Prem Prakaran

A love triangle between the Hot, Hotter & the Hottest.

First & Foremost hats off to the team for withdrawing their release to accommodate The Kashmir Files.

A rare gesture.

Such rarity is also the film, rare to see a good, classy and cool Gujarati film.

The film is a great product.

The hero of the film is the music. Begins and ends only at the climax. Take a bow Amit Trivedi, you have created pulsating scores that not only maintain the pace but also gives a brilliant direction to the entire prakaran. Songs like Laagni, Zidd, Yaado Taari Tu Nahi To, Kori ne Kaachi liven up the entire experience of the prakaran. Niren Bhatt’s lyrics too touch your heart, though none have yet become hummers. Singers Jigardaan, Ishani, Siddharth Amit Bhavsar too have responded very well.

But first, there are some Prem Lessons you will get:

Prem is Love

Prem is like a label

Prem is not like cigarette.

Prem is like Nasha.

Prem is like Memory.

Prem goes but memories remain.

Prem needs to take memories with it.

Prem is a letter from the past.

Prem break-up & make-up always happens best on a bridge.

Prem is not all signals.

Prem failure makes you paddle your cycle harder.

God so much pressure on Prem, wonder what would happen to his performance.

 Furthermore, we learnt:

If you are a science student you will do arranged marriage.

If a girl gives the mother a chitthi meant for a boy, she will not read it.

MICA has an MBA and MNC job pays only Rs 22,000, might as well have joined a local.

Now, lets get serious. I went to the movie to watch two of my favourite actors, Deeksha Joshi & Sanjay Galsar. They did not disappoint. Deeksha at her goofy and beautiful best and Sanjay in his normal elements always stole the show.

But as I came out, I had added two more to my favourites list.

Director Chandresh Bhatt. Man, you are a find. What a great package.

Esha Kansara. Always liked her act, but here she completely lit up the screen from her first scene. What an amazing essay.

The story is about Aditya (always-teary-eyed, Gaurav Passwala) who falls in love with his school mate Aarti Vyas (Deeksha) who friend-zones him and life goes on. A series of turns later Aditya is dejected and shifts to Ahmedabad where not only does he become rich (wonder how!) but also classy and beardy. But his love continues to burn for Aarti till one-sad-rendition-of-the-sad-song-hothon-se-chhu-lo-tum, a rendition so sad, even Jagjit Singh cried in his grave, he meets Riya (Esha Kansara).

Now the story takes off from here and comes to point where it forms a triangle. Who will Aditya choose? That you will have to go to a theatre and watch the glamour in person.

All I can say is, you know who it would be and yet you will enjoy the reveal.

The movie is at least 20 mins too long, but the music does not make you feel the length. There are times when you wish it would pace up. But the overall chemistry among friends, lovers and the team, makes it really stand out.

Gaurav Passwala looks good and carries the role well. Besides the lead even the friends are well chosen and the entire team led by Maulik Chauhan, Manan, Deep, Aariz, Mehul Nilesh do a great job in keeping the film lively. Even the Katko, replaced by Chashma act of Manan is good.   

The frames are Bollywood, the feel is classy Suraj & Pratik have done a good job on the camera. Even Junagadh looks classy in the entire experience. Heck even the costumes are truly a class apart lifting the film.

All in all, it is a good movie, worth investing your time and money. It is not every day that you come across such good movies from

One dialogue stands out: Past is a good place to visit not to Stay.

Go Watch it Today 

Kem Chho – Maybe Majama

Jignesh Vasavada 2.75 Stars Universal saga of a married man trapped with a gorgeous kathiawadi wife, nagging parents, wayward brother and an underpaid job in this beautiful world.

 

It is one of those times in my life as a movie reviewer (as opposed to a critic) that I am bemused (not confused). People next to me, around me were all laughing away to glory while I was chuckling once in a while and scratching most of the time.

That is the effect Kem Chho has on you as a movie. And Mind you, there was more male laughter than female laughter. No marks for guessing why.

Taking a break from the routine let me try and present the rights and the wrongs.

All that is Right

The premise of the movie is perfect. Happy to note that filmmakers are now experimenting with slice of Gujarati life concepts in films too. It is a positive change.

Promoted as a saga of a married man, Kem Chho got its Target group right. They know, like all Bollywood does, connect to the heart of a married man, he will spend any amount of money to watch his own plight projected on the large screen.

Next is the star cast. Tushar looks like a poor, tall, bechara married man (with a slight paunch). He has done an above average job and could have done better if the role and story had been defined more.  Kinjal Rajpriya rocks in the look and the dialogue department. She has been the girl to watch in recent times. Right from Shu Thayu, Kinjal has shown that she is capable of not only acting well but adapting to characters and presenting herself very effectively. Watch out for her too.

Chetan Dahiya, the natural humorist always scores effortlessly. His presence brings life on the screen. Ditto with Jay ‘Palty’ Panda.

Rest all, fit into their respective places decently.  

Dialogues, some punchy and some funny, overall, this department scores well too. Sorryavansham joke was a killer. 

Songs are nice and hummable. They sound good to listen to and may hit a chart or two.

The hoardings, publicity, outreach and the timing is all in the right place. You cannot afford to miss any of this.

All that is NOT Right

Why the subtitles, baba? The dialogue and subtitles were all over the place.

Where is the story? Why so many sub-plots? Why digress from the married man’s gatha to force the audience to pakdo their matha? Story is loose and at most points appears to be dragging. There are just too many subplots which could have been done without. Somehow we keep losing the focus from the dreary life of the hero and heroine and get dragged into unwanted storylines. Too many loose ends are not tied too.

Connected to this is the pace and duration. This film could very well have been 20-30 mins crisper and would have communicated the same message well.

The viewer feels stupid at some very illogical twists.

Why would an insurance guy go to a 80 year ill man to sell a policy?

So, your wife is talking about divorce and you simply jump out to meet an ex-flame?

Your son/husband/brother has locked himself in a room to commit suicide and all you do it just keep banging the door???? Really?

You want to supplement your family income and you only make one feeble attempt at selling?

Your father has been a violent person for all your 20+ years of life and just two dialogues make him forget everything and turn into a good man?

Come on, please. I am confident the writer and filmmaker is much more intelligent to commit such mistakes.

Still, I suggest, go out and watch this once, especially if you are a married man. You never know what scene, dialogue or event you may connect with.

No, I promise you, no married man cried at the end of Kem Chho (still wonder why this name!)

Pics Courtesy Movie Promotions 

Short Circuit – The Name Says it All

Jignesh Vasavada 

2.5 Stars

A film on time, about time finally out before it went out of time.

I always knew that being a Radio Jockey has its privileges. But being a good Radio Jockey has its baggage. Everyone expects you to be everything and there lies a trap. Not too many have bitten the bullet, and yet a few have been ‘Short Circuited’.

Short Circuit is a good looking package which needed a strong shoulder.

But first few Observations:

1. Why can’t Government pass a rule saying all Heroes need to compulsorily wear a helmet. Not only the lead man but his side kick too travel without helmets, so much for safety campaigns.
2. Wonder where does one get Alcohol so easily? All Gujarati movies show freely available alcohol!
3. Check out the tie-knot. It keeps automatically loosening and tightening.
4. Why does a security guard always have to be hindi speaking, not to mention, a dumb fool.
5. Did she actually say it or I heard it wrong, Baking News (at the Dangee Dums outlet)? Hear it out.  
6. Just because you are the hero, you won’t even allow your friend to take his chance at the pool table?
7. So, the girl is a PhD in Quantum Physics, yet she asks about Northern Lights!
8. Artificial Intelligence has taken a leap for Gujarati! Wow Silicon Valleybhai, Ae Haaaalo J J
9. Here is a gun that vaporizes flesh, bones and everything yet cannot do the same to plastic glasses? Wow!
10. First ever research facility where lab assistants (in orange overalls) have guns and security has a stick!

 

Well, now comes the tricky part, reviewing the story without revealing it.

Samay (RJ Dhvanit), an engineer is caught in a time loop/time bounce. Events keep happening and he keeps bettering his action plan to counter the murder of his first-sight-love Seema (Kinjal Rajpriya). Assisting him in this endeavor is his funny friend Bhopo (Smit Pandya).

As sequence keeps repeating things begin to happen and the movie moves towards a definite but very prolonged end. Yes, the story is crisp, short and very pointed.  

Any further and I will spill the beans, so let me stick to evaluating the performances.

The film is and around RJ Dhvanit. Well, to be honest without being hurtful, he still needs to learn to act, run, eat namkeen, give different expressions, sleep in the right position and get the right angles. His body and body language needs a serious boost. There is a kind of monotony in his method that does not help build the story.

Kinjal Rajpriya does a good job. She looks fresh and very much in the role (though her Shuu Thayu beauty is missing). If Smit Pandya had carried the previous venture alone on his shoulders, this time he just does not get the space, time or enough dialogues. A little more and he would have filled a lot of gaps.

Utkarsh Mazumdar, the scientist looks and feels strained. A little younger talent would have helped the cause. A talking villain Jacob (Vikee Shah) stretches the end way too much. Music wise, Mehul Surti has managed to keep it non-interfering and helps keep the pace (whatever little it has). Cinematography rules here. Jeremy Reagan makes the entire experience pleasant.

The story, well, I will leave this part blank.

The marketing of Short Circuit may have gone overboard in promoting this as Gujarat’s First Sci-Fi film. For a fledgling industry like Dhollywood, it would be prudent if we rate original works as First or Second. Else, simply let the Box Office do the talking.  

Well, is it worth a watch? Why not? If you are a RJ Dhvanit fan, if you do not watch English movies, if you want to see something different, yes it is worth your quick time (it is a sharp 2 hr film). Only don’t get caught in the time loop beyond 12 midnight, because, one min late and the language would change.

Happy Viewing.

Pictures Courtesy: Short Circuit Promotional Material

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)!

What the Bhakt!! I Am

भक्त {bhakt} = DEVOTEE(Noun)
Usage:Mira Bai was a devotee of Lord Krishna.

भक्त {bhakt} = ADMIRER(Noun)
Usage:she had many admirers

भक्त {bhakt} = AFICIONADO(Noun)
उदाहरण:गांधीजी सच्चाई के भक्त थे |
Usage:Mahatma gandhi was aficionado of truth

And then there is Bhakt Prahalad (better name for Blue Prints in days when they were not so easily available).

Wonder what kind of A Bhakti am I demonstrating when I speak good and positive about the Country and its leadership?

But off late this word has come to haunt anyone who speaks in favour of the Government (read as Modi). Not to mention, anyone who speaks against is called sickular.

I have a pro-Congress ex-boss who revels in calling me a Bhakt (a Modi Bhakt). I have no issues whatsoever being referred to it, but what hurts is that this polarization is making people miss the moot point that people cannot be branded with the same colour for the stance they take. As, both stance and life are dynamically related to experiences and circumstances.

There was a time when most of Modi lovers had developed a soft corner for Arvind Kejriwal and would have surely voted had it not been for 49 days debacle (I for one would sure have), then why am I still a Modi Bhakt?

Why am I not a Bhakt for Society? Why am I not a Bhakt for India? Why am I not a Progress and Development Bhakt? Why am I not a proud Desh Bhakt?

At the core of the issue are two facts,

Others cannot tolerate change.

Others are still caste ruled.

Others believe Congress is meant to rule and hence deserves to rule no matter what.

Bhakts believe Modi should be given a fair and positive chance, change is way of life.

Others feel India second rulers first.

Bhakts feel India First and Modi second.

Others believe Rahul will rise and rule the world.

Bhakts believe, that too may happen, till then let the next best man run the country.

Others believe, Modi is always wrong and can do no right.

Bhakts believe he can be right and can be wrong too. But you cannot see him in a single lens.

Others cling on to the past and refuse to allow the future.

Bhakts learns from it and attempts to better the future.

To Others, people cannot change, cannot make mistakes, cannot go wrong.

Bhakts believe everyone is human and can and should get a second chance (let Rahul return)  

 

Others will dig, compare and bring out statements from the past and compare them.

Bhakts will move on and look forward.

But, if this is not affecting me, why am I even writing a blog on the same. Guess, I am right. I should stop it right away and focus on living a life, rather than be bothered.

Yes, if it pleases you, I am a Bhakt. Any Bhakt you may want me to be maxkyahoga Others 
will be happy bus.