D Day Movie Review

Nikhil Advani, the ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’ director and former Karan Johar protégé, is back with his sixth venture titled ‘D Day’. The movie stars Arjun Rampal, Rishi Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Huma Qureshi and Shruti Haasan and is all set to hit the screens tomorrow. Bollywood3 has attended a special screening to bring you a comprehensive review well in advance. Let’s see how the film is.

Story :

In a nutshell, ‘D Day’ is based on the lives of four RAW agents who are Rudra Pratap Singh (Arjun Rampal), Wali Khan (Irrfan), Zoya Rehman (Huma Qureshi) and Aslam (Aakash Dahiya) who go across to Pakistan on a mission to bring back Goldman (Rishi Kapoor) who is one of India’s most dreaded terrorist.

Each of the four RAW agents meticulously plans to execute their mission during the marriage of the don’s son that is to happen in Karachi. Do the officers manage to bring back the dreaded don back to India or end up losing their lives in this mission is what the rest of the film is all about.

Plus Points :

Nikhil Advani who is generally associated with emotional films like Kal Ho Na Ho and Salaam-e-Ishq breaks away from his comfort zone and tries his hand in the action genre. He manages to do a decent job and makes D Day quite different from the other films based on Dawood Ibrahim. Where Nikhil scores is around the point that D Day’s setup is very natural and for the first time in Bollywood, a filmmaker actually gets around to showing the lifestyle of the most wanted man instead of just dealing with his shadowy profiles like other films based on Dawood.

Coming to performances, no one could have imagined that the evergreen lover boy Rishi Kapoor could have carried off the character of a dreaded gangster so convincingly. Rishi is tremendous in his role and brings a lot of depth in his character and convinces you about his vision.

As usual, Irrfan brings a whole lot of weight to the film with his impactful performance. Arjun Rampal proves his worth once again and is suited for this role. Nasser as the RAW chief is extremely expressive while the female leads Shruthi Haasan and Huma Qureshi support the film well in their roles.

Minus Points :

Nikhil Advani as expected adds some emotional touch to D Day which was not required in a thriller like this one. The emotional scenes between Shruthi Haasan and Arjun Rampal could have been totally avoided and also there are a few sequences that are unexplained.

In the second half, a few sequences where Irrfan looses interest in the mission and howls for his family is a big bore. The first half and second half lack a strong common thread and feel like two different films. Overall, the length of the film could have been a little shorter.

Technical Aspects :

No doubt about the fact that D Day is a brilliant film technically. Be it the authentic locations of Karachi or the interior parts of Pakistan, the locations look stunning. All thanks to the excellent cinematography by Tushar Kanti Ray who gives us a authentic feeling of the country and its culture. The editing is top notch while the music is situational and creates an impact.

The best part about the film is that despite being an action thriller, D Day does not have any unwanted action sequences. Nikhil Advani’s screenplay could have been a lot better as many scenes are inappropriate and lack justification. While the first half goes on smoothly, there are a few scenes in the second half that make you want to fast forward them.

Verdict :

Overall, D Day is an amalgamation of some amazing performances and superlative technical aspects. If you can sit through some boring and unwanted emotional scenes, D Day will be a racy action packed thriller. Go for it!

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Pacific Rim Movie Review – Highly Entertaining

Guillermo del Torro, who is known for directing films like ‘Hellboy’ and ‘Blade 2′, has come up with a science fiction entertainer titled ‘Pacific Rim’. The movie has been produced by Legendary Pictures and Warner Brothers is distributing it worldwide. The film’s trailers have managed to create a lot of buzz, with cutting edge special effects and thrilling action sequences. Can the film live up to the expectations? Let us take a look.

Story :

The plot of this film is pretty straightforward. Giant sea monsters known as Kaiju emerge out of a crevasse in the Pacific Ocean and threaten to destroy the human race. Faced with the threat of extinction, the humans fightback with advanced robots known as Jaegers. While the initial fightback is successful, the Jaegr are soon overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the Kaiju.

Beckett (Charlie Hunnam) experiences a personal tragedy and quits the program. But he is convinced by Marshall Stacker (Iris Elba) to make a comeback and put up a last stand. The Jaegers require teams of human pilots who are connected via a neural bridge and Beckett teams up with Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi).

The Jaegr forces also discover an unlikely ally in Hannibal Chau, a black market dealer. How they repulse the Kaiju attacks to save mankind is what the story is all about.

Plus Points :

Charlie Hunnam and Rinko Kikuchi have done a very good job. Iris Elba is effective as Stacker Pentecost. Ron Perlman shines through as Hannibal Chau.

The film has cutting edge visual effects and thrilling fight sequences. Entertainment quotient is extremely high and action movie lovers will have a great time. If you like the ‘Transformers’, you will love this movie.

For a sci-fi action entertainer, the film has good emotions. Characters have been etched nicely and the interactions between the lead actors will hook you.

The 3D effects are awe inspiring, especially during the climax sequence. Everything about this movie has a very grand feel.

Minus Points :

The plot of this movie is pretty straightforward and even slightly predictable.

As is the case with such sci-fi entertainers, some sequences seem extremely outlandish and unreal. Do not try to seek logical explanations for certain moments.

Technical Aspects :

Guillermo Navarro’s cinematography is top notch. Ramin Djawadi’s background score is good. The teams which worked on the VFX and CGI departments need to be commended for doing a superb job.

Guillermo del Torro has outdone himself with ‘Pacific Rim’. This is easily the most entertaining film to have come out from him. The film seeks to entertain action movie lovers and the director has succeeded in fulfilling that objective.

Verdict :

‘Pacific Rim’ is a very entertaining watch. Go with a gang of friends and have loads of fun as the Jaegers and Kaijus battle it out in 3D.

Movie Rating.........3/5

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Bhaag Milkha Bhaag Movie Review

In an era of biopics, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra has come up with the real life story of former Indian Olympic athlete Milkha Singh. The movie speaks about his life and all the struggles he had to go through to become India’s most popular athlete ever. Starring the super talented Farhan Akhtar in the lead role, BMB also has Sonam Kaooor and Yograj Singh in other lead roles. The movie has hit the screens today and let’s see how it is.

Story :

Milkha Singh (Farhan Akhtar) loses all his family, apart from his sister Isri Kaur (Divya Dutta) in the 1947 partition. He possesses an in-born talent of running which is unveiled while he goes on to pursue his childhood dream of joining the army.

While in the army, he keeps remembering the love of his life, Nirmal Kaur (Sonam Kapoor), whom he has promised to come back after he achieves something big. Milkha runs in an indoor running competition for a glass of milk and is selected for a national level championship.

After facing a number of hardships, Milkha goes on to win medals after medals at various international championships. One fine day the sprinter is appointed to head a friendly tournament between Indian and Pakistan. Milkha bluntly disagrees to be a part of it.

What is reason behind his disagreement ? and with this decision what new turns will his professional and love life take? That forms the rest of the story.

Positive Points :

First and foremost, I would like to take a bow to Farhan’s rigorous training to achieve a body so overwhelming. He looks, walks and talks like a true athlete. His performance is not just jaw dropping but also his best works till date. Apart from Farhan, actors like Pavan Malhotra and Yograj Singh give stunning performances.

The movie is an in-depth biopic of the legend and talks all about his struggle, defeat, victory, love-life and childhood efforts. The director has covered even the tiny details of his life.

The running sequences in BMB are executed in the best way possible that even the audience in the theater would start cheering for Milkha.

Negative Points :

After a super hit and impactful film like Rang De Basanti, one would expect a lot from Rakeysh Mehra‘s direction in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. But sadly he brings forth nothing but predictable turns and unnecessary emotions.

Divya Dutta’s character in he film makes you feel bad for her as the poor girl does nothing but cry. Sonam Kapoor on the other hand rarely has a dialogue. All I can remember her saying is ‘Ji’. She looks beautiful though.

The frequent flashbacks of Milkha’s devastating childhood and his over emotional relation with his sister displays an overindulgence of drama. The romantic sequences between Farhan and Sonam is absolutely unnecessary and incomplete.

Pace of the movie is way too slow and takes for ever to finish. Even the length does not help either as many scenes could have easily been chopped off. First half of the film is too slow and meaningless as the Flying Sikh doesn’t start flying until the interval.

Technical Aspects :

Even though some of the songs in the movie are worth a listen, they just don’t fit in the plot. An emotional moment is made even more emotional with the insertion of a slow song.

It is only by the second half that the story starts getting a little interesting and starts concentrating on the character’s professional journey. Prasoon Joshi’s writing is excellent and he shows off his creative mind once again with this one.

The background score by Shankar Ehsaan Loy is apt and sounds authentic. Cinematography by Binod Pradhan is top-notch as his camera covers the village as well as the stadium sequences in the right way. Editing by P S Bharathi is again sharp and intelligent.

Verdict :

On the whole, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag offers nothing new for the audience. The in-depth aspects of Milkha Singh’s life in the first half will probably bore you to the core. The film takes for ever to finish, but the visual treat that Farhan gives with his performance is the only one to watch out for.

Movie Rating......2.5/5

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Sahasam Movie Update Review

Gopichand and Chandrasekhar Yeleti have teamed up for the adventure flick ‘Sahasam’. The movie is gearing up for a big release tomorrow. We have been to an exclusive premiere at Prasad Labs and we are now bringing you the first review of the film. How good is ‘Sahasam’ ? Read on to find out.

Story :

Goutham (Gopichand) works as a guard in a private security agency. His ambition in life is to become very rich, very fast.Goutham keeps buying lottery tickets and consults babas in order to achieve his goals. He keeps getting disappointed with the results and curses his luck. But fate has other ideas for him.

Goutham realises that his grandfather Varma (Suman) is a very wealthy man. Varma used to run a prosperous diamond trading business in Peshawar, before the partition. Goutham comes across a will that describes the riches left by Varma for his successors. Unfortunately, the riches are in Pakistan and they are tied to the legendary Hinglaj Devi temple.

Armed with his grandfather’s will and artefacts, Goutham sets out to Pakistan in order to claim his riches. He seeks the help of Sreenidhi (Tapsee), who is an advocate of Hindu religion and its greatness. But Goutham’s journey is not easy. He realises that some dreaded Pakistani terrorists, headed by Sultan (Shakti Kapoor), are after the same property. The stakes are much bigger and the treasure hunt now involves as fabulous horde belonging to the Kanishka empire.

Will Goutham succeed in claiming the riches that belong to him? That forms the rest of the story.

Plus Points :

Gopichand excels in the role of Goutham. He is very good in the action sequences and his body language is perfect for that role. Tapsee is quite good in this film as a devout and slightly naive young woman. Ali entertains to a certain extent as Khayamat Raju.

Shakti Kapoor is simply brilliant as the evil terrorist Sultan. His transformation and performance are very authentic. Narayana Murthy is ok as Gopichand’s father. Suman has a brief role and he has done a good job.

The film’s theme and story are quite novel for Telugu cinema. Chandrasekhar Yeleti must be commended for handling the project in a very competent way. The visuals are very grand and Ladakh has been captured quite majestically. Pakistani ambience has been recreated quite successfully and authentically.

The treasure hunt, the intricate clues that lead to it and the special effects are quite thrilling. Fans of films like National Treasure, Tomb Raider and Indiana Jones will enjoy this movie.

The film’s action sequences deserve special mention. They have been choreographed quite realistically. The gun fights and the car chases are good. The interval and climax episodes have been conceived quite nicely.

Minus Points :

Some cinematic liberties have been taken. For example, a Hyderabadi security guard manages to sneak into the residence of a dreaded Pakistani terrorist with absolute ease and impunity. The emotional intensity in the film keeps dipping at times.

Ali’s comedy track should have been more substantial. Masses in B and C centers might find it tough to connect with the film as commercial elements like comedy and glamour are missing from the film.

The much hyped Buzkashi episode is not as great as one would expect.

Technical Aspects :

Shyam Dutt’s cinematography is a major asset for the movie. His work has given the film a very sophisticated feel. Art direction is excellent. Sri’s background score is pretty good and he has delivered nicely. Editing is neat.

Chandrasekhar Yeleti has succeeded in delivering a technically superior adventure flick. Given the budget constraints, he has done a commendable job. He should have taken some care about the entertainment quotient in the film.

Verdict :

‘Sahasam’ is not your average Telugu cinema. The plot, the setting and the execution are very fresh and novel. Brilliant cinematography, nice action sequences and some thrilling moments are big assets for the movie. On the flip side, lack of traditional ‘commercial elements’ might hamper the film in B and C centers. You can safely watch ‘Sahasam’ for some desi ‘Indiana Jones’ moments.

Movie Rating.......3.75/5

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Singam Telugu Movie Review

Tamil Hero Suriya has reprised the role of daring cop Narasimham in ‘Singam’. The movie is a sequel to the successful ‘Yamudu’ and it has released across the world today. Anushka and Hansika are the heroines in the film and Hari is the director. Let us see if Suriya’s power packed performance helps the film.

Story :

Narasimham (Suriya) goes undercover with the intention of tracking the illegal activities of some sea based gangs in Kakinada. He manages to convince everyone, including his parents, that he is no longer a cop and joins a school as an NCC officer. He starts a covert surveillance program on the activities of dreaded smuggler Bhai (Mukesh Rishi) and uncovers the secrets of their operation.

Meanwhile, Sathya (Hansika) is a student in the same school and she falls in love with Narasimham. She also happens to be the niece of Thyagaraju (Rahman), a rich businessman who heads the Golden Shipping company. Thyagaraju and Bhai come across as enemies.

Once Narasimham has the necessary evidence on hand to round up the gang, he comes out of his cover identity and assumes charge as a DSP. He starts rounding up the gang members and comes to know about the ruthless international drug kingpin Danny (African Actor). Narasimham also discovers some truths about Bhai and Thyagaraju.

Will Narasimham be able to stop Danny and his drug operation? What does he lose in the process? That forms the rest of the story.

Plus Points :

Suriya has delivered a solid and power packed performance as a tough and honest cop. He has done complete justice to the role and viewers will be able to feel the intensity of his performance. He looks quite handsome as always. Anushka looks glamorous. Hansika is ok.

Vijaykumar has given a neat performance as the Home Minister. Santhanam entertains to a certain extent with his one liners. Vivek brings about a few laughs as inspector Jamadagni.

There are some highly emotional and intense sequences in the film. The pace of narration picks up dramatically after Suriya takes charge as a cop and the powerful one liners will entertain crowds in B and C centers.

Some of the fight sequences are good. A few car chase sequences have been shot well. The production team took care about certain aspects to give the film a local touch. For example, the cars and bikes have Andhra Pradesh number plates instead of Tamil Nadu plates.

Minus Points :

‘Yamudu’ worked well because it had an emotionally involving story line. With ‘Singam’, everything is quite superficial and the police drama is also a little one sided. Anushka has absolutely nothing to do in the film. She just comes in during songs.

The game of one-upmanship between Suriya and Prakash Raj in ‘Yamudu’ is what made that film quite entertaining. While Rahman, Mukesh Rishi and the African actor have given decent performances, they do not offer any significant resistance to Suriya.

The film is very long and viewers may start getting restless towards the climax. Some scenes are unnecessarily dragged out. Also, there are too many fights and chases in the film.

The film is very loud, in typical Tamil style.

Technical Aspects :

Cinematography is ok. Songs have been shot colourfully. Screenplay is quite good in the first half, but it could have been better in the closing stages of the movie. The editor should have cut out the slack in the second half. Devi Sri Prasad’s background score is decent.

One can see Hari’s trademark style when it comes to direction. He has succeeded in getting the intensity and the emotions right. But he should have left out some unnecessary details.

Verdict :

‘Singam’ is an intense and loud cop drama. Suriya has delivered a superb performance and there are some very good moments in the film. However, the very long runtime of the movie, a story that is superficial and too many fights bring down the overall viewing experience a bit. You may give this film a shot, but don’t go in with high expectations.

MOVIE RATING.....3/5

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