THALAIVAA ("ITHU THEVAIYAA")

August 17, 2013.

Cast: Vijay, Amala Paul, Santhanam, Sathyaraj, Mano Bala, Rajeev Pillai.

Director: Vijay.

When the circumstances and loss of the loved ones demand, a normal man becomes a don or a leader for that matter; now that is a premise that we have seen time and again in films.

The same story can be taken in entirely different ways by different directors and when the story is something as old as the wine as far as the film industry is concerned it would do well for the film if helmed by an able hand which unfortunately is not the case with Thalaivaa.

Ramadurai (Sathyaraj) is forced to become the leader of the Tamilians in Bombay and in the ensuing gangwar he loses many of his people including his wife. He sends his son Vishwa (Vijay) along with Nasser and his son Santhanam who are leaving Bombay to have a safe and peaceful life. For the Tamilians Ramdurai grows into their beloved Anna while Vijay and Santhanam grow up in Australia unaware of anything that is happening back home. Vijay falls for Amala Paul who is the daughter of a hotelier and comes back home for his father’s approval. The story which was set in Australia till then shifts to Mumbai.

Barring around 5 minutes and a nice twist just before the interval, Thalaivaa is a disaster of sorts in the first half with a few songs (that are horrible to say the least), dumb comedy, and even dumber romance. A.L Vijay shows how horrible he is when it comes to certain areas of direction to the extent that even if you scoop out almost the entire first half it would have little or no effect on the film as a whole.

When you go back in after the interval hoping against hope for a little worth for your money A.L Vijay yet again proves why a lot of people always carry fear in their hearts about a film directed by him. The disaster of the first part continues in the second as well barring of course a few nice scenes like the one where Vishwa chases down a pickpocket and Vaanganna Vanakkamanna song (which is in fact the only song worth listening to or watching in the film).

A.L Vijay has always been so keen to “borrow” from other films right from Poi Solla Porom (remake of Khosla ka Ghosla), sometimes in parts and sometimes in entirety. He continues his streak of “borrowal without approval” in Thalaivaa as well, the theme and several scenes of which seem to have been lifted from yesteryear Tamil films. The Thalapathi Thalapathi song is yet another disaster to listen to and watch and what makes it even worse is the fact that the set up and choreography is a ditto copy of “Azeem Oh Shaan Shehanshah” from Jodhaa Akbar.

There is another twist towards the climax but, unlike the first one which nobody would have guessed coming, this one falls flat (along with the film) as it is very obvious right from a certain point in the first half.

Thalaivaa comes nowhere near films like Mani Ratnam’s “Thalapathi” , “Nayagan” or Priyadarshan’s Mohanlal starrer “Abhimanyu”, which were hugely successful because of their raw nature and powerful writing and direction. This in contrast looks so wayward a film to have come from a mainstream director. It fails in almost all the departments so bad that even the presence and grace of Vijay is not enough to compensate for the lazy writing and direction.

I am giving a 1.5 for Thalaivaa. It is sad to see Vijay acting in such a film after Nanban and Thuppakki!!

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

       

3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAAI DOBAARA (" A CASE OF LOST PERSPECTIVE")

August 15, 2013.

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Imran Khan, Sonakshi Sinha.

Director: Milan Luthria.

Several years back when Taxi 9211 came out it brought with it a promising director by the name of Milan Luthria; a few years after that came another masterpiece from the same man, the riveting Once upon a time in Mumbaai. Two of the main reasons for the success of Once upon a time in Mumbaai were it’s super strong writing and the stellar performances from the lead cast.

Once upon a time in Mumbaai dobaara picks up from where it’s prequel ended. Shoaib (Akshay Kumar) who is now the uncrowned king of Mumbaai has been abroad for 12 years due to the problems he has to face if he is in Mumbai. An attempt on his life brings him back to Mumbai for revenge. Aslam (Imran Khan) is Shoaib’s protégé who is ready to do anything for his boss. As strange as it sounds both of them fall for the same girl, Jasmine (Sonakshi).

Though the leading men in the first part were largely influenced by the women they fell for, it had more to do with the underworld and the fiction at hand was created from facts, and all that made the film very interesting. The sequel however is more of a “love story” and you will be so very disappointed if you come in expecting to see Akki playing Dawood. This has more to do with the whims and fancies of a man who is supposed to be a Don.

Shoaib is the most wanted man in Mumbai and yet he roams the streets and attends the functions at will. He comes on his own to take care of his enemies.Though Akki is as cool as ever the senseless writing makes a mess of all the efforts put in. When the first part was intense throughout making the audience feel the tension at hand the sequel makes you stretch and yawn almost regularly and tension is the last thing you would feel.

It was very novel to see Rajat Arora’s dialogues in Once upon a time in Mumbai considering the how strong and cheesy they were; the novelty lessened during The Dirty Picture and now with this film except for a few dialogues the rest are unintentionally funny and downright silly and most of the time you are very much aware beforehand what to expect!!

Rajat Arora has to be congratulated on stretching the script as much as he could making the runtime close to 3 hours making it unbearable and adding all the songs that are completely unnecessary for the film making it one of the worst experiences that you have got from a Milan Luthria film.

When a writer-director duo meets success and continue working with each other time and again there is a chance of either one losing perspective, of what is happening and of the final product they come out with. Well, this seems to be a clear cut example of such a case.

I am giving a 1.75 for Once upon a time in Mumbaai Dobaara. It is sad to see such a pathetic film coming from the able hands of Milan Luthria.

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

       

3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.

NEELAKASHAM PACHAKADAL CHUVANNA BHOOMI ("ONE FOR THE BOYS")

August 9, 2013.

Cast: Dulquar Salman, Sunny Wayne.

Direction: Samir Thahir.

A bullet ride from Kerala to Nagaland; sounds quite fascinating right! That is the theme of Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi.

Kasi (Dulquar) who is on a journey for self discovery is joined by his friend Suni (Sunny Wayne). Both of them just drift along like free birds with no destination.

They join a gang of bikers who are on their way to Puri and then move onto Bengal and Assam before they finally reach Nagaland. They meet a lot of people and go through a lot of experiences on their way all of which influence their lives in an indelible manner.

The script is top class except for the one flaw of making the flashback a bit ordinary. The reason for the protagonist trying to flee from his past is not conveyed pretty strongly. It touches upon a lot of issues ranging from politics, the meaning of life, your existence, your loved ones and much more on those lines. The writer has shown sensibility in giving the proper picture as far as the different states, that the duo cross, are concerned.

The direction is marvelous and it is a pretty gutsy film from Thahir considering the kind of theme at hand but he handles it so fabulously well making it a typical road movie that may be said to be the first of it’s genre in Malayalam Cinema.

Next comes the cinematography which is splendid but the songs and the BGM, transcendental at times, beat everything else. It would not be surprising if you find yourself in a different world even after you come out of the theatre given the kind of music that you are gifted with. And if in case you went to the theatre by bike, the ride back home would be one that you would cherish for a long long time!!

Dulquar is a treat to watch as always and Sunny Wayne for whom this is the second outing with Dulquar post Second Show plays the role of Suni to perfection. The girl from Nagaland offers something fresh and she is pretty lovely for someone who is facing the camera for the first time, if Iam not mistaken.

Themes like these are what made Malayalam films so very unique and Dulquar seems to be leading from the front as far as such innovative subjects are concerned.

I am overlooking the minor flaw and giving a 3.5 for Neelakasham Pachakadal Chuvanna Bhoomi. Bullets, Dulquar, scintillating music and a lot of places to see . Go for it boys!!!

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

       

3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.

CHENNAI EXPRESS ("DERAILED")

August 8, 2013

Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Sathyaraj.

Director: Rohit Shetty.

His recent films might have made money at the box office, but Shahrukh Khan has been trying hard of late to work his magic like he did during the 90s and early parts of 2000. Chennai Express is his latest attempt at regaining that.

Rahul(Shahrukh) who stays with grandparents is forced to go to Rameswaram by his grandma to perform the last rites of his late grandfather. But he plans to go to Goa instead, with his friends. He gets into Chennai express just to fool his grandma planning to get down at the next station where his friends are waiting for him. After a small slip, just as he is about to get down from the train, Meenamma (Deepika) who is trying to run away from her marriage to Thangabali comes dashing towards the train with a few goons chasing her,(you have a few DDLJ moments there) and Rahul gets trapped.

Some scenes inside the train are nice and creative and you will have a few laughs. The film then moves to Southern India, Komban in Tamilnadu to be exact, from where Meenamma hails. Once Chennai Express reaches Komban, Meenamma’s father Periya Thala (Sathyaraj) who is the local don makes a grand entry. Meenamma cooks up a story telling that she is in love with Rahul.

Rohit Shetty sets up a perfect plot till now for bringing on his usual comedy filled with confusion which is considered to be his forte. But very soon afterwards the signs of things fizzling out get apparent and the waywardness of the script and the director starts to show.

Apart from being incomplete in a lot of aspects the screenplay tries really hard to make you laugh but it’s sad that it has nothing new or funny rather to make that happen. If the idea of an entertainer is a lotta deafening and senseless BGM, unnecessary songs, villains shouting regularly and some really stupid “so called” tamil dialogues, then it would bode well for Rohit Shetty to rethink his strategy.

Almost all the emotions and relationships are so half baked that they leave no effect on the audience. This is perhaps a conscious decision to make the film fast paced, but the sad fact is that the end product ends up being neither.

Shahrukh plays the part written for him well but it is Deepika who outperforms him most of the time. This is not to mean that Deepika is excellent, considering the horrible and unforgiveable accent with which she mouths her dialogues in Tamil. Most of the Tamilians are sure to fume at the way Tamil has been slaughtered!! It can be called a big time blunder casting Deepika for this role when someone like Asin would have been the perfect choice.

Bringing in Kerala art (&martial art) forms like Kathakali, Theyyam and Kalaripayattu, whether intentional or otherwise, is another blunder that hits the audience right on their faces. After all the energy draining scenes with the usual Rohit Shetty “Shtyle” fights you have a “so called” emotional scene where Rahul gets all preachy and touchy. Though intended as a touching scene this could be one of the scenes where you will burst out laughing mainly because of the naive dialogues and silly execution.

When you are finally getting ready to run away from the theatre there is a climax fight where Rahul braces upto Thangabali after beating the hell out of a number of goons which is downright silly and beyond credibility. The only relief is the Lungi Dance song that comes after the credits roll out. It would do well for you to wait for that to get a minimum worth for your time and money.

I am giving a 1.25 for Chennai Express. Barring a few scenes It would bore you to death!

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

       

3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.

THE CONJURING ("WORTH YOUR TIME")

August 2, 2013

Cast: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor, Ron Livingston.

Director: James Wan.

Devils exist just like Gods do. This is the premise on which The Conjuring is based. It has been taken from one of the several real life experiences through which the Warren couple have gone through.

The Perron family moves into a new home in Rhode Island in 1971, and you know what to expect right from the scene where their pet dog Sadie refuses to enter the house. Slowly slowly they start facing different problems till at last they seek the help of the Warrens.

The Conjuring stays very true to the incident portraying it as realistically as cinematically possible. You get hooked onto the film right from scene one and James Wan makes sure you stay anxious till the end.

At a time when films like Mama are made in the name of horror, The Conjuring is a fresh breath of air. Though you cannot expect to be petrified every other scene, the film offers thrills, shrieks and cries in an ample dose at regular intervals. Beware of your children taking a disliking towards the clap sound from now on.

The hand-held shots along with fresh music give a realistic and eerie feel to the film. The performances from the lead cast and the children in particular is really commendable.

While the credibility of certain scenes may be debated it would be unfair to delve too deep into it owing to the fact The Conjuring is meant to be so being a feature film rather than a documentary.

A section of the audience might feel the climax to be a bit underwhelming, some even going to the extent of claiming it could have been better had the director wanted it so. But a fact to be held in mind is that it is based on a real life and not a story.

I may be a bit biased in giving 3.5 for The Conjuring. Go into the theatre after you clear your mind of the normal horror films and you will be rewarded.

IMDB Rating

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.
       
3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.

THE WOLVERINE ("COME OON BUB!!)

July 26, 2013

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Famke Janssen, Will Yun Lee.

Director: James Mangold.

After the underwhelming “X mens Origins – Wolverine”, The Wolverine gained much leeway when it was announced that Darren Aronofsky is to helm the project. Due to reasons unknown James Mangold took over which dealt the first blow to the film, then the impressive trailer gained what was lost above. But sadly most of the action was covered in the trailer itself leaving nothing much for the main feature except for some introspection on the part of the Wolverine.

The film opens with Wolverine saving Yashida from the Atomic bombing in Nagasaki and then moving onto the present day where Logan has forgotten being the Wolverine. He is more of a caveman having sleepless nights over the guilt of killing Jean and that is when the dying Yashida calls for Logan to bid good bye.

After the promising start the film moves into introspective mode focussing on Logan which was very much a good move on the part of the writing team and the director. But where they slipped is in providing a plot strong enough for the audience to get involved.

The plot seems simple enough and you see the twists coming too early itself for them to have any sort of an impact, this includes the Silver Samurai. “Knight and Day” did not do as well as expected not because it was less in action but because of the lack of feel; sadly The Wolverine falls prey to the same mistake.

The writing team has included a lot of a villains for the Wolverine in a bid to make the duels juicier but perhaps they forgot the fact that it’s character development that is the key to a film’s success rather than the number of villains.

What made X men more interesting was the presence of a super strong character in the form of Magneto and the consequent face offs between Wolverine and equally strong opponents, both of which are absent here!
The fights have been executed very well in a very credible manner but that is all that you can talk about the film apart from the terrific Hugh Jackman. Mangold should be appreciated for his effort to bring out the acting abilities of Hugh, in which he has fabulously succeeded.

With such a wonderful character in the form of Wolverine, one of the best and most loved superheroes of all time, one would expect much more from the film. Such a terrific performance by Hugh is wasted by the lacklustre script.

I am giving a 2.5 for the film and 0.25 for Hugh Jackman. Watch it if you must, for the fights and Hugh Jackman. If you do, make sure you wait till the credits roll out to watch the nicely shot scene that sets up the eagerly awaited “X Men- Days of the future past”.

IMDB Rating

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.
       
3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.

D DAY ("INDIAN ZERO DARK THIRTY")

July 19, 2013.

Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, Irfan Khan, Shruti Hassan, Huma Qureshi.

Director: Nikhil Advani.

D Day is a surprise package coming from Nikhil Advani both content wise as well as execution wise.

After a few moments showing the 1993 Bombay blasts the film comes to the present, where, during the discussion between a top police official and the Chairman of R&AW, the possibility of an operation to hunt down India’s most wanted criminal ‘Goldman” (Dawood Ibrahim) in the lines of Operation Geronimo is discussed.

The fiction that follows talks about the possible route that the Indian Government could take in bringing down Dawood through a covert operation using four Indian operatives.

A few minutes into the film “Operation Goldman” takes place and from there on the brilliantly crafted screenplay cuts across to 40 days prior to the operation, gradually coming back to the operation by the middle of the film and then moving onto the current day events. With a lot of realism in the way the film pans out you are in for a gripping piece of art.

No praise is enough for the amazing screenplay that links so many events in the most perfect way possible. The set pieces showing the nabbing of Goldman first in the initial scenes and next that comes later on are so beautifully written and executed. Add to that the wonderfully choreographed fight sequences coupled with top class editing and the Zero Dark thirty kind of camera, and you have a film that is really appealing. The music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy is much better compared to their last outing Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.

Coming to the performances it is Rishi Kapoor and Arjun Rampal who steal the limelight followed by Irfan Khan to a large extent. This is definitely one of the best roles of Arjun Rampal till date. Rishi Kapoor seems to have really enjoyed playing Dawood considering the end product on screen; apart from some of the best dialogues in the film going to him the lengthy dialogues in the climax are surely gonna be a showstealer!! The rest of the cast also comes out with equally good performances, thanks to the able direction and screenplay.

The romantic angle involving Arjun and Shruti, though well shot, could have been avoided as it does not help the film’s cause in any manner whatsoever. Advani makes sure not to add masala at all in any of the scenes, however, showing how serious he wants this film to be, which works almost all the time.

The film made on a documentary style to a large extent is a cut above the usual bollywood films.

I am giving a 3.75/5 for D Day. Thumbs up to the effort from Advani.

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

       

3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.

PACIFIC RIM ("MONSTERS V/S ALIENS")

July 12, 2013

Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Charlie Ray.

Director: Guillermo Del Torro.

It is not too much to expect something different from the man who gave us Pan’s Labyrinth and Hellboy. Guillermo Del Torro continues his way of surprising people with Pacific Rim.

Here it is a different take about the alien invasion where the Godzilla like aliens called Kaijus come from a passage way seated deep within the Pacific. When the humans realise the Kaijus are not gonna stop coming unless they take some drastic measures they start building “Jaegers” or biomechanically linked human-driven robots as defense.

After the US Jaeger “Gypsy Ranger” loses a battle to Kaiju resulting in the death of one of the Railegh brothers (the pilots), the governments across the world decide to abandon the Jaeger program in favour of a wall built against the Pacific. When that, as expected, fails miserably it’s upto the Jaeger teams across the world to form a resistance that will decide the fate of the world.

Plot-wise Pacific Rim has nothing new to offer except for the timespan and the enormity of the events happening which is done by Del Torro with the help of a voice-over (something he seems to have deliberately planned so as to make the film loaded with nothing but action).

After the first battle between Gypsy Ranger and a Kaiju, Del Torro dedicates a little bit of time to build up the scene for the final battle against the Kaijus. But the waiting time, that seems to fly by, is very well rewarded once the action starts rolling sometime before the interval. And once it starts you are in for a feast followed by a heavy desert!!!

Del Torro seems to have made the film keeping in mind only two words – Entertainment galore!! The people who thought the Transformers look alike robots would be much similar to the Transformer series are in for a real surprise. Del Torro offers a dazzling display of action loaded with splendid special effects especially during the Jaeger-Kaiju encounters!

The battle involving Gypsy Ranger and the category 4 Kaiju where Gypsy Ranger beats the living hell outta the Kaiju with a ship is one of the highlights of the film. As an action junkie you would never be able to ask for more.

I am giving a 3.25/5 for Pacific Rim. You are being offered 2 hours of jaw dropping effects and some kick ass action. This one is a battle you do not wanna miss!!

IMDB Rating

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

       

3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.

BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG ("OVER INDULGENCE KILLS")

July 12, 2013

Cast: Farhan Akthar, Sonam Kapoor.

Director: Rakesyh Omprakash Mehra.

For the last few months a particular trailer has been revving up excitement amongst all Indians promising to deliver a fiery adventure full of fast paced action; and that is the trailer of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag!

But the moment you see the Censor Board certificate of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag with 187 minutes runtime, the first sensation of doubt and anxiety strikes you. Your doubts start getting solidified once the film starts rolling and a few minutes into it you would bid adieu to all that hope of a fast paced thriller. Inspite of being a person who enjoys serious drama, I found myself checking the time every now and then.

Bhaag Milkha starts off very promisingly enough with the 1960 Rome Olympics race where Milkha Singh finishes fourth. But after that bit by bit boredom creeps in when Mehra starts showing signs of over indulgence bringing in a barrage of details; way too many details! The unnecessary songs in the already long film add fuel to the fire!

The inclusion of various flings of Milkha (some which might have been necessary for the film) coupled with the songs for each of those flings do nothing other than adding to the length of the film. Same is the case with the real footage of the various Olympic meets and the extra long depiction of his childhood, notwithstanding the fact that it is a director simply trying to be earnest in his portrayal.

When it is a biopic it is understandable to include as many details as possible to portray a correct picture, but then there is also a few parameters that determine the intensity of a film, something which Mehra seems to have utterly missed in his effort to come up with an epic, and the end result is a stretched out film with bits and pieces of inspiration!

If there are two reasons why you should watch Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, they are Farhan Akthar and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and the sheer effort they have put in for achieving perfection. Farhan Akthar sizzles as the inspiring Milkha, who would have been one of the greatest icons in Bollywood if not for the ultra long screenplay. Divya Dutta and Pavan Malhotra play their parts very well offering support to Milkha.

Visually spectacular, Bhaag Milkha has the trademark Mehra slo mo shots in a song, the likes of which you have seen in Rang de Basanti’s “Khalbali”. The BGM is more like an ECG offering some really innovative tunes at times and very clichéd ones otherwise.

The moments in the film involving training and athletic meets are nothing short of fabulous and Mehra has to be really appreciated for such splendid execution, something that is a rarity in Hindi Cinema where you always require masala no matter what!

This film could have been an epic if Mehra had seen it from a third party’s perspective, something that would have gone a really long way in limiting the over indulgence.

I am giving a 3/5 for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Watch it for Farhan Akthar and the sheer honesty and efforts involved in it’s execution. If you are patient enough and you will be rewarded with some really exciting races.

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

       

3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.

LOOTERA (" DIL LOOT LIYA RE")

July 5, 2013

Cast: Ranveer Singh, Sonakshi Sinha.

Director: Vikramaditya Motwane.

Vikramaditya Motwane made his mark with his debut feature Udaan a few years back and seems like he is in no mood to let go of that novelty with Lootera, which has been inspired by O.Henry’s short story “The Last Leaf”.

Lootera opens in the 1950s Bengal where Varun Shrivastava (Ranveer Singh) comes to the Manikpur Zamindar’s mansion with an ulterior motive. He falls for the Zamindar’s daughter Paki (Sonakshi Sinha), who reciprocates the feelings. On the eve of their engagement Varun leaves the mansion without telling anyone. The Zamindar dies from that shock. An year later Paki is in Dalhousie trying to leave her past behind pursuing her ambition of being a writer, where she ends up bumping into Varun again.

As such it is a pretty straightforward plot (only the climax being a bit of a surprise package) but then Lootera is full of surprises right from the casting to execution. With an awesome screenplay combined with terrific performances it is pure pleasure watching Lootera unfold onscreen.

When you could not have blamed anyone for thinking what in the world someone like Ranveer Singh is doing in a movie like this, you would be surprised at the way you would start empathising with his character . It is certainly the best roles that both Ranveer and Sonakshi have gotten till date and they make the best use of it; but then, even at the risk of sounding biased, if I had to choose the between the two it is undoubtedly Sonakshi who dazzles, shines, mesmerises and LIVES as Paki. It is a treat to watch Sonakshi emote frustration, vulnerability, resistance, love and struggle and for the same reason it would not be surprising if she gets a National award nomination for the role.

At an age when Hindi cinema is mostly filled with brain numbing loud masala cinema, it is but obligatory to bow before Vikramaditya Motwane to have included so many scenes without any BGM, yet capturing the audience’s rapt attention. And when you do have BGM it is nothing short of spectacular (strangely reminding Hans Zimmer at times); in addition, Amit Trivedi has come out with some heat warming melodies as well.

The wonderful cinematography and stunning sense of lighting make the film very appealing visually. The intimate scenes between Varun and Paki have been aesthetically shot, which is one of the main reasons for Lootera belonging to the top league along with terrific chemistry that the lead pair exudes onscreen.

In the end you come out of the theatre having experienced a variety of emotions all of which you would fall in love with. Lootera is nothing short of a classic.

I am giving a 4/5 for Lootera. The best hindi film of the year till date has arrived!

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

       

3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.