Anubhav Sinha's Cash falls into almost the same category as his previous film Dus in certain ways. This film too has a gallery of stars, scintillating action sequences, beautiful babes and beautiful locales. Visually, the film is quite stunning. Sinha has got his packaging quite right. But somewhere the script goes quite awry. It's the same old story: a flaccid screenplay which the director tries to dress up in various ways. Sinha too plays the game and dresses his film up. The director covers this major flaw in the film with stylized action shots and he even uses animation to a degree here. But the lack of a coherent script and screenplay does take a toll after a point. It remains another soulless wonder.



The premise of Cash is simple enough. Quite like the recent Dhoom 2, in fact. Both films are based on the age-old theme of chor-police. But never has crime and thugs been so glamorized as it has been in recent times.

The story of Cash revolves around a consummate con man (Ajay Devgan), who hires Esha Deol, Zayed Khan, Dia Mirza and Ritesh Deshmukh to steal some diamonds. The setting is in South Africa. Also after the diamonds is Suniel Shetty. The plot revolves mainly around how the parties try to outwit each other and the Security Officer played by Shamita Shetty to get to the diamonds. The story of Cash unfolds in a flashback, with Zayed's character narrating the entire story to Ayesha Takia.



As far as the actors go, they are all portrayed as cool dudes while the heroines are hot babes, bronzed to perfection. A case in point is Shamita Shetty and Esha Deol. Both actresses have perfect bodies which they flaunt with ease. Devgan plays a role quite different from his recent Omkara. The actor walks through his role with ease. In fact, he has the strongest role in the film. It's the same with a veteran like Suniel Shetty. He too essays his role with ease. A lot more could have been done with Ritesh's character, however. The actor is emerging as a good comic actor and his comic gift could have been exploited better. Zayed and Diya Mirza are just about okay. It's Shamita really who stands out among the females, while the male honours belong to Devgan and Ritesh.



Ideally, one would have expected that an action thriller would begin with a bang. But surprisingly, Cash has a very quiet beginning. The first half of the film is not as crisp as one would have wanted it to be. Sinha uses animation to introduce his characters as well, which is quite interesting. But after the device is used so many times in the film, it begins to pall. The second half where the actual heist takes place has a little more pace.



As the entire film rests on the action sequences, mention must be made of the stunts choreographed by Anthony Stone. The sequences are quite daring, again, quite in keeping with the genre. Remember Dhoom 2? The music of the film by Vishal-Shekhar is also quite in keeping with the tone of the film. The one track that stands out is the title track. It is a visual delight besides being the most catchy song in the film. Needless to say, the cinematography (Ravi Walia) is stylish, again in keeping with the director's intent of making a stylish action thriller.



Visually, one has nothing to complaint about. But it's not skin-deep beauty we are talking about. There is nothing else that one takes home, other than the so-called 'look' of the film. It's in the content department that the film fails miserably. Cash splutters and flounders in places. This is all due to the lack of a proper script. Characterisation suffers as well.



The end result is a decent visual feast but nothing beyond that. But if one chooses to ignore the lack of a sensible script, which one well might, Cash proves to be timepass fare at best! ... More ... Collapse

Kishore Kumar (born - August 4, 1929, died - October 13, 1987) was a man who defied definitions. One could never slot or label him, unless, of course, the label said 'eccentric genius.' He was many things at the same time --- amazing singer, a superb comedian, a very good actor, a sensitive director, a writer and a composer as well! He managed to overturn all boundaries and all norms, be it in his personal or professional life. If that bordered on eccentricity, then so be it. He did as he pleased. Unfortunately he acquired the reputation of being a miser, but what very few people know is that Kishore Kumar even assisted Satyajit Ray, another genius, with finance during the making of Pather Panchali, the latter's first film. He also rendered a song for free in one of his later films, Ghare Baire. So much for being a miser.



Born as Abhas Kumar Ganguly in the small town of Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh, he was the youngest of Ashok Kumar's siblings. He came to Bombay at the age of 18. By then Ashok Kumar was an established actor. He got his first break as a singer in a film called 'Ziddi' made by Bombay talkies in 1948. The song was 'Marne Ki Duan Kyun Mangu,' that he sang for Dev Anand. Subsequently, in later years he became the voice of Dev Anand as well. Back then, the young Kishore Kumar was an ardent fan of Kundan Lal Saigal and he rendered the song in the style of his idol. Initially singing offers did not come pouring in and the young Kishore Kumar even ventured into acting. His acting debut as a hero was not much to talk about. It was a film called 'Andolan' made in 1951. But it was a SD Burman song that he sang for a film called 'Bahar' in 1951 which gained him popularity. He started receiving more singing assignments as well as leading roles in films. It was with Dev Anand's Funtoosh (1956), where he rendered another gem of a song called 'Dukhi Man Mere' (music composer SD Burman, of course) that he was finally taken seriously by other music composers. His acting career also shadowed his singing career and by 1956 he was acting with most of the leading ladies of his time, like Nutan, Vyjayantimala and Madhubala. This was the period which saw him act in films like, New Delhi, Half Ticket, Miss Mary, Dilli Ka Thug and Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi. By now, Kishore Kumar had established himself as a major star. As for his singing career, he only sang for Dev Anand besides himself.



The one film which stands out of his entire repertoire is 'Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi' (1958) directed by Satyen Bose. It even gives 'Padosan' a run for its money. Kishore Kumar had a cameo in 'Padosan', which also featured another great comedian, Mehmood. But 'Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi' saw the actor-singer at perhaps his best. He also had the best of company in this film as well. All three Ganguly brothers, Ashok, Anup and Kishore were cast in this film. And it had Madhubala. She was the perfect foil for Kishore Kumar, and together they went a long way in making this one of the most memorable comic caper of Hindi films.



The effervescent, playful Madhubala and the bundle of energy that was Kishore Kumar was a match made in heaven. The other Ganguly brother, the much underrated Anup Kumar, also seen in films like 'Dekh Kabira Roya', was also a revelation. Everything about this film works, except for the car of course. But seriously, the chemistry between Kishore Kumar and Madhubala and the chemistry between Kishore and Anup Kumar and the car are the highlights of this movie. The car is a character in itself in the movie. It has the knack of breaking down at the weirdest of moments and refuses to start till it is kicked from behind. Besides the cast, the film has lilting, light numbers like Haal Kaisa Hai Janaab Ka, Paanch Rupaiya Barah Anna, Hum The Woh Thi, and Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhagi Si, all composed by SD Burman, superbly complementing the action of the film.



Chalti Ka…is a fullblown masala flick. It had all the ingredients, there is romance, comedy and intrigue. The story of the film revolves around the Sharma family. There are three of them. And they run a garage called Mohan Brothers. The eldest brother Brijmohan (Ashok Kumar) was a former boxer who had his heart broken in love when the wealthy Kamini (Veena) upped and married someone else. Nursing a broken heart all these years, Brijmohan will not permit any woman to enter his garage and his two siblings, Jaggu (Anup Kumar) and Manu (Kishore Kumar). But one rainy night, Renu (Madhubala), the daughter a wealthy man called Kishinchand, comes into the garage as her car breaks down. She meets Manu, who was doing the night shift. He repairs her car but she leaves without paying him.

Manu and Jaggu, who are partners in crime, are scared to death of their elder brother. Manu, therefore, has no other option but to land up at Renu's house and ask her for his fee. The inevitable happens. He falls in love with her while Jaggu falls in love with her friend Sheela. They continue to meet on the sly so as not to incur their brother's wrath. But events take a turn when Renu's marriage is arranged with Prakashchand (Sajjan), the brother of Raja Hardayal Singh (KN Singh). Events move at a fast pace till Mannu, Renu and her father are kidnapped by the villains who are after Renu's wealth. Events take another turn when they see a woman (Veena) who is being kept captive like them by the Raja. Manu recognizes her as the same woman whose photograph he has seen under his brother Brijmohan's pillow. She too had been abducted by the Raja and had never been unfaithful to Brijmohan. Gradually the entire story comes out and the Raja and his brother are exposed. Not before Brijmohan comes in and does the rescuing act. All is well that ends well and the three couples ride off in their temperamental car.



Chalti…. is a masterpiece of a kind. It is one of best comic-romance-cum-thriller movies made in Bollywood. The best part about the film is that everything happens at a natural pace. All elements are balanced. The comic angle remains uppermost and dominant but there is a place for everything. The director has been like a master chef in this film. Nobody or nothing is allowed to go overboard. There is a system in the madness. The film has been superbly directed. The fun element never really take a backseat in this film, except for the final bit. And it remains clean, good fun. The presence of 'born' comic actors like Kishore Kumar and Madhubala of course made the director's job quite easy.



Even today, almost 50 years after it was made, 'Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi' remains a perfect entertainer. They don't really make them like this anymore. It remains a perennial favourite and makes you laugh your guts out at the antics of Kishore Kumar. After that language of laughter and music never changes. And who knew this better than Kishore Kumar himself. ... More ... Collapse

The Mahatma has inspired a lot of movements and revolutions in our country and abroad. His grip on the Indian imagination remains intact even today. The runaway success of ‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’ and Munna’s unique brand of Gandhigiri has overnight spurred a new-found awareness about the man and the legend. So the climate couldn’t be better for Feroz Abbas Khan to make his film, ‘Gandhi My Father’. It is based on a play that he had successfully staged some years ago called ‘Mahatma versus Gandhi,’ The play explored the turbulent relations between the father of the nation and his elder son. One vividly recalls the play even today because of the fiery performances by Kay Kay Menon as Harilal Gandhi and Naseeruddin Shah as the Mahatma.



The film treads the same terrain. The father-son relationship is the focus of this film as well. But unlike the play, the film leaves one with a strange kind of sadness. It is not easy to live and thrive under the shadow of a Titan and that’s what the Mahatma was. And who knew it better than his son Harilal, who tried unsuccessfully at various times to follow in the same path as his father. At others, he was busy trying to get away from the mammoth shadow of his father and make a life of his own. The biographical details are a matter of general knowledge now.



The film starts with Harilal (Akshaye Khanna), in a bedraggled shape, being brought into the hospital, where he is fighting for his life. The film then moves in a flashback mode and the early years of Harilal’s life unfold. But tied as it is with the life of the nation and India’s fight for Independence, there is nothing purely personal in the relations between father and son. Gandhi (Darshan Jariwala) was not just the father of Harilal but also the father of the nation. The timing was such that Gandhi had to forgo his duties towards his sons in the larger interests of the nation. So if Harilal could not keep up and lagged behind, Bapu did not always wait for him to catch up.



Underlying beneath this is sense of disappointment that the Mahatma goes through every time Harilal stumbles. It is not that he loves him less but just that he had had very high expectations of his first born. The problem was that Gandhi’s first experiments began with his family – his wife Kasturba (Shefali Shah) and his sons. So despite Harilal wanting to study and become a barrister, Gandhi does not allow him to go to London and study at the Bar. There were opportunities but he preferred to give them away to others as he had other plans for Harilal. At every subsequent meeting, he tells his son to come back and join him in the freedom struggle.



But Harilal’s story is like a downward graph. He looses his wife Gulab (Bhoomika Chawla) and after that his life take a downward plunge. He oscillates between bouts of alcoholism, debauchery, even converts to Islam for a while. His streak of self-destruction proves to be his nemesis and he dies unknown at a hospital. Kasturba acts as a bridge at times and a referee at others. But the chasm separating the two just keeps deepening and finally, there is no road back for either one of them.



The film is a marvelous effort in depicting this volatile relationship between a father and a son. It stays as far as possible to the man Gandhi and Harilal. But Gandhi always had more pressing matters on hand, so Harilal falls on the wayside. The director portrays well the helplessness of the Mahatma, following his call in life and making the necessary sacrifices for it. It also paints the topography of Harilal’s bruised psyche. Akshay Khanna as Harilal turns in a very moving performance as Gandhi’s prodigal son. It is a very sensitive nuanced performance. This will surely mark as one of Akshaye’s most rivetting performances to date. Darshan Jariwala as Gandhi puts in an effort. But somehow, even though it is not fair, one can’t help but compare his Gandhi to Ben Kingsley’s or to that of Naseer’s. Needless to say, Darshan doesn’t quite manage to measure up to the legends. The real show stealer is Shefali Shah as Kasturba. She is simply great. The actress astonishes with her silence as well. From a young mother of four children, to an old woman, Shefali has the nuances all right. Bhoomika Chawla, in a very small role as Harilal’s wife, too puts in a very sincere performance.



The only problem with the film is its pace and its length. Somehow the screenplay could have been a little more taunt for it to have a more powerful impact. It just seems to drag a little bit in places. There is little else to complaint about. It is a very sincere attempt to tell a story of a father and son caught in web of history. Every minute detail has been carefully looked into, thus giving it a very authentic look and feel, beginning with the sepia-tinted documentary footage. Director Feroz Khan and producer Anil Kapoor are truly to be lauded for the film. ... More ... Collapse

The world of Mohit Suri's Awarapan is as bleak and cynical as the one in his previous films. The glitzy city of Hong Kong forms the ideal background for the dark, dingy underbelly of the world of crime and hopelessness. The film does a fairly decent job of recounting the story of one man's attempt to redeem himself. The man in question here is Emran Hashmi. And this time round, Hashmi does a fairly decent job of redeeming his status as an actor.



The film revolves around Shivam (Emran Hashmi), a henchman for Malik (Ashutosh Rana), a ganglord who has a chain of hotels in Hong Kong. He is a favourite of his lord and is dreaded and hated by Malik's brother and son. Malik gives Shivam the task of watching over one of his women, Reema (Mrinalini Sharma). He wants to know if she is being faithful to him or not. Shivam's encounter with Reema triggers off memories of his past, a past that he has done his utmost to forget. It brings back memories of his lost love Aaliya (Shriya Saran) and the tragedy related to her death. At first, Shivam has nothing suspicious to report to Malik. But one day, he discovers that Reema has boyfriend, Bilaal (Rehaan Khan), and that she plans to run back home to Pakistan. Reema is a victim of human trafficking, who has been bought by Malik. Shivam follows Malik's orders and tries to the lovers, but for the first time in his life, he is unable to gun down someone.



The old memories are now running rampant in Shivam's mind and the innocence of his first love, who he lost due to a tragic accident, will not allow him to coldheartedly gun down Reema. This act of defiance does not go down well with Malik and his thugs, and thereby follows a gory bloodbath. Shivam manages to overcome all opposition and makes it his mission to ensure that Reema and her boyfriend make it back to Pakistan safely. He is helped in his mission by a Buddhist priest, a man whose life he had spared so many years ago. His encounter with the monk and the time he spends at the monastery recuperating from his injuries, awakens the human being lying frozen inside him. He finally decides to take responsibility for his life and live for something good. Rescuing Reema and her boyfriend from the clutches of Malik becomes that reason. He accomplishes all that he sets out to do and rescues Reema and Bilaal, but at the cost of his own life.



The film moves at a very good pace and keeps one engrossed all the way through. The screenplay is quite crisp. The only break in the bleak scenario is the romance of Shivam and his girlfriend Aaliya. The scenes are brightly lit up and the sun shines brightly in almost all of them. But the moment we move to Hong Kong, black night seems to take over. The contrast is very well done. In Hong Kong, it is the Buddhist monastery which forms the contrast with the world of Malik and his goons. The awe-inspiring statue of Buddha, in the scene where the boy monk leads Shivam to the prayer hall and shows him how to fold his hands in prayer, is a beautiful scene. It is done so simply, but conveys so well the image of a lost traveler finding his way back home. Pritam's music goes very well with the film. The songs have already done quite well for themselves. They merge quite seamlessly into the narrative of the film and never really seem to be an intrusion.



As for the actors, Emraan surprises with his ability to handle a complex character. He pulls off a very controlled performance and manages to traverse the path from a sunshine Shivam, with his first love to the trigger-happy grim henchman which he later becomes, very well. He is definitely the surprise package here. He manages to say a lot with his eyes. Ashutosh Rana is a good actor and it's good to see him back as the menacing Malik. Of the two girls, Shriya's is the more eye-catching and endearing character. She brings out the pure innocence of her character very well. In contrast, Mrinalini looks a little too sophisticated and speaks a very stilted Hindi for her character. Purab Kohli as Malik's crazy nephew is quite good. Ashish Vidyathi as Malik's brother, doesn't really have much to do. But he manages to make his presence felt in the little bit that he has.



Full marks to Mohit Suri. It's not the greatest of stories that he tells in Awarapan. It's one which has been told a million times. But he still makes it worth our while to watch a man rediscover his soul. ... More ... Collapse