Saturday, May 18, 2013

Go Goa Gone (2013) - Intoxicating, crazy, wild!

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After hearing mixed reviews of the film, I wasn't sure what to expect. But somewhere in my heart, I knew it won't disappoint. I had been waiting for it ever since I saw the first trailer on Facebook. This one was not to be missed, I had told myself. Whether it was Saif's dilli se hu bhen* or Kunal Khemu's globalization! pehle HIV, ab globalization! yeh phirangiyo ne waat laga ke rakh di hai... this one looked hatke.

Thankfully, it DIDN'T fail me. It was 2 hours of entertainment - hilarious, mindless, expletive-spewing zomedy. The film works, for most part, mainly because of its snappy, jaw-droppingly eccentric dialogues, (courtesy Sita Menon, Raja Sen and Kunal Khemu himself) and the chemistry our boys Kunal (Hardik) Saif Ali Khan (Boris, oops Bu-rees) Vir Das (Luv), Anand Tiwari (Bunny) share on screen. 

 Kunal was, indisputably, the star of the show. The child artist in award-winning films like Zakham, Hum Hai Rahi Pyar Ke, and Raja Hindustani, hasn't had much luck in films lately. Go Goa... will hopefully give his career the much-needed push. Comedy is his territory, his zone! He almost owned the film. Vir Das, too, is effortless as always. Anand Tiwari's timings are brilliant (like in the mockumentary I saw him recently in - The President is Coming). And I always love Saif for the style and attitude with which he carries any role.

 Life's drab for buddies Luv, Hardik, Bunny with nothing really to look forward to. Luv is loveless, Hardik is jobless (and always looking for some action ;-), and Bunny's too lost in work to notice life around him. The threesome set off to Goa one day and are all too excited about a party happening on a nearby island. Life gives them more action than they'd asked for ;-) when the rave party turns into a zombie party. 

 Try not look for logic. Sit back comfortably with your bucket of popcorn, and you're sure to enjoy this madcap ride. 

 PS: The film might not appeal to the non-Hindi speaking audience as much for all the dialogues and cuss words that only the Hindi-speaking can connect with ;-) 

Have you seen Go Goa Gone? Did you like it? Did you not? Shout out in the comment section below :)
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Thursday, May 16, 2013

Bombay Talkies (2013)

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Karan Johar's ajeeb daastaan hai yeh appealed to me more than all other stories. A man struggling with his sexuality was depicted extremely well by Avinash (Saqib Saleem). A few scenes (the gay kiss) along with some corny dialogues may have been off-putting for some but this was by far Bollywood's best portrayal of a subject this bold. Surprisingly! 

 I say that coz you'd least expect it of a director better known for his star-studded, flashy, mass appealing films. This one's subtle, succinct and hits the right note.

Next up is Dibakar Bannerji's story of a small-time struggler. "Struggling actor" has caught on to become the most cliched term in the industry today. But Dibakar's story-telling of this struggler is anything but cliched. Witty dialogues and Nawazzudin's yet another brilliant act (watch out for him in the climax), makes it watchable. 

Zoya Akhtar's story is about a boy Vicky (Naman Jain) confused about his gender identity. Sports is not his thing. He loves to dress up like girls, do the things girls do. The 12-year old, by the way, is a powerhouse of talent. The story, but, felt not quite there. I understand the boy's confusion about his sexuality. I couldn't relate to the father abstaining his son from picking up feminine ways coming in the way of his son's dreams. Botched up? (We can disagree :)

Anurag Kashyap's murabba story about an ailing father's last wish, was the least impactful. Despite it being a story of many star-crazed fans like us, I could barely connect with it. Overall, my experience of the last 2 films was 'underwhelming.' They may have been deftly narrated, but weren't quite rich in content and engaging in themselves. 

How did you like the film? Do share your thoughts in the comments below. 
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Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Aashiqui 2 - Old-world romance makes it worth a watch!

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It's love at first sight for singing-sensation-who-has-now-lost-his-mojo Rahul Jaikar (Aditya Roy Kapoor) when he meets Arohi Shirke (Shradhha Kapoor), a small-time singer at a bar. He's clueless where he's headed in life but in that moment, he's found a purpose. A reason to live. 

Aashiqui 2 is a selfless tale of love, hard to come by and a refreshing break from the usual underpinnings - revenge, backstabbing, jealousy - in love stories today. The duo share a great chemistry on screen. Aditya showed promise in Guzarish and has pretty much lived up to it in this film. Aashiqui 2 is solely his show. His charm and confidence make up for the mediocre storytelling. Shradhha is endearing as the girl-next-door who dares to dream big but lacks the spunk. She appears lifeless in a few scenes.


 Musically, Aashiqui 2 is a treat. The opening track, Sun Raha Hai blew me away. The female version by Shreya Ghoshal is even better. The title song, Meri Aashiqui, too is tastefully done. The music often comes to the rescue of an otherwise clumsy narrative. 

Overall, a sweet love story that tugs at your heart, with unforgettable music. And yea, the old-world romance makes it worth a watch! :)
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Sunday, April 28, 2013

15 singers, 21 actors! But something's missing...

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Bombay Talkies unveils its new track Apna Bombay Talkies starring an ensemble of Bollywood actors Shahrukh, Aamir, Saif, Ranbir, Anil Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Ranveer Singh, Shahid, Imran, Farhan Akhtar, Saif, Kareena, Karisma, Madhuri, Juhi, Sridevi, Vidya, Rani, Priyanka, Sonam, Deepika.

But I wonder why people are calling it a Bollywood anthem. Music by Amit Trivedi is thanda at best. It fails to live up to the theme it's commemorating - 100 years of Hindi cinema. It's barely an ode to the film industry. There's nothing exciting about it even visually. With such big names coming together, you'd expect something grander.  




PS: The only good part - Shahrukh in the end, in his signature style with DDLJ's title track on the mandolin playing in the backdrop. I can never get enuf ;-)
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Friday, April 26, 2013

Trending in the Twitterverse :)

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#8PlacesToVisit hashtag got trending this morning on Twitter with our handle @EatPrayLoveM trending in the topic ;-) So here are some places I'd like to visit before I pack up for heaven (or hell ;) Hope you enjoy them as much as I've enjoyed putting them together. 

































Which places are you looking forward to? Lets talk in the comments below :-)
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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

6 films I'm excited for in 2013!

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Go Goa Gone!
Director: Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K.
Producer: Saif Ali Khan and Dinesh Vijan
Starring: Saif Ali Khan, Kunal Khemu, Vir Das
So many things about it make me want to watch it - crazy, quirky humor, dialogues, zombies, Saif - our Zombie hunter with his weird hairdo, stand-up comedian Vir Das who is better known after Delhi Belly, directors Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K. who gave us Shor in the City...

 Within a few hours of its theatrical release, the film is already trending in the Twitterverse. I hope the film lives up to all the noise!


Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani 
Director: Ayan Mukherji
Producer: Dharma Productions, Ronnie Screwvala, 
Starring: Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Kalki Koechlin

Big names Ranbir Kapoor, Karan Johar are obviously a huge draw for this film. But a bigger reason why I'm looking forward to this one is Ayan Mukherji, the guy behind Wake up Sid. I hope Mukherji can repeat what he did with WUS - breaking through the stereotypical clutter and giving us a reason to look beyond big banners and names. 



Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
Producer: Viacom 18
Starring: Farhan Akhtar, Sonam Kapoor

The much awaited Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, a biographical work on the life of Indian athlete Milkha Singh, will hit the theaters in July. The name of the film comes from the last words spoken by his father, to save his life during the Partition riots. Eager to see how Farhan Akhtar will carry off this role, a first of sorts for him. 




Shaadi Ke Side Effects
Director: Saket Chaudhary
Producer: Balaji Telefilms, Pritish Nandy Communications
Starring: Farhan Akhtar, Vidya Balan

 The sequel to Pyar ke Side Effects is finally set to release towards the end of the year. An unusual pairing like its prequel (Rahul Bose and Mallika Sherawat) with both my fav actors Farhan and Vidya, makes me want to watch this one!


Bullett Raja
Director: Tigmanshu Dhulia
Producer: Rahul Mittra
Starring: Saif Ali Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, Jimmy Shergill

 The man known for films like Paan Singh Tomar (director), Saheb Biwi aur Gangster (director), Haasil (director), Dil Se (writer), is all set to come up with this gangster thriller come September. 

 I can never get enough of Jimmy Shergill, one of our most under-rated actors (some of his best works include Yahaan, Saheb Biwi aur Gangster, A Wednesday). It will be interesting to see what he and Saif (after Omkara) have to offer in this film. Tigmanshu's all-time fav Irrfan Khan, however, will not be seen in this one. 


Ram Leela
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Producer: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone

 Reportedly based on Shakespeare's classic Romeo & Juliet, this one too brings an unusual but fresh pair. Bhansali will be back 3 years after his last film Guzarish, which received a tepid response at the box office. Hoping this one does what Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas did for him, a decade (or more?) back!

 Which films are you looking forward to this year? Let's talk in the comments section below! :-)

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Sunday, March 17, 2013

Jolly L.L.B (2013) - Has its heart at the right place...

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Jolly LLB's trailer was catchy enough to get you to the theaters. The story has meat but the presentation could have been so much better. Unlike most Bollywood films which lose steam after the first half, this one only picks pace in the second half. But it's one of those films you want to root for, for the reason that it's made with a heart. 

 Subhash Kapoor manages to pull off a court room drama which is hilarious and realistic at the same time. Saurabh Shukla is his usual entertaining self with the most unforgettable of all roles and punchiest of dialogues. Arshad Warsi boldly plays his part and unsurprisingly impresses as the snarky, loud-mouthed Meerut ka launda. Boman Irani does his bit with equal conviction. Amrita Rao doesn't have much to do. 

 The songs seemed unnecessary and broke the pace (except the tiny winy mere toh...lag gaye ;) in the courtroom. Overall, it's time well spent but I'm sure a DVD watch would be as great!
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Thursday, February 28, 2013

My Liebster Moment :-)

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"Time for a party... but first, the Thank You speech?" teased a friend, when I told him my EatPrayLove... had won an award. I can blabber all day but its times like these that I draw a blank. 

Thanks Aishwarya for this one! I treasure it. 

 So what's the Liebster Blog Award all about? It's basically a blogger's way of saying "You're one of my favorites! Good job!” Liebster is German for dearest. 
Rules for receiving this award:

1. Each blogger should post 11 random facts about themselves.  
2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you, and then create 11 new questions for the bloggers you pass the award to.

3. Choose 11 new bloggers (with less than 200 followers) to pass the award to and link them in your post.
4. Go back to their page and tell them about the award.
5. No tag backs.


1. So, here go 11 random facts about me: 

1. I can go underground for longer than you can imagine and watch movies and more movies back to back!

2. My most treasured B'day gift - iPad from Dad last birthday.

3. What cheers me up? Buy me clothes and I'll forget you beat me at Scrabble ;)

4. Which brings me to my favorite pastime, besides films. Word games!
5. Bollywood character I identify with - Geet of Jab we Met. 

6. When I'm in a mess and trying to talk it out of my system, I just need you to hear me. Keep your advice to yourself :P 

 7. What you'd normally read in the mirror, I can write it with my left hand (cursively!)

8. I can gaze at the sea in the night for hours. My idea of a perfect date: Moonlight night, movie, dinner by the sea! 

9. I've seen DDLJ more than you can count on your fingers.

10. What turns me off? Arrogance.  


11. If you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best. [I'm stealing that one from Marilyn Monroe]





2. ...And my answers to Aishwarya' s 11 questions:

1. Your most memorable vacation ever?
Europe. Florence is breath-taking. Austria beats Switzerland. It's heaven on earth. [Yash Chopra, apparently, shot most of his films in Austria, not Switzerland].  

2. Your one wish for your country.
If I could change one law - Rapists should be stoned to death like in Islamic countries. 

3. Your meaning of love.
It's not a feeling. Feelings are fleeting. It's not a state of mind. It's a state of being!

4. Your favorite food when you're depressed?
What beats chocolates?

5. The most adventurous thing you've done ever?
You're asking an indoors person? :-) 

6. Something you wish to do, if you had no societal/monetary limitations?
Shelter for homeless kids.

7. If you could have life-long subscription to any magazine, which would it be & why?
Umm... Magazine I'm not sure. How about a *free* life-long subscription to a DVD store? :-)

8. The one famous person you would be struck dumb upon meeting. And why! :)
Ranbir Kapoor. Need I say why ;)

9. 5 most favorite television series!
As a kid I wouldn't miss Jungle Book (Mogli), I Dream of Gennie, Small Wonder, Zabaan Sambhalke, Dekh Bhai Dekh, Flop Show.

10. Harry Potter or Twilight? Give me reasons!
None. Let's talk Bolly. The list will go on.... 
11. Your dream job. Or business. Or vocation. 
Own a movie production house!


Questions for my 10 nominees:


1) One song to describe your life...

2) One film you could watch over and over? 

3) Your idea of fun? 

4) If you could live someone else's life for a day, who's would it be?

5) One film you wish had never been made?

6) One crazy wish?

7) Films that didn't get their due? 

8) What freaks you out?

9) What is love?

10) What are things you like to do alone?

11)  If you had only 5 more minutes to live, what would you do? 


A big thank you to my readers before I get to my nominees for the Liebster Blog Award. 

The award originally began with honoring blogs with less than 3000 readers. The number soon changed to less than 200 (not sure when!). Blogs below may not strictly have less than 200 followers/readers.  

3. So here go my 10 nominees, in no particular order: 





Bollywood-ish Blog

Bolly hoo ha

The Movie Review Blog


@ Nominees. You may choose to accept the award and pass it on to your favorite bloggers, following all the above rules. 

 Don't break the chain guys. Let's keep it rolling! 
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Sunday, February 24, 2013

Kai Po Che (2013) - Breath of fresh air

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Kai Po Che is film making where perfection meets style. Director Abhishek Kapoor strikes a fine balance taking care of every detail from the script to the characters. With a plot that covers so many elements from cricket to politics to religion, things could have easily gotten out of hand. But Kapoor has full control of the film till the very last. He manages to impress without trying too hard. The film moves at its own pace bringing the best out of every character.

The carefree, living-for-the-moment Ishaan, played by Sushant Singh Rajput, stands out among the three friends. His timings are brilliant. Amit Sadh is at his best in the second half. Watch out for him post the accident scene. But Raj Kumar Yadav of Love Sex Dhoka fame, playing the timid and restrained Govind, steals the show. And he proves it in the scene where he lashes out at Ishaan for his reckless ways. He's only getting better with every film. Their bromance takes you back to Dil Chahta Hai. It didn't feel like they were doing it for the camera.

Overall, it's a much needed breath of fresh air after what's blatantly come to define Bollywood - mindless '100 crore' cinema. Certainly can't afford to miss this one. It's a film for keeps!

 Have you seen Kai Po Che? Did you enjoy it as much as me? Your best bits? Lets talk. In the comments section below :-)
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Friday, January 25, 2013

Worst of Bollywood - 2012

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The nominees for the Golden Kela Awards are out. For those who haven't heard of Golden Kela - they are in their 5th year of honoring the worst of Bollywood. 

 Here are my picks for the worst. Enjoy!

Worst director
Sachin Kundalkar for Aiyyaa/ Prabhu Deva for Rowdy Rathore




Worst Actor - Male
Akshay Kumar for Rowdy Rathore




Worst Actor - Female
Anushka Sharma for Jab Tak Hai Jaan (3 cheers for the 'twice in a row' winner!)




Worst film
Aiyyaa




Worst Pair onscreen
R. Madhavan & Bipasha Basu (Jodi breakers)




Most Irritating Song of the year Award
Chinta ta ta chita chita




Most Atrocious Lyrics Award
Po Po Son of Sardar




'Why are you still trying' Award? For people who still seem to be around even though we thought their careers were over
Karisma Kapoor




'When watching the trailer you know the film is doomed' Award - And the irony is you know it would end up earning 100 crores
Housefull 2




'When did this come out' Award
Char Din Ki Chandni




'Bas Kijiye bahut Ho Gaya' Award
Khiladi 786


Your thoughts? Did I miss out a well-deserved mention ;) Shout out in the comments section below. 
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