Bang Bang!

 

Beautiful people, beautiful attires, beautiful locations, beautiful camera work, beautiful sets, beautiful music and beautiful dance, that is “Bang Bang!”. Just watch it to be relived from everything and get entertainment and come out with a beautiful feeling. As, producer and director have already called it out the official remake of “Knight and Day” so please do not crib if you find similarities. I am happy that Bollywood has come of age when directors used to copy Hollywood without acknowledging, thanks to the multiplex revolution, audience get to see English movies with their international release.

I am not going to write about the plot since it is very much evident and also, if you ask me I don’t watch such movies to find relevance in plot. The movie is not about the exact story, it is a genre Bollywood is experimenting with and Bang Bang comes out as a pure success. Before Bang Bang, Dhoom 3 and Ek Tha Tiger were also big success in this genre; Of course there were less likeable movies also in this genre like Krish 3, Ra One etc.

The director, Sidharth Anand has perfectly channelized his energy at right places in the movie. Correct mix of romance, action, drama and comedy is the formula for such movies. And all the others ingredients such as music, locations, sets costumes and stars (mind it, these type of movies needs star power and not “actors”.!!!) should ingratiate the experience of the viewer. Producer definitely plays very important role in this genre of movies. A small tightness in any of the section of the movie can ruin it. But Fox Star Studios has left no stone unturned and spent lavishly on all the departments of the movie. One can easily make it out by searching for real Dehradun or Shimla near to Hrithik’s and Katrina’s homes which probably were set up somewhere in Europe.

Hrithik has performed his part with exceptional zeal. His action sequences are mind boggling. Katrina looks amazingly beautiful. Her costumes are extra ordinarily beautiful. Cinematographer has done exceedingly well job. If at all any award will be given to this movie, it should atleast be for its cinematography and action choreography. Music is lovable and production design is extra ordinary.

Finding Fanny

As these lines in the climax from the voice over of Deepika Padukone suggest “we only die, love never dies, its always there, you just have to find it, you have to knock on the door even if the door is not there.” The movie is about finding love. The intrinsic message that movie gives is, love does not die and it gives you second chance, you just have to realize it.

Ferdie (Naseerudin Shah) is postmaster in a fictional sleepy village of Goa called Pocolim. One fine night he receives a 46 old letter under his door which he wrote to his then sweetheart Fanny expressing his one-sided love towards her and awaited for 46 years for her reply. He confides about this letter to Angie (Deepika Padukone) who, being a wedding day widow, has nothing else to do but to fulfill other people wishes. She takes up this task to unite this long separated couple. She manipulates her first love Savio (Arjun Kapoor) to drive an old car owned by a pugnacious crazy painter (Pankaj Kapoor) who is in love with the figure of Rosie (Dimple Kapadia) and desperately wants to draw her. These Five obnoxious people starts a road trip to find Fanny the lost love of Ferdie but they all end up finding their true love after going through many hilarious but magnificent, life changing events through the trip. Also, they come to know a lot of hidden truths buried with each of them about other, when these come out in open make the other person shocked and audience astounded.

Homi Adajania has created a marvelous piece of art. He has very subtly narrated truths of life by telling crazy stories of these five dysfunctional people and then intertwining these stories together. The ability of Homi of stitching all the stories together is extra-ordinary that we have already seen in Being Cyrus. I am not sure if I can call the story very ordinary because when converted into screenplay and see each story from other person’s perspective makes it very interesting; and revelation of all those small – small but big truths of life towards the end makes it outstanding. The dialogues are quirky and you can find few adult jokes, already shared on social media, here and there. 

Deepika looks amazingly simple but lovely in tank tops and floral midi skirts. Her character might remind you of Amilie but her portrayal of Angie is not that curious rather manipulative and selfish. In one of the scene when after fighting, Savio is sobbing in one corner she comes to him, makes love to him and after that she tells him, “I only came to you otherwise you would have been sobbing here, I thought sometime I should do what I want to do.” Also in one of the interesting dialogue when she tells him after making love, “you can be better.”  Even though claims to be a virgin before sleeping with him. 

Arjun Kapoor is convincingly good as a man helplessly in love with Angie but afraid enough not to be able to express it to her. His outburst in the climax proves him to be a talented actor. Naseerudin Shah is as always un-shockingly spectacular as Ferdie. His Body language is amazingly good as a loser, confused and diffident old wreck who is persuaded by a bored widow to find his lost love. Pankaj Kapoor has done a fabulous job of portraying a split personality and you will be amazed by him towards to end. Dimple Kapadia is outstanding in rendering a self-proclaimed Lady of village who is tired of hiding the biggest truth of her life about her husband.

Cinematography gives you a fresh look. Costume design and make-up artists have done a fantastic work. Music is soothing. Finding Fanny is a refreshingly tasteful romantic comic drama hiding a lot of truths of life. Just watch it to explore life and love around you...

Mary Kom

 

Priyanka is back. She gives a fabulous performance in the de-glamorous avatar of Mary Kom. After a long time audience is going to see Priyanka – the Actress, of the fame of Fashion, Kaminey, 7 Khoon Maaf and Barfi. The movie is inspirational Biography based on the real life story of 5 time world Boxing champion and Olympic Bronze medalist – Mary Kom. 

Mary Kom (Priyanka Chopra) is the eldest girl child of poor farmer family. Being born to a wrestler father she has wrestling in her genes and is ready to pick fights with anyone. One fine day, while on a chase of a street tramp she lands in a Boxing Gymnasium where she meets her coach (Sunil Thapa). After showing the coach her passion for boxing through persuasion and perseverance, she wins his heart and starts training with him. She goes through rigorous training, fights all odds including her father’s rejection and becomes world champion. While she was busy in pursuing her passion, Onler (Darshan Kumar), an admirer of her courage & dedication and helplessly in love with her, keeps assisting her in all her endeavors. She marries him against the will of her coach and starts her family life; she gives birth to a twins and taking care of them with a smidgen in her heart that she had to sacrifice her career for the family. Onler realizes her anguish and sways her to restart her career. She fights all the odds again from the start including the unfairness of federation and goes on to become the world champion again. And finally the audiences are asked to stand up for the national anthem in the end..!!!

The story is very humble and picked from the real life incidences of Mary Kom. The script writer has stayed away from exaggeration to make the movie pretentiously inspirational. The simple and realistic struggle of Mary Kom keeps the originality in the script without losing the stimulating touch. The screenplay is, if not extra-ordinary then not very ordinary also. It has all the ingredients required for any sports inspirational movie. Few of the dialogues have punches. 

It’s a great effort by first time director – Omung Kumar. He has done a fantastic job. All the boxing sequences are directed very attractively by Rob Miller.  The correct time to the story apart from the Boxing fights is devoted which is an advantage for the movie. The climax is prepared astonishingly well with precise amount of aggression and emotions to it. Cinematographer has done a wonderful job of capturing the beauty of Manipur at one end and belligerence of boxing ring on the other hand. Music is pleasing and kudos to editor to keep it short and sweet.

Priyanka stands out in the acting. She carries the entire movie on her shoulders. Sunil Thapa and Darshan Kumar are average or rather not given much to do. Sunil Thapa’s character, given little more thought, could have added some flares. By the end of the movie one can realize that Story writer, director and producer got involved so much into the Character of Mary Kom that they forgot to work on other aspects and characters. More work on story and other characters could have made this movie a masterpiece.