Dial M For Murder | Love Wrecks | The Critique

Nothing hurts a man more than the fact that his wife is having an affair. More than his manhood, it hurts his love and emotions which are usually subtly tabled, not openly expressed. Dial M For Murder is thriller woven around a man’s vengeance against a cheating wife, directed by perhaps the biggest and most respected name in the genre- Alfred Hitchcock. Based on a stage play, the movie is largely shot in living room of the central characters- the husband Tony Wendice and his beautiful wife- Margot.

Within 15 minutes into the movie, one realize that Margot who had a fling with novelist Mark Halliday, has decided to mend her ways. Unaware of her intentions, her husband still believe that she is steady in her affair. When Mark comes to meet her, Tony decides to put a lid on the story, forever. He hires con Swann, a college-mate of his. Swann reluctantly takes the job. But he fails and is murdered in self-defense by Margot.  Tables had turned and Tony finds himself cornered. Will his secret come out or will he come out of it, unscathed? Watch this movie. It’s one of those movies which can make you rewind the tape.

Speaking of performances, there are four characters and they all delivered good, especially Ray Milland who plays the role of suspecting husband. As a scheming person he looks convincing and as romantic, he is really charming. In the last scene, in particular, he excels. Screenplay deserved a special mention. Though shot almost entirely in a room, the movie rely a lot on how the dialogues come up and are delivered on screen. The way thrill is kept intact till very end of the movie, it’s a case study for all script writers. Direction: you don’t comment on Hitchcock. Its blasphemy.  

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

Qatl | Murder And Murderer | The Critique

Qatl is a not-so-popular movie which can make you think that why didn’t this click. It is easily one of the better thrillers made in Bollywood. It has the Alfred Hitchcock feel and boasts of a fine performances by a seasoned Sanjeev Kumar and an impressive Shatrughan Sinha. Rated at 7.4 by 10 on IMDB, Qatl is a treat for all cine buffs.

Rakesh (Sanjeev Kumar) is a blind rich man. He loves his wife Rohini (Sarika) a lot. However, unsatisfied by a blind husband, she reaches out to his best friend Ranjeet and it converts into an intimate relationship. Rakesh’s nurse Sita, played by a subtle Ranjeetha, comes to know about the affair. It disturbs her and she feels very bad for Rakesh who is a very nice person. Suddenly, one day, Rohini is found dead at Ranjeet’s place. Inspector Shatru has been assigned to the task. Will he be able to find the murderer? Suspects: Rakesh who may or may not be aware of his wife’s affair. Sita, who likes Rakesh and wants to replace Rohini in his life. Ranjeet... the natural suspect; might have fought with Rohini and killed her in fit of rage.

Qatl boasts of a very strong cast and a very well drafted script. Though it lets a few ends open, hardly anything fizzles out easily. Director R.K. Nayyar made a brilliant movie. Kudos.

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

Shakespeare In Love Movie review | The Critique

Rating-3.5/5 Stars

With little expectations of liking it, and no knowledge of it being a comedy I embarked on watching ‘Best Picture’ for the year 1998.

Set in Elizabethan times with Shakespeare as a rising playwright, who’s every play is inspired by a muse. At this point of story he is without a muse and thus without an inspiration to write. How he eventually finds her and scripts his classic Romeo and Juliet forms the rest of the story.

Joseph Fiennes as Shakespeare is excellent in his comic timing as well as his lover boy act. Gweneth Paltrow as his muse, who is binded by customs but is still madly in love with Shakespeare comes across as a earnest performance. Judy Dench with her surprise appearance as Queen Elizabeth impreses too.

How it changes from a light hearted comedy, going through twists to reach its lightly tragic end is a treat to savour.

Watch it whenever you have time. It will surely surprise you, as it surprised me.

Written By Ali Naqvi 

Before Sunset | Critique | Movie review | Unusual Love Stories-Part 4

Note- To read review of ‘Before Sunrise’, Click here.

Rating - 5/5 Stars

“Journalist : Do you consider the book to be autobiographical?
Jesse: Well, I mean , isn’t everything autobiographical?”
Nine years after events of ‘Before Sunrise’ Jesse is in Paris, attending a book conference for his book he authored; a fictionalized account of his meeting with Celine. And there Celine is waiting for him, we soon get to know that Celine couldn’t make for their scheduled meeting after 6 months of ‘before sunrise’ at Vienna.

Jesse has just few hours before his flight to US. They decide to spend the time talking. The beauty of the script is how natural their conversation is. It goes through various stages; Firstly, They are formal in talking, like people are when they meet after a long time; then they talk about life in general what they have been doing; then proceed to talk about each other, their personal problems. This transition of their talk is so natural and real that you just can’t help but love the whole thing.

The actors are just too natural to seem acting. The secret is that the director and both actors all three contribute to the story. In fact, both actors have added their personal details to the movie, which make it even real and their acting even more natural.

This movie, similar to Before Sunrise is just about them talking. Both the actors have considerably aged in the movie, which again adds a realistic touch. If I were to pick one performance of the two actors it has to be Julie Delpy. Though even her role is more substantial, but she has just performed too well! Atleast an Oscar nomination was deserved for her performance

In the last scene where Celine enacts one of her favorite singers, on stage, and towards the end tells Jesse in the same singer’s style, “Celine: Baby, you are gonna miss that plane. Jesse: I know.” This in my opinion has to be one of the sweetest scenes I can remember in all the films (I was initially giving it 4.5 stars, additional ½ star in the rating is for this amazing scene)

PS – If you remember Saif Ali Khan- Rani Mukherjee Starrer ‘Hum Tum’, also had protagonist writing a bestseller to reach to his lost love. Coincidence? I think NOT!

PPS- Ethan Hawke has indicated that maybe they MAY make a third film. Though the premise in my opinion narrative has reached a wonderful end, but I trust Ethan Hawke- Richard Linklater –Julie Delpy trio to spin a soulful story once again. I for one will wait for eternity to see the next part.

Written By Ali Naqvi

Little Manhattan | The Critique| Unusual love stories Part 3

Rating: 4/5

I was in class 1 when I first fell in love with a sweet damsel in my class. She used to sit two rows ahead of me in a class divided on lines of Indo-Pak border. Her hazel eyes and sweetest smile made me crazy about her. She changed her school that very year and I am still trying to search her over social networks. Yes… I too had a love story… and maybe that’s the very reason I was able to connect with Gabe and his childish love for Rosemary.

Little Manhattan is a sweet love story of an eleven year old kid Gabe, who fell in love with a beautiful girl Rosemary. Gabe’s parents are on verge of separation and life thus is not great for him. His only solace is the fact that he loves Rosemary and the dopamine keeps him up. But that’s no utopia. He feels that she is drifting far from him. He discusses this with his father and his father says that the reason he and Gabe’s mother is not in an amiable situation is that they left many things unsaid.

Gabe opens up. Rosemary says that lets the time take its own course. Till then they can be good friends… Gabe’s father reconciles with his wife and things are getting into shape. Gabe remarks that he won’t forget his first love…

Wow, quite a tale. Well, to believe that as a movie with child actors, you will actually have to watch it. Direction, music and cinematography aides the near-perfect story and lovely performances. Seriously, watch it to believe it…

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

Before Sunrise | Critique | Unusual Love stories - Part 1

Rating – 5/5 Stars

“Jesse: OK, well this was my thought: 50,000 years ago, there are not even a million people on the planet. 10,000 years ago, there's, like, two million people on the planet. Now there's between five and six billion people on the planet, right? Now, if we all have our own, like, individual, unique soul, right, where do they all come from? You know, are modern souls only a fraction of the original souls? 'Cause if they are, that represents a 5,000 to 1 split of each soul in the last 50,000 years, which is, like, a blip in the Earth's time. You know, so at best we're like these tiny fractions of people, you know, walking... I mean, is that why we're so scattered? You know, is that why we're all so specialized?
Celine: I don't know. Wait a minute, I'm not sure... I don't... ”

Insightful lines aren’t these. Bet you have this feeling, ”Yes he’s right, I never thought of it this way.” This is also true for the film, you would have never thought a love story could be told just two people talking. In a continuous stretch. In space of just one day.

It is story of Jesse and Celine who meet each other in train and decide to spend time ‘before sunrise’ with each other. All throughout the movie all they do is just talk and walk around city of Vienna. That is it. Whole of the plot. The film has turned up as a classic.

While watching this film with a friend, my friend noticed two guys on the dark street ogling heroine. The friend asked, “Will they follow her.” In any other movie, that would have happened, followed by some action scene in which hero rescues the damsel. But not in ‘Before Sunrise’.  It does not go for any cliché to spice up the film sticks to its simple premise and keeps on exploring it. That’s the beauty of the movie. It remains honest to its promise, never once wavering from its path.

Have you noticed how each thread in general conversation starts with some part of original conversation. This movie captures it. And that is what it is all about.

One more astonishing thing about the film is apart from these two characters, there are hardly any characters with screen presence of say 2 minutes. 6-7 characters appear but they are their just for seconds. Both the leads ( Ethan Hawke and Julie Delphy) have such a great chemistry that you know that they mean each word. You know they are in love. Both these performances deserve separate essays on their own. (May be I will write it someday.)

The film ends with both promising to meet after six months. It is left to viewer to decide whether they will meet or not…

PS – In the same series I will cover Love Stories that are unique and unusual. ‘Before Sunrise’ had its sequel as ‘Before Sunset’ which was equally brilliant film. Will also cover it in this series.

Written by – Ali Naqvi.

When Harry Met Sally | The Critique

 When Harry Met Sally . . ." is a story of two people and about how it takes them 12 years to fall in love. We're with them, or maybe a little ahead of them, every step of the way.

Harry meets Sally for the first time at the University of Chicago, when they team up to share the driving for a trip to New York. We see them only at those intervals when they see each other. They meet, for example, several years later and she's with a new boyfriend. They keep on meeting until they realize that they like one another, and they become friends - even though on their very first cross-country trip, Harry warned Sally that true friendship is impossible between a man and a woman, because the issue of sex always gets in the way.

There are lots of lines to quote when you're telling friends about the movie.  It's only occasionally that the humor is paid for at the expense of credibility - as in a hilarious but unconvincing scene where Sally sits in a crowded restaurant and demonstrates how to fake an orgasm.

Harry is played by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan is Sally, and they make a good movie couple because both actors are able to suggest genuine warmth and tenderness. She is an open-faced, bright-eyed blond; he's a gentle, skinny man with a lot of smart one-liners. Crystal is one of the rare actors who can make an apology on the screen, and convince us he means it. Ryan has a difficult assignment - she spends most of the movie convincing Harry, and herself, that there's nothing between them - and she has to let us see that there is something, after all.

This film is probably Rob Reiner’s most conventional, in terms of structure and the way it fulfills our expectations. But what makes it special, apart from the Ephron screenplay, is the chemistry between Harry and Sally.

Written By: Ali Naqvi

Laws of attraction Movie Review | Critique

Rating-3/5 stars I recently caught up with the movie 'Laws of attraction' on TV, which i had frankly forgotten after i first saw it. I higly recommend this movie for - (1) The crackling chemistry of Pierce Brosnan and Julliane Moore. (2) A very likeable Non-James Bond movie starring Pierce Brosnan. The plot involves two competeting DIVORCE lawyers who are at loggerheads all the time. Brosnan's character has never lost a case , but on the surface he is very unorganised. Where as Julliane's character is upcoming divorce Lawyer.

They eventually land up representing opposite sides of a divorce case which involves philandering rockstar and his designer punk-inspired wife. They fight and shout at each each other on and off the court. It is in these parts that the chemistry is amazing, You can easily see that they are actually attracted to each other in a wild way. What comprises the rest of the story is indeed very catching.

Coming to performances, this is easily one of better performances of Pierce Brosnan, where he clearly prooves that he can very well play lovable, likable, romantic and unorganised characters other than his poker face performance as agent 007. Julliane Moore is as good as always. She is the one who breathes all the heat into the chemistry. Lovely performance to say the least.

One of the strong points of 'Laws of Attraction' is that all supporting characters also performed exceptionally. Julliane's Mom's chararcter has been played excellently well. So is the character of Rockstar and his Wife. Trust me if you have a liking for romantic comedies you will definetly like this one.

Written by Ali Naqvi

Chitchor- Unsung Brilliance | Critique

Simple stories , next door characters and melodious music define Rajshri Productions. Chitchor is another sweet romantic movie by Rajshri starring ever humble Amole Palekar and Zarina Wahab in lead and music by Ravindra Jain. Ironically, Palekar is one of the most underrated actor and Jain is the most underrated musicians. Both have great following but deserve more applause than what they ever got.

Pitambar Chaudhri is trying to find a groom for his second daughter. His elder daughter Meera is living a married life in Mumbai (Bombay), tells her father that an engineer is coming to the village and is a perfect match for Geeta, her younger sister. A visitor comes and is well treated by the family. He starts liking Geeta and the same happens with Geeta. Happy father (Our favorite A. K. Hangal) decides that the boy- Vinod, is perfect for his daughter. But the color of sky changes with the news that the prospective groom will arrive late and his name is Sunil. Then the big question pops up: Who is Vinod?

Vinod is an overseer who came before Sunil and the family asks Geeta to forget Vinod and to look forward at Sunil as a match. Now, incidentally Sunil also starts liking Geeta and says yes to engagement. Vinod, when come to know about this, decides to move out but fortunately everything is sorted when Geeta opens up.

Some movies make you laugh, some make you jump on your seats but this one… will keep you cool and smiling. You will wonder why they remade this into a crass star studded super flop- Main Prem Ki diwani Hoon. Eeeks!

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

P.S.: Look out for brilliant music and songs sung by Yesudas.

An Affair To Remember- Indian Summer | Eyes Read It

Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru was a statesman and unlike most of his compatriot contemporaries had a very different image that resembled a Casanova. Why? He was stylish. He was sophisticated. He had a charismatic persona and he was a Lady’s Man. Well, in the light of Struggle of Freedom, a book “Indian Summer” probed more.

Alex von Tunzelmann’s book “Indian Summer: The Secret History Of The End Of An Empire” presented a romantic story of love blossoming between Nehru and Edwina Mountbatten, Lord Mountbatten’s better half. The book is woven around the relationships of Lord and Lady Mountbatten, Nehru, Gandhi and Jinnah; and how their relationships shaped the destiny of a nation divided into two countries. According to the writer, the love story can termed as the real life Casablanca.

Did the romance faded after the Independence? No. Even after the end of the empire, the bond didn’t faded. The relationship lasted till their last breaths. In 1960, when she died in UK, India’s parliament passed a condolence resolution. Moreover, government dispatched a wreath of Marigolds to be scattered into the waves of English Channel.

Production house- Universal Pictures has decided to bring the novel to the screen. According to the rumors, the Government of India has suggested that the production house will have to follow some ground rules in order to shoot in country. The rules states that nothing that can hamper the public image of Nehru can be shown on screen. Any scene showing them (Nehru-Edwina) kissing or in compromising state, holding hands in love or expressing love shall be strictly avoided. The sanctity of a friendly relation shall be maintained. The speculations are that Joe Wright, Director of Atonement and Pride & Prejudice will direct the saga with Hugh Grant as Lord Mountbatten, Cate Blanchett as Lady Mountbatten and Irrfan Khan as Nehru.

It will be interesting to see the movie on celluloid. However, in this country movies on demigods had suffered setbacks in past for going against social norms. With Congress being the main constituent of UPA, it will be interesting to see how much of the story is accepted and how much protests crops up.

The Critique: Hazaaron Khwahishain Aisi

Hazaaron khwahishain aisi ke har khwahish pe dam nikle
bohot nikle mere armaan lekin phir bhi kam nikle…

This couplet pretty much sums up what charaters of “hazaron khwaishein” are going through.
Set in the times of political turmoil of Emergency and period just before it. The story basically tracks the paths of three characters, Geetha Rao (played by supremely beautiful and talented Chitragandha Singh), Siddharth Tayabji (played by acclaimed KK Menon) and Vikram Malhotra (played by Shiney Ahuja in his best performance till date, also his second movie). Vikram likes Geetha, who in turn is in love with Siddharth, a revolutionary.
Siddharth leaves to join the revolution. Geetha moves on for higher studies, where she marries an IAS officer. A failed marriage draws her back to Siddharth, (IAS played by Ram Kapoor, who is brilliant in the scene where as a not-in-cotrol husband he confronts Geetha about Siddharth, beats her up and eventually begs her to stay back.) Later Geetha moves to join revolution, where she helps Siddharth in all ways, even once gets abused to save him. Siddharth lands in lock up. Vikram meanwhile is now a successful Business man, who gets involved in emergency turmoil as his Gandhian Father is arrested and Geetha approaches him to rescue Siddharth and what follows is a chilling climax.

By acclaimed director Sudhir Mishra who understands every shade of his characters. Mishra a leftist himself and who has seen through horrific emergency days of 70’s, presents a chilling account. Performances are top notch; even bit roles are played to perfection.

A mature love story with characters meeting over a span of six years,relations explicit but not sensational, even adulterous to portray intimacy, intimate scenes are shot starkly (as was required).It is about difference in ideology as Siddharth, an idealist in contrast with Vikram who remains in system to use it for himself. It is also what choices people make finally. Notice how role reversal takes place in the end, with Siddharth and Vikram *swapping choices they made. It works on so many levels at the same time, and that is what makes it a great watch.

Interesting to watch, more for those of us who were born after emergency. This is a MUST watch if serious movies is your thing, and if you like it spread the word, make your friends watch it too, as it has lesser audiences than it deserves. Some might see it as a less-on-entertainment package, if they are not into serious movies. But if you are trying to start watching serious issue based movies this will be a good start.

Written By: Ali (Rosebud)