Archive for the ‘Action’ Category
Khatron Ke Khiladi on Viacom’s Colors
On August 13, 2008 in Reality Show, Contest, Video, Colors, Talent, Competition, Bollywood, TV, Popular, Action, Hindi Serial
When you launch a new channel in a field already having a number of new channels, you need to have some great programs to draw people. Typically, film stars are seen to get some excitement to the scene (you already have Shahrukh Khan on ‘Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain’ and Salman Khan on ‘Dus Ka Dum’), and so getting a top film star to be the host of a new program is good. Now, when you have a channel launched by a major international media company such as Viacom, funding is less of an issue, and so getting a truly hot star such as Akshay Kumar worked. Combine this with the excitement of a reality show with actual stunts performed by amateurs, some good locations, and female TV / Other stars, and the channel could actually have a winner in terms of attracting viewer attention. Going by the buzz I hear in the office, people are watching this regularly.
Patthar Ke Phool (1991)
On July 04, 2008 in Mafia, Song, Video, Police, Crime, Bollywood, Romance, Action, Movie
Patthar Ke Phool was a movie released in 1991. It was the debut movie of Raveena Tandon and one of the earlier movies of Salman Khan; and unlike some of Salman’s earlier movies, this was not exactly a hit. Some of the other characters in the movie were Vinod Mehra, Kiran Kumar, Reema Lagoo and Manohar Singh. Vinod Mehra passed away before the movie could be released, and the movie was dedicated to his memory. The movie was directed by Anant Balani and produced by GP Sippy. Music for the movie was by Ramlaxman, and the movie was written by Salim Khan.
The movie was about this young police officer fighting an underworld gang. He is also in love with Kiran (Raveena Tandon) who is actually the daughter of the leader of the gang, and about whose real activities she is unaware.
Raveena won the Filmfare Lux New Face Award for this movie.
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So what happens when the duty of Suraj (Salman Khan) leads him to fight against the activities of his beloved’s father ? Her father is also against this relationship, and the movie is about this conflict.
Imtihan (1994) - Saif, Sunny and Raveena
On May 25, 2008 in Song, Drama, Revenge, Video, Mafia, Crime, Bollywood, Music, Romance, Action, Movie
Imtihaan was a movie released in 1995, starring Sunny Deol, Raveena Tandon, and Saif Ali Khan. Saif was relatively young in the movie industry at that point of time, and it showed on screen (he comes across as a gangly youth, moving with energy, but still to show his renowned acting abilities that he showed in later movies). The movie was directed by Harry Baweja, and had music by Anu Malik. The movie did average business, but the songs were a big hit.
The movie had one selling point, it had an element of suspense, something not always well executed. However, and maybe people who saw this movie for the first time would feel, the suspense is not always the type of suspense you see in American movies, since a lot of people in the audience were able to predict as to what would happen when the suspense breaks, and here too, the story was predictable.
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Jhuk Gaya Aasman: A nice masala movie
On May 09, 2008 in Song, Drama, Video, Crime, Action, Bollywood, Comedy, Romance, Movie
Jhuk Gaya Aasman is a 1968 film directed by Lekh Tandon. The film stars Rajendra Kumar, Saira Banu, Rajendranath and Prem Chopra. Music is by Shankar Jaikishan, and lyrics by Hasrat Jaipuri. The film is a remake of the Hollywood film Here comes Mr. Jordan. I watched the movie the first time when I was in my school years (am not telling you how far back that was), and I found it to be a ridiculous movie, and yet I have watched it numerous times. It always seems like a great masala movie, a movie that is a total entertainer.
The movie is a bit off the beaten track; it has the familiar stories of a bad younger brother, of a romance between a beautiful outsider and a man of the hills, a devoted friend - but where this movie took the twist into a new area was the concept of dying, then finding out that you died by mistake and having to go into another body where you find that the girl you loved actually hates you; and then the innate goodness taking over and making things fine.
The movie is about this hill town guide on a jeep, Rajendra Kumar. Saira Banu shows up along with friends, and soon they fall in love with promises for later. On the way back when he has dropped her off at the airport, Rajendra Kumar has an accident and can see himself going off to heaven; where he is informed that he is the victim of mistaken identity. He was brought to heaven when it was his lookalike who should have been brought. However, his body has been burnt and he can no longer go back to what he was; he can enter the other body and live that life.
Prahaar: A great movie by Nana Patekar
On May 06, 2008 in Crime, Mafia, Video, Action, Classic, Movie, Bollywood, Society
There are times when you watch that is so impressive that you don’t mind watching it again. I found Prahaar to be one such movie. The movie was released in 1991, and it has been quite some time, but it can’t take away the topical nature of the movie. The movie was directed by Nana Patekar and produced by Sudhakar Bokade. The movie had music by Laxmikant Pyarelal and lyrics by Mangesh Kulkarni.
Nana Patekar showed a commendable amount of skill in extracting good performances from the cast of characters that included Dimple Kapadia and Madhuri Dixit (there was a story floating around the time when the movie was made that he wanted a natural look, and so when one of the female leads reported to the set in make-up, he asked her to wash the make-up off). The movie does not have a direct villain, but there is a struggle against many kinds of bad elements, whether it be terrorists, or the normal city ruffians and hoodlums who take hafta (extortion money), or even of the normal population who have been so terrorised that they have lost some of their sense of right or wrong. The movie also has some good performances from the second tier of characters such as Gautam Joglekar (who plays Peter D’Souza).
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Race: Worth a one time see
On April 02, 2008 in Crime, Family, Detective, Action, Bollywood, Movie
In order to make a movie successful in today’s world, there are certain ways. One of the most important ways is for it to be a hit in the first week - with the number of shows on display during the first week, the movie can make a large amount of movie in the first week. And Race got lucky. For 2 weeks before Race, there was no movie released, generating a huge amount of pent-up demand. In addition, the school boards for 10th and 12th class had just got over, and a new movie would be totally irresistible. And of course, you had the promos promising lots of action, hot stars, plenty of skin, and songs that were played on the radio repeatedly, generating yet more demand.
With all these factors, did the movie actually cooperate ? Well, I would say that just the story and the twists and turns of the movie make it worth watching once, but after that would get difficult. But I never did understand the reason for the movie having the name of race; there are horse races, and a final race (that somehow did not really impress); the rest of the movie was about intrigue and betrayal. So this was the first question I asked my spouse after the movie - why this name ?
Omkara (2006) - A great interpretation of Othello
On March 04, 2008 in Song, Mafia, Culture, Revenge, Video, Character, Crime, Bollywood, Politics, Romance, Action, Movie
Omkara (release in 2006) was a much awaited movie. Director Vishal Bhardwaj had earlier made a name for himself with Makdee and Maqbool (starring an incredible performance by Irfan Khan), and his Hindi interpretation of Shakespeare’s Othello had already lead to much anticipation, with the prospect of Saif Ali Khan playing a baddie’s role being much awaited.
The movie delivered, but not too much as Vishal would have thought. It won a great amount of critical acclaim, and extreme kudos for the 2 best performances of Saif Ali Khan and Konkona Sen. Vivek Oberoi and Kareina Kapoor won praise, while the performance of Ajay Devgun could have been better - much more is expected out of an actor who has given a performance like Gangajal.
Krantiveer (1994) - Nana Patekar all the way
On March 04, 2008 in Mafia, Patriotic, Song, Character, Crime, Politics, Action, Movie
Krantiveer was a movie released in 1994; an all and out commercial movie released by the movie-maker who has made other patriotic movies (Mehul Kumar), it was also a movie that seeked to portray the transformation in one man when faced with evil. Even though the main character has been depicted as a person who is selfish, uncaring about others (other than his immediate family), a transformation is shown based on 2 major incidents that affect his life - the murder of his adopted father, and the riot in his locality that caused normal people to transform into murderers and brings out communal feelings.
Krantiveer was a role essayed brilliantly by Nana Patekar, turning the movie into a commercial as well as critical success. He puts forth some intense emotions into the movie, so you can believe him when he is essaying the role of a normal guy in the chawl who could not care less about the efforts of the journalist, or when he he suddenly becomes violent at the cremation ground of his adopted father. He is equally at ease taking out money from his father’s safe and not caring about the repercussions, or the reaction of his mother and grandfather when they find him being delinquent and turn him out. However, it is transformation that is riveting.
Song: Thoda Sa Pyaar Huan Hain
On January 08, 2008 in Melody, Song, Action, Bollywood, Movie
A typical violent movie about a rich girl, a young man, and both of them in love. Her father does not approve, and wants to get her married to his friend’s son - unknowingly, the friend (Dalip Tahil) and his son want to get hold of his money. The bride’s father (Kabir Bedi), not able to change the intention of the young man (Sohail Khan), hires a local tough, Sanjay Dutt to use force to change the young man’s mind. Sanjay Dutt starts doing that, and then, under the influence of his younger brother’s suicide (over a romance), changes his mind and supports the young man. And, after a very violent scene, the young man marries the pretty lady (Sameera Reddy in a very inhibited and dressed role).
The movie (Maine dil tujko diya) was released in 2002, directed by Sohail Khan. Music was by Daboo Malik. The songs were good, but the rest of the movie was not particularly good.
Dharti Ka Veer Yodha Prithviraj Chauhan on Star Plus
On December 13, 2007 in History, Drama, Star Plus, Video, Character, Power, TV, Romance, Action, Hindi Serial
Prithviraj Chauhan is a well remembered figure in Indian history. The most common stories around his revolve around these concepts:
- He was most likely the last Hindu king of Delhi, and after him, the Sultans took over
- He married a princess called Sanyogita, who was the daughter of his arch rival. He was not allowed to come to her swayamvar, and in fact, his statue was placed outside the hall. She garlanded the statue and he came and whisked her away in front of her father
- He defeated the invader, Mohammed of Ghori, and let him go; but in the next battle, he was defeated and taken prisoner. He finally killed Mohammed in captivity, when even though blind, he was able to locate the sound of Mohammed and shoot with an arrow
You can read more about Prithviraj Chauhan at this Wikipedia entry.
