Datto never misses a Beat! Watch it again, just for her.

‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’  after four years opens with a counselling session about the main characters’ woeful marital life abroad leading to Manu being sent to mental asylum in a hilarious scene and Tanu returning to her hometown and kicking off her Bohemian ways.  Later, Tanu’s lookalike Datto enters Manu’s life and the hilarity ensues that should tickle you throughout and make you come again to watch the movie, so what if it’s only for Datto.

The movie is a sequel to the first version; however, it won’t stop the fun from watching the movie. Rather, it is double the fun. We have some extremely well woven eccentric characters to humour us more than our heart’s content and the unpredictability (except the climax) hooks you to the seat. The movie is fiercely paced, gripping with some riotous dialogues and brilliant performances.  The ever chatty bumpkin Pappi, played by Deepak Dobriyal is a comic marvel, Zeeshan Ayub as the oddball lawyer and other characters have their share of screen space and are given equal privilege in the movie.

Madhavan as a loner, husband on the verge of divorce, and escaping by marrying Datto, while, quietly pining for Tanu, always hesitant is decent in melancholic expressions, has less dialogues and yet gets your sympathy. Tanu, Kangana, reprising her role, is swashbuckling a diva with a heart of her own, who goes out to celebrate unapologetic and with a swagger  after incarcerating her husband in an asylum, is a treat to watch. Even at the end, she shows some glimpses of her mettle with her sheer presence.

BUT it is Datto, as a Haryanvi Jat athlete in DU, Kangana’s first ever double role is one of the best characters she played ever and which adds a feather to her pluck as an actor. Watch the movie once and twice over, only for Datto. She holds a string of your heart and just takes it all.  A brash Haryanvi Athelete, independent and a rebel, has some of the best dialogues and with her earthy appeal, innocence to die for, makes us all gooey and also stand for her bravado, her struggles and her tremendous sense of self. Jat Accent just in place, she strikes the punch and high fives with you every time she alights the screen.  In one of the scenes, where she gives it back to Tanu, seeing her for the first time is a scene to savour. The movie raises its bar and is another Milestone for Kangana Ranaut, who seems to have found the pot of gold, finally.

Bombay Velvet – A Stellar Retro Rhapsody!

Bombay Velvet is one of the most awaited and hyped movie this year and one of Anurag Kashyap’s celluloid magnifique, in a retro canvas of an emerging Bombay in the early 60s of ambitions and ruthless struggle for power.  It is a story of a pariah Johnny Balraj (Ranbir Kapoor) and his journey from rags to riches, his rise and fall, aided and abetted by a sly, pitiless Khambatta (Karan Johar) and a tender love story, writ in throbbing love. Will Johnny survive the murky world and go on to live a blissful life with Rosie(Anushka) or will his greed and brash arrogance ruin him? Watch the movie to see the inimitable drama unfold.

It seems the massive effort to recreate the Bombay of the 70s is perfect to a fault. The characters, with a distinctly painful background come to the city in search of hope amidst chaos, a living amid the pulsating masses.  Johnny from Pakistan, with a woman, not close to his stepmom and learns the ways of the underbelly to make his living while Rosie, escapes a sexually abused youth and flees to Bombay. Both are lost souls, lonely souls, longing souls. Johnny falls for the lure of the devious, cold Khambatta (Karan) to become a ‘Big Shot’, while Rosie becomes a mule of Jimmy and steps in ‘Bombay Velvet’, a dance , jazz club as a singer as an Informer that could ruin Khambatta’s own ambition of ruling Bombay. In the process, both gets trapped, lost in the muddy world, only to find solace in each other’s arms.

Finally, when Johnny becomes too hot to handle, he becomes the target of the police, the land owners, Khambatta and the Mayor and his time of reckoning arrives. The movie is enthralling and the grey areas of the characters are vividly portrayed. The fight sessions of Johnnie, the Jazz music in the background and the rapid pace of the movie would keep you glued. The USP is the crescendo of Jazz beats with vivid, loud drumbeats in the action sequences, which heightens the effect even more.

Ranbir is dead on as a misguided kid Johnny and a lost soul in love. The grin, the crazy eyes and the piercing looks just makes him an eye candy to savour. One of his best performances to date for sure. Anushka looks intense and gritty and you do empathise with her. Karan as the deadly icy Khambatta is a treat to watch. Didn’t set the screen on fire but surely, is interesting and scheming. The music by Amit Trivedi is his usual mix of techno beats and various mixes and songs are nice, though you would love a few when you download them.

Lastly, let’s give it up for Anurag Kashyap, an immensely honest film, made with heart, style and chutzpah. Though the emotional plot between the star struck loves didn’t really flourish, yet , there’s so much perseverance and passion, we are not complaining.

A 4 STAR****

PIKU- Some Effortless Motion

My Movie Review- 

A plain vanilla plot revolving an aging stubborn, nitpicking father and an equally irritated, headstrong, stuck in a rut daughter connecting  and crusading for motion with emotions is a movie to watch for sure. Simply, because of its realistic views;because it tugs at your heartstrings, nudges it now and then, with the simplicity of the 'Middle of the Road' variety of cinema

The movie doesn't promise exceptional plot, a laugh riot or a masala potboiler  but simple pleasures and agonies of watching a dysfunctional father-daughter duo pulling it off, one day to the other. 

We have Deepika as an agonised daughter,Bacchhan saab playing a grumbling,insulting father, Bhaskor, obsessed with health and Irrfan, as the taxi owner, as a pleasing supplement to bring in his straight faced humour in the chaotic household.

The characters take the road way to visit Calcutta to pay a visit to the ancestral household where the other characters unfold. On their journey, Irrfan, in one of his endearing roles, drove few points home to Bhaskar and showed him a side of love he'd almost taken for granted. Deepika, as a bengali girl, does justice to her character and so does Bacchan saab. It is Irrfan, though, who steals some very effective scenes just with his piercing eyes, radiating anger and peace to a great effect.

The music from Anupam Roy, who's a known name in the Bengali filmdom is very well and from what I have heard, the songs are his writing, bringing forth his great imageries and soothing ambience. Calcutta's portrayal, in keeping with the movie, has been portrayed in nostalgia as a walk down the memory lane it was for the protagonists. Bacchan saab recounting the places and events with his brother in Calcutta are some of the scenes worth endearing to.

However, the movie is very predictable and does not change on the father-daughter relationship. It never evolved beyond their regular tantrums until Nature takes its course. Yet , it is warm and likeable to watch. 

A one time watch if you are looking for a respite from the onslaught of meaningless movie & if an uncomplicated movie is your thing.

. Dekko then.

Book Review – KUCH TERI KUCH MERI. Preeti Daksh

                                        

                                                                

                                      

‘Kuch Teri Kuch Meri’ is a soulful collection of some of the most achingly sweet poetries carved out from an equally intense, lovable debutante Poet Preeti Daksh. The book takes you on an emotional roller coaster of a journey of the Poet as well as highlights insightfully the pitfalls and bane of the society. The book is unputdownable and leaves you asking for more. Even after oscillating amid a range of emotions, the book stays with you for a long time and nudges your conscience now and then with its essence that becomes your soul.

‘Chand se aa Jao Papa’ is the masterpiece of the book and it won’t be an exaggeration to say this poem just stirs your heart, juggles the mind and you are hard pressed to choke back tears. This one melts you absolutely. ‘Chitti Papa Ke Naam’ and ‘Meri Beti’ stops the time and drench your core with tender love and longings. ‘Tumhari Yaadein’, ‘Tum Bin’, ‘Ek Behen ki ashish’ portray the pangs of separation while ‘Behne’, ‘Mere Papa’ reflect the Poet’s gratefulness towards her relations.

The rebel’s angst against age old customs and hypocrisy of the society pours out in ‘Vrindavan ki Vidhva’, ‘Sita ka Vyatha’, ‘Pagal Ladki’, ‘Boot Polish’ and ‘Atankwaad’ amongst others. These verses echo the Poets’ extreme sense of conscience which is pained at the charade of our ancient customs and beliefs.

Like the icing on the cake, don’t miss the Haikus and Taankas. these are little gems, crafted with finesse and technical splendour and form the last few pages of the book.

Here is a book from a true blue rockstar who has led her life staring at the hardships and overriding the storms and sliced her path to victory. It’s a tribute to life in all forms and no amount of encomiums and tribute is enough to hail the Poet. The least we can do is buy the book and flip through the pages , caress the words from the world of a  dainty pretty lady, who stands tall with sheer genius of her poems.

Go. Grab one! Know What  Life is!