Though Raju Hirani and Aamir Khan sound like a deadly combo to most people, I for one thought of it as an odd combo. So I did not set my expectations sky high and wasn’t too disappointed with the result. They somehow didn’t sound like an "in snych" combo [to me] to begin with.
The movie has a strong story line, well written script and very interesting though sometimes predictable twists.
Humor is one of the movie’s highlights, so what if oft heard and fwded jokes were used as anecdotes to heighten its humor value :)
Raju Hirani is a wonderful happily hopeful director, and hence there aren’t too many dull moments in this movie. And though the movie is long is doesn’t feel so.
The editing and overall look and feel of the movie is sleek
Kareena does a very good job, and looks ravishing
The movie has several angles to it which will look unnecessary at times but Raju Hirani does a good job of giving all of them a good context and respectable closure
This is the first time I felt Sharman Joshi had in him some acting skills; he has done a very good job of a simple role.
So why does this movie not deserve a 4 star rating?
Aamir’s character has been demi-god-ified in the movie. He opens his mouth and you can expect a bhaashan. He even lectures lecturers; such is his audacity in gyan baating! There is even one continuously playing song which is dedicated to him.
And there was no need to use Aamir for this role. Raju Hirani could have very easily used a promising new comer or a very young current rising star. Strangely everyone in the movie looks comfortable playing whatever they are playing, except Aamir. I am sure many of you won’t agree with this, but he looked like he was trying too hard to play a teenager and in that attempt his mannerisms looked more spastic than teenage! Everyone else has done a great job, Boman, Kareena, Sharman, Madhavan…everyone else expect Aamir. Aamir looks at ease only in the end when he is playing his age, or someplace close to it.
The music of the movie is very forgettable and sounds tedious & loud in most places.
A Lage Raho Munnabhai deserves a 4 star, and not this one.
SO…
The movie is surely a one time watch, mainly because in the end of the movie you feel like you have been well entertained and hence have received value for money.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
Paa - THREE stars
• Amitabh has proven yet again, that there is almost no role he cant carry off elegantly, it takes courage to take on the kind of roles he takes on. The guy is truly timeless. He never once overdoes his uniquely different role [12 year old Auro suffering from a rare genetic disease] and captures your heart right from the word go. I can’t imagine how he dubbed for this role without making it look comical and overt.
• Director Balki has tried to send several social messages through this film, and they reach home only because he doesn't try too hard. Messages like 1. Women should have children and not go against their natural feminine grain else this results in uterus related and other complexes 2. Kids are not always cruel to kids with disabilities - given a nurturing environment they are actually very accommodating and compassionate. 3. The trials and tribulations of the rare disease Progeria 4. Vidya Balan's strong and positive retort to another mother's query on Auro's condition is a mini lesson in how parents of special children should handle such 'uns.
• Vidya Balan looks lovely, wears tasteful clothes challenging the media over hyped verdict that she has very bad taste in clothes. She acts decently, but I surely missed the ache she should have been able to convey behind her beautiful smile given the tough life she encountered. Her role was not very well written and could have been far deeper.
• Abhishek Bachchan might get conveniently ignored in this movie, given the stellar performance by his dad, but I hope none of you miss how brilliantly he has carried his role given its various shades - part shrewd, part sensitive, part practical etc. etc. He even looks good wearing the simplest of clothes, dressed mostly as a young politician.
• The movie does have its trying moments, Balki irritates with some unnecessary melodrama and some long winded totally do-away-able scenes like Vidya Balan's sudden outbursts and the last scene where Abhishek and Vidya take the ceremonial 7 pheras [circles] to please their son. In the cinema where we watched the film, a little kid sitting in the row ahead jumped and asked his mom "what happened to her NOW!??" when Vidya Balan gets into one of her sudden howling bouts! Also, the overly smiling Jaya Bachchan reading the credits in the beginning was avoidable.
• Music by Illaiyaraja definitely brought back memories of the engaging music he once used to produce, but I must say that in Paa they were sometimes inappropriate and loud in scenes which could have been made more powerful without any music at all. The main actors, big and small B could have been left to do the talking :)
• PC Sreeram's cinematography glows with fineness and carries the film like a caring father on its shoulders, no over the top techniques, just splendid support to good direction. It reminded me of the movie poster where Abhishek cheerfully carries Auro on his back, where Abhishek is PC Sreeram and Auro is the movie.
• The movie surprisingly has some very funny scenes courtesy Auro and his best friend Vishnu who hates his father
• Balki might have known a child of 12 years of age intimately, given that the portrayal of kids of that age is very believable
• I was happy to see Balki portray Vidya’s character as a medical professional who is doing well and not some hand to mouth self sacrificing mom
• Arundhati Nag plays the role of Auro’s grand mom nicely, but I do wish Balki had gone beyond just portraying her a an ever supportive, never frustrated grand mom – given that he had a seasoned actress such as her to work with
• Balki has made several attempts to make his movie a commercial success and I do think they work – the media v/s politicians conflict, the hopeful air, the humor etc.
• The movie rushes did no justice to the movie, I for one wasn't interested, thinking that it would be another movie about some serious human disability with all its sadness and scientific detail. Also, the people who have done Amitabh's make up have done an amazing job to make it look natural.
• So overall, Paa is a sure shot one time watch
• Director Balki has tried to send several social messages through this film, and they reach home only because he doesn't try too hard. Messages like 1. Women should have children and not go against their natural feminine grain else this results in uterus related and other complexes 2. Kids are not always cruel to kids with disabilities - given a nurturing environment they are actually very accommodating and compassionate. 3. The trials and tribulations of the rare disease Progeria 4. Vidya Balan's strong and positive retort to another mother's query on Auro's condition is a mini lesson in how parents of special children should handle such 'uns.
• Vidya Balan looks lovely, wears tasteful clothes challenging the media over hyped verdict that she has very bad taste in clothes. She acts decently, but I surely missed the ache she should have been able to convey behind her beautiful smile given the tough life she encountered. Her role was not very well written and could have been far deeper.
• Abhishek Bachchan might get conveniently ignored in this movie, given the stellar performance by his dad, but I hope none of you miss how brilliantly he has carried his role given its various shades - part shrewd, part sensitive, part practical etc. etc. He even looks good wearing the simplest of clothes, dressed mostly as a young politician.
• The movie does have its trying moments, Balki irritates with some unnecessary melodrama and some long winded totally do-away-able scenes like Vidya Balan's sudden outbursts and the last scene where Abhishek and Vidya take the ceremonial 7 pheras [circles] to please their son. In the cinema where we watched the film, a little kid sitting in the row ahead jumped and asked his mom "what happened to her NOW!??" when Vidya Balan gets into one of her sudden howling bouts! Also, the overly smiling Jaya Bachchan reading the credits in the beginning was avoidable.
• Music by Illaiyaraja definitely brought back memories of the engaging music he once used to produce, but I must say that in Paa they were sometimes inappropriate and loud in scenes which could have been made more powerful without any music at all. The main actors, big and small B could have been left to do the talking :)
• PC Sreeram's cinematography glows with fineness and carries the film like a caring father on its shoulders, no over the top techniques, just splendid support to good direction. It reminded me of the movie poster where Abhishek cheerfully carries Auro on his back, where Abhishek is PC Sreeram and Auro is the movie.
• The movie surprisingly has some very funny scenes courtesy Auro and his best friend Vishnu who hates his father
• Balki might have known a child of 12 years of age intimately, given that the portrayal of kids of that age is very believable
• I was happy to see Balki portray Vidya’s character as a medical professional who is doing well and not some hand to mouth self sacrificing mom
• Arundhati Nag plays the role of Auro’s grand mom nicely, but I do wish Balki had gone beyond just portraying her a an ever supportive, never frustrated grand mom – given that he had a seasoned actress such as her to work with
• Balki has made several attempts to make his movie a commercial success and I do think they work – the media v/s politicians conflict, the hopeful air, the humor etc.
• The movie rushes did no justice to the movie, I for one wasn't interested, thinking that it would be another movie about some serious human disability with all its sadness and scientific detail. Also, the people who have done Amitabh's make up have done an amazing job to make it look natural.
• So overall, Paa is a sure shot one time watch
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