Sunday, August 20, 2006
2 This Week
Katputtli
There’s no harm in producing a film for yourself if nobody else will give you a good break, but first isn’t a talent check mandatory? Mink Brar, who made her debut in Dev Anand’s Pyar Ka Tarana in 1993 and sort of vanished into cameo limbo, produces Katputtli with her brother (calling their company Bro and Sis Production—cute!), giving herself the lead role. Not just that, she is in almost every frame of the film.
She is good looking in a model-ish sort of way, but does not have the talent or presence to carry an entire film, more so since the rest of the cast is also over-dressed, over-made up plywood.
She plays Lisa, a rich gal who has lost her memory, which is an excuse to speak all her lines in a slow, breathless way. Her husband (Milind Soman) looks after her, and her neighbours (Sameer Dharmadikari-Yukta Mookey) are helpful too, but Lisa feels something’s not quite right. For one, why was she wandering the streets in blood stained clothes, wearing a trench coat with lakhs in her pockets?
Despite a long and tedious explanation in the end, this bit is still not explained—why a trench coat? When did she stuff it with money? And the person who was responsible for her condition just stood there and watched her go?
Such questions arise simply because the film, directed by Sanjay Khanna trying desperately to be stylish, does not make much sense. But it is good for a lot of unintended laughs. Like Seema Biswas playing a sinister looking doctor, who evokes chuckles just by her get-up; the nurse in microminis and huge hoop earrings, who looks like she escaped from a Z-grade horror flick. Or the neighbours who break into an inexplicable salsa routine. And the appearance of a dozen of the Bro and Sis’s Page 3 buddies—so a helper in the hospital flounces around in wispy party togs. And a long-haired, junkie dude in pin-stripes glides in slow-motion.
Katputtli is not a comedy, but it is hilarious!
Ahista Ahista
At least this movie can’t be accused of having a misleading title. Ahista Ahista is a slow-paced love story that owes its origin to a telefilm.
Ankush (Abhay Deol) makes a living as a marriage witness for runaway couples outside a Delhi registration office. When Megha (Soha Ali Khan), is left stranded when her boyfriend does not show up, the sweet and decent Ankush helps her, and falls in love. Then the missing boyfriend Dheeraj (Shayan Munshi) turns up looking for her, and Ankush tries hard to prevent him from reaching her.
It’s a sweet love story, but just doesn’t have enough substance to keep it going for a full-length feature. Apart from a drab script, director Shiivam Nair is saddled with actors who have a lot of charm but no spontaneity; as a result the drama is emotionless and the comedy falls flat. Ankush’s loud mockery of an old woman borders on bad taste.
The songs (Himesh Reshammiya) that sounded so good on CD, are indifferently picturised. The Delhi locations give the film a fresh look, and despite his stolidness, Ankush does manage to make the viewer care for him. Whether that’s good enough reason for splurging on a multiplex ticket, depends on how much you like Abhay Deol and Soha Ali Khan.
There’s no harm in producing a film for yourself if nobody else will give you a good break, but first isn’t a talent check mandatory? Mink Brar, who made her debut in Dev Anand’s Pyar Ka Tarana in 1993 and sort of vanished into cameo limbo, produces Katputtli with her brother (calling their company Bro and Sis Production—cute!), giving herself the lead role. Not just that, she is in almost every frame of the film.
She is good looking in a model-ish sort of way, but does not have the talent or presence to carry an entire film, more so since the rest of the cast is also over-dressed, over-made up plywood.
She plays Lisa, a rich gal who has lost her memory, which is an excuse to speak all her lines in a slow, breathless way. Her husband (Milind Soman) looks after her, and her neighbours (Sameer Dharmadikari-Yukta Mookey) are helpful too, but Lisa feels something’s not quite right. For one, why was she wandering the streets in blood stained clothes, wearing a trench coat with lakhs in her pockets?
Despite a long and tedious explanation in the end, this bit is still not explained—why a trench coat? When did she stuff it with money? And the person who was responsible for her condition just stood there and watched her go?
Such questions arise simply because the film, directed by Sanjay Khanna trying desperately to be stylish, does not make much sense. But it is good for a lot of unintended laughs. Like Seema Biswas playing a sinister looking doctor, who evokes chuckles just by her get-up; the nurse in microminis and huge hoop earrings, who looks like she escaped from a Z-grade horror flick. Or the neighbours who break into an inexplicable salsa routine. And the appearance of a dozen of the Bro and Sis’s Page 3 buddies—so a helper in the hospital flounces around in wispy party togs. And a long-haired, junkie dude in pin-stripes glides in slow-motion.
Katputtli is not a comedy, but it is hilarious!
Ahista Ahista
At least this movie can’t be accused of having a misleading title. Ahista Ahista is a slow-paced love story that owes its origin to a telefilm.
Ankush (Abhay Deol) makes a living as a marriage witness for runaway couples outside a Delhi registration office. When Megha (Soha Ali Khan), is left stranded when her boyfriend does not show up, the sweet and decent Ankush helps her, and falls in love. Then the missing boyfriend Dheeraj (Shayan Munshi) turns up looking for her, and Ankush tries hard to prevent him from reaching her.
It’s a sweet love story, but just doesn’t have enough substance to keep it going for a full-length feature. Apart from a drab script, director Shiivam Nair is saddled with actors who have a lot of charm but no spontaneity; as a result the drama is emotionless and the comedy falls flat. Ankush’s loud mockery of an old woman borders on bad taste.
The songs (Himesh Reshammiya) that sounded so good on CD, are indifferently picturised. The Delhi locations give the film a fresh look, and despite his stolidness, Ankush does manage to make the viewer care for him. Whether that’s good enough reason for splurging on a multiplex ticket, depends on how much you like Abhay Deol and Soha Ali Khan.
Labels: Cinemaah
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