Monthly Archives: March 2012

Movie Review: Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge (2011)

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2 Stars (out of 4)

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Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge (MFK, henceforth) is the sophomore effort from Y-Films, the youth-oriented production arm of Yash Raj Films. The Facebook-themed update of Cyrano de Bergerac is more polished than Y-Films’ first effort, the clunky and insensitive Luv Ka The End. But there’s nothing in MFK to inspire enthusiasm for the production house’s future efforts.

MFK starts off on the wrong foot in the way it introduces its lead character, Vishal (Saqib Saleem), the beloved class clown at his college. Vishal and his obnoxious best friend, Hacky (Prabal Panjabi), trick an obese fellow student nicknamed Machoman (Chitrak Bandyopadhyay) into performing a striptease in front of his webcam, and they post the video online.

Shortly thereafter, Vishal publicly ridicules the grumpy leader of the photography club — tomboy Preity (Saba Azaad) — at a planning meeting for the school’s 25th anniversary festivities. Vishal targets Preity for being a “man hater” and possible lesbian, though it’s really because she’s the only student who doesn’t find his cruel jokes hilarious.

After establishing Vishal as a bully, the film sets up its premise. Vishal is too shy to speak to lovely fashion student Malvika (Tara D’Souza), so he sends her a Facebook friend request via the account of his other BFF, campus rock star Rahul (Nishant Dahiya). Malvika’s cousin happens to be Preity, who happens to have a crush on Rahul. Preity accepts the friend request via Malvika’s account.

Preity and Vishal form a friendship chatting online while pretending to be Malvika and Rahul, respectively. In the real world, Vishal repeatedly undermines Preity while they collaborate on an anniversary celebration project about love on campus. Things get complicated when pretend “Rahul” suggests a face-to-face meeting, and “Malvika” accepts.

The plot unfolds predictably but pleasantly enough, especially as Vishal stops being a jerk. Friendship blooms between the classmates, and it becomes apparent that they are better suited for one another than they are for their dream dates.

My favorite relationship in the movie is between Preity and Malvika. The characters are roommates as well as cousins, and Azaad and D’Souza have a delightful rapport. Their playful banter lightens the mood more than any of Vishal’s jokes.

There are several scenes that take place at parties or dance clubs that feel overly-long, since it’s way more entertaining to actually be at a party than it is to watch one from a distance. But the movie as a whole is a harmless way to pass the time.

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In Theaters March 30, 2012

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There are no new Hindi movies opening in the Chicago area the weekend beginning Friday, March 30, but my two favorite Bollywood movies of 2012 are still playing in local theaters. After earning $427,043 in its opening weekend in U.S. theaters, fun spy flick Agent Vinod gets a second week at the Big Cinemas Golf Glen 5 in Niles, AMC South Barrington 30 in South Barrington, and Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville.

The terrific thriller Kahaani gets a fourth week at the Golf Glen 5 and South Barrington 30.

Other Indian movies showing at the Golf Glen 5 this weekend include 3 (Tamil), Ee Rojullo (Telugu), and Ordinary (Malayalam).

Movie Review: Agent Vinod (2012)

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3 Stars (out of 4)

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Nothing in Agent Vinod makes any logical sense. It’s all crazy action that couldn’t possibly happen the way it does. Yet Agent Vinod is so fun and so totally committed to its insanity that I don’t care. I really, really liked this movie.

In simplest terms, Agent Vinod is a spy movie. A suitcase-sized nuclear device is stolen from Russia, and Indian spy Agent Vinod (Saif Ali Khan) follows the clues to Morocco. There, he poses as a courier to gain access to David Kazan (Prem Chopra), an international arms dealer with a suspicious personal physician named Ruby (Kareena Kapoor).

Vinod’s search for the nuclear device takes him all over the world: India, Pakistan, Russia, Latvia, England, even South Africa, just for kicks. Why the nuke was stolen is unimportant. What is important is that Vinod gets to fight a lot of people.

There are some spectacular set pieces and moments that are truly startling. For example, a car brakes to a stop, only to be immediately smashed into by another vehicle from out of frame. The effect is akin to a “gotcha” moment in a horror movie, and it’s delightfully effective.

Without a doubt, the film’s best scene is a shootout in the lobby of a fleabag motel in Latvia that is shot in a single take. The technical impressiveness of the scene is topped when an unlikely participant joins the shootout at the end of the scene. It was so unexpected, I laughed out loud.

In fact, I laughed out loud from sheer joy a number of times during Agent Vinod. It’s a great throwback to ’70s-era spy movies, right down to the garish interiors and the catchy “wakka chikka” guitar score that punctuates crucial events.

The special effects are also decidedly low-tech, but very well-executed. Most of the action is hand-to-hand combat or shootouts from close range. The only noticeable computer-generated effect involves a helicopter flying low over Delhi, and it stands out for looking fake.

Khan and Kapoor do an admirable job playing their roles completely straight. The costumer designer and tailors deserve an appreciative nod for making Khan look dashing in his perfectly fitted Oxford shirts.

Khan produced Agent Vinod, in addition to starring in it, which convinces me of one thing: I think this is exactly the film he set out to make. Yes, Agent Vinod is campy and preposterous, and it’s surely not for everyone. But I respect the fact that Khan and director Sriram Raghavan had a vision and executed it. If that relegates it to cult-film status, so be it. If it works for you (as it did for me), it really works.

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Opening March 23: Agent Vinod

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This weekend’s new Bollywood release is the thriller Agent Vinod, which is not a remake of the 1977 film of the same name. Saif Ali Khan plays the titular secret agent alongside Kareena Kapoor.

Agent Vinod opens in the Chicago area on Friday, March 23, 2012, at the Big Cinemas Golf Glen 5 in Niles, AMC South Barrington 30 in South Barrington, and Regal Cantera Stadium 17 in Warrenville. It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 37 min.

Another Hindi thriller, Kahaani, gets a third week at the South Barrington 30 and Golf Glen 5, which is also carrying the Malayalam film Second Show.

Movie Review: Chaurahen (2007)

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2 Stars (out of 4)

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At one point, one of the characters in Chaurahen (“Crossroads”) asks another if he thinks she’s a ghost. She asks it as a rhetorical question about the state of their relationship, but I’d been wondering if she actually was a ghost before she voiced the question. There’s something about the characters in Chaurahen that seems out of sync with reality.

The film is an adaptation of three short stories by author Nirmal Verma. I’m going to assume that much of the original dialog made it from page to screen, because the way that the characters speak to each other feels very written and inorganic.

Thematically, the interwoven stories are linked by death, specifically the way the death of a family member affects the living relatives left behind. The theme is most obvious in the best of the stories, concerning a young man who returns home to Kochi following the death of his older brother.

Nandu (Arundathi Nag) debates how long he has to wait to return to his happy life in Vienna after his brother, Keshi, is killed in military service. His parents seem desperate for Nandu to stay but know nothing about their youngest son, having previously reserved their affection for seemingly perfect Keshi. It’s a painful yet perfectly understandable situation.

Death also haunts the life of a young writer in Mumbai, Farooq (Ankur Khanna). He lives in a few rooms of a giant house he inherited from his deceased parents. When Farooq’s girlfriend, Ira (Soha Ali Khan), asks for a tour of the rooms Farooq keeps locked, she learns that her boyfriend is mired in grief.

Ira’s the character who asks if she’s a ghost. For a while, I honestly wasn’t sure if she was or wasn’t (she’s not, I don’t think). Ira and Farooq speak grandly about philosophical issues, taking at each other and not to each other. I found it hard to muster compassion for them.

The final plotline is indirectly about literal death and more about the death of a relationship. There’s a lingering resentment between Dr. Bose (Victor Banerjee) and his lonely wife, and he pursues a romantic affair with a blonde French girl who works at the local used book store. This Kolkata-based story is at its most interesting when it focuses on Dr. and Mrs. Bose (Roopali Ganguly), and less so when focused on Dr. Bose and Lea, the young woman.

Most of the problem is the clunky way Lea is played by Kiera Chaplin (Charlie Chaplin’s granddaughter). Chaplin’s acting is wooden, and she even walks with a stiffness that diminishes her allure.

The acting overall is uneven. Ira’s pretentiousness is minimized somewhat by Khan’s innate likeability. The actors in Nandu’s storyline, including Nandu himself, are good.

The film ends with several of the characters from the disparate storylines crossing paths at what is presumably the airport in Kochi. Why would the characters from Mumbai and Kolkata chose to fly out of Kochi instead of closer airports? Logic is abandoned for the sake of a memorable closing shot.

That shot is emblematic of my problems with Chaurahen. It’s a movie about ideas and feelings but lacks the substance to make the experience meaningful. Chaurahen looks great and is well-paced but needs more finesse.

*Despite having been completed in 2007, Chaurahen opened in Indian theaters on March 16, 2012. The film is internationally available for streaming on Mela. Chaurahen has a runtime of 87 minutes. Its dialog is primarily in English with some Hindi.

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  • Chaurahen at IMDb
  • Watch Chaurahen on streaming video via Mela

In Theaters March 16, 2012

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The only Hindi movie playing in Chicago area theaters the weekend beginning Friday, March 16, 2012, is Kahaani. The terrific thriller carries over for a second week at the Big Cinemas Golf Glen 5 in Niles and AMC South Barrington 30 in South Barrington.

Other Indian movies showing at the Golf Glen 5 this weekend include Ee Adutha Kaalathu (Malayalam) and the Telugu films Mr. Nokia and Nuvva Nena.

After making the festival rounds for several years, 2007’s Chaurahen (“Crossroads”) is finally being released theatrically in India on March 16. The English-language film is an adaptation of three short stories by author Nirmal Verma and stars Soha Ali Khan.

To coincide with the Indian theatrical release, streaming video service Mela is making Chaurahen available in the U.S. on Friday as well. The film can be streamed via Mela’s set-top box, Roku player or iPad app. Check Mela’s website for details.

Movie Review: Kahaani (2012)

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4 Stars (out of 4)

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With each film she makes, Vidya Balan reaffirms her status as India’s best actress (one of the best in the world, in fact). She does it again in Kahaani, a gripping thriller about identity.

Balan plays Vidya Bagchi, a heavily pregnant woman from London who arrives in Kolkata searching for her missing husband. Her husband, Arnab, had been in constant contact with Vidya for the first half of his month-long assignment, but she’s heard nothing from him in two weeks.

When Vidya files a missing persons report at the local police station, the head inspector repeatedly pronounces her name “Bidya,” insisting that “b” and “v” are interchangeable in Kolkata. Adding further confusion, a junior inspector, Rana (Parambrata Chatterjee), explains that everyone in Kolkata has two names: a “pet name” and an official name. Rana is the pet name that everyone uses; his official name is Satyoki.

The guest house and office where Arnab was supposed to have stayed and worked while in Kolkata have no record of his having been there. Vidya gets a lead when the head of human resources at the office says that Arnab’s photo bears an uncanny resemblance to a former employee named Milan Damji, a suspected terrorist who’s been on the run for two years. Is Arnab’s disappearance a case of mistaken identity, or could he and Milan Damji be the same man?

Kahaani is wonderfully atmospheric in the way it emphasizes the impossible task before Vidya. The city is crowded and unfamiliar to Vidya, who staggers in the heat under the weight of her pregnant belly. Kolkata is at its most chaotic during a climactic scene set during Durga Puja, a festival celebrating the Hindu goddess Durga, a renowned demon-slayer who also embodies maternal compassion and patience.

Vidya is aided throughout by Rana, and their rapport is central to the movie’s success. Rana develops a crush on Vidya, feelings which are doomed to amount to nothing. If he succeeds in helping her find Arnab, she’ll leave, reunited with the father of her unborn child. If he fails her, she’ll be heartbroken.

Vidya is perhaps more playful with Rana than she should be. But, as pointed out by Intelligence Bureau Officer Khan (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), a pregnant woman is no threat to anyone.

Balan and Chatterjee are both spectacular. Balan makes Vidya tenacious within the physical limitations of her pregnancy. Chatterjee tinges the lighter moments Rana shares with Vidya with a longing for a love that can never be.

One of the villains deserves a special mention: Bob (Saswata Chatterjeeas). He’s a paunchy, balding, middle-aged guy in glasses that you’d take no notice of if you saw him on the street, but it’s a bad omen whenever he shows up on screen in Kahaani. His very ordinariness makes him a chilling presence.

The plot is well-paced, allowing enough time for character development and tense action scenes. The cinematography gives scenes a grainy, yellowish tinge, as though a smoggy cloud obscures Vidya’s search through the bustling city. Kahaani is an accomplished thriller that doesn’t disappoint.

*Some theaters list Kahaani‘s runtime as 2 hrs. 30 min. It’s closer to 2 hours long.

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Opening March 9: Kahaani and Chaar Din Ki Chandni

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Two new Hindi movies are set to open in the Chicago area on March 9, 2012.

Vidya Balan stars in the thriller Kahaani (read my review here) as a pregnant woman searching for her missing husband.

Kahaani opens on Friday at the Big Cinemas Golf Glen 5 in Niles and AMC South Barrington 30 in South Barrington. It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 30 min., but the actual runtime is closer to two hours.

This weekend’s other new Bollywood movie is the romance Chaar Din Ki Chandni, which opens on Friday at both of the above theaters.

Last weekend’s major new release, London Paris New York, carries over at the Golf Glen 5 and South Barrington 30.

Paan Singh Tomar leaves area theaters after earning just $20,568 in its opening week in the United States. Likewise, Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu makes way after amassing a four-week U.S. haul of $1,150,019, as does Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya, which earned $155,247 from two weeks in American theaters.

Other Indian movies showing at the Golf Glen 5 this weekend include the Telugu films Ishq and Mr. Nokia.

Movie Review: London Paris New York (2012)

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3 Stars (out of 4)

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The starting point for debutant writer-director Anu Menon’s London Paris New York (LPNY, henceforth) was undoubtedly the allure of setting a story in the three glamorous title cities; the plot and characters surely came second. But when the movie isn’t being a glorified travel show, interesting characters add spark to this edgy love story.

There’s a lot demanded of leads Nikhil (Ali Zafar) and Lalitha (Aditi Rao Hydari), who, after a chance meeting in London, utter almost every line of the film’s dialog. The young adults have in common the fact that they are both on their own for the first time, their overprotective parents having reluctantly agreed to let them attend college abroad. When Lalitha misses her connecting flight to New York, the strangers decide to spend the day exploring London together.

They have the types of conversations only had by movie characters (have you ever asked someone you just met, “So what do you want to do with your life?”), but form a genuine connection. Nikhil promises to come visit Lalitha in New York. When Nikhil tracks Lalitha down in Paris two years later, we learn that he didn’t keep his promise.

Nikhil starts out pushy and entitled but is humbled as the story progresses. I didn’t care for Zafar’s smarmy delivery in Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, which he toned down for LPNY. He’s strong in the dramatic scenes but at his best in lighter moments when he can flash his killer smile.

The best surprise of LPNY is Lalitha’s character. Unlike many female leads, who are really just vehicles for the emotional growth of the male main character, Lalitha is an equal partner for Nikhil. That means she’s equally responsible for the bad choices that drive the two apart.

Hydari strikes the right balance with Lalitha, a young woman of strong ideals but lacking some emotional maturity. Hydari’s best moment is when Lalitha turns a devastating realization into an opportunity for revenge, her coldness underscored by a deep hurt.

Zafar, who made his name as a rock star, wrote and performed all of the music for LPNY. The soundtrack is appropriately poppy for a film about young urbanites. The music features prominently during the three montages of the highlights of each city. Though I suppose it’s hard to avoid showing iconic sites like the London Eye and Times Square, the montages feel stale.

Even when it comes to the music, Hydari again steals the show. She bravely chose to sing her own parts on two songs, giving the numbers a more natural feel than when actors lip sync to voices not their own.

In the United States, LPNY has an MPAA rating of PG-13 due to references to sex and scenes of the characters drinking and smoking. LPNY is a bit grittier than a typical Bollywood rom-com, so it’s not appropriate for the whole family. But those old enough to appreciate it will be rewarded.

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