Tag: Kriti Sanon

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Bollywood actresses turning producers: A look at women pushing the envelope

In the age of pan India Films, and reducing screenspace for women, it has become even more necessary for the actresses to take charge of the stories they are part of.

In the last few years, many Bollywood actresses have turned producers. They have produced films either starring themselves in lead roles or having new talents in prominent parts.

This trend of actresses turning producers proved to be a healthy change, giving them greater control over their roles, and allowing them to explore more challenging roles which mainstream cinema doesn’t always provide. While the box office figures for these movies aren’t massive, there is creative satisfaction.

It is a well-known fact that in today’s age of pan-Indian cinema, actresses are getting reduced to mere dolls with very little to do. Even the romantic track with heroes has become all about the male gaze.

In the recent big-budget film Devara (2024)—Janhvi Kapoor’s Tollywood debut,  the actress makes her appearance only in the second half that too for a brief while. She is reduced to a person lusting after the hero and dancing to the sensuous “Chuttamalle”.

In this scenario, it becomes even more necessary for the actresses to take charge of the stories they are part of. Here is a list of actresses turning producers and the projects they undertook.

Anushka Sharma

One of the actresses who turned a producer early on was Anushka Sharma. She launched her own production company Clean Slate Filmz in the year 2013.

The first movie produced under her banner was NH 10 (2015), a gripping thriller. The film is about honour killings, in which a city couple find themselves witness to a brutal incident of honour killing leaving deep scars. In the film, Anushka Sharma portrays a wide range of emotions, from confidence to despair, to finally rage.

Anushka Sharma in ‘Phillauri’. (X)

After the intense NH10, the actress did a complete U-Turn with her next production Phillauri (2017). In 2018, she produced and acted in yet another milestone film in her career— Pari.

While Philauri dealt primarily with superstitions in a comic tone, it also spoke about long-lost love and the culture of music and poetry in Punjab.

In this movie, she played a strong-willed woman with a flair for writing poetry. Later in the movie, she plays the role of a friendly spirit giving Anushka ample scope to demonstrate both her comic and dramatic chops.

Post Phillauri there was the horror movie Pari in the backdrop of satanic cults. Pari was a challenging part both physically and emotionally for Anushka. She was in equal parts scary and also emotionally vulnerable delivering a knock-out act.

All these movies are not major grossers at the box office but they showcased Anushka’s versatility in taking on challenging roles.

Roping in new talents

Tripti Dimri in Bulbbul
Tripti Dimri in ‘Bulbbul’. (X)

Apart from the above-mentioned ones Anushka has also backed movies featuring young talents, a case in point being Bulbbul (2020) and Qala (2022).

Both these movies featured young actress Tripti Dimri in author-backed roles. They opened to great reviews marking Tripti as a promising young talent which unfortunately the actress has not been able to capitalize on. Bulbbul also had another upcoming actor Avinash Tiwary making a strong impression.

Anushka also produced the critically acclaimed Amazon show Paatal Lok (2020).

Paatal Lok had the Raazi actor Jaideep Ahlawat in a breakthrough performance. The show gave Jaideep space to display his talent and he didn’t disappoint.

The show was also a breakthrough for Abhishek Banerjee, generally known for comic roles in the Stree franchise, the actor was extremely convincing as the deadly assassin.

Priyanka Chopra 

Priyanka Chopra in Sky Is Pink
Priyanka Chopra in ‘Sky Is Pink’. (X)

Another prominent actress Priyanka Chopra has also backed hatke movies under Purple Pebble Pictures. Apart from the likes of Sky Is Pink (2019) and The White Tiger (2021) Priyanka has produced movies in Marathi as well.

Ventilator (2016) had director Ashutosh Gowariker in a major role. The movie opened to rave reviews apart from being a commercial success. Director Rajesh Mapuskar who also wrote the screenplay won awards for best screenplay and best debut director.

Speaking about her Hindi film, Sky Is Pink featured the actress in a multi-layered character. Her role as a determined parent spans from a young mother to an older woman. As a strong mother who wants to make sure that her child lives life to the fullest amidst a life-threatening disease, Priyanka‘s performance touched a huge chord with the audience.

The grief along with her inner strength is palpable in every scene.

In the English/Hindi movie The White Tiger Priyanka’s role was more of a supporting one, nevertheless, the actress made a striking impression.

The White Tiger had Adarsh Gaurav in the lead role, who got into the skin of his character. The movie opened new doors for the young talent.

Alia Bhatt 

A poster of the film Darlings
A poster of the film ‘Darlings’. (X)

The national award-winning actress Alia started her own production house with the movie Darlings (2022).

The film is a dark thriller/comedy about two domestic abuse survivors, with her character Badru representing the numerous housewives who put up with their husband’s abusive behaviour in the hope that they would change one day. This doesn’t happen and eventually, Badru is forced to take things into her own hands.

The transition of Alia’s Badru from a battered housewife to a stronger woman was exciting to watch though the process could have been better etched. It was brave of Alia to choose a subject like Darlings for her debut venture and by playing a domestic abuse survivor she represented numerous Indian women whose patience is mistaken for submissiveness.

Darlings was followed by presenting the Malayalam web series Poacher (2024). Poacher was a crime drama based on the real-life incidents of Elephant poaching. The series had Nimisha Sajayan in an intense performance giving her new fame.

After Poacher came Jigra (2024) which she produced along with Karan Johar.

Jigra is a story about a fiercely protective elder sister, who would do whatever it takes to save her brother from the death sentence. There are intense combat sequences with an ally turned foe in a jungle.

Keeping aside the box office numbers, Alia showcased a different side to her in this movie proving that she can pull off action as well. Apart from being an emotional drama Jigra also touched upon the consequences of a delayed justice system where innocent prisoners are forced to take extreme measures in order to find freedom.

Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone in Chhappak
Deepika Padukone in ‘Chhappak’. (X)

In the year 2020 Deepika produced and starred in the flawed yet gutsy Chhappak movie under her banner Ka Productions.

Deepika took a huge risk with her stardom to play an acid attack survivor. In spite of falling short in a couple of sequences, Deepika was mostly competent in making the viewers feel the agony of Malati Agarwal based on the real-life Lakshmi Agarwal.

Taapsee Pannu 

Pink (2014) actress Taapsee Pannu turned producer with the female buddy film Dhak Dhak (2023) under the banner Outsider Films. The movie focused on four women of different age groups and their journey of self-discovery on a long bike trip. It was a well-made feel good movie.

Kareena Kapoor Khan 

Kareena Kapoor Khan also turned into a producer with a Hansal Mehta directorial The Buckingham Murders (2023). The name of her production house is Mahana Films.

Unlike her general glamorous roles, Kareena was seen in a very different avatar, a detective going through huge emotional turmoil while investigating a case. Kareena delivered a stunning performance, showcasing her versatility.

Kriti Sanon 

Kriti Sanon in Do Patti
Kriti Sanon in ‘Do Patti’. (X)

The last in this list is Kriti Sanon who co-produced the recently released Do Patti (2024) under her banner Blue Butterfly Films. The core concept of domestic abuse and the character graph of Kriti’s Saumya in this is similar to what Jasmeet K Reen already explored in Darlings.

Having said that it has to be mentioned that director Shashanka Chaturvedi brought his aspects too like post-traumatic stress and a jealous identical twin who undergoes a transformation. Playing two vastly different characters Kriti pushed herself as an actress coming up with a good performance.

Through the double act, Kriti showed that she can easily play a grey-shaded or a completely negative role.

Becoming decision-makers

In a way, this is a good trend as actresses are becoming decision-makers in showcasing women’s talent and pushing boundaries.

On the other hand, it is also a sad commentary on the film industry that actresses had to bankroll movies to display their talent, something which mainstream cinema is not giving them enough.

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/bollywood-actresses-turning-producers-a-look-at-women-pushing-the-envelope/

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Do Patti: A gripping cautionary tale about the consequences of abusive relationships and how women should fight back

Do Patti movie banner

A common factor binding Do Patti and Alia Bhatt’s debut production Darlings is women taking control of their lives when everything seems to have hit a dead end. Kudos to Kriti Sanon for choosing a sensitive subject like domestic abuse for her maiden production venture.

Starcast: Kriti Sanon, Shaheer Sheik, Kajol, Tanvi Azmi, Brijendra Kala and others

Director: Shashanka Chaturvedi

Writer: Kanika Dhillon

Producers: Kanika Dhillon and Kriti Sanon

Production Companies: Kathha Pictures, Blue Butterfly Films and Vipin Agnihotri Films

Songs: Sachet- Parampara and Taniskh Bagchi

Streaming site: Netflix

Running time: 2 hours and 7 minutes

In the last few years numerous Bollywood actresses have turned producers pushing the envelope with interesting stories and strong female characters. Irrespective of the box office numbers these characters have created a solid impact. Case in point being the films produced under Anuskha Sharma’s Clean Slate Filmz. A particular mention must be made of her turn in the horror movie Pari. She played a battered young woman with a haunting past. Priyanka Chopra is another actress who has produced good movies like Sky Is Pink and The White Tiger. Her heart wrenching portrayal of a determined mother in the former was nothing less than extraordinary. One of our major commercial stars Deepika Padukone also entered into production with the flawed yet gusty Chhapaak. The biggest star of this generation Alia has produced two movies and presented one Malayalam web series Poacher under Eternal Sunshine Productions. Both Darlings and Jigra dealt with contrastingly different subjects. Darlings focused on a domestic abuse survivor, Jigra on the other hand dealt with the delayed justice system through a morally complex elder sister. Kriti Sanon’s Do Patti is a good addition to the above-mentioned films.

Do Patti is a good addition to the above-mentioned films

The story of Do Patti is set in the fictional hill station of Devaipur. It focuses on a pair of identical twins Saumya and Shelle, they are as different as chalk and cheese. Their relationship has always been strained. Out of the two Saumya needs more care given her constant paranoia. Shelle on the other is the wilder one. From an early age itself Shelle has harbored jealousy towards Saumya. Her feeling is that Saumya gets way more love from the family, according to her Saumya puts up the act of being paranoid to get more love. A good example of Shelle’s animosity is the scene where she cuts a small portion of her sister’s hair as a child. Years later this animosity takes a hugely dangerous turn with the arrival of Dhruv (fantastic Shaheer Sheikh). Dhruv gets quickly attracted to Shelle as her wild nature is more appealing to him over Saumya’s demureness. But in a major turn of events, his marriage takes place with Saumya leading to further friction among the siblings. Initially Dhruv appears to be a good husband but soon his short temperedness comes to the fore. Kajol plays police inspector Vidya Jyothi. This is the story in brief.

Kriti Sanon in a double role

A strong aspect of Do Patti is the depiction of sibling rivalry particularly the characterization of Shelle. Writer Kanika Dhillon is known for writing unorthodox women. The best example being Taapsee Pannu in the Haseen Dil Ruba movies and Manmarziyaan. Here too the writer has given interesting character traits adding to the thrill quotient of the movie. Both Saumya and Shelle carry a deep emotional baggage of their own, it is just that they have chosen different methods. In case of Saumya it is about internalizing, for Shelle escapism is the defense. This has come out well both in terms of writing and the stellar acting performance of Kriti.

The unraveling of Shaheer Sheikh’s Dhruv, how the role starts off and the eventual revelation of his true colors is also a delight to watch. Shaheer Sheikh plays the unpredictable husband with aplomb making a striking impact.

Shaheer Sheikh plays the unpredictable husband with aplomb

Through Do Patti director Shashanka Chaturvedi and Kanika Dhillon have focused on pertinent topics. The portrayal of post-traumatic stress and childhood trauma have been dealt in a poignant manner.

The depiction of domestic abuse is raw in nature, a scene which needs to be mentioned here is a disturbing altercation between Dhruv and Saumya. It is a very upsetting moment which many domestic abuse survivors will relate with.

Do Patti also plays out like an Agatha Christie Thriller. The twists and turns are fairly engrossing. A big twist leading to a poignant flashback deserves a special mention. Through the flashback there is an important message on reporting domestic violence.

Performances wise Do Patti is very much a Kriti Sanon showreel. She aces both the parts with equal ease whether it is grey shades and the eventual remorse of Shelle or the demure Saumya who will tug at your heartstrings. Kajol as police inspector Vidya Jyothi fits the part of a no- nonsense police officer, she does a fine job in portraying the tough attitude, but the Haryanvi accent feels jarring. The moral dilemmas of Vidya Jyothi at one point also needed better etching. Tanvi Azmi as the supportive caretaker brings in a lot of warmth in her small yet significant part.

Sachet Parampara and Tanishk Bagchi’s songs are just above average. The CGI and the camerawork though are of a high order more so in the portions which have two Kriti’s.

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Crew : A much-needed female buddy film in mainstream Hindi cinema

Despite the implausible heist portions of the second half, Rajesh A Krishnan delivers a fun movie aided by the trio.
Crew (Hindi); 29-03-2024, Comedy-Thriller, 2 hours 4 minutes, U/A, Theatre
  • Main Cast: Kareena Kapoor, Tabu, Kriti Sanon, Diljit Dosanjh, and Kapil Sharma
  • Director: Rajesh Krishnan
  • Producer: Ektaa R Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor
  • Music Director: Badshah, Diljit Dosanjh, Vishal Mishra
  • Cinematography: Anuj Rakesh Dhawan
  • Rating: 3.5/5
  • Published in: Southfirst

The number of movies with well-known female actors playing buddies can be counted on fingers, particularly in mainstream Hindi cinema.

Sure, there have been the likes of Parched (2015) and Dhak Dhak (2023). Both movies celebrated sisterhood in their own way. But, as far as mainstream cinema goes, male bonding has always been more in number.

Rhea Kapoor went against the tide when she produced Veere Di Wedding (2018), starring Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar, and Shikha Talsania.

Veere Di Wedding had its problems in terms of storytelling. But it still did strike a chord with the target audiences.

And now, Rhea Kapoor is back with another female buddy film starring actors from different schools of acting — Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Kriti Sanon.

Writers Nidhi Mehra and Mehul Suri have taken inspiration from the real Kingfisher Airlines and the fugitive Vijay Mallya.

Nidhi Mehra and Mehul Suri along with Rajesh A Krishnan have combined elements of heist and comedy and have made a movie that engages the viewers for the most part.

Synopsis

Tabu in ‘Crew’. (X)

The story of Crew is about three air hostesses — Geetha Sethi (Tabu), Jasmine (Kareena Kapoor Khan), and Divya Rana (Kriti Sanon).

On the surface, the three appear to be leading a glamorous life, but in reality, they struggle to keep themselves afloat.

For example, Geetha wants to use her provident fund to start her own business with her husband (Kapil Sharma), while Jessica is looking for someone to fund her start-up.

On the other hand, Divya has loans to repay. Additionally, she has given a picture of being a pilot to her parents when she actually is an air hostess.

The three work for Kohinoor Airlines, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. They have been facing a salary crisis for the last six months.

Crew begins with three of them being detained on suspicion of smuggling gold, but that is only a part of the movie.

In simple terms, the story of Crew is about how the trio is pushed to a corner and takes a route that isn’t ethically right to survive.

The film also gets into a heist mode in the later half when the three decide to take revenge on the fictional Vijay Mallya when he flees from the country.

Sisterhood and chemistry

Kriti Sanon in ‘Crew’. (X)

For a film of this nature, the female actors must have a crackling chemistry and a genuine sense of sisterhood.

Fortunately, both the sisterhood and the chemistry are very much on point.

The jokes, the fights, and the eventual patch-up feel authentic.

Rajesh A Krishnan also deserves credit for never getting into a judgmental mode about the things the trio do.

All three come with their share of flaws, and this makes the movie more endearing.

The brilliant performances, particularly of Kareena Kapoor Khan and Tabu, make Crew hugely enjoyable.

After an intense performance in last year’s Jaane Jaan, Kareena lets her hair down in a complete contrast role.

Her Jasmine is a hustler who is unapologetically greedy and doesn’t mind showing off. However, there is also a deep loneliness.

Kareena does a terrific job of portraying the different facets of Jasmine.

Tabu’s Geetha is someone who is torn between her responsibilities and desires. The accomplished actor is her usual brilliant self. Some of her comic exchanges with Kareena are an absolute riot.

The two also have a delightful action scene in a private jet.

Kriti Sanon is fairly good and holds her own, particularly in the scenes portraying Divya’s moral dilemmas.

Other characters

Kareena Kapoor Khan in ‘Crew’. (X)

Despite their limited screen time, the male characters are also fun to watch. The husband and wife scenes between Kapil Sharma and Tabu have a lot of warmth.

The same applies to Diljit Dosanjh as Jasveer. The actor is his usual charming self and the way he flirts with Divya is adorable.

The viewers feel bad for Jasveer when Divvya deceives him for her needs.

Khulbhushan Kharbanda is Jasmine’s grandfather and an important pillar of support.

Again, the scenes they share are few. But still, Khulbhushan Kharbanda makes for an adorable grandfather.

Implausible heist drama

A couple of aspects come across as stumbling blocks in Crew. One is the heist portions, which border on being quite silly.

The landing portions of the film could have been done with better writing.

Also, the styling of the characters in some scenes leaves a lot to be desired.

They come across as too stylish, which doesn’t gel with the protagonists’ backgrounds.

Verdict

Keeping aside these small niggles, Crew is a breath of fresh air in many ways. It is a definite respite from the regular propaganda and the mass-heavy films we have been seeing in Hindi cinema of late.

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/crew-movie-review/

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Ganapath: A Show Reel For Tiger Shroff’s Somersaults

The film begins off as a dystopian drama with some promise but soon becomes a generic Tiger Shroff vehicle with no head or tail 

Ganapath (Hindi)             1 out of 5

Starcast: Tiger Shroff, Kriti Sanon, Amitabh Bachchan, Rahman and others

Writer and director: Vikas Bahl

Producers: Vikas Bahl, JackkyBhagnani, Vashu Bhagnani and others

Production Companies: Good Co and Pooja Entertainment

Runtime: 2 hours and 30 minutes

Genre: Action/dystopian

Vikas Bahl’s Ganapath starts off with a voice over of Dalapathi (Amitabh Bachchan with his trademark baritone). He talks about how a destructive war has led to a world divided in two parts. On the one hand you have the ‘Silver City’ where the rich and mighty are ruling the roost. Their leader is the cold hearted Dalani. On the other hand you have the ‘Garibon Ki basti’. The people living here don’t have sufficient food, water or money. However they are living in a certain hope that a saviour called Ganapath will get them out of this hell. This was prophesied by Dalapathi before he dies. Ironically their saviour Guddu aka Ganapath (Tiger Shroff) is living a super rich life in the Silver City.

Tiger Shroff’s introduction shot shows him waking up with many skimpily clad women swooning over him. This has to be one of the worst hero introduction scenes ever. Guddu works for John English (Ziad Bakari). John English is an aid of Dalani. Things take a turn when John’s girlfriend (Elli AvRam) tries to seduce Guddu and both of them are caught red handed. The rest of the story is about what Guddu’s actual identity is and how he ends up being a messiah for the ‘Garibon Ki basti’.

There is no denying that the story of Ganapath had the potential to be an impactful action drama with some social commentary. However the problem is that director Vikas Bahl had given more focus on Tiger Shroff’s physical agility rather than a well structured film.

Tiger Shroff’s action and swag is very much on point but we have seen Tiger do all these in his previous films so there is nothing new for the audiences. A primary reason why Siddarth Anand’s War remains Tiger Shroff’s best performance so far is that his action in that film was backed by a strong emotional undercurrent. Here it is mostly missing except for a heartfelt speech in the climax. But by that time audiences are well past caring for what is happening on the screen.

Further adding to the woes is the unnecessary Mumbaiya slang which doesn’t make any sense. Kriti Sanon plays an underground rebel warrior called Jassi. Her introduction scene is filled with a few  impressive stunts but soon she ends up being a mere girlfriend with little agency.

The love story between Guddu and Jassi is another sore point. Guddu’s flirting with Jassi is cringe worthy to say the least.

Amitabh Bachchan’s extended cameo is powerful and we wish that he had more screen time. Tamil actor Rahman makes a good Bollywood debut. He brings in much needed intensity to the story.

Another sore point is the shoddy graphics. They make Ganapath look like more of a video game than an actual film.

The fight sequences have been choreographed well but there is no novelty particularly for those who have seen Tiger do action before.

Characters from the ‘Garibon Ki basti’ feel like extras from the sets of Bahubali and KGF films. Their only job is to wait for the saviour to arrive.

To sum it up Ganapath is Vikas Bahl’s worst film till date. This movie makes Shaandar look like a masterpiece.

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Adipurush: Prabhas’s Latest Outing Is A Misfire Of Epic Proportions

In spite of all the resources available, Om Raut has delivered an absolutely subpar film that makes a mockery of the ‘Ramayana’.

Prabahs-starrer Adipurush was one of the most keenly anticipated movies of this year. It was expected to be a mega-comeback for the actor.

However, since the release of its teaser, it has been hitting the headlines for the wrong reasons more often than for the right ones.

Only the songs have managed to create some buzz. Unfortunately for Prabhas, Adipurush is going to be another severe setback after Saaho (2019) and Radhe Shyam (2022).

A subpar film

In spite of all the resources available, director Om Raut has delivered an absolutely subpar film that makes a mockery of the Ramayana.

Om Raut made a smashing Bollywood debut with his first film Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior (2020). Ajay Devgn played the title role in it.

Saif Ali Khan was the chief antagonist, playing Aurangzeb’s trusted guard Udaybhan Singh Rathore.

In spite of its hyper-nationalism, Tanhaji still worked primarily because of the performances, and also the scale on which Om Raut mounted the film.

I won’t go into the story of Adipurush as Ramayana is an epic that needs no introduction. So, let’s delve straight into the analysis.

Before getting into the negatives, it is necessary to mention the few positives that Adipurush has.

To give credit where it is due, the music and the background score do manage to pump in the much-required emotions.

The movie begins with the wonderful song “Ram Siya Ram“. Manoj Muntashir’s lyrics coupled with his singing make the track an absolute winner.

“Jai Shri Ram” has a robust energy which makes the audience sit up.

The background score done by Ajay-Atul and Sachet-Parampara is rousing.

A particular mention must be made of the background score whenever Saif Ali Khan’s Raavan comes on screen.

Saif as Raavan

Saif Ali Khan clearly has a ball playing Raavan and it shows in every scene. Thanks to his strong screen presence, the actor brings a certain energy that uplifts the film considerably.

Yes, the part does remind you of Ranveer Singh’s Allauddin Khilji in Padmaavat (2018) and also Saif’s own Udaybhan Singh Rathore. But still, there is no denying the impact of Saif.

Saif has always been at his best when not playing the typical hero and this thunderous performance is proof of that.

Vatsal Seth as Indrajeet deserves a mention. He makes a striking impact in spite of his limited screen time.

Too many flaws

Coming to the shortcomings, Prabhas and Kriti Sanon are easily the weakest links of Adipurush.

The success of the Baahubali films (2015 & 2017) has changed the fortunes of Prabhas, both positively and negatively.

On one hand, it has opened new doors for the actor. But the expectations have also risen many folds.

An important part of his success has always been his magnetic screen presence but that charisma was nowhere visible in both Saaho and Radhe Shyam, particularly the former.

Here, too, Prabhas comes across as rather dull. At no point does he succeed in making the audiences feel that he is Rama, the Ideal Man/God that crores of people in this country worship.

It is very clear that the actor has treated this role as any other mainstream character. At no point does he get into the headspace of Rama.

Kriti Sanon as Sita

Kriti Sanon, on the other hand, does suffer from a sketchy characterisation. She is largely absent in the second half. Even when she is there, she comes across as bland.

Much like Prabhas, Kriti has also failed to internalise her character.

The chemistry required between Prabhas and Kriti Sanon is completely absent.

Weak characterisation

The characterisations of the “Vanar Sena” also leave a lot to be desired. The accent of Devdatta Nage’s Hanuman, in particular, is rather jarring.

Om Raut has tried to give Hanuman a modern touch, but the dialogues are completely out of sync with what viewers generally expect from Hanuman.

Poor VFX

The VFX is another big disaster. Adipurush is a film that is supposed to have been made on a budget of ₹600 crore. But as viewers, you wonder where the budget went.

In spite of the flaws in the story, Brahmastra (2022) was at least a visual spectacle. But the graphics in Adipurush seems to have been designed by amateurs.

The battle scenes, in particular, are both laughable and exhausting. They test the viewers’ patience to the optimum. One wishes to see the end as quickly as possible.

Final take

A runtime of almost three hours makes things worse for Adipurush. Instead of being an epic tale, it turns out to be an epic bore.

(Views expressed are personal.)

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Shehzada: Kartik Aaryan Tries Hard But This ‘Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo’ Remake Lacks Commercial Grip

Shehzada (Hindi)

Director: Rohit Dhawan

Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Paresh Rawal, Kriti Sanon, Ronit Roy, Sachin Kundalkar, Manisha Koirala, Rajpal Yadav, and others.

Producers: Bhushan Kumar, Allu Aravind, Kartik Aaryan, Aman Gill, and S Radha Krishna

Original story and screenplay: Trivikram

Music: Pritam

Duration: 2 hours 26 minutes

Trivikram’s Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo isn’t an example of great cinema. It is a commercial template film with all the elements of the 1980s and 1990s.

The storyline of Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, which raked in somewhere between $260-280 crore at the Box Office, was also hugely problematic.

However, what worked for it was its packaging. Director Trivikram Srinivas understands the pulse of the mass and as a result, he delivered an entertaining cocktail of romance, comedy, action, and drama.

The story

For those who haven’t seen Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, it is necessary to narrate the story in brief.

Shehzada starts with Valmiki (Paresh Rawal) in the midst of child swapping. He is extremely jealous of multi-millionaire Randeep Jindal (Ronit Roy).

Both of them had started their journey on the same scooter, but Randeep’s life took a turn for the better when the boss made him his son-in-law. The daughter is Yashu (Manisha Koirala).

There is a lot of inner resentment at this sudden change of fortune in Valmiki, resulting in the swapping of his baby with Randeep’s baby.

Randeep’s real son grows up as Valmiki’s son in a middle-class neighbourhood, while Valmiki’s son leads a luxurious life.

…And it continues

Cut to the present, Bantu (Kartik Aaryan) cannot understand why his father has more affection for Randeep’s son Raj (Ankur Rathee).

Mid way, Bantu learns of his true identity, which serves as the ideal time for an intermission.

As a true blue-blooded hero, he decides to solve the various problems of the Jindal household and also save them from a villainous gang led by Sarang (Sunny Hinduja).

Kriti Sanon plays the lawyer-cum-girlfriend (Samara). Sachin Kundalkar reprises his role from the original as the lovable grandfather.

It was Allu Arjun’s magic

Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo success was also hugely aided by the sheer screen presence of Allu Arjun, who made the audiences look past the many problematic elements.

The equation between Allu Arjun’s Bantu and Murali Sharma’s Valmiki was a major highlight. In fact, Murali Sharma can be called the second hero of the film.

S Thaman also contributed majorly by giving blockbuster music.

Director Rohit Dhawan tries to replicate the same energy with the remake. However, Shehzada turns out to be a dull cousin that makes the original look like a masterpiece.

Shehzada also has a few moments with Kartik Aaryan and Paresh Rawal trying their darnedest best but, unfortunately, their efforts aren’t enough to salvage this wreck.

But Kartik does his best

Before diving into the negatives, let’s cover some positives. Allu Arjun’s shoes are difficult to fill, let’s accept that first. He has a distinct swag that is tough to replicate.

Kartik Aaryan has done comedy and romance in the past too, but this one requires him to be an all-round hero.

To Kartik’s credit, he does embrace the film’s many absurdities with conviction. He brings a certain charm to the lighter moments. He is also good in the emotional scenes.

Paresh Rawal is a vastly experienced actor whose skills need no particular introduction. As Valmiki, the actor brings his usual gravitas. His scenes with Kartik are some of the redeeming parts of the film.

Music not on par with the original

Pritam’s music is no match for what S Thaman had created, but it’s not completely terrible either.

The title track sung by Sonu Nigam is quite groovy and does make you tap your feet. The romantic number Mera Sawaal ka, featuring Kartik and Kriti, is also quite enjoyable to watch and hear.

Some of the one-liners written by Hussain Dalal do bring a smile to the audience’s face. A mention here must be made of the scene between Rajpal Yadav and Kartik Aaryan.

Rajpal Yadav plays a police officer who comes to investigate the murder attempt on Randeep. The scene of Bantu explaining what is happening in the Jindal household leaves the audience in splits.

Lack of conviction

The biggest problem with Shehzada is the lack of conviction in the storytelling.

Rohit Dhawan’s style is clearly influenced by his dad David Dhawan, but Shehzada lacks the energy and wittiness of the best of David Dhawan films.

Stories like Shehzada primarily work based on how successful the director is in building a make-believe world, and Rohit falters here.

To Rohit’s credit, however, he does remove many of the unnecessary characters from the original, but it doesn’t help the film in any way as it mostly turns out to be a showreel for Kartik Aaryan.

Fleeting appearances

Characters appear and disappear at the fancy of the director. One example of this is the actor who plays Bantu’s sister. She sporadically appears in the first half and, in the later half, she is never seen again.

The portrayal of the rich kid in the original was also filled with lazy stereotypes, but here the director dumbs down the character to a whole new level.

Ankur Rathee as Raj comes across as more annoying than lazy. His emotional outburst leads to unintentional comedy rather than help the audience feel for the character.

Kriti Sanon is less objectified than Pooja, but her role as a feisty lawyer is absolutely dispensable. Ronit Roy and Manisha Koirala are sincere, but they deserved much more.

Verdict

In a nutshell, Shehzada is a poor replica that the Hindi film industry could have done away with.

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Bhediya: A Strong Cautionary Tale On The Importance Of Environment

Varun is brilliant, while Kriti gets relegated to the background!

Bhediya (Hindi)

  • Cast: Varun Dhawan, Abhishek Benarjee, Deepak Dobriyal, Paalin Kabak, and Kriti Sanon
  • Director: Aamir Kaushik
  • Producer: Dinesh Vijan
  • Music: Sachin-Jigar
  • Runtime: 2 hours and 36 minutes

Aamir Kaushik is known for his wacky sense of storytelling: his previous films Stree and Bala are examples.

Stree was based on the folk tale, “Oh Woman Come Tomorrow”. He gave it a feminist touch, elevating the film from the usual horror-comedy genre.

In Bala, Kaushik used humour to convey an important message on baldness and societal standards of beauty.

With Bhediya, Kaushik once again scripts a folk tale with a strong message. This time, the setting is Arunachal Pradesh.

In Bhediya, he focuses his lens on how progress should not be at the cost of the environment. There is also a commentary on how the northeast people are alienated.

These are heavy themes but Kaushik makes them non-preachy through his storytelling.

The plot of Bhediya is centred on a small-time contractor Bhaskar (Varun Dhawan). He gets the opportunity of a lifetime when he is given a road-construction contract inside the dense forests of Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh.

This is his biggest project. But he is aware that this project will destroy the environment.

He also knows that the project would not benefit the local population. Still, he wants to continue the work for the benefits it brings.

His cousin Janardan (Abhishek Banerjee) accompanies him. He has a local friend, Jomin (Paalin Kabak).

Deepak Dobriyal plays sub-contractor Panda. One night, Bhaskar is stranded in the jungle and is bitten by a bhediya (wolf).

Veterinary doctor Anki (Kriti Sanon with a weird hairstyle) provides him first-aid.

However, things start getting worse for Bhaskar because he was bitten by a supernatural wolf. As a result, he too gets some supernatural powers now.

On the other hand, certain people associated with this controversial project are getting killed due to a particular animal.

The rest of the story is about how this mystery is solved and how Bhaskar manages to overcome his inner conflict. This is the synopsis of Bhediya.

Terrific visual effects

The best thing about the movie is how the director balances horror and comedy.

The scenes of Varun transforming into a werewolf at night will give goosebumps to the audience, more so if you are watching it in 3D.

The background music by Sachin-Jigar coupled with the cinematography of Jishnu Bhattacharjee heightens the impact of these scenes.

The computer-generated ‘wolf effects’ are in perfect sync with the nature of the film. The hard work that has gone behind the scenes is evident.

Comedy is a mixed bag

Abhishek Benerjee mostly handles the comedy part. He is a real hoot and often leaves the audience in splits.

Varun’s camaraderie with both Abhishek Benerjee and Paalin Kabak gives the film some of its best moments.

Paalin Kabak also stands on his own, particularly in the scene where he expresses his frustration about the stereotypes associated with northeastern people.

Deepak Dobriyal is fun to watch.

But some of the jokes are rather in bad taste. A case in point is the scene where Varun’s bum becomes a point of discussion; there is also some unnecessary toilet humour which dragged quite a bit.

There are also some avoidable racist jokes.

Varun is brilliant, Kriti is underused

Another major win for the film is how the character of Varun has been designed coupled with the actor’s terrific performance.

Bhaskar is someone who starts with an indifferent attitude towards nature. Becoming rich is his only ambition. However, all these changes after he gets bitten by the supernatural wolf.

The audiences get to see him going through a lot of internal conflicts and eventually changing for the better.

Varun captures all these shades meticulously. He also deserves huge credit for the physical transformation that he goes through when the wolf takes over.

Kriti Sanon has a mysterious presence much like Shraddha Kapoor in Stree. And just like Shraddha, Kriti is largely relegated to the background except for the pre-climax twist.

It has a good emotional touch. However, the impact would have been more if Kriti was better used it from the beginning. Her romance with Varun is rather half-baked.

Sachin-Jigar’s music was better in Stree than in this film but they more than make it up with their background score.

Rajkumar Rao and Aparshakti Khuranna make a surprise appearance, in the end, leaving the audiences curious about a possible crossover film between Bhediya and Stree in future.