Sunday, January 25, 2009

Chandi Chowk to China (CC2C) (Hindi, 2009)

Film - Chandi Chowk to China (CC2C) (Hindi, 2009)
Director - Nikhil Advani
Starring - Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone,Gordon Kui
Music - Kailash, Paresh, Naresh, Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy, Bappi Lahiri & Bohemia

Sidhu (Akshay Kumar) is working in a street side food stall in Chandi Chowk, helping his father figure Dada (Mithun Chakravorthy). He is a simple man who believed in a good future and hence a frequent visitor to astrologers, sadhus, tarot readers etc. One of his usual places is with a Chinese conman, Chopstick (Ranvir Shorey). Sidhu’s future changes when two Chinese arrived there looking for him, as he was believed to be the reincarnation of their war hero.

Sidhu is trapped by Chopstick ( Ranvir Shorey) and they go to China to meet the villagers. But Sidhu does’t know that he is being taken to help the villagers from a bad man called Hojo (Kung Fu expert-Gordon Kui).The second half portraits the happenings in China.

This is also about a typical Hindi film about separated twins getting united without much emotion or suspense.

Unrealistic settings and excessive tele-marketing scenes make you wriggle in your seats.

Akshay’s martial arts training under his teacher Chiang (Roger Yuan) give you some moments of fun and may improve your spirits. All fights are well directed which gives you the feel of a Hollywood film.

Deepika comes interesting and beautiful in a double role, as twin sisters Sakhi and Meow. Meow’s role and make-up is better compared to her Indian sister.

A list of music directors have worked for this film. Among the songs, CC2C (Remix) and Naam hi Sidhu are average. The soft romantic song Tere Naina( Shankar & Shreya Ghoshal) is the only one which lingers in your mind, though its settings are unrealistic and funny.

This film is being marketed as a Kungfu comedy .If you liked Akshay’s “Singh is Kinng” and expect to find a replicate of a similar comedy, you would be greatly disappointed. There is no comedy, but more of action. Fighting scenes are well treated. The finale of this film where the audience expects much action, turns out to be an anti climax.

Akshay Kumar has to find some alternative roles before getting stamped and typecast in such mediocre roles.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi ( Hindi,2008)

Film - Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi( RNBDJ)
Director - Adithya Chopra
Starring - Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Sharma, Vinay Pathak
Music - Salim-Sulaiman

The story is about a simple man, Surinder (SRK), who happened to marry his teacher’s glamorous daughter, Taani ( Anushka Sharma) by accident. The efforts made by him to earn his wife’s love and the advice by his friend (Vinay Pathak) forced him to come up with a modern playboy character, Raj. Raj went on to become the dancing partner of his wife. Finally when Raj succeeded in earning her love, the film turns serious as Suri painfully realizes, he needs to be in the role of Raj for the rest of his life.

The serious part of the film is the dilemma between the self (which is the natural part) and the alter ego who wishes to play the modern and playboy style to win a woman’s heart. Finally the love for the lady wins when the person gets ready to sell his self to accept the made up role.

SRK is good in both the roles- of the shy Suri and also the flamboyant, Raj. Raj is his usual role which his critics always criticize of playing the same type. Raj is his typical repetitive style. This will definitely please his fans who want to see his usual style, mannerism and acting abilities. But Suri’s role is a difference and hence can be considered as a challenge to SRK. Nothing has to be mentioned about his dancing prowess. Anushka tries hard to compliment her jodi.

Vinay Pathak has done justice to his role of SRK’s child hood friend and adviser.

Back ground score is excellent. The opening song Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai is sobre & moody. This is the only song which lingers in our mind. The old remix of several songs where SRK played the roles of earlier heroes is also interesting.


I don’t think this will be a super hit like Aditya Chopra’s earlier film Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge. But I am sure that this may please South Indians who like realistic films. The story of Rab Ne has that magical touch.

Photos-
http://www.rabnebanadijodi.net/category/image_galleries/photos

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Crazy Gopalan ( Malayalam, 2008)

Film- Crazy Gopalan ( Malayalam)
Direction- Deepu Karunakaran
Starring- Dileep, Radha Varma, Salim Kumar, Jagathy, Manoj K jayan, Biju Menon Music-Rahul Raj
Lyrics- Girish Puthencherry & Anil Panachooran
Photography -C Kannan

Story of a small time village thief –Gopalan- whose pet item is stealing “Katla” ( Malayalam word for wooden frame) from all houses in the village called Unjalady. Aiming big fortunes, he went to town where he met another similar thief played by Salim kumar. They changed their usual track and went to kidnap a girl from a rich family. The story changed from there with fighting and revenge till the end.

Comedy films are nowadays dealing mostly with situational comedies. You will laugh at the various situations planned for the same .
Music is mediocre. No song is worth remembering. Luckily the viewers are spared with minimum songs.

Film towards the end is boring. Action scenes and court scenes are unrealistic. Director finds hard to wrap it up which becomes a pain to the average viewer.

New actress- Ms Varma- has nothing big to offer, though she is present throughout the film. With a flawless body and an expression-less face, she looks attractive with make-up. But really she needs to work hard for staying in this industry..

Salim kumar is better where as Jagathy seems to be tired of doing such silly characters. Manoj K Jayan as villain has come back after a gap and so is Biju Menon. Dileep should now consciously look for films with at least some realistic story line.

Overall- my 10 year old son- liked the film. When I told him that I didn’t like this, he said he found me laughing at some jokes. So that’s it. You can laugh at some of the situations. But this will not help you in liking the film.

Comments- If you want to be crazy, go ahead and waste your time & money for this film.