Two Line Reviews - #495

Movie: Queen (Hindi, 2014)

Plot: When Rani’s fiance forces their marriage into cancellation hours before the event citing unconvincing reasons, she is crest-fallen but decides to go on the Honey moon they had planned, alone! She meets people in Paris & Amsterdam who give her whirls of experiences which she uses to resiliently handle her guy when he comes back repenting for his earlier mistake.

What Works?

• Women-centric films, though not taboo, don’t still come in leaps & bounds. To have given a feel-good film that has such a solid & impactful woman-presence, Vikas Bahl – Queen’s story writer & director deserves praise
• The film’s lifeline is the character Rani played by Kangana Ranaut. She gives a spell-binding performance marked by simple yet tremendous body language & acting. Her role as an additional dialogue writer (to Anvita Dutt, whose simple dialogues carry enough intensity & humour) shows the involvement she must have had in the project
• The characterisations of the European companions (Vijay from France & Oleksander, Taka, Tim & Marcello from Holland) are good & help create an emotional connect
• Music by Amit Trivedi has some foot-tapping numbers & the locales of Europe have been captured very well by Siddharth Diwan & Bobby Singh
• The climax is fitting & has been handled deftly, showing the presence of Anurag Kashyap in the Editing department

What Doesn't?

• The film has its share of 'feel-good film' cliches films but the good news is, they are not big deterrents to the film's flow

• The joke involving Vijaylakshmi & Rani’s family bring a twitch to our faces with its repetition

Verdict:
Woman emancipation tales are not uncommon but this Rani from Delhi impresses with the refreshing treatment the makers have provided her with

In a Nutshell: She is the Quintessential Queen

Two Line Reviews - #467

 Movie: Gangs of वासेपुर (Hindi, 2012)

Plot: In 1940s, a gutsy Pathan takes on the Qureshi head of Wasseypur and is sent out of town for his mis-deed. In Dhanbad, his lofty ambitions of killing the owner of the Coal mine and owning the business gets him killed and that sets the vengeance saga 'On'. The son of the dead Pathan seeks to avenge his father's death after years but his job gets tougher as the Dhanbad Singh & the Wasseypur Qureshis are more than a formidable duo to out-duel!

What Works?

• The film doesn't work on you like Chloroform does, but it works like a sedative - Sets the pace slowly and takes you deep into the annules of perspectives of the dead Pathan's family. Anurag Kashyap weaves that magic to make the film deserve the 'Cult' status bestowed upon it!
• As regards to performances, the conniving and wicked deeds of Sardar Singh are brought to the best on screen by the talented Manoj Bajpai. Richa Chadda, Piyush Mishra, Jaideep Ahlawat offer quality company to Sardar & with his sons coming up towards the end, it is hard to leave their names out as much as it is needful!
• The native soundtracks show who Kashyap gets heavily influenced by & so does the colourful and effervescent narration!
• Dialogues are as local and as rugged and lively as they can get. Character names like Tangent, Perpendicular etc. add style to the flow of things!

A 'Sardar Singh' version of Sonny Corleone!

Two Line Reviews - #282

Movie: Udaan (Hindi,2010)

Plot: A teen expelled from his boarding school returns back to his sadistic father who makes it a point to crush the dreams of his son at every possible instant. The son pegs along for sometime, partly to support is half-brother, before he attempts to break from the shackles imposed by his father & flies!

Highlights:

• Motwane & Kashyap - Take a bow for this astounding piece of work! It is such a pity that these kind of films are a rarity in India & literally non-existent in Thamizh.
• The intensity of the screenplay and the actions shown make it even pulsating than October Sky, of which the film seems to have been mildly inspired from.
• The 3 prime characters - Father & the 2 half-brothers have performed exceedingly well.
• Some less prominent characters like the Uncle, the old patient at the hospital,the friends.. make a huge mark which shows the characterisation prowess of the makers.

Meant to fly; & Flies high!!

Two Line Reviews - #280

Movie: That Girl in Yellow Boots (Hindi, 2011)

Plot: A British girl comes to India in search of her lost father. She encounters problems everywhere - in the immigrations office, with her boyfriend, with her profession & when she eventually finds her father's whereabouts, the biggest of shocks shakes and tears her apart.

Highlights:

• The daring style of making employed by Anurag Kashyap makes this an interesting film to watch. Kalki Koechlin & Kashyap have backed up a simple,solid story with a neo-noir filming approach and have fairly succeeded in the attempt.
• Ruth - The role of Kalki's - is bold, highly unconventional & refreshing; Her action is commendable too.
• The roles of the side-actors: beau,parlour woman, Naseer have been handled justly and contribute to the interest factor.

A Sorrow search-tale of a girl in Yellow Boots, Presented Interestingly.