For the sake of the audience (aap ki khatir), we strictly advise: “Caution, boredom ahead”. While Dharmesh Darshan has in the past managed to achieve high drama through family histrionics and intertwined relationships, this time he fails miserably. The high drama here is of the lowest order, the humour is forced and pretentious and the romance, with all the best efforts of the lead pair, Akshaye Khanna and Priyanka Chopra, fails to stir any emotions and does not ring bells in the heart, or anywhere else in the human body whether your cell phone is firmly stationed in your shirt pockets or pant pockets (this observation will be understood only by someone who has suffered the film).



The film’s basic story line revolves around Priyanka Chopra’s Anu, who hires Akshaye Khanna’s Aman to pose as her love interest in order to insight envy on the part of her ex-boyfriend, Dino Morea’s Danny and rekindle their past relationship. This process takes place in London in the midst of preparations that are taking place for Anu’s sister, Shirani’s (Amisha Patel) wedding to Kunal (Suniel Shetty). But the game of emotions takes a rather strange turn when one learns that there are certain secrets hiding amidst the relationships of these 5 characters. Important supporting characters add colour in the form of Gujaratis and Punjabis with all their distinctive languages, cultures and what nots in collision, adding humour to the proceedings, so Suniel Shetty’s Gujarati clan has Tiku Talsania as the father, munching “chaklis” and calling everyone around him “ganda”, the Gujarati equivalent of fool, which we are taking the effort to explain in order to ensure that the reader does not conclude this review to be vulgar.



Of course the girls’ father and mother (Anupam Kher and Lillete Dubey) are the Punjabis in the equation, hot blooded, high on the booze quotient, with the henpecked husband and his earlier referred cell phone with the Veer Zaara ringtones popping up at obvious moments with a sexual connotation that borders on vulgarity. The husband is extremely colourful and the life of the party, but unlike Amitabh Bachchan’s character “sexy Sam”, he does not have a roving eye and is rather devoted to his wife.



All these relationships put together amount to a lot and nothing at the same time, since the action is restricted around a single house and people keep crossing each other or having long-drawn conversations about love, family and whatever. This family drama is interspersed with Himesh Reshammiya’s badly choreographed songs from the disco number to the home family number, to the romantic songs. The three sisters singing was pure déjà vu, bringing back Subhash Ghai’s Yaadein, (but this time, they are not wrapped in towels)



Aap Ki Khatir is a film that is largely miscast and fails on all the counts mentioned above…and more. The cinematography leaves much to be desired and is sub-standard with basic issues like focus. The background doesn’t add any momentum to the screenplay, and the production values are limited to a large part of the action being set at a mansion. The direction lacks direction and fails to bring together the family drama and central romance. It fails more so because Suniel Shetty as the groom to be opposite Amisha Patel, is the worst casting in Bollywood in recent years. Amisha Patel’s lack luster, flat performance as the devoted sister who goes astray, brings the film down several notches. The saving grace in the film is Anupam Kher and Lillete Dubey, though a bid loud even as Punjabis. Above all, though Akshaye Khanna and Priyanka Chopra are actors of the highest caliber, they struggle in Darshan’s characterizations of Aman and Anu, trying to add as much depth as possible, without the support of script construction. Here’s a film that doesn’t do anything, doesn’t say anything and doesn’t mean anything, Aap Ki Khatir. ... More ... Collapse

Comparisons to Hrishkesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee’s style of filmmaking are inevitable. In recent times, Rituparno Ghosh’s Raincoat (Ajay Devgan & Aishwarya Rai) also followed a similar style of storytelling which involves a simple story, minimal characters so well etched with realism that your heart literally feels for them and a film which is simple, but feels like something which could be a part of anyone’s life. Such films always face a major risk of being too slow paced and testing the patience of the audience, a trap which unfortunately Ahista Ahista succumbs to.



Set in Delhi (which has been exquisitely shot, unveiling the city’s realistic yet stunning beauty), the story is woven around an aimless youth Ankush (Abhay Deol), who scrapes a living by acting as a witness in Delhi’s marriage registrar’s bureau, and a girl Megha (Soha Ali Khan) who has run away from her home in Nainital to get married to her love Dheeraj (Shayan Munshi).



Fate intervenes and Dheeraj does not show up at the Marriage Registrars Office. Dejected, Megha is forced to rely on Ankush’s generosity, albeit suspiciously.



Ankush on the other hand, helps Megha by getting her a job at the local old age home so that she has the security of a roof over her head. As time passes, Megha begins to realize her potential as an educated girl who had earlier dedicated her life to her boyfriend and that relationship, thinking that there was nothing more to her. She realizes that she was wrong, and finally there comes a day when she tells Ankush that she is glad Dheeraj stood her up at the Marriage Bureau. Else, she would never have known who she really was. Overtime, a relationship of sorts develops between the two and Megha takes a decision of leaving her past and Dheeraj behind and embracing the future. Everything seems to be falling in place for Ankush…when Dheeraj returns.



Director Shivam Nair proves his capability as an apt storyteller although he takes his own sweet time and one questions the necessity and the placement of the songs which only further slow down the pace of an already slow narrative. He handles the sensitive scenes between Abhay and Soha with the perfect combination of sensitivity and subtly which deserves to be applauded, especially considering it is his first film. Imtiaz Ali, who made his directorial debut with the sweet and simple Socha Na Tha, has this time written the story of Ahista Ahista, once again proving his ability to find the simplest of issues which the audiences can relate to and translate it into an enjoyable story which somewhere pulls at your heartstrings and has you rooting for the lead characters.



Ahista Ahista has characters which are as real as they get and hence the audience is able to identify with them to a certain extent, creating an emotional connect. However, Ahista Ahista is not without more than its fair share of flaws. First and foremost is the film’s lethargic pace which has the viewer wondering if anything is actually going to happen in the film. The film does not start on a strong note in terms of the dialogues, which however do improve substantially as the film progresses. The climax of the film will be tough to accept for the Indian audiences who will be unable to fathom Soha’s sudden decision and the prospect of the hero being left as a loser. Furthermore the relationship between Abhay and Soha although well established, is still left extremely unclear which only makes the climax even more difficult to understand.



Although this may only be Abhay Deol’s second film, his performance of the fun loving Ankush will definitely win appreciation from the audiences and critics alike, although his dialogue delivery and body language, especially in the initial portions of the film are far from perfect. Soha Ali Khan has been consistently improving with each passing film and not only does the simple, saans make-up look bring out her natural beauty, her often silent (one wonders why her dialogues are so limited) portrayal of Megha through her expressions and body language is superb.



Considering that the director was able to extract such strong performances, how one wishes he could have made a tighter, crisper film which would have left the audiences yearning for more, rather than wondering when the film would end. A great filmmaker once said that there is a huge difference between the length and the pace of the film. A lesson which could do wonders for Shivam ... More ... Collapse

The canvas is vivid with strong reds and blues, and the spectacle is grand with the camera taking in all that the able actors and the New York vistas have to offer; Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna is a high gloss well-fashioned drama with a fair share of romance and humour. Karan Johar’s able direction guides the veteran actors Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Preity Zinta and Rani Mukherjee effortlessly, who individually excel in some rather difficult and complex characterizations; but the show belongs to the Bachchans. Both father and son share a chemistry that is rare, and if Sarkar was testimony to the dynamite high octane drama both players can exhibit on celluloid, then Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna shows the excellent camaraderie and comic timing both share, their peppy exchanges adding life to the sometimes long-drawn events that the film’s structure suffers. Which brings us to the film’s singular flaw - the script is laborious and the screenplay fails to maintain the requisite pace and momentum that a three-hour-plus drama demands. The concatenation of events that lead up to the final denouement could easily have been spread across lesser screen time, evidence of an edit that is loose and indulgent. Nonetheless, backed by an almost flawless balance technical team with the cinematography by Anil Mehta and the sound by Stephen Gomes standing out, this is an opulent film that gives entertainment-starved viewers eye-popping imagery that is extremely satisfying.



Making relationships work is difficult in today’s world. Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna takes the stand that relationships that are not based on the foundation of love, even if it is marriage, have little meaning, and are best terminated in the interests of those involved. A departure from the conventional ‘one must make marriage work’ stand that almost all Indian films take, this one even goes so far as to condone extra-marital affairs. This may sound risqué and a bit much (won’t like to spoil the film by giving out details of the central deceit hence the mere mention without getting into the characters and motives here but later certain scenes and a basic storyline have been addressed with tact), but it is sensitively handled, and the angst of broken relationships ably fleshed out. Partly inspired by Mike Nichols’ bolder drama Closer, though very different in structure, it is a modern view of the man-woman relationship, reflecting the zeitgeist when comfort is easily derived from changing partners when the existing relationship is bereft of love, and divorce is resorted to as a solution.



Passion, heartbreak, anger, sadness and deception, a multitude of emotions come together in the two central dysfunctional relationships that the story moves through, with Shah Rukh’s Dev Saran and Abhishek’s Rishi Talwar realizing that their relationships with their wives isn’t really what love stories are made of. Rishi is a go-getting event management specialist married to Rani’s Maya; Rishi doubts that Maya doesn’t love him but refuses to give up hope, working at the relationship in the hope of winning her attention and physical companionship. On the other hand, Dev is a limping handicapped disgruntled footballer who had all the success in the world but life dealt him a bad card in a freak car accident that debilitated him, reducing his super-professional sports career to that of an ordinary coach. Married to the beautiful Rhea (Preity Zinta), he has been reduced to the status of the housewife, bringing up son Arjun while Rhea starts does exceedingly well in her career at a fashion magazine. While Maya is living a life where she cannot comprehend why she doesn’t have any attraction to her doting husband, Dev is living in self-pity, grudging his wife’s success. When the two meet, they find a common bond and comfort that raises a storm difficult to quell.



The film begins on a lighter note, with the cheeky Samarjit Singh aka Sam’s sexy shenanigans, a widower living it up in New York with hot American babes as amusement! Mr Bachchan as Sam is great fun, with son Rishi addressing him as ‘Dude’, adding colour to the proceedings in true Karan Johar style. From jokes that range from a “call girl calling him” to the “Chandigarh Ass” to many more that will appear lackluster on paper in this review but shines in the film with a mischievous gleam that unfailingly makes you laugh or at times at least smile, the situational humor is well captured by the director and perfectly enacted by the lead thespians. When real life father-son act as reel-life father-son with zest and humor, the screen comes alive. This then metamorphoses into dramatic content when father Samarjit discovers his daughter-in-law’s infidelity. The wise family head dons a different hat from the ‘Rock N Roll Soniye’ one and advises her onto the right path, lying on deathbed after his third heart attack, remarkably declaring “Death and love, dono bin bulaaye mehmaan hote hain”. This is indeed a bold stand for Indian cinema of this kind, which to-date has been immersed in tradition and Indian morals have been heeded and paid respect to at every juncture of screenwriting and filmmaking.



From the fun-n-games to the serious dramatic portions, the film has a couple of clichéd but extremely well-executed sequences, like when Dev, already seeing Maya on the sly, comes face-to-face with Rhea while on a clandestine date with Maya. These are scenes that work because of the stars and the direction, not the writing. While the lines are unremarkable, the expressions of the veteran actors and the camera capturing the finer nuances of such a difficult moment make the film an involving fare. If only the writing was as sharp….



The only place where the writing is noteworthy is in the humor of Sam, and also in the scene where SRK’s Dev admits to his affair at a family dinner as a joke, a scene which brings to fore SRK’s immense dramatic strength. Also, in the scene where Abhishek’s Rishi finally explodes and questions Rani’s Maya about her physical infidelity, one really feels for Rishi (one of Abhishek’s finest performances to date), though the Closer scene with Clive Owen immediately came to mind while viewing this.



On the plus side, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music is great respite to the central drama and lightens proceedings. 'Mitwa' and 'Rock N Roll Soniye' are great fun, wonderfully choreographed by Farah Khan. The costumes and Louis Vuitton accessories add to the opulence, distracting the viewer from the dramatic shortcomings. And the supporting cast is also impressive, with Kirron Kher excelling as Dev’s mother, caught between her son’s infidelity, love for her grandson and empathy for her daughter-in-law. Arjun Rampal plays the inconsequential boss of Rhea who starts amounting to more in her life as the film ends, and Kajol and John Abraham make brief appearances to add weight to the songs.



Alas, comparisons are unavoidable when it comes to a creator’s body of work; Kuch Kuch Hota Hai had a certain zest and novelty that even this bold and seemingly innovative subject lacks. If only the conventional parting of ways and the coming together of loved ones would have also have been given a fillip… While the subject is innovative, the treatment is conventional, and one wonders how this film would have shaped up if the inner conflict of a handicapped man would have been brought to the fore; or if a husband’s frustration in not finding physical comfort and solace in his life partner and the resultant upheavals in life would have been dwelt upon; or if a father-in-law’s horror on discovering his daughter-in-law’s infidelity been addressed more emphatically…



An event picture that has a cast and director of great muscle, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna is destined to work, but doesn’t emerge a classic that it could have been. Can the editing department please wake up and sum up the guts to throw out some chunks of the beautiful footage please to tighten the narrative? ... More ... Collapse

Finally, the answer is out there, and it’s great fun! A well styled and slick comic thriller unlike the regular Bollywood fare that is the staple diet of audiences’ nationwide, this popcorn entertainer has handsome doses of comedy, thrills, romance and an unconventional structure that cuts between various time frames of action.



Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi are possibly the best paired stars in Bollywood today, be it the Bombaiyya Munnabhai and Circuit franchise, or the Master Madan – Anthony Gonsalvez (can’t really give out who is Anthony here!) property now created. Their chemistry is electric, even in regular exchanges of sometimes unimaginative dialogue, which is indeed an achievement. The Munnabhai hangover is non-existent, as these stars are actors par excellence, and they have now donned the robes of Master Madan (Sanjay Dutt) and err... Anthony (Arshad Warsi), in Armani suits or hip denim jackets.



The story is set in Thailand, and begins with Dutt as Hitman Master Madan driving across Bangkok in a red ferari, commissioned to bump off Anthony Gonsalvez. Entering his hotel room, Dutt first addresses his target Warsi as Anthony Gonsalvez for confirmation, to which Warsi nodds in acknowledgement. The target is correct and the hit will happen only after the money reaches his bank account by electronic transfer. But the bank manager is getting a massage, and the transfer is going to take time. Madan the Bollywood buff takes over and starts enjoying Jewel Thief, waiting for the money to reach his account, with a scared-shit Anthony squirming in his seat, fearing his deadly fate. Suddenly, Anthony declares he actually isn’t Anthony! Is he saying this only to save his life, or is this admission a fact?



Thus begins the tale of cat-n-mouse, slightly reminiscent of The Usual Suspects (here the cop played by Chazz Palminteri is now Assassin Master Madan and Arshad Warsi’s Anthony is Kevin Spacey’s Kaiser Soze, or is it?). The mood here is funny but thrilling, and the Anthony identity is only part of the suspense. This well-produced film is made in a light vein with stolen diamonds, a sweet magician Raghu (Raghubir Yadav, doing justice to a rather difficult role), a Kabootar, two lovely heroines, some foot-tapping numbers, and a very funny and charming climax. As soon as one get’s up on Arshad winking to the audience when he is addressed as Anthony in the last frame, one can’t help smiling at the actor’s superb sense of timing and an exuberant charm that is almost infectious. The bonus is the super dance duet No Way! No Way! with the two dapper actors jiving with some hot babes all across Bangkok in a club setting, on a helipad and in a Thai boxing ring!



Minissha Lamba and Anusha Dandekar also do well as Jiya and Rosa, the two women in Arshad’s life; while Anusha’s Rosa is the hot babe that any man would give his right arm for, looking stunning in the Krabi beach sequences, Minissha’s Jiya is the sweet daughter of Raghu, a demure young lady who audiences will adore. Also worthy of mention is the ever able Gulshan Grover as detective Suraj Singh, and ghe hilarious Ravi Baswani as a post mortem specialist called Lashwani!



The only weakness of the film is its cinematography, and though the grain and texture of the film is colourful and vivid, cinematographer Hemant Chatturvedi’s lensing leaves much to be desired, and the camera is rather static at times, making you yearn for a closer and more descriptive look of the action.



Director Raj Kaushal’s first major film, he ably handles the innovative subject, infusing the goings-on in the film with an understated dynamism that speaks of great subtlety in the execution, but he is slightly let down by the lines the actors exchange, which one thought could have been funnier, considering the cast.



Nonetheless, Anthony Kaun Hai? is a question audiences will greatly enjoy in cinemas, and is a respite from the regular Bollywood fare audiences suffer. ... More ... Collapse