Film: “Bank Chor”; Director: Bumpy; Cast: Riteish Deshmukh, Vivek Oberoi, Rhea Chakraborty, Sahil Vaid, Bhuvan Arora and Vikram Thapa;

Rating: **1/2

Imagine you are at a grand banquet and throughout you have been nibbling on tit-bits. At the end, though you are full, you realise that you are not satiated by the supposedly perfect festive spread that was laid out. That is exactly the feeling one gets after watching “Bank Chor”. Though the film entertains you, you still feel unsatisfied.

On the face of it, “Bank Chor” is a perfect robbery-cum-hostage drama, but the plot unravels in a convoluted manner, “taking the stupidity to the next level” and this makes the entire viewing process a tedious affair.

The film begins on a promising note. Acting like the dumb and the dumber and a very nice guy who follows ‘Vastu Shastra’ at every step, Riteish Deshmukh masquerades as Champak, a monk in disguise. He along with his two accomplices Gulab (Bhuvan Arora) who adorns the mask of an elephant, and Genda (Vikram Thapa) who wears the mask of a horse, attempt to rob a bank. How they succeed in their plan, forms the crux of the tale.

Narrated in a non-linear manner, the writing is clever, but strained in an attempt to sound intelligent. The sub-plots are half-baked and underdeveloped, making the entire chronicle seem complexed and forced.

During the proceedings, the quirky characters seem shallow and unconvincing, so you refuse to invest in them. The performance by every actor is undoubtedly sincere. The three bank robbers are loud and over-the-top, befitting the characters they play. Riteish is a brilliant comedian, but he does not add any new nuance to his character. He is ably supported by Bhuvan Arora and Vikram Thapa, in their buffoonish act as partners-in-crime.

Vivek Oberoi in an underwritten role as the CBI officer in-charge of the hostage rescue operation is understated. Rhea Chakraborty as the news reporter Gayatri is perfunctory and Sahil Vaid as Jugnu the antagonist has his moments of on screen glory.

The humour is derived from self-deprecation along with Bollywood and comic-book character references, making the film a time-limited, fragile product.

The first half of the film meanders aimlessly with no seriousness whatsoever. The second half gets interesting and by the third act, though it may seem convoluted and exaggerated, the denouement perfectly wraps up the narrative, but goes overboard which ends up confusing the audience further.

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The production quality of the film befits the Yash Raj Films label, and the background score, in parts, creates the adrenaline charged atmosphere, befitting a thriller.

By Troy Ribeiro

Documentary by Dilip Mehta

Rating: ****

At one point in this haunting look at the life of a porn star who betrayed her conservative Punjabi family to rule the adult entertainment industry, Sunny Leone bursts out, “So what if my home town disowned me? Today every Indian family wants me to be a part of them.”

Ahem. Not quite. The level of acceptability as a ‘Bollywood actress’ that Sunny and her incredibly-supportive husband Daniel Webber, imagine for her, is just not a realistic goal. During the long revealing monologues in camera in this eloquent documentary, Sunny seems to feel she has left her past, as a porn star, behind.

Dilip Mehta’s searing documentary reminds us not too gently how outrageously impossible it is to wipe out one’s past karma in a flurry of song, dance and drama that is Bollywood masala.

“Mostly Sunny” is not a fluff job. It is neither a cop-out nor an insider’s job. But somewhere in-between. It doesn’t focus on the sleazy, leery side of Sunny’s life to generate a heated titillation. Calmly, Mehta, whose earlier documentary on the widows of Vrindavan remains a haunting portrait of desolation, doesn’t take the easy route while focusing on Sunny’s provocative activities in the past to show how they impinge on her present.

Many times the acts of betrayal that turned ‘Karenjit’ to ‘Sunny’ make us flinch for their unabashed homage to materialism. This is not an ordinary raunchy-to-posh saga of a Punjabi girl from Sarnia, a small town in Canada, who decided she had to make obscene amounts of money to afford the lifestyle that she craved for.

Joining her in her cru(de)sade is her faithful husband. It is not very clear to me why Daniel gave up his thriving family steel business to become a porn star alongside his wife. Dilip’s documentary is hazy on that issue. Perhaps it is of little interest to Mehta. What he tracks down with a sleuth’s single mindedness is the ghosts from Sunny’s past as they come to haunt her present.

The most memorable moment in this diligently packaged portrait of a life entrapped in erotic excursions are when Sunny (with faithful husband) visits her hometown and is shunned by everyone as the daughter who brought disgrace and doom on her family.

To reiterate the damage that Karenjit Kaur perpetrated on her folks when she transformed into ‘Sunny Leone’, there is Sunny’s brother Sunny (Yup… she took her alias for her adult activities from her kid brother) saying on camera that their mother drank herself to death after she got to know her daughter’s true calling.

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Indeed, the most genuine and humane face of Sunny Leone when she is no longer pouty, provocative, poseur is when she talks about her parents. Mehta’s camera captures her in stark make-up-less anguish. These are moments that are filled with an unspoken rage and fear about what happens when the light dims and the oomph fades away.

It is not difficult to see why Sunny Leone has disowned this saga of her life as seen through the eyes of a director who is unsparing in his morality and dispassionate in capturing a life that has forfeited a self-discipline. “Mostly Sunny” is a searing, stark, sometimes startling peek into the void at the heart of the stardom that comes to those who are in the business of titillation.

What makes Sunny Leone tick? And what makes her fans get sexually aroused at her very thought? This capably crafted heartfelt homage to the heroine of the horny hemisphere spares us none of the sordid sidelights to Sunny’s seemingly charmed life.

Seen in a harsh but non-judgmental light, she comes across as strong and vulnerable and terribly misguided in her belief that it’s okay to have sex on camera and then move on in life.

Some experiences refuse to leave.

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It’s a box office clash that has been widely spoken about — but there are high chances that “Kaabil” and “Raees”, releasing on Friday, will do exceedingly well as they are both eminently watchable films.

This time, the level of engagingness in both the films is high. Both are love stories. Intense love stories.

In “Kaabil”, Hrithik Roshan loves his wife to death, whose death you will know soon enough, and HE is ready to go to any lengths to avenge the wrong done to her. The last 20 minutes of “Kaabil” are so heart-in-the-mouth, you would be advised to hold your bursting bladders until the last drop of blood is shed and avenged on screen.

“Kaabil” is by far Sanjay Gupta’s best work, more emotional and dramatic than any of the violent sagas he has narrated in the past. Hrithik gives his finest, most searing and passionate performance since “Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai” and “Guzaarish”. His intensity of emotional expression is disturbing, haunting.

“Raees” is also a love story. And it’s got nothing to do with Mahira Khan. Shah Rukh Khan’s character of a man of ill-gotten power and wealth from Gujarat in the 1980s, is in love. With himself. Since I believe Shah Rukh in real life truly loves himself, the merger of the actor and the character is so brutally complete, it’s like watching mirror images of two identical souls — one off camera, the other on it –dressed in very different clothes.

“Raees” is also about how two heterosexual men can be bonded spiritually even while being on separate sides of the firing line. This is perhaps the first time in his entire career as a leading man that Shah Rukh has found a co-star who is compelling in his own right.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui, when pitched against Shah Rukh. truly defines what ‘The Clash Of The Titans’ means. He does with Shah Rukh what a Rishi Kapoor or Vinod Khanna could never do with Amitabh Bachchan.

Tit for tat.

The two actors keep us ruthlessly riveted to the screen. The movement of the plot is almost maniacal, to match the manic energy and mutinous passion of the two men at each other’s throats.

More than anything else, the two films this week prove what Hindi cinema has known all along. Nothing can replace the cult of superstardom. The mysticism, magic and magnetism that Khan and Roshan bring to the screen, have to be seen to be believed.

Don’t pick one between “Raees” and “Kaabil”. Go see both.

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Star or no star, big screen or the computer screen — it was film and digital content backed by good and compelling story-lines that drew the audience’s attention in 2016, when formulaic sequels and even some ambitious dramas failed to make it big.

While some small-budget films generated unexpected results, some star-driven movies didn’t excite the audience and, instead, growing takers of online viewing added a new dimension to film watching.

This is the year when sequels of hit films, earlier considered as money spinners, failed at the box office. “Tere Bin Laden: Dead or Alive”, “Tum Bin II”, “Rock On 2” and “Kahaani 2” didn’t do as well as their first instalments.

“Rock On 2” was the first movie to release after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the central government’s decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. And that had a direct effect on the box office earnings of the movie, which had an approximate budget of Rs 45 crore, and reportedly earned Rs 15.67 crore.

Real-life inspired stories were brought to screen with films like “M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story”, “Airlift”, “Rustom” and “Dangal” — all of which did well.

“The stories of ‘Neerja’ and ‘Airlift’ are truly inspirational and celebrate heroism. I think the mass audience still loves to watch a hero who wins the battle facing all odds. So there is an instant audience connect,” Apurva Asrani, writer and editor of “Aligarh”.

Some highly ambitious films like Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s “Mirzya” and Shah Rukh Khan-starrer “Fan” failed to impress critics and the masses alike.

At a time when success is coming to films like “Neerja” and “Pink”, which send out relevant messages in a style that is as commercially viable but yet worthy of critical acclaim, there is also a film like “Aligarh”, which gets lauded by critics but does not set the cash registers ringing.

Explaining this, Asrani said: “Two very important things should be taken under consideration while judging the success of a sensitive film like ‘Aligarh’. First, the intention of making the film was not box office success.

“Secondly, the audience of this kind of experimental, sensitive film is also outside the theatres. They are watching them on the digital platforms like Netflix and at special screenings during film festivals. Those are some of the ways to reach out to people.”

Saiwyn Quadras, co-writer of the Sonam Kapoor starrer “Neerja”, feels the audience prefers to watch films on topics like homosexuality, online rather than in theatres.

“That might affect the box office, but not the reach of the film, he said, adding: “Online viewership extends the life of a film after its release in theaters. That is one of the reasons why so many avenues are opening for digital release of a film and the numbers are growing fast.”

The digital route is finding many takers.

Production banner Eros International releases films on its online channel Eros Now before their TV premiere. Even Amazon is opening its platform for digital release of films and, most recently, Shah Rukh’s home banner Red Chillies Entertainment has collaborated with Netflix for the exclusive viewing of the superstar’s movies.

So, is the progressive audience shifting medium from theater to online?

“Whether a movie is a hit or a flop is always decided based on box office collection as that is the faster way to recover all the invested money of the film for a producer. The online views do not count as revenue for box office or the immediate business of the film.

“Satellite and online viewers are not investing (much) money to watch a film,” said film trade expert Komal Nahta.

Nevertheless, one cannot deny that the audience is changing and they are receptive to good stories.

Nahta said: “The audience is evolving, and ‘Pink’ is an example of that. It has done good business at the box office. It is a good thing that stars like Akshay Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor are doing different roles.

“But you see, without Akshay, ‘Airlift’ could have been made and considered as a good film, but it would not have become such a big film… Stars make that happen,” Asrani said of Bollywood’s ever-prevalent ‘star’ system.

Rightfully so.

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IANS

A sequel to the 2008 film, “Rock On!!”, which was about the coming together of a band called Magic, this one is more than the reinforcement of the band.

The narrative begins with the band being dismantled once again not because of differences between the team members, but because each one of them has their own demons to deal with.

Aditya (Farhan Akthar) hounded by the guilt of a suicide case, settles in Meghalaya with his solitude and the villagers, helping them have a better life.

Joe Mascarenhas (Arjun Rampal), concerned about who is going to pay his bills, becomes a club manager and a reality show judge. Kedar Zaveri or KD (Purab Kohli) is still trying to find a balance between his friends and himself.

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The trio and their families reunite in Meghalaya for Aditya’s birthday and they decide to reassemble their once famous band.

Meanwhile, as deus ex machina, Aditya’s path crosses with Jiah Sharma, a music enthusiast recording local talent in Meghalaya. And in Mumbai, Uday, Jiah’s friend sends her CD to the trio.

It is only when the five of them assemble at Joe’s office, that there is an instant acceptance, but not without their own hurdles.

Meanwhile, disaster strikes in the form of a forest fire and destroys the village Aditya had adopted. So, he goes back to Meghalaya to salvage the villagers from their miseries. And what better way to raise funds than a rock concert.

The story credited to Abhishek Kapoor and Pubali Chaudhari is interesting, but the plot is staid and formulaic with each scene packed with conflict, making the entire tale seem dramatic and forced. Also, the blatant plot holes due to the cinematic liberties taken make viewing a dreary fare.

With no memorable lines and the use of staid imagery, the dialogues written by Farhan are lame and run-of-the-mill.

The characters too don’t grow organically and thus there is a dissent with the viewers.

Farhan with his weak coarse voice as the lead singer is not imposing. Though he strives to put his heart into the character, he fails miserably while internalising his pain and his forlorn, unkempt look further accentuates his clumsiness.

Purab, though suave, is perfunctory and so is Arjun.

Prachi Desai as Sakshi, Aditya’s wife, with her blunt haircut and sedate outfits looks like she has just emerged from the Hollywood films of the 1960s.

Shraddha Kapoor as Jiah Sharma, and the talented Shashank Arora as Uday, who we had witnessed in the noir film “Titli” are good, but limited.

In supporting roles, topping the list is Kumud Mishra in a restrained performance as Pandit Vibhuti, Jiah’s father. He is unfaltering when he sermonises, “Kya, yeh sangeet hai?”, (Is this music?) to his son Rahul or when he is silent when Jiah argues with him in a tele conversation.

The others who have their moments of onscreen glory are the characters who play Rahul Sharma, Jiah’s brother and Manjot – a reality show contestant. They both show promise.

Mounted with excellent production values, the film is visually glossy and vibrant. The locales and the massive sets are beautifully exploited by cinematographer Marc Koninckx’s camera work.

The snappy edits by Anand Subaya keep in tune to the genre of the film.

Music by Shankar-Eshaan-Loy is well integrated into the narrative, but they do not propel the narrative. The title track that plays often is effectively used to pump adrenaline. The choreography in some songs is clumsy though.

Unfortunately, unlike the prequel, this film is not made with a passion for music. Instead, it is made with the intent of exploiting the franchise and it fails miserably.

IANS

Glint Star *****

After the huge drama and controversy over Udta Punjab certification, my only fear was the movie turning out to be a damp squib. But with the Ishqiya fame Abhishek Choubey writing as well as directing, and Phantom Films in charge of production, the movie missing the mark was unlikely. And they’ve hit the bull’s eye with this one. Udta Punjab is a movie worth fighting for. It is a writer’s and a scriptwriter’s film. Superbly etched out characters, pacy and intriguing scenes brilliantly written and interwoven, Choubey has added another feather in his cap as a filmmaker with this masterpiece.

Before I come back to Abhishek Choubey, let me give my two-bit on Udta Punjab, scribbled on my iPhone Notes while watching the movie. When I like a film, I tend to like it as a whole. So along with the writing – the acting, music, lyrics, camera and editing, all score big pluses.

Alia Bhatt has come up with a stunning performance once again, worthy of a national award, as her co-star Shahid Kapoor also suggested in the euphoria of the film finally getting released. She plays a Bihari migrant labourer. I’m no one to judge her language or dialect, but her expressions and pauses kept me glued in search of any flaw but I just remained glued – couldn’t find any. The make-up to give her that de-glam look is also spot on.

Shahid Kapoor is playing a rockstar addicted to drugs. With no reference point for me to judge a drug addict’s antics, I can only say that the Kaminey actor has come up with an adequate performance. Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh, making his acting debut as a cop, makes his presence felt. All the others, even in small roles, have very well defined characters; which they’ve played with immense conviction. Prabhjyot Singh, who plays Daljit’s drug addict brother, is one such stand out performer.

The censor board war and victory had put the spotlight on all the wrong people but today is the day to celebrate the talent of one man and his vision – Abhishek Chaubey. The writer/director has learnt his craft from the very best in the industry. Abhishek has been an assistant to Vishal Bharadwaj since 2002 and has co-written movies like Omkara and Kaminey . His first film as director – Ishqiya, which got both critical acclaim and box office success, was produced by Vishal Bharadwaj. Although Abhishek was not convinced of a sequel, but the producers and Naseeruddin Shah saw so much potential in the idea that Dedh Ishqiya became Abhishek’s second directorial venture. Udta Punjab is Abhishek Chaubey’s third film as a director .

The only jarring note is the not so subtle similarity between the lead character Tommy Singh and real life artiste Honey Singh. Tommy Singh has a huge fan following and sings about drugs just like Yo Yo Honey Singh’s lyrics are all about alcohol. To infer that the spurt in drug abuse is due to the youth following their role model rock star’s lifestyle is a bit too simplistic. But can’t wait for Abhishek’s next offering.

  By Rajesh Sahu

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