Yash Chopra - The Legend

Yash Chopra started his career as an assistant to his brother B.R. Chopra. After a series of critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful ventures, Chopra finally hit the mark with Waqt (1965). Waqt started the trend of multistarrers in Bollywood and talked about a family seperated and reunited by fate. Since then Yash Chopra has straddled as many genres as a man possibly can. From the neo-noir 'Ittefaq', the gangster flick 'Deewar', the vengeance saga 'Trishul' to the compliated 'Silsila', the poignant 'Lamhe', the obsessive 'Darr' and the passionate 'Dil To Pagal Hai'.
Considered as the face of progressive Bollywood, Chopra strived his entire career to bring Bollywood upto international standards. The picturesque locations, the univeral themes that he chose helped his films reach out to a global audience.
In a career spanning half a decade, Chopra directed 22 feature films and produced over a 100. His production house 'YashRaj Films' is one of the leading production houses in the world. On 21st october 2012 Yashji passed away leaving behind for us his final feature film 'Jab Tak Hain Jaan' starring his protege Shahrukh Khan.

Out of the 22 films (all of which are great), i have chosen 10 films that every Bollywood enthusiast should watch. This is my tribute to the Legend.

10. Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)

Despite being a run of the mill love triangle this film stood out simply for its direction. The passion that Chopra infused in each scene was breathtaking. Notice the scene where Khan plays the drums while Madhuri Dixit dances to the tunes or the faceoff between Karisma Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit and you'll know what i am talking about. Shiamak Davar became an overnight star choreographer after this film. The film sweeped all the major awards at the Fimfare and additionally won two National Awards (One for yashJi and the other for karisma kapoor). This was one of the first films in bollywood that dealt with dance solely.

9. Daag - A Poem of Love (1973)

Daag was the first film produced by Yash Chopra under his banner 'Yash Raj films'. An adaption of 'The Mayor of Casterbridge, Daag dealt with the issue of Bigamy. Critically and commercially successful Daag was one of the first film where Yashji showcased his visual skills. The scenic cinematography (seen later in films like Kabhie Kabhie and Silsila) was highly lauded. Rajesh Khanna missed out on the national award by just 4 votes!. Daag still remains a classic film.

8. Kaala Patthar (1979)

Based on a true story about a mining disaster in Bihar, Kaala Patthar was the first ever film to show the sufferings of mine workers. This was Bachchan's fourth collaboration with the director and hew was particularly praised for his fiery potrayal of a disgraced Marine. Not a commercial success yet it is considered a classic and was very different from the kind of films Chopra and his production house dealt with. Chopra would go on to confess that this was one of the most difficult films to make.


7. Trishul (1978)



This movie furthered the image of Bachchan as "The AngryYoung man". The film is about Vijay (Bachchan) the illegitimate son of construction baron RK Gupta (Kumar) who years earlier had dumped his mother to marry a rich heiress. Vijay is out to exact revenge and how that affects the lives of the people around him including his half brother (Shashi Kapoor) is what the story is about. The film was a huge success upon release and was the only film that brought together Khayyam and Chopra.This was also the final Yash Chopra film to be penned by Salim-Javed.


 6. Veer-Zaara (2004)



The final Yash Chopra film that released while he was still living. The star crossed romance follows the love story of Zaara (Zinta), a rich Pakistani girl and Veer Pratap Singh (Shahrukh Khan), an Indian air force officer. Seperated for over two decades,their worlds collide again when Samiya (Mukherji) a human rights lawyer vows to free Veer from a prison he was falsely indicted to. The film was a huge grosser globally, it earned 7 filmfare awards (including best Film) and two national Awards. Considered by many as one of his best films to date, Veer Zaara featured some excellent performances from actors across the border too. This was Khan's third collaboration with Chopra. 

5. Darr (1993)

5. Darr (1993)

With' Darr' chopra completely defied the image of the conventional hero and created a unique version of a revisionist hero. The film made Khan an overnight star and the superstar still maintains that the film changed his life forever. The Cape-Fearish type genre was never seen before in India and not many thought that audience would accept it, but the film was a huge hit. kkkkiran still remains asscoiated with the lead. The film dealt with Rahul (Khan) a shy introvert and his obsession with Kiran (Chawla). Darr still remains a milestone in Indian Cinema.

4. Silsila

Arguably the most controversial and famous Yash Chopra film, Silsila featured real life husband and wife pair of Jaya and Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha as his mistress (Rekha was alleged to have had an affair with Bachchan during that period of time). Chopra dealt with the concept of adultery with taste and delivered a poignant commentary on love and marriage. The film was the debut of javed Akhtar as lyricist and had soulful music by Shiv-Hari. Silsila is essentially made of moments. The moment when Bachchan sees Rekha, The confrontation scene are all proofs that Yash Chopra was an ace when it came to relationships. Silsila's style has inspired the likes of Karan Johar and Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

3. Lamhe (1991)

Chopra till his dying day maintaned that Lamhe was his best work till date. A Mills and Boon ish film, Lamhe is the story of Kunwar Virendra Kapoor (Anil Kapoor) who falls hopelessly in love with Pallavi (Sridevi) when she is does not reciprocate his love and marries someone else, he is heartbroken but they continue to remain friends. When a freak accident takes Pallavi and her husband's life, Kunwar is devastated beyond repair. She leaves behind her newborn daughter Pooja and Kunwar takes it upon himself to raise her. Pooja grows up in awe of the man, while he can never separate her from her mother's shadow.When Pooja (Sridevi)  falls in love with the man 25 years her senior, complications ensue not only due to the age but because Kunwar cannot seem to let go of her deceased mother. Shot ecstatically and directed with equal fervour, Lamhe is considered a modern classic and sweeped 8 National Awards and an equal number of Filmfare Awards. 

2. Ittefaq (1969)

Not too many people know of this little gem. A first of its kind, Ittefaq is a neo-noir Hitcockian type of a film.  The films follows the events of a single night when Dilip (Khanna) a convicted felon runs into Sushma's (Nanda) house and asks to spend the night to evade the cops. Things go as planned until he sees a dead body in the house. The bollywood of the 60's was a different world altogether, where the hero is the good guy and always wins in the end, But CHopra in his usual style defied the concept of 'the hero' completely. Khanna would later go on to say that he really wished a role like Ittefaq came up again in his career. Ittefaq was the first Hindi film that featured no songs in it. For all of you who have not seen it, please download it right now. You will not be disappointed.

1. Deewar (1975)

 For me, Deewar is the best hindi film ever made. The movie made a star out of everybody The director, the actors and most importantly the scriptwriters (Salim- Javed). The film is also a very important piece in the history of India. Released during emergency when the average man was a bundle of stick ready to fire up, Deewar potrayed Bachchan as the "Angry young Man" revolting against a system he knew too well and instantly he became the face of angry youth. Bachchan became an idol overnight and Vijay became a symbol of national resistance. Deewar id the story of two brothers Vijay (Bachchan) and Ravi (Shashi Kapoor). While Ravi has been given a good education and has a high sense of ideals., Vijay has strived his entire life to provide his brother with a good life and has seen the system at its dirtiest. When destiny puts them on opposite sides of the law, a wedge is driven between the brothers. What happens next is what deewar is about. Deewar has always been so much more than a tale of two brothers. It was almost a  social commentary. The character of Vijay (most say) was inspired by noted Don Haji Mastan's life. Even today each dialogue can give you goosebumps. Deewar won every award in the book. Deewar still remains relevant in todays time and has attained cult status

Barfi (2012)

 

Directed By - Anurag Basu

Starring - Ranbir Kapoor, Ileana D'Cruz, Priyanka Chopra, Saurabh Shukla, Akash Khurana, Ashish Vidyarthi, Roopa Ganguly, Jishu Sengupta

The beauty that lay in Chaplin's films was that so many emotions were conveyed through absolute silence. A flick of the eyebrows here, a shake of the legs there and Chaplin lit up the screen. There was a underlying positivity in his films despite their sometimes negative plots. Basu brings back the magic of that era with his simple yet startling gem called 'Barfi'.

'Barfi' is about a simple, happy go lucky deaf-mute boy named Murphy (kapoor) who is called Barfi (due to his inability to pronounce his name properly) and spans 60 years of his life. We see him as an old man at the start of the movie who is on his deathbed. A call is sent to shruti (D'cruz), Barfi's close friend who is in kolkata. On her way to Darjeeling she starts narrating the story of Barfi's life. We are brought to 1978 kolkata where barfi is arrested on kidnapping and robbery charges. There is a flashback in  the flashback where Barfi reminisces about his life in darjeeling and the events that brought him to this positiion. We are now taken to 1972 Darjeeling where Barfi first meets Shruti, a soon to be married girl whose father's transfer has brought her to Darjeeling. Sparks fly, but the romance is short lived as Shruti ends up in two minds regarding her future with the boy who is a Driver's son. Then thrown into the picture is Jhilmil (Chopra) an autistic girl from a rich family who also happens to be Barfi's good friend. The rest is for the audience to see ( not because its a suspense, but because its irritating to type so much out in a cyber cafe).

The cinematography is a standout. Whether its the peaceful terrains of Darjeeling or the hustle-bustle of Kolkata the camera builds up one beatiful frame after another. Earlier this year we had seen a wonderful potrayal of Kolkata from the eyes of Sujoy Ghosh. Basu's Kolkata is a bit different. While Ghosh's potrayal of the city was full of suspense yet imbibed with warmth, Basu's potrayal is serene. Kolkata is shown almost like an old world palace - distraught yet stunning.
 

Basu's direction has to be the finest work we have seen this year. Sorry Sujoy Ghosh but Basu just might steal your show. Backed by a superior screenplay Basu infuses elements of Chaplin and Romanticism to deliver a film which pans out like a beautiful poetry read on a windy day. Its almost impossible to believe that this man could have ever made something as dismal as 'Kites'. Back to his form, its seems good days are ahead of Basu.

Special mention to Pritam and Arijit Mukherjee for some of the most wonderful melodies we have heard in a long,long time. The background music helps in building up some vital scenes. In a movie which is silent for a large part the music has to be fantastic and the music director delivers that perfectly.

Of the cast. Ileana D'Cruz shines as Shruthi Ghosh. The character is a defining force in Barfi's life and the southern star pulls it off with elan. The scenes with her and Kapoor are the best. The scene where Barfi explains to her the large divide between them is breathtaking. Not a single word is spoken in that scene. As they say, silence speaks for itself. Priyanka Chopra as the autistic Jhilmil is fabulous. She never once allows the character to become a caricature and infuses childlike warmth in the character so much so that you find yourself smiling everytime she enters the screen. The supporting cast is great too particularly Akash khurana, Vidyarthi and haranath Chakraborty. But the film totally belongs to ( and i have never meant it more) Ranbir Kapoor. There is a reason why this young man is steadily climbing the steps of success. His filmography has to be the most unconventional for a bollywood star. Kapoor as barfi makes you cry with him , laugh with him all in all enjoy the ride with him. Its an outstanding performance. The boy will yet again sweep all the awards. Its an absolute joy to watch Kapoor pan out his histrionics on screen. Watch out 'tigers' and 'raj's' the kapoor scion just might overtake you in the near future.

Barfi is the kind of film that has 'awards' written all over it. Anurag Basu shows to us that simplicity will always keep you ahead of your contemporaries. It's a must watch.

Rating - 9.2/10   

Gangs of Wasseypur Part II (2012)

Directed By - Anurag Kashyap
Starring - Nawazuddin Siddique, Huma Qureshi, Piyush Mishra, Richa Chadha, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Zeishan Quadri

Its quite difficult to believe that a film with a host of relatively unknown actors and non commercial treatment can gain so much favour with the audience. Nonetheless, its good to see that good cinema is still on the public's agenda. Whats sad is that a man who made gems like 'Black Friday' and 'Dev D' finally got wholesome appreciation for a film that is probably his weakest work. Don't get me wrong, its still an extremely good film (series, whatever).

GOW II starts off where its earlier half left off. Sardar Khan (Bajpayee) has been brutally killed by Sultan and Ramadhir Singh(Dhulia). This is followed by a quick retaliation from Sardar's elder son Daanish who too gets killed in the process. With no way out and a lot of scores to settle Sardar's ganja addicted younger son Faizal (Siddique) takes up the responsibility of getting even with the villains. Faizal brutally murders his best friend who had double crossed him hence setting the note straight that he is not here to fool around. As the fear for faizal grows, he consolidates his hold in the steel mafia of Wasseypur. thrown into the picture is Faizal's stepbrother Definite (Quadri) Sardar's son from his second wife who looks up to his older brother but has ambitions of his own. Also thrown in is Perpendicular, Faizal's own younger brother who is a nuisance to the local vendors and uses his brother's clout to carry out one illegeal activity after another. How the final cards are laid and how Faizal settles the score is what the rest of the film is about.

I have always maintained that a bit of indulgence from the director is a good thing, but the GOW series is a bit too indulgent. There are times in the first film when it seems that kashyap just picked up the camera and forgot to say 'cut'. Thankfully, the second film is much faster. The second film covers a total of roughly 12 years and shifts effortlessly from one subplot to the other. If you put the two films together you will see a distinct change of pattern. All said and done technically the second film is far better than the first.

Story wise there is nothing new its your run of the mill family revenge saga that spans generations. Whats Kashyap does brilliantly is the screenplay. Agreed its painstakingly long, but it has some moments. He peppers the script with a lot of dark humor. In fact its probably one of the first gangster flicks where i have found myself laughing my guts out. The jokes range from suggestive to downright dirty. It helps bring out the backwardness of the society in which this film is set. The editing could have been much better. Frankly i dont see any reason why this film had to be 5 hours 20 minutes long and had to be broken in two parts. Maybe Kashyap didn't want to leave out anything. As i said - over indulgence.

Of the cast, Piyush Mishra has hardly any role in the second outing. Huma Qureshi and Richa Chadha turn in powerful acts. They really make a place for themselves in a film crowded with men. Dhulia is fabulous as Ramadhir Singh. He has shown his directorial skills with amazing films such as Haasil and Paan singh tomar as an actor too he is top notch. I'd love to see him act more. Zeishan Quadri plays definite which is arguably the most interesting character in the script. Its an unpredictable character and Quadri playes it with the ease of a pro. But undoubtedly the best performance (of the film and probably this year) comes from Nawazudding Siddique. Faizal Khan is literally brought to life by this very ordinary looking man. He impressed earlier with his stern act in Kahaani and in GOW he just sweeps you off your feet. He has the most expressive eyes and the grin in the climax is just too good. He shines in all scenes whether he is alone or with a host of other characters A particular favourite is the scene where Faizal breaks down in front of his wife. He deserves every award there is to take (at least, as of now)

All in all, GOW is an excellent film but weak compared to kashyap's other works. Its the most commercial venture he has ever helmed and he delivers a film that should be lapped up the audiences not only because it is technically sound but also because it provides enough masala for the average moviegoer. If not for anything, go watch the 5 ft 6 inch Siddique unleash magic on the screen.

Rating  - 8.0/10

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Directed By - Christopher Nolan
Starring - Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Micheal Caine, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan freeman, Gary Oldman, Marion Cottilard

Have you ever been to a movie where you start shaking and get goosebumps at regular intervals? Have you  ever been to a movie where you find yourself not being able to move? Have you EVER wished with every freaking part of your body that it NEVER ends? Nolan's third Batman film will be one such experience.

The Dark Knight Rises picks up 8 years after the event of the last film. 8 years since Dent died, 8 years since  Batman became The Enemy, 8 years since Bruce Wayne has become a recluse and 8 years since Batman was last seen hovering over Gotham City. A lot of things have changed in Gotham. Its 'peacetime' now. Gordon has to deal with the fact that a villain has been proclaimed the hero and vice versa. Enter Selina Kyle (Hathaway) a charming young lady who is actually a super suave burglar (The Cat) and a chance encounter leads Gordon to discover an underground army being built by the mercenary Bane (Hardy). These events force the caped crusader to come out of hibernation. Also thrown into this scenario is idealistic cop John Blake (Gordon-Levitt) who believes in the Batman and has an inkling that Batman maybe Wayne's alter ego. As all the cool gizmos are re-assembled we see that Bane has far greater plans than just plain destruction. He steeps Gotham into an absolute yet sophisticated anarchy (much like George Orwell's book 1984 states). The rest of the film is for you to see. Don't let me be a party spoiler (Because God knows, i can go on and on and on).

In films such as these acting is generally never anything but brilliant. Bale picks up perfectly from where he left off along with Oldman, Caine and Freeman. Cottilard is ravishing as Miranda Tate, a businesswoman seeking for Wayne's investment in an eco-friendly project. Hathaway is simple stunning. Sorry Halle Berry and Michelle Pfeiffer, Hathaway has to be the sexiest woman to be Selina Kyle. Unlike most other versions, in this version The Catwoman is far more mysterious character.

Much like most Nolan movies, this film is laced with classy dialogues from start to finish and the way the actor deliver it (especially Bale and Hathaway) is beyond amazing. The best thing about this film is the thrills. It larger in scale as compared to the previous films. The sheer intensity of some scenes (like the scene in which Wayne escapes from Bane's jail) will throw you away. Almost every entry, every confrontation has a style to it (evident from the reaction of the audience). In terms of visuals, you are in for a treat. There are more characters in this film, more action and certainly more intensity.

The real hero of the film though never appears on screen - Christopher Nolan. I have long admitted that this man is a genius on another level. Its difficult for me to find words to describe his work. This man never seems to go wrong. If i were to meet him right now i would probably just kneel and ask for his blessings. Take it from me, this man will go on to become one of the greatest directors in the world (if he already isn't one). The ending of the film is something i will not divulge (even in person). When you see the climax you'll understand what i am saying. What i love about his treatment of this franchise is that he never treats like a superhero subject. He has made the characters human. You find yourself sympathising with Bane at a point. You find yourself conflicted towards Alfred. He sticks to the original notion of the comics - one man may not be able to set an example but one symbol can. That's what makes it such a fantastic trilogy.

"The Dark Knight Rises" is exactly what it claims to be - An Epic Conclusion. You just wish (like hell) that he makes more Batman films

Rating - 9.7/10

Shanghai (2012)

Directed By - Dibakar Banerjee

Starring - Emraan Hashmi, Abhay Deol, Prosenjit Chatterji, Kalki Koechlin, Farooque Shaikh, Supriya Pathak

Dibakar Banerjee's fourth screen outing (after the radical 'Khosla Ka Ghosla', the experimental 'LSD' and the  humorous 'Oye Lucky, Lucky Oye') is a staggering story about a country pretending to  be another brighter one. Although an adaption (of Vasilis Vasilikos's 'Z') it is turned into a strikingly relevant story of our times and our crimes.

The time is now and is set in the fictional town of Bharatnagar which is at the brink of becoming a high tech, super developed economic zone  ( hence the reference to the beautiful city of Shanghai) under the government's program of IBP. Much like most development initiatives in our country this too has gaping holes. A large part of the population, who economically and education wise are not deemed fit to be part of this pseudo shanghai, will be rendered homeless as a result of this project. The Government chooses to conveniently overlook it for the sake of votes and national recognition. Enter Dr Ahmedi (Prosenjit) a professor and activist who has come to help the 'not so wise' realise the Government's ploy in the name of IBP. He is met with widespread protest as well as support. As is the case, he is mowed down by a truck (after a stunning speech) which is quickly covered up by the government as a drunken driving case. After Shalini (Koechlin), Ahmedi's student and lover as well as Ahmedi's wife cry foul, the Government sets up an enquiry commission which is headed by Krishnan, a seemingly honest and egoistic IAS officer. Also thrown in is Jogi Parmar (Hashmi) a small time videographer and adult film maker who has stumbled onto evidence which may turn the case around completely.

Banerjee's genius is most visible in his meticulous detailing. A tense commission proceeding being interrupted by a stray basketball or after a heated conversation the principal's slipping on the wet floor show that Dibakar banerjee is a man who fragments a film into moments, moments that stay with you. Also very impressive is the dark tone of the film, the amazing visuals and the realistic detailing work done on the characters, my favourite being Abhay deol's obsession with straightening and perfecting his neck tie. 

Dibakar also does a fine job with the screenplay. Under 2 hours running time, the film is tight and the scenes are crisply shot. One of the major advantages of the film is the immense knowledge that the director has about Cinematrography. The camerawork is just stunning. it has the look and feel of world cinema much like Banerjee's earlier 'love sex aur dhokha'. The film has its share of hiccups. For one, it is very predictable and lacks the urgency that such thrillers generally should possess. Many would argue that it is not the point of the film, but still it does stick out as a sore thumb. Also, the ending seems a bit too convenient given that it is a film which attempts to show us the ironical and warped country we live in. 

What goes bang on for the film is the acting. Kalki koechlin is okay as the slightly unhinged Shalini, the daughter of a fraud and lover of an unsung hero. Its a role that could be a Phd topic for her as she has done way too many times. She, according to me, is the weakest part of the film. Prosenjit Chatterji has a roughly 20 minute role in which he kills it. Trust me, if the superstar was given 10 more minutes he would have outshone the leads. He is terrific as the resilient academic cum activist. He plays the part of Dr Ahmedi with the adequate amount of restraint and coldness. 

Its a revelation to watch Farooque Shaikh in a negative role. As the crooked IAS officer Shaikh is bound to break many of our mother's hearts that he had made his way into with films like Noorie. Its a surprise too, to watch Supriya Pathak play a character on the darker side of the grey scale. In fact this odd casting and the fact that no character is 'doodh ka dhula' creates a compelling atmosphere (again to the credit of Dibakar Banerjee). But the film clearly belongs to its leads. Abhay Deol as the seemingly honest bureaucrat is outstanding. He has the chameleon like aura and woody expression that is so engaging throughout. Its not the conventional man against the system sort of story but you are likely to find yourself rooting for him. But the clear winner in the acting department is - Emraan hashmi. The man has grown as an actor drastically (not to mention his soaring popularity evident from the whistles). As the low class and uncouth videographer who becomes an unlikely ally to the Ahmedi case when he finds himself in danger, Emraan is top notch. He underplays for most of the film, until the final outburst towards the climax. He is dirty, pathetic in english and sometimes downright disgusting. It's a stellar performance.

All in all Dibakar banerjee creates a wonderful world which is so relevant to our times. There are lapses but Banerjee shows us that quality cinema still exists in India and it can be entertaining too (which i was seriously doubting after Rowdy rathore became a success). Backed by superior direction, a tight screenplay, a haunting background score and standout performances. Shanghai is a winner.

Rating - 8.5/10 

Agneepath (2012)

Directed By - Karan Malhotra

Starring - Hrithik Roshan, Sanjay Dutt, Rishi kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Zarina Wahab,Dewen Bhojani.

In one of the scenes in the cult Agneepath (1990), we see Vijay Dinanath Chauhan (Bachchan) mouth a famous dialogue "Hawa tez chalta hai Dinka Rao, topi sambhaalo gir jaayega". It's the first time in the film you see Vijay openly showing his anger and bitterness regarding his father's unjustified killing, while in the remake you see Vijay (Roshan) carrying that streak of vengeance in every frame. What one understands (and should keep in mind) is that the two films work essentially on two different tangents. While the original was a crime drama about the rise of a man from the slums to the high echelons of the underworld with the revenge subplot thrown in somewhere, the remake is purely a revenge saga.

The remake starts exactly like its predecessor, in the seaside village of mandwa in 1977.The plot kicks in with the unjust killing of village schoolteacher Dinanath Chauhan. His murder at the hands of sadistic villain Kancha, played menacingly by Dutt, is witnessed by his young son Vijay who grows up with an indefatigable thirst for revenge. As Vijay comes to mumbai with his pregnant mother, played by Zarina Wahab,he aligns himself with Kancha's rival - drug lord and pim Rauf Lala, taken on in an unforgettable turn by Rishi Kapoor.

Fifteen years down the line. Vijay is a trusted hitman and scion to Lala's empire. Estranged from his mother and teenage sister for the life of crime he chooses. He is the gunman with a heart of gold and the residents of his chawl look upto him as their godfather. In the midst of this he also manages to fall in love with the motor mouth local girl Kali (Chopra)

The film forges ahead with high voltage action sequences, chilling confrontations, double crossing and bloodshed and Vijay moves ahead with the single minded purpose of destroying Kancha. He plans his moves carefully as if on a chessboard and is ready to kill anybody in his way even Lala who is a father like figure. Ultimately how he finishes kancha and redeems his father's death is what Agneepath is about.

Karan Malhotra does an admirable job for a first timer. Remaking a film which has acquired a cult status over the years, not to mention has fetched national awards for its popular leads, is a difficult task. What he does smartly is that he builds his own characters, borrowing from the orginal only when absolutely needed. For example, the Vijay of the earlier film is a don with a heart of goldd who would do no harm to the people who have been good to him. The Vijay of this film is not absolutely devoid of morals but yet is more cruel and ruthless than its predecessor. Unlike the earlier film the Vijay is not larger than life but is like an everyday man who is suffering with the agony of his father's unjust death. The film proclaims 'Revenge is the purest emotion' and the character of Vijay sticks to that perfectly. Of course the characterisations have loopholes like the absolutely useless character of Lala's mentally retarded son and the underused Gaitonde played by Om Puri who pops up now and then to give Vijay moral sermons. But the character of kancha and Rauf are geniuses while one is sadistic, the other is ruthless. While one is menacing the other is calculative. Ultimately what becomes the biggest problem for the film  is its over-indulgent length.

Of the cast Priyanka Chopra has precious litttle to do, Zarina Wahab is underuused and Om Puri is plain wasted. What pulls the film through is the three leading men. We will start in ascending order. Firstly its refreshing to see sanjay dutt in a role he truly enjoys after seeing him sleepwalk througha dozen or so films earlier. The character in the remake is refined. There is a sadistic streak in him that comes of the low self esteem he has in himself through out his life which comes out as a superiority complex. This complicated character is brought to life by Dutt who lights up the screen with his menacing swagger and sheer bulk. Rishi Kapoor possibly delivers the greatest performance of his career as Rauf Lala. You will be stunned to see this man etch out this cruel and classless character withe ease and grace after seeing him play the quintessential chocolate boy/man for 3 decades or so. Finally the greatest strength of the film is Hrithik Roshan. It's Hrithik Roshan who redefines Agneepath.He plays the character without the flourish that Bachchan brought, instead turning him into a ruthless machine for revenge. Yet shouldering layers of pain, hurt and rage making you match each step with him on his journey. He commands the camera once again and delivers a riveting, sincere performance.

All in All its a decent one time watch if the two agneepath's are not compared (which frankly they cannot be). Only if the film was not so agonisingly long..

Rating - 7.7/10

Vicky Donor (2012)

Directed By - Shoojit Sircar
Starring  - Ayushmann Khurrana, Yami Gautam,Annu Kapoor, Dolly Ahluwalia.

Early in the film we see Vicky (Ayushmann) coming to Dr Chadha's (Kapoor) clinic to 'volunteer'. As most would be, he feels awkward doing what he has come to do and Dr Chadha helps by providing adult magazines and videos. Why i mention this scene is,not only because its hilarious, but it also shows the prejudices that exist in modern society regarding sperm donation, a theme this film beautifully portrays.

'Vicky Donor' is about Vicky Arora a typical Delhi-ite 'over the top panju'. He is not bothered about his career, loves shopping, active on social networking sites, parties all night. He comes to the notice of Dr Baldev Chadha who is an infertility expert going through a sperm drought. As he himself declares he is a man who can identify a guy's sperms just by looking at the fellow. After trying hard for a long time, Vicky finally gives in and starts volunteering for donation. Business is great, he is earning money and also falls in love with the beautiful Ashima Roy ( Gautam) who works in a bank. Ultimately both tie the knot.The problem starts when Ashima finds out that she cant become pregnant and Vicky's profession is revealed.

Shoojit Sircar had earlier delivered the hard hitting 'Yahaan' which was a love story set against the backdrop of military problems in Kashmir. Most would think this is virgin territory for him but what he delivers is a hysterical film which is so simple that most urban people (especially Delhi-ites and bengalis) would connect with it. The main reason for this is that Vicky Donor is essentially a love story between a Punjabi Boy and a Bengali girl. The scenes portraying the cultural clash between the two great communites leaves you in splits. With Ashima's pishi and baba on one side and Vicky's Bebe and Beeji on the other. Ashima's father (i didnt catch the actor's name) is a standout especially in the scene where he goes on to describe how bengali men are as good in bed as punjabi's. From the punjabi scene, the progressive grandmom 'beeji' is brilliant. The film takes a light hearted view on the urban issue and also looks to explore the prejudices that even the modern generation suffers from. Shoojit undermines none of the communities and in fact skillfully plants 'beeji' and the father in law as progressive in terms of their grandson/son in law's profession.

Of the cast Dolly Ahluwalia and Vicky's Grandmom are magnificent. Especially in the scenes where they have conversations while drinking cheap whisky. The bengali side is no less. the 'sophisticated' and well read pishi is brilliant. She is almost like a slap on the face of the over the top intellectual bengali. The father too is a character most would find in their home. A simple rabindrasangeet and mohun bagan loving man who frowns at the prospect of having a 'paanjaabi jamai'. Annu kapoor as Dr Chadha shows that rare quality that lies in experience. He breathers life into the sperm loving, typical panju doctor. He is one of the biggest reasons why this film works. Ultimately, the film is nothing without its leads. Yami Gautam plays a bengali girl to perfection (not to mention she looks like a million bucks) and shares a brilliant chemistry with Ayushmann. Last but not the least its TV man Ayushmaan who packs the punch. He is simple outstanding as Vicky. He is a bag of talent and lights up the screen with his presence. The Vicky-Ashima chemistry is beautiful to say the least.

The music of the film is pretty good with my favourite being 'Paani da' sung by the lead man himself.

All in All Vicky Donor is one film no one should miss especially Bongs and panju's living in Delhi (or otherwise). Sircar's second outing is an excellent product which is sure to make you laugh till your stomach starts paining. Its a small film with a BIG heart.

Rating - 8.7/10