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Outlook India: Isn’t 9/11 the peg for too many films?

Kabir Khan: The film deals more with the aftermath of 9/11. Bollywood has made only one mainstream film with 9/11 as a peg. That’s too few considering the event has changed the world.

Outlook India: You portray post-9/11 prejudices. Will that make the film controversial?

KK: The script is very balanced and does not in any way try to provoke a controversy.

Outlook India: What triggers off enough interest in an idea for you to want to make a film?

KK: It could be a headline, a story on TV, a person… anything. Once you develop the idea, you realise whether it can hold a screenplay.

Outlook India: Kabul Express had autobiographical strains. What about New York?

KK: There are some experiences that find their way into the script but nothing as direct as those that went into Kabul Express.

Outlook India: How did 9/11 affect you considering you were there at the time?

KK: I witnessed the shift in people’s perceptions. There was a sense of paranoia on security issues. This forms the backdrop of New York.

Outlook India: You seem to have found a working relationship with Yash Raj Films?

KK: Yash Raj allows me to make my kind of films….I can’t get a better producer than Aditya Chopra in this industry.

Outlook India: Why this cast?

KK: The audience is going to see career-defining performances….That I can promise!

Outlook India: Neil Nitin Mukesh claimed it was one of his toughest films.

KK: Not just for Neil, but also for John and Katrina, the film was a huge challenge because of the difficult characters they had to portray.

Outlook India: Can one class you as a serious filmmaker?

KK: I’m very uncomfortable with the tag. I set my stories in the real world and that need not always be serious.

Outlook India: What next?

KK: I’ve started work on my next script but it’s too raw and unresolved to articulate it.
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Directed By: Todd Philips

Produced By: Todd Philips, Daniel Goldberg

Written By: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Justin Bartha, Jeffery Tambor, Sasha Barrese

Release Date: June 5, 2009

Wild bachelor parties are like loopholes in marriage contracts and supposedly well kept closet secrets with heading title ‘I Still Know What you did last Summer’. But ‘The Hangover‘ kind of movies still gives you the vodka kind of effect where tall glasses of lemonades don’t easily bring you to normality.
I would rate ‘The Hangover’ 4 stars out of 5 because a detective story melts effortlessly into the main plot of a gawky four friends going wild and wilder in Las Vegas. A one sentence description of the plot might sound typically boring that there are three groomsmen attending their best friend’s marriage in Las Vegas. But when Jon Lucas, Scott Moore and Todd Philips come into the picture it’s a tornado of comedy with an effective dash of drama.
Phil, Stu and Alan; all served unofficial death sentences by their professions or nagging girlfriends arrive in Las Vegas to enjoy the booze, cooze up a little and the next day serve as the well behaved boys with tuxedos and gelled hair. But an apocalyptic event lands them with a narcotic memory, growling tiger in the washroom and an eternally crying baby. The groom is missing, the villa they were living in has been wrecked up and Stu has married a stripper named Jade. Whose going where, what’s happening when and when all this going to finish, leads to a fantastic chip in of comedy clips and on the line acting from Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Galifianakis. Now I don’t expect anyone to fall from their chair rolling with laughter, but a smirk isn’t expected either. The characterization of Phil, Stu and Alan hasn’t gone as bizarre as the script itself. Todd and the writers tied a strong noose around the actors so that it doesn’t result into a war between the script and the cast.
Well the humor is not a PG-13 kind, but contains raucous and unapologetic scenes which you wanna enjoy; either openly or on the sly. If you are well accepting of the humor and want to watch a good movie of the fortnight, then ‘The Hangover’ will turn out to be an excellent proposition.
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The Proposal is a fun, romantic comedy starring two of today’s best actor, Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. It follows the usual path but the twists and curves it takes make The Proposal a fun trip. Bullock plays Margaret Tate, an uptight book publishing executive who has little time for social niceties or even human emotion. Reynolds plays Andrew Tate, her long-suffering assistant who’s hoping to survive her brutality just long enough to carve out a career of his own.
Unfiled paperwork leaves Margret facing imminent deportation unless she can force Andrew into agreeing to marry her. Fearing for his job, he agrees but son realizes the situation has given him the upper hand. Not one to miss an opportunity, he seizes it and secures the promise of a promotion to editor. This is where the stars really shine. Bullock has been absolutely perfect as the bitch-on-wheels her employees see her as. Reynolds is spot-on as the dedicated though grudging assistant. Each transform’s into someone else as their circumstance force them to spend time together and to look below the exterior surface.
The comedy in this film is the best I’ve seen all year. Trailers usually hit the high spots leaving little left to audiences. The trailers in this case are only teasers and the comedic scenes resonate with the talent of the actors. Betty White shares a scene in the woods with Bullock that will have you just rolling.
The Proposal has no great plot twists and is even mostly predictable. Still, this collection of actors makes you forget that and you are swept up in their story. An excellent date night movie.
Rating 4 out 5
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Director: Robert Schwentke
Screenwriter: Bruce Joel Rubin
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Eric Bana, Arliss Howard, Ron Livingston
Release Date: August 14, 2009

Married couples dealing, compromising and adjusting to each other’s shortcomings is a common and expected behavior to make a marriage work. But what if your husband’s limitation is something that is unapproachable and hard to overcome even by your better half?

Synopsis: Based on a popular novel written by Audrey Niffenegger, ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife“, asks us to join us in the journey of Clare (Rachel McAdams) and Henry (Eric Bana), a madly in love couple. Clare though in love with Henry, has to accept an upsetting fact that he suffers from a rare genetic disorder that causes him to time travel. Yes, Henry is a Time Traveler and Clare; The Time Traveler’s Wife ! Both Henry and Clare have no control over his traveling to and fro in his lifespan. His erratic trampolining from one phase of his life to another, over a period of time puts a strain on their relationship. But Clare decides to test their love and give her best to put the pieces of their dismantled life back together.

The video of the film depicts a strong hold of romantic interlude between the couple rather than the fictional concept of time travel. The poster also doesn’t give out much about the story. Whether and how the director has used the notion of time travel as a sub plot to build up the romanticism between the characters is waiting to be seen.
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Aslam (Shreyas Talpade), Sukhi (Javed Jaffrey), Daljit (Aashish Choudhary) and Karan (Vatsal Sheth) are four buddies who need a roof over their heads. Not any roof but a roof that spreads over all four heads.

Ballu (Johnny Lever) has just the place for them. But like all good things in life this one comes with conditions. He needs couples. Bachelors are a big no-no.

The boys now have their work cut out for them. They need fake wives and in a hurry. A whole lot of madness and mayhem later……what happens?

CAST:
Shreyas Talpade - Aslam
Javed Jaffrey - Sukhi
Aashish Chaudhary - Daljit
Celina Jaitley - Jiya
Chunky Pandey - Ajay Singh

Director: Paritossh Painter
Producer: Subhash Ghai , Raju Farooqui
Written by: Paritosh Painter
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Ashutosh Gowariker’s forthcoming romantic comedy “What’s Your Raashee?” is slated to release in September.The entire movie was shot in a single start-to-end schedule.
Harman Baweja and Priyanka Chopra starrer film of Ashutosh’s first romantic comedy after delivering his magnum opus Jodhaa Akbar last year which swept all the awards at a award function held abroad recently.

‘What’s Your Raashee?’ is based on a Gujrati novel Kimball Ravenswood by Shri Madhu Rye, and is a story revolving around a young Gujarati man in pursuit of his dream girl with the catch to find her within 10 days in order to save his family from an unforeseen ordeal, which leads to an array of confusion, chaos and a hilarious joy ride. The film is presented by UTV Motion Pictures and Ashutosh Gowariker Productions and will be jointly produced by Ronnie Screwvala and Sunita A.Gowariker.

So viewers get ready to know your rashi on 25th September
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MUMBAI: Kajol, who is busy shooting for her friend Karan Johar’s upcoming film “My Name Is Khan”, will not be a part of her actor husband Ajay Devgan’s new directorial venture.

“I’m directing a film in mid-2009. There is no role for Kajol in my next film. The leading lady’s role in that film doesn’t suit her,” Devgan told.

His directorial debut “U Me Aur Hum” was critically praised for its brave portrayal of the ravages of Alzheimer’s.

Devgan, who has not done an action film for long now, said: “My next film as a director would be an action film with an undercurrent of dark humour. I believe audiences want to see me back in action.

Recalling how he broke many of his bones while performing stunts, the actor said: “Action scenes have become much safer now. Earlier we had to do it all by ourselves. Now when you jump from the fifth floor you’re harnessed. Earlier you just did it, or didn’t.”
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Animation film HANUMAN triggered off a trend. It made you realize that ‘kiddie films’ can stand on their feet if they tell a story that they [kids] haven’t watched on the numerous kiddie channels.

Like HANUMAN, MARUTI MERA DOSST is about Lord Hanuman too. This one has two kids essaying central roles, merges animation and live, has loads of computer graphics, but, for a very valid reason, it just doesn’t magnetise the kid or the kid in you.

Let’s probe. Movies targeted at kids ought to have that certain innocence, that purity, that simplicity that zooms straight into their heart. Surprisingly, like the animation ROADSIDE ROMEO last year, MARUTI MERA DOSST also treats kids as grown ups.

The negative forces here [Sushmita Mukherjee, Murli Sharma, Shahbaaz Khan] are straight out of masala films that adults enjoy. Even the lighting of sequences as also their make up [Sushmita, Murli specifically] are straight out of scary movies. Plus, these are very strong characters [partly due to their strong performances] too.

Is this really a kiddie film? That’s one question that crosses your mind at several points of the narrative. No wonder, the censors have also passed it not with a ‘U’ certificate [which should've been the case had it been a kiddie film], but a ‘U/A’ certificate.

Rameshwari, an eight-year-old, lives in a palatial house with her doting father [Chandrachur Singh], stepmom and the stepmom’s mother [Sushmita Mukherjee]. Kokoi aka the stepmom’s mother has come to the palace with the evil intention of inheriting the wealth.

Kokoi tries every trick in the book to harm Rameshwari. She uses black magic and the evil monstrous Tantrik Bhakshu [Murli Sharma], who has devils and spirits as his pets. She uses her brother, a murder convict Sadhu Pahalwan [Shahbaaz Khan], but in vain. Unknown to them, Maruti [Erik Nanda] is Rameshwari’s saviour and they all have to contend with and face him.

There’s no denying that MARUTI MERA DOSST has a few clapworthy sequences, but it’s like finding a needle in a haystack. Besides, director Manikya Raju devotes too much time to the evil forces, when, in fact, he should’ve concentrated on the kids. One of the prime reasons why HANUMAN worked was because a large number of viewers not only enjoyed the movie as also the animation quality, but also felt enriched and enlightened by the experience.

That’s certainly not the case with MARUTI MERA DOSST.

Technically speaking, Manikya Raju gets it right. The lighting of several sequences - as mentioned earlier - gives a scary movie effect. The background score is apt at times, but jarring at points. Talking of music, ‘Jai Hanuman Gyan Gun Sagar’ [over opening titles] is a devotional track that you’ve grown up listening to. But the other tracks are uninspiring.

Chandrachur Singh has nothing to do. Sushmita, Murli and Shahbaaz are fine actors, but their mannerisms are ill-suited here. The young people at the start and end are complete non-actors. The girl portraying Rameshwari is okay, but the only one who stands out is the child actor enacting the role of Maruti - Erik. He’s adorable and a complete natural as far as acting goes.

On the whole, MARUTI MERA DOSST is targeted at the kids, but is not for kids. It lacks the purity, the innocence and the simplicity associated with kiddie films and the ‘U/A’ certificate will only keep a section of its target audience away.
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She comes back from the dead, 30 years later, to visit the very place she was murdered. Her murderer was masked, but her friend who was with her knows the man. Strangely, her friend, Betty, even after 30 years has not aged a day. That’s the only hitch in this film, which has been well crafted by director M R Shahjahan.

The director gets the basics right and keeps the viewer guessing. The editing is tight and the background score keeps with the mood of the moment. The performances too are tight.

From the time the train rolls into Ooty, you are in for a visual delight as cinematographer Lucio Cremonese stays within the plot to capture the eerie happenings and the grandeur of the palace of the protagonist.

Anna (Alma Saraci) has a big hand in coaxing her husband Vikram (Carlucci Wevant) in making a trip to India to visit his father (Vijayendra Ghatge) in Ooty. Vikram cannot stand his father as he had separated from is mother and grew up in America. Anna, who grew up in an orphanage wants Vikram to know the value of a father.

As soon as they land foot in Ooty, visions and someone following her haunt Anna. Even though she has never set foot in India, she finds the place strangely familiar. She knows exactly what was where 30 years ago. Vikram thinks she is hallucinating until she convinces him with solid proof.

Both then decide to solve the mystery and it turns out that Anna was in fact Linda in her past life who was murdered in Ooty.

As for the murderer, even though you are kept guessing, before the mask is out, you know who it is. Shahjahan could have tightened the end though.

Nevertheless, it’s a slickly shot suspense film with high production values.
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An Advait Entertainment Pvt. Ltd presentation LET’S DANCE is all set to release on 19th June 2009. Introducing the US-born-and-bred dancing sensation Gayatri Patel, LET’S DANCE is directed by National Award winning editor Aarif Sheikh (who did editing for CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA).

Produced by Dr Arvind Patel, the film has music by Vipin Mishra and another National Award winner Tarali Sharma.

LETS DANCE is the film about a simple girl but determined dance teacher, who on her path to fame, changes course, to motivate a group of underprivileged kids. Apart from Gayatri Patel, debutant director Aarif Sheikh’s LET’S DANCE also stars Aquib Afzal and Ajai Chowdhary along with celebrity child artistes like Abhaas, Paras, Nikunj.
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