Aitraaz

The Indian moviegoer has often witnessed man-sexually-molesting-woman situations on the big screen. In this particular movie a woman is accusing man of molesting her.

The movie Aitraaz tackles the issue of sexual harassment, with the unique spin of placing the man in the position of victim and the woman as aggressor. The film casts Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra in the lead roles.

In the accused box of the courtroom, stands a man, startled and shocked that destiny could lead him there. He is accused of the most heinous crime - molesting his lady-boss. Raj Malhotra (played by Akshay Kumar), who works for a cell phone company, is popular amongst his circle of friends and work colleagues. But his world comes crashing down when he meets Sonia (Priyanka Chopra) again.

Sonia is an ambitious model with great aspirations. She knows what she wants in life. She is prepared to achieve her goals, whatever the price. Her fundas in life are crystal clear: Nothing shall come in between her wants and desires. Raj is well aware that Sonia knew only one way to live and that was her way. And one fateful evening, things did not go her way. Sonia brings Raj's world to a screeching halt. Raj's wife Priya (Kareena Kapoor), once a lawyer herself, is prepared to do anything to protect her husband's honour and dignity.

And from a content housewife, Priya becomes a woman with a mission that she must accomplish. She is now Raj's partner in more ways than one. Thrown into this web of deceit is Raj's boss, Ranjit Roy (Amrish Puri), who happens to be Sonia's husband. He is a mere pawn in her hands. The drama has just begun. The court is far from adjourned… Inspired by Barry Levinson's Hollywood flick Disclosure, Aitraaz has a plot that Indian cinegoers haven't witnessed on the screen yet.

Aitraaz belongs to Priyanka Chopra completely. No two opinions on that! Be it her first appearance or the sequence, Priyanka did full justice to her character in the film.

Kareena has a sugar-and-sweet character till the pre-climax and she does it well. Akshay Kumar underplays his character ably. Amrish Puri is alright. The theme of the movie is extremely provocative. Himesh Reshammiya's music sounds pleasant to the ears. Cinematography is first-rate. On the whole, Aitraaz is a well-crafted thriller.....

Masoom-1983 flim

Masoom is a 1983 Indian film and Shekhar Kapur's first directorial venture. The critically acclaimed film starred Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Supriya Pathak and Saeed Jaffrey, as well as child actors Jugal Hansraj and Urmila Matondkar. The screenplay and dialogues were written by Gulzar and the music was contributed by R.D. Burman. The plot was broadly based on Man, Woman and Child written by Erich Segal. Shekhar Kapoor the director of the movie went on to make several other internationally acclaimed movies in the future like, Bandit Queen and Elizabeth.

Through the medium of the film, the director makes a strong statement that eventually it is the unwanted child who is the real victim of an extra-marital affair. Hence the title of the film, for Masoom means the innocent one.

This Hindi social drama stars Naseerudin Shah as a family man whose everyday domestic life is turned upside down when he discovers that he has an illegitimate child (Jugal Hansraj) from an affair with a past mistress. When the boy's mother dies, he is sent to live with his father. The child's father attempts to hide the truth from his own daughters, but the past eventually catches up with him.

The director opens the film with a brief backgrounder of the boy Rahul whose mother has died and an old headmaster is the only one who this boy can call his own. After the credits have rolled, the second shot is actually the stealer where the family portrait of Naseer’s family is lying on a table and a stray puppy comes and breaks it. This shot establishes the premise of the film. One outsider can disturb the harmony of the this family.

Naseeruddin Shah is a brilliant actor. Shabana’s act of a Punjabi south Delhi housewife Indu Malhotra is par excellence. Many would know by now, the children played by Aradhana (Mini), Urmila Matondkar (Pinky) and Jugal Hansraj (Rahul) completely thaw your heart. These are children, people our age can relate to.

Love Aaj Kal

'Love Aaj Kal' the title itself says about the love in today’s life. Love Aajkal stars 'Saif Ali Khan, Jai, Kashish, Deepika Padukone, Meera Rahul Khanna, Aditya Khanna.

The soundtrack of Love Aajkal was slated to release on 25th June 2009 and the music showcases the songs which are expected to be a big hit among the audiences. It is a story about three couples love in different generations which runs from 1911, moves to 1966 and then eventually culminates to 2005.

Sources say that the main attraction of the movie is the love story between Neetu and Rishi Kapoor which is the first of the three love stories and also different.

Saif Ali Khan as Jai and Deepika Padukone as Meera are modern day couple in London, who likes to lead a practical life to go along with the flow of life.

On the other hand 'Veer' (Rishi) is in deep love with Harleen and is happy just having a glimpse of her face and wishes that she should her life partner in all his lives.

Veer and Jai have different strong opinions about love in life. Is Veer not practical in life or does 'Jai' realize the value of relationship? There's lott more to discover. So guys, to know more, Wait and watch the sizzling pair on the silver screen on 31st July 2009.

New York

New York opens around 7 years after the 9/11 attacks with Omar (Neil Mukesh) being wrongly held captive by the FBI. Investigating officer Roshan (Irrfan Khan) offers to go easy on Omar if he agrees to spy on old-time friend Sameer (John Abraham) who the FBI suspects to be a terrorist.

In contrast, Sameer himself narrates his distressing past to Omar of how he was illegally detained and brutally tortured by the FBI for 9 months, immediately after 9/11 and victimized for being a Muslim suspect in New York.

The terrorism theme comes into picture predominantly in the second half. The physical and mental abuse on innocent Muslims, imprisoned merely on suspicion and their consequent repercussions are effectively portrayed.

But beyond that Aditya Chopra's story doesn't work towards the rehabilitation of the disturbed mind that has taken to the wrong path. In a way, the film turns the villain into more of an antihero imparting him no character change. Above that the climax where the FBI headquarters is held as the terrorist target doesn't go beyond Fanaa frontiers. The terrorist is terminated but the topic of terrorism it tackles keeps long lingering.

All the three lead protagonists of New York are Muslims affected by the 9/11 episode in varied ways and to different degrees. Sameer turns a scapegoat of the situation; Omar's identity gets him in trouble, while Roshan's character (a Muslim investigating on terrorism) offers that ray of hope prevailing amidst discriminating humankind.

The issue of global terrorism somewhere goes for a toss with the film turning into a human emotion drama. As the victim is released from prison and his atrocities are still fresh in your mind, the intensity of his trauma is diluted with a love song stuffed in. The couple further goes on to make love and start a family. More mush comes into picture as Omar confesses his campus feelings to the married Maya (Katrina Kaif) amidst the pre-climax mayhem. Thankfully the traditional Yash Raj triangle is averted. The side-track of a frustrated Muslim driver (Nawazuddin) committing suicide doesn't contribute to the plot and could have been avoided.

John Abraham does well in his frail characterization which could have been much more convincing, intense and effective. Neil Nitin Mukesh looks rehearsed in some scenes but doesn't disappoint. Irrfan Khan never misses any punch in his lines and is as expressive as ever. Katrina Kaif doesn't get the meatier portion and contributes to the sloppy effect.

You just wish the film had a lot more grit, the characters had a lot more depth and the treatment had a lot more sensitivity. Alas New York fails to break new grounds on that note.

London Dreams-A Musical film

London Dreams is an upcoming Bollywood musical film directed by Vipul Shah. Starring veteran actors Salman Khan and Ajay Devgan in lead roles. The film also cast Asin Thottumkal, Rannvijay Singh, Brinda Parekh and Om Puri.

It is the second time when Salman Khan and Ajay Devgan will be seen in a single movie. The first one was superhit Hum Dil Dey Chuke Sanam. Tamil Cinema actress Asin is doing the lead role, replacing Priyanka Chopra and Katrina Kaif.

It is the story of dreams of two childhood friends and reveals the life of a rock star. How they become rock musicians in a rock band named “London
Dreams” in London is the story all about.

The film is supposed to get released in August 2009.

My Name Is Khan

My Name Is Khan is an upcoming 2010 Indian drama based upon a true story. It is directed by Karan Johar, co-produced by Johar and Shahrukh Khan, has a screenplay by Shibani Bathija, and stars Khan and Kajol. The other actors and actresses who had performed in the film include Jimmy Shergill, Bilal Khan and others. Shahrukh Khan had done a splendid job once again.

Cinematography is by Ravi K. Chandran. Khan is a Muslim who as a child (Tanay Chheda) grew up with his mother (Zarina Wahab) in the the Borivali section of Mumbai in India. As an adult, Khan (Shahrukh Khan) falls in love and marries Mandira (Kajol). Khan suffers from Asperger syndrome which impacts social interaction abilities.

Khan is arrested as a suspected terrorist in post - 9/11 Los Angeles after authorities mistake his disability for "suspicious" behavior. After his arrest, he meets Radha (Sheetal Menon), a therapist who helps him.

The music is given by Shankar –Ehsaan –Loy and the music is impressive just like any other films of Karan Johar. The performance of the character artists in the film is very impressive. Although Shabana Azmi left the role of the mother of Shahrukh Khan after being cast initially, Zarina Wahab did do well in the film.

In a nutshell it can be said that the film is going to be a big hit inspite of the negative factors.

Anubhav-Not a pleasant experience to undergo

The story goes like this, Anubhav (Sanjay Suri), Antara (Shruthi Seth) and Aadi (Anoop Menon) are products of the Bombay theatre academy who nurture big Bollywood dreams. But reality soon dawns upon them that those dreams are not to easy to fulfill.

Anubhav during his struggling mission encounters Meera (Gul Panag) who excitedly declares that she is his fan. Both fall in love with each other and get married much to Meera’s rich parents’ wishes.

The theatre guru Ibrahim Vakil (Jackie Shroff) now becomes their sole patron. The film starring Anubhav in the main lead gets stuck midway owing to an untimely demise of their producer.

The basic premise of the film is really interesting since its topical and such things do happen in present times in Bollywood. But once the situations are established and Anubhav turns a male prostitute, the film losses its way.

You also stop caring much about the characters and simply can’t relate to them. Then there is this melodramatic angle forcibly thrown in about Anubhav’s new born daughter’s illness and how Gul Panag thinking their daughter is dead. Some of the dialogues narrated by Sanjay Suri are simply cringe worthy. Agreed the film may be inspired from real life sequences but why be so direct? Was it that important.

Aadesh Srivastava’s music is plain ordinary. Amongst the actors only Gul Panag delivers while Sanjay Suri with his limited set of expressions just doesn’t. Jackie Shroff is simply wasted whereas Shruti Seth, Raj Zutshi and Sudha Chandran hardly have meat in their roles. Anoop Menon is fair.

Having suffered this Anubhav we would like to tell you that it is not really a pleasant experience to under go. Think before you watch the film.