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: Bhopal A Prayer For Rain
Rating: 3/5 Stars [Three stars]
Star Cast: Martin Sheen, Mischa Barton, Kal Penn, Rajpal Yadav, Tannishtha Chatterjee
Director: Ravi Kumar

What’s Good: The fact that the director does not shy away from showing India’s downside at the same time pointing out the American arrogance in dealing with this shameful incident.

What’s Bad: Glitches lie in the screenplay. It would have been a delight if the story could have been more fluid.

Loo break: You can wait!

Watch or Not?: The film is surely worth a watch if you want to be stunned by the audacity of an American company getting away with something so horrific.

Thirty years after India’s worst industrial disaster, comes a gripping tale of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy of 1984. When Union Carbide, a big-buck multinational company, sets up a Carbide plant in the heart of Bhopal, it opens up employment for the slum-dwelling locals.
While a family-man Dilip grabs this job for betterment of his livelihood, little does he know that not only his family but the whole town’s life is about to change forever.

Insinuating the worst industrial calamity ever, will Union Carbide take responsibility for it? Well, that’s why the story needs to be told.

Bhopal A Prayer For Rain Full Movie Review Script Analysis: Bhopal A Prayer For Rain is a sure shot recommendation for anyone who wishes to get an insight into the tragic incident. The story covers every angle possible to bring the instances that led to this disaster. While on one hand we see the usual American arrogance as Union Carbide in spite of knowing the consequences is looking out for its profits, on the other hand of course it is the shoe-licking Indians who would rather think about filling their own pockets than think about their town.

In one of the scenes, Martin Sheen who plays the CEO of Union Carbide is even seen saying ‘Third world countries are always messy’ as if justifying the nature of their horrific actions. My winning point with the script was that at no point did it give me a documentary feel and conveyed just enough. Even though you are flashed with a warning at start stating cinematic liberties have been taken for the film, I feel the story could have been made more gripping with those liberties.

Bhopal A Prayer For Rain Full Movie Review Star Performances: I will start with Rajpal Yadav, who does a fine job at portraying the miserable Indian local, who just wants to better his lifestyle. It is sad that the actor being a pivotal part of the film was not given enough credit for it.

Kal Penn, who plays a 80s journalist, gives a comparatively weaker performance than expected. Other than hopping around in flowery shiny shirts, the director could have used him with much better potential.

Martin Sheen glides perfectly into his role of the shrewd American businessman, who has his eyes on the company and no where else.
Mischa Barton’s cameo is quite an unnecessary one.
Bhopal A Prayer For Rain Review Direction. Editing and Screenplay: The first half of the film is just a build up to the actual story of the night of the gas leak. While Motwane, the journalist, is unearthing his big story, the disaster is already in motion. The second half introduces us to the night of the gas leak and there lies the excellent work of the makers. Catching the exact scene of deaths of thousands of locals in less than 72 hours, this ten minute scene is enough to give you goosebumps and set the panic alarm for you in your comfortable seat.

Director Ravi Kumar hits the right nerve when he introduces us to the Indian side of the story which is equally responsible for the tragic incident. Capturing the right pulse of Bhopal, the aftermath and the life 30 years after it could have been shown in a better way. Other than a huge disappointment looking at the compensation figures that are shown at the end, this film with its title ‘A Prayer For Rain’ quite aptly shows the same hope that the people are still living in as Union Carbide goes scot-free and Dow chemicals after acquiring the former raises its hand to take responsibility.

Bhopal A Prayer For Rain Full Movie Review The Last Word: Do not assume that it is a documentary that will bore you with an informative story. This film is a must watch if you wish to know the plight of Bhopal residents, who are still fighting for justice. It is a dose of reality for both Indians and Americans, to learn how they brought on India’s worst chemical disaster. I am going with a 3/5 for this film.

Bhopal A Prayer for Rain Movie Official Trailer on YouTube>

Movie: Zid
Rating: 1/5 Stars [One star]
Star Cast: manoj Sharma, Mannara, Shraddha Das
Director: Vivek Agnihotri
What's Good: The basic plotline had some mettle.
What's Bad: The predictability of the story, the climax, the anti climax.
Look break: Hide in the loo if you do not want to inflict wounds on your Sensibility.

Watch or Not ?: Zid is a Poorly acted, shabbily made, a pretty bad film that you will not believe has the touch of Vivek Agnihotri Whose Buddha In A Traffic Jam wowed you in MAMI this year. What do talented people to Become commercially viable! The film calls itself a thriller and if you have watched atleast a dozen of Decent thrillers, you know where it is headed. Manoj is watchable but Manara with her shrill voice acting and synthetic is not good enough as the female lead on Whose shoulders rests the mobile-wallpaper. I blame it on her inexperience Because DNA proves Otherwise her. Half way through Zid, you'll be frustrated, tired out, Glorious Awaiting the moment when the excruciating pain of watching Zid will finally be over and done with. Yes, I hated it that bad!
Rohan Achrekar is a crime reporter with the daily who is nursing a broken heart. Estranged girlfriend Priya has stopped responding to him. He needs to move on and to initiate that he takes a home in the woods. Maya, the daughter of the landlord has an air of mystery to Herself. She is positively smitten by him and can not get enough of him. Amidst all this, after a Drunken night the two have an accident where Nancy is killed. Nancy is the younger sister of Priya. Maya and Rohan Shush up on it and run away from the spot. Story leads to a series of mishaps and murders and Maya's obsession for Rohan keeps growing.
Jealousy is leading to her murder Rohan Those close to or is it all botched up a plan of Rohan and Priya to permanently resolve some old sibling rivalries?

Zid Full Movie Review Script Analysis: I am someone who has fed on Jeffery Archer novels and thrillers are something that is an overdone genre. If your brains haven’t depleted from watching all the crassy films, you’ll know what line of thought is headed where in this film. Rohan aka Ronnie is a crime reporter who is getting over a breakup. He moves to a desolate home in the woods which is owned by Maya along with his dog Bobby. It’s not long before, Maya begins obsessing about Rohan or as they say in psychoman’s world ‘falls in love’.

Obsession in love in Bollywood can fetch better examples. From Darr to Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya, they were all better made films about the same theme, simmering with better intensity, had a more powerful drama. But Zid lacks that novelty and hence it comes up with nothing interesting. Initially, Maya seems like a ghost but that track too fizzles out soon after. Ofcourse, giving a thriller paranormal angle harms its story but Zid could have had a better culmination in that hazy angle.

The love story between Rohan and Maya seems a figment of his imagination and for the girl’s obsession to be that intense, the attraction from her side wasn’t unleashed enough. The climax or anticlimactic ending too was something anyone sensible would have playing in their mind. I wish the script writers had a better reading stock so that their film wouldn’t be this narrow in its thinking.

Zid Full Movie Review Star Performances: Manara is radiant to look at. Resembling Parineeti Chopra a lot in many ways, the actress misses the enthusiasm and expertise of her sisters. She needs a good deal more of experience before she attains the same.
Karanvir is quite competent in comparison. Though his acting too can do with some polishing, the actor has done a decent job.
Shradha Das in her minuscule role was good and shares quite a sparkling chemistry with Karan even if it hardly has any screen space.
Mohan Kapoor is a veteran and though barely used he was great.
Zid Full Movie Review Direction. Editing and Screenplay: Vivek Agnihotri had found a fan in me with Buddha In A Traffic Jam but the filmmaker’s stark disparities in the standard of films shock me. He is on extremes. Either he is bloody brilliant or when he is bad or mediocre, he is way below his caliber. I trust him to make a better film, but Zid was plain dumb. I understand the story isn’t any genius but the director often structures the film such that it can run chills down your spine. The first point of put off is its depressing setting. Gloomy and raining; I stop to wonder does these stereotypes come with thrillers. The film is devoid of light and colors. The screenplay isn’t fast enough for a thriller and the build up is more irritating than enticing. Once the climax was done, I bought the story giving it the benefit of being just another stereotypical thriller but the anticlimax left me so disappointed. It was anything but extraordinary, rather it left too many loose ends untied in the end. The music wasn’t up to my taste and the film’s end made me thank my stars for having the strength enough to survive it.

Zid Full Movie Review The Last Word: Zid is not cringe worthy, just plain boring. Selling itself in the garb of a few explicit shots, the film’s fabric did not back itself in a solid enough story. It doesn’t have anything exemplary about it, not its acting, story or the chemistry between its lead pair. The worst thing about Zid was its climax that was downright silly. It’s almost like a bunch of intelligent people thought of doing a crash course in making a silly film and Zid was made. I am going with a very kind Rating of 1 star.

Zid Movie Official Trailer on YouTube>

Movie: Kill Dil
Rating: 2/5 Stars [Two stars]
Star Cast: Ranveer Singh, Ali Zafar, Parineeti Chopra, Govinda
Director: Shaad Ali
What’s Good: Ranveer, his cutesy chemistry with Parineeti and Govinda who is adequately menacing and rightly pitched as the rustic Godfather.

What’s Bad: The sloppy writing, the age old concept, the loose script and lack of genre identity in the film.

Loo break: Quite a few.

Watch or Not?: Kill Dil won’t make you cringe for sure, but the film suffers from mistaken identity and that remains its perennial problem. We have a dancing Godfather, who decides to break into a dance at the drop of a hat. There are too many songs in the film, that dilutes the central drama. The camaraderie works, the romance does too, but what doesn’t work is the film’s story. The botched up climax and the abrupt, muddled ending killed the little goodness that was there in the film. Kill Dil‘s ending just made me want to yell, ‘Kill Me!’ The film is such a waste of a fine cast and what had the potential of being a good film.

Dev (Ranveer Singh) and Tutu (Ali Zafar) work as Bhaiyaji’s (Govinda) henchmen. Picked by him from a garbage bin, the two are loyal dogs of the goon who has bred them to do his dirty job. Killing with flair is their job and the two are quite ecstatic about their profession until Dev meets Disha (Parineeti Chopra). An upmarket, Delhi social worker, who doesn’t shy from being blunt, Dev falls in irrevocably in love.
Stuck between the sinister world of Bhaiyaji and the beautiful world of Disha, Dev ends up lying to both and leading a dual life. All hell breaks loose, when both find out about his other reality. Will Dev give up crime for love or will loyalty towards Bhaiyaji’s weigh heavier?

Kill Dil Full Movie Review Script Analysis: For the first 15 minutes of the film, expect to watch the re-run of Gunday. Baywatch style running and the grey world of being evil is the basic theme of the film. Filled with inane jokes, the story sketches itself as a story of two henchmen who work for the dreaded Gangster, Bhaiyaji. Found by the Don in a garbage bin, the two do his dirty jobs loyally until Dev falls in love with Disha. There are too many problems in this simple story due to loopy writing. The menace of Bhaiyaji is conveyed only through the actor’s nuanced performance. The lazy writing has given no depth to the character. All Bhaiyaji has is what Govinda has rendered to the role. His wrath, his possessiveness about the boys he had picked up, his kindness that comes from a very selfish place and his love and the sense of ownership of the boys is all that the audiences are expected to assume because there is no background of these characteristics in the film.

If you agree to ignore the nitty gritties, even then the film has a half baked product. The professional chores of the men is told in songs. For the first hour of the film, Kill Dil could easily pass on as a musical. It often takes away from the seriousness of the plot, that should have ideally been firm in place. There is a song for every mood from Birthday to Diwali to falling in love. It’s just tiresome and breaks the flow of the film very frequently.

The film’s lead protagonist is oblivious to her boyfriend’s profession till the climax. One must be really ignorant to be that unaware of the background of the man she proposes to. A phone call informs her about his realities and she, who works for rehabilitation of criminals doesn’t take long to dump the guy who is a transformed character because of her love.

The only part of the story that had some mettle was the one that deals with Ranveer’s dilemma. It’s well acted, well put and the film’s most convincing bit. The 8 minute long monologue with Govinda and Ranveer will leave you awestruck. That was the only genuinely great part of the film. The rest of it has nothing novel, interesting or excellent to offer. The humor retorts to well orchestrated dialogues and gimmicky acting and the emotional part borders on melodrama and seems too synthetic. It’s the film’s fractured story that kills its soul.
Kill Dil Full Movie Review Star Performances: Ranveer Singh is endearing and lovable. You thoroughly enjoy watching him because he puts too much of his impromptu self in making Dev his own. Dev, despite being an ordinarily written, seen-too-many-times-before sort of character, Ranveer adds his own touch of sincerity to the role.

Parineeti Chopra is great in her role. This wasn’t exactly her film but in the romantic lead opposite Ranveer, there is an unusual, watchable chemistry between the two. I, somehow, go expecting Hasee Toh Phasee from her everytime. I am a victim of my own expectations when it comes to her.

Ali Zafar is adequate in the role. He pushes himself to be menacing and cold blooded and is semi successful in it.

Govinda is amazing. Well, I agree that the guy’s caliber is put to good use but there is too little of him in the film. Somehow, his part in the story could have been much longer. It would have been interesting to watch him and Ranveer squabbling more like that intense, momentous 8 minute monologue. Such sparks are rare in the film.

Kill Dil Full Movie Review Direction. Editing and Screenplay: Shaad Ali’s long sabbatical since Jhoom Barabar Jhoom did help him. But he still isn’t his best. I have no idea why was the film’s climax so hurried, warped and abrupt. I didn’t even see it coming. It’s not just the climax, but the whole film is not clear about what it has set out to achieve. Is it a musical or a crime drama or a thriller or a romance? It’s a bit of all of these and yet, none wholesome enough to pull through the audiences’ attention for two hours. The delight of the humor used too is sparse. I hope it was intentional to have Alok Nath play the kind insurance company honcho and have a picture of Nirupa Roy in the background with her hapless face. It made me laugh thoroughly. Besides this the LOL and ROFL investigations did not seem funny to me. While, the music of the film is good, there is too much of it. It comes at every other cue and kills the simmering intensity of the film’s drama.

Kill Dil Full Movie Review The Last Word: Kill Dil is not a bad film, it’s a badly made film. With such sincere actors, the film lacks a distinct soul, killing it’s intensity scene by scene, frame by frame by adding frills. Despite good performances by Ranveer and Govinda, the film is a victim of bad writing more than a bad story, and wobbly direction which couldn’t guide the ship right. I am going with 2 stars. Had the climax been a little meatier, I wouldn’t hold the film in such low opinion.

Kill Dil Movie Official Trailer on YouTube>

Movie: The Shaukeens
Rating: 1.5/5 Stars [One and half stars]
Star Cast: Akshay Kumar, Lisa Haydon, Anupam Kher, Annu Kapoor, Piyush Mishra, Rati Agnihotri
Director: Abhishek Sharma
What’s Good: A few sparse genuine laughs which the horridly unfunny film delivers.

What’s Bad: I won’t call it bad but more disappointing that Abhishek Sharma’s sense of humor has gone to the dogs. (Point taken: Will Mind my language!)

Loo break: Far too many.

Watch or Not?: The Shaukeens was promised to be a film as cute as the original but sadly, it’s just a mundanely flat and an extremely dull film. With only Akshay delivering the limited laughs of the film, it is a painfully tedious exercise of tolerating the not-so happening story of three lecherous men. The main problem of the film is that nothing is really happening in it. One wouldn’t expect the talented Abhishek Sharma to direct a film this boring but the fact remains that the filmmaker left his wits at home and ventured on this, and created his poorest work that will ever be (I Hope). Even with Akshay’s effortless humor, the film couldn’t score up to be part good. Just because you are getting bored at home, don’t go for this because then you’ll just be paying to get bored.

The story is of three old men in Delhi who are facing old age crisis, and are deprived of any valid sexual action in their lives. After a shameful incident that happened to them when they pulled off a stunt of picking up a girl for themselves, a policeman suggests they take a trip to Thailand or Mauritius. The trio take an exquisite trip and lands up in the home of a beautiful fashion designer Ahana(Lisa Haydon).
What strikes about her is that she is a terrible fashion designer, an obsessive stalker and a crazy Akshay Kumar fan. The lady claims she will do anything for the one who gets her to meet Akshay Kumar and ofcourse the three old men do their share of the same at driving a step towards getting action.
How it all falls apart for them with Ahana is what the story it about?

The Shaukeens Full Move Review Script Analysis: How much of the 1982 classic is this? Well, the situations have been altered but the skeletal framework of the older movie has been retained. Too bad, the beauty of the classic remains far away from this lame, unfunny story. I am not sure if it’s the script that was so bad on paper but in the translation the fun was surely lost. The idea of funny is really footling in this film. There is an elaborate sequence about discussing the sexual frivolousness of this generation by men who are well in their 60s and can’t hold their lust together. Whatever it was meant as, it did not make me laugh.

Akshay’s interactions with Subhojit is doltish and obviously, I am shocked to see the grave lack of intelligence in an Abhishek Sharma script. I am saddened that the crispness of the story was completely obsolete.

The female lead of the film is a crazy stalker whose life depends on her Facebook likes. I thought it was an interesting take on the character but the story doesn’t build it appropriately. Her character loses itself in solely obsessing over Akshay Kumar. Also, I find it hard to believe that the lady who is that pretty doesn’t realize the intentions of the three horny men she lives with. She must be really unaware of the life around her to be able to manage that.

And finally, drawing heavily from the camaraderie of its lead men, even that was too less in the film. The script doesn’t allow their friendship to grow or show at all. Their warmth seemed starkly missing and they came across more as a bunch of people who are friends because no one else has stuck through their inappropriate behavior, clearly. The bro code funda of the climax was hence a little too much to digest. The film’s most clear residual problem is that it doesn’t remain cohesive in its energy and loses its steam too soon, even before it has got its audiences to invest in it.
The Shaukeens Full Movie Review Star Performances: Lisa Haydon as the star struck girl is effortless but this time despite greater screen presence, she couldn’t hold through her character because of her weak character.

Anupam Kher, Annu Kapoor and Piyush Mishra are all great in their parts bringing in their caliber and experience of humor to the role but there is only little to offer when their characters are limited by a weak plot.

Surprisingly, the maximum laughs are delivered by Akshay who is thankfully in one of his best comic trips. His part did make the film a little more bearable in the second half.

The Shaukeens Full Movie Review Direction. Editing and Screenplay: The film is afterall Abhishek Sharma’s loss. I went in expecting better from him, because his humor quite suits my taste. In his words, he doesn’t believe in pants falling off as humor but sadly, the film proves otherwise. A scene where you are expected to laugh at Piyush Mishra in his pink undies, I did realize that the industry has robbed him off his intelligence. This was not the crisp, tasteful humor he was synonymous with. Digging fun at others is alright but the film did go a little far down the boring lane and doesn’t even offer a comeback. The climax was extremely warped and imbecile. It almost doesn’t add up to a satisfying conclusion. Probably the only hint of original intelligence I found in this otherwise dense, brainless film is when Piyush’s character sees Lisa for the first time. It was a great flowchart of the evolution of a horny man that was the only glimpse of Abhishek’s fresh thinking!

The Shaukeens Full Movie Review The Last Word: The Shaukeens is a lame, dunce, dis-satisfactory and a stupid film at its core that is so tedious and flat that you almost abhor your time at the cinema. If you can tolerate 30 minutes of Akshay Kumar making fun of himself and his colleagues by making funny faces, you can take a trip for this. But for me, it was a disappointing story of how we lost an intelligent filmmaker to fat paychecks from fancy production houses. There can’t be a better reason why someone as intelligent as Abhishek created something so glaikit. I am going with a 1.5/5

The Shaukeens Movie Official Trailer on YouTube>