Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Peepli Live reviews: yet another winner for Aamir!!!!

Is Success an infectious habit??? well it certainly seems so, coz Aamir seems to have made it a habit of putting his money on the right horse & becomes a winner yet again!!! The 4th installment of Aamir Khan productions seems to have focused on the plight of farmers & has been more than successful in bringing out the reality. The plot basically involves Natha (played by Omkar Das) is on the verge of losing his paternal land owing to an unpaid loan. His uncanny brother (played by Raghubir Yadav) suggests that the best option available to him will be to commit suicide & avail the governments compensation. But the media gets a whiff of this & thats when all hell breaks loose...the TRP hungry channels from every nook & corner turns up there...& the politicians trains their arsenals on the situation so as to gain maximum mileage which would translate into votes for the upcoming elections.

Peepli Live is a satire which brings to light the blind eye of the bureaucracy towards the plight of  farmers.. though in a humorous manner, which is clever actually or else it would have turned out to be pretty grim & boring.The attitude of the media is clearly depicted here..such as having total insensitivity to the situation or making a big deal out of absolutely nothing such as Saif kissing a gal when he was in 8th std..or the reporter training his camera on the faeces of the protogonist & blabbering utter nonsense. We have come across such
situations especially in Aaj Tak & Headlines Today. The politicians, the local gundas etc etc..all seem to need a slice of such situations & how they package it to their convenience such as awarding of a hand pump (though the fitting money isnt provided) or a Colour Tv (where current isnt even proper).

The debut directorial venture of Anusha Rizvi has definitely hit the bull's eye..her script is water tight & she has handled the subject like an expert.The cast has been top notch with the protogonist Natha (Omkar Das) essaying the vulnerability & innocence of a rustic to the hilt..he has been ably supported by Raghubir Yadav (who plays his brother). The fight between the mother in law & daughter in law has been portrayed really well & gets us into splits...with the roles beings essayed to perfection by Farrukh Jaffer & Shalini Vatsa respectively. Malaika Shenoy as the English reporter & Vishal Sharma her rival Hindi reporter were exceptional not to forget Nasserudheen Shah as the shrewd politician or Siddhiqui (as Rakesh, local journalist). The dialogues are also pretty hilarious & real as well, with expletives interlaced with it. The movie is definitely likely to strike a chord with the rural people & that shud get the moolah coming in to fill the coffers..rather than rely just on multiplexes.

Verdict: All in all, Peepli Live is a well made movie & whenever the name of Aamir Khan is associated with a film..its bound to create some hype. In my opinion the hype is perfectly justified though at times the movie gets dragging since nowadays we are being fed with the staple diet of action & dance which doesnt play a role here. However its a refreshing change & i suggest that you guys do watch it!!!!!

Regards...Ben

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Aisha review: A chic flick meant for the multiplexes!!!

Sonam Kapoor starrer "Aisha" is a contemporary take on the Jane Austen novel "Emma". The plot basically involves Sonam (as Aisha) who believes that she is the perfect match maker by design rather than waiting for love to happen. She tries playing the match maker for her friends..but things doesnt pan out the way she plans & eventually she also realises that love is something which just happens rather than being forced. 

Its a pretty shallow story & wont go down well with most of the guys for sure. But the movie certainly has its plus points & that being the star cast, music & costume designers. Sonam has essayed the role of the protagonist with panache & elan... she certainly looks at ease playing the high society female who is just interested in spenting her dad's money, fashionable dresses,animal rights etc. However there is no denying the fact that she hasnt been as good in the emotional scenes in the climax. Abhay Deol (as Arjun)..as always has played his role naturally & does make an impact. The supporting cast has also been commendable.
                  
The music of Aisha by Amit Trivedi has already created waves especially the title track "Suno Aisha". Another special mention goes to the costume designers & stylists...it has been pretty top notch with trendy outfits keepin with the fashion of the rich & elite. The director Rajshree Ojha has done a decent job...but the
movie does bore you for sure at times especially in the second half.

Verdict: As the movie is made on a low budget..it might be able to break even however it all depends on how it fares in the multiplexes. Personally speaking I am not a great fan of chic flicks...& since this certainly comes in the genre of "Sex & the City" & Twilight series..those who are not fans of those kind of movies can give this one a miss!!!!!

Regards...Ben