Balloooon - Bursts

Story of an aspiring singer simply falls short of any aspirations, logic, plot, dialogues and direction.

Jignesh Vasavada

0.5 Stars

 

There was a constant warning in the movie that kept staring at us. Yet, Yet we persisted and attempted to enjoy the Balloooon. Why? The sign screamed, constantly, Why? And the only answer I had was, it is a job, someone has to review it.

So, here goes.

1. This was the first time, thanks to a technical glitch I read the entire certificate end to end. They actually tell you the duration of the movie. This was 119 mins, felt like 11199 mins.
2. Why do all Gujarati movies have to start with a drone shot of Ahmedabad’s Nehru bridge?
3. Why do all fathers in Urban Gujarat Movies have to be Prashant Barot Sir?
4. Seriously, our mind set needs to change for a Government job. It appears to be a ticket to a retired, relaxed life.
5. This must be the first sci-fi movie where a cellphone charges without the switch being on!
6. What is an All-Rounder Teacher? Are they referring to Kapil Dev?
7. Which Channel on TV has Game of Thrones? I would love to watch it there?
8. So, if you keep listening to music, you can become a good singer?
9. Modiji’s Digital seems to have worked well. Now a girl living in a village gets engaged online! Wow!
10. Never ever watch a movie with the star-cast sitting right behind, you cannot watch it honestly.

 

Gosh, wish I had read the WHY sign and taken a 1 hr 42 mins bathroom break. Guess, Balloooon is taking abstract to a different level.

All of 119 mins you are just wondering what is happening, why is it happening, what are you doing here, who is she, who is who, what are they doing, why are they doing!!!!

The movie is about an aspiring singer who is goofy, casual and below average as a singer. Basically a loser in life, dreams big of becoming a celebrity (by winning Voice of Kutch!!!, I mean seriously!).

Pampered, ditched, broke & driven out from home, he wakes up in Bhuj (yeah yeah, actually, he just wakes up in Bhuj, waking you up too). Here is realizes that he will have to hit big by becoming a singer and winning a competition. So, he befriends a Speaking (S)Tree girl who just opens her mouth to give gyaan (arrey when she writes a postcard also she is giving Gyaan, I mean is she for real?).

 

So, Our Hero gets rejected, his father is perennially dejected, mother is continuously interjected all the while the viewers keep praying to be ejected!

Thumb wrestling, some tone improving blogs, a praying-to-haromnium-playing monk, Early morning yoga, doses of luck gets him a semi-final place in the competition. What happens next just bowls you over. You just have to bear the logic defying stuff. Wonder why make a filmy effort that has no coherence? Just simply copy some Kannada, English or Marathi film and entertain the audience and make your money naa Rehan Bhai and Rashesh bhai.

Is Navjot Singh Chauhan playing a goof or is normally like this, we wonder in the entire film. If he is playing one, then he has done a good job. Aarti Rajput, is full of two expressions and loads of gyaan. Completely wasted. Instead, a much better role is essayed by her room-mate. Very natural, lively and good.

Bhaviniben Jani does a good cameo. Gives some life to the movie. Prashant Barot is just fatherly as they come and Swati Dave as mom does a decent job.

 

A movie about a singer ought to be Samir-Mana’s delight. And two songs Musafar & Pankhi Maan really stand out. They add the much needed class to the narrative. But beyond that there is nothing memorable. Dialogues are out of place. Parents are scared the kid will commit suicide by hanging from the fan and the mom is worried for the fan, come on! Is the scene serious or funny.

Nope, Balloooon (with all four O) just deflates in the first 15 mins. Post that you are just forcing air into the puncture.

Better luck next time.   

Paghadi - Gujarati Shaan

The pride of Gujarati Film in this delightful story of a turban.

Jignesh Vasavada

4 Stars 

There are some films in Gujarati and then there are Gujarati Films. The former are made in Gujarati and the latter are made for Gujaratis. Paaghadi falls in the second category. 

What a lovely story, so well told, so interestingly communicated. Mark of a true story teller.

But this movie too provided a lot of interesting observations.

1. In case you Googleing the film get the spelling right, it is Paaghadi because there is a Rajasthani movie by the same name, different spelling Pagdi (2016).
2. Why are good Gujarati Movies not promoted? Why can’t they learn this from Yashraj, Dharma, SRK or Salman? It is about time, IIMA started a course to market Gujarati Movies.
3. Intermission had three ‘s’, looks like they wanted to stretch it longer. 
4. This film was a long time into making, no wonder the hero was using an iPhone 5!
5. Does agelessness run in the Sarabhai family? I mean, Revanta looks the same despite this film having been shot long ago.
6. Heck, even the cast, Harsh Vasanani, Ashish Vashi look slimmer and younger (Maulik Nayak was born slim, so nothing to note here).
7. Indians are truly inquisitive. The old man is dying, and our man wants to know what is he communicating, arrey baba call the doctor.
8. So, someone points a gun at the VIP you are guarding and yet, as a policeman, you just watch? Seriously!
9. This is interesting, Revanta and Tillana keep changing clothes but our comedian friend has no change of clothes throughout. Guess they don’t make funny clothes in villages.
10. When the dialogue Bidi toh Swarg ni Sidi was spoken there no Smoking Kills Sign, was it a miss!!

Please ignore all the above, the age of the movie or the small hits and misses, Paaghadi is a lovely story very well told.

When you have a DOP doubling up as a director you know the basics would be classy. Tapan Vyas, scores huge as a Director too. The casting was near perfect. The lead, the characters, the comedians, the costume, locations, the language, Paaghadi got it all right and all this in 1 hr 52 mins flat (including Akshay kumar and his sanitary pads)!

The movie revolves around US returning Aaditya with his friend-giving-confusing-girlfriend-expressions to study meteor shower. Meeting his ailing grandfather, he spills upon a family heirloom secret that is lying in his ancestral village. The entire movie is a delightful journey to the village back and forth with amusing characters peppering it with fun, masti and loads of dhamaal. All this culminating into a lovely Bhavai scene attempting to re-create the Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro Mahabharat scene. Simply Delightful.

Revanta, as I maintained in my previous reviews, right from Dhantya Open, O Tareee to Mijaaj, is the unassuming Gujarati superstar waiting to explode. He does an encore worth appreciating. Tillana Desai completes the perfect pairing giving a lot of depth to her character. But the rockstar of the movie is the Grandfather. Cute, delightful and funny. His scenes bring an instant smile. Creena Shah appears confused between a friend or girlfriend or a girl waiting to be proposed. Bharat Thakkar excels as Nakku kaka. Among the other notables are the thieves (Mayur Chauhan, Maulik, Ashish Vashi & Kakkad) and detectives (Kaamji & Daamji).

Dialogues are the soul of the movie. Pravin Pandya needs to take a bow for wowing us with amazing gems, funny and emotional, all. The story by Rajesh Sharma too has its twists and turns. Logical and palatable. Visually the movie is larger than life. Toh Shu Thayu song rocks, otherwise the music is ok ok.

Paghadi has got it all right, except the marketing. Go and watch this lovely film seeping in Gujarati tradition and fanfare.  

Dhh Movie Review

Three cute Friends, Loving Grandpa, Inspiring teachers and Magic, enthralls one and all.

Jignesh Vasavada          

4.5/5 stars

There are times when you feel blessed that you have taken up the mantle of reviewing Gujarati movies. These times come when you are watching movies like Dhh. Yeah, you read it right, Dhh.

What a cute little story taking you into your childhood and back, making you want to believe in the innocence of early days, magic and that anything is possible as long as your friend is with you.

Slave to habit, I will have to add up few observations:

1. What is with Films and Three Friends? Is this the sure shot formula of success?
2. The real Dhh in this movie is the marketing of the movie. Completely missing!! Why does marketing mess up big time. Last time it was Chor bani…now it is Dhh (Duhs!!!).
3. Hanumanji on a Luna, some ride he must be having.
4. Why does a teacher need to wipe a blank board in the beginning of the movie?
5. I love the school here. Teacher announces the subject and the bell rings.
6. Seriously, good question, if Gandhiji is the Father of the Nation, who is the mother of the nation?
7. PVR seems to have realized that their popcorn costs a kidney! Even the straws are non-plastic.
8. The movie makes you wonder what role do parents play in their Dhh kids’ lives?
9. Is it really this easy to bunk classes? Did I have an ignorant childhood?
10. Wonder which radio station plays Sa Re Ga Ma at night!

Boss, what a wonderful movie!

What amazing storytelling!

What super logic!

What cute kids!

What mature handling of relationships and innocence!

The hero of this movie is the minute detailing. Director and Storywriter (with Adityakumar) Manish Saini has scored big time by taking care of a lot of nuances among actors, locations, shots, stories and most importantly emotions.

Relationship among friends, between grandparent and grandchildren, father-son, teacher-student-principal all have been given a lot of depth and crafted with exquisite detail.

The story is about three Dhh friends Gungun, Bajrang and Vakil. They are weak in studies and high on life and friendship. Nothing affects them, like Brijendra kala (Hindi teacher) says, Nirlajjam Sada Sukhi. However, a chance watching of a magic show of Jadugar Surya Samrat (a crisp Naseeruddin Shah cameo) gives them hope of shedding the Dhh. Thus begins the film and the beautiful twists and turns as the kids find a magic mantra with the help of Gungun’s grandfather (Archan Trivedi). Will they shed their tag, will the kids excel in life and studies, well, that needs to be seen in theatres, like NOW.

What a magnificent performance by Archan Trivedi. All his previous filmy choices are forgiven purely based on this role. The kids, Kahaan, Karan and Kuldeep (especially him, with his belly button always open) did a great job of stealing hearts. The songs by Meghdhanush transforms us to and fro and keeps the movie’s pace alive. Sagar Desai’s background too keeps the momentum. Udankhatolu song in both its happy and sad versions rocks the screen.

Dialogues by Parth and Ninad steal the show with some really smart quips (Front bench this classroom ketlo naano laage chhe ne? Gandhiji nu hathiyaar Lakdi hati!!). Even both the letter sequences displays the amazing grip the Director has on the story. Do listen to the content of the letter written by kids, both times and you will know why these guys are intelligent. Very smart Cinematography by Prahlad Gopakumar keeps us engrossed, especially with lovely close-ups.

All in all, this National Award Winning Gujarati Film has it all to make its mark in the hallmarks of good films for the next few years to come.

Folks, take a bow, you wowed us.

Don’t be a Dhh, watch Dhh Today (no, have not been paid to say this)!

Ventilator -Breath Gujarati

The Story of a large family that appears United yet stands Divided (No reference to Congress)

3 Stars

Jignesh Vasavada

I am cursed to have watched the original Ventilator in Marathi, and now when I watched the Guajrati re-make, I just couldn’t help making comparisons. Just couldn’t help being happy and unhappy.

Few Observations (Please bear with me the comparisons, because they are bound to happen):

1. Why are we Gujaratis portrayed so loud? Apple to Apple, Marathi villagers seem a quieter lot and the humorous scenes hit well there.
2. What would it feel to debut at 90 years? The grandfather in the film, at 90 made his debut in films. Watch out for him, he gives magnificent performances.
3. No one wears helmet in Gujarat, it has to be noted film after film.
4. What is the  Dr Juhi Chawla doing there? Amusing herself and having a ball in a situation which should evoke anger. So misplaced completely avoidable.
5. I was bribed black coffee to say this. The background score was magnificent, flawless and very lucid. It must be noted, Parth Bharat Thakkar has been choosing seats next to me only to influence my decisions for two movies in a row. I must be really important. Its just that the background score here is actually fantastic. Blends very well. Parth you need not have taken so much trouble of stalking me.
6. Manan Desai has never called me so many times to know my view of the film (suddenly I feel so good). Manan too does a fantastic single expression role.
7. Did I actually read Ordertory and idoltory in relation to Mataji and navratri offering?
8. Jai Shri Krishna is not Good Morning. Interesting subtitle issues galore.
9. You can perform in a hospital, the guard stops you yet you continue. Wow.
10. Do notice, Jackie Shroff’s lips are saying something and his dialogues something else.

Well, I admit, I was emotional towards the end. Ventilator, a name that would send shivers down your spine, here is light, rib-tickling, painful, stretched and tear-jerking in various parts. 

Lyricist Niren Bhatt. Pic Coutesy Buddybits

To be honest, there is no clear male/female actor hero of the movie, instead the real heroes are Niren Bhatt (Lyricist), Parth Bharat Thakkar for music (no, not because of the coffee) and the writer (Rajesh Mapuskar).

Gijukaka a father figure is on ventilator and the entire family from Mumbai to Chorwad to Mehsana to Ahmedabad rally around to visit him at the hospital and pay their respects (with a feeling that they may be for the last time). 

Parth Bharat Thakkar with Umang Vyas and Aditya Gadhvi

The film is a magnificent display of emotions excellently captured enough for each viewer to relate/identify with some character or the other in the film with some relative/friend in his/her life. It captures small nuances like the need to repeat the same story over and over again to every new visitor (this too sounded far better in Marathi). Captured also is the excitement of an impending death in the family, the selfishness of self above all else, the Mumbai and small town divide, the relations between father-son, the vast difference between the nature of relatives in villages and city-bred. It is all there. And sorry if I may say a large chunk is captured naturally in Marathi. Sadly in Gujarati it just does not flow well.

Ashutosh Gowarikar giving the Muhurat Clap. Pic Courtesy TOI

Jackie Shroff, personally I think, was a perfect misfit when it comes to dialogue delivery. The entire involvement, natural accent  was missing, killing the purpose. Characters don’t blend as well as they need to. Ojas Rawal a powerhouse of all things funny is completely wasted as is Jayesh More. Pratik Gandhi stands out like a perfect hero. He delivers where it matters. Mitra Gadhvi too does a consistent good job. Sanjay Goradia, a natural comic, after a point becomes cacophonous and unbearable. Why do they have to be so loud.

While the first half is loud and stretched, the second half has all the emotions. Some scenes really stand out as Jackie begins to take control. The scene with Archan Trivedi melts your heart. All the ventilator scenes be it the Grandfather touching the screen or the siblings and even Pratik Gandhi talking to his father are teary ones. You will be left with a lump in the throat and you will have none but Niren Bhatt and Parth Bharat Thakkar to blame.

Do not miss the cameo by Emotions Salesman Malhar Thakar, am saying it after long, he was good. Juhi Chawla is just a pure misfit.

Manan Desai with Director Umang Vyas

Songs are just well blended and would do well. Bhada na Makan ma, Amba Re Amba all stand out.

Well, if you ask me, do not miss this movie. And if you have Netflix or any other service please watch the Marathi one too. I promise you that you will want to re-read my review and agree with my angst.

Watch it, watch it.

Mitron – The Friendly Super-Son

Yeah Yeah, One more 'Different' Gujarati Friendship Story

Jignesh Vasavada

3.5 Stars

There is something very cute about Jackky Bhagnani, that innocent appeal, that adorable bechara feeling that makes you want to buy a movie ticket to his movies. It is this endearing feature of his persona that should have been used to promote the film, they would have saved all the money.

Still there were a lot of learnings while watching this movie:

1. Who will tell me honestly, is this an autobiography of Jackky Bhagnani? Come on, a wannabe chef being forced into movies? Please, poor him.  
2. Who did the homework on Ahmedabad? When does Light ever go in Ahmedabad? Unless of course you cannot afford the excruciating bijlee rates, lights never go off here. Premise hi galat hai. 
3. Love adds speed. Yes, here the family has been searching for the house for 30 plus mins in an innova, a distance that lovers cover in 1.7 mins, yeah yeah that short from Pol to Pol.
4. Why did the hero have a GJ-1 Scooter and Heroine have GJ-4, Aa toh just!!
5. There are one too many Mirror shots, guess they wanted to make a mirror image of the original movie (yes yes this is a re-make).
6. This movie was conceived and shot in the pre-Vijay Nehra days, else the street food cart would have to be replaced every day of the shoot.
7.  Since when did YouTube have an office in Gujarat? And why does it have to have a greek/german/godknowswhat language speaking gori? Why?
8. I wonder, if Lester D’souza, the owner of Upper Crust, is marrying off his daughter, why will he outsource his catering? Why?
9.  Never sit next to a Music Director while watching a movie, I have never focused on the sound so much in my entire life.
10. Yes, this film is about a Gujarati, based in Gujarat, you know how? None of the characters wear helmet while riding a two-wheeler.

Finally, the Bhagnanis have gotten the mantra of success right, only that they got the equation wrong. Touch Gujarati family and you have success, but touch them for a movie then the Gujarati ought to be a financier!!

Boss, what are the characters doing? Speaking Gujarati or Hindi? One of the things that Khichdi got it right was the dialogues and their delivery. Something I feel Mitron ends up confused.

Otherwise the movie is delightful, wish it was in Gujarati, it would have been a run-away hit (though it has all the makings of one here).

Jay (JB) is a good for cooking things is list-less till he decides to marry for money. Avni (Kritika Kamra, with puffed under eyes) is ambitious and being forced to marry. Their lives intertwine and as fate would have it they become business partners. Whether the partnership will go Band Bajaa Baraaat, is anyone’s guess (duh!!). Yeah, Yeah, the movie is as simple as this.

Wonder why did they even have friends when the movie was all about hero and heroine? Guess it was always about three friends (they had to fit them in). Pratik Gandhi excels in whatever role he has been given. Truly class. Prateik Babbar looks good, has no role. He needs more meat in the role than on his body. 

Shivam Parekh (5 dialogues) is absolutely non-utilized. Kritika excels in her debut role and seems to be a bright candidate. Jackky rocks with a brilliant performance. Now, if the film doesn’t work then boss, meet an astrologer, or actually become a Chef!!!

Watch the movie for the screenplay, cinematography and some amazing background score. Truly, very high class. Songs blend very well with the narrative. Overall a good package to spend the weekend with.

And yes, the movie ends with not one, but two songs.

P.S. Please find the screenshot of the True-Caller identity of the number. I have done your bit, don’t waste time on the same. Language is Telugu.

Shu Thayu - Bus Kai Nai

Shu Thayu…Saheb…Tamne Shu Thayu

Jignesh Vasavada

2.5 Stars 

Ahmedabad: August 25, 2018

Expectations are sure a huge burden to carry. The shoulders of Krishnadev Yagnik and team sure seem strong to have been sculpted to carry the same.

So, when Shu Thayu was announced, it was a weighed with the huge burden of the comeback team of Chello Divas (yes, the same film which has more than 25 different versions disguised as Urban Gujarati cinema). Did it really carry the burden well, or are the team themselves saying, Shu Thayu?

Read on, but not before my mandatory 10 observations.

1. Has Malhar lost age and Kinjal gained glamour? My God, what good and nice looking pair!!!

2. The premiere was like a rich wedding party with a proper colour theme. You could actually see bystanders asking, Shu Thayu?

3. Looks like the sequel of Chello Divas is such a huge burden that they even gave Michael the same quantum of role as in the original film.

4. So, there is progress. Helmets are visible with bikes. Only that the heroine’s head is cheaper and less important than the hero’s because only he is wearing the helmet.

5. Every scene is a magnificent product placement. You can actually count the brands, the locations and the products that make their appearance and disappearance.


6. Malhar desperately needs a dialogue (delivery & content) makeover. The stereotyping is also stereotyped.

7. What is By Swear of your mom? I assume, Maa Naa Sum? Dal is lentil soup (for the puritan English speaker) not curry.

8. Over-ambition or pure confidence, the film has sub-titles with the hope of targeting non-Gujarati audience.

9. The producer seems to have used the Karsandas location for a hospital, looks more like a swasthya kendra with MRI facility.

10. So, what is finally the heroine’s name, Deepika, Dipali, or Dipli? You keep wondering all the time.



The madness begins from the word go. The loud gets louder and the overacting gets exaggerated and the film commences. But then you have been promised an unFORGETable laugh riot, so you begin adjusting and taking in, as Manan expresses his love and intention to marry 3D (Deepika/Dipali/Dipli) to her father. A street smart, smart alec fast forwards us through his funny journey of love and acceptance and manages to get a yes and the film begins.

Few situations later our man hits his head on the stone and the audience too feels the pain, all the way to the end. The injury is multi-pronged, the dialogue writer’s head too seems to have been hit, the screenplay writer’s head too, the location guy’s head as well as the gag writer’s head. All of them suffer amnesia/loss of memory, speed, innovation, flow and the product goes for a toss.

In the state of forgetfulness and foolhardiness, Manan’s reception and marriage take place (yes, in the same order) and his friends help him through the entire journey.

What was being built up for a laughter riot, emotion of friends, ingenuity and love turns laborious, unbearable and sometimes funny. There are occasions of laughter and some real good slapstick but most times you are engulfed by the lack of innovation in the scenes and dialogues. The film gives you fun in installments like the Reception sequence, the initial falling in love scene, most of the interactions with Mitra Gadhvi and the friends.


Malhar sometimes even seems to be mumbling dialogues. While he does put on good acts, it just does not add up, after all there is only this much you can do with 4-5 dialogues that have been written for you. Mitra Gadhvi (Chikna) excels in a great performance. His character, his performance, his timings are just spot on. Aarjav Trivedi, drooling in his delivery is pretty artificial, Yash does a good job while the beautiful, glamorous Kinjal Rajpriya is under-utilized. Rest of the characters have a forgettable outing.

The screenplay, the story, the dialogues fall very short of expectations not giving us enough meat to chew on for the 2hrs plus something time. Music is present but nothing stands out. Songs, have good lyrics but not very hummable, at least not in the first go. 

Krishnadev Sir, Chello Divas rocked, Karsandas super rocked, even Vandha Vilas, I personally found it hilarious, but Shu Thayu forces me ask, Saheb, Tamne Shyu Thayu?