Bollywood Information

Movie: Ugly
Rating: 4/5 Stars [Four stars]

Star Cast: Ronit Roy, Tejasvini Kolhapure, Rahul Bhat, Vineet Singh, Girish Kulkarni, Siddhanth Kapoor, Surveen Chawla, Vipin Sharma

Director: Anurag Kashyap

What's Good: When you get to see noir at its best in a Bollywood film. The film true to its name is Ugly. It is dark and certainly not for the faint-hearted. Anurag Kashyap is one of the few directors who knows how to build a plot with multiple characters and yet leave us wanting for more as we meander into their lives and try to find a reasoning to their actions. Unraveling the true nature of human greed, this film is a mirror for all of us who have demons inside us.

What's Bad: Well, not all would want to sit through a grim film that stretches for over two hours. The film is not a regular drama and if you are one of those who want cinema to be an enjoyable experience, this is certainly not for you.

Loo break: Control it! This is life unfolding in front of you.

Watch or Not ?: Once again stressing on the fact that this film is not for those weak and those who want to ease their minds off while watching a film. This is a complete Anurag Kashyap masterpiece and if you are familiar with his style of film making, this one is a must-watch for you. He does what he is best at, give us a something that is unforgettable. Don’t make the mistake of comparing it to his previous works, this one is a gem in itself.
A 10-year-old Kali goes missing in a bustling street after being left in the car by her father Rahul, who is a struggling actor. Thus, follows a story of kidnapping, ransom and a string of grim characters who come under the radar of the police. As Kali’s step-father, a cop, takes on the mission to find this little girl, he encounters a lot on his way including his current wife’s ex-husband and his college enemy Rahul.

In the midst of the disappearance of a young child, can these adults move over their past and put behind their egos or will they hold onto their grudges and sacrifice the life of a 10-year-old mid way?

Ugly Movie Full Review Script Analysis: Bollywood has always stayed away from dark dramas and among the very few filmmakers, Anurag Kashyap is one who dares to bare it all in his films. Ugly is raw, grim and a in-the-face film which deals with multiple characters who falter prey to their own greed as they are caught up in a strange situation. The script is bang-on and probably Kashyap's best.

I haven't felt the chills of his story telling ever since Black Friday and this is a second. His three lead characters are messed up, one being the struggling actor Rahul [Rahul Bhat], other being his ex-wife Shalini [Tejaswini Kolhapure] who is suicidal and now a caged wife of a ruthless cop played by Ronit Roy. While all three have a back drop, they keep struggling to get in terms with their life then and now. Ego and greed being the two main angles in this story, Ugly really gets ugly as the course of the story builds. The pace is amazing and this is a truly gripping script. Right from the first scene of the film where a listless Tejaswinin Kolhapure is contemplating her suicidal thoughts, the film sets its tone. This is an excellent story and with its blissful casting it shines in every frame.

Ugly Movie Full Review Star Performances: One person who truly enthralls us in this film is undoubtedly Ronit Roy who plays a ruthless cop. He is fearless and determined to find his step-daughter Kali but is at the same time held back by his haunting past. A male-chauvinist, he would rather cage his wife than let her out of sight. Ronit does a fine job and truly plays his character with full might.

Rahul Bhat who plays Kali’s dad and a struggling actor does a good job too. The actor who is seen after a decade in a film is quite surprisingly up to the mark and we wonder why the hibernation period.

My other favorite pick is certainly Vineet Singh. He is flawless as the casting agent who is slimy and sly as required.

Siddhanth Kapoor does not have a plum role in the film but his most iconic scene for sure will remain in memory as he dances with bundles of cash tucked in his underpants.

All I will remember Surveen Chawla who plays Rakhee the item girl will be for her ‘Nichod De’ performance. A good mockery on the item songs.

But out of all the aforementioned character, you truly feel sad for Tejaswini Kolhapure’s character which she pulls off with complete finesse as one who remains to be nothing but a woman who is conquered by both the men in her life and I mean ‘conquered’ instead of being loved. She portrays a torn woman who could neither receive nor give love.

Ugly Movie Full Review Direction. Editing and Screenplay: Anurag Kashyap is a director who believes in presenting the human nature and its raw elements on celluloid. This time on his radar is greed and the demons inside us which even overpower our usual emotional sides. A story of a 10-year-old being kidnapped transforms into much more complex as each character flips sides according to their suitability. This film is evocative of raw emotions. The lighting in the film is as dark and dim as all of its characters.
One of the best scenes captured by the director is that of the police station where Rahul Bhatt who is the father of the kidnapped child comes to file a complaint but is cross questioned and asked to talk about call phones and explain how to set a contact photo in a cell phone. Can you imagine the frustration one would go through if this happened? Well, that’s what this all about.

The editing is tight and in spite of having multiple characters, we rarely find a character missing and the director gives us no chance to forget them. As perverse as his characters are, the locations too speak a lot about them and thus as always in any of Kashyap's films, the atmosphere too tells the story.

Ugly Movie Full Review The Last Word: Ugly is a mean, dark and unsettling film that will rip you off in its last scene. This film is for the strong-hearted. It is honest, bare and raw in all its sense. As disgusting as the characters are, you want to watch this film for their diverse personalities and just to see what goes on in warped brains that bring out the worst in them. I loved the film for its brave nature and I am going with a 4/5 for its bold content.

Ugly Movie Official Trailer on YouTube>

Movie: Pyaar Vali Love Story
Rating: 2/5 Stars [Two stars]
Star Cast: Swapnil Joshi, Sai Tamhankar, Urmila Kanitkar, Upendra Limaye, Sameer Dharmadhikari, Nagesh Bhosale, Chinmay Mandlekar
Director: Sanjay Jadhav
What’s Good: Watching Swapnil Joshi play the DDLJ’s Raj and say his punchline 'Arre Aao Na Phir'.
What’s Bad: The story line that does not provide much fodder for a romantic drama and even fails at wooing you with its music.
Loo break: Yeah! Sure.

Watch or Not ?: Pyaar Vali Love Story has little novelty to it. The love, action and emotions are nothing that you haven’t seen before. Other than a good chemistry between the lead pair, there is less to look forward to. Watch it only if you have some eternal faith in love stories but I warn you! Not necessary that you will find a happy ending here.
A love story set in the backdrop of communal war, Pyaar Vali Love Story is a romantic drama of Aliya a young Muslim girl who falls in love with Amar a Hindu lad. In spite of having good family relations, what happens when it comes choosing between love and community is all that the film revolves around.
In the midst of Hindu-Muslim riots of 90s, will their love survive this test of time?

Pyaar Vali Love Story Full Movie Review Script Analysis: Coming from the makers of superhit Marathi drama Duniyadari, this film turns out disappointing. The Hindu-Muslim love story has a heavy Bollywood influence to it specially when it comes to the characters. Amar is like the DDLJ’s Raj and has an instant likability towards him. With a predictable storyline, the punchlines of lead characters almost seem forced. The love angle could have been involved a bit more since it seems hurried in parts.

Dialogues are quirky in between and certain scenes have a good comic timing especially those with one of the lead characters called Nandini. Overall, the script becomes weak in the second half. The film in bits and pieces reminds of epic Bollywood love stories like DDLJ and also Veer-Zaara which was a Hindu-Muslim love story.

Pyaar Vali Love Story Full Movie Review Star Performances: Swapnil Joshi who plays the male lead is undoubtedly Marathi cinema’s chocolate hero. The actor slips into his role with an amazing ease. His punchline 'Arre Aao Na Phir' certainly makes us smile every time that he cracks it.

Sai Tamhankar who is the female lead is quite likable. The actress playing a young Muslim girl looks stunning and does a fine job at acting too.

The supporting characters played by Upendra Limaye, Sameer Dharmadhikari and Urmila Kanetkar Kothare are also apt for their roles. Although Kadar Bhaai played by Upendra Limaye does stand out.

Pyaar Vali Love Story Full Movie Review Direction. Editing & Screenplay: It seems like after watching 'Duniyadari' my expectations were sky high from this film but sadly Pyaar Vali Love Story doesn’t quite work for me. Sanjay Jadhav fails to build the charm of a love story.

Moreover, when handling a subject like communal riots, there has to be enough thought behind it. In a scene where Amar and Aliya who have eloped from their home in the midst of riots, they are seen hiding comfortably near a bridge sharing intimate moments which is quite disappointing given the situation.
Also, it would have been wiser to use better editing effects in the film as certain scenes look quite raw. Another problem for me was the music which has a heavy inspiration from South with fast paced beats unlike any romantic tracks that you would like to listen in a 'Pyaar Vali Love Story'.

Pyaar Vali Love Story Full Movie Review The Last Word: The film comes out like a half-baked attempt at giving us a love story along with a communal angle but sadly none of it proves its point by the end. The love story as such does not quite bloom well in spite of a good chemistry among the lead pair. It is a regular story that is highly predictable and disappointing by the end. I am going with a 2/5 for this film.

Pyaar Vali Love Story Movie Official Trailer on YouTube>

Movie: Dr. Prakash Baba Amte
Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars [Three and a half stars]
Star Cast: Nana Patekar, Sonali Kulkarni
Director: Manohar Porey

What's Good: Almost everything. The film scores high on two main aspects, one being the brilliant performances of Nana Patekar and Sonali Kulkarni and the other being the necessity of such a story to be shown on celluloid. This film is exemplary of what should be without biopics hailing the protagonist as a 'hero' in a forced manner. Some stories need to be heard and this is surely one of them.

What's Bad: Well, after one rants praises enough, dealing with the negatives is tough and with this film my judgment falters considering only if you get into the nitty gritty of it, there are flaws. Other than a few technical glitches which can easily be overlooked, there is nothing worth a mention here.

Loo break: None.

Watch or Not?: This movie is an eye-opener of sorts and thus is a recommendation for all those who like to invest their time in cinema that is informative and inculcates a certain thought process for you. It is a cherry for those who want to be introduced to the little known figure that Dr. Prakash sarvekshaṇa is and I would suggest get amazed by it as this is not one of those films that will just pass you by.
Dr. Prakash Baba Amte is a biopic on the life of Dr. Prakash sarvekshaṇa who is an acclaimed social worker. It simply deals with the kind of struggle that he and his wife Mandakini sarvekshaṇa went through when they decided to give up all the luxuries of life and dedicate their knowledge for the upliftment of a small village called Hemalkasa.

It is an engaging story of the couple who stand by each other through thick and thin to bring about a change in society and succeed at it.

Dr. Prakash Baba Amte Full Movie Review Script Analysis: With an excellent story to tell, the film comes through as a necessary biopic sharing an engaging tale. While simplicity drives this story, it manages to hit you with reality just where it is needed. There are some portions in the film that will make you self-introspect your lifestyle. Based on real life events, the themes of social integration of the Adivasis to the problems with Naxalites, the film throws light on the life of Dr. Prakash Amte and his recognized work without making him a ‘heroic figure’ in a commercial manner.

Certain scenes in the film such as the delivery scene of an Adivasi woman in a tribal area when Amte and his wife are forced to operate the patient without any medical equipment literally gives you goosebumps and the sheer thought of it makes one wonder the kind of difficulties the couple has faced to strive for the upliftment of the underprivileged. Another winning point in the script is the fact that it is not limited to highlighting the achievements of Prakash Amte, the story weaves beautifully around his personal life too with the portrayal of simplistic conversations between the husband-wife.

Dr. Prakash Baba Amte Full Movie Review Star Performances: Nana Patekar plays the character to its truest form and it is hard to recognize him as anything else in the film but as Dr. Prakash Amte. He lives the role quite literally. In real life being in close association with the Amte clan, Nana proves to be the best choice for this role.
Sonali Kulkarni too who plays the role of Mandakkini Amte, the wife of Prakash Amte does a fine job. Previously too known for her brilliant acting prowess, Sonali lives up to it as she easily gets into the character of Manda who is a lovable character in the film.

Dr. Prakash Baba Amte Full Movie Review Direction. Editing and Screenplay: Director Samruddhi Porey once again comes up with a brilliant story after her acclaimed work of ‘Mala Aai Vhayachay‘. Handling this biopic with much care, she picks up the right portions of Amte’s life that needed a mention on the celluloid. The film is well-built as it transitions finely into the past and present day situations. With a stellar star cast, there is little concern for the director as the film completely rides on the shoulders of her protagonists.

As mentioned earlier, the film does have some technical glitches such as the graphics in certain scenes could have been better but overall the film wins its brownie points with cinematography which manages to show Hemalkasa and its forests quite beautifully.

The film in its two hours takes you through an intense journey without making you feel overburdened by the seriousness of the issues that it handles.

Dr. Prakash Baba Amte Full Movie Review The Last Word: Dr. Prakash Baba Amte is another example of Marathi cinema recognizing the skill and the eye required to make biopics. After successful biopics on Bal Gandharva and Harishchandrachi Factory, this one is an addition to the list. A serious film that has its light moments, Dr. Prakash Baba Amte is an insightful film that outshines with its content quality and is a well-deserved watch. Rarely does one come across films that make you ruminate on its story. I am going with a 3.5/5 for this film. A must-watch for all those, who would like to learn a little about what a bunch of modest people can do to bring about a change.

Dr. Prakash Baba Amte Movie Official Trailer on YouTube>