Chashm-e-Buddoor – It’s Peppy, Flamboyant and “David Dhawanish”

It looks like 1980’s back or film makers are now emphasizing more on yesteryears hit movies. Last week it was Himmat Wala and this week it’s Chashm-e-Buddoor. Without much delay, I will come straight to the point. David Dhawan was totally correct when he commented that new Chashm-e-Buddoor is an adaptation of 1981’s Chashm-e-Buddoor. The newer version is dealt differently, thanks to David Dhawan’s mastery in comic movies. The plot is same but the treatment is different. The older version had Farooq Shaikh, Rakesh Bedi, Ravi Basvani, Deepti Naval and Saeed Jaffery in pivotal roles and one could also see an unforgettable scene between Amitabh and Rekha. The latest version has Ali Zafar, Divyendu, Siddharth, Tapsee Pannu and Rishi Kapoor (respectively) in main leads. So, does this Chashm-e-Buddoor really deserve the wish of “Chashm-e-Buddoor”? Let’s find it out!

The story is about 3 friends Siddharth (Ali), Omi (Divyendu) and Jai (Siddhart). Out of them, Omi and Jai are womanizing loafers who tries to flatter new neighborhood girl Seema (Tapsee) but fail drastically. Siddharth, however manages to impress the beauty and they fall for each other. Knowing about their love connection both the friends try to split their relationship by formulating comical ideas and then the story moves ahead.

As far as performances are concerned, Ali Zafar impresses with his decent dance moves and he looks adorable which was the most important ingredient of his character. Divyendu is as usual, though this is his second movie but he has all the guts to carry any comic movie on his shoulders. Siddharth is a revelation. He dances fastest and with effortless ease. As compared to how he performed in “RDB” and “Striker”, this movie showcases his other abilities. Tapsee (a tollywood’s renowned actress but bollywood’s debutant) perfectly solidifies her character.

Rishi Kapoor is a surprise package; it’s hard to overshadow a performer like him. Watch him in “Early Morning” twisting his legs with Ali Zafar, I am sure everyone would have noticed him and only him when the both shared the screen – dance and comedy both are natural to the veteran. Anupamkher is first rate as the teacher and as an army officer he is too loud. Bharati Achrekar is adorable and gives many moments for good laugh – she is a veteran in comic roles too (watch Chambaili Ki Shadi and any episode of Shrimaan Shrimaty). Juhie Chawla appears in a cameo and is really nice to see her.

Songs (as in lyrics) and dialogues (Farhad-Sajid) of the newer version are actual saviors of the movie, music directors, singers and writers need applaud. The background score adopted from “Amar Akbar Anthony” will take those to actual 1980’s era, who used to watch movies of that era.

Some of the scenes which have been adapted from older version are:

A – Miss Chamko’s Visit (though in older version it was sweeter and cute).

B – Flashbacks

C – Kidnapping

D – The Shikaar connection (when Omi and Jai points out Seema, for the first time)

For those who haven’t watched original version of Chashm-e-Buddoor, I highly recommend them to watch that. It’s a classic in itself. The character of Lallan Mian (Saeed Jaffery) has been modified in newer version as Uncle Joseph (Rishi Kapoor) but I still think a major softness has been missed out.

David Dhawan needs no gimmicks when it comes to comic movies; he has an astounding track record of blessing his audience with a kind of cinema that is both criticized by many but at the end of the day is loved by everyone no matter how decent the audience gets. 

I rate this adaptation 7/10 - entertainment wise.

Himmat Wala - A Tribute To Amitabh and Not To Jetendra

Before reviewing the new Himmatwala, allow me to introduce you with some facts related to 1983’s Himmatwala. K. Raghavendra Rao’s Himmatwala (1983) was an experimental film, in which he signed a sinking mega-star of early 1980’s Jetendra, whose movies were drowning deeply at the box office back in those days. Similarly, Sridevi was signed because of limited budget as she was planning to leave the industry because of constant flops. On the contrary, Kader Khan, who used to play negative roles, was also not getting any movies. The concept of remakes of south Indian movies was also fresh at that period of time. So, all in all, it was their hard work and commendable script with astounding performances which made Himmatwala a fare that not only started the team (Jetendra, Sridevi, Kader Khan, Amjad Khan, Shakti Kapoor and Asrani) to launch numerous block-busters but also gave a reason to copy it even after 3 decades.

Sajid Khan’s Himmatwala is a literal copy of the original Himmatwala. Although, he has mentioned at many platforms that his movie has a few elements of the original one but if you see the original movie, dialogues, character names, scenes and at places background score have also copied from it. There are minor amendments which add no weight to the movie.

If Sajid Khan says that this particular movie is a tribute to 1980’s cinema then he should rephrase it as a tribute to the “Young Angry Man” of 1980’s Amitabh’s movies. The reason to quote this is that 5 action scenes from this movie reminded me of Amitabh’s movies.

A – Title Track reminded me of Shan’s “Pyar Karnewalay Pyar Kartay Hain Shaan Se”, filmed on Parveen Babi.

B – Cage fight of Ajay Devgan made me recall Amitabh’s cage fight from Naseeb.

C – The scene where Ajay Devgan holds the dagger from sharp end while saving his sister from “Dhanna”, reminds me of the scene from “Kaala Patthar” where Amitabh did the same with a character named “Dhanna” (played by Ashok Saxena).

D – The much talked about tiger fight again makes me recall Amitabh’s tiger fight from “Khoon Pasiina”.

E – The fight sequence just before the song “Bump Pe Laat” where Ajay converses in 5 different languages with goons gives me a vivid remembrance of a similar scene from Amitabh’s “Laawaris”

Anyways, the plot is similar and it tells a story of a malicious Sarpanch Sher Singh (Mahesh Manjrekar) who defames Ravi’s (Ajay Devgan) father to an extent where he commits suicide and his family suffers a lot of pain. Years after, Ravi returns to take revenge from Sarpanch.

I am a fan of 70’s and 80’s movies, this was the mere reason why I chose to watch the new Himmatwala but experience was nothing but sheer pain. First of all, Ajay looks totally misfit for the role; he failed to pass the wittiness which Jetendra portrayed in his style. His “Atta Maajhi Sattakli” style has now stuck to him – its time to come up with something original and much entertaining. Mahesh Manjhrekar is a very talented actor but he looks cheap and acts loud in this fare. Even he failed to meet Amjad Khan’s comical expressions and terrifying persona. Adhyayan Suman as Shakti does not even come close to Shakti Kapoor in a single scene. Tamanna Bhatia (a renowned and successful Tamil actress) has screen presence but when it comes to performing, she needs to focus on that.

The only character that stands out (to some extent) in the movie is Paresh Rawal (enacting the role of Kader Khan). He manages to copy the appearance and tone of Kader Khan and with his dialogues, his earnest attempt is visible in every scene. Asrani is the only actor who has appeared in both the Himmatwalas but in the newer version he is wasted. Ritesh Deshmukh appears in a cameo and he is as usual – typical. Zarina Wahab is efficient.

It’s saddening that this film has great performers and super stars but even then the film failed to create a magic at the box office.

If you really want to get heavy dose of entertainment watch the original one.

Rating 3.5 / 10

P.S: This Movie Review Has Also Been Published At Express Tribune Under My Name.

Jolly LLB - Movie Review

Movies based on judicial system and courtroom dramas have always been admired by cine-goers. It’s not just because of the fact that audience love their favorite actors and actresses in black gowns, it’s merely because most of the courtroom scenes are penned exceptionally. For instance we have huge list of some amazing courtroom scenes from movies like Damini, Meri Jung, Andha Qanoon, OMG Oh My God, Geraftar, Veer Zaara, Shaurya, Maine Gaandhi ko nahin Maara and Aitraz etc. In same list Jolly LLB also falls. It is based on a real life case with a few amendments.

Subhash Kapoor, a talented entertainer, brings Jolly LLB in front of his viewers as a comical fare but in reality it is a serious movie with light hearted and situational comedy. Like his earlier movie “Phhans Gaye Re Obama”, Jolly LLB also deals with day to day life experiences which one comes across. The strongest points of this movie are first rate acting, great script and simplicity.

The plot of the movie is simple; Jolly (performed by Arshad Warsi) a suffering lawyer, leaves Meerut and arrives in Delhi in search of more cases and professional growth. Luckily he bumps into a case which was hyped by the media and won by Rajpal (Boman Irani) who only manages high profile clients with surety to win the case. Jolly, to earn fame, files PIL against the same case and his life turns after that.

As far as the performances are concerned, in this movie everyone excels and shines no matter how large or small he has been projected. Arshad Warsi stands out undeniably. For those who have only seen him as “circuit” from Munna Bhai MBBS, and missed out Saher, this movie reminds them that he is an equally talented actor when it comes to serious and performance oriented roles. It is good to see that he is now trying to sign movies which offer him different kind of roles, like previously released Zilla Ghaziabaad. 

Boman Irani is like water, every character that is assigned to him, he manages to perform it with comfort and flawlessness. His character demanded to be portrayed as egotistical, cunning and bullish lawyer, to which he lived up to expectations. 

Saurabh Shukla (as Sunderlal Tripathy) amazes again. He is one finest actor who never runs after for every role that is offered to him. In this movie there are plenty of scenes where he shows his viewers that he is not less than any accomplished and finest actors of the industry. In scenes where he is silent, his expressions speak. On the contrary, the way he performs his dialogues is outstanding.

Amrita Rao (as Sandhya) has a small role but when it comes to dramatic enactment of any scene, she has always excelled, ditto for this movie. Ramesh Deo (one of the veterans – I remember his “Anand”) is first rate, though he only has 2 – 3 scenes in the movie but impactful. Brijendra Kala as advocate and Sanjay Mishra as Hawaldaar Ram Gopal Verma are good, same for Mohan Agashe.

Jolly LLB has great screenplay and dialogue, kudos to Subhash Kapoor for maintaining his command over these departments. “Ajnabi” and “Makhna” are two songs which stand out and are easy to hum.

 
Rating: 8/10

P.S: I Published This Movie Review Initially  At Express Tribune's Blog.

23 March - Pakistan Will Support Earth Hour

This earth is beautiful, this is the reason why even after flying high and diving deep every one of us wants to come back to it and feel it.

Support Earth hour as much as you can! After all, it requires only an hour's dedication.

“What you take from the earth, you must give back. That's nature's way.”
― Chris d'Lacey

I am supporting EARTH HOUR 2013 I hope YOU are / will too

Today, Pakistanis are celebrating 23rd March as well. So, all you Pakistanis, remember one thing

Success Is Never Permanent and Failure is Never Final
Never Ever Stop your efforts until your Victory makes a History

Join together for the cause internationally, in order to celebrate your happiness as well as support the cause worldwide. Tell them All PAKISTAN is also amongst the supporters of Good Causes...

Bless you all!

Image Courtesy: http://www.wwf.org.my/

Dear Ladies – Use Your Brains While Getting Interviewed For A Job

 It is a known fact that an interviewer decides whether to hire a candidate or not within 10 minutes. I am sure it’s pretty amazing as well as scary for most of the readers. One should be extra cautious while getting interviewed. After all, it’s about casting a spell. Isn’t it?

“Casting a spell” is mostly understood in a wrong way, especially by many women across the globe. It is important to understand that what should be embraced during an interview and what should be detached away. Following are some pointers which will help women bagging jobs rights away!

Dream Job – Does It Actually Exist? 

It has been noticed that majority of women usually try to impress their interviewers by bragging statements like “Wow! This is an ideal job for me.” Or “I always dreamed about this kind of job.” To be honest, no job can be a dream or ideal job because of the fact that there are many unpleasant things that a person has to perform for a job. 69% of the interviewers don’t appreciate this kind of replies.

 

Never Smack-off Your Ex-Boss:

Defaming your ex-company or superiors won’t help. In fact, it will definitely harm your personality and you won’t be able to impress your interviewer. 

You Know You Are Hot – Don’t Flaunt It, Where it’s not needed

It is a myth that women with out-going approach and bold behavior are appreciated in professional world, in third world countries. One should know that dressing up for going on a date is totally different from going to an interview. Genuine interviewer is more concerned about your skills and talent rather than your looks and oozing hotness.

Salary Is Not Everything – That Should Be In Your Mind

 

Discussing salary is not a good idea. Interviewers don’t appreciate the question related to salary at first place. Only 15% of the interviewers have agreed to the fact that it’s better to discuss remuneration in first meeting. Rest of them simply doesn’t want to discuss anything like that. So, if you are not asked about the salary, don’t initiate it from our end. 

Keep It Cool

Everyone has emotions but every time is not the right time to express emotions. This is key statement to understand that when you are attending an interview it is not advised to show your emotional side. It’s all about controlling, relaxing and coming up with a calculated idea or response.

Jeans! Are You Serious?

All those girls, who like to be casual and on them jeans look really cool and sexy, they should know the fact that “dress code” is very important. When going for an interview it is advised to wear something decent, formal and smart as well. No one wants to hire a casual candidate. It’s a serious job at which you applied right?

Getting Connected Is Important But Getting A Chance Is Vital:

We all know cell phones are status symbol nowadays, plus replying to every call and text message is what we usually love to do but when on interview, it’s not a right time to either answer any call or reply to any SMS. It is advised that you should switch of or at-least put your cell phone on silent. Even putting a phone on vibration is not a good idea as its humming sound can also cause distraction.

You Can Make Your Boyfriend Wait For You For A Lifetime But Not Your Boss

Arriving late for interviews is not good. This is the reason why every HR employee is of the view that a candidate should reach 10 – 15 minutes earlier. It gives a positive impression. It makes a candidate show his seriousness and punctuality, which count in professional environment. Always remember “time is money – don’t waste it” whether this time is yours or your boss’s.

 
I hope, if these points will be taken into consideration, your chances of getting hired will improve. Share your opinions as well.

Visit To IBA Career Fair 2013 - Held At Karachi University

 On 16^th February, 2013 I visited IBA Career Fair at Karachi University. It was a nice experience for me because of multiple reasons. Things which I noticed in the Career Fair were quite interesting and impressive. As it was held in Karachi University, there were numerous students who attended the job fair. Students from different departments attended the Career Fair, with different dreams. Most of the dreams were job-centric. After all, what else would they have thought about other than their jobs, keeping Pakistan’s economic conditions in mind? From 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, roughly 1,000 plus students attended the Career Fair.

As far as the organizations are concerned, all reputed companies were present at IBA’s Career Fair 2013. Organizations including Nestle, Engro, Loreal, Habib Bank Limited, Meezan Bank, Burj Bank, Warid, Zong, TRG and Linkagoal etc. were offered “Booths” to communicate with students and collect their CVs. Moreover, companies were also offered “Interview Lounges”, to conduct interviews of the candidates. Last but definitely not the least “Presentation Rooms” were also allotted to the companies to demonstrate their presentations in order to enrich the knowledge of students. Students had a great time at the Career Fair because they got an amazing opportunity to apply in different companies and in different sectors. These kinds of Career Fairs are much needed all over Pakistan to hire the right resource for the right job.

This particular Career Fair introduced students to not only national organizations (HBL, Hilal and Sanofi etc.) but also to international organizations like Linkagoal, Loreal and Nestle etc. With the help of such Career Fairs, horizon of students broadens and they learn multiple things not only about the companies but also about the success factors of the companies. For those who have strong entrepreneurship skills, such career fairs are very helpful in understanding the practices of the renowned companies.

More than 60 organizations participated in the Career Fair 2013; IBA did a fantastic job in bridging the gap between useful resource and companies. These kinds of events should be organized by other universities, as well, all over Pakistan, so that we can collectively fight against the joblessness and help in developing the economic condition of our beloved homeland.

IBA also provided representatives of the companies with tasty lunches. Hope to see more of such events in future.

This Article Has Also Been Published At Dunya TV's Blog

For Images: Thanks To Parwarsha Arshad Mirza

3 SIMPLE STEPS TO GROW TALLER NATURALLY

For every person, looking good and nice is very important. Personality of a person depends upon the height he has. There are many people who want to know how to grow taller naturally but they don’t get their answers that easily. It is unfortunate that most of the people who don’t have good heights, can never appeal opposite genders. To attract opposite gender, individuals try different techniques and tips in order to increase their heights. This is one of the core reasons why they easily believe on the bluffs of the marketers, when they are informed about any product that can help in increasing their heights to “x” centimeters or inches.

 1 - Balanced Diet

For all those individuals who are suffering from the trauma of having shorter heights, they can now get their answers of how to grow taller naturally because growing one’s height naturally is not something that can never be achieved. There are a few simple tactics and tips with which a person can grow his or her height. The most important element that is required to grow one’s height is proper diet. One should not eat junk food but consume healthy food that is free from cholesterol and fats. It is advised to avoid eating anything between two meals. With three meals a day, intake of 2 – 3 glasses of milk can definitely give good results. With the passage of time it is advised to increase the intake of milk as well.

2 - Enjoy Proper Sleep

Sleeping is very important for every person and if a person wants to know how to grow taller naturally then he must sleep for 7 – 8 hours every day. This has helped countless people in increasing their heights naturally. Uninterrupted sleep is good for both physical and mental fitness of any individual. 

3 - Exercise

On the contrary, there is another option which can answer the question of how to grow taller naturally and that is daily exercising. With the help of exercising on daily basis the metabolism of a body becomes good and it starts to function much better. This also results in keeping a person fit and healthy. This is the reason why most of the sports-persons and people who exercise religiously have good heights. 

If a person can just follow the above mentioned tips and steps seriously then he or she can positively grow taller naturally. These steps are tried and tested by many people and they are satisfied with the results.