Ishkq in Paris

The first track in the album is It’s All About Tonight. It is largely performed by the brilliant Sunidhi Chauhan, but also has the voice presences of Rahul Vaidya and Sophie Choudry. Containing a blend of Hindi, English and some alluring French lyrics, this is actually quite a decent club track. I can imagine people dancing to this song at a party or perhaps even secretly in their bedrooms. It is a drum and bass song, but also has a strong techno feel to it which makes it all the more enjoyable. Sajid and Wajid have definitely taken a brave risk here in producing a very Western oriented composition. As usual, Chauhan delivers in this song and gives a great vocal performance. Vaidya and Choudry sing very well in their parts, though I felt Vaidya could have had a greater voice presence in the song. Nevertheless, I am sure this one will appeal to the youths of today so give this one a listen if you feel like trying something different.

Next up is Saiyaan which is sung by the very talented Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. I found this to be a difficult song to make a judgement on. I love the strong classical Indian music incorporated into parts of it, which includes the tabla and the harmonium. Unsurprisingly, Rahat also performs very well and maintains professionalism throughout. However, the emotion he expresses is not as poignant compared to the song with the same title which he recently sang for Salim-Sulaiman’s Heroine (2012). In addition, I felt the song dragged on a bit and not surprisingly since it is the longest running track in the album at 5 minutes and 43 seconds. If it was condensed a little, then I think this one would certainly have a greater impact. Yet it is not a bad song and perhaps it may catch on once the film has released and we see what particular scene or situation it is employed in. In general though, it is a very average but listenable song.

We then move on to Jaane Bhi De. There are two versions of this song, though the lyrics remain unchanged. The first version is a duet by Sunidhi Chauhan and the great Sonu Niigaam. The second version is a solo sung by one half of the film’s composers Wajid Ali. The duet version is very melodious and has a nice romantic feeling to it. You can hear instruments like the piano and the guitar which complements well with the mood of the song. It also contains pleasant and meaningful lyrics which add to its appeal and quality. Chauhan and Niigaam perform very well and the tone of their voices fits perfectly with this particular composition. The solo version by Wajid is also great and he injects the precise emotion and tone into the song needed to ensure it is equally favoured alongside the duet version. The songs are superb on their own, but I think they will have an even bigger effect when we see the picturizations to them in the film. Overall, it is very nicely produced by Sajid and Wajid, as well as by Kausar Munir who has penned warm lyrics for this particular song!

The soundtrack also has Teri Choodiyan Da Crazy Crazy Sound, performed by Wajid Ali. The song is Punjabi oriented and you can hear instruments like the dhol drums and various other Punjabi flavours. Although the musical composition is quite decent, I found that the major weakness of this song is the fact that Wajid chose to mechanize his voice. This gives the song a very unusual feeling to it and it actually weakens its quality. I think it would have sounded much better if Wajid’s voice remained natural, just as it was in his solo rendition of ‘Jaane Bhi De.’ For that reason, the song can be deemed average but not skip worthy, as the music alone has a unique appeal about it.

Finally we have the dance number Kudiye Di Kurti, performed by Sonu Niigaam and the lovely Shreya Ghoshal. Already sparking interest due to Salman Khan headlining this song as part of a cameo appearance in the film, it has a likeable and rhythmic tune to it which will remain in your head. It is a fast up-tempo track with a very strong Punjabi flavour to it and contains the use of various instruments, including the dhol drums and the harmonium. The Punjabi theme to the song is definitely visible when you see the shortened music video to it as part of the film’s promos. Ghoshal provides a good effort in her one track appearance in the album. However, it is really the energy and passion which Niigaam exudes using his talented voice which adds zing to the song. This will surely contribute to its popularity. Despite ‘Kudiye Di Kurti’ being a well composed song, it is not one of the best songs picturized on Salman Khan. Nevertheless, this should not deter you from listening to it, which is arguably one of the best tracks in the album!

Before bringing this review to a close, I must say that the soundtrack to Ishkq in Paris is a good and worthwhile one to have in your music collection. The best tracks are definitely ‘It’s All About Tonight,’ ‘Jaane Bhi De’ (both duet and solo versions) and ‘Kudiye Di Kurti.’ Sajid and Wajid have delivered an album which contains songs that have been thoughtfully composed and which complements the apparent themes of the film. However, this can be said with greater confidence only when we see the film when it releases on 2 November 2012. Thankfully, the album does not have any remixes and they are not needed as the songs are fine unmixed. Although this is not the greatest album Sajid and Wajid have whipped up for us (this title definitely goes to Dabangg), Ishkq is Paris is a commendable attempt made by the dynamic duo. They have given us some tracks which contain specific styles and forms of music that make it a very dignified album. Let’s hope the film is just as good and entertaining! To conclude with an overall rating, we here at Bollyspice.com award the soundtrack to Ishkq in Paris with a worthy 3 stars!

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Straight off the bat, we have a duet with Jeene Laga Hoon. It has the Atif Aslam effect. Soul stirring and oozing with sensuality. The rhythm is even paced and is completely for the melody lover. Shreya Ghosal pipes in for her routine sweetness thrills but after about the 3rd or 4th listen, you get the feeling this is an Atif number. Having said, the two are almost pitch perfect for the lovesick newbie lovers as described in the lyrics. Romantics are the target and it works.

After hearing Hip Hop Pammi, its obvious this one is for the clubs. Loud, lots of toing toing dhol and very catchy chorus. Towards the end, it even shifts into its own bass beat pumped up remix version. Yet besides the intrigue for what the visuals will be (Prabhudheva is said to be shaking a leg with Jacqueline Fernandez but no promos yet to determine if this is the item number in question), Mika Singh and Monal Thakur aren’t able to save this one. All the Pammis out there may get a kick out of having a song with their name in it but its not rocket science nor amazing. Pretty average and disappointing for the first dance track on the album. Yawn.

Back to melodies, Bairiya is another duet with Shreya Ghosal and Atif Aslam, and again complimenting each other quite well. Even if you get instantly attached to Priya Panchal’s lyrics, the song actually takes 2-3 listens before it sits comfortably on the ears and has you humming along. Sachin-Jigar maintain the slow pace to form the main beat then raise for the chorus without getting too loud since this a soft number. The percussion has a American western twang in it initially but smoothly transitions to desiness and from there on, its all love. .

Peecha Chhute is a bit of a throw back to the village visitor tracks associated to 80-mid 90s but actually talks about a boy looking for his heart and the girl who stole it, instead of how beautiful the village surroundings are. A peppy little  desi number updated a tad with the drum beat, yet you can picture the ukulele-ish violin hero in the fields. And of course, the versatile Mohit Chauhan on the mike for good measure and you have an easy listen to tap your feet to, with the occasional Rama Rama in the background. Possibly the only time a portion of the title comes up.

If the peppy, happy feel on the album was a bit dominating for you, Rang Jo Lagyo is different in tuning and feel. Third time collaboration, Shreya Ghosal is a little tame while  Atif Aslam goes gung ho with Priya’s proving my worth expose but it does get a bit loud in a live rock band kind of way. Even if you look Atif for help, its distracting since its one of the longer songs. This may be due to the visuals making up for the gap but on its own, it can grate on you. Not entirely bad but not exactly special enough to remember afterwards.

Pinching the phrasing from Munnabhai MBBS, Jadoo Ki Jhappi has 2 versions with both Mika Singh and Neha Kakkar on both.  Not much of a difference tune wise but Neha dominated version 1 and there is definitely a more defined wedding/baraatish feel to version 2. This has a party on its own effect on version 2. Either way, fun and dancey number is on the menu. Mika Singh as usual, is charming the Punjabi pants off the lyrics and Neha Kakkar is returning to the mike after what feels like ages although we just heard her on Second Hand Jawani. The two bounce off each other well and could possibly be the new singing Jodi for desi item numbers. Not much room for Priya’s pen on this one either but will be accepted with open arms at your next wedding affair.

So now comes to the final verdict. A perfect world would have awesome music and equally amazing lyrics. But this isnt it. Honestly speaking, this isn’t Sachin-Jigar’s best, but where they have a complex setup or major western influence in their previous work, barring Hip Hop Pammi, the desiness dominates badly on this one and its kept simple. Which is majorly welcomed. I’d love to dwell on the music alone but besides the melody and rhythm, there is a little gap in the lyrics. My pick? For the long run the whole album but for now, Jeena Laga Hoon and Jadoo Ki Jhappi.

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ACP Arya (Prithhviraj Sukumaran) is from a Family of Cops and follows his paternal uncle (and godfather) Ravikant (Rishi Kapoor). Ravikant raises Arya as his own son and has a very happy family in the form of his son Dev (Sikander), who is also a cop, his wife (Deepti Naval) and a daughter who is also the wife of a policeman.

Arya approaches Ravikant for help for a clean chit to his late father (Anupam Kher), who was killed in an encounter. The last thing that Arya’s father tells his son is about his second wife and son Vishal (Arjun Kapoor). His father’s words being etched in his mind, Arya sets out with Ravikant to do justice to his step-mother Veera (Tanvi Azmi) and brother Vishal.

In a parallel world, Yashwardhan (Jackie Shroff) is a gangster who has an empire of real estate in the National Capital Region. He is teamed up with Neena (Amrita Singh), who is his fling and partner in crime. Yashwardhan’s son Ajay (Arjun Kapoor again!), who is totally insensitive towards emotions and the realities of life has seen a very wealthy life. Ritu (Saseh Agha), is one girl who is blindly in love with Ajay and puts up with his abuse. What follows is a happenstance of the twins when they find their lives tangled by the cops.

Prithviraj, the Malayalee sensation has made a good comeback after his sloppy start in Aiyya. Kudos to his Hindi and the man himself, who has what it takes to be one of the most successful rookies of the industry. Prithviraj is one such person in the movie who has lived his character quite superbly.

Arjun Kapoor as Vishal and Ajay has done well, while Rishi Kapoor comes across us as an actor par excellence who can still deliver a product so flawless. Saseh Agha does get bold and intimate in some scenes in the film, but has to have some substance. There are times in the movie when she gets very annoying with very little or no acting.

Dialogues are apt and well timed in the movie. Cinematography by Kartik Ganesh is quite laudable and makes the movie really interesting. The movie does live up to its name and fame until before the climax which is totally predictable. We’re all told Aurangzeb proclaimed that ‘kinship shouldn’t come in the way of kingship.’, which the climax of the movie does support.

In the end, we will go with 2.5 for Atul Sabharwal’s Aurangzeb

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Two singers who need no introduction, Shankar Mahadevan and Sukwindar Singh in the company of newbie Sanchita Bhattacharya open the album with the Title Track. The song, which would otherwise be quite enjoyable, suffers from being over programmed. Never a good sign when you have to strain to hear the vocals. A shame because the track is a whole lot of fun and has a brilliant vocals behind it.

Loud and crazy go to a whole new level with Mika and Shreya Ghosal’s track Changli Hai Changli Hai. Over energetic with the inherent Mika touch, this track goes in the group of loud love tracks from the era of Govinda and Dhawan. Shreya, whom we usually hear in a very tamed tone, sounds as if she had a whole lot of fun with this number as her vocal blends with the genre quite well. Ishq mein tere raho main busy busy, kaam yeh mushkil hai nahi easy easy…not necessarily path breaking lyrics by Kumaar but definitely what the song, movie and genre demanded.

Next up to flaunt their Punjabi side are Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan in Suit Tera Laal Rang Da. Believe it or not but this one is perhaps the most tamed of the tracks where the composers and programmers haven’t tried to jam all the beats of the world in one track and have left the simple and traditional Punjabi beats to work their magic. No doubt Sonu and Sunidhi are effortlessly brilliant. Kumaar has written quite endearing Punjabi lyrics. Definitely will see folks grooving to this one in the upcoming wedding season.

Sachin Gupta’s guest track Main Taan Aidaan Hi Nachna comes in next with a host of singers and non-singers being Diljit Dosanjh, Sachin Gupta himself and the deol Khandaan including 3rd generation deol Karan, Sunny, Dharmendra and Bobby. Within seconds of the track you come to a very harsh conclusion, the song is just noise! Perhaps the only commendable part of the track is its concept of blatantly takings digs at the Deol khandaan who as we all know aren’t the best of dancers but insist on doing so anyway.

Mika returns with Suzanne D’Mello in Jatt Yamla Pagla Ho Gayai. This one is a club number mixed with Punjabi flavour. Not the track you’ll be writing home about but perhaps not something you’ll rush to ‘next’ on the iPod.

Toshi Sabri and Sanchita Bhattacharya bring their version of the Title Track, which in many ways fairs much better than the original one. Perhaps because the vocals are far more discernable and Toshi’s voice brings a refreshing change to the tone of the album thus far.

It’s bro Sharib Sabri’s turn next who shines in his version of Jat Yamla Pagla Ho Gaya with Suzanne D’Mello. If you found the Punjabi flavour that comes with Mika’s voice in the original track go for this one as Sharib puts in a more Hindi touch to the track.

The best of the album is saved till the last, the YPD2 Mashup. By the time you reach this track you already had the tracks of the album mashing into one in your memory since they all cater to the crazy/loud/Punjabi flavour of the movie. Luckily the makers of the album fixed the problem by literally making a mash-up for you! The mash up is definitely a lot of fun more than the individual tracks even!

Yamala Pagala Deewana 2 is an album the delivers exactly what you expected from it. The title track, Mashup, Sunidhi/Sonu’s Suit Tera Laal Rang Da and alternative track version by the Sabri brothers make it worth a listen otherwise it remains an album that will work much better onscreen and not necessarily something you’ll be itching to get on your personal playlists instantly.

Yamala Pagala Deewana 2 Music Review is a post from: BollySpice

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Gippi’s storyline is pretty predictable and has all the ingredients of a teen movie – a mean girl and her minions, the underdog protagonist, crushes and heartbreaks, friendship… a lot is quite similar to something you might have already seen in Hollywood teen flicks like Mean Girls, Bring It On etc. Even then, Gippi shows a world which is relatable and there are moments in the movie where you would definitely identify with. And that’s because there are no Porsche cars, short skirts and six pack abs, this one is about a school as typical as most of us have attended. It’s interesting to see that while Karan Johar last year gave us a Student Of The Year which many found too ‘reel’alistic to relate to, Gippi (it’s his production) although with a pretty similar storyline would definitely manage to melt your hearts.

A lot of that is purely due to the refreshing and enjoyable performances by the child artists. Riya Vij is simply adorable as Gippi and there is an earnestness and confidence visible on screen which is pretty commendable for a first timer. Arbaz Kadwani plays her brother Booboo who is a lot more interested in their mother’s parlor than she is. The camaraderie between the two is so genuine and fun, it would remind you of the crazy fights and times you had as kids with your siblings. Divya Dutta plays Pappi, their single pretty cool mom who wants to prove that she has raised their kids the best way possible single handedly. Dutta is a seasoned actor and her performance is nothing less than one would expect of her. All the other kids in the movie are pretty much adorable too. Whether it’s Doorva Tripathi (Gippi’s best friend Anchal), Jayati Modi (the ‘mean’ girl Shamira Chauhan), Mrinal Chawla (Kabir) or Aditya Deshpande (Ashish), each one looks pretty comfortable in their parts and yes, often endearing too.

Like all Karan Johar movies, this one is shot beautifully too capturing the soul of Shimla. Vishal- Shekhar’s music has always been worth listening to and Gippi is no different. For the dancey ‘We Are Like This Only’, there is a gorgeous ‘Mann Bawra’ which balances the mood of the soundtrack.

Gippi is not without flaws and there is very little originality to it. Even then, it stays close to being the feel-good movie that we all need once in a while. Take your kids to this one. It’s worth a one-time watch.

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Like a true zom-com, Go Goa Gone doesn’t have a very particularly complex storyline. Hardik (Kunal Khemu) and Luv (Vir Das) two perpetual stoners hit rock bottom when one loses his job and the other his girlfriend. Looking for a break they both feel they deserve, Hardik and Luv join their third friend, the simpleton Bunny (Anand Tiwari of Jaago Re ad fame) to his business trip to Goa. Of course, their plan is simple. To get wasted on booze, drugs and girls. When they get invited to an exclusive rave party by Luna (Puja Gupta), they know it’s their ultimate trump card to get high. And they do, until they realize that the people they partied with last night have all turned into blood thirsty zombies. And it’s up to one of the Russian mafia Boris (Saif Ali Khan) – or Barees as he calls himself – to get all of them safely out of the island. Because Boris, you see, can ‘Keel dead people’!

Baring Ramsay movies and Luke Kenny’s dismal Rise of the Zombies, zombies have pretty much evaded Bollywood. So while we had bhoot, preth, chudails and daayans, no zombies made it to our 70mm screens. That’s why it’s amazing that Raj and Krishna have come up a flick so funny and so hilarious, that even though we have seen the likes of Zombieland and Shaun Of The Dead, the desi characters provide a continuous stream of rib tickling scenes that is very rare for a Bollywood fare. Though people are well acquainted with zombies, the director duo very smartly tell the uninitiated about what zombies are through a conversation with among the friends. The star of the movie are without doubt the crazy funny dialogues (Raj, Krishna, Sita Menon and even Khemu). It’s great that a lot of the dialogues that sound funny in English are kept in English and not forcefully translated. With a storyline that becomes a bit monotonous and predictable in the second half, it’s these liners and the performances which keep the movie afloat.

Talking of performances, Bollywood has always been good with bromances and the ‘teen tigada kaam bigada’ concept never fails to entertain. In GGG, Kunal Khemu stands out with his easy natural portrayal of the Casanova Hardik. True, he gets the best lines in the movie as well but then his timing is so impeccable and natural that you wonder where he has been so many years. This movie will definitely make you want to see more of him. For Vir Das, comedy is no stranger and he plays Luv with ease. Luv is pretty much like his previous character Arup from Delhi Belly which is why you often keep waiting for Vir to provide just a little bit novelty in his character. No wonder then, that Anand manages to over shadow him. With not much to say, Anand still manages to make you laugh with his goofy character.

Another actor who leaves you impressed is Saif. Saif’s peroxide haired Boris doesn’t exactly have the biggest screen time but Saif seems completely at ease with it. In an industry where few big stars have to guts to take up characters which are not the leads, Saif has done something truly commendable. And with those liners and the crazy accent, he makes sure that we will remember our first zombie hunter for a long time. Puja who was last seen in F.A.L.T.U does her part of being the eye candy with ease.

Like the movie, the music is crazy and wacky and thankfully doesn’t slow the movie. Krishna and Raj ensure that the movie does not fall into the typical Bollywood trappings of song, dance, romance. It takes great effort to be sure that the scenes bordering on absurdity are intentionally funny with the audience laughing with the characters and not at them and the director duo always manage to stay within that thin line. The gory stuff may be less and the movie is not that scary but the directors have managed to take a genre totally alien to what is dished out to us and make it into something that we would love. Hopefully, the other filmmakers would take a clue and have the guts to try out something new.

Go Goa Gone is not without loopholes but the constant stream of funny dialogues and hilarious performances make this a truly entertaining and enjoyable flick. Don’t miss this one.

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This is the first film to be released by Yash Raj Films without the presence of its founder Mr Yash Chopra. The celebrated Bollywood filmmaker sadly died in October 2012 following his last directorial Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012). The music to Aurangzeb has been composed by Amartya Rahut, who has given albums like Mumbai Cutting (2011) and Vipin Mishra, who has given albums like Aloo Chaat (2009). They lyrics have been penned by three people, who include Puneet Sharma, Vipin Mishra and Manoj Kumar Nath. So let’s take a look and see what the soundtrack to Aurangzeb has to offer.

The first track is Barbaadiyaan, which is sung by Ram Sampath and Sasheh Aagha. The song has a strong techno feel to it which is completely disconnected from the sounds of India. You can tell that Amartya Rahut is trying to deliver something unconventional but sadly it does not work to a great extent. The vocals were average in general and do not have much of an impact on you. It was really a one-time listen and is not a type of composition which I could listen to over and over again.

Next up we have Jigra Fakira, which is performed by Keerthi Sagathia. I love the way in which Vipin Mishra has tackled this song and he manages to give a unique style and texture to it. It has brilliant Sufi elements to it and the vocals are splendid to hear. Overall, this song is a winner and I strongly recommend that you check it out since it is one of the best tracks in the album.

Following this, we have Barbaadi which is sung by K. Mohan (Agnee). You can hear a range of western instruments being used in this song such as the piano and the electric guitar which gives it both a melancholic and rock feel to it. The vocals from K. Mohan were very strong and he manages to sing with the correct dose of passion. Although it’s not your typical Bollywood song, I would advise that you give it a try since the composition works overall and has potential to grip the ears of many!

The title track Aurangzeb is next and has been performed by Marianne D’Cruz Aima. This one was really average and is slightly depressing to listen to. The music is lacklustre and does not have that oomph needed to catch your attention. However, the same cannot be said for the Rock Version of ‘Aurangzeb’ which is sung by Vipin Mishra. This version is youthful and full of energy and the vocals complement extremely well with the music. I very much prefer this version and is definitely another highlight of this album.

The album has quite a number of instrumentals which have all been composed by Vipin Mishra. It is highly likely that they have been composed as background music to the film for the use of specific scenes and situations. They include Trail of Fire (Main Theme), Battleground Gurgaon, The Father’s Truth and Aurangzeb (Orchestral). Having listened to all four of these instrumentals, I can say that they will not appeal to anyone as of yet. Once the film has released, perhaps they will have some takers who may appreciate its use in the film. This certainly happened with me with regards to ‘Ishq Dance’ from Jab Tak Hai Jaan . During the pre-release promotions, this instrumental did not appeal to me whatsoever. However, after I had seen the film, I grew to love ‘Ishq Dance’ and now appreciate it in the same way as I do with all the other songs from this particular film. Hence, wait until post-release and perhaps the instrumentals from Aurangzeb may appeal to you.

To sum up, Aurangzeb does deserve praise for being a totally unconventional Bollywood soundtrack. There are some good moments in this album that make it worth the listen. However, I will be honest and say that it certainly could have been a lot better, had more consideration been taken into sounds and arrangement. Having said this, don’t be put off from giving Aurangzeb a listen. It may just win you over!

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Cinema has always had a fascination for the underworld and their dons, creating cinematic magic, whenever their stories are told on the screen. Bollywood is no different, with every accomplished actor and director attempting the genre. What is only 8 pages in Zaidi’s book, under a chapter titled Mumbai’s Hadley Chase and is about a gangster called Manya Surve, becomes a two and half hour film. Manya killed reigning King of Mumbai Dawood Ibrahim’s brother Sabir. Manya was eventually shot dead on 23rd January 1982, at the age of 37, after a two month police hunt. The police were led to Wadala, following a rumoured tip off from Dawood. He was riddled with 6 bullets, fighting till the very end. Dawood had avenged his brothers death, whilst Mumbai police had carried out its first official encounter, creating a precedence for many more encounters to follow.

Story: Both S. Hussain Zaidi and Sanjay Gupta are credited with the story, with screenwriting credits going to Sanjay Gupta, Abhijeet Deshpande and Sanjay Bhatia. What they all have successfully managed to do is take a lesser known underworld character, but an important one none the less and added his backstory, motivations, love interest, rise and ultimate death. As mentioned Zaidi’s book only dedicates 8 pages to Manya, but along with Gupta and his team they have created an engaging, layered and commercial film, humanising Manya along the way. One aspect which needs to be given credit to is the dialogue and any underworld film needs to be complete with ‘dialgoue-baazi’ and one liners, which need not be crass. Here dialogue writer Milap Milan Zaveri must be given top stars, as the dialogues fit the genre without being too cliche and pack in a few funny ones along the way.

Directing: Gupta has been crowned king copycat in the past, but credit where due he has crafted a good film here, with the right amount of action and item numbers to keep the audience engaged. It is no classic, but nevertheless entertaining and a film for the masses. Credit for the action sequences must go to Tinu Verma, which form part of the high points of the film. The film is set in the 1970s and Gupta’s team has got the look and feel right. It is not kitschy or retro like Once upon a time in Mumbai was, but more real and gritty from the prison scenes, to the shanty towns. So full credit to Sameer Arya and Sanjay F. Gupta for creating this.

Soundtrack: A number of music directors were used to deliver the soundtrack, Anu Malik, Anand Raaj Anand, Meet Brothers Anjaan and Mustafa Zahid. A film of this genre needs its item numbers held in bars and brothels and here we don’t have one, but three – ‘Laila’, featuring Sunny Leone], ‘Babli’ withPriyanka Chopra and ‘Aala Re Aala’, filmed on Sophie Choudry. These songs add to the film’s mass appeal and fit well with the characters and of course one needs Mika Singh to deliver the vocals, which he pleasantly does. More importantly though is the background score, which has to fit the mood and tones of the film. All credit to Amar Mohile, as the background score sticks to the script throughout.

Acting: Finally to the highlight of the film, the actors. Manoj Bajpayee and Sonu Sood are perfectly cast as Sabir and Dawood Ibrahim. This story is about Manya Surve, so Dawood and his brother do take a bit of a back seat, but it was important that good known actors were cast to play them, as after all they are integral to the history of Mumbai’s underworld. Anil Kapoor is still a force to reckon with, his anger and intensity is always so spot on, that any director casting him can pretty much leave him to it. Mahesh Manjrekar has been the mainstay of many of Gupta’s film, but here his role and performance fails to leave an impact. Kangna is the only female star in the film, so she had the potential to stand out, but really just fades, not being able to rise above a very standard performance. Tusshar Kapoor is brilliant. Compared to the underworld role he played in Shootout at Lokhandwala, here he much more refined, in his accent and performance. Finally to John Abraham, initially one can think he would be too pretty to play Manya, but we all know he can play a charming villain (Dhoom, Race 2). However, in Shootout as Wadala John supersedes all expectations, without needing to play the caricature or stereotype of a gangster. He emotes extremely well with his eyes, displaying emotion and anger. His body may be overly sculpted for a gangster, but it works, as it makes him come across as a strong, powerful and menacing character. John makes Shootout at Wadala a great watch, mainly as you have never seen him in a role like this and because it pushes him much further as an actor than say the recent Race 2.

For fans of the underworld genre, you should not miss Shootout at Wadala, as there is a lot of fact and history in the film. Fans of John Abraham should definitely not miss the film, as his role is poles apart from what you have seen him in before. Families, rom-com lovers and romantics probably best stay away if it’s not your cup of chai. On the downside the film could have been tighter, with the two and half ours being trimmed to around two. Shootout at Wadala is not classic, nor is it a ‘great’ film, but definitely ‘very good’, particularly if you have read the book, or enjoy the genre.

Shootout At Wadala Movie Review is a post from: BollySpice

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It’s the centenary of Indian Cinema. 100 years of laughter, tears, joy, happiness, sorrows, anguish, stories shared through the magic that unfold on celluloid. First date? Family outing? An evening with friends? Cinema has been an inseparable part of our lives. Flying Unicorn Entertainment in association with Viacom 18 present Bombay Talkies where four directors with different sensibilities, extreme ideas and diverse filmmaking styles come together to weave an episodic film that not only celebrates cinema but more so the impact movies have on its audiences.

In Karan Johar’s short, Rani and Randeep, husband-wife duo both working in media spaces, share a marriage of respect and adoration but one that’s bereft of physical intimacy. A friendly intern (Saqib Saleem) enters their life, nudges at their relationship’s surface and skeletons tumble out.

Dibakar Banerjee’s protagonist Nawazuddin Siddiqui, a sluggish theatre actor, regales his bedridden daughter with tales of Bollywood and Bollywood-walas, whilst he is forced to question his passion and the purpose of his life.

In Zoya Akhtar’s film, school-going Vicky (Naman Jain) allured by the latka-jhatkas of onscreen Sheela i.e. Katrina Kaif, confides his dream of pursuing dance with his sibling-comrade (Khushi Dubey) against the wishes of his tyrant father (Ranveer Shorey) who instead coaxes him to practice sports.

Lastly, Anurag Kashyap’s tale of the common fan’s blind faith in the power of superstars has his leading actor Vijay (Vineet Kumar Singh) travel from Allahabad upon the insistence of his father to meet Amitabh Bachchan.

I don’t remember too many multi-star cast film where it’s tough to pick a favorite. Nawazuddin’s animated story-telling amidst the milieu of bleak chawl setting, Saquib’s outrage in his opening sequence, Naman Jain’s naïve worship of his onscreen idol to
Vineet Kumar’s confidence masked vulnerability. Each leading actor justifies their director’s vision and maxes their acting prowess like never seen before. Possibly a case of shameless abandon and no-holds barred approach that every director adopted, helps translate into fantastic performance of all the actors. Cameos by Amitabh Bachchan, Sadashiv Amprapurkar, Rani Mukherjee, Randeep Hooda are equally solid gold and draw you into the world of cinema we’ve known to love and cherish.

Karan Johar works with a theme he is familiar with i.e. relationships, but in a surprise as it will be too many, he treats this one especially the bold scenes and lines with delicate astuteness balancing it with equal grace. For someone who self-proclaims as not the biggest fan on brevity, it’s commendable how his tale smoothly paces and establishes what it wants to in 25 minutes. Dibakar’s craft adopts his standard no fuss-no frills approach and scores higher than his co-directors for this simplicity. While Zoya captures the gullible love-struck gaze of a child and the parental temperament to thrust selfish ambitions on their children with her deft direction, Anurag in a fan-boy ode to Sr. Bachchan delights with a chaotic mix of despair and humor, injecting smartly the traits and nitty gritties as is known of people from that part of the country.

A special mention to all the technicians who have equally contributed to making this film a brilliant product for the audience. An extensive list that from the dialogues to the production values to the cinematography and music, everyone has accentuated the directors craft by lending able support, never going overboard, being just right and helping keep it very real.

Unlike Dhobi Ghaat or Life in a Metro, Bombay Talkies is an anthology of four diverse short films. Their characters don’t run into each other, their narratives don’t intersect. Each has its own identity, its own space and its own story. The only common vein that runs thru them is cinema, in form of inspiration, a leaf picked from the lives of the many faces in the crowd who are or yearn to be part of the maya nagari.

For a country besotted with cinema, we tend to embrace it in varied ways. For some its romanticism, for some it acts as therapy, for others it’s an escape from the mundane reality to a world of limitless fantasies while for some others its pure entertainment. It’s an endearing thought that at the end, wherever we come from, whichever strata we belong to, we seek refuge in cinema, in some form or the other – its music, its stories, its fantasies and its lessons. It’s this aspect that is delightfully captured in each short. Kudos to producer Ashi Dua for bringing together four prolific film-makers, who for a change don’t delve into the lives of star-listers but instead borrow pieces from a common man’s life and paint a picture of innumerable emotions which is relatable, engaging and equally entertaining. A must watch.

Bombay Talkies Movie Review is a post from: BollySpice

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The first track in the album is Badtameez Dil, which is largely performed by Benny Dayal, with Shefali Alvares making a short vocal appearance. I love this jazzy up-tempo number which is flavoursome and highly addictive. There are portions of the lyrics which clearly contain gibberish; but are nevertheless enjoyable to hear. This is perhaps one of my favourite Benny Dayal songs and he performs with energy and enthusiasm throughout. Overall, Pritam has done an excellent job with this one and hence delvers a knockout track.

Next up is Dilliwaali Girlfriend, which is performed by Arjit Singh and Sunidhi Chauhan. The composition contains pure ‘desi’ music that has been interspersed with techno elements, that ultimately gives it a cool edge. Though both singers perform very well in this song, Arjit undoubtedly stands out the most. His charismatic voice contributes vitally in keeping this song alive from beginning to end. Though the lyrics are somewhat questionable, this is one tune you should not miss out on hearing!

Following this, we have Balam Pichkari, sung by Vishal Dadlani and Shalmani Kholgade. This one contains the use of a range of Indian, as well as Western instruments such as the dhol drums, harmonium, violin and the tabla. I love this song to the core, as the rhythms just make you want to get up and dance to it ‘Indian style.’ Both the male and female vocals are stupendous and they complement well with the general tone of the music. As shown in the film’s promos, it is a Holi song. Hence, I am pretty sure that by next Holi, the Indian youth will be gathering in parks and other open spaces and grooving to this song! This one is definitely my favourite song in the entire album so you should definitely check it out. Kudos to Pritam on this one!

Ghagra is next and is performed by Vishal Dadlani and Rekha Bhardwaj. I very much appreciated the way in which the tabla drums have been executed in this particular song, given that it is an instrument that is being used far less in today’s Bollywood music. Rekha’s vocals certainly contribute in solidifying the folk theme of this song and thus deliver a sensational performance. This is definitely a song which will grow in popularity, if not now, then after the film has released.

Next up is Illahi, which is sung by Mohit Chauhan. This one works overall and is very much enjoyable to hear due to the catchy guitar samples. However, the highlight of this song is Mohit’s wonderful voice, which is highly masculine in nature. He performs with immense skill and therefore; no other singer will have done this song justice, in contrast to Mohit. The more songs he sings, the more amazing his voice sounds!

There is also a Reprise Version of ‘Illahi’ included in the album, which is sung by Arjit Singh. I personally found the vocals and the arrangement of the original version to be more gripping compared to this one. Arjit is a very talented singer, but his voice does not go well with this song. It was unnecessarily included in the album and could have done without.

Following this, we have Kabira, which is performed by Rekha Bhardwaj and Tochi Raina. This one did not work for me and I found it to be very average overall. The music was not as flavoursome compared to the other tracks in the album and the vocal could also have been much stronger. However, perhaps it may attract many listeners after the film has released and once we have been exposed to its picturization.

There is also an Encore Version to ‘Kabira,’ which has been performed by Harshdeep Kaur and Arjit Singh. Honestly, I found the Encore Version to be more enjoyable, due to the Punjabi flavours that have been incorporated into it. Harshdeep is as superb as ever and she sings with passion and soul. Definitely one not to miss out on!

Finally we have Subhanallah, which features Sreeram and Shilpa Rao in the lead vocals. This is another wonderfully composed song by Pritam, with great lyrics from Amitabh also. It has a nice romantic feeling to it and I am sure it will go onto win the hearts of many listeners. In general, there is really nothing much to complain about this song, since it contains the right beats and vocals that make it a cool track to listen to!

To sum up, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani is a delicious album that will surely satisfy your musical needs. Pritam and Amitabh Bhattacharya have carved a splendid soundtrack, which will certainly go onto become one of the top Bollywood albums of 2013. There are a range of amazing songs in this album that contain the right ingredients which will ultimately enthral you. Therefore, make the time to listen to Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. You will be a fool to miss out on this one!

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani Music Review is a post from: BollySpice

The post Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani Music Review appeared first on BollySpice.