The basic premise of Gulzar's Parichay may well have been inspired from the Hollywood classic 'The Sound of Music, but the director has so beautifully moulded and crafted Parichay that one does not feel the need to compare it to the Hollywood musical. There is much to delight in this Indian version as well, the antics of the children, the subtle romance between the tutor and his ward, the melodic musical score given by RD Burman, and the emotional matrix into which this is all welded. The film takes a compassionate view on how to deal with children. It's not the rod but love which conquers all and Parichay portrays this very sensitively. The tutor in this Hindi film bridges the gap between the precocious but loving children and their well-meaning guardians.



Gulzar's 1972 drama takes place in a household which has five out-of-control children, Jaya Bahduri included ,who are waging their own battle with their Grandfather (Pran), and his sister (Veena). Into this household comes Ravi. He is an unemployed youth, who has come to village to meet his maternal uncle and aunt. (AK Hangal & Leela Mishra). His uncle thinks that he would be ideal to tutor the unruly children of the Diwan Saheb. Hence Ravi finds himself in this household where his task his cut out. He has to teach the children to behave, and the adults to love.



But there is a story behind this state of affairs. Pran's son, played by Sanjeev Kumar, had left home following a conflict of ideals with his father. But he passes away and entrusts his children to his father. However, Pran is a man who believes only in principles and thinks that the rod is the only way to deal with children. A strong believer in discipline, he and his sister, stifle the children with the suffocatingly repressive atmosphere of the mansion. Instead of sharing love with the children, he adopts a strict demeanor. The result is that the kids rebel and refuse to toe the line. It is into this world that Ravi, Jeetendra's character enters. The children do not spare and he is harassed with all kinds of pranks. However, he refuses to give up. Finally, he manages to win the children's respect, trust and love. His methods of teaching do not go down well with Pran, but he still manages to stay on and finally wins Pran's trust as well. Towards the end of the film, he is ready to leave the village for a better opportunity in town. But he has succeeded in his mission of bridging the gap between the grandchildren and their grandfather. Woven into this is the love story between Jaya Bhaduri (Rama), the eldest of the grandchildren, and Jeetendra. Pran does not repeat the mistake that he has made with his son in the past, and love wins in the end.



Like all of Gulzar's film, this one too has a script that has something to say, and says it in the most poignant manner possible. There is a bittersweet quality to most of Gulzar's works which pierces the heart and Parichay too is imbued with it. The flashback sequences between the estranged son, Sanjeev Kumar, and his daughter, specially in the song, 'Bitee Na Bitayie Raina', are a good example of this. Gulzar does not so much examine the world of children, but they definitely form an important component in his drama and are not there as mere props. They have their own identity and are treated in a very real manner. His message of respect and love towards children, vis-à-vis the 'rod treatment' meted out to them earlier in the film, underscores the fact of the matter. And it is this treatment of love and respect which ultimately bears fruit and wins the children's heart.



Parichay probably marks the first time that RD Burman and Gulzar came together. This lethal combination, which has given Hindi cinema priceless gems over the Seventies and the Eighties, does not disappoint here too. The songs of Parichay cover a wide gambit, beginning from the pensive 'Musafir Hoon Yaaron' sung by Kishore Kumar to the classically inspired 'Beete Na Bitayi Raina' sung by Lata Mageshkar and Bhupinder Singh, and finally the peppy 'Sa Re Ke Sa Re Ga Ma Ko Lekar Gaate Chale.'



Another of Gulzar's forte has been the manner in which he has been able to extract performances from his actors. Some of the actors that he has worked with like, Jeetendra, Hema Malini, Sharmila Tagore, Jaya Bhaduri and Sanjeev Kumar, have unabashedly given some of their best performances under his baton. Whoever thought that Jeetendra was capable of acting besides jumping around till Gulzar happened in the actor's life?. To Gulzar goes the credit of bringing to Hindi film audiences a different facet of the actor. One is sure that Jeetendra too must be similarly indebted to the director for giving him an opportunity in films like Parichay, Khushboo and Kinara. And it is not just about sporting a moustache, glasses and donning a kurta-pyjama. Jeetendra does all of that in Gulzar's film and manages to come across as Ravi, the tutor. The performance is suitably muted and underplayed. Giving him company is Jaya Bhaduri, quite a favourite with Gulzar. She has a reputation of being a phenomenal actress. The best thing about her has always been her ability to come up with such a natural performance that one forgot that she is performing. Coupled with her impish charm, she comes across perfectly as the vulnerable Rama trying hard to be a parent to her siblings. The children have been very aptly cast and play their roles with ease and naturalness. Kudos to the director to have managed this feat.



One kind of runs out of superlatives when one talks of the late Sanjeev Kumar. He was an actor par excellence. There has yet to be an actor born in Hindi cinema who is so unselfconciously good. He was an actor, first and foremost and had the ability to be 'faceless'. He could fit into any role, no matter what the age of the character. He slipped in with utter ease and made it so much his own that it was difficult to think of any other in his place. In his minor role in Parichay, he comes across with the same integrity and intensity as he did in Koshish, Aandhi or Mausam. Pran, the original 'bad' man of Hindi films, turns in a very stellar performance as the proud father and strict grandfather. He manages to portray the transformation that his character undergoes in the film very convincingly.



Parichay, like most of Gulzar's works, manages to move and touch one's inner being. The utter simplicity of the film and its message is perhaps its charm. ... More ... Collapse

This corporate entity, though meticulously constructed by director Madhur Bhandarkar, lacks resolution. The foundation of this enterprise is a confused mix of ethics, questionable principles that drive profits and doubtful and misdirected corporate motives.



The protagonist is Nishigandha Dasgupta, extremely well played by Bipasha Basu. She finds herself drawn into a game of chess between two business houses, one that she works for, headed by Vinay Sehgal (played in a most business-like manner by Rajat Kapoor), and of course, its arch competitor, headed by Dharmesh Marwah (portrayed in an authoritarian fashion by veteran Raj Babbar). Without getting into the elaborate twists-n-turns and sometimes often boring construction of the manoeuvrings that drive corporate profit as we know it today in India, this often satirical and acidic attempt tries to address anything and everything, wherein lies the flaw; from the nexus between politicians and questionable businessmen, the role of numbers, foreign investments, power brokers, mergers, take-overs, false Gods (of course the regular swami who drives head honcho Marwah) and what not… the plate is full and piled high. But it lacks the flavour that a well-crafted screenplay would have offered.



The one essential ingredient that makes any concoction of words, pictures and game play amongst powerful protagonists palatable, is sadly missing… high drama. So the characters are empty, their personal lives merely touched upon, and the dense plotting has an overdose of corporate lingo. The boardroom is where the film is largely set, and of course the odd politicians’ meeting places are featured, be it to collect the regular bribe or swing tenders in favour of their favoured; for sensationalism, there’s also the rather regular hotel room ‘date’ with an actress who is of repute when it comes to dance numbers. Yes, the film also has Bollywood, with a little taste of the dance number special, this time the “O Sikandar” song with Payal Rohatgi dancing to it, while Kailash Kher tries to match her steps with his odd nods. When this song ended with an obviously gay director saying “cut”, one felt that clichés of earlier satires or regular funny films from Bollywood had been superseded (the ill-researched journalist also makes an appearance at this scene!).



Interspersed throughout the proceedings is the omnipresent television news anchor of a leading news channel, slowing down the film’s momentum further, obviously a product placement exercise. And how could one miss referring to the Miss Do-It-All socialite with her own show on a business channel, who freelances as a part-time pimp! One could go on mentioning the smaller characters who often assume larger proportions beyond what may be the need of the day, in this winding character play, because of which the centre of the action often losses steam. To the credit of the maker, he manages to hold everything, but his written word just doesn’t move fast enough for him to involve the viewer.



The film is dotted with business-like representation and the spoken word is quite detailed and accurate, befitting the characters and their environment, be it a boardroom meeting or a press conference announcement. Unfortunately, this will decidedly work against it when it comes to comprehension on the part of the regular moviegoer. … PSUs are referred to, pie charts and histograms are shown, mergers and acquisitions are spoken of; all this the regular audience may not be able to understand, let alone digest. Some character motivations are questionable and without getting into a detailed script analysis, our ‘heroine’ is a good woman, but she can steal for her company, she can bribe for her company, and she can of course, use any means to get what she wants, even if it amounts to destroying the reputation of a senior management official of a rival company.



On similar lines as Page 3, but lacking the drama and incisive plotting that such a film has to be blessed with, this corporate affair is a bit dull and has to depend on the director’s flair for satire. But the burden on his shoulders is a bit too heavy, and the film is worth a look just for his deft direction, and the acting which is par excellence. There are no marquee value faces, besides the lovely Bipasha Basu, but there is the ever dependable Raj Babbar, the smooth Rajat Kapoor, the emphatic and brilliant Kay Kay Menon as Ritesh (he plays Nishi’s love interest and the brother-in-law of Sehgal) and the very dependable Lillete Dubey (Miss Do-it-All referred to earlier).



An ambitious film, possibly let down by being high on expectations, but low on delivery, the balance sheet of this one decidedly has a few red spots and business this quarter will not be handsome at the box office. ... More ... Collapse

When your objective is clear from the onset, and when you don’t veer from that objective (save on a limited 2-3 occasions) the results are usually quite successful and the same holds true for Rohit Shetty’s Golmaal. His objective is to make people laugh, to entertain, and overall to create an enjoyable experience; his objective is not to create landmark cinema or an award winning affair; he does not try to create a typical “masala” affair by incorporating a little bit of everything and leaving the audience with nothing; he wants to make you laugh, and that he does quite successfully.



The film really does not have a strong screenplay or story to boost of; however what it does have are very well etched characters who move from one hilarious scene to another, scenes which are often not even linked or required, but scenes which are absolutely rib-tickling. The story of the film can be summed up in a sentence or two, but as mentioned earlier, here the intention is just to make the viewer laugh; sometimes through witty one liners, sometimes through smart aleck under the breathe retorts and sometimes just though plain, slapstick comedy, without resorting to an inkling of vulgarity. This film is a case in point that even though a comedy does not require a strong story line, if the characters are well defined and the scenes well written, and if the actors bring life to the characters and deliver the lines with the required timing and chemistry which is the basic requirement of a comedy, the film can work as is proven by Golmaal.



Golmaal is about 4 friends who have nothing better to do in life other then con people in order to ensure that they have enough money in their pockets to enjoy life on a day to day basis. When they get kicked out of Laxman (Sharma Joshi’s) hostel the foursome of Gopal (Ajay Devagan) the gang leader much to the dismay of the others, Madhav (Arshad Warsi in a superb performance), Laxman, the relatively more well behaved and highly ethical of the lot and Lucky (Tushar Kapoor) the one who can not speak and yet has some of the best lines, in the process of evading a money lender, they land up at the bungalow of a blind elderly couple (Paresh Rawal and Sushmita Mukherjee) and pose as their only grandson from America. However, their well planned execution goes astray and instead of 1 of them being the grandson while the remaining 3 are to be silent occupants, the grandson Sameer enters as a combination of Laxman and Gopal, wherein Laxman is the body and Gopal is the voice.



There are numerous scenes which will not only have the viewer reeling with laughter, but scenes which will remain with them even after leaving the theatre. Madhav’s take on Rani Mukherji in Black is an absolute laugh riot and is one scene which the viewer will definitely remember. The black and white to colour song picturized mainly on Paresh Rawal and Sushmita Mukherjee, is enjoyable due to its treatment as well as the fact that it takes a dig at the films of yesteryears, otherwise the song actually acts as more of a hindrance.



Ajay Devgan seems out of place in an attempt to create a “cool-dude” persona although he excels in his scenes with Arshad Warsi, where their timing and chemistry is clearly impeccable and they both play off each other very well. Ajay’s old man act in front of the dean is also a treat to watch and will for sure be remembered as one of the most memorable scenes of the film. However if there is any one actor who steals the show it is Arshad Warsi; his timing, facial expressions, reactions and dialogue delivery are perfect to the tee. Sharman Joshi as the “bechara” of the group excels and his role as the voice of Lucky will evoke strong laughter from the audience. The surprise package of the lot is Tushar Kapoor, who technically has no dialogues in the film (since he is mute) and hence he uses his body language and expressions to make-up for the lack of dialogues and he truly does make up for it. Rimi Sen is apt for the role, but how one wishes she would have had a slightly more substantial role. Paresh Rawal and Sushmita Mukerjee are perfect for the role of the old couple and they truly make the black and white song enjoyable.



The only flaw in the film lies in the fact that a few scenes slip out of the comedy genre and create a serious atmosphere, which inevitable puts a speed breaker in the laugh riot and one can sense that the audiences are just waiting for those scenes to end. Also one can not help but feel a sense of déjà vu in the climax as it seems to be too similar to the climax of Hulchul. In spite of these flaws, the film is a must see for all those who love comedies and want to see a film which will have them leave the theatre with just a smile on their face and not a single thought on their mind. ... More ... Collapse

Eros and Big Screen’s OMKARA is adapted from Shakespeare’s “Othello” with a rural backdrop. Ajay Devgan plays the Bahubali of a political party. Saif Ali Khan and Viveik Oberoi are his top aids. Kareena Kapoor and Ajay Devgan like each other and living together and are soon to be married. Ajay is tipped as a candidate for Vidhan Sabha. He appoints Viveik as the bahubali bypassing Saif, as Viveik is educated and Saif is just a bumpkin, though he is a fighter and very sharp in his job. Ajay has tremendous faith in Saif’s loyalty. But Saif takes Viveik’s promotion as an insult and conspires for revenge. Kareena and Viveik were co-eds in the same college and they continue to be quite friendly. Saif gradually poisons Ajay’s mind that Kareena and Viveik are having an affair behind his back. While Viveik is actually going around with Bipasha Basu. Saif uses Konkona Sen Sharma, his girlfriend and Bipasha in his conspiracy so skillfully that they don’t even know that they are being exploited for a crime. Saif succeeds in brain washing Ajay and what Ajay does forms the latter part of the story.



Production values are good. Village ambience is well maintained and cinematographer Tassaduq Hussain does a competent job. Vishal Bhardwaj’s folk based music suits the film very well and it sounds quite pleasant as it is different from the common run. The title song and `Bidi jalayi le’ are best of the lot. Jai Singh’s action is good.



Vishal Bhardwaj’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s play is a mixed bag. The screenplay maintains the basic emotion and drama of the original. But making most of the characters vulgar and foul-mouthed is not a good idea when you are adapting a classic. The overdose of abusive language will keep away family audiences. The act of Konkona stealing the kamarbandh does not fit her friendly character as shown in the film. Kareena also does not tell Konkona about her problem of the missing ornament when they are very good friends. Of course these are permissible cinematic liberties. The film also is lengthy and requires trimming.



Performances are first rate. Ajay Devgan is good as usual. Saif Ali Khan is superb, with his excellent portrayal of a negative character. Saif shows his tremendous growth as a versatile actor. He is the soul of the film. Kareena Kapoor shows her talent as an emotional actress. Viveik Oberoi is okay. Konkona Sensharma impresses as she is so natural as a village belle. Bipasha Basu keeps up her image of a glamorous actress though in a different form of a village dancer. Naseeruddin Shah leaves his mark of a veteran in a very brief role. ... More ... Collapse