Staring: Sunny Deol, Vivek Oberoi,
Sameera Reddy
Direction: Sachin Bajaj
Rating: **
 The
general impression about NAKSHA is, it's a rip-off of
an Indiana Jones film. The Harrison Ford trilogy, which
entertained millions of moviegoers worldwide in 1980s,
is said to be the original source for Sachin Bajaj's
directorial debut.
That could be true!
NAKSHA belongs to the Indiana Jones variety, but Bajaj
combines Indian mythology with adventure and comes up
with a new recipe altogether. And the outcome is as
invigorating and revitalizing as a cup of hot coffee.
Frankly, a film like NAKSHA transports you to your
adolescent years, when browsing the adventure novels
and comics was your favorite pastime. It's the form
of cinema that we'd forgotten in the hurly-burly world
of meaningless entertainers. Dream merchants are either
busy wooing the NRIs or multiplex junta. What happens
to the masses then, who yearn for a desi film with loads
of entertainment?
Adventure movies have been attempted in Bollywood earlier
and NAKSHA is not the first of its kind in India. But
NAKSHA comes at a time when adventure movies are as
good as extinct in Bollywood. And that is its USP. The
voyage in dense forests, high mountains and deep ravines
as also the death-defying stunts compel you to pinch
yourself, are you really watching a Hindi film?
Stylishly executed with loads of money spent on attaining
the results, NAKSHA comes across as a thoroughly enjoyable
joyride. Sure, it has its lows, but the highs are so
omnipotent that you can't help but let the kid in you
get captivated by this adventure.
Most importantly, NAKSHA heralds the birth of a supremely
talented storyteller Sachin Bajaj, who, aided by his
two lieutenants, writers Milap Zaveri and Tushar Hiranandani,
tells you a story that has ample old-world charm, but
is yet modern and believable.
To sum up, the pre-release expectations from NAKSHA
may be low, but the film surprises you once the adventure
begins. It's not only high on gloss, but also entertainment.
For centuries men have been in quest of the secrets
of our past. Hidden treasures, fables, myths, all have
driven generations to dedicate their life in such pursuits.
The greed of glory and power or the thirst of knowledge,
whatever the reason may be lives have been lost but
some secrets have remained secrets!
NAKSHA starts with the search of one such man, an archeologist
named Professor Kapil Malhotra [Trilok Malhotra], who
prefers to die with the ancient map, rather than let
it fall into the hands of evil [Jackie Shroff]. Years
later, his son Vicky [Vivek Oberoi], aided by a copy
of the same map that he comes across by chance, leaves
on a journey to discover what it was that his father
dedicated his life in searching.
The re-emergence of this quest attracts the evil forces
again, as Vicky is abducted by the villain's henchmen.
Help comes in the guise of Vicky's elder step-brother
Veer [Sunny Deol], who is sent there by Vicky's mother
[Navni Parihaar] to get her son back. Vicky is grateful
to be rescued, but not too happy about his brother's
mission to take him back.
Now starts a tug of war between the two brothers. Along
this journey, they encounter one more ally in Ria [Sameera
Reddy]. Pursued by the villain and his forces of darkness,
this trio sets off on the journey to unravel the mystery
behind the map.
Do they succeed in this quest? Are some secrets meant
to remain hidden in the mists of time? Or do they see
the light of day?
NAKSHA has bits of all the three Indiana Jones movies,
but it come close to the first in the series RAIDERS
OF THE LOST ARK [Indiana Jones must retrieve the mythic
Lost Ark before it gets into the hands of Adolf Hitler].
In this film, Vivek decides to unravel the mystery of
the nakshabefore it falls in the villain's hands.
 NAKSHA
gathers momentum fifteen minutes after it takes off,
when Vivek, unexpectedly, lays his hand on the naksha.
But the film gets interesting once Sunny makes a dramatic
entry in an action scene. In fact, Sunny's introduction
is a highpoint of the enterprise and the masses, especially
in the North and the heartland of India, will greet
it with claps and whistles.
There are highpoints galore: Sunny's fight with the
midgets, Sunny-Vivek and the jeep stunt, the raft portion,
Jackie's first encounter with Sunny-Vivek-Sameera and
the jump from a cliff [awesome!] and the climax. In
fact, the penultimate reels are simply breath-taking
and the spectacular sets only elevate the impact.
If the action scenes are without doubt the soul of
the film, the director and his team of writers balance
the proceedings with several light moments that make
you flex your facial muscles. The snoring sequence or
Vivek's conversation with the chief of the midgets [Lilliput]
are two examples to illustrate the point. Also, the
mythology aspect is beautifully woven in the script
and the animation [in the post-interval portions] gives
the film a different texture.
There are loose ends, but they're trivial. The erotic
song in the second hour looks completely unwarranted.
Was it added to provide some relief from the drama?
It stands out like a sore thumb, even though its picturization
is very stylish. Also, the special effects, in the last
few reels, could be better.
Sachin Bajaj handles two departments -- writing and
direction -- with aplomb. The film has style, but there's
substance too. This is amongst the finest directorial
debuts of 2006. NAKSHA is also writers Milap Zaveri
and Tushar Hiranandani's most accomplished work so far.
Their fundas are clear: Give the audience an adventure
flick and pad it up with adrenaline pumping moments.
Allan Amin's action sequences deserve distinction marks.
The action co-ordinator comes up with stunts that truly
match international standards. Pritam's music is racy
and at least two numbers deserve special mention 'U
& I' and 'Shake It'. The sets [Nitish Roy] are imaginative
and visually striking. Vijay Arora's camerawork is extra-ordinary.
The aerial shots as well as the indoor work [sets] are
splendid. Background score is topnotch.
It's good to see Sunny in form after a long, long time.
The role doesn't demand histrionics, but star power.
His presence alone elevates a sequence to a different
level, but it's the death-defying stunts that he pulls
off without much of an effort that'll win his fans back.
In fact, NAKSHA should prove to be a turning point in
the actor's career.
Vivek is decent, but he tends to go over the top in
a few light scenes with Sunny. Although his performance
is just right, the fact cannot be denied that Vivek
is a cold proposition at the box-office and that could
affect the initial prospects of the film.
Cast in a negative role, Jackie plays the part with
utmost conviction. Sameera is alright. Suhasini Mulay
and Navni Parihaar have little to do. Ditto for Lilliput.
Mridula Chandrashekhar is okay.
On the whole, NAKSHA is a solid entertainer that comes
at a time when there's a genuine vacuum of mass-appealing
films. This pulse-throbbing adventure film is aimed
at the masses, who should love it for its interesting
plot, gripping screenplay and excellent action. At the
box-office, NAKSHA should work big time in places like
Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan
and Bihar as also in the interiors. Business will be
ordinary at mutiplexes [due to the strong LAGE RAHO
MUNNABHAI wave, especially at Mumbai, Delhi and other
metros], but single screens should be fantastic. Go
for this adventure!
Lage Raho Munna Bhai:
 Hats
off to Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Rajkumar Hirani for making
a film that is more than just a rip-roaring comedy.
Lage Raho Munnabhai makes you laugh, makes you cry and,
parallel to all the entertainment, it gives a message
that sticks in the mind. To say it in Munnabhai’s
lingo – it creates “chemical locha”
in the brain.
It is next to impossible not to like Munnabhai and
his sidekick Circuit in their second innings. Almost
three years after the loveable duo cured the incurable
in Munnabhai MBBS , the street-savvy taporis find themselves
face to face with Mahatma Gandhi’s ideology in
‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’.
As Munna – the goon for whom breaking bones and
abducting people is the way of life – comes face
to face with Bapu, he discovers that it takes more courage
to turn the other cheek than to hit back.
Munna discovers that nothing works like compassion and
non-violence. Following Mahatma Gandhi’s way,
Munna not only triumphs over his enemies, but he also
wins the love of the woman he so very longs for......more
Don:
 A
huge Indian contingent embarks on a dangerous cat-and-mouse
trail of capturing DON (Shah Rukh Khan) - the ruthless
drug mafia in Malaysia.
When DON gets seriously injured in a police encounter,
the word that he is dead begins to do the rounds. The
reality, of course, is that DON is held captive in a
secret location, while his bumpkin of a look-alike,
Vijay, is polished and sent to take down DON's gang.
In a bizarre twist of fate, when the man shielding
the humble and streetwise Vijay, is killed, the latter
comes to terms with the horrifying realization that
both the police and the gang are out to nab him for
different reasons.
In a desperate attempt to prove his innocence, he is
aided by the glamorously staggering Roma (Priyanka Chopra),
and handsomely striking, Jasjit (Arjun Rampal), who
owes Vijay a favor for care-taking his son during his
imprisonment. But will Vijay be successful in his mission?
Based on the successful erstwhile classic of the same
name, which featured the legendary Amitabh Bachchan,
the contemporary and stylishly crafted DON, features
Bollywood czar Shah Rukh Khan playing a double role
in one of the most defining performances of his career,
teamed for the first time with former Miss World, Priyanka
Chopra.
The biggest and most keenly awaited motion picture
of 2006, DON is a high-octane, tension-filled, twisty
roller coaster of a ride, with just the right dose of
glamour, action, suspense and romance.......more
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna:
When the most awaited movie of the year, with a star
cast as stellar as it gets, hit the theatres, expectations
are naturally high. Karan Johar’s Kabhi Alvida
Naa Kehna partly lives up to the expectations. But watching
the 3-plus hour movie, filled with emotional, tear-jerking
moments from the first reel to its conclusion, is a
tad tiresome.
KANK is a departure from Karan’s previous works
(Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham ) in the
sense that the film deals with a theme that is relatively
bold in Indian context. The movie simply says that it
is better to walk away from a marriage if it is not
working.
However,
KANK is akin to Karan’s previous works in its
lavishness and grandeur – the slow-motion panoramic
shots, the very Johar-esque treatment of the songs in
which almost all the star cast indulge in celebratory
song n’ dance, and, above all, the centrality
of the movie’s story being the complexities of
relationships. So in a way, with KANK, Karan has only
turned more dramatic than his former self. But in his
zeal to tell an emotionally moving story, Karan goes
overboard at places.......more
OMKARA:
 Seen
purely as an adaptation of the English bard’s
‘Othello’, ‘Omkara’ is a work
of cinematic brilliance, translating and transforming
with conviction the characters of Shakespeare’s
book into the Indian milieu. But those who haven’t
read and don’t know about ‘Othello’
would find ‘Omkara’ an average film about
a man who, poisoned with jealousy, kills his own lover
and, later, himself.
The dark-skinned Moor of Venice (Othello) of Shakespeare’s
tragedy becomes the half Brahmin, dark-complexioned
chief (Omkara) of the outlaws in Uttar Pradesh in the
film. The envious, conniving and cunning Iago becomes
the limping, tobacco-chewing, cursing, Langda Tyagi.
The handsome, charming and self-pitying Cassio becomes
Kesu Firangi. The beautiful and madly-in-love Desdemona
becomes the fair-skinned Dolly Mishra. The jealous,
revengeful Roderigo becomes Rajan. The seductive Bianca
becomes Billo.
In ‘Omkara’, Vishal Bhardwaj takes a few
liberties and changes a few situations slightly from
‘Othello’. But he does not alter the gist
of the story............more
YUN HOTA TOH KYA HOTA:
When an actor of the calibre of Naseeruddin Shah decides
to perch on the director's chair, you track the directorial
debut with interest. It's an instant reaction since
Naseer is one of the finest actors in the country who
has been associated with qualitative projects since
the past three decades.
In his very first outing, Naseer decides to narrate
four parallel stories in those 2.05 hours. Of course,
several storytellers have made an effort to narrate
multiple stories in one film, notable among them being
Mani Ratnam [YUVA], RGV [DARNA MANA HAI, DARNA ZAROORI
HAI], Khalid Mohamed [SILSIILAY] and Samar Khan [KUCHH
MEETHA HO JAYE].........more
GOLMAAL:
Rohit Shetty’s movie ‘Golmaal’ lives
up to its punchline – Fun Unlimited.
 Despite
the absence of a concrete plot, the movie entertains
because the gags and pranks keep flowing in quick succession.
There is hardly any sequence in the film that doesn’t
evoke a chuckle, if not make you laugh. And the credit
for this partly goes to Neeraj Vora , the writer. Once
again, Vora spins a yarn replete with funny oneliners,
silly situations, outlandish characters and hare-brained
villains.
At the centre of the movie’s story are four friends
– Gopal (Ajay Devgan), Madhav (Arshad Warsi),
Laxman (Sharman Joshi) and Lucky (Tusshar Kapoor). Gopal
is the brave, big bully of the four. Madhav is the idler.
Laxman is the timid one, while Lucky is the bumbling
mute.......more
Corporate
 Madhur
Bhandarkar continues to walk on a tight-rope, balancing
masala [AAN, TRISHAKTI] and thought-provoking films
[CHANDNI BAR, SATTA, PAGE 3] consistently. Ironically,
the noteworthy films in his repertoire have been those
that dared to tackle an issue that hadn’t been
explored on Hindi screens before: CHANDNI BAR and PAGE
3.
Madhur now peeps into the glitzy world of corporate
identities in his new outing CORPORATE. Like CHANDNI
BAR and PAGE 3, CORPORATE works for one solid reason:
It brings to light the nitty-gritty of a world that
most commoners never knew of. Battles fought in ostentatious
and swanky offices aren’t known to the majority
and it is this aspect that can be rightly termed as
one of the USPs of the enterprise...........more
Krissh
Is it a bird, it is a plane? No it's Hrithik
Roshan!!!
It's not enough to say that Hrithik is one of the best
actors of the country.
 Extroardinary
is the word for the measured manner in which he glides
through the air to the beat of Rajesh Roshan's rather-vapid
songs…or cuts through the breeze to the stunning
special effects created with a verve so- far unknown
to Indian cinema.
Krissh takes us into the world of masked
fantasy where the stakes are incredibly high…as
high as the F-X-generated leaps that the super-hero
takes as he tries to save the world from the clutches
of a megalomaniacal villain with a glint in his eyes
that can only belong to Naseeruddin Shah............more
PHIR HERA PHERI
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............more
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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