Take #23: Tamasha

After 'Love Aaj Kal', 'Jab We Met' and, most recently, 'Highway', we have come to expect two things from Imtiaz Ali: offbeat love stories, and a leisurely exploration of angst and the inner demons. And with this film, once again, he does not disappoint on either count.

Corsica, France. Rich girl meets hamster boy, stuck in a treadmill of his father's choosing. Much melodious music later, they part company, only to meet again four years on. But the hamster is still on the treadmill - and he actually bites! What happens thereafter comprises the absorbing second half of the story.

A gorgeous Deepika Padukone blends into the French Mediterranean as if she were born there. Ranbir puts in a compelling performance as the mediocre engineer leading a double life - one inside him, and the other on the outside. A R Rahman's music wasn't to the standard we've come to expect from him, though it was adequate enough.

This is a narrative narrated by storytellers, with numerous flashbacks and visual metaphors, and is not a script that everyone is going to like. I found it very different, and very refreshing, although Imtiaz Ali came perilously close to losing the plot once or twice.

I have a feeling this movie is going to run. There is nothing else in the way at the moment, and there are enough crowd-pleasers in the film to mollify the hedonistic

Take #22: SPECTRE

What probably happened was that, after the Mission Impossible and Transporter franchises caught the public's imagination, Barbara Broccoli hemmed and hawed and concluded that there was too much competition, so the Bond films needed a complete makeover.

So, just one girl at a time, not a bevy of brilliant bikini bimbettes; a look at Bond the man, rather than Bond the spy; Oscar-quality cinematography rather than merely exotic locales; anti-villains cast in villain roles - more avuncular than menacing; male singers doing the theme songs; dark, stark and broody rather than light and entertaining.

And 146 minutes long as against the standard fare of 90-120.

Sam Mendes is undoubtedly a gifted director, but getting him to do two Bond films is like asking Spielberg to do remakes of Hotel Transylvania and Kung Fu Panda. A clear case of overkill.

No thanks, Barbara. Spectre was more of an Apparition. We don't want Bond hobnobbing with Moneypenny at his house or facing bad guys whom he addressed as Uncle in his youth. We'd like the punchy one-liners back, please, along with bright sunlight and beaches and less shadows and more chases and the usual mad schemer's plot for world domination. We also want more of the nutty sidekicks like Jaws and Odd Job. And yes, we quite liked the cats.

But we're good with both Ralph Fiennes as M and Naomi Harris as Moneypenny. And the women among us are, of course, really, REALLY good with Daniel Craig in his third essay as Bond, but I fancy the men preferred Roger Moore.

Be that as it may - I'm a James Bond fan, so I went ahead and saw this movie, just as I'll see the next one. But I feel I should caution you that watching a new James Bond film is now a habit that could become very easy to break.

And oh, about that kiss: don't blink; you'll miss it.

Take #21: Crimson Peak

After "Zero Dark Thirty", "Mama" and now "Crimson Peak", I can now say with conviction that I am a Jessica Chastain fan.

This was a subtle film, with a number of chilling moments but not really of the horror genre; a film made with incredible finesse, a tribute to both the storytelling as well as the directorial skills of Guillermo del Torro.


Jessica was pure gold in her role of pure evil.


There were just 15 people in the theatre, which was unjust: but then, it is true that there are not many people who will be able to sit through a story such as this.

Take #20: Bridge of Spies

Now in its fourth week, this movie simply refuses to go away from the theatres - and there are two cogent reasons why it shouldn't : Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks.

This absorbing and moving Cold War-era movie, brilliantly directed by Steven Spielberg, tells the story of an insurance lawyer-turned-negotiator (Tom Hanks in a masterfully subtle performance) who arranges a prisoner swap with a few initiatives of his own.

The cinematography is stark and haunting and the growing affinity between Hanks and the phlegmatic prisoner under his charge (a deft performance by Mark Rylance) is beautifully developed.


I haven't read anything about why this film was named the way it was - true, the final exchange takes place on a bridge, and yes, they are indeed spies, but I somehow felt that there was an oblique reference to the "Bridge of Sighs", that little bridge linking two buildings in Venice, one with the interrogation room and the other with the prison block.

Be that as it may, this is an unusual film, and deserves to be seen. If you miss it on the large screen, get hold of the DVD: you won't regret it. An absolute must for Steven Spielberg and tom Hanks fans, in any case.

Take #19: Prem Ratan Dhan Payo

After quite a while, we have another F5 (feelgood factor formula family film) from the Sooraj Barjatya stable. 

And it's not all that bad, really; there are way too many songs, true, but Himesh Reshammiya has done a fairly competent job with the music, and all the songs are short enough so that your patience occasionally strains, but does not snap. For the Bhai brigade, Salman is present in duplicate, and moreover, delivers two perfectly credible performances. Sonam has always been a princess, which came in handy for this film as all she had to do was look glossy. The villainy portions of the film are largely like Tabasco on the table when McD's is served - you can take it or leave it, won't matter either way. The sets, the locales and the cinematography were excellent in parts.

The movie hall, a large one, was completely full, and I think I spotted grandfathers as well as grandchildren - which covers the spectrum of the Rajshri Productions target audience.

In all, a spectacular comeback for Sooraj, a very rewarding year indeed for Salman and a much-needed hit (for hit this is certainly going to be) for Sonam's cinematic bio. The only unhappy segment is likely to be the tomb of Anthony Hope, the author of "The Prisoner of Zenda", on which this story is based - but then, Bollywood wasn't even born in his day.

I had no expectations from this 174-minute film, so I came away quite pleased. I think you might actually feel the same way, if you do see it. Let me know !