Category: Movie Reviews

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Salaar Part 1: Prashanth Neel Delivers The Perfect Mass Comeback For Prabhas

The film can be described as Kannada’s Game of Thrones with the ambience of KGF films. Prithviraj Sukumaran makes his presence amply felt as the parallel hero

  • Rating 3 out of 5
  • Starcast: Prabhas, Prithviraj Sukumran, Sreya Reddy, Jagapati Babu, Shruti Hassan and others
  • Director and writer: Prashant Neel
  • Dialogues: Sandeep Reddy Bandala, Hanumaan Choudary, Dr. Suri and others
  • Producer: Vijay Kiragandur
  • Production Company: Homabale Films
  • Based on: Ugram ( Kannada movie) by Prashant Neel
  • Genre: Action drama
  • Running time: 2 hours and 58 minutes
  • Published in: Primepost

Not much was expected from Prashanth Neel when the first KGF released but the action drama surprised one and all with its box office numbers. Originally made in Kannada, the film also released in Hindi clashing with Anand L Rai’s Zero and completely outsold the SRK starrer. The raw action and Yash’s swag coupled with the backdrop of Kolar Gold Fields made it a huge success.

The second part of KGF went on to do even bigger business. The buzz around Salaar has been huge since its inception, this in spite of Prabhas’s lackluster form in the recent past. A lot of hopes were pinned on Salaar and thankfully the director has given the perfect mass treat that rewinds memories of Chatrapathi. However Salaar isn’t for those who despise macho heroes and are not huge fans of the KGF films.

Shruti Haasan, Prashanth Neel and Prabhas

Salaar begins with establishing the ultra strong friendship of Deva (Prabhas) and Vardha (Prithviraj Sukumran). They have each other’s back in both good and bad times. The very first scene of Salaar has Deva fighting a seasoned wrestler just to get Vardha’s nathooni back (a particular nose ring that the clan wears). Later on we see Vardha saving Deva and his mother (Easwari Rao) from his father’s men. In this process Vardha also sacrifices a major part of the territory his clan owns. That night Deva and his mother vanish. But before going Deva takes a promise from Vardha that he should not hesitate in reaching out for his help in times of distress.

From here the story goes into a flash forward where Deva and his mother are living in Assam. Through some vague hints we understand that Deva has sworn to his mother to never touch a weapon again. The mother in fact is so touchy even when she sees a plastic knife. All this changes with the entry of Aadhya Krishnakanth (Shruti Hassan with a heavy American accent); her life is in danger for reasons that will become more clear in the second part. Things take a turn when Deva’s mother frees Deva from his promise, in order to save Aadhya. This results in Deva smashing a lot of people to pulp.

Shriya Reddy makes a solid impression

The second half is entirely devoted to a dystopian city of Khansar that has several tribes with distinct characteristics. The politics and the character dynamics of this dystopian city are similar to the popular web show Game of Thrones.

Not surprisingly the biggest strength of Salaar is the strong brotherhood showcased between its two main leads. Deva’s intense affection for his friend is reminiscent of Ranbir Kapoor’s character in Animal. There is also a Mahabharata touch in how they are shown to be fierce warriors.

Easwari Rao plays Prabhas’ mother

Prabhas shares most sparks with Prithviraj and that is clearly visible on more than one occasion. For example there is a scene where both of them take on some drug infested zombies. It is a sequence that enthralls the masses. The two actors are also seen indulging in banter amidst the fight and have some hilarious punch lines.

The world building of Khansar has also been done well. Bhuvan Gowda’s cinematography is top notch. He effectively captures the tumultuous atmosphere of this fictional city. Some of the themes explored in the second half are right to leadership and loyalty among others. Prashanth Neel has done a good job in exploring these themes.  Ravi Basur’s soundtrack goes well with the mood of the film. Thankfully there is no forced romantic subplot between Prabhas and Shruti.

Shruti Haasan’s American accent is irritating

Shruti Hassan’s put on American accent is irritating to say the least. In fact most of the women characters in Salaar are relegated to the background (of late most big action movies are doing the same). The only actress who makes a solid impression is Sriya Reddy. She plays the firebrand daughter of Jagapathi Babu’s Raja Mannar.

The second half has an overdose of violence which will be off putting for a section of audiences. The film’s runtime is almost three hours; some portions of the film could have been trimmed or chopped.

Prabhas plays a mostly brooding character who does not even break into a smile. The actor has not got many dialogues but he is successful in portraying the raw aggression. Prabhas particularly shines in the scenes with Prithviraj.

Prithviraj Sukumaran as a parallel lead more than makes his presence felt

Prithviraj Sukumaran as a parallel lead more than makes his presence felt. The actor does a solid job in portraying both the vulnerability and the determination of a future successor caught in the power struggle. The actor’s own dubbing of Telugu does take some time in getting used to but it is not a major hindrance.

Salaar part 1 ends on a cliffhanger that sets a good base for the second part, there are indications that this brotherhood may turn into enmity.

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Dunki: This Rajkumar Hirani Directorial Is A Heartwarming Tale That Tackles An Important Social Issue

The ace director is once again successful on taking the audiences through an emotional rollercoaster particularly in the second half

Dunki (Hindi)
Rating 3.5 out of 5
Starcast: Shah Rukh Khan, Taapsee Pannu, Anil Grover, Vikram Kochhar, Boman Irani and others extended special appearance (Vicky Kaushal)
Director and writer: Rajkumar Hirani
Additional writers: Kanika Dhillon and Abhijat Joshi
Producers: Gauri Khan, Rajkumar Hirani and Jyoti Deshpande
Production Companies: Jio Studios, Red Chillies entertainment and Rajkumar Hirani films
Genre: Comedy/drama
Running time: 2 hours and 36 minutes

Rajkumar Hirani is one of those filmmakers who has struck a chord right from his first one Munnabhai MBBS. The director has successfully developed the knack of bringing social issues to the fore in a way that is accessible to the mainstream audiences. The one exception though is Sanju as that was an autobiographical work.

With his latest Dunki Rajkumar Hirani has focused his lens on Donkey Flight (illegal immigration). The film opens with the characters of Manu (Taapsee Pannu), Buggu (Vikram Kochhar) and Balli (Anil Grover). They have been in London for the past 25 years but now they are homesick and want to return to India. But this is not possible for reasons that cannot be revealed here.

Taapsee Pannu and Shah Rukh Khan

The only person who can get them back to the country is Hardyal Singh Dhillon aka Hardy (Shah Rukh Khan). Manu, Buggu and Balli plan a meeting with Hardy in Dubai. The irony here is that once upon a time three of them were desperate to make a good living in London. The story shifts to a flashback where we are introduced to a group of people apart from those already mentioned. Their biggest dream is going to London in search of better prospects. Unfortunately all of them are poor in terms of both social status and education. In this scenario Hardy comes to that town situated in Punjab. Boman Irani plays Gulati. He runs an English speaking course. In this group of friends only one manages to pass the IELTS Exam. Manu and Balli manage to overcome their disappointment. Vicky Kaushal’s Sukhi though is not able to swallow the bitter pill. Sukhi’s reasons for going to London are different from Manu and Balii. He wants to save his ex girlfriend from an abusive marriage. Just before the interval there is the disturbing scene of Sukhi committing suicide by burning himself. Now Hardy takes it upon himself to make sure that Manu, Balii and others reach London even if it is through the illegal and dangerous means of Dunki.

Shah Rukh Khan with Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal, Vikram Kochhar and Anil Grover

The first half of Dunki mostly has a breezy tone to it. There are many instances of Raj Kumar Hirani’s trademark humor in the portions featuring Boman Irani. The humor here hasn’t got the quality of the directors previous ones particularly the Munnabhai films and PK. The punch lines in fact come across as forced on certain occasions. However there are scenes which tickle your funny bone too.

There are also cute moments between Shah Rukh Khan and Taapsee that bring a smile to the viewers face. Through this love Rajkumar Hirani focuses on the serious subject of illegal migrants. How they resort to dangerous routes in order to reach foreign countries. Many of them do not even make it and die in the process.

There are scenes in the second half where we see the characters going through several ordeals in harsh terrains. These moments are disturbing to watch.

Raj Kumar Hirani, the successful director 

Rajkumar Hirani is also successful in making some pertinent points about the struggles of Non English speaking Indians.

What doesn’t work for Dunki apart from the inconsistent humor are its foreign characters. They are mostly reduced to stock caricatures.

Talking about the performances Shah Rukh Khan blends well into the world of Raj Kumar Hirani. He particularly shines in the second half when things get serious. Taapsee Manu is also solid as Manu. She shares a good chemistry with SRK. Her Punjabi dialect is also spot on bringing back memories of Anurag Kashyap’s Manmarziyaan.

Shah Rukh Khan plays the soldier

There are portions in the film where SRK and Taapsee are seen with grey hair reminding the viewers of Khan and Preity Zinta in Veer Zara. The prosthetic work is neat and as a result the audiences feel that they have convincingly aged.

Vikram Kochhar and Anil Grover also lend good support. They don’t feel burdened by the presence of SRK at any point. Vicky Kaushal in an extended special appearance makes his presence amply felt.

Pritam’s music is not a chartbuster but goes well with the mood of the film. Lutt Putt Gaya has a catchy tone. O Maahi and Nikile The Kabhi Hum Ghar Se are soulful in nature.

Watch Dunki for the top notch performances and the social relevancy of the subject.

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Hi Nanna: A Heart Touching Tale Of A Father’s Love For His Daughter

Hi Nanna works a perfect balm for those who had a tough time with the violent father and son dynamics in Animal. Nani pulls of his role with the expected panache but it is Mrunal Thakur who steals the show

Rating 3.5 out of 5
Starcast: Nani, Mrunal Thakur, Baby Kiara, Priyadarshini, Jayaram, Angad Bedi and others
Story, direction and screenplay: Shouryuv
Additional screenplay: Bhanu Deeraj, Rayudu, Vasanth Sameer and Pinnamaraju
Dialogues: Vamshi Bommena and Nagendra Kasi
Producers: Mohan Cherukuri, Murthy K.S and others
Production Company: Vyra Entertainments
Genre: Romantic drama
Running time: 2 hours and 35 minutes

There has been a heavy dose of father oriented stories this year. Whether it is Shah Rukh Khan’s double act of a father and son in Jawan , or Pankaj Tripati’s turn in OMG 2 as a disgruntled parent who slowly becomes a revoluntary for his son. Even Vijay Thalapathy who is generally known for his mass characters delivered an affecting performance in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Leo as a family man with a dark past.

Baby Kiara and Nanni in a song sequence

Hi Nanna directed by debutant director Shouryuv is an emotional rollercoaster that makes the viewers feel many things. Sure the pacing is slow and the story does take a little time to get going however the end results are mostly satisfying. But it has to be said that the movie isn’t for fans of high octane entertainers.

Viraj (Nani) is a professional photographer and a single father. Mahi (Baby Kiara) is the 6 year old daughter. Viraj has always kept the story of Mahi’s mother in the dark. Whenever she asks about where her mother is Viraj simply skips the matter. Things take a turn when Viraj promises Mahi that he would tell about her mother provided she scores first rank. Mahi does score first rank but Viraj doesn’t adhere to his promise. Expectedly Mahi gets very angry and leaves the home. She almost faces an accident but is saved in the nick of time by Yashna (Mrunal Thakur). The rest of the story is about what had happened between Viraj and his wife along with how Yashna changes the lives of Viraj and Mahi.

Nani and Mrunal Thakur

As mentioned above the pacing of Hi Nanna is slow. Director Shouryuv takes his own sweet time in setting up the plot. The initial minutes are devoted to the bond of Viraj and Mahi. The story gathers momentum with the entry of Yashna. Viraj narrates his past in a fairy tale format. In these flashback portions Mahi imagines Yashna as her mother. Viraj’s love at first sight is slightly clichéd but it doesn’t get too bothersome thanks to the chemistry between Nani and Mrunal Thakur. The characters of Viraj and the wife are contrastingly different from each other. Viraj is someone who is eternally hopeful irrespective of what the situation is. The wife on the other hand has anxiety issues that primarily stem from growing up in a broken home.

She is someone who is very clear about not getting into the complications of a marriage having seen her parents constantly argue with each other. However she does end up marrying Viraj much to the annoyance of her mother. There is a lovely scene between Viraj and his prospective mother- in- law where the economical differences are highlighted. What makes this scene special is how he deals with the situation in the most empathetic way. The viewers instantly root for Viraj. Viraj initially says that they need not have children but that changes later on. There is a huge argument between Viraj and the wife followed by a heartwarming moment. This scene is a major highlight of the film and a perfect example of the sizzling chemistry between Nani and Mrunal.

Angad Bedi makes his debut with Hi Nanna

Towards the end of the first half director Shouryuv gives a major twist to the character of Yashna. The second half is heavier. In spite of some predictable scenarios the viewers are still invested in how the tale will end. This is majorly because of the strong emotional cord. A drunken banter between Nani and Mrunal Thakur does come across as a respite from the otherwise heavy drama.

What doesn’t work though is a party song featuring Shruti Haasan. It looks completely out of sync with the overall tone of the film. The extended special appearance of Sruthi Haasan could have been easily scrapped. Angad Bedi plays a character modeled on Salman Khan’s Amar in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. He is pretty good but lacks the charm of what Salman Khan brought to the table as the third wheel.

Priyadarshi plays the friend cum colleague part with his usual effervescence. His comic timing is spot on as always and his camaraderie with Nani is fun to watch. Another member who stands out in the supporting cast is Jayaram. The actor delivers a nuanced performance as Mahi’s grandfather. He particularly shines in an emotionally charged sequence at a critical juncture.

Debutant director Shouryuv makes the viewers feel many things

Apart from Nani and Mrunal’s sizzling chemistry another strong point of Hi Nanna are the father and daughter scenes between Nani and Baby Kiara. They simply melt your heart on many occasions. Baby Kiara performs like an absolute pro with the right amount of innocence and vulnerability.

Hesham Abdul Wahab’s music and background score another big strength of Hi Nanna. Except for the Sruthi Haasan number the rest are a delight to watch and listen. My favorite numbers are Gaaju Bomma, Ammaadi and Samayama.

Priyadarshi’s comic timing is spot on as always and his camaraderie with Nani is fun to watch.

The cinematography of Sanu John Varghese is a visual delight particularly the flashback portions in Connor.

For Nani the role of Viraj is a cake in the park but nevertheless the actor is a delight to watch. He does a splendid job in portraying the different shades of Viraj whether it is the boyishness of a young lover or as a father later on who will do anything for his daughter. However it is Mrunal Thakur who steals the show with an outstanding performance. She plays a complicated character with ease. Mrunal conveys the various feelings with just her expressive eyes showing once again the bundle of talent she is. It is a performance that is a step ahead of last year’s Sita Ramam in many ways. Chinmayi’s dubbing adds to the impact.

Hi Nanna is a heartwarming story of a father and daughter along with a mother battling her own inner demons, a definite breadth of fresh air which needs to be seen.

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Animal: A Chilling Psychological Portrait Of A Man Who Is Desperate To Get Love And Affection From His Father

Ranbir Kapoor and Anil Kapoor bring their A game but the conundrum of Sandeep Reddy Vanga persist

Rating: 2.5
Starcast: Ranbir Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Rashmika Mandana, Bobby Deol and others
Direction, Screenplay and editing: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Additional screenplay: Pranay Reddy Vanga and Saurabh Gupta
Producers: Bhushan Kumar, Krishna Kumar, Murad Khetani and Pranay Reddy Vanga
Music composers: Pritam, Manan Bhardwaj and others
Production Companies: Bhadrakali Pictures, T- Series Films and Cine 1 studios.

Sandeep Reddy Vanga is one of the few directors who became a big sensation with his very first film. Arjun Reddy (Kabir Singh in Hindi) was not just a box office success but it was also intensely scrutinized given the extreme raw nature with which he had depicted the love story of his protagonist.

Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna and Bobby Deol

With Animal the director dwells into another dark tale. This time it is about a father and son; Ranvijay Singh (Ranbir Kapoor) is the son of a successful industrialist Balbir Singh (Anil Kapoor). Ranvijay considers Balbir as the best father in the world, this in spite of having many issues with him. He is sent out of the house twice by his father; first when he went with a gun to threaten his sister’s classmates for ragging her and the second time for a huge argument with his brother-in-law on the occasion of his father’s 60th birthday.  

After a brief love story, marriage and two kids in US Ranvijay returns to India when he comes to know his father was attacked and grievously injured. He decides to find out who his father’s enemies are. In this process his path crosses with that of Bobby Deol who turns out to be his stepbrother thirsting for revenge. Rashmika Mandanna is the disgruntled wife of Ranvijay. She bears the brunt of her husband’s violent actions and his obsessive love for his parent. Soon enough there are no traces of the man that she fell in love with.

A big strength of Animal is easily the twisted father and son dynamics. Sandeep Reddy Vanga doesn’t waste any time in establishing how much Ranvijay craves for his father’s affection along with the workaholic nature of the father. There is a wild streak in Ranvijay from a young age itself.

Anil Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor, Parineeti Chopra and Bobby Deol

As mentioned above there is a scene where Ranvijay’s sister comes home crying after a ragging incident. She calls up her father multiple times but Balbir doesn’t lift the phone. Later she pours out her frustration to Ranvijay who immediately goes to her college with a gun. Not surprisingly Balbir gets pissed with his son and ends up slapping him.

This scene successfully sets the base for the friction between father and son. The gradual progression of Ranvijay into an ‘Animal’ has been well staged and does send a chill down the audience’s spine.

The emotional bits between father and son in the later stages are also directed well. There is a scene in the pre-climax where Ranvijay does a role reversal with his father, that is, Ranvijay acting as the dad and Balbir acting as the son. The long years of inner frustration and Anil Kapoor’s repentance packs a big punch.

Ranbir Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna

Bobby Deol appears only in the second half. His scenes are few but Bobby makes a solid impression just with his eyes and overall physical demeanor. The climatic fight between him and Ranbir has lot of raw action and is definitely a delight for those who like this kind of action.

But the overdose of blood and violence is a definite put off. The scenes of Ranbir hacking and killing several men gets nauseating after a point.

Another major flaw with Animal is the depiction of its female characters. They are mostly there only to bear the brunt of men. The best example of this is Rashmika’s Geetanjali. There is an important scene in the second half when Geetanjali has a severe argument in a high pitched tone with her husband. This is because of an affair that Ranvijay had behind her back.

Sandeep Reddy Vanga, director

Ideally the viewers should have rooted for Geetanjali but Rashmika’s screaming makes it difficult to empathize. Another example of a badly written female character is that of the one played by Tripti Dimri. She is a moll who is sent to seduce Ranvijay by Bobby Deol. Ranvijay knows that she is a moll but still ends up having a physical relationship and also makes her lick his shoes to prove her love. This is, to say the least is in very bad taste. 

The music composed by Pritam, Harshavardhan Rameshwar and others make for a good listen. The songs that stand out are Satranga and Pappa Meri Jaan.

Not surprisingly it is Ranbir and Anil Kapoor who lead the acting department. Both the actors get into the zone of Sandeep Reddy Vanga with zero inhibitions.

Animal is not a film that can be slotted as either good or bad. Still there is enough to enjoy if you are a fan of Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s style of filmmaking or if you like Ranbir and Anil Kapoor’s acting. But it is clear that Sandeep Reddy Vanga hasn’t learnt anything from the criticism of Arjun Reddy.

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Farrey: An Engrossing Film About A Genius Student Who Goes Wayward

A must-watch!

Farrey (Hindi)

  • Cast: Alizeh Agnihotri, Juhi Babbar, Ronit Roy, and Sahil Mehta
  • Director: Soumendra Padhi
  • Producer: Atul Agnihotri, Alvira Khan
  • Music: Sachin-Jigar
  • Runtime: 1 hour 54 minutes

The Thai film Bad Genius (2017) was about an A+ student who devises innovative methods to cheat in exams.

It was based on a real-life incident and focused on themes of class inequality and some general issues that teenagers go through. It is a subject that can fit in any language.

Therefore, it is not surprising that Salman Khan has chosen this film as a launch for his niece Alizeh.

Soumendra Padhi’s first feature film was the critically acclaimed Budhia Singh-Born to Run (2016). It was based on the life of Budhia Singh, who ran 48 marathons and was the world’s youngest marathon runner.

Surprisingly, the buzz around Farrey (Slip that students use for cheating in exams) has been on the lower side despite the film opening to positive reviews in the International Film Festival of India, Goa.

Whatever the box office outcome of Farrey is, there is no denying that Salman Khan has produced a quality film and a star is born.

Synopsis

Farrey is based on the Thai film Bad Genius
‘Farrey’ is based on the Thai film ‘Bad Genius’. (X)

For those who have not watched the Thai movie, Farrey focuses on two students from an underprivileged class.

Niyati (Alizeh Agnihotri) is one of them. She is brought up in an orphanage under the loving care of a warden-cum-father figure (Ronit Roy) and his wife (Juhi Babbar Soni).

Niyati is always a top student. She passes her 10th-class exams with distinction marks and gets admission for Plus-Two in a popular institution. Here, too, Niyati becomes a top student.

The principal (Shilpa Shukla) grants her a full scholarship.

Her nearest competitor in studies is Aakash (Sahil Mehta). He is Niyati’s friend and comes from the same social strata as she does. He, too, is granted the same scholarship.

On the other side of the spectrum, you have the super-rich Chhavi (Prasanna Bisht) and Prateek (Zeyn Shaw). Niyati and Chhavi become good friends.

Chhavi’s father (Arbaaz Khan in a two-scene cameo) wants his daughter to follow in the footsteps of her brother and secure a seat at Stanford. She constantly faces the pressure of being pitted against her brother.

Chhavi lures Niyati to help her and a few others. After some agonising, Niyati agrees to earn some quick money because she wants to help the orphanage.

What starts as a one-time help ends up as a serious affair.

Farrey is essentially a coming-of-age story of a girl who realises her mistakes and undergoes a transformation.

Class divide

Director Soumendra Padhi does a good job of presenting the class divide and the two vastly different worlds of Niyati and Chhavi. This comes out particularly well in the scenes where Niyati goes to Chhavi’s house. She feels like an “Alice” lost in some strange land.

Another aspect that stands out is the character of Chhavi. There is no denying that Chhavi is manipulative and not likeable. But at the same time, the viewers also understand why she does what she does.

Chhavi wants to become an interior designer and is not interested in taking over her father’s business. However, the pressure of living up to the expectations of her father’s desires gets to her.

Prasanna Bisht does a swell job of portraying the grey shades of Chhavi.

The second half of Farrey is more about the cheating methods that Niyati employs along with her friend Aakash. The drama becomes more heightened, and soon, the film turns into a morality play where the viewers feel tense about the plight of these two students. Of course, all ends well.

Alizeh Agnihotri and Sahil Mehta stand out

Alizeh Agnihotri in Farrey
Alizeh Agnihotri stands out in ‘Farrey’. (X)

The scenes featuring Alizeh and Ronit Roy are filled with warmth. For example, there is a scene in the pre-climax where Niyati confesses about her wrongdoings.

It has been solidly directed and acted. It is nice to see Ronit Roy in a character like this for a change, as he mostly played a stern father. The actor plays his part with a lot of warmth.

However, the same thing cannot be said about the two-scene cameo of Arbaaz Khan. It doesn’t add any significance to the film.

More scenes between Prasanna and Arbaaz would have enhanced the drama.

The scenes of Niyati helping her rich friends have the right amount of thrill, but they are also stretched in some places.

The character arcs of the rich kids needed to be tied up in a more uncliched manner.

Alizeh Agnihotri makes a truly sparkling debut. She has a difficult character to play, given the moral ambiguities. But the young actress pulls it off like a pro. She pulls off the various transitions in Niyati’s life admirably.

Sahil Mehta, as Aakash, is solid. Just like Alizeh, he also does a swell job of depicting the grey shades of his role.

Verdict

To sum it up, Farrey is a film that should be on your weekend list — whether you have watched Bad Genius or not.

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Tiger 3: An Action Spectacle For Fans Of Salman And Spy Movies But This Tiger Doesn’t Pack The Same Punch As War And Pathaan

Emraan Hashmi roars the loudest with his portrayal of the menacing Aatish. Shah Rukh Khan more than makes his presence felt in an extended cameo.

Tiger 3 (Hindi)                 2.5 out of 5            

      • Starcast: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Emraan Hashmi and others; Special appearances (Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan)
      • Director: Maneesh Sharma
      • Story: Aditya Chopra
      • Screenplay: Shridhar Raghavan
      • Dialogues: Anckur Chaudhry
      • Music: Pritam
      • Production Company: Yash Raj Films
      • Genre: Action thriller/drama
      • Running time: 2 hours and 36 minutes

    In the year 2012 the spy journey of Aditya Chopra and YRF began with the Kabir Khan directorial EK Tha Tiger. It was a love story between a RAW and an ISI agent. Ek Tha Tiger was appreciated for its action and also the love story.

    The success of Ek Tha Tiger led to the creation of an entire spy universe like Tiger Zinda Hai, War and Pathaan. Tiger 3 is the fifth film of this universe and there are more to follow.

    Maneesh Sharma the director of Tiger 3 had a huge responsibility on his shoulders as all the previous films of this franchise have gone on to become blockbusters. The director’s last film was Fan. Fan had a gripping first half followed by a lackluster and implausible second half. Viewers could clearly see Maneesh Sharma being overwhelmed by the scale of the film and losing focus. Tiger 3 is another example of Maneesh Sharma’s inability to handle stories of large scale. Tiger 3 is not a bad film but in comparison to War and Pathaan it does fall quite short.

    Emraan Hashmi roars the loudest

    The plot of Tiger 3 focuses on one of Bollywood’s most favorite theme. That is India, Pakistan’s love hate relationship. The mission of Avinash Singh Rathore aka Tiger (Salman Khan) is to prevent a military coup and also the assassination of the Pakistani Prime Minister (Simran modeled on Benazir Bhutto). Tiger’s biggest thorn in the back is a Pakistan agent gone rogue Aatish (Emraan Hashmi).  The biggest desire of Aatish is to take over Pakistan and make sure that no kind of peace happens between both the countries.

    Katrina Kaif also reprises her role of Zee Humaimi aka Zoya from the previous two Tiger films. This time around the character of Zoya has a back-story. In this back-story the viewers get to know that Aatish was her former handler. Once upon a time she was a protégée of Aatish but in the present scenario things have changed drastically.

    Salman Khan gets into his shoes with practised ease

    A big strength of Tiger 3 is the galore of twists and turns at regular intervals. For example in the beginning the viewers are led to believe that Zoya is betraying Tiger by hiding certain information. These twists and turns do keep the viewers on their feet.

    Cinematographer Anay Goswamy also does a wonderful job in capturing the many locations of this globe trotter. These include Europe, Russia and Istanbul among others.

    The action sequences have plenty of hand to hand combats and are a definite treat for those who like to see raw action. Two action scenes deserve a particular mention. One is the climax fight between Salman and Emraan Hashmi. The other one is Katrina fighting in a towel inside a Turkish hammam or bath. Both these sequences have been brilliantly shot.

    Katrina Kaif in her towel fight scenes

    As mentioned in the beginning Emraan Hashmi shines the brightest in this cast. His demeanor and the body language are a treat to watch. Emraan plays the ruthless villain without missing a single beat. A special mention must be made of the scenes that Emraan shares with Katrina in the flashback portions.

    One of the most enjoyable portions of Tiger 3 is definitely Shah Rukh Khan’s extended cameo as Pathaan. It is a perfect mixture of action and some very witty dialogues. Viewers can clearly see that Shah Rukh is having a blast. In one of the scenes you have Shah Rukh Khan and Salman in a Sholay inspired motorcycle scene. Pathaan is in the driver’s seat and Tiger makes a joke about how the last time this vehicle was driven only one person came out alive. There is also a post credit scene involving Hrithik Roshan’s Kabir from War. The scene doesn’t last long but Hrithik’s swagger is unmissable.

    A big problem with Tiger 3 is the overtly simplistic treatment of the issues between India and Pakistan. Director Maneesh Sharma doesn’t bring anything particularly new to the Indo-Pak angle. Tiger 3 operates in a fanciful zone of two rival nations hoping to initiate peace talks and end the fear of war. But these noble intentions do not translate effectively on screen.

    Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, a camio scene

    The love story between Tiger and Zoya is in the same space as in the previous two films. There is no substantial character development in spite of Zoya’s back-story.

    Both Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif get into the shoes of their respective characters with practiced ease. As said earlier Katrina shines in the action sequences but her performance in the emotional ones leave a lot to be desired.

    Some of the supporting cast from Tiger 1 and 2 are seen in this film as well. They include Ranvir Shorey and Kumud Mishra among others but they are reduced to side dishes. Revathi as the boss takes over from the late Girish Karnad. Unfortunately the senior actress has been severely underutilized. This is sad because Dimple Kapadia in Pathaan made a terrific boss woman.

    Pritam’s music consists of only one good number and that is Ruaan. Pritam’s tune coupled with Arjit Singh’s voice makes it a good hear and watch.  

    To sum it up Tiger 3 is a step back for the spy universe but here’s hoping that War 2 and others bring it back on track. 

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    Killers Of The Flower Moon: A Hugely Disturbing Story Of American Colonialism

    This Martin Scorsese’s directorial might look too long but the end results are hugely satisfying

    Killers of The Flower Moon (English)                4 out of 5

    Starcast: Leonardo Di Caprio, Robert De Niro, Lilly Gladstone and others

    Direction and screenplay: Martin Scorsese

    Additional screenplay: Eric Roth

    Based on: Killers of The Flower Moon by David Grann

    Producers: Martin Scorsese, Bradley Thomas and others

    Production Companies: Appain Way Productions, Apple Studios Imperative Entertainment and others

    Running time: 3 hours and 26 minutes

    Genre: Crime drama

    For those who are not aware Killers of The Flower Moon is based on a 2017 novel written by David Grann. The book and the movie is a recreation of the real life killings of Osage community who were in peaceful co-existence with white people. What drove these murders was immense greed of the white Americans. These crimes began after oil was discovered in their lands and Osages began to live a life of wealth.

    Director Martin Scorsese and his technical team transports us to the 1920’s so much so that we feel we are actually living with Osages and their experiences.

    Killers of The Flower Moon is mostly narrated from the perspective of two white men Ernest Buckhart (Leonardo Di Caprio) and William ‘Billy’ Hale (Robert De Niro). It is a story of how this uncle and nephew duo along with their extended kith and Klan plan to usurp the wealth of the Osages. They do this by marrying the daughter of the head of the Osage community and plotting the murders of her family members.

    Robert De Niro, the veteran actor as expected delivers a master class in acting.

    Killers of The Flower Moon is a film that grips you from the start. Martin Scorsese along with his technical team transports us to the 1920’s so much so that we feel we are actually living with Osages and their experiences. We feel immense pain to know how a particular community was targeted just because they had mineral rights over their land and became rich with the oil found there. 

    Rodrigo Prieto’s cinematography is a major plus for the film. He does a brilliant job in capturing the visual tapestry and also the horror of the events through his lens.

    Lily Gladstone more than holds her own opposite both Leonardo and Robert De Niro

    The film is essentially dark in nature but having said that there are also moments which bring a smile to the viewers face. Most of these can be seen in the track between Leonardo Di Caprio and Mollie (Lily Gladstone) the woman he falls in love with. The way he flirts with her and their interactions in some parts of the first half are genuinely fun to watch.

    There is no denying that Ernest (Leonardo) is a major accomplice to his uncle in this horror but his love for Mollie is also genuine and we do see flashes of regret from him.

    Leonardo Di Caprio delivers a fantastic performance

    Leonardo Di Caprio delivers a fantastic performance in portraying the complexities of his character. Lily Gladstone more than holds her own opposite both Leonardo and Robert De Niro. The actress does an exceptional job in essaying the inner strength of Mollie. There are scenes where we see Mollie fighting to get justice for her killed family members while suffering with ill health.

    Robert De Niro’s character looks like he is doing a lot for the Osage community but deep down is a loathsome monster. The veteran actor as expected delivers a master class in acting; whether it is the scenes of showing mock concern for the killings or the ones where he terrorises Ernest with just a slight shift in his voice.

    Of course in the end both of them are caught and put in jail for some years. Millie divorces him and marries another man from her community.

    The film is an important reminder of American Colonisation at its worst and what the insanity of greed can do to fellow human beings.