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Movie : Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya
Director : Gautham Vasudev Menon
Music : A R Rahman
Cast : Silambarasan, Trisha, Kitty, Babu Antony, Ganesh

Three cheers to Gautham Vasudev Menon, the big daddy of romance is back with a bang! His Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya (VTV) is pure magic. This one works and grabs us where it matters; VTV is straight from the heart.

10 years after his candy floss Minnale, Menon’s VTV is a far more mature Valentine. The film is backed by awe inspiring performance and precisely one thing going for it and that’s the chemistry between its lead actors Silambarasan and Trisha, Manoj Paramahamsa’s eye-catching frames, great screenplay and a stunning climax that is riveting.

It is return of romance and will strike a chord with anyone who’s loved and felt the unbearable anguish of loss, and knows the feeling that binds people in love together. Menon’s creativity is completely home grown though it looks autobiographical.

Karthik (Simbu) a mechanical engineer dreams of becoming a film director meets Jessy (Trisha) a Malayalee Christian girl, an IT professional and it is love at first sight. She lives on the top floor with her strict father (Babu Antony), mother and an aggressive brother while Karthik and his family have rented out the lower portion of the house.

The first half is all about how he passionately woo her, follows her to Kerala, with his good friend Ganesh (Ganesh) a cameraman and his mentor who was instrumental in him becoming director KS Ravikumar’s AD. Karthik’s passionate wooing melts Jessy who finally succumbs to his ardent love. But her family and religion stands in the way of true love.

The romantic track is engaging because it’s innocent, simple and the director nails it right. Silence convey so much more than irreverent banter, and nowhere is this more evident than in the interactions between Karthik and Jessy, whose romance is conveyed through their conversations, eyes and longing expressions. The credit goes to its lead pair who invests sincerity and genuine enthusiasm while attacking their roles.

However, VTV is not devoid of minor flaws. It has too many songs which are experimental and are non-structured that act as speed breaker. The pre climax song is unwanted, still “Hosanna..” and “Aaromale…” are the pick of the lot. The film at 2 hours and 35 minutes can be trimmed by at least 10 minutes in the second half to make it as racy and interesting as the first half.

Count among its major plus points- the technical wizardry of the film. Manoj Paramahamsa’s camera and his colour combination especially the night silhouette shots in the backwaters have a touch of class. Art director’s Rajeevan’s choice of interiors and mixing it with the exteriors are brilliant. Antony’s editing without using any gimmicks makes the narration silken smooth.

The film belongs to its lead actors. For sure, Simbu has come a long way from his finger wagging punch line spewing days. It’s a joy to watch him in the climax scene when he speaks about his love by taking ordinary lines and delivering them so convincingly, and never miss a beat. His sheer agility in the romantic interludes, his composure, his dead pan humour and his tears in the climax are tangible and real, giving it a heart warming immediacy.

As a woman torn by the dualities of her existence, Trisha looks good and delivers her career best performance in a knock-out role. Her costumes, body language and gait changes as the story shifts from Chennai to New York via the backwaters of Kerala. There is a super cameo by Ganesh (one of the producers of VTV), which is earthy and outrageous as the cameraman friend of the hero and raises huge chuckles and the bar of the film.

The film is a must watch for those who cares for cinema of sense and substance. It stresses the fact that Tamil cinema has to break the mould if it aims to grab eyeballs. Gautham Menon has crafted a movie that will stay in our hearts for a long, long time.

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Movie : Teen Patti
Director : Leena Yadav
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Ben Kingsley, R Madhavan, Raima Sen, Danny Denzongpa, Sushmita Sen

Genius math professor Venkat Subramaniam (Amitabh Bachchan) is obsessed with a breakthrough theory that could redefine the principles of probability. We’re shown numbers and equations floating in the air around the professor at work – probably attempting a glimpse into his complex mind.

Hollywood has seen several films revolving around the reclusive mathematician (A Beautiful Mind, Proof), usually portraying them as eccentric geniuses. Here, too, Venkat is oddly impulsive, inviting his students out in the open to display a point and irking the fuddy-duddy management with his unconventional ways.

Fellow professor Shantanu (Madhavan) is impressed and suggests the only way to test the theory would be applying it to a teen patti game (poker). Appalled at the idea of gambling, Venkat refuses at first but is seduced by the prospect of putting his calculations to test.

A few other students join the expedition and decide to go to an underground gambling alley in disguise. The only girl among them, Aparna (Shraddha Kapoor), fights to be part of the team. She arrives on the scene, which is brimming with men, in garish make-up and low-waist jeans.

The local bhai (Mahesh Manjrekar) is immediately attracted to her, and she foolishly lets out their true identity by speaking in English. It leads to a fracas that leaves the team rattled.

Venkat bellows that this is the end, but the students want him to continue for the money. From then on, a mysterious caller forces Venkat to continue playing and sharing his earnings. While internal friction has team members complaining of being shortchanged and their share getting stolen, the team’s tryst with gambling will unfold far more severe consequences.

This entire story is, in fact, a flashback, as recounted by mathematician-turned-gambler Venkat to Perci Trachtenberg (Ben Kingsley), a magician-turned-mathematician. An admirer of his work, Trachtenberg invites Venkat to the University of Cambridge and that’s how the flashback begins.

A little like the Hollywood film 21 (2008),Teen Patti’s central flaw is its meandering storytelling. Writer-director Leena Yadav (Shabd, 2005) takes too long to establish the premise and explain how Venkat wants to crack the probability principle.

It’s a complicated route where the professor explains why he thinks even shuffling playing cards is not entirely random, and despite paying attention, you’re not quite sure how path breaking this idea is.

Yadav’s narration is high on style, but doesn’t quite articulate the substance. Take the scene where the characters talk philosophy at the gaming table, a moment that could have been edgy had we been able to get the significance of this talk and its connection with the plot.

Again, the emotion of human greed is explored, but only momentarily.

The first half is pretty much wasted with characters rambling and repeating conversations. The remaining half is full of faux suspense, an item number, and gimmicks like a loaded pistol with one bullet being tested to the theory of probability. Clearly, the film isn’t as cool as it thinks it is.

The film’s female characters are relegated to the background, either coaxing the boyfriend to get married or playing the provocative distracter in the team. Aparna is constantly getting mauled, and in one scene is severely molested (or raped, we’re not sure and no one bothers to tell us).

When the team graduates from shady underground dens to high-profile parties, she moves from distracting drunken low lives to flirting with sons from rich families.

Jackie Shroff, Ajay Devgn and Mita Vashisht appear in embarrassing cameos and disappear without a thought.

Amitabh Bachchan renders this role, a cakewalk for him, effortlessly. However, his conversations with Einstein’s photograph veer his performance towards the theatrical. Ben Kingsley is marvellous enacting his serious role with a hint of mischief. Madhavan is dependably good. The remaining cast (Vaibhav Talwar, Dhruv Ganesh, Siddharth Kher), just as important as the central, is impressive. Shraddha Kapoor makes a confident debut.

Aseem Bajaj’s photography (U, Me Aur Hum, Golmaal) is excellent, though one misses the dynamism in the gaming scenes. Sound design by Andrew Belletty (Don, Being Cyrus) is exceptional. The interesting background score (Salim-Sulaiman) remains constantly more active than the storytelling.

This wannabe psychological thriller is a rough diamond that needed polishing still. Yadav extracts fabulous performances from the talented cast, but fails to evoke our sentiments for them.

And one can hardly recommend a film on the strength of the performances alone.

Source : sify

Movie : Karthik Calling Karthik
Director : Vijay Lalwani
Cast : Farhan Akhtar, Deepika Padukone

Beautifully textured and constructed, Karthik calling Karthik takes us breath-close to the central character, whom his new boss calls `a strange fellow`.

Plagued by his brother’s death as a child, an accident he holds himself responsible for, Karthik’s (Farhan Akhtar) sleep is usually a disturbed one.

Years of counseling isn’t helping either. Fired after being bullied at work; invisible to office crush Shonali (Deepika Padukone), Karthik contemplates ending it all.

Just then, he receives a phone call, with his own voice at the other end. This voice tells him how to dissolve all of his problems and regain his life.

Karthik Calling Karthik special page

Don’t you wish you could subscribe to a daily phone service that could give step-by-step instructions on dealing with all your issues?

This glorious emotional spoon-feeding takes place morning-after-morning as Karthik’s phone rings at 5 am exactly. Things move on perfectly till he talks to Shonali about the calls, which he explains, has him on the other end.

Meanwhile this voice, that was guiding him on how to tackle the bullies of the world, becomes the biggest one.

What follows are suspenseful moments and twists that’ll leave you shaken.

The first half follows a relaxed pace; rare for a thriller. It establishes how the underdog character, an IIM-topper and diligent worker, snatches back the respect he knows he deserves.

The second half is where the thrills come in.

Unfortunately the premise is built on flimsy foundation. We’re not sure of Karthik’s background in terms of his parents, childhood (hurriedly wrapped up), and growing up. The explanation of how the voice-on-the-other-end knows things about other people is implausible.

The doctor’s dialogue, the part where it all comes together, is conceptualised passionlessly. This was supposed to be the big jolt; the part where the audience pieces together the puzzle, or solves the Rubik’s cube in this case; but it leaves us unmoved. It’s like a great joke where the punch line falls flat.

Characterisations are superb with nuances borrowed from young, urban India. Take Shonali for instance: a compulsive smoker, with a great career as an architect, and a tumultuous love life punctuated by too many bad relationships.

Karthik with his hunched back and eager-to-please demeanour is the typical pushover. He is what Shonali calls a ’safe boy’, a term he’s not sure he’s thrilled about. But she means it as a compliment after all the “jerks” she’s met.

Complex, fun, bright, this is a pair you absolutely love. It is to advertising professional-turned writer-director Vijay Lalwani’s credit for making his character so likeable and real. Lalwani’s storytelling is unconventional, fresh, and honest.

He draws you into the story gradually, pretty much building the premise and the character sketches through the first half; while making the second half taut and suspenseful.

The film has an accomplished technical crew. Cinematography by Sanu Varghese, Aarti Bajaj’s editing, Baylon Fonseca’s sound are all superlative. Music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy is melodious with lovely words by Javed Akhtar.

Farhan Akhtar, jack and master of all trades, is as impressive an actor as he is a filmmaker. He essays his character, that the viewer is at once sympathetic to and wary of, with remarkable control.

Deepika is fab. She enacts her role earnestly making it real and identifiable. The lack of drop-dead gorgeousness is exactly what works; her casual, everyday prettiness is absolutely charming.

For those familiar with Hollywood, this concept is an idea too late; you might not find Karthik calling Karthik all that exciting, having watched several films along the same lines. For others, this story may seem a fresh incentive indeed.

Either way, the film is worth your time for the gripping storytelling and marvelous performances. Recommended!

This is possibly that rare time, it appears, that the lead actor of this film has pushed himself to perform a role, rather than just play himself (Swades and Chak De India come to mind as distant second and third exceptions).

It doesn’t speak too well for a career of about 60 films over nearly two decades. Habit formations are strong. It’s hard to perceive Shah Rukh Khan as a character. More losses of inhibition such as this could find this leading man a softer spot in Hindi cinema history. Until now, he’s likely to be recalled as a unique super-star, not an actor – a combination of the two being reserved for Amitabh Bachchan, and thereafter Aamir Khan alone.

Shah Rukh plays Khan in this film by that name. For many portions though, you aren’t certain the director’s name is Karan Johar (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham).

The ambition of the screenplay itself (Shibani Bhatija) is compelling enough to elicit that compliment.

The film of course crushes the most popular post-9/11 prejudices of our times. The case isn’t new. Which is that while most global terrorists may be Muslims – all Muslims aren’t terrorists. And that no religion, including Islam, preaches violence against the innocent.

The hero Rizwan, a devoted believer, quotes the Prophet from the Koran, “With the loss of one innocent life, dies humanity alongside.” He sees worldwide consequences of September 11, 2001, under that same light. This gentleman grew up as a kid around an inexplicably dated, 1983 riots in Bombay (unless I read the year wrong). He moved to be with his brother in the US, after his mother’s death. He also grew up with a mental challenge, Asperger’s syndrome. Few know this condition well. It’s hard to tell whether Shah Rukh’s manners match the mental disorder, or is even consistent, if at all. Rizwan appears to have a problem dealing with crowded spaces, loud colours, intimate hugs, expressing emotions, or voluntarily reacting to common external stimuli. His cognitive skills though – grasp of factual knowledge — seem much superior to normal humans. By the looks of it, he isn’t quite the sociable candidate for a door-to-door salesman’s job. But that’s what his brother offers him, to sell a beauty product, at salons. This is how he meets his girl, a Hindu widow with a child (Kajol – excitably ‘Goldie Hawn’, in her grin and floppiness). They live together as family. Her li’l son becomes the step-dad’s best pal. Their love for soccer and Manchester United may be odd for America. They still play the fool together. Until 9/11, which changes their lives as it did for many.

Forrest Gump in its scope, Rain Man in its approach, slightly convenient in its ‘Bollywood opera’, world-class in its photographic treatment (Ravi K Chandran), more sorted than Kurban (from the same producer, along a similar theme); you can sense, throughout, honesty in the film’s purpose.

There is least empathy for a problem you haven’t faced yourself. This film expresses that well. Being looked down as Muslim is at some level a global reality. Prejudices are part of human DNA, Americans being no exceptions.

If anything, the lunatic mainstream in urban India – Shiv Sena and its sorts — is more generous in its bigotry. They took on the secular Muslim superstar before this film’s release. They’ve taken on before, South Indians, then North Indians, even one of their supposed own, if the surname’s Tendulkar. We know the villains in this movie. They could be outside its theatre. They make My Name Is Khan even more important for its subject’s worth.

The posters have been announcing this film’s arrival as a moment that’ll change the way the world thinks. Unlikely. A commercially successful, massively scaled mainstream film that doesn’t just make a song and dance of it all could certainly change Bollywood forever. Of all, I’m glad Johar also made that move. Sure, this movie’s a risk. Shouldn’t each be anyway?

Source : hindustantimes