomer Hansika Motwani is what I'd call a dalda-ka-dubba, all fair and chubby and pleasant, but with very little personality.




Hopefully from this moment on, Himesh will abandon all his acting ambitions and concentrate on his music instead.


REVIEW---------BONG CONNECTION







There's very little to like about The Bong Connection, and my problems start with the film's title.The word 'bong' is an extremely tiring stereotype, one that's been used far too often and never in a flattering light. The film itself, directed by Anjan Dutt, seems to lack a cohesive and coherent plot.




It's about two young men, and their search for a better life. Parambrata Chattopadhyay plays Apu, who leaves Kolkata for the US.He's tired of his life in this dead city and intends to make it big in America. Shayan Munshi, meanwhile plays Andy, a Bengali boy who moves from New York to Kolkata, hoping to pursue a career in music, and also to renew his bond with his paternal family.




Now to this mix, add one oversexed Bangladeshi taxi-driver who makes out with an assortment of American strippers, a gay roommate who likes to fool around with his lover with his door wide open, a shreiky aunt who spends pretty much the entire film howling at the top of her lungs, and veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee wasted in the role of a paralysed grandpa who doesn't move an arm in the film - quite literally... It's very simple really, the film doesn't work because it's full of cliches that we've seen a hundred times before.




In all honesty, The Bong Connection models itself after Hyderbad Blues but without all the spontaneous humour!




There are about one or two good scenes in the film, and they all involve Shayan Munshi and his uncle. Of the actors, the only one who leaves a mark is Raima Sen, who plays Apu's girlfriend. Raima is spirited and feisty and she's an absolute natural on screen.




It's to her credit that she makes an impression even though the character she plays isn't exactly dynamic. Also, someone please tell me what's with Victor Banerjee's embarrassing accent - it's not exactly American, and it vanishes every now and then.




Of course, the biggest tragedy is the manner in which they completely underutilise an actor of the calibre of Soumitra Chatterjee.




The Bong Connection, it's not entirely unwatchable, but it's not a film you're going to remember even five minutes after you've left the cinema.




THOUGHT BUBBLE-2




wow! what a president we have now!


one who communicates with the dead


a most vulnerable candidate


with her spl "ghungat" attire will represent 21st century India in world forum


has her baggage of controversies following her to the Rashtrapati Bhavan


and the worst part is she has KALAM to succeed!

THOUGHT BUBBLE-1


Soon silence will have passed into legend.
Man has turned his back on silence.
Day after day he invents machines and devices that increase noise and distract humanity from the essence of life, contemplation, meditation...
tooting, howling, screeching, booming, crashing, whistling, grinding, and trilling bolster his ego.
His anxiety subsides.
His inhuman void spreads monstrously like a gray vegetation.

its not me......

m her object of envy....

m d flower in her hand....

m d creation of nature's magic wand!


oh yes i's sinking....

n none came to save....

de say i's hit by the wave....

but i learned the hard-way to salve!

it was partially visible in the incandescent light....

as the shadows thickened outside....

it was in an African roadside.....

that GOD was born that night.



my dreams were flying away....


some told me not to run on that way....


till i realised to live my life on my own say.




love came to me at a time when i's happy to be not free.....



when i had accepted my fate n yielded to destiny,



but with HIS words i could not but agree.....



he told me i still had the world to see.

m the first ray of the sun...

i can burn n so can heal...

on the sidewalk or in d barn.....

m panoptic n u can always feel!

i was married to duty n passion.....

but i am a widow now.....

though not willingly so......

i have wings to fly but nowhere to go!

there was none to give me company....

i was tangled yet was free....

the purple sky looked upon me.....

n liberated my soul in a wee.



her eyes had a chronicle to say....


broken dreams were embedded there......


dead memories too wanted a place to share....


her soul kept seeking refuge but landed nowhere!

pent up emotions and pent up me

.....from behind glass doors an unfamiliar world i could see

......i was sick n tired of captivity

......but no one ever xchanged a pleasantry !