Alia Bhatt is an Indian actress and model who appears in Bollywood films. Born into a family where her parents, Mahesh Bhatt and Soni Razdan, and elder sister Pooja Bhatt were actors and filmmakers,
You know that old one, when to demonstrate something convoluted, the person, instead of holding his right ear with his right hand, twists his hand around the back of the head and holds the left ear instead ? Lets just say, to keep the analogy going, that in this one the person is upside down, in a bendy yoga pose, while underwater and being attacked by piranhas while attempting to hold the left ear with his left foot�that�s how complicated they make it�
The cops, led by Naseeruddin Shah, find a video recording, in some parking lot, where two men and two women end up shooting and killing each other. Along with this footage, they also find footage of some previous days, where those same characters were involved in a cocaine deal of some sort. And then they, the cops, spend the next 110 minutes trying to decipher what actually transpired�
The opening credits are quite sensuous � showing a woman (Elena Roxanna) in sexy black lingerie just lolling around. But then as soon as they end, we�re jerkily taken to this grimy parking lot and some blood, gore. Amit Sial, Nishant Lal, Manasi Rachh and Anchal are the four individuals there. Then we see the cops (Auroshikha is one of them aiding Naseeruddin Shah) trying to decipher the messy, jerky home made videos (all shot by Nishant). There is also a gangland killing, a don based out of Dubai (where else) and characters like Anand Tiwari, Subrat Dutta, Sanam Singh Talwar and Siraj Mustafa who play important roles of varying lengths.
The logical flaws with the plot are too many to recount. The video recordings are hard to watch after a while, as they are jarring, bumpy and, especially in one particular sequence, nausea-inducing. It�s also tough to believe that the characters would let themselves be filmed the way they did (even in intimate moments and conversations) by their tharki friend. What can be appreciated though, is that the actors turn in good performances and the film doesn�t stray from its rather complicated plot � it�s crisp from that POV, no unnecessary back stories or item songs.
There are shades of Usual Suspects in here, though this is not remotely a copy. It�s not a bad attempt but is made an even harder watch by too many hazy, drug snorting scenes. And I do wish there was a simpler storyline � you really have your head spinning (literally) when you leave the hall�
Rating : 5/10 Release Date : 25th September, 2015 Time : 117 minutes Director, Co-Writer : Shivam Nair; Writer: Vikram Bhatt; Music : Various Starring : Kunal Khemu, Zoa Morani, Manasi Scott, Mandana Karimi
Imagine the Sliding Doors principle being offered to you just when you had your balls in a vice and were being forced to do something nasty, against your will ? Kunal Khemu�s boss, Manasi, has evidence of him doing insider training and will go to the cops, unless he first befriends, and then kills Zoa. He, luckily (thanks to his mom) is given an option � lead one life assuming you did kill her and another assuming you didn�t (*T&C apply)�
Moans and Groans The first groan escaped my lips when I realized it was �Tantrik� knowledge that led to the offer being made, complete with a wooden yet creepy Vikram Bhatt as a genie (Why?)
Also, deviating fundamentally from the principle, the scenarios do not play out identically � for example, there are guards waiting outside in one and not in another
Fundamentally, the makers had two options � either make the film realistic or to go down the logic be damned route. Unfortunately, they chose the latter but that only works when you have major star power in the film (Salman Khan, James Bond). So we see a wanted, hunted man spending time in fancy resorts, ordering pizzas, romancing women, suddenly becoming an action hero, facing cops who dont shoot and never shoot straight in any case etc.
The dialogues, especially the pick up lines (what was the door thing about ?) go from very ordinary to really bad � can�t believe any woman would find those schmaltzy lines interesting
Songs. Too many, too tuneless and very ill-timed. This is one of those films where the hero has to be introduced with an item number to show how cool he is and then will have one of those soft, romantic, Atif Aslam type numbers to show he is in love�
Likes and Spikes Kunal, Manasi and Zoa turn in good performances. Kunal has moments where he displays good timing, facial expressions etc, Zoa is quite assured for most parts and Manasi is extremely believable as super-bitch.
In films like this it�s important to be able to put yourself in the shoes of the protagonist. Which is why, by choosing to be filmy and give rationality a miss, the makers have done this genre and their premise a disservice. I�m probably being generous by going with 5/10 � but it�s better than Katti Batti (which was a 4) and at least someone is trying something different � even if I don�t agree with the way it was executed�
Rating : 7/10 Release Date : 7th August, 2015 Time : 133 minutes Director, Writer: Christopher McQuarrie; Co-Writer: Drew Pearce based on the Television series by Bruce Geller; Music : Joe Kraemer Starring : Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Jeremy Renner, Ving Rhames, Sean Harris, Tom Hollander, Jens Hulten, Alec Baldwin
It�s an impossible storyline where we watch guys do impossible stunts. But you know what ? We actually have fun, especially with the familiar pulsating theme in the background. Tom Cruise may be older but he�s still got it and Rebecca Ferguson, the Swedish siren, is just va-va-voom !
Tom Cruise and his unit, the IMF, are chasing The Syndicate. Who, in turn, are chasing them and are on to their methods. Back home, Alec Baldwin, head of the CIA, is keen to wrap up the IMF and bring it under his wing. And both, he and the chilling Sean Harris, head of the Syndicate, seem to have a special �fondness� for Tom�
Apart from the well-publicized plane take-off scene with Tom Cruise, there are a few marquee action scenes � a knife fight between Rebecca and Jens Hulten, a high-octane, exhilarating motorcycle chase� And, of course, the one set piece �impossible� heist, which was really over the top. What I like about Cruise is that, even though he looks older, he still feels credible, at least to a degree, knowing that he does his stunts himself. And Rebecca was a revelation � face, expressions, performance, figure � she has it all !
The story is almost laughable in terms of what we�re expected to believe. The face mask trick works just too easily, even with various world leaders, but it�s a good, fun roller-coaster ride, with plenty of thrills and spills. Not often I say this, in many series / franchises, but I wouldn�t mind another one�
