#Fitoor

‪#‎Fitoor‬:
New posting, new city, new chapter in life, first weekend and old friends! Nice ingredients! With Great Expectations, we decided to go see the new film in a new cinema hall! After all it was an ‪#‎AbhisekKapoor‬ film, the guy who made ‪#‎KaiPoChe‬! The problem: the movie was just a new release, it had nothing new to offer! Even the old it was supposed to recreate, was lost. 

As we entered the hall, my friend asked me to explain the term "fitoor" to her! With immense confidence and little knowledge of Urdu, Arabic or Persian, I loosely translated it for her as Obsession. To draw a parallel, I cited "Darr", where ‪#‎SRK‬ had this Fitoor for Kkkkkkkkiran! Happy at having found a reference point for the theme, we settled down for what we thought would be an exciting, romantic film! For the next two and a half hours we tried to figure out who had the fitoor for whom in the movie, what was the story, where did terrorism figure in it and how could you have the sub-continent's earth shattering dialogue "doodh mango ge to kheer de doonga, Kashmir mango ge to Seena cheer doonga, " without adequate development of the Kashmir issue! 

The story, or the semblance of a story, revolves around Hazrat Begum, played by Tabu, who is near schizophrenic, with a troubled past. The moment she sees a young menial boy, Noor, paying undue attention to her beautiful, aristocratic, arrogant daughter, Firdaus, she foresees debilitating romance blossoming between them and systematically strives to destroy it! But there is a two-scene intrusive Ajay Devgn element in the movie, whose acts of benevolence destroy, instead of create, the identity of a grown up Noor. If Kashmir is around, can Pakistan be far behind? Love happens, one is told by the besotted Noor, but it just doesn't show! The grown up Firdaus is now the betrothed of a Pakistani Minister, but conveniently forgets him for a brief interlude with her childhood sweetheart! If I recount the story any further, it will amount to double jeopardy for me! So, let it rest! 

Two things can find mention here, though! One, Kashmir and its beautiful locales and two, Tabu. But does a so called dark film have to be shot in dark hues with minimal light? I wanted to see Kashmir more clearly, not like peering through the dark! My friend thought she was losing her vision as she couldn't see anything clearly! I had to keep reassuring her that she was Ok, it was the MOVIE! Then there is Tabu! And before anyone jumps to a conclusion to rave and rant about her beauty, her soulful or cerebral acting etc, let me say, she disappoints! Not because she can't act or has over acted! None of that, for God knows she can act, as true to life as possible! But she disappoints because this is a case of ONE TOO MANY! She's done this kind of stuff TOO many times in the past. A versatile actor like her should drop this kind of repetitive appearance, at least for the next 5 years! I would love to see Tabu playing a Biwi No 1 type of role now! Or maybe Bhabhi no 1, on the pattern of Bhabhi ji Ghar par hain, the cutest comedy on Indian tv! 

Aditya Roy Kapoor is just about OK, he looks sufficiently wide eyed and dumb struck, although towards the end he is on the verge of Aashiqui 2 type of self destructiveness! This is Katrina's worst appearance! She looks jaded and sleep walks through the film! 

Don't watch it! I regretted missing Siya Ke Ram!

#SaalaKhadoos

#SaalaKhadoos : 

How do you review a movie which, in the very first few scenes, you are able to predict? Well, despite all the predictability, there is also a great deal of credibility in the movie, thanks to good direction and some great performances by all the leading actors! After all it's a Raju Hirani movie! 

Saala Khadoos, the story of a fallen boxing star and coach is almost the boxing variant of Chak De India, with a minor difference; this one is an individual sport while Chak De was a team #sport, of course! But it's the same formula. Fallen coach, personal animosities, corrupt sports administration, under-utilised talent, sexual harassment, strenuous training and the grand finale! Thrown in with greater finesse is the element of sibling rivalry!

 Madhavan is the foul mouthed,shaggy haired, bulky and earthy coach who fires verbal canons all around him, unmindful of the gender of his clients! Banished to Chennai, on a punishment posting ( uhm, uhm uhm), he spots his alter ego, his female version, a fish seller, a Jhalli, as the well picturised song tells us, a potential champ. But it's her sister who is being coached for boxing. You can smell the beginning of a serious case of sibling rivalry! Romance is, of course, predictable! 

It is the slimy, debauch and exploitative national coach whose character provides stereotypical situations and behaviours. So much cliche'! He is the quintessential Sports official one has learnt to loathe. But, it's the very convincing and nuanced acting by Zakir Hussain which prevents you from squirming in your seat. 

The new girl Ritika Singh, as the fiery shrew, waiting to be tamed is good! She has done a good job both as a maverick, fish selling tomboy, training to be a boxer and as a young girl falling in love with her mentor, even wearing a sari to experience and express the love. She dances with abandon and that alone qualifies her as a potential star for Hindi cinema! Madhavan was also very good, although I don't know how he manages to fall a wee bit short of sublime in every movie! He was damn good in Tanu Weds..., but Dobhriyal stole the show! Here also he is very good but Zakir Husain and the Junior Coach out-do him! I wonder what I would have thought of his role if he had kept his hair short or tied it in a pony! I was almost looking for a scrunchy to tie up his hair! 

Many social messages in the film, but let them be! It's an entertaining, enthralling film and I learnt some boxing rules, finally! Worth a watch, for sure!