London Dreams Movie Review

This is why we love Bollywood. A simple story of friendship, jealousy, and dissatisfaction with the supernatural, is only so good on paper. A fine film elevates the simple elements to an admirable level while retaining its strong emotional core. The result is a fun entertainer in which our friendship with cinema is the clear winner.



Arjun (Ajay Devgn) and Mannu (Salman Khan) are best friends since their childhood. Both share a passion for music. Arjun dreams of being a rock star and of performing at Wembley Stadium in England. Mannu is content playing the trumpet for his 'Raja-Rani Band' (lit. the 'King-Queen' Band) in their village in the Punjab. Arjun and his music group called 'London Dreams' (which includes Priya (Asin)) taste success in England, and eventually recruit Mannu to their group.


Mannu's incredible talent outshines everyone in the group, so much so that masses chant his name, TV shows refer to London Dreams as 'Mannu's band', and concert audiences demand more of him than any other performer. Arjun is uncomfortable (to say the least) with being overshadowed thus, and as his popularity declines, his faith and friendship are compromised. He is intent on achieving personal success. Question is, as it often is: At what cost?

This simple story is aided by some rather well-written dialogue and most importantly, by some very powerful performances by the lead cast. That is because the casting is perfect and plays to the actors' strengths. Ajay Devgn is traditionally reliable in roles requiring the quiet intensity of Arjun. Salman Khan, on the other hand, is notorious for his comic timing and fierce loyalty. Asin, in only her second Hindi film, is splendid, in a limited but significant role. Of course, there is a love triangle involved. ;)


Only fair to devote a paragraph to Salman here. His performance is a sheer joy to witness. Give him this -- a lot was said about him playing himself inWanted earlier this year. While it might be true there isn't an actor who could've better portrayed that character, his performance in London Dreams is a testament to versatile talent he's chosen to not exploit in the recent past. Convincing as ever, and more than enough to not only own the film, but to portray a very different character than he has in a long time.


Good musicians make good music -- the beautiful soundtrack (Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy) is beautifully integrated. Again, the songs are extremely well-written, and sound better after the film. There's not a moment when they (and their lyrics) feel out of place, and that's a tribute to the film crew led by director Vipul Shah. The choreography is noteworthy as well, with Tapkey Masti by far my favorite. There's a sequence in which Mannu sings two couplets in various styles -- filmy, ghazal, hip hop, then rock -- which makes us wish the entire sequence were included in the soundtrack.


The magical combination of a good script, perfect casting, and great music, makes it easy for the audience to unleash the power of imagination to want to immerse themselves in the film and overlook its shortcomings (and there are some; but then, since when did believability become an absolute prerequisite to a film of this genre?). And that's really where London Dreams does its audience justice, and vice versa. Four stars for the finest core Bollywood entertainer of 2009. It's got style. It's got substance. It's got strong potential to make its audience shed tears of joy and sorrow. It's got veteran actors having a fun time, and it shows. And it's films like this that make us proud of and grateful for our unconditional love (one hopes!) of Bollywood! Of course, if you're not a fan of core Bollywood, you might dislike this.


Movie rating: 4/5 (Excellent!)
This would not be the same without Salman.

Music rating: 4/5 (Excellent!)
Cannot say enough of its integration and choreography.

My classification: PG-13 (for language/content)

Official website (and picture source): LondonDreamsFilm.com

'Andaz Apna Apna' Movie Review

Few comedies are widely regarded as being the best from a decade (hence among the best of all time) as Andaz Apna Apna (1994), which is a cult film if there ever were one belonging to the genre. Aptly named (the title means 'to each his own [mannerism]'), it aimed to entertain from the very first frame to the very last, and succeeded overwhelmingly in so doing. TheRajkumar Santoshi film starred Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Raveena Tandon, Karisma Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Mehmood, Deven Verma, Viju Khote, Shahzad Khan, and others, had music by Tushar Bhatia,and lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri.

Two young men Amar (Aamir Khan) and Prem (Salman Khan) con their fathers (veterans Deven Verma and Jagdeep respectively) to finance trips to win over a wealthy businessman's daughter Raveena (Raveena Tandon), who visits India in search for an ideal match. Why India and Indians? Here's one answer:


Raveena is joined by her assistant Karishma (Karisma Kapoor). They embark on their quest, as do Amar and Prem, whose first meeting involves Prem's iconic Ooi Maa:


Aside: If you've ever wondered why my mentions of Juhi Chawla are almost always accompanied by Haaye Allah ('oh God', or a variant of the phrase). :o)


Amar and Prem exchanged pleasantries (or lack thereof) on the way to their destination (it's hard to beat these lines -- I like the second one, 'circus ka retired bandar', sorry Aamir!)...


...but eventually agreed to a peaceful but fair bout to win over Raveena. Things got complicated thanks to a fundamental lie, bodyguards, a stubborn father, a greedy villain, a twin, and a villain who believed he was part pirate and part superhero!

These elements meant that a high drama quotient complete with twists was inherent. Given that they were combined well, and that it was all very intentional, what followed was nothing short of fantastic, unadulterated, clean comedy. For fear of playing spoiler, here are just ten highlights to illustrate the tremendous scope of the screenplay. I don't think I could do anything to give much away, though -- the film must be experienced to be appreciated. None is kidding when suggesting that every scene is hilarious. Sample these:

1. A quasi-ode to friendship:


2. An encounter with the police:


3. A friendly fight with a reference to a popular ingredient of masala film...


...leading to reminders of episodes of the Ramayan TV series!


4. Amar and Prem the magistrates:


5. Vegetables as handkerchiefs. Honorable mention to Javed Khan (left), who played Ram Singh in Lagaan (2001).


6. A classic buildup to a song -- Ae Lo Ji Sanam (see it here) -- an excellent tune. Am I the only one who thinks the song has 1960s or 1970s written all over it?


7. A classic song in Dil Mera Dhak Dhak Dole (see it here), probably the closest Bollywood has come to an authentic pajama party number. Amar and Raveena were at their finest...


...Prem and Karishma were at it too...


...oh, and so were the bad guys!


8. Crime Master Gogo (Shakti Kapoor), who introduced himself as Mogambo's (Amrish Puri from Mr. India (1987)) nephew was the inexplicable highlight.


9. Paresh Rawal was brilliant in a double role, as Raveena's father and uncle. One a greedy villain, the other a strict administrator.


10. And finally, there was this. Man must not only win over woman, but must, of course, convince her parent(s) of his worth.


Aamir Khan and Salman Khan were perfectly cast, and in retrospect, it's difficult to imagine anyone else in their shoes. If you've ever liked any film with either, consider this mandatory viewing. They were supported extremely well by Raveena Tandon and Karisma Kapoor. The rest of the supporting cast was excellent as well, and ensured that the overall product was nothing short of entertaining.

The film was packed with references to the film fraternity and contained noteworthy guest appearances (Haaye Allah!). There were umpteen references to elements from Indian pop culture, e.g. Crime Master Gogo's hilarious dialogue involving Mr. Bajaj, sung to the tune of a popular commercial for a motorcycle brand of the same name. Or Mr. Bajaj's punctuality related to a brand of timepieces. They were very effective when placed in context.

Having said that, this is also why I think the film doesn't translate very well across cultures. Aamir's Haaye Allah probably wouldn't be as funny if it didn't remind one of an aunt or neighbor who uses the term often, and Salman's Ooi Maa wouldn't be as funny if it didn't remind one of that annoying kid in the park. Subtitles (which were hardly spot on any way) can only capture so much. I don't think this means someone who does not speak Hindi or has never lived in India would not enjoy several portions. I'd just understand if they didn't find it as funny. If you've seen the film, I'd love to know what you think of this.

Andaz Apna Apna is a genuinely well-crafted comedy that hammered away at its mission. When a father yelled at his son, it was to make us laugh. When a villain aimed at a target, it was to make us laugh. When someone was kidnapped, it was to make us laugh. And these efforts resulted in a film that was by every definition a laugh riot, induced by all the silliness that accompanies a nonsensical comedy which is amazingly self-aware and free of tasteless humor.

It is the kind of film that works well in most settings, and has retained its appeal for 15 years now. The jokes get funnier with repeat viewings. Surprisingly, there is more to appreciate each time. Never mind the production values (especially the cinematography and sets, the wardrobe added to the funniness) took a backseat to the acting, dialogue, screenplay, and music. The script was not extraordinary, but the actors buying into it so convincingly was key to their performances, which made the film one for the ages. I highly recommend you see it. For all the nonsensical comedy it contains (which more often than not requires the taking off of thinking caps), it is delightfully intelligent!


Movie rating: 4.75/5 (Best in class!)

My classification: PG (for guns that often don't have bullets!)

Music rating: 3.75/5 (Very good, perfectly integrated)


And finally
If you've visited the Aamir and Salman blogs, you'll know this film truly brought the fan bases of the two together. We cannot get enough of it. That was then...


...and this is now (well, almost; see below):


A sequel?
There were rumors recently (big enough to be picked up by the British Broadcasting Company here) of there being a sequel to this starring the two. The actors have since denied this happening any time soon, but acknowledged at Salman's 10 Ka Dum that fans' continuous insistence might just pay dividends. Continuous it'll always be, gentlemen! If you haven't yet seen the game show episode featuring Aamir, here it is. They enter to a song from the film, their dialogue is from here too. Fun! None of Aamir, Salman, or Raveena have denied interest in a sequel, and all I've heard from Aamir is that it might take a year for Rajkumar Santoshi to even come up with a script for them to review.

Oh, and in case you feel I haven't discussed much of the brilliance of the stunning Raveena Tandon and fabulous Karisma Kapoor (it's all deliberate, you'll know why when you see the film), you are allowed to point fingers ;)


You can also play along with the cast in *your* andaz, and watch in amazement and amusement!


PS: Does anyone know when Salman was nicknamed 'Style bhai'? Was there any correlation with the title to this film?

http://thebollywoodfan.blogspot.com/2008/10/haaye-allah-ooi-maa-its-andaz-apna-apna.html 

Max Stardust Awards 2011 Salman Performance

Salman khan- 17th Star Screen Awards 2011 performance and awards

No Entry Mein Entry will have completely fresh characters

Boney Kapoor can breathe a sigh of relief. Now that the responsibility of launching his beautiful wife Sridevi has been passed on to Balki, Boney is itching to go ahead with the all-boys tale.

Secretly, the script for the sequel to No Entry has been readied by Anees Bazmee. All the while even as he has been completing the direction of two back-to-back films, Anees Bazmee has been writing the No Entry sequel. Having come to a dead end the first time this time, he doesn't want to reveal details about the sequel.

But we can safely say No Entry Mein Entry will have lots of incidents and situations related to Salman and Akshay Kumar, the two superstars that Anees has been working with. The characters in No Entry Mein Entry have grown out of Anees' close contact with the leading men in his two under-production films Thank You and Ready. Apparently, a lot of characters traits, body language and speech peculiarities of the protagonists in the No Entry sequel will be based on Anees' observations on Akshay Kumar in Thank You and Salman in Ready.

In fact, Anees has even taken incidents related to Akshay and Salman and made them part of No Entry Mein Entry.

Cautious about giving away the real-life inspirations for No Entry Mein Entry, Anees says, "I'm a writer first then a director. Observing people from close quarters the quirks and characteristics of people I've been working with lately are bound to show up in No Entry Mein Entry."

The delay in the No Entry sequel, it can now be told, was due to Bazmee's attempts to carry the characters and situations fromNo Entry forward into No Entry Mein Entry. The effort proved non-productive and abortive as Anees was stuck with trying to create a comic ambience for the three heroes of No Entry within an already-given situation.

Having scrapped the original idea of carrying the same story and characters forward, No Entry Mein Entry will now have completely fresh characters.

Informs Anees, "We're only using the title No Entry and the three heroes. Everything else is different. No point in carrying the same story forward."

Any wonder that Boney Kapoor's other pet project Mr. India 2 is not going anywhere? The characters are too plot-specific to be placed in another situation.

I will never abuse Arbaaz: Anurag Kashyap

After allegedly taunting the Khan brothers on how they stole his brother Abhinav's thunder as a director of Dabangg, Anurag has come clean about the issue.

He wrote, "I have a lot of respect for Arbaaz, Sohail and his father. I will never abuse them." He addressed this tweet to Salman and Arbaaz though one wonders why he hasn't mentioned Salman's name in the tweet.

Anurag has apparently deleted his earlier statuses which read, "Salman Khan thinks he made my brother's life. Hope he does the same for Arbaaz when he does Dabangg 2. All The Best."

He had also posted another message, "Abhinav Singh Kashyap, you rock... I love you... Show them what you are made off." The "them" clearly means the Khan brothers.

It all began after Arbaaz confirmed that he and not Abhinav will direct the sequel of the blockbuster. Arbaaz had said, "Hey guys it's true, I will be directing the sequel of Dabangg. Abhinav for some personal and professional reasons opted out."

After Anurag's outbursts, Arbaaz reacted, "Instead of GRATTITUDE some people show ATTITUDE. Wah kya zamana aa gaya hai. Time will tell. Kabhi asliat ko bahar aane mein time lagta hai. Successful people always have two things on their lips. "Silence" N "Smile". Smile to solve the problem and Silence to avoid the Problem."

Salman has kept mum on the issue so far.

Salman Khan Mountain Dew Ad

Arbaaz Khan to direct Dabangg sequel

Well, we are sure that you all will be waiting with bated breath to know the status of the sequel of the smash hit film Dabangg. So are we. Well, the news is finally out that it's not Abhinav Kashyap, but Arbaaz Khan himself who will be directing the much awaited sequel, thus marking his directorial debut!

News has it that, there were some differences between the Khan brothers and Abhinav Kashyap. What happened was that, Arbaaz received a SMS from Abhinav stating that he won't be directing the sequel. Meanwhile, Arbaaz did not deny the 'differences' aspect between Abhinav and him over a couple of weeks. Arbaaz also said that it was strange that Abhinav, rather than coming personally, sent him just a SMS telling him about him not directing the sequel.

Abhinav's exit has now paved an entry to Arbaaz Khan, who will now be donning the director's cap. On a lighter note, one is reminded of Salman Khan's famous statement in the film 'Ab tak nahlaaya tha... ab dhoonugaa". In the same breath, Arbaaz Khan can now say, 'Ab tak film produce lkiya tha... ab direct karoonga'! What say, Arbaaz Dabangg Khan.