BOllywood trade netword
MANORAMA, SIX FEET UNDER is Navdeep Singh’s first feature film. It is his take on the noir genre told in the context of small town Indian life. Navdeep has primarily designed it to be an honest and intelligent thriller, operating at multiple levels with an entertaining murder mystery serving as the vehicle to explore certain social and human issues as subtext.
Homage to the noir genre, MANORAMA SIX FEET UNDER is about an amateur detective Satyaveer Singh aka SV (Abhay Deol) in a small town who finds himself caught in a web of lies, deceit and murder.
SV is a government engineer but his real ambition has always been writing detective fiction. Unfortunately, his maiden attempt, a novel called Manorama, sank without a trace and he has been reduced to writing for cheap pulp magazines.
Stifled by the dreariness of small town existence and frustrated by his failure, SV’s life takes a turn when the wife of a powerful local politician arrives at his doorstep with an irresistible offer; the chance for SV to play a real life detective by spying on her husband. Intrigued and tempted by the opportunity to redeem his self worth, SV accepts.
Upon completion of his assignment, things take a turn when SV discovers that the woman is not who she claims to be. The situation gets further complicated when she is killed in a mysterious accident.
Sensing foul play, SV begins investigating her death only to discover that nothing is what it seems to be and that redemption doesn’t come easy…
Friday, September 14, 2007
Nanhe Jaisalmer
Director
Samir Karnik
Star Cast
Bobby Deol...... Bobby Deol (himself)
Katrina Kaif
Vatsal Sheth
Dwij Yadav...... Nanhe
Prerna Virender
Music Director
Himesh Reshammiya
Story / Writer
Samir Karnik
-------------------------
Let us how they tore it to shreds .
-------------------------
Critic - Khalid MOhammed
Rating - 2/5
Really, it’s enough to blow your pressure cooker. His novella is actually awarded the International Booker. Yup, the same literary prize snagged in recent years by Kiran Desai, Arundhati Roy and the patriarch-turned-prose-genius Amitabh Bachchan in Baghbaan. What a yarn!
The new winner is Vikram Singh aka Nanhe Jaisalmer, directed and written (oh oh, what about those allegations of snitching by another writer?) by Samir Karnik. Kyun controversy ho gaya naa?
Alas, there’s nothing remotely literary or controversial about what you eventually sample in this flashbuk-buk by Vicky Singh. No zing, Vicks just catches hold of a shocked electrician at a hotel’s banquet hall to narrate his memoir. Hmm, it’s about a camel-riding Rajasthan tourist guide kiddo (Dwij Yadav) who looks as if he’d be happier at home playing Ludo. Eeeps.
Anyway, the 10-year-old desert boy knows a smattering of French, German, Latin and fenugreek. Snag: he’s uneducated in ka-kha-ga-gha and so goes duh-duh. This despite the militant attempts of his morose mum, didi and a heftier version of Gayatri Devi, to make him attend night school. Incidentally, this masti ki paathshala is populated by an ancient gent who goes haw-haw-haw and dear old Sharat Saxena who keeps drinking from quarter bottles of rum? Life’s glum.
But there’s a tinsel lining. Camel boy is Asia’s biggest ceiling fan of Bobby Deol the actor (played by Bobby Deol the actor).
Next: you’re subjected to teasers from Abby-Mustan’s Soldier; the kid claps, whistles and generally goes berserk till Bobby D shows up in person. Gratifyingly, the bonhomie between the two is life-affirming. How wonderful – a star and a desert boy actually bond as equals! Sweet.
If only Karnik’s writing had developed this emotional aspect of an otherwise gaga screenplay. Alas, there’s something much too gratuitous about the kid giving up his gutka chewing habit, beating up a junior Gulshan Groverish bully, exhuming his fear of mice (how nice?), becoming an exemplary scholar and heavens, growing up to become a purely wooden Vatsal Seth (from the forgotten Tarzan The Blunder Car or something). Oof. And for the last straw, there’s that cracko-wacko Booker acceptance speech. Please!
Like it or not, the boy is even turned into a stereotyped angry child-man, what with the Deewar-like humiliating tattoo emblazoned on his hand. Surely, Karnik could have stressed upon the innocence and guilelessness of the boy instead of making him a cross between Bachchan and Guddi. Oh well.
If you don’t sprint out of the auditorium, it’s only because of the emphasis placed on the need for a national literacy programme (girl children are conspicuous by their absence though).
Plus, Dwij Yadav is endearing; the child has the most fluroscent smile since Madhuri Dixit’s. Bobby Deol, too, invests a glowingly warm quality to his part, almost as if he were reliving moments with his own son.
On the debit side, Binod Pradhan’s cinematography of the magnificent Jaisalmer vistas are ordinary. Himesh Reshammiya’s music is unhummable. And the direction relies far too much on swooping crane shot takings.
Bottomline: this odd enterprise is neither a children’s film nor an entertainer for spectators of all ages. It’s not worth losing your pressure cooker for its bizarre Booker.
Critic - Taran Adarsh
Rating - 1.5/2
Right intentions don't necessarily translate into right results. NANHE JAISALMER is a case in point.
Director Samir Karnik's second outing is truly unconventional. It's a simple story with no commercial paraphernalia and trappings, stars a kid as a protagonist, there's no heavy duty drama here and nor is there the mandatory hero-heroine routine that Hindi films are made of. Oh yes, Karnik gambles big time this time around.
As a storyteller, Karnik gets it right with NANHE JAISALMER. He has grown as a raconteur and his handling of a couple of sequences is indeed impressive. But it's the writing, more specifically the pre-climax and climax, that ruins the show. Imaginary relationships were handled with dexterity in THE SIXTH SENSE and Karnik tries to do a SIXTH SENSE in NANHE JAISALMER, but fails to pull it off.
NANHE JAISALMER progresses smoothly [there're aberrations in between] and you're keen to know how Karnik and his team of writers would culminate this offbeat story eventually. But the climax is such an anti-climax!
In a nutshell, NANHE JAISALMER appeals in bits and spurts. But that's not enough!
Young Nanhe [Dwij Yadav], a 10-year-old kid, is the breadwinner of his family. He lives in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan with his mother and sister. Nanhe's room is full of colorful pictures and posters of his favorite movie star -- Bobby Deol.
Nanhe is a diehard Bobby Deol fan. He watches every film of his. He communicates to Bobby through letters written by his elder sister. Nanhe lives, eats, breathes, talks about his friend all the while. And one sunny morning, Nanhe comes face to face with his idol in the desert.
NANHE JAISALMER holds your interest at several points. You're awe-struck as you watch the kid carry the show on his puny shoulders. In fact, it's tough to hold the viewer's attention from start to end and the biggest of stars cannot guarantee that, but you're mesmerized by the kid here.
The emotional moments do strike a chord. The sequences between the mother [Pratiksha Lonkar] and the kid [Dwij] are well treated. Those between the kid and the grown-ups, especially after the 'Gadha' episode, are interesting.
But NANHE JAISALMER is not without its share of loose ends. The songs [Himesh Reshammiya] are a big bore. Barring the title track and to an extent, the marriage song, the two Bobby Deol songs seem forced in the narrative. Also, the sequences in the night school can do with trimming.
Binod Pradhan's cinematography is topnotch. The dialogues are simple and that works in a film like this.
NANHE JAISALMER belongs to Dwij Yadav. His performance can be rightly described in one word -- magnificent. He's adorable and supremely talented. So good is this wonder kid that all actors in NANHE JAISALMER pale in comparison. A matchless performance!
Bobby is a complete miscast. The role demanded a hugely popular star, someone like SRK, Salman, Aamir, Hrithik or Akshay. Had it been a superstar enacting the character, the identification with it would've been immense then. The viewer knows that Bobby is not in the top bracket and that's why this character appears fake.
Pratiksha Lonkar and Bina Kak are competent. Sharat Saxena, Vivek Shauq and Rajesh Vivek are passable. Vatsal Sheth is wooden.
On the whole, NANHE JAISALMER has been made with noble intentions, but will find very few takers. At the box-office, it's a non-starter.
Samir Karnik
Star Cast
Bobby Deol...... Bobby Deol (himself)
Katrina Kaif
Vatsal Sheth
Dwij Yadav...... Nanhe
Prerna Virender
Music Director
Himesh Reshammiya
Story / Writer
Samir Karnik
-------------------------
Let us how they tore it to shreds .
-------------------------
Critic - Khalid MOhammed
Rating - 2/5
Really, it’s enough to blow your pressure cooker. His novella is actually awarded the International Booker. Yup, the same literary prize snagged in recent years by Kiran Desai, Arundhati Roy and the patriarch-turned-prose-genius Amitabh Bachchan in Baghbaan. What a yarn!
The new winner is Vikram Singh aka Nanhe Jaisalmer, directed and written (oh oh, what about those allegations of snitching by another writer?) by Samir Karnik. Kyun controversy ho gaya naa?
Alas, there’s nothing remotely literary or controversial about what you eventually sample in this flashbuk-buk by Vicky Singh. No zing, Vicks just catches hold of a shocked electrician at a hotel’s banquet hall to narrate his memoir. Hmm, it’s about a camel-riding Rajasthan tourist guide kiddo (Dwij Yadav) who looks as if he’d be happier at home playing Ludo. Eeeps.
Anyway, the 10-year-old desert boy knows a smattering of French, German, Latin and fenugreek. Snag: he’s uneducated in ka-kha-ga-gha and so goes duh-duh. This despite the militant attempts of his morose mum, didi and a heftier version of Gayatri Devi, to make him attend night school. Incidentally, this masti ki paathshala is populated by an ancient gent who goes haw-haw-haw and dear old Sharat Saxena who keeps drinking from quarter bottles of rum? Life’s glum.
But there’s a tinsel lining. Camel boy is Asia’s biggest ceiling fan of Bobby Deol the actor (played by Bobby Deol the actor).
Next: you’re subjected to teasers from Abby-Mustan’s Soldier; the kid claps, whistles and generally goes berserk till Bobby D shows up in person. Gratifyingly, the bonhomie between the two is life-affirming. How wonderful – a star and a desert boy actually bond as equals! Sweet.
If only Karnik’s writing had developed this emotional aspect of an otherwise gaga screenplay. Alas, there’s something much too gratuitous about the kid giving up his gutka chewing habit, beating up a junior Gulshan Groverish bully, exhuming his fear of mice (how nice?), becoming an exemplary scholar and heavens, growing up to become a purely wooden Vatsal Seth (from the forgotten Tarzan The Blunder Car or something). Oof. And for the last straw, there’s that cracko-wacko Booker acceptance speech. Please!
Like it or not, the boy is even turned into a stereotyped angry child-man, what with the Deewar-like humiliating tattoo emblazoned on his hand. Surely, Karnik could have stressed upon the innocence and guilelessness of the boy instead of making him a cross between Bachchan and Guddi. Oh well.
If you don’t sprint out of the auditorium, it’s only because of the emphasis placed on the need for a national literacy programme (girl children are conspicuous by their absence though).
Plus, Dwij Yadav is endearing; the child has the most fluroscent smile since Madhuri Dixit’s. Bobby Deol, too, invests a glowingly warm quality to his part, almost as if he were reliving moments with his own son.
On the debit side, Binod Pradhan’s cinematography of the magnificent Jaisalmer vistas are ordinary. Himesh Reshammiya’s music is unhummable. And the direction relies far too much on swooping crane shot takings.
Bottomline: this odd enterprise is neither a children’s film nor an entertainer for spectators of all ages. It’s not worth losing your pressure cooker for its bizarre Booker.
Critic - Taran Adarsh
Rating - 1.5/2
Right intentions don't necessarily translate into right results. NANHE JAISALMER is a case in point.
Director Samir Karnik's second outing is truly unconventional. It's a simple story with no commercial paraphernalia and trappings, stars a kid as a protagonist, there's no heavy duty drama here and nor is there the mandatory hero-heroine routine that Hindi films are made of. Oh yes, Karnik gambles big time this time around.
As a storyteller, Karnik gets it right with NANHE JAISALMER. He has grown as a raconteur and his handling of a couple of sequences is indeed impressive. But it's the writing, more specifically the pre-climax and climax, that ruins the show. Imaginary relationships were handled with dexterity in THE SIXTH SENSE and Karnik tries to do a SIXTH SENSE in NANHE JAISALMER, but fails to pull it off.
NANHE JAISALMER progresses smoothly [there're aberrations in between] and you're keen to know how Karnik and his team of writers would culminate this offbeat story eventually. But the climax is such an anti-climax!
In a nutshell, NANHE JAISALMER appeals in bits and spurts. But that's not enough!
Young Nanhe [Dwij Yadav], a 10-year-old kid, is the breadwinner of his family. He lives in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan with his mother and sister. Nanhe's room is full of colorful pictures and posters of his favorite movie star -- Bobby Deol.
Nanhe is a diehard Bobby Deol fan. He watches every film of his. He communicates to Bobby through letters written by his elder sister. Nanhe lives, eats, breathes, talks about his friend all the while. And one sunny morning, Nanhe comes face to face with his idol in the desert.
NANHE JAISALMER holds your interest at several points. You're awe-struck as you watch the kid carry the show on his puny shoulders. In fact, it's tough to hold the viewer's attention from start to end and the biggest of stars cannot guarantee that, but you're mesmerized by the kid here.
The emotional moments do strike a chord. The sequences between the mother [Pratiksha Lonkar] and the kid [Dwij] are well treated. Those between the kid and the grown-ups, especially after the 'Gadha' episode, are interesting.
But NANHE JAISALMER is not without its share of loose ends. The songs [Himesh Reshammiya] are a big bore. Barring the title track and to an extent, the marriage song, the two Bobby Deol songs seem forced in the narrative. Also, the sequences in the night school can do with trimming.
Binod Pradhan's cinematography is topnotch. The dialogues are simple and that works in a film like this.
NANHE JAISALMER belongs to Dwij Yadav. His performance can be rightly described in one word -- magnificent. He's adorable and supremely talented. So good is this wonder kid that all actors in NANHE JAISALMER pale in comparison. A matchless performance!
Bobby is a complete miscast. The role demanded a hugely popular star, someone like SRK, Salman, Aamir, Hrithik or Akshay. Had it been a superstar enacting the character, the identification with it would've been immense then. The viewer knows that Bobby is not in the top bracket and that's why this character appears fake.
Pratiksha Lonkar and Bina Kak are competent. Sharat Saxena, Vivek Shauq and Rajesh Vivek are passable. Vatsal Sheth is wooden.
On the whole, NANHE JAISALMER has been made with noble intentions, but will find very few takers. At the box-office, it's a non-starter.
Aggar
Producer
Narendra Bajaj
Shyam Bajaj
Director
Anant Mahadevan
Star Cast
Tusshar Kapoor...... Aryan
Shreyas Talpade...... Dr. Adi Merchant
Vikas Kalantri
Udita Goswami...... Janvi
Nauheed Cyrusi
Sophie Chaudhary
Singers
Roop Kumar Rathod
Qurram
Mithoon
Hamza Faruqui
Tulsi Kumar
Sharmishtha
Shilpa Rao
Kshitij
Music Director
Mithoon
--------------
How they tore it apart ? lets read . Here we go . one by one.
---------------
Critic - Taran Adarsh
Rating - 1.5/5
Obsession. The word has been a hot favorite of dream merchants in Bollywood. From Abbas-Mustan's DARAAR to Yash Chopra's DARR, to films made to this date, a number of storytellers have woven themes around the obsessive streak of individuals.Ananth Narayan Mahadevan's AGGAR also does that. A number of thrillers have successfully explored the darker side of human personality with dexterity. AGGAR is a fine addition to the list, although the sole glaring flaw lies in the fact that the director has chosen to opt for an atypical end to the story.When everything was so unpredictable from start till pre-climax [screenplay: S. Farhan], when layer after layer was peeled with such finesse, when the viewer was absolutely clueless vis-à-vis what lay in store, why Ananth why opt for a tame ending?Yet, in all fairness, AGGAR keeps you involved in most parts. That's the hallmark of a good thriller, isn't it?Becoming attracted to the wrong man can have deadly consequences. Janvi's [Udita Goswami] life seems ideal on the surface: she runs a thriving business and is married to Dr. Aditya Merchant [Shreyas Talpade], a psychiatrist. But a faint air of discontent begins to creep into her relationship when she begins suspecting her husband of having an extra-marital affair with Radha [Saadhika], an interior designer.Janvi impulsively gets drawn into a steamy affair with Aryan [Tusshar Kapoor], who works in her company. But in a strange twist of events, she realizes that she has stumbled badly and tries to break off her affair. Aryan, however, is not willing to give her up so easily and his attraction to her soon becomes a dangerous obsession.AGGAR has three interesting words below its logo -- Passion, Betrayal and Terror -- and AGGAR does justice to it in those 2 hours. There's never a moment that gives you the feeling of déjà vu. Not once do you feel that it's one of those been-there-seen-that kind of movie-going experiences.Note the sequences: Sophie Chaudhary accidentally falling of from the rooftop mansion… The gradual attraction between Tusshar and Udita… Udita's outburst in the office. Ananth executes the written material wonderfully well.But, as mentioned earlier, the culmination to the tale should've been equally unpredictable, not abstract mind you. A badly bruised Tusshar emerging from the pool and beating Shreyas black and blue is a complete cinematic liberty. Ditto for the end.The other area where the film dips is Mithoon's music. The young musician showed promise in his earlier works, but the tunes in AGGAR sound similar to his recent work THE TRAIN [the songs of this film are still fresh]. Hello, why this need to repeat yourself? Have you exhausted your stock of tunes already? K. Rajkumar's cinematography is topnotch.AGGAR rests on three characters mainly and each of them packs in a solid punch. Tusshar is a revelation. The actor has always come up with honest performances in the past, but he pitches his best work to date in AGGAR. We're used to watching actors hamming away to glory in roles of obsessed lovers, but Tusshar doesn't go over the top at all. Tremendous work!Shreyas Talpade is in complete form. Enacting the role of a shrewd operator who's in search of a guinea pig to carry out his devious plan, the young actor proves his versatility yet again. His volte face will catch the viewer by surprise.Udita Goswami is fantastic. She sinks her teeth in this challenging role and enacts it with gusto. AGGAR is one film that showcases her talent to the optimum. Excellent work indeed! Nauheed Cyrusi is adequate. Sophie Chaudhary makes her presence felt in a brief role. Saadhika is okay.On the whole, AGGAR is a well-made thriller that should appeal to the multiplex junta primarily. But its business will get affected due to several vital reasons: The 20/20 cricket matches [the India-Pakistan match specifically], the commencement of the holy month of Ramzan and Ganeshotsav. Obviously, a large section of moviegoers will stay away from cineplexes in days to come. The poor opening will also tell on its business.
Narendra Bajaj
Shyam Bajaj
Director
Anant Mahadevan
Star Cast
Tusshar Kapoor...... Aryan
Shreyas Talpade...... Dr. Adi Merchant
Vikas Kalantri
Udita Goswami...... Janvi
Nauheed Cyrusi
Sophie Chaudhary
Singers
Roop Kumar Rathod
Qurram
Mithoon
Hamza Faruqui
Tulsi Kumar
Sharmishtha
Shilpa Rao
Kshitij
Music Director
Mithoon
--------------
How they tore it apart ? lets read . Here we go . one by one.
---------------
Critic - Taran Adarsh
Rating - 1.5/5
Obsession. The word has been a hot favorite of dream merchants in Bollywood. From Abbas-Mustan's DARAAR to Yash Chopra's DARR, to films made to this date, a number of storytellers have woven themes around the obsessive streak of individuals.Ananth Narayan Mahadevan's AGGAR also does that. A number of thrillers have successfully explored the darker side of human personality with dexterity. AGGAR is a fine addition to the list, although the sole glaring flaw lies in the fact that the director has chosen to opt for an atypical end to the story.When everything was so unpredictable from start till pre-climax [screenplay: S. Farhan], when layer after layer was peeled with such finesse, when the viewer was absolutely clueless vis-à-vis what lay in store, why Ananth why opt for a tame ending?Yet, in all fairness, AGGAR keeps you involved in most parts. That's the hallmark of a good thriller, isn't it?Becoming attracted to the wrong man can have deadly consequences. Janvi's [Udita Goswami] life seems ideal on the surface: she runs a thriving business and is married to Dr. Aditya Merchant [Shreyas Talpade], a psychiatrist. But a faint air of discontent begins to creep into her relationship when she begins suspecting her husband of having an extra-marital affair with Radha [Saadhika], an interior designer.Janvi impulsively gets drawn into a steamy affair with Aryan [Tusshar Kapoor], who works in her company. But in a strange twist of events, she realizes that she has stumbled badly and tries to break off her affair. Aryan, however, is not willing to give her up so easily and his attraction to her soon becomes a dangerous obsession.AGGAR has three interesting words below its logo -- Passion, Betrayal and Terror -- and AGGAR does justice to it in those 2 hours. There's never a moment that gives you the feeling of déjà vu. Not once do you feel that it's one of those been-there-seen-that kind of movie-going experiences.Note the sequences: Sophie Chaudhary accidentally falling of from the rooftop mansion… The gradual attraction between Tusshar and Udita… Udita's outburst in the office. Ananth executes the written material wonderfully well.But, as mentioned earlier, the culmination to the tale should've been equally unpredictable, not abstract mind you. A badly bruised Tusshar emerging from the pool and beating Shreyas black and blue is a complete cinematic liberty. Ditto for the end.The other area where the film dips is Mithoon's music. The young musician showed promise in his earlier works, but the tunes in AGGAR sound similar to his recent work THE TRAIN [the songs of this film are still fresh]. Hello, why this need to repeat yourself? Have you exhausted your stock of tunes already? K. Rajkumar's cinematography is topnotch.AGGAR rests on three characters mainly and each of them packs in a solid punch. Tusshar is a revelation. The actor has always come up with honest performances in the past, but he pitches his best work to date in AGGAR. We're used to watching actors hamming away to glory in roles of obsessed lovers, but Tusshar doesn't go over the top at all. Tremendous work!Shreyas Talpade is in complete form. Enacting the role of a shrewd operator who's in search of a guinea pig to carry out his devious plan, the young actor proves his versatility yet again. His volte face will catch the viewer by surprise.Udita Goswami is fantastic. She sinks her teeth in this challenging role and enacts it with gusto. AGGAR is one film that showcases her talent to the optimum. Excellent work indeed! Nauheed Cyrusi is adequate. Sophie Chaudhary makes her presence felt in a brief role. Saadhika is okay.On the whole, AGGAR is a well-made thriller that should appeal to the multiplex junta primarily. But its business will get affected due to several vital reasons: The 20/20 cricket matches [the India-Pakistan match specifically], the commencement of the holy month of Ramzan and Ganeshotsav. Obviously, a large section of moviegoers will stay away from cineplexes in days to come. The poor opening will also tell on its business.
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