31.10.09 / Bollywood / Author: timepasss / Comments: (0)
He is Hot, he is Cool and he is Sid! He is someone, who comes with a statutory warning ‘Beware ladies! Look…I am coming’. Well, he is Bollywood’s latest blue eyed boy – Ranbir Kapoor, who, with his performance in Wake Up Sid, made everyone sit up and take notice of his talent!
Looking at his ever-increasing fan base, it becomes obvious that he is the eternal youth icon. Hence, it comes as no surprise to know that he is the cover boy of Yuva, the magazine for young India. Ranbir, does belt out a few verbal gems in this freewheeling interview, whereby, on Deepika, he says that “We are like any normal couple with a career. We are busy working, we exchange notes once in while, give feedback to each other, spend time together”. He also clarifies the faster-than-fire kind of rumor that had he and Imran Khan are coming together as partners to form a production company. He rubbishes the rumor saying that, “Let me put it on record, that’s completely false. Imran and I won’t mind doing a film together, but we haven’t found anything that interests us. Even this whole thing about us being very close buddies is just talk”.
Seems like there’s so much more to Ranbir than just his famed chocolate looks. Needless to say then, this issue of ‘Yuva’ is indeed a must-buy for those who know Ranbir and for those who wish to know Ranbir!
31.10.09 / Bollywood / Author: timepasss / Comments: (0)
Make a wish, make a wish….The Djinn, played by the indefatigable Amitabh Bachchan, is the tonic in this Indianized adaptation of Aladin’s arabesque adventures in blunderland.
Once the Big B slams and hurls into the loser Aladin Chatterjee’s life things are never the same again.
Aladin Chatterjee? That could well qualify as the most oxymoronic name-calling in the history of fantasy cinema. Writer-director Sujoy Ghosh has a sly sense of humour. He portrays the bullies and the fakes with great gusto. He brings up his favourite themes such as the music of R.D. Burman and the fears and foibles of the working-class that lives its life in a cande-lit cupcake, in an adventure-caper that’s high on special effects, but somewhat low on narrative muscle.
Once the genie , or the Genius as the Big B calls himself ,arrives and gets the lovely new girl in town(newcomer Jacqueline Fernandez, pretty but vacant) to fall in love with the nerdy Aladin there’s just no room for any forward movement in the plot. All Aladin does is sing and dance and indulge in verbal sparring with his magical mentor.
Mr. Bachchan brings in that special and unique blend of tongue-in-cheek wit and childlike chutzpah to his supernatural role. He played a ghost dost in Bhootnath. He plays Ghosh’s genie as more an entertainer than a meanie. We can’t remember the last time he seemed to be having so much fun. Furnishing the genie’s part with an audacious ingenuity he simply takes you to a world where wishes do come true.
Yup the Bachchan is that kind of a maestro.
Riteish Deshmukh is the perfect foil. Fearful anxious insecure and lonely, Deshmukh’s eyes convey ‘feary’-tales about wounds in rooms filled with conspiratorial ghouls and ogres.
Art director Sabu Cyril creates a magical synthesis of gothic architecture and the quaint but deep mystique of a hill station…right there at Mehboob Studios in Mumbai! Sirsha Ray’s camera has a whale of a time letting the lenses do all the talking, walking and exploring.
Is that a miracle, or what? Aladin could have been one of the most accomplished children’s films ever with special effects that comfortably nudge and wink at its Hollywood counterparts. Instead Ghosh’s narrative gets stuck in repetitive situations…Aladin chased by tormentors (Saahil Khan and co, repeatedly rescued by the phantasmagoric Guardian Angel… Much in the same way that Mr. Bachchan is expected to rescue all the films that feature his name in the credits.
The film’s most unimpressive performance comes from Sanjay Dutt who seems to think he’s Jack Nicholson doing a Joker in Batman Returns.
This Joker is poker-faced. ‘Brat’ Man never returns once he takes off on his own evil journey.
Aladin is a labour of love. It does get laboured at times and the going gets progressively tedious once we get to the point where we get the point.
But the film’s faith in the nurturing qualities inherent in fantasy never flags. You can’t stop yourself from smiling at the antics of the dude who epitomizes longevity.
31.10.09 / Cricket / Author: timepasss / Comments: (0)
NEW DELHI: Australia captain Ricky
Ponting was an angry man on Friday after a watered practice pitch at the Feroz
Shah Kotla stadium hampered the visitors’ preparation for Saturday’s crucial
third ODI against India.
Australia, who arrived in the capital
Thursday evening, were scheduled to practice from 10 a.m. till 1.30 p.m on
Friday, but when they arrived at the stadium they were shocked to see a watered
practice pitch.
Ponting said the wicket was completely soggy and was
not in a condition to be used.
“I was disappointed when I had a look
at the practice wicket which has been watered this morning,” he
said.
“Everyone in the world except the groundsmen knew we were
coming for training and when we came it was completely unusable. By the time
India will arrive wicket will be fine and it’s a disadvantage for us,” Ponting
added.
India will take on Australia in the third ODI on Saturday with
the seven-match series levelled at 1-1.
Australia won the thrilling
series opener in Vadodara on Sunday but riding on Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s
107-ball 124 India thumped the visitors by 99 runs to level the series.
31.10.09 / Cricket / Author: timepasss / Comments: (0)
NEW DELHI: Sachin Tendulkar should cut
down on his limited over appearances to prolong his Test career, feels former
Australia captain Allan Border.
“I have high esteem for Tendulkar and
his achievements in international cricket. But I think, it would be better for
him to appear in fewer limited over matches, including one-dayers. It would help
him to prolong his Test career,” Border said.
Border, who made 11,174
runs for Australia from 156 Tests, feels Tendulkar’s ability to handle pressure
is the mantra behind his success in international
cricket.
“Representing your country for 20 years in international
arena is not a small achievement. There is always a lot of pressure on an
international cricketer and I must say Tendulkar has managed it beautifully,”
Border said.
Tendulkar, who has till date scored 12,773 runs from 159
Tests, since making his debut against Pakistan in Karachi way back in
1989.
“Like many others, his career was also disturbed by injuries.
But even after many ups and downs, Tendulkar still has the same passion and love
for the game,” said Border, who is here as the brand ambassador of Airtel Delhi
Half Marathon to be held on Sunday.
“Tendulkar is a player who always
looks for improvement. It would be very difficult for others to climb to his
stature,” the former left-handed batsman said.
Border also expects a
keen contest between India and Australia in the ongoing seven-match ODI series,
but feels the hosts have the momentum after last night’s comprehensive
win.
“After thrashing Australia in the second match, India certainly
has gained the momentum. But both the teams are evenly powerful and I expect a
close finish, probably a 4-3,” the 54-year-old Aussie said.
Riding on
skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s breathtaking 107-ball 124, India crushed
Australia by 99 runs to claw their way back into the series, which is now
levelled at 1-1.
“India would have a slight edge because they know
the environment. And it is always difficult to deal with so many injuries while
playing such a long series. It’s very important to keep the key players fit,”
Border said.
Australia’s injury woes deepened when wicketkeeper Tim
Paine was ruled out for the rest of the series after he broke his finger during
the second ODI in Nagpur.
“The team (Australia) is still going though
a transition period after retirements of players like Shane Warne, Adam
Gilchrist and Justin Langer. It is always difficult to fill the void,” Border
said.
He also lavished praise on India captain Dhoni for his
leadership qualities.
“Dhoni is a aggressive captain and he has
brought about that attitude in the squad. He is leading by example like what he
did in the last match. He is also getting support from his team-mates,” Border
said.
31.10.09 / Bollywood / Author: timepasss / Comments: (0)
Two friends Arjun and Manu from childhood share a common dream. They both wish to see Manu become a big singing star.
Manu migrates to London with his sullen uncle, runs out of the airport…and becomes a rocker almost overnight! Small and very accommodating world.
The sequence where Manu now grown into a punk-styled Ajay Devgn sings at Trafalgar Square and within 4 minutes acquires three band members could be a self-defining advertisement for opportunities for Asians in Briton. ‘Visa’ -vis artistic license.
The British soil never seemed more welcoming. Although Salman Khan playing the wild and warm Manu is allowed to make innumerable digs at the Indian revenge on their old colonizers, London seems to say namastey most warmly to all the characters in the film.
How is the city to be blamed if the characters secrete a deep dark and negative side to their personality that bubbles to the surface in toxic fumes burning and destroying the music and harmony of the spheres?
Vipul Shah’s London Dreams aims for a more penetrating and profound look at the life of Asians in Briton than Namastey London. The characters here are far more complex and dark. But their presence is constantly challenged by the predictable and often banal narrative.
From the first few frames when we see the two friends in rural Punjab share Arjun’s international musical dreams, we know exactly the way this story is heading. And that includes the love triangle that grows in London among the intense self-flagellating Arjun, the carefree Manu and the happy-go-’lanky’ girl next-door.
One of the films 7-8 truly warm sequences shows Asin practising Bharat Natyam in front of her ultra-conservative Tamilian father. The dance steps transform into aritzy jig the minute pop ain’t looking. MTC, here she ‘combs’.
Such moments are far too in-between in Vipul Shah’s sober-and-straight narrative. Even when Manu played at a range that goes from jaded to involved by Salman Khan, is being facetious he does it in a clocked and correct way. Sponatenity is at a low premium among these wannabe rock stars.
No matter what the length of the rock band-members’ hair no one is in a hurry here to let their hair down. They’d rather let each other down. The dramatic confrontations work when they’re done unselfconsciously. Some of them, like the confrontation between the two Pakistani brothers in a back -alley of London after the one tells the other about Arjun’s treachery and betrayal, is plainly mawkish.
Because the film forever has its pale heart in the right place the length (nearly 3 hours) is largely excusable. The meandering atonal music score by Shankar-Ehsan-Loy is not.
Why would stadiums filled with gora log be screaming at our rockers singing these listless songs? And what does the dream of the band London Dreams really mean?
Move on to the wider questions of jealousy, malevolence, insecurity and over- ambition….and the film delivers wispy wallops in a steady and honest tone. Though the music is plainly awful the background score by Salim-Suleiman fights a pitched battle against the mediocrity of the songs.
Sejal Shah’s cinematography is outstanding, often capturing the characters in various phase of emotional breakdown against the quaint neat London backdrop.
Among the cast Ajay Devgn gets to the heart of his troubled and over-reaching character and pulls out a well-balanced performance, though he hardly looks like a rock star (the multiple earrings and other exterior preparations make us cringe).The curly-haired newcomer Aditya Roy Kapoor is an interesting presence.
