Starring: Akshay Kumar, Paresh Raval,
Suniel Shetty,Rimi Sen, Bipasha Basu, Rajpal Yadav,
Milind Gunaji, Johny Lever, Manoj Joshi.
Directed by: Neeraj Vora
Comedy is the flavor of the season. And sequels are
rare in India. So if a dream merchant decides to make
a sequel to an immensely popular laughathon, you fasten
your seat belts and wait with bated breath for reels
to unfold on the screen.
PHIR HERA PHERI is the sequel to HERA PHERI involving
the famous trio -- Raju [Akshay Kumar], Shyam [Suneil
Shetty] and Baburao [Paresh Rawal]. Only thing, the
film has not been directed by Priyadarshan [who directed
HERA PHERI], but Neeraj Vora, who has penned a number
of Priyadarshan movies.
The question uppermost on everyone's lips is, Does
PHIR HERA PHERI pale when compared to the predecessor?
Or does it provide more laughs, gags and punches and
lives up to the humungous expectations?
Before we answer the question on whether or not PHIR
HERA PHERI works, let's get one thing straight. In keeping
with the trend of laughathons that are the order of
the day [NO ENTRY, GARAM MASALA, MALAMAAL WEEKLY et
al], PHIR HERA PHERI also embarks on an identical route.
Meaning, don't look for logic in the film, leave your
thinking caps at home, never look for answers, rationale
or reasons…
PHIR HERA PHERI doesn't promise to be different. It
packs in ample laughs, illogical situations, rib-tickling
sequences and witty one-liners in those 2.30 hours.
In fact, writer-director Neeraj Vora borrows everything
available on the shelf and comes up with a plot that
may sound silly to a few, but nonetheless succeeds in
its endeavor of making people laugh.
Comparisons with HERA PHERI are inevitable. However,
since there has been a substantial gap between the two
parts, PHIR HERA PHERI still stands out as a comic caper
that's amusing and entertaining. Watch the frolics of
the three buffoons [Raju, Shyam, Baburao] and how they
goof up yet again and you'd agree, PHIR HERA PHERI is
a sure-shot paisa-vasool entertainer!
HERA PHERI ended with the trio [Raju, Shyam, Baburao]
receiving a hefty sum in the end. So what did the trio
do with all the money? Did they live happily ever after?
Or did they become greedy for more? PHIR HERA PHERI
takes off from here…
Raju comes across a scheme of doubling his wealth in
a matter of weeks. But for Raju's plan to materialize,
he needs to invest a minimum of Rs. 1 crore with a chit-fund
company [Bipasha Basu]. While Shyam and Baburao are
initially reluctant, they give in subsequently. Raju,
Shyam and Baburao contribute Rs. 10 lacs each, but there's
a shortfall of Rs. 70 lacs now to complete the Rs. 1
crore figure.
Raju bumps into a street-smart goon [Rajpal Yadav],
who also contributes Rs. 20 lacs. As for the remaining
amount of Rs. 50 lacs, Raju sells the bungalow [owned
by the three] to a Parsi gentleman [Dinesh Hingoo],
thus fulfilling the criterion of the chit-fund company.
 Three
weeks later, Raju, Shyam and Baburao realize that the
chit-fund company was actually a big scam and has duped
a number of investors. The goon also finds himself in
troubled waters since he had borrowed money from a dreaded
gangster, Tiwari [Sharat Saxena], who will eliminate
him if he does not pay up.
In their quest for more wealth, Raju, Shyam and Baburao
find themselves in one big mess. They have already taken
a big risk and are now on the run to save their lives.
It's not difficult to relate to PHIR HERA PHERI even
if you haven't watched the first part [HERA PHERI].
Of course, Nana Patekar's voiceover at the outset gives
you an insight and refreshes your memory, but the antics
of the three principal characters and how they get conned
by the scamster [Bipasha] keeps you focused all through
the first hour.
In fact, the first part abounds in funny moments. Akshay
trying to impress Rajpal Yadav at a tea stall and then
at his mansion are such sequences. Later, Akshay, Suniel
and Paresh's constant bickering and squabbling after
they've gone bankrupt, keeps you thoroughly entertained.
The jokes may seem juvenile at times, but the impact
is very, very funny.
The post-interval portions aren't as amusing. The focus
never shifts from the main plot, but with the writer
involving more characters [Sharat Saxena, Milind Gunaji,
Johny Lever, Manoj Joshi, Suresh Menon, Razzaq Khan]
in the fracas, the pace of the film slackens intermittently
in this hour. Also, the romantic track of Akshay-Rimmi
as also the song ['Mujhko Yaad Sataye Teri'], even though
an excellent composition, looks like a forced ingredient
in the narrative.
However, the climax in the circus is the highpoint
of the film. Even though the entire exercise looks unbelievable,
it seems like an ideal culmination to the story. The
buffoonery in the circus, where everyone's chasing everyone,
is truly hilarious and side-splitting. It wouldn't be
wrong to state that the climax works as a damage control
exercise in the second hour.
Neeraj Vora's writing and direction are aimed at the
masses. Besides, Vora has been faithful to HERA PHERI
by making the characters look and behave exactly the
way they were in the first part. Only thing, as a writer,
he could've packed in more gags in the second hour.
Vora's dialogues, as always, are outstanding!
 Himesh
Reshammiya's music is of the popular genre. 'Yaad Sataye
Teri' and the title track are first-rate compositions.
The filming of the two tracks is also lavish. Cinematography
is alright.
PHIR HERA PHERI belongs to Paresh Rawal
from Scene A to Z. The actor is at his best yet again
and all actors in the radius, even though they come
up with competent performances, get eclipsed in front
of this towering performance. If Rawal stole the thunder
in HERA PHERI, he walks away with accolades yet again
in PHIR HERA PHERI, no two opinions on that.
Akshay Kumar is fantastic, but the only thing is he's
repeating the same act in film after film. GARAM MASALA,
DEEWANE HUYE PAAGAL and PHIR HERA PHERI have him playing
similar roles, of a street-smart guy. Suniel Shetty
is quite good. In fact, he compliments Paresh and Akshay
beautifully. Both Bipasha and Rimmi are hardly there.
Rajpal Yadav excels. Sharat Saxena and Johny Lever are
able. The remaining actors enact their parts satisfactorily.
On the whole, PHIR HERA PHERI has ample masala to keep
its target audience -- the masses mainly -- more than
happy. At the box-office, the film has opened to a thunderous
response and in view of the fact that there's no major
opposition for the next two weeks, the film will prove
a money spinner for its distributors. Has all it takes
to attain the 'Hit' status due to the huge, record-breaking
initial and patronage from the masses.
FANAA
 The
industry has been thirsting for a good film that works
at the box-office as well. With a majority of Hindi
films sinking faster than Titanic, all hopes are pinned
on the first big release this summer: FANAA. Quite naturally,
the expectations are humungous and there're two vital
reasons for it: Yash Raj and the principal star cast.
A Yash Raj film is special. The illustrious banner has
cemented its position as the Numero Uno production house
by churning out memorable films and successfully transporting
us to a world of make-believe in those three hours,
over the years. ...............more
'36 China Town' - Lacks the punch
 Abbas
Mustan have always been the kings of suspense thrillers,
and have given the audiences films like Soldier, Ajnabee,
Humraaz, Tarzaan and Aitraaz, all of which have been
exciting and have done well commercially. 36 China Town
too is no exception, as it falls into the genre of a
murder mystery. The film is set in Goa, where 36 China
Town is the address of one of the characters.
It is clear now why Subhash Ghai wanted to keep the
climax of ‘36 China Town’ a secret before
the movie’s release. The suspense is such a downer
that it would have earned bad publicity for the movie..............more
Darna Zaroori Hai
 Ram
Gopal Varma is back with Darna Zaroori Hai. DZH is
suppose to be a sequel to Darna Mana Hai.
If Darna Mana Hai was big, the
supposed sequel Darna Zaroori Hai is colossal. Bigger
stars and multiple directors! Here again the movie
has six separate episodes that end up to a common
climax. Interestingly each of the six episodes is
directed by a different director. So each story should
expectedly be divergently different from the other
in terms of the theme and treatment of the individual
directors. Darna Zaroori Hai is the first Hindi film
to be directed by six directors. ..................more
Gangster
 The
question everyone's asking, first: Is Gangster based
on Abu Salem's life? Yes and no. Yes, because he is
a gangster and she is a one-time club dancer (a minor
variation there: Monica Bedi was a one-time starlet).
No, because fiction - in this case at least - is stranger
than the facts you've seen on the news channels.
Gangster, the latest from the Bhatt stable, is definitely
one of the better Bollywood flicks this year. Don't
go by the title, it's not a mafia movie. Although
there is a dose of blood in the script, director Anurag
Basu by and large takes the traditional love triangle
route. ..................more
'Pyare
Mohan' - Mundane
 Pyare
Mohan lacks heart, soul and everything besides having
such a talented director of MASTI and Fardeen Khan who
did a good job in NO ENTRY and ofcourse Boman irani
who is always dependable
Barring a few sequences, the humour in ‘Pyare
Mohan’ is pretty mundane.
Given the movie’s basic story idea, ‘Pyare
Mohan’ could have been an interesting flick. Two
friends – one blind and the other deaf –
go about their lives with fun and masti without letting
their handicap become a weakness. ...............more
'Humko
Deewana Kar Gaye' Mushy
 Akshay
Kumar's films are becoming classier by the month. There's
a certain restrain in his presence here. The way he
conveys the pain and hurt of an impossible love, is
quite surprising for an actor who until recently was
counted among the wooden.
Director Raj Kanwar's recent efforts to polish up his
act have yielded tepid results. Dhai Akshar Prem Ke
and the boxoffice hit Andaz were louder than the lyrical
aspirations of their creator.
Filmmaker Raj Kanwar’s previous movies have bore
an indubitable stamp of melodrama and romantic mush.
HDKG is no exception. ................more
Saawan
 "You'll
die this Friday." No, that isn't a trade pundit
predicting doomsday for this hopelessly loopy and washed-out
take on the vagaries of life. That's just the 'desi'
Nostradamus, played by Salman Khan, predicting sure-death
for the film's pert heroine (Saloni Aswani).
The film's feverish take on the matters of fate is so
hopelessly out of sync with the times, you feel sorry
for the perpetrators of this celluloid atrocity.
Poor Salman. He's given the thankless task of shouldering
this creative carcass. ............more
Shaadi
Se Pehle
 The
title SHAADI SE PEHLE gave an impression of it being
a sex comedy and Mallika's presence just strengthened
the belief. But the motion got wiped off immediately
after the movie starts rollin'. This ain't no sex comedy,
this is an ex-comedy!
Well, read the story first. Ashish Khanna (Akshaye Khanna)
and Rani (Ayesha Takia) are very much in love. Ashish
suffers from hypertension and one day he misunderstands
it for cancer after overhearing his doctor's (Boman
Irani) conversation on the phone. Ashish is devastated
and then embarks to turn nasty so that Rani starts hating
him and does not have to face the suffering of his death.
....................more
Banaras
Starring: Urmila,
Naseeruddin Shah, Dimple Kapadia, Raj Babbar, Ashmit
Patel.
Director: Pankuj Parashar
 Ashmit
Patel has a problem. It's not that he can't act. Director
Pankuj Parashar has taken care of that issue admirably,
skirting his skills and asking him to smile vacantly
at everyone. This is what Bollywood, bred on a diet
of melodramatic histrionics, calls 'subtle.'
No, his problem is peculiar. A shy, silent orphan named
Soham, he's a bit overwhelmed by the unashamedly frank
proposal come his way from the overenthused Shwetambari
(Urmila). The randy little rich girl is thrilled about
Soham's music classes, and singing is clearly not foremost
in her thoughts. But, Soham asks himself, is this right?...................more
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