TD Review: Total Duh and No Maal.

8 years after 'Double Dhamaal', Indra Kumar is back after ruining one of his movies with sequels (Masti) to ruining his iconic movie 'Dhamaal' by remaking it as 'Total Dhamaal'. Tells the plot, pretty much? No. It further ruins the plot of 'Dhamaal' that includes names like Anil Kapoor-Madhuri Dixit, Ajay Devgn, Pritosh Chakraborty, Javed Jaffrey, Arshad Warsi, Boman Irani, Sanjay Mishra. Even if one is not looking for logic, this movie fails the brainless entertainer category as well. Promoted as a 'Stress buster' and 'Family Entertainer' this movie fails to reach either of these 2 tags. 

                                          

Whats Good: The Anil-Madhuri Pair: The coming back of this couple as Mrs and Mr. Patel, a constantly nagging couple on the verge of divorce is one of the best things of the movie. A Few Laughs: The other thing it manages is to give a few genuine laughs. Ajay Devgn's Comic Timing: Needless to say this man knows how to be spot-on. Jaaved Jaffrey: As Manav,  he never fails to bring a smile on your face which at times gets overboard.

                                          

Whats Bad: The Few Laughs: The good things of the movie are as well, the bad parts of the movie as they are way to less. Music: No guesses here that the remakes 'Mungda' and 'Paisa Yeh Paisa' are absolutely useless and pathetic. Incoherent: Very very incoherent. Basic Story:  Agreed, I was not looking for story but there is nothing. Absence of Sanjay Dutt: One surely misses Sanjay Dutt quite a lot here. Needless Cameos: A few cameos, all uninvited. Slapstick Humor: Indian cinema and slapstick humor. Ofcourse! Beyond Repair Second Half: Second half is so bad, it undoes whatever little the first part built. VFX: The VFX is even worse than what we got to see in Love Story 2050(if one recalls). 

                                         

Overall, 'Total Dhamaal' tries to be a good cinema but fails heavily even if we remove the logic from it. The iconic pair does give its best but fails to uplift this movie. It is perhaps the worst movie (no surprise though) of 2019 so far. I am going with 1.5 stars. Even as a family entertainer, the movie fails. Kids however, shall enjoy this movie. 

                                         

P.S. Even after a heavy and stressful day at work, going home and relaxing shall be more beneficial than watching this movie. AVOID.

GB Review: Apna Time Agaya. Bahut Hard'ich' hai!

Let me begin by saying it was TOTALLY worth the hype and wait! Zoya Akhtar has time and again proved that she is literally the BEST filmmaker we have today! The way she presents us the underdog story through poetry and emotions is absolutely stunning and she definitely knows how to craft a 'hard, brilliant, riveting, intriguing cinema. The movie is inspired by the life of rappers Divine and Naezy.

                                          

What's Good:  Acting: Ranveer, Alia, Sheeba Chadha, Vijay Raaz, Vijay Verma, Amruta Subhash, debutant Siddhant Chaturvedi are absolutely riveting and play a huge role to keep the audience invested. The story, Dialogues, Screenplay, and Direction: Zoya and Reema's story and screenplay are absolutely watertight and liberating at the same moment. Each scene pumps energy into the audience because of the amazing camerawork and screenplay and is also able to make a comment on 'follow your passion' in a practical way, as well as they, make a comment on the rap scene in India. Vijay Maurya's dialogues and Javed Akhtar's lyrics are absolutely perfect and blend well. The unseen Mumbai: Not the usual Mumbai, Zoya takes us through the slums and the 'not so explored' aspect of the city, as well as a testament to the ', never giving up the attitude of the city. Music: The music is beyond any question, outstanding with Doori and Apna Time Aaega being personal favorites..

                                         

What's Bad:  (This section is too hard). Zoya's normal timing problem: At 153 minutes, even infusing energy into the viewers, Gully Boy keeps you invested but as soon as you are about to lose interest, Zoya drops in a scene and brings you back into the movie. Kalki's Character: her character Sky seems sketchy and should have had more to play in the movie.

                                  

With all said and done, Gully Boy is absolutely amazing, not to be used. Also a testament to all those who dream and dream big. Gully Boy is a super MUST WATCH. I am going with 4 stars! You shall walk out of the theatre supercharged, and super motivated.

                                 

P.S. Pls do not miss The BEST movie of 2019 so far! Stay tuned for 'Hum Chaar' review.

ELKDTAL Review: Ek Ladki ko dekha toh aisa laga jaise A Breath of Fresh Air!

'The most unexpected romance of the year' hit theatres finally and gave us a reason to cheer! The Rajkummar Rao and Sonam Kapoor starrer 'ELKDTAL' hit the theatres among a lot of fanfare and promotions. Promoted with #Let_Love_Be, the movie explored an altogether new dimension of romance which has never been explored in Indian cinema. Directed by debutant Shelly Chopra Dhar, the movie is simple, adorable and conveys it messages without going over the top or saying it out loud. 

                                               

What's Good: The Performances- Right from Rajkummar Rao until Regina Cassandra the casting is pitch perfect and packs a powerful punch. The Story and Screenplay: Ghazal Dhaliwal's writing deserves applause for the subject it brings to the table powered with Dhar's direction and Screenplay. The Dialogues: The dialogues are amazing and stay with you long after the movie is over. Technicalities: Supremely edited, well executed. Music: Each and every song is an absolute delight!

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What's Bad: Sonam Kapoor: What a powerful character reduced to a tepid character thanks to the failure of Mrs.Ahuja's inability to portray the character with her sensitivity and finesse. Story: The predictability of the story. The lazy cinematography: What could have been excellent shots are reduced to being superficial. Apart from these, there is no false note in the movie and it is literally a breath of fresh air and stays with you long after you leave the theatre.

                                      

Verdict: Overall, ELKDTAL is a Must watch and cannot be missed by anyone at any given stage. Do watch it and it's relevant in today's world. I am going with 3.5/5 for ELKDTAL! It is a complex subject dealt with simplicity and love.

                                      

P.S: As in the trailer Rajkummar Rao says, "Iss ko aap apne dimaag se nahi, dil se dekhiye!" meaning that watch it with your heart and not your mind. If you follow this, you shall surely love the movie!