FIRST LOOK: Right Yaaa Wrong

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Fox - Movie Review

Making a suspense thriller is tough. To keep the audience attentive, besides keeping the viewer guessing till the end, requires complete understanding of the craft.

Deepak Tijori had attempted a suspense thriller earlier [most storytellers have a penchant for this genre] and FOX, a complex theme, is more of a challenge for him. So, does Tijori get it right? Initially, yes. But Tijori loses it all towards the post-interval portions. The culmination is the thorn in the flesh.

Verdict? This fox lacks the bite!

Arjun [Arjun Rampal] is a successful criminal lawyer whose knowledge and aggressive interpretation of the law makes him a name to reckon with. He is reputed to have never lost a case and can get anyone acquitted, no matter what the crime. No wonder then, criminals swear by his name.

After years of saving criminals from punishment, one day, torn with guilt, he decides to quit his law practice and change for good. However, someone seems to be unwilling to let him go so easily. Now, Arjun is in a race to save himself and must use the help of his girlfriend Urvashi [Sagarika Ghatge] and a police officer Yash [Sunny Deol] before it's too late.

FOX starts off very well. The suspense builds up beautifully… in fact, everything's going fine till it's time to lift the veil of secrecy. A number of sequences are truly well canned and the characters and situations only evoke mystery. In fact, FOX has an intriguing start and an absorbing middle.

But, as mentioned at the outset, the conclusion lacks fizz. The film ends on a tepid note, with things suddenly turning 'filmy'. The villain's motive seems so bizarre and predictable that it puts you off instantly. In fact, whatever impression you may've generated evaporates into thin air.

Nigam Bomzan's camerawork is striking at places. But why is the camera shaking so much? Hand-held camera movement even during courtroom sequences is disturbing to the eye. Monty Sharma's music is sloppy, although the background score is alright.

Sunny Deol is restrained this time. Arjun Rampal looks perfect for his part. But why is he sporting a hideous wig at the start? Udita Goswami is wasted. Where does she disappear midway? Sagarika Ghatge is convincing. Vipul Gupta is a confident entrant. Ravi Gossain is okay.

On the whole, FOX fails to hook your attention. At the box-office, despite the presence of star-names, the fizz would be missing.

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Stars are not shooting!

There was a time was when actors like Govinda would shoot for six films a day.

Yup in the 80s through part of the 90s, most actors be it Anil Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt would invariably be shooting at least two shifts a day for different productions. “With actors picking their projects with precision now, this phenomena is a thing of the past,” says trade consultant Amod Mehra.

When producer NR Pachisia wished to take a couple of his guests on a set recently, he discovered that a majority of the Bollywood superstars/stars were not on a film set. BT found out that:

Aamir Khan: Has just wrapped up a schedule of Three Idiots. He is currently gymming, playing badminton and table tennis and interacting with media personalities

Shah Rukh Khan: Is shooting for various brands that he endorses or is busy with press conferences. The actor has recently returned from London after a vacation.

Hrithik Roshan: Is practising for his role as a paraplegic in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Guzaarish. His shooting schedule was delayed by a couple of days because of his co-stars’ previous commitments.

Salman Khan: Is busy attending mahurats and chilling at home while he waits for the next schedule of his home production Veer to begin.

Kareena Kapoor: Cutting ribbons in New Delhi, will do a show in the US and ring in Saif Ali Khan’s birthday on August 16 in Switzerland.

Katrina Kaif: Will return from London soon and resume dubbing for Raj Kumar Santoshi’s Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani.

Vivek Oberoi: Is holidaying in USA till August 10.

Fardeen Khan: On a brief vacation with in-laws in London.

Sunny Deol: Is home, and has to begin dubbing for his next release Fox.

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Fox - Theatrical Trailer - Video

Fox - Theatrical Trailer - Video

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First Look: Fox

Fox starring Arjun Rampal and Sunny Deol is due for an early September release.

Zee Motion Pictures, in association with Rohit Kumar Productions and Tijori Entertainment, is ready to roll out with its first Hindi production Fox which is directed by Deepak Tijori and stars Sunny Deol, Arjun Rampal, Sagarika Ghatge and Udita Goswami. Music is by Monty Sharma.

Fox is a modern sleek thriller shot in the exotic locales of Goa and Mumbai. It is a story about a cat and mouse chase between a young successful criminal lawyer (Arjun Rampal) and a mysterious stranger who is controlling and threatening his life. Now the lawyer must seek the help of a reluctant cop (Sunny Deol) in solving the mystery.

Arjun Rampal has had a successful return to cinema in recent times with hits like Om Shanti Om and Rock On. What is to be seen is if he can carry the run with Fox, which from the look of it has an intriguing name and will also see the return of Sunny Deol after a long gap. He was last seen in Heroes which tanked at the BO.

Deepak Tijori isn’t particularly a great filmmaker to watch out for and all his films so far, such as Oops and Fareb have been washouts.

Sanjeev Lamba, Zee Motion Pictures says- 'Fox is our first offering as independent producers in the Hindi film market, and we are all eagerly looking forward to its release. This stylish and suspenseful thriller has Arjun Rampal and Sunny Deol together for the first time, a very powerful combination on the screen.'

Sure, this one looks like a watch.

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Fox - First Look

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Shilpa’s tantrums trouble Sunny Deol

He also ends up spending more money

Shilpa Shetty has been accused of throwing tantrums and acting pricey on the sets of Sunny Deol’s film “The Man”.

Shilpa, who was shooting for a song sequence, apparently demanded senior professional fighters for the sequence, which required her to jump on to the crowd.

Producer Sunny and director Neeraj Pathak are said to have had a real tough time over this. They tried their best to convince Shilpa to shoot without the professionals but the actress did not listen to them and finally the two had to give in to Shilpa’s demands.

Professional fighters were called in and junior artistes were asked to leave the set. Due to this the cost of the song shot up.

In past Sunny has worked with Shilpa in films such as “Himmat” (1996), “Indian” (2000) and “Apne” (2007) but we wonder if they’ll work together again after “The Man”.

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Dharmendra and Sunny Deol on ‘10 Ka Dum’

It’s father-son’s first joint appearance on TV

Salman Khan’s name and presence was enough to draw the ever reticent and rarely-seen-in -public Sunny Deol to the game show ‘10 Ka Dum’.

And what’s more, Sunny Deol will be teaming up with his dashing dad Dharmendra.

The father-son duo will be seen for the first time ever on a TV show in this week’s episode of ‘10 Ka Dum’ on Sony TV. Catch them together at 9.00pm on July 4, 2009.

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Heroes - Movie Review

Jog your memory a bit. Samir Karnik's first two movies [KYUN HO GAYA NA, NANHE JAISALMER] have been critical and commercial disasters. But Samir has assembled an impressive cast for his new outing HEROES. The billboards look really impressive. You think, chalo, dekhte hain, will Samir deliver this time? Will his fortunes change for better? Come to think of it, you saunter into the auditorium with zilch expectations. HEROES is an underdog.

Before we delve any further, let's clear a few misconceptions pertaining to this film. Just because the promos highlight the men in uniform, it doesn't mean HEROES is a 'war film'. Sure, it talks about love for the nation, but HEROES is not anti-Pakistan, is not jingoistic either, is nowhere close to BORDER, LOC and the likes, in terms of content.

HEROES talks about a journey undertaken by two boys and the three letters they've to deliver to the families of the deceased. HEROES is more of an emotional experience, how each family copes with life after their beloved has become a martyr.

Besides evoking strong emotions, HEROES also arouses strong patriotic feelings. There're moments in the film that compel you to salute those who guard our nation, so that we can sleep in peace. At the end, the message it delivers is simple -- You don't have to be a soldier to love your country.

Back to the two pertinent questions we raised at the outset. Question 1, Does Samir deliver? HEROES is a revelation. Cinema is all about narrating stories and Samir proves that he's a proficient storyteller. Question 2, will he prove lucky this time? Well, HEROES has all it takes to strike a chord, with family audiences mainly. The moments linger in your memory much after the show has concluded.

Final verdict? HEROES salutes the heroes who guard our nation. It's a powerful film. A moving experience!

HEROES is the story Sammy [Sohail Khan] and Ali [Vatsal Sheth] who travel a thousand miles to deliver three letters as a part of their film school assignment. But little do they know that the journey they have embarked upon will give a new meaning to their life.

HEORES unfolds in three chapters. But before that you get to see the wild side of two misled youth who don't take life seriously. The first chapter, Salman-Preity, is the highpoint of the film. The emotional moments in this chapter are worth applauding. Note the moments between Salman-Preity and also between the kid [Dwij Yadav] and the two youth. The scene at the Indo-Pak border -- the fence dividing the two nations -- is amazing. Watch Preity missing her husband and also embracing his uniform. Another brilliant stroke! This chapter deserves a 10 on 10 for its high emotional quotient and captivating performances.

Chapter 2 is slightly less impactful than Chapter 1. The portions between Sunny and Bobby are well executed, but the writing isn't as compelling. Yet, the fight sequence -- when a group of hooligans act smart with Sunny's girlfriend [Hrishitaa Bhatt] -- is superb. Sunny's 'dhai kilo ka haath' and the way it shatters the tiles on the floor leaves a strong impact. Watch this sequence with the masses and you'd only hear whistles and claps. Another scene from this chapter -- Sunny paying his last respects to Bobby -- is moving.

The third chapter [Mithun, Dino] is the softest link. Nothing wrong with the writing or its execution, but something is missing, the pace suddenly dips. The match in the end works mainly because it has been edited well.

Samir Karnik takes giant strides as a storyteller. Binod Pradhan and Gopal Shah's cinematography is top notch. The DOPs have done complete justice to the panoramic locales of North India. Sajid-Wajid's music is a major asset. 'Mannata' is the pick of the lot. What a soothing composition! Ditto for 'Makhana' [filmed on Sunny, Bobby]. Dialogues are magnificent at places.

The ones who leave the maximum impression in this multi-starrer are, in this order, Salman [superb; one of his finest works], Preity [outstanding; has spoken Punjabi so fluently], Sohail [pleasant surprise; evolving into a very fine actor], Sunny [very likeable] and Mithun Chakraborty [mature]. Bobby is effective in a cameo. Wish he would've got more footage. Vatsal Seth is decent. Dino is just about okay. Dwij Yadav is first-rate. Prateeksha Lonkar is fair. Amrita Arora and Ria Sen are passable.

On the whole, HEROES is a genuinely well-made film with strong emotions as its trump card. At the box-office, the pre-Diwali dull phase notwithstanding, it has the merits to climb the ladder with a strong word of mouth. The film deserves to be tax-exempted for its noble theme and noble intentions.

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Heroes cast attend Durga Puja event in Kolkata

Shah Rukh Khan did the dhunuchi dance at a Durga Puja mandap in Kolkata last Saturday. And today, Brand Ambassador Mithun Chakraborty has invited the cast and crew of Heroes to attend the grand aarti at the Badamtola Durga Puja in Kolkata.

Mithun admits, "I invited the cast and crew of Heroes to participate in the maha aarti at Badamtola. Sohail (Khan), Vatsal Sheth and producer Vikas Kapoor are expected to attend. Vikas, the producer of Heroes, is a dear friend, and I enjoyed working in the film hence the invitation to all."

Mithin is the brand ambassador of the Badamtola Durga Puja. The actor will be dressed in the traditional dhoti-kurta for the maha aarti.

He says that this is the first time that a puja has been branded, "I want the people behind this grand industry (Pujas) to flourish like the dhaki players and the idol makers. I want at least one puja earning to go to them for the full year and I am very sure that after seeing me, some other star will brand some other puja tomorrow. I hope the corporates too join in some big way."

When quizzed if he was paid to be the brand ambassador, he says, "Money has never been a criteria. The request came from a person who is very close to my heart almost like a younger brother. I wanted to stand by this cause.

Tomorrow, if another star becomes a brand ambassador and charges mega bucks, I have no problems with that. At least, my cause will be fulfilled because wherever there is a big star, a big corporate will follow."

After the maha aarti Mithun will be flying off to Hyderabad to cheer his ICL team, The Royal Bengal Tigers, which will play against the Lahore Badshahs of Pakistan on October 12.

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First Look - Heroes

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Apne - Movie Review

With SHRADDHANJALI, his directorial debut, Anil Sharma proved that he could make you moist-eyed. With HUKUMAT, he proved that he could pull off a vendetta fare with gusto. With GADAR, he proved he could handle a love story with two neighboring countries as the backdrop with remarkable ease.

APNE, his new endeavor, is all about familial bonding. In a way, the storyteller goes back to his roots in his new outing -- emotions.

APNE casts a father [Dharmendra] and his two real-life sons [Sunny, Bobby] in roles that suit their personalities. Besides, the backdrop of boxing makes the conflict in the story look convincing.

APNE is rich in emotions and a number of sequences, especially those between Dharmendra and Sunny, are electrifying. Also, the boxing matches [Chris Anderson] are pulse-pounding and you clench your fists tightly due to the tension that's depicted on screen.

But APNE has its share of shortcomings as well. Ideally, the film should've had a concise format of 2.15 hours, instead of 2.54 hours. Besides, the screenplay, although tight at most times, succumbs to mediocrity at places. Music too is another aspect that should've had a lingering effect, since it's not everyday that the three Deols come together.

To sum up, APNE is desi at heart and holds appeal for those who swear by desi flicks. A worthy effort nonetheless!

Baldev Singh Choudhary [Dharmendra] won a silver medal in the Olympics and made India proud. His only dream was to make history by becoming India's first World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. But sometimes dreams get shattered before they can be realized.

When in the U.S., fighting for the World Heavyweight Championship, the betting mafia conspires against him and gets doping charges leveled against him, which gets him banned from boxing.

For an athlete nothing can be worse than doping charges. Baldev wants to get rid of this stigma and pain by training his elder son Angad [Sunny Deol] in the sport of boxing and make him a World Heavyweight Champion and create history which eluded him.

But Angad has some other dreams, other aspirations, other commitments… Karan [Bobby Deol], the younger son, a musician, in spite of wanting to fulfill his father's dreams, is helpless. But the story takes a turn when Karan decides to live his father's dream. The situation spirals out of hand subsequently…

APNE grips you gradually. Anil Sharma and writer Neeraj Pathak open the cards at the very outset. The uneasy relationship shared by the father and son [Dharmendra, Sunny], Dharmendra's failed ambition, the turning point in the tale [when Bobby steps in to fulfill his father's dreams] make the goings-on watchable. The narrative only gets absorbing when the focus shifts to the boxing ring and the opponent [Luca] steps into the picture.

But there's a flip side too. The choreography of these sequences [in the boxing ring] is so real that it can be off-putting as well, especially for the faint-hearted. Also, the climax is well crafted, but, ideally, it should've ended when Sunny overpowers the opponent. The subsequent portions [Bobby's liver problem] only add to the excessive length.

Director Anil Sharma handles the emotional sequences brilliantly. In fact, a number of scenes bear the stamp of a solid storyteller. The screenplay [Neeraj Pathak] is taut, except for a few loose ends. Himesh Reshammiya's music is a complete letdown. Barring the title track, the remaining songs are uninspiring. Kabir Lal's cinematography is topnotch. The lush green fields and locales of North India give the film a rich texture.

APNE belongs to Dharmendra. No two opinions on that. The veteran roars like never before and proves yet again that he's a magnificent actor. Sunny is first-rate. Bobby is alright, but the one complaint that you hold against him is, why didn't he work on his physique when he accepted this role? If he's playing a boxer, he can't afford to show his flabby chest and stomach.

The leading ladies don't have much to do. Shilpa at least gets a few scenes, while Katrina is there to flutter her eyelashes only. Kirron Kher is superb yet again. In fact, she has a far meatier role than the two ladies. Divya Dutta is wasted. Victor Banerjee is natural. Jawed Sheikh gets minimal scope. Aryan Vaid is alright. Luca is excellent.

On the whole, APNE is rich in emotions and has the potential to strike a chord with families. Those who love emotional fares are bound to take a liking for its theme. At the box-office, it has the power to grow with a strong word of mouth. Business in North India will be the best. However, trimming the film will only elevate its status.

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