total timepass...

Where do I start with? There are so many different thoughts going around in my head when I start to think about the movie, its difficult to know where to begin! First of all comes the title. Where did Vishal Bhardwaj come up with this? Its so interesting the first time you hear it and when you realize its made up of the names of the three leads of the movie, makes it sound even more cool. And makes you wonder, how will a story with someone named Mandola go? And then there is the trailer, it is so wacky and over the top its enough to peck up your interest. It makes you wonder, can something BE so random? And the movie does not disappoint. It IS as wacky as the trailer promises it to be! The setting is a village in Haryana (my des !) where all the three characters in the title reside. Mandola is the rich guy in the village who wants (by hook or crook) the farmers of the village to sell their farmland to build his factory. Matru is his driver who sides in secret (and as Mao Tse Tun...

To be frank, I had read the book 'Life of Pi' (because of all the hype the book had around it) and not liked it. And the same happened to the movie. I did not want to watch it initially but with the number of Oscar nominations it received, landed in the theatre but with the same result. The best aspect of the movie of course was all the animation and special effects. Shooting a man with a tiger, on a boat lost at sea is not an easy setting to shoot. The whole part was shown realistically and was impressive. But there was something which was missing in the movie as well as the book. I can't place my finger on it, but maybe it is realism? or a link to reality? or the link to God? I don't know what it is, but I came out of the theatre completely unmoved. Will go for 2.5 for this.

First things first, Dabbang 2 is not Dabbang but just a not-so-successful try to copy the original movie. It has all repeated ingredients: a big bang entry for Salman, a police station song, a junta song on the streets, an item song, couple of romantic songs with Sonakshi, hard-hitting and funny dialogues all along, multiple slow motioned action sequences, a villain with whom Salman plays throughout the movie and the last fight sequence where his shirt rips off! Some of the sequences are so reminiscent of the original Dabbang, the resemblance in uncanny! Frankly,  it has all the ingredients that made part 1 such an enjoyable outing and a big hit, but part 2 wasn't as creative and innovative and so falls flat. It does make you laugh though but not as loud as the last one. So what worked for the movie was Salman and only Salman. He was himself again, funny, lovable and naughty (whether playing pranks on his brother, father or the villain). His dances, his movies, his an...