Prem Ratan Dhan Payo

It has been nearly 2 months since I put the proverbial pen to paper.  I have watched movies in the interim – they are like the air that I breathe – but a combination of writer’s block and just plain lethargy prevented me from writing.  Not that cinema of the likes of Pyar Ka Punchnama 2 or for that matter Shandaar didn’t inspire me to overcome the lethargy.

Machhli Jal Ki Rani Hai

I am prioritizing this review over How To Train Your Dragon 2 because it is my moral, ethical and fundamental responsibility to ensure that you, as an audience, are not put through the pain that I went through.  If I am late and could not warn you well in time then do accept my sincerest apologies.  I shall endeavor to post my inputs at the earliest possible in the days to come.

Raanjhanaa

I must admit that my initial thoughts about Raanjhanaa were not the most positive.  That Dhanush was part of the movie was one of the prime reasons.  I really didn’t see the reason for picking up a one song wonder as a lead actor.  I wasn’t aware that he was a National Award Winner (Aadukalam – 2011).  Needless to say, the 30 year old, Venkatesh Prabhu Kasthuri Raja aka Dhanush has made most critics (including this amateur one) eat humble pie.

Aurangzeb

Aurangzeb was known for his resoluteness towards one goal and one goal only – that of taking the empire from his father.  He went to the extent of jailing his own father for no apparent reason other than greed for the throne.  That, is the apparent logic for this thriller based out of Gurgaon that shows the deep rooted nexus between politicians, gang lords (mafia) and cops.

Listen... Amaya

Amaya Krishnamoorthy (Swara Bhaskar) is what her mother calls – a free spirit.  She is a modern day working woman.  One who harbours hopes of writing a book one day – hopefully sooner than later.  As luck would have it, she finds a reason to write sooner.  He boss makes a pass at her and she leaves her job.  After “One Tight Slap” across the bosses face of course.

Tanu Weds Manu

The trailers of Tanu Weds Manu have been around for so long now that people already know the story for sure. There is a slim chance that you would have missed them in the halls. And if you are a movie addict like this writer, then you would have probably been tearing your hair apart by now, wondering when the movie would be releasing finally. It finally did yesterday. Phew.

Director Aanand Rai (I wonder why people are so hell bent on numerology) uses a star cast which doesn’t have too many well known names (except Madhavan and Kangana) but has all the faces that you would have seen in some movie or the other in the recent past. The fast paced first half starts off with the build up to Tanuja Trivedi (Kangana Ranaut) who is the kind of girl that most parents would want to be rid off sooner than later. A graduate from Delhi University, she is the kind of girl who would give the best of guys a scare. Smart, spunky, good looking and with a sharp tongue, she is far from being any man’s dream girl. She drinks, She smokes, She dopes. And that combination is quite lethal for a traditional UP family. Oh and did I mention the fact that she has had a few affairs and has actually run away from home a couple of times in vain. So much for being a “Sundar, Susheel, Sanskaron wali ladki” (Beautiful, Talented, Cultured girl – pardon my translation if incorrect)

And to fall into this trap is Dr. Manu Sharma ( Madhavan) who has come back from London thanks to parental pressures to get married – although I find that a bit hard to believe coz his parents seem to be the understanding kinds. His mom is quite a nag but then which mom isn’t especially in these matters? Dad is super cool and so is Pappi (Deepak Dobriyal) his family friend. The foursome make their way to Kanpur for the first step in the girl hunt – The Trivedi household – where there is complete and utter chaos coz – Jijaaji aa rahe hain (the brother in law is on his way – already? I thought the marriage is some time away). The girl is obviously in no mood to get married. Not because she is against the concept. But because her thrill in life is to be a rebel and go against everything that her parents ask her to do. And also because she wants to get married to her boyfriend. But our hero is unaware of all this and still falls in love with a girl who has fallen asleep on a quart of vodka and 5 sleeping pills. When she does come to her senses, she asks him to call off the wedding. Now what?

The first half of TWM is quite entertaining with a lot of clean humour and truck loads of over acting by Kangana Ranaut which is not very successful in masking the sincere effort from Madhavan and a solid one from the rest of the cast. One would be surprised at the attention to detail that the numerology believer director has put into finer points such as Delhi Airport being actually Delhi airport and not like most other movies where Hyderabad airport is called out as anything from New York to London to even Sydney at times. It remains to be seen, however if the other scenes were actually shot on location. I could vouch for Lucknow and Kanpur but not for the likes of a Kapurthala. What does not work for TWM though is the immense emphasis on every syllable that Kangana makes (That is the way she talks) and a second half that goes a way bit awry and very slow. The music is apt for the locations but not too great. Overall if you believe the successful formula of movies based on marriage that has always worked in India, you would enjoy TWM. I give it a 5 on 10. Its definitely watchable.

Watch the trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVdksjTQLjk&feature=fvst