Dev D

Dev D....Anurag kashyap's brilliant take on the tale of the famous drunk lover...Devdas

Dev is a typical rich-on-his-family's-wealth kid who has a childhood companion Paro who seems to be his only friend. But Dev is no symapthy-inducing sob kid...he's a spoilt brat and a lovable rogue. After he's sent abroad to study, his romance with Paro blooms over the net. But after he returns, things go haywire and Paro leaves him to marry someone else. Lost and burdened with what he thinks is heartbreak, Dev finds solace by increasing his Thums up-with-vodka intake. Fate aka Chunni takes him to Chanda's "suite" where he tries and puts his life into some measure of normalcy.

There ends the similarities with the actual / Shahrukh Khan Devdas storyline And now...for the fun parts of the movie...This isn't about a love story...its about separating the lust from the love....

Dev's father is one cool dad...instead of opposing his love for Paro, he was the one wishes to make it happen...watch out for his "London jaake tera taste kharab ho gaya hai" lines. Paro is a fiery lil package who doesn't put up with Dev's bullshit and tells it to his face. His water pump scene is too good. Chanda aka Lenny...she's actually every man's fantasy...smart, sexy and cute. Don't miss her multi-lingual "kinky" conversation. Chunni is hilarious...the scene where he introduces himself had the audince in splits. A lot of real-life incidents in and around Delhi have been quietly yet brilliantly incorporated into the story line. The happy ending doesn't make you go "Huh??" but satisfies your "Gosh...I hope they make it" sentiment.

Casting is brilliant...Abhay Deol rocks once again. Both Mahi and Kalki are excellent finds. Chunni is a surprise. The music is a good blend of local numbers with a rock base. The screenplay could have been a little tighter. The length of the movie could be a little shorter too...but the research of the small but significant bits is brilliant.

If Shahrukh Khan's Devdas put you off the whole drunk romeo bit, do watch this one for a brand new take on an age old love (?) story ;)

Luck by chance

Luck by chance...the title suggests that the movie is all about how fate plays an integral role in deciding our life's course....the movie in itself ain't all that.

It tells the story of Vikram (Farhan...delicious and talented...what a package ;) ) who comes to Mumbai to make it as an actor....Parallel to him is Sona (Konkana...good..but pehaps a little miscast?) who's the pro-struggler. While Vikram is a mover and shaker...who works to make his dreams come true....Sona prefers to put all her eggs in one faith kitty and belive her "mentor" will surely help her out. They meet, fall in love, only to separated by their ambitions..but their breif encounter is just what fate needed. One of them makes it big...while the other spirals into despair and settles for what is in store.

The best thing about this movie is its nitty-gritty about the movie industry...from outdoor shoots to unit food to tacky costumes. Rishi Kapoor as the producer is brilliant....looooove his Rolly (lucky number 5)...complimented very well by Juhi...his society kitty wife. Isha Shravani (very cute...all the guys will luv her) as the bimbo startlet who's terrorized by her glare-could-make-steel-quiver mom Dimple (perfect fit for this role) who's a yesteryear's superstar. Hrithik is an added delight in a small role that he brings alive with his eyes rather than his dance moves.

The cameos which were the big attraction of this movie are used brilliantly...no over-the-top star dramas...jus the right amount of reality. Watch out for the lines mouthed by each one of them as
you learn what is meant by "star quotes"....

Watch it once...to get a beginner's session of the movie making industry.

Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire....to echo the words of a fellow movie buff....a really good movie after a really long time...

This isn't a movie about slums or poverty or boy-meets-girl...its about destiny...about what's written for each one of us. Its the story of a boy from the Mumbai slums who along with his brother takes on the route of survival...his story is told in flashbacks while he is being interrogated for charges of cheating on the "Who wants to be a millionaire" show. Turns out he isn't cheating...he really does know all the answers...a perfect example of the age-old axiom that life is the best teacher...

The screenplay and the cinematography is par excellence...it does not let the pace of the movie slack even a bit...the to-and-fro effect of the storyline adds the right amount of zing to the script...the music is simply awesome...hats off to Rehman for delighting us yet once again...he truly is a master of music...do get all the songs of the movie (esp Gangsta rap)....

To sum it up....a must watch!!! A multiple must-watch even :)