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: PK
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars [Three and half stars]
Star Cast: Aamir Khan, Sushant Singh Rajput, Anushka Sharma, Sanjay Dutt, Saurabh Shukla, Boman Irani
Director: Rajkumar Hirani

What's Good: A story with multiple layers that deal with human emotions at its best. This film is exemplary of what we call unravelling the true human nature and at its best the Indian way of living. We are the ones who break laws, believe in unworthy and fraud Godmen, take each other's lives in the name of religion and in this upside down world when a person like PK enters, there is a lot to explore.

What's Bad: Just when you are enjoying the first half with its wit, the second half turns out a little disappointing when you are served worth a little bit of over the top drama. Rest assures, I cannot find flaws in the work of Rajkumar Hirani who certainly knows how to connect emotions and give away a social message.

Loo break: No! You don’t want to miss what PK is about to do next!

Watch or Not ?: Definitely watch. PK is a rare film, they do not make them like that anymore. This one is a delight for all its silly, comic, serious and witty nature all rolled into one. There is little to disagree with in this film and certainly if you want to sit, laugh and still go home thinking and reviewing some of your daily actions. Watch it for all its novel ideas and the innocence with which PK conveys them.

PK is certainly nothing you have ever seen before. Keeping in mind that suspense is a key element here I will not disclose any spoilers.
When a heartbroken Jagat Janini [Anushka Sharma] returns to India from Bruges, she meets the unusual PK [Aamir Khan] and tags along with him on his journey. She is a journalist who is trying to find a story worth telling but what she finds in PK is much more than a story but a dear friend who is stuck in a problem that she will help him solve.

PK is a satire on God and Godmen and also on certain simplistic ways of living that we put up with and when a stranger called PK questions these beliefs and ideas, the lives of Jagat Janini and all around her are about the film.

PK Movie Full Review Script Analysis:
Rarely do we come across films which have the quality to stay with you but this film is one of them. In a country like India topics such as Religion and God are only spoken about in unwatched documentaries which are often on the radar of religious groups and more often than not, they are banned. Taking this topic commercially and presenting it a comic manner, Rajkumar Hirani stuns us and PK is certainly a masterpiece of sorts coming from him.

Abhijat Joshi requires a special mention for the dialogues and mind you the ''Bhojpuri'' language connection is worth knowing. While the film’s dialogue promos gave the feel that this has a good chunk of witty comedy, well the theater watch goes a notch higher as you end up laughing only to realize the kind of world we live in and not long after you will get self-critical about our way of life.

Even though a lot of people may compare it to Oh My God, I would defend PK to be much more. The only haphazard part in the film seems to be Sushant Singh Rajput’s role which is wrapped up way earlier in the first half itself.

PK Movie Full Review Star Performances:
Undoubtedly, Aamir Khan gives his best performance. The actor is simply lovable as PK and truly the character’s innocence drives you. The actor is known to opt for roles that are not simple and yet again he proves his acting mettle. He never seizes to lose our attention and he is just apt for pulling off this role.

Anushka Sharma too is lovely as Jagat Janini. She is the narrator and it is great to see the actress come this far. She looks fresh in her pixie cut and is a delight to watch.

As always Hirani's films have a knack for having amazing side characters and here Sourabh Shukla does much of it. He is excellent as the pseudo-godmen that hit the headlines every now and then.
Boman Irani and Sanjay Dutt too are a treat to watch even in their small roles.
A special mention to Ranbir Kapoor for his cameo. Watch out for it!
PK Movie Full Review Direction. Editing and Screenplay:
Rajkumar Hirani proves with this film that he is certainly one of Bollywood’s finest directors. His films are an experience and it is amazing how PK unfolds in layers as a film. With a strong social message, Hirani presents this film as a sugar coated bitter tablet. This comic dose of reality is a must for everyone. Like always he does not move away from a commercial angle and so even when the angles of love come to the story, he makes sure they are well blended.

Every song is situational and so you enjoy the PK music quite well with its storyline. Chaar Kadam is a beautiful watch and Anushka and Sushant’s chemistry is good.

The first half will leave in splits with its witty comedy but the second half drags a little towards the end. Hirani gets a little carried away with the story in the second half when Sushant Singh’s character is dragged again for a brief moment and to give Jagat Janini her happy ending. Otherwise, the film is just perfect with its multiple social messages and thought provoking nature.

PK Movie Full Review The Last Word:
PK is a must watch and surely ends 2014 on a good note. When there is a confluence of smart direction, excellent content and an actor like Aamir Khan at hand, there is little that can go wrong. If you don’t end up asking the same questions as PK to yourself, then you may want to consider yourself an alien. I am going with a 3.5 /5 for this film.

PK Movie Official Trailer on YouTube>