Knock Out

Medium : Hindi
Starring : Sanjay Dutt, Irfan Khan, Gulshan Grover, Sushanth Singh, Kangana Ranaut
Director : Manishankar
Music : Gauravdas Gupta, Atul Raninga and Sanjay Wandrekar (bg score)

It is time for another remake subject in hindi. The new bollywood movie 'Knock Out' is adapted from the english movie 'Phone Booth' starring Colin Farrell, Kiefer Sutherland etc. The hindi version is directed by Manishankar, who gave movies like 'Rudraksh', '16 December', 'Tango Charlie' and 'Mukhbhiir'. Noen of them were hits and the director might have tried his luck this time, by remaking a psychological thriller from hollywood which happened in the beginning of this decade. It is produced by notable producer Ronnie Srewvala for UTV.

Tony Khosla (Irfan Khan) is an investment banker who lives with his wife and daughter. In a busy day, he reaches a public telephone booth to make some calls. As he was about to leave, the phone rings and the anonymous caller (Sanjay Dutt) on the other end tells him that he has got a gun which is right now pointed on Tony's head. To make belief, a couple of shots were even fired. The situation became tensed, thus a large crowd, police and the media gathered. The caller had told his demands and the situation forced Tony to act according to the instructions without leaving the phone booth. What were his demands and what Tony did are all shown in the rest of the portions.

A couple of months before, when I heard that 'Phone Booth' is going to be made in hindi as 'Knock Out', I doubted the possibility of a carbon copy happening here. The beauty and thrill of the english version is due to the fact that the caller is not shown till the end. In the remake, it all happened as I expected. In the beginning itself, the caller is shown as Sanjay Dutt and he is taking a revenge using Irfan Khan's character. Unlike from the original version, the character of Irfan khan is lacking a real identity. The impolite and dominating act by the person (Colin Farrell) just before entering the phone booth was good enough to justify the incidents that follows later, in the case of 'Phone Booth'.

The director had also not worked properly on the scripting side. Such a big incident that caused great media attention is only guarded by a small police team headed by an inspector (Sushanth Singh). The team is also shown as a watch men most of the time, such things should have been avoided. The transfer of an enormous amount of money while in the middle of a shoot-outs is not an unbelievable one. The happy reaction of the crowds hearing the good news through TV is also not an attractive sight. The continuity of the dialogue flow is broken at times. Some of the sequences involving Sanjay Dutt's character reminds us of the movie 'A Wednesday'.

Sanjay Dutt has done an excellent job, it is he who really drives the story which makes the audience in a curious mood. Irfan Khan and Kangan Ranaut, who are usually notable for stealing the shows, has not given their 100% on the performance side. Cinematographer Nataraj Subramanyam ('Love Aaj Kal', 'Jab We Met', 'Lafangey Parindey' fame) has given colorful visuals. Editor Chandan Arora has done his job well. The bg score given by Atul Raninga and Sanjay Wandrekar is good. Director Manishankar should have done more homework to make his job a prominet one.


Don't go for 'Knock Out' with an impression to see a thriller like 'Phone Booth'. It is good to get a dvd of the original version; if you can't, then you can try this remake version.


Rating : 6 / 10

Lamhaa

Medium : Hindi

Starring : Sanjay Dutt, Kunal Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Mahesh Manjarekkar, Bipasha Basu
Director : Rahul Dholakia
Music : Mithoon, Sanjay Chowdhary (bg score)

'Parzaania' was a movie that discussed the sensitive issue of Gujarat happened in this decade. Now after three years, the same director has come up with another project, named 'Lamhaa'. Here the topic is also very big, it is about the untold story of Kashmir (the creators projects like that). Sanjay Dutt and Bipasha Basu did the lead roles along with Kunal Kapoor ('Meenakshi : a tale of three cities', 'Aaja Nachle', 'Rangde Basanthi' fame) and Anupam Kher. Movies like 'Nair Saab', 'Roja', 'Mission Kashmir', 'Fiza' etc were told on the backdrop of Kashmir environment. It is the most beautiful place in the world as well as the most dangerous place also (a dialogue from 'Lamhaa' goes like this).

Vikram (Sanjay Dutt) is an intelligence officer who is assigned on a mission to investigate the blast happened recently in Kashmir. A local leader Haaji (Anupam Kher) is fighting against the government for an independent Kashmir. Aziza (Bipasha Basu) is supporting him in all his activities. Vikram gave her the details of those involved in the bomb blast happened recently. It caused a split between Haaji's family and Aziza. (Kunal Kapoor) wants to fought elections for the welfare of the people of all segments in the area. Vikram came to know that a rally organized by Aatif at the Kashmiri Pandits locality will be targeted and many peoples are going to be killed. Vikram and Aziza tried their best to act against the rally, what happened to the rally is shown in the climax portions of 'Lamhaa'.

Sanjay Dutt did well in the lead role. It is not that much rough, but his character has got the small shades of his own movies like 'Kaante', 'Musaafir', 'Zinda' etc. Bipasha Basu is ok. Kunal Kapoor suits the role, but his dubbing is not matched in certain portions. Anupam Kher's character is a fluctuating one, sometimes positive and on other occasions, he acts as a villain. The identity of Mahesh Manjarekkar's role is unknown.

The director Rahul Dholakia had conveyed through out that like Kashmir other parts of India are also targeted. The hero has to stop the blast at happening at Jammu. At the same time, the militants are recruiting even many children also on the mission, it all ended very ordinarily as the creators didn't gave any importance to the mission episode and its impacts in the climax part. The advantage got through the hype created by showing some serious scenes like the blast in outdoor portions, the political environment, the big gathering at outdoor rally and mosque, the media people and the press conference, the helpless mother searching for the family members, the help done by the hero to the heroine, the child playing with the bullets, the hero remembering the old incidents in the beginning, the attack on the heroine by the women group, the militants reaching through the border in exchange of money etc all disappeared in a moment. Thus it really became the 'untold story of kashmir'.

Cinematography by James Fowlds gave some colorful visuals of the heaven on earth. The shaking frames along with the tight close ups helped to give the real mood (some may complaint that it is a strain for the eyes). Ashmith Kunder is the editor. Sanjay Chowdhary's background score is good. Songs by Mithoon are not needed in such a story and they are not memorable ones also.


'Lamhaa', that shows the incidents happening in and around Kashmir, started with a big expectation, traveled seriously through some emotions, plans and tensions to reach no where in the end...


Rating : 5 / 10

Aladin

Medium : Hindi
Starring : Amitabh Bachan, Sanjay Dutt, Ritesh Deshmukh, Jacquelin Fernandez
Director : Sujoy Ghosh
Music : Vishal - Sekhar


Being born as the son of a well known political leader is a bonus for an under rated actor like Ritesh Deshmukh. He has always acted in multi star projects only. For the first time he is coming in a title role, supported by senior actors Amitabh Bachan and Sanjay Dutt,. She has got a new heroine here; these factors are not enough to catch extra attention. But, the unusual theme of the particular film can make you interesting. We have heard about the fairy tale story of "Aladin and the Magic Lamb". The new hindi film with the name 'Aladin' is having the same theme.


Here Aladin (Rithesh Deshmukh) is being teased by the friends even from the childhood days because of his peculiar name. He lost his parents when he was young. Even when grown up, being a soft character, his friends make fun of him. He was usually asked to rub the lamp. In the mean time the heroine (Jacqueline) reached the college. Hero's friends gave a new lamp as his birthday gift; while doing the same process, as a surprise the genie (jin) appears in the form of Amitabh Bachan. He is asking three wishes to Aladin. To convince him, the genie is showing some super human powers also. Anyway the first and the second wish was regarding winning of the heart of the heroine. At the same time the villain ring master (Sanjay Dutt) came in search of the jin and the lamp. The flashback story regarding the murder of hero's parents are revealed. The genie loses his power; anyway in the climax the villain is destroyed and Aladin walks with the heroine.


Ritesh has done his best here. No need for a comment on Amitabh Bachan; his presence is incredible as always. Sanjay Dutt as the baddie is also good. The imported Sri Lankan heroine, Jacqueline didn't have much to perform.


Director Sujoy Ghosh, who gave films like 'Jhankar Beats', 'Home Delivery' etc had given an unusual creativity here. The choosing of such a different location for telling the story is appreciatable. Cinematographer Sirsha Roy had given colorful frames. The art work by Sabu Syril is notable. Vishal-Sekhar gave the music. It goes well with the situation. A couple of them is sung by Bachan himself. The visual effects done for the film is also excellent.


'Aladin' is a non realistic movie presented in the best way it can. You can watch it like a fairy tale.

Rating : 7 / 10

All The Best

Medium : Hindi
Starring : Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgan, Fardeen Khan, Bipasha Basu, Mugdha Godse, Johny Lever
Direction : Rohit Shetty
Music : Pritam, Sanjay Chowdhary


A hindi film with a star cast Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgan, Fardeen Khan, Bipasha Basu etc may not be a big thing to promote as multi cast projects are usual in the bollywood industry; but if it is a comedy subject directed by Rohit Shetty, after comedy hits like 'Golmaal' and 'Golmaal Returns' and more over produced by Ajay Devgan himself, then it is interesting. Cinematography is by Dudley and Pritam is the music director.


Different from the usual style, here you have got the title song featuring the main stars in the film with a bulk of dancers in a peppy number. Ajay and Fardeen are close friends. Fardeen's elder brother (Sanjay Dutt) is in abroad for a long time; he is sending money every month for his brother. Sanjay believes that his brother got married and is staying in their own house at native. In the mean time Fardeen and Ajay gets into some financial troubles. They decided to give the house for rent. At the same time Sanjay reached there. He sees Bipasha, Ajay's wife and misunderstood her as his brother's wife. How both friends manage the situation in the presence of the senior who stays with them for few days is told in an out and out comedy background.


May be we might have seen the same situation many times in malayalam films also. Even directors like Priyadarshan, Sidhiq Lal and Rajasenan have given n number of films in this manner. But the power of comedy is so high that if neatly presented, it can still attract the crowd. This is what happened in the case of 'All The Best' also. Since the director came to the cine field in the early 90's and has got experience in giving comedy hits recently, the chance for errors are less.


It is a fact that after a long gap, I had got some un believable laughs for a hindi film throughout in many scenes. The scenes featuring Johny Lever is a good example and the combination scenes of Ajay & Sanjay are also notable.


Though they do serious roles most of the time, here Sanjay Dutt and Ajay Devgan had done well by handling many lighter situations. Background score by Sanjay Chowdhary cope up with the situation well.


'All The Best' is a time pass, funny entertainer with an old theme. Those who are really interested in comedy films can watch it.


Rating : 7.5 / 10

Blue

Medium : Hindi
Starring : Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar, Zayed Khan, Rahul Dev, Lara Dutta, Katrina Kaif
Direction : Antony D'souza
Music : A.R.Rahman


The biggest news happened in this year as far as our film industry is concerned will be the representation of the Indian films in the Oscar Award ceremony. A.R.Rahman was thus lucky enough to grab two music awards and Rasool Pookkutty also got one for sound designing in the English film, 'Slumdog Millionaire'. Hence those films that are done by these guys, after such an achievement will not be treated ordinary by their fans. A film that caught special attention and is placed in such a category is 'Blue'. Though I am not interested in such a kind of extra publicity regarding any personalaties in the film field, as we are a witness for whatever happens in front of us, I can't keep mum. Another media hype related to this film was that majority of the portions of the film is being shot inside the deep blue sea and also the stars were given special training and in some scenes they were asked to swim even in the middle of big sharks and sword fishes. Anyway such a news can't create big expectations about the film in me; I decided to watch it as a part of the normal procedure only.


The film has got the opening scenes in a boat in the middle of the sea at Bahamas where Sanjay and Akshay are shown fishing and when the latter's cap fell into the water, both of them dives, get it back and a shark is freed from a fishing net. When Akshay asks about the treasure ('lady in blue'), Sanjay gets angry. We are also shown a romantic song on the beach sands featuring Sanjay with the two piece girl, Lara. At the same time Zayed, who is Sanjay's brother and a bike racer, gets into trouble in a foreign country. He reaches his brother's place to hide after a bulk loss of money. Finally as per Zayed and Akshay's request, Sanjay is willing to take the treasure in the underwater area. In the climax, the cheating is revealed. (to be honest, the cheaters here are the makers of the film and the real victims are viewers like us!!!)


Sanjay Dutt is shown shaven head in some scenes followed by the hairy head; his character loses continuity here and there. The way in which he describes his father's past looks like a documentary. There is no depth in the characterization of all the stars. Maybe in one line the story is good; but the way in which the director treated the film shows the immaturity of the scripting side also. The underwater scenes are good; since that portion didn't have much dialogue as the situation demands, sometimes it feels boring. The bike race and the chasing by the villains might have been used as the fillers to make up the length.


Cinematography by Laxman Utekar is good; especially the underwater scenes are notable. A.R.Rahman's style is different from the usual pattern of the hindi music directors. Here you don't have any memorable surprises from the Oscar winner; the background score is also not the best. Rasool Pookkutty, who did an excellent job in the film, 'Keralavarma Pazhassiraja' didn't used the opportunity to the best level here.


'Blue', as expected is not upto the mark. With such a theme, they should have done a better job.


Rating : 4 / 10

Luck

Medium : Hindi
Starring : Sanjay Dutt, Mithun Chakraborthy, Imraan Khan, Shruthi Hassan
Direction : Soham Shah
Music : Salim Sulaiman, Amar Mohile

Two weeks before, when I went to watch a malayalam film, I happened to see the trailer of a new hindi film. The scenes shown in it caught attention since it has got an action mood with a multi star cast. Some of the thrilling shots reminded me of a Spanish film. A year before, my friend, who is a regular viewer of foreign classics, discussed about the theme of a film named ‘13 Tzametti’. He always requested me to watch such films. I will be countering it by telling about my busy schedules in watching the regional films. Recently when I told him about the trailer experience of ‘Luck’, he was stunned. The reason is that ’13 Tzametti’ was a Spanish classic treated without any gimmicks, how such a theme can form the root of an action film like ‘Luck’.

‘Luck’ is directed by Soham Shah. He has once directed a film called ‘Kaal’, starring Ajay Devgan, John Abraham, Vivek Oberoi, Lara Dutta and Esha Deol. It was produced by Shahrukh Khan and Karan Johar. The film shot in the backdrop of jungles, proved his directorial talent. ‘Luck’ is also the debut film of Shruthi Hassan, daughter of living legend Kamalhassan. Imran Khan (‘Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na’ and ‘Kidnap’ fame) is acted as her pair in the film. Senior actors like Mithun Chakraborthy, Sanjay Dutt, Danny Denzongpa and Rati Agnihotri are also there.

As the name suggests, the film is based on the betting theme. Luck is a main factor which plays the crucial role in the gambling. Moosa Bhai (Sanjay Dutt) is the person who is running such a business. His assistant (Danny) is assigned to find maximum individuals from different areas across world to be a part of the betting game. The main requirement is the luck factor. Those lucky guys who are desperate in need of money is agreed to work for Moosa. Thus the majority of the artists in the film including the lead pairs are acted as the part of the gang recruited to play the big gambling in South Africa.

There different challenging games organized there is cruel and tough. One such thing is that all of them are given a gun with a bullet, all of them are asked to shot their next person at the same time. Those people who are lucky escaped from it (this is the whole theme of the Spanish film, but here they had included it as a game only). They move on to the next round, where they had to face some other dangerous games. In the middle, their tensions, friendship, love, sentiments, hatred, revenge etc is also shown. Thus in the climax also the same luck saves the hero from the villain.

Since the theme is based on luck, the director is on the safer side, thus we can’t complaint about the logic in the story side. Shruthi Hassan is glamorous and has got a north Indian look (she resembles Sarika in her olden days). We have to wait till her next project, to comment on her performance. Santhosh Thudiyil (‘Krish’, ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, ‘Palungu’, ‘Devadoothan’ fame) has done an excellent cinamatography. Some of the frames even resembles the Hollywood style. Amar Mohile, who worked for many Ramgopal Varma films, has given a stimulating background score.

‘Luck’ is an action film with a different theme. Those who are particular about it can try your luck also.

Rating : 7 / 10