Bhaag Milkha Bhaag – A Flying Tale of A Flying Sikh

A great movie experience is a combination of many things. It includes a convincing plot, high voltage drama, light moments that stay with viewers even when they leave the theatre, good music, inspirational elements and a few emotional scenes. “Bhaag Milkha Bhaag” is among those movies which offer all the above mentioned ingredients at par. For those who keep a track of innovative, interesting and path breaking Indian Cinema the name of Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra is the symbol of excellence. Whenever he unfolded his sleeves, movies like “Aks”, “Rang de Basanti” and “Delhi-6” were witnessed by cine-goers. All these movies are distinctive in one way or the other. BMB is nothing different than them. It is a master stroke – without a doubt.

Farhan Akhtar secretes immense talent but no one has, up till Rakeysh Om Prakash, utilized that talent. Farhan’s directorial ventures “Dil Chahta Hai” and “Lakshya” made people realize his credibility as one of the finest directors. As an actor, BMB is his landmark. The way he has carried out his role and portrayed his emotions definitely demand standing ovation.

BMB is based on the journey of great Indian athlete Milkha Singh (also known as Flying Sikh). It is a movie about a boy whose entire family excluding his elder sister was murdered in the riots of Indo-Pak partition and he became a national and international rage back in 1960’s. It is also about the bond between a brother and sister – executed with exceptional detailing. Moreover, the movie is about a blooming romance, some promises with loved ones, emotional fits, flying high yet not leaving the ground by any means and a lot more. In short it’s about the life of Milkha Singh and what he went through.

Performance wise, Farhan Akhtar deserves to be nominated for this movie especially by critics. He is a revelation in BMB. He tackles the most difficult parts with complete ease and effortlessness. His transitions can be easily witnessed and felt by the audience from first scene to the last. Divya Dutta as Milkha Singh’s sister is vibrant, emotional, lovable and above all highly expressive. In 2 of the scenes particularly, she involved the audience to a level by her performance that no one could resist moistening their eyes. This is a performance she will always be reminded of. Sonam Kapoor (as Biro), Meesha Shafi (as Perizaad) and Rebecca Breeds (as Stella) had limited roles but they all performed well in their respective characters.

Pavan Malhotra (as Milkha Singh’s senior) is inspirational and at his peak. This actor is unfortunately most underrated, he needs to be casted in more movies to show-case his vast talent. Yograj Singh as (Milkha Singh’s coach) is just perfect. Dalip Tahil is strictly passable and ditto for Dev Gill (Abdul Khaliq). Art Malik (as Milkha Singh’s father) and Jabtej Singh (as young Milkha Singh) are credible and treat to watch.

Music of this movie is amazing. Arif Lohar’s “Bhaag Milkha”, Sukhwinder Singh’s “Slow Motion Angrezza”, Suhas Sawant’s “Zinda” and Divya Kumar’s “Maston Ka Jhund” are totally different from one another yet are really awesome tracks in all respects. Shankar-Ehsan-Loy’s music is simply amazing for this venture.

Some sequences to lookout for – performance wise:

When Farhan asks from where can he buy the Indian Team’s blazer!

When Divya Dutta meets young Milkha Singh in the camp.

When Farhan insists Divya to wear his blazer – the scene would definitely bring tears to many viewers’ eyes

When Farhan slaps himself repeatedly in the washroom

and a lot more…

On the basis of performance, direction, execution and story-telling I would easily rate this movie 9/10. It’s a must watch for those who celebrates quality and inspirational cinema. A must watch!

The Expendables 2 Movie Review – Band Of Geriatric Goons

The Expendables 2 is definitely amongst the most anticipated releases of 2012, at least for those who are diehard fans of real action heroes like Sly Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger (Arnie), Jason Statham, Chuck Norris, Jet Li, Bruce Willis and last but not the least Jeanne Claude Vann Damme. For many viewers and movie buffs this movie would be a dream cum true to see all their action icons sharing one screen.

If we talk about the plot of the movie its not a rocket science in fact its quite simple. If you have watched Expendables 1 and know the storyline, Sly and his team blew up Willis plan. So, in second episode of Expendables, Willis wants to send Sly and his men to another mission to retrieve something of significance value before bad men can get their hold of. Willis introduces them with a female mercenary – Nan Yu, who can lead them in certain situations. Anyways, the team heads off for the mission, without knowing the seriousness caused by the Villain of the movie Jean Claude Van Damme. The rivalry turns into personal when Van Damme brutally murders one of Sly’s gang mates. From there the movie transforms into a new journey – journey of revenge!

The the plot does not make a bit of sense at many places, as it only involves explosions, chases and blood shattering scenes. “Track em. Find em. Kill’em”. Is what the movie is all about – Dialogue spouted by Sly for the bad guys.

This time the movie is focused more on fun and action. The chemistry between Statham and Sly is amazing. Similarly, Arnold’s presence is a treat. Chuck Norris Steals the show in a brief cameo. Bruce Willis is there for – making his presence felt, else he was not technically needed for more than one scene. Jean Claude Van Damme looks ruthless, acts much better and fights perfectly! The real action heroes of this ride are Statham, Van Damme and Sly. Those who bring smiles are Arnie, Sly and Statham. The ones whose presence catches you by surprise are Arnie and Chuck (in every scene).

This particular movie has received mixed responses from audiences. According to some geriatric goons are back, for others it’s a star packed salute to fans of action movies and for others its far too weak for its fury. It’s a pure 80’s and 90’s idea with same era’s super stars in new packaging. Director Simon West gives his best after almost fifteen years, which was Con Air.

Recommended to all those who want to watch their Action icons together. Bad-Ass Action flick with corny one-liners like
"I pronounce you Man and Knife", "Rest in Pieces", "Do you want to hit me like a Man or Shit" and last but not the least
Sly: "I think it belongs to a Museum"
Arnie: "We all DO"

Rating 7.5/10

Evolution of Pakistani Pop Music – Part A/C

Remember M.C.C? Music Channel Charts! I am sure those who remember or witnessed it even once can never forget it for the kind of music that was shown back in those days! Today’s Rock-stars were kids (or in making) back then and used to struggle real hard for making their place in music world where Ghazals and Qawwalis were appreciated. Arid Zone (Yasir Akhter), Yatagan (Nadeem Jaffery and Fakhr e Alam), Vital Signs (Junaid Jamshaid), Bunny, Junoon (Ali Azmat), Ali Haider, Fringe Benefits, Collage, PHON (Shahzad Roy) and Sequencers (Misbah Khalid) and many others were some prominent names of 90’s and they are still appreciated for the music that they created in a period when, at least Pakistani media was not blessed with greater technology and equipments as compared to west.

At that time many people used to think that the Pop Music was only about jumping from here and there holding either a microphone or guitar in hand and dancing but even then the music hit the world and not just Pakistan because of its lyrics. There were numerous singers and bands back in those days who tried to give their 100% to let Pakistani nation accept Pop Music as a genuine kind of music genre by focusing and concentrating on not just some amazing music but also lyrics. The strangest thing is that most of the singers were based NRP’s (Non Residing Pakistanis), they returned to Pakistan after completing their graduation from abroad – I am not talking about all, but most.

Junoon

Junoon means Passion and truly the band could never be a grand success without the passion. Salman Ahmed the lead guitarist and Song writer from Vital Signs created his own band with Ali Azmat as lead vocalist (former Jupiter’s Singer back then) and Brian O’Connell, Ahmed’s childhood friend. They have released 19 albums under the Band name of “Junoon”. They were and are the singing sensation and crowd pullers of 90’s and 2000’s. I can still remember girls going crazy in Junoon’s concerts and guys dancing like anything. They are true “Rockers” of Pakistani Pop Music Industry.

Ali Azmat In Jupiters

Bunny

“Dil mein Tum Honton mein Tum” was Bunny’s anthem which he gifted to the nation! This song was the ultimate hit with out a doubt. He was amongst the pioneers of the Pakistani Pop Music. He produced and directed as well. His other ground breaking hit included “Teri yeh Shuokh Adayen”.

Yatagaan – Fakhr-e-Aalam and Nadeem Jafferey

This young guy, named Fakhr-e-Aalam, became instant hit who God knows came from another planet! He was the true rapper of Pakistani Pop Music in 90’sand still he is unbelievable. His first song “Bhangra Rap” was an overnight success. I still remember when the song was show cased on MCC, the starting of the song made me lose my interest because of the “Raag Thing” but then he took everyone by surprise with his talent. His first song stayed on number one's slot for more than 4 - 5 weeks I suppose. His other famous songs include “Proud Pakistani”, “Baby Zara Hans Kay” and “Laut Aao” – The most expensive video of its time.

If you have liked this post and want to know more about the Pakistani Pop Music and its Advent -  

Stay Tuned! Share Your Comments! 

To be continued! A lot more to come!

If You Like This Article And Want To Follow Me For Regular Updates And Blogs Then Follow My Website SHAFIQSIDDIQUI.COM

Admirable Women Of Pakistani Media

With the boom in the Pakistani media industry, everybody has shifted their attention to media personalities and they have become hot topics nowadays. The media has played an important role in Pakistan by creating awareness among the people on every subject from current affairs to fashion, entertainment and sports etc. It has created a number of job opportunities for both men and women.

They are number of women who have become influential and have set examples for rest of the women in Pakistan. They believe that if you have the talent and if you stand firm on your decision with determination then nothing is impossible. Women in Pakistan can easily follow their dreams if they have the motivation to accomplish them. Some of the astonishing living examples are as follows:

                                                                             

·         Shirmeen Obaid Chinoy:

 She is the first person who took Pakistan to an international pedestal and became the first Pakistani who not only got nominated but won an Oscar for her documentary film “Saving faces.” She is a pride for the people of Pakistan especially for women. “Times Magazine” also included her name in its annual issue for the most influential people of the world in 2012.

·       Nadia Khan:

She has become a household name with her spontaneous and witty personality. She has been able to win the hearts of her fans with her comeback on Geo TV. She hosts a talk show which caters a number of topics such as: bold, controversial, societal and emotional etc. The basic objective of this show is to uplift the moral values in the individuals. She is doing her show with great devotion and has been able to raise the voice against different issues.

·         Uzma Gillani:

She is a woman of immense strength and intensity and this is greatly reflected in her acting. She faced a number of obstacles and health issues but nevertheless maintained her position as one of Pakistan’s leading TV actress. The roles which have been portrayed by her have shown great personal valor and verve. She is a role model for number women in Pakistan who have the ability to face life with audacity.

·         Mesha Shafi:

She has become a youth Icon with her songs “Jugni” and “Dashte Tanhai”. She has ruled the fashion industry with her modeling and now she has entered the music world and has paved her way to success with her emerging Talent.

·       Maya Khan:

Although she has been involved in the controversy lately but she has come out of it with great courage and has entered the media again. She has used the platform wisely by having discussions on social issues faced by the women and has also tried to resolve them (to certain extent). She has been a great supporter of women and has always tried to create opportunities for women.

P.S:

Irrespective of all the controversies and personal opinions believe it or not these women have changed the way our (Pakistani) society thinks, observes and acts, in one way or the other. I respect them and pay homage to their achievements which can never be enjoyed by anyone without hard work, dedication and strong determination.


If You Like This Article And Want To Follow Me For Regular Updates And Blogs Then Follow My Website SHAFIQSIDDIQUI.COM

Pakistani Media is Infected!

Pakistan has great potential as well as talent. But what lacks in Pakistan is the sense of ownership and feeling of pride in our own things. Whether they are our garments, food or media we have the best of everything but still we prefer to get influenced by foreign stuff. Here foreign is anything outside our homeland’s boundary. There was a time when PTV was the only channel that used to be telecasted in Pakistan. Then there was STN (NTN) in early 90’s that started its transmission. Simultaneously PTV 2 was launched. PTV being the head and pioneer of the Pakistani TV channels produced some remarkable dramas and programs catering to every single niche of the society. STN / NTN also showcased some amazing series and serials and the most important thing was that it introduced Pakistani movies to the viewers, as a kid I can still remember the excitement of watching Pakistani movies every alternate day. I personally got acquainted with the talents of Nadeem, Mohd. Ali, Shahid, Waheed Murad, Babra, Jawed Shaikh and Munawwer Zareef etc through that particular channel, and I thank that, literally. 

People used to make fun of PTV2 back in those days for showing “how to create and design a TRACTOR” but the fact is, PTV2 acted as a beacon for those who really wanted to study and acquire the knowledge. The AIOU (Allama Iqbal Open University) Programs have made the lives of numerous people. PTV on the other hand showed some exceptional dramas, comedy shows, musical programs and quiz shows etc that helped Pakistanis evolve as a better and much sensible nation that is why when initially STAR PLUS and much earlier Zee TV was introduced to them they instantly objected on the scripts, made fun of multiple close-ups in different angles accompanied by loud music. The only popular program in those days was “close up Antakshri” presented by Annu kapoor and Pallawi Joshi. Whereas rest of the programs were not appreciated content wise. They only used to have glamour but not quality content.
Now let us talk about today’s TV channels. They are countless, every tom, dick and harry is opening up a new channel and then extending it with unusual names. We have now language based, region based, city based, cast based and even some district based channels but can we remember any drama or program the way we still recall our fond memories related to “Jaangloos”, “Saat Seerhian”, “Kaliyaan”, “Music Channel Charts”, “Agent X”, “Samunder”, “andhera Ujala”, “50/50”, “All Series of Studio 2, 2.5, Ponay Teen”, “Chand Grahan”, Landa Bazar” and “Kollege Jeanse”? The list is endless.

Recently (in the last 1.5 – 2 years) I have been asking myself few questions on frequent basis. Are all the channels of Pakistan, except PTV, entitled to call PAKISTANI TV CHANNELS? This question must be strange for many, I can understand that, so I am openly asking a few questions:

1. Do our TV channels show only Pakistani Content?
2. Don’t our channels show case IIFA, STAR, Film Fare and what not Award shows. Not only that, they also telecast the making and “red carpet shows” twice and thrice from same TV channels?  Can anyone remember watching LUX Style awards twice from any channel?
3. Why do we have to sync Indian songs in our dramas, both in title and background score?
4. Why do these channels show Indian movies? And when was the last time they showed Pakistani Movies other than, Khuda Ke liay, Ram Chand Pakistani, Bol or few others?
5. To me it looks like all the channels are promotional agents of either Bollywood or Indian media. Well its harsh, but I have all the reasons and backing to think like that and say this.
6. Most of the people talk about TRPs, don’t morning shows gain TRPs these days? Don’t current affair programs gain TRPs these days? Didn’t “Humsafar” enjoy record breaking TRPs? So please don’t come up with lame excuses of TRPs.

These are just few questions that I usually ask myself. I am just saying them aloud today so that I may get a sensible answer, I repeat “Sensible answer” and not any politically adulterated reason.

I wish Pakistani media can one day proudly use a Tagline, “For Pakistan, by Pakistan and outside Pakistan”.

And does any Indian channel show a single Pakistani program on their channels? Name one!

And The Magician Passes Away – Mehdi Hasan Voice of Pakistan

Who can forget the supper hit songs of Pakistani Film Industry from the era of 60’s to 80’s? The most prominent voice of Pakistani Film Industry (winner of countless awards including Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Pride of Performance and Hilal-e-Imtiaz by the Pakistani government) Mehdi Hasan passed away on June 13, 2012 in Karachi because of failure of breathing.

I don’t consider him just an ordinary singer; to me he was a magician who used to perform magic tricks with his unmatched voice. He introduced Pakistani music to not only few countries but to the world, literally. He was considered as the institution for both Ghazal and movie singing.

Read More At Dunya TV's Blog

The King of Ghazal singing, Mehdi Hasan (Late), started his career back in 1956, though he also got chance to sing Ghazals and songs at Radio Pakistan in 1952, and his last recorded song for movies was released in 2000. His first breakthrough ghazal was Gulon main rung bharay from the movie Farangi. After that there was no looking back. He undoubtedly reigned specifically in 70’s because the excessive production of soft, romantic and musical Pakistani movies. 

How can people forget the magic of his unlimited romantic songs like; Hamarai aankhon main aaj tak wo, rafta rafta wo mere, patta patta boota boota, Tu meri zindagi hai, yeh tera naazuk, zindagi ki raah mein and many more. Not only these if you really want to listen to his light hearted songs then listen to “Paanday Kalayee Karalo” picturized on Shaahid. The singer was a magician by every means!

May his soul rests in peace and may Almighty shower HIS blessings on Mehdi Hasan.

And Lollywood Shows Improvement!

I am a biggest Pakistani movies’ fan, and I am not shy or hesitant to say that. But in the last few years (better say a decade or more) I have not seen many quality oriented movies in terms of script, performances and tone. Khuda Kay Liay, Bol, Yeh Dil Aapka hua and few other movies were technically and script-wise good along with the performances that were impressive. Rest of the movies, sorry to say, were typical formula based that offered no quality content to audiences.

Few days ago I was enlightened to watch the trailer of “Naach” – a joint venture of Nasir Teherani and Manduck Collective Films. It was a state of surprise for me watching finest actors delivering some great dialogues (I must add, Pakistani industry once had the best of dialogues back in 60’s to early 90’s). This movie is claimed to be the first ever movie produced in Pakistan that is based on Dance. It showcases the amazing talents of Javed Sheikh, Shaan, Momal Shaikh, Noman Butt and Komal Rizvi along with many glittering stars. The movie is based on passion, dance, romance, inspiration and imagination.

Read More At Tribune!

The trailer of the movie is very appealing and it builds up the curiosity to watch the movies – which in itself is a victory. Let us not go in to the debates of originality of the concept or inspirational adaptation. Just consider this movie as a move of brighter cinema. Jaaved Sheikh is definitely amongst the finest actors of Pakistan right from the days of “Shama” and the way he delivers his dialogues in “Naach” is tremendous, his voice and his moves will impress you the way they impressed me.

Shaan, on the other end, is the most sensible actors of Pakistan, leaving apart the kinds of movies that “masses” like. After all, someone had to step into the genre of the movies that was introduced by late Sultan Rahi. And he undoubtedly did a remarkable job in maintaining and increasing that list of cinema goers. Whether it was his “Guns N Roses”, “Very Good Dunya Very Bad Log”, “Tere Pyar Mein”, “Ghoonghat”, “KKL” and “Moosa Khan” Shaan always tried to give composed, remarkable and genuine performance. It is a shame for Pakistani directors to not to offer him roles that he really deserves.

There are many people who would say in a movie that is based upon DANCE, how anyone can cast Shaan and Jaaved Sheikh? both being older and hardly suitable for dancing roles, for all those “think tanks” let me add, try to promote your own stuff, if it is worth appraising. Did you ever thought the same way when SRK acted as the coach of hockey team?

I am excited to enjoy this movie and I hope those who appreciate quality movies from Pakistani cinema must feel the same.

Shanghai - Movie Review

What happens when you wait for a movie is that you think it would be a stimulating and aesthetically directed along with the some handpicked actors? Expectations are high! I went through the same, as well. I have an old soul in me, when it comes to liking performers (the era of 70’s and 80’s – is preferred by me). Getting a chance to watch Farooq Sheikh, (the Noorie and Chashm-e-buddoor fame) itself is a treat for me. Plus, watching a Dibakar Banergee’s movie after witnessing some finest movies of his like Oye Lucky Lucky Oye and Khosla Ka Ghosla, is also worth experiencing. Shanghai lets you closely observe what happens when people get power and they become over obsessed with that. The movie is inspired from “Z” penned by Vassilis Vassilikos.

The movie revolves around a few characters along with the political system. A political activist Dr. Ahmadi (Prosenjit Chatterjee) encounters a road accident and Shalini Sahaye (Kalki Koechlin) tries to prove it as a murder. A bureaucrat Krishnan (Abhay Deol) is in charge to take-off the case – to which no one provides him with the relevant information. A small town movie maker (part time porn movie maker as well) Jogi Pramar (Emran Hashmi) claims that he has the footage that will create a chaos for government. What happens next is a dream that everyone sees in India – Rightful justice, freedom of expression and democratic outburst.

The movie is definitely interesting and backed by some nice scenes – they could have been better for sure as the canvas was huge. At times a viewer feels that the movie is a bit slow and at places starts to get boring. But again the director grips the viewer’s attention by rolling another slide for viewer’s interest.

As far as performances are concerned they are good. They would have been a lot better if the script could be healthier in terms of dialogues and punch lines. Seniors first – Farooq Sheikh is a scene stealer. He is amazing with his convincing dialogues and double faced personality. He proves that he is still amongst the finest actors who have always treated as most under-rated actors. I, personally, would love to see him again and again. Prosenjit Chatterjee another versatile actor but not much appeared in movies (his career started back in 1990 with Aandhiyan) performed his part remarkably. He looks cool and delivers a nice performance.

Emran Hashmi, well like I mentioned earlier in Jannat 2’s movie review, has started to surprise his audiences with his performance and selection of roles. He looks disgusting, weird and a thorough porn movie maker – even portrays some perverted looks surprisingly. Abhay Deol has always selected movies which are off-beat for many and he offers great potential for showing his talent. Yet again he grips his role and performs astoundingly well. He performs his character extraordinarily; he looks soft yet authoritative, educated and mature. Kalki got a nice platform to show her talent and she impresses in few scenes too! Pitobash Tripathy as Bhaggu is getting type casted (in reference to “I am Kalam” and “Shor”). Supriya Pathak is just OK.

Some clap worthy scenes include:

1-      When Emran Hashmi’s boss wants him to arrange a meeting with Kalki. Emran’s actions and expressions are amazing.

2-       When Emran tries to break the ice between him and Abhay in the toilet.

3-      All the scenes between Abhay Deol and Farooq Sheikh – especially the ones in the climax. Both actors have performed their best. Farooq Sheikh impresses with his expressions, wrath and helplessness whereas Abhay looks cool, confident and a thorough professional.

On the whole the movie is good for mature audiences and many individuals will even call it a drop fare. But it is an interesting watch if you have time and want to witness sensible cinema.

Rating: 7.5/10 (On the basis of performances, direction and subject).

Movie Review - Rowdy Rathore

“Rowdy Rathore” is amongst the most awaited movies of 2012 for many reasons. Prabhu Deva created magnanimous magic for Salman Khan in his Bollywood directorial debut “Wanted” so the expectations are high. Most of the individuals also raised questions like, how can Sanjay Leela bhansaali, after producing meaningful and critique oriented movies like Guzaarish, Saanwariya, Black and Devdas, produce a hardcore entertainer – so called typical Bollywood Masala flick? There are fans and cine-goers out there who are waiting to see Akshay (The Khiladi) Kumar back in action after a long time. Moreover there are also many people who want to see Sonakshi Sinha and her talent after appreciating her in “Dabang”. The movie is a surprise ride for every single individual. Let me first make it clear that the movie is a remake of a Telugu movie which was originally adopted from a Tamil movie. This shouldn’t be shocking as “Wanted” was also a remake of Telugu movie named “Pokiri” – so you can call it Prabhu Deva’s unique sense of creating remakes and making them box office blockbusters.

Read More At Dunya TV's Blog

The movie is about two Akshay Kumar(s), one is a Cop (Rathore) and the other is a con man (Shiva). Shiva performs cons with his friend 2G (Paresh Ganatra). In Shiva’s life Paro (Sonakshi Sinha) enters and they fall in love spontaneously. One day Shiva comes across a kid Chinky, who calls him “PAPA”. After some cats and dogs play Shiva comes to know that Chinky is the daughter of his look alike, IPS officer Vijay Singh Rathore (Akshay Kumar), whose life is threatened by a feudal of Devgarh (Somewhere in Bihar) named BaapJee (Nassar). Then movie transforms from a mistaken identity’s plot to a much serious and action oriented theme. I am not going to reveal the complete plot because I don’t want to kill the thrill.

If we talk about performances, Akshay Kumars bestows a splendid performance and he stands out in both roles. It is not a difficult thing for an actor of his caliber to enact both roles, as in past he has performed the same roles remarkably. Sonakshi Sinha, is a complete stealer, I personally was not expecting her to be so gorgeous, outrageous, stylish and full on entertaining actress. Watch out her dance, in every song of the movie – you will be amazed. She reminds of two gorgeous queens of Bollywood, Hema Malini and Rina Roy. 

Paresh Ganatra embarks on a role that gives him ample chance to perform his way of comedy, which is different from Johny Lever or Rajpal Yadav, but it still brings smiles and some laughter on audiences’ faces. Nassar is a very seasoned actor of south movies, and he performs top notch performance as BaapJee. I am sure every viewer will find him disgusting, ruthless and wicked in the particular role. The actor who portrayed the role of Titla (Supreeth Reddy), Baabjee’s brother, is terrifying. He is also from south movie camp. His first seen scared and disgusted many viewers. Mushtaq Khan, Yashpal Sharma and Darshan Jariwala are usual. The kid is cute wins the heart.

Prabhu Deva’s direction is excellent. He definitely knows how to make a remarkable action packed movie and he will soon be counted amongst the most accomplished and detailed directors of Bollywood (provided he continues like this). The background music by Sandeep Chowta (the “Mast” and “Satya” fame) is amazing. Songs are good for listening once or twice – they actually go with the movie for plain entertainment. Khumar Sanu’s fans will listen to him after a long time in “Chammak Challo” and will definitely go back to early and mid 90’s.

Some of the clap-worthy scenes include:

1. When Titla comes out from Raawan’s statue. He looks “HUGE” and frightening (at least in theatres).
2. When Akshay returns to Nassar in post interval by saying “I’m back” – hilarious and outstanding, am sure no one would have thought a scene like that after the interval.
3. The flashback sequence where Yashpal Sharma narrates the story to Akshay Kumar. The whole take is amazingly filmed.
4. Both the scenes between Yashpal Sharma and Paresh Ganatra are really funny.
5. When kid cries in front of Akshay Kumar because she can’t listen to the song of her mother. Very emotional.

The movie is full on entertainer, a masala and paisa wasool fare. But it does not offer anything to serious movie lovers or thought provoking audiences. At box office it will be a blockbuster, without a doubt. But getting an award for this movie is debatable. I strongly recommend it for Akshay Kumar’s (action) and Prabu Deva’s (direction) fans.

Rating: 6.5/10

Are you Jealous of their Fame? (Veena Malik / Sahir Lodhi and Meera's Fame)

If Amitabh Bachchan is known as Star of the millennium or blessed with the title of “SIR” does it mean that Dilip Kumar is inferior to him in acting or performance? It is fame and public’s liking that make one actor or performer a “star” and the other just “good”. Similarly there have been many individuals who are enjoying the blessings of stardom and public’s affection no matter how poor they perform. So at the end of the day it is their fan following that is keeping them placed above others from the lot.

Every person who witnesses Pakistan channels knows about the fame earned by Sahir Lodhi, Meera and Veena. Many individuals have the viewpoint that they don’t deserve the hype whereas TRP shows that they are bestselling stuff over the media (all forms of media). There are rumors about each and every celebrity but the kind of coverage given to their rumors or news is gigantic.

People call Sahir Lodhi as Pakistan’s SRK. Well, that’s how they make his fun, but the fact is no matter what they call him, his viewership and fan following is increasing at an exponential rate. This is the reason why every channel is interested in getting him on board. What difference does it make if 2 individuals have same styles of presenting, talking, portraying, standing, sleeping, eating and #$@#@#*-ing. At the end of the day they are providing entertainment and people love them - unconditionally.

Veena Malik is considered as Pam (Pamela Anderson) of Pakistan, if she is, then whats the problem with those who don’t like her? No matter how much hatred they show for the sensational queen, even then they watch her shows, movies, item numbers or shoots etc. So, what makes them watch her? Curiosity? Love? Or Fandom?

People make fun of Meera’s English, but they don’t appreciate that even then she tries real hard to convey her message. After all, that was the main reason why KungFu Panda was a blockbuster. The movie taught us a message of “never say die” the Duracell motto. So why do we make fun of a person who tries very hard to stay in the showbiz? 

I don’t want to call it a Desi/Paki or Indi approach but the fact is we can never digest the fame, prominence and charisma of others. May be most of us are insecure and jealous. The very first thing that people blurt out is “whats the big deal in it?” If there was no big deal in that particular thing why couldn’t they perform it and stood out? They have lame excuses to hide their jealousy. 

Bottom line, they sell that’s why they are exaggerated. They sell because people love them and want to see them. The interesting fact is that, you also want to see, hear and witness them, this is the reason why, you can’t miss them when they are tuned in.

Accept the power of fame!

Movie Review – Men In Black 3

Men In Black 3 (MIB3) is definitely amongst the most awaited movies of this year. Those who enjoyed MIB 1 and 2 have their hopes high for MIB 3. Agent J and Agent K gained overnight popularity and they provided best of entertainment to their viewers. By the way can anyone recall what were both agents doing almost 10 years ago in MIB 2? Apart from maintaining harmony on planet earth between Aliens and Humans. 

Read At DUNYA TV's Blog

This time the movie rolls back from 1969, the time when astronauts were trying their luck to “moon walk”. On the contrary Agent K was imprisoned by an alien called “Boris the Animal”. After 4 decades Boris is focusing on killing agent K. On the contrary, the current chief Agent O, (played by Emma Thompson), orders agent J to visit back in to time and save agent K and return back without getting trapped in time. 

The plot is brilliant, undoubtedly and so is the execution. Those who can remember Star Trek IV can definitely rejoice the idea of getting acquainted with unusually fancy yet weird characters. Etna Cohen’s screenplay and Barry Sonnerfeld’s direction provide an extraordinary and captivating experience, highlighting the evocative hopefulness of that era.

As far as the performances are concerned, so fasten up your belts to get amazed by Josh Brolin who performs the character of young agent K. The remarkable actor grips the character with both his hands. The funnier side of the character will definitely bring smile to audiences’ lips. Will smith continues to inspire and astonish the viewers with his marvelous performance. He is charming, quick witted and perfectly lovable in this character.

The movie is definitely a nice one for those who will go with “not much” expectations. But for those who have their hopes “high”, this fare might disappoint them. There are some great scenes and dialogues that will be loved by the viewers. Some highlights of the movie include:

 - Josh Brolin as the young Agent K shows a brilliant stroke. Brolin captures Jones' spirit to such a towering scale that he creates the perfect old chemistry with Will Smith. It's a great change, and gladly, the old comedy team is back.

 - Director Barry Sonnenfeld is as tremendous as ever. His frenzied manner alters between action, comedy and pathos are speedy enough to induce whiplash.

 - The movie is high on action and it offers slick humor with rasping fun. MIB 3 is the wonder of chance that makes up the cohesive fabric of the past, present and the future

It is a must watch for the fans of Will Smith, Men In Black Series, alien flicks and for those who want to discover the talent of Brolin.

Rating: 7.5/10

THE DICTATOR – Movie Review

Those who are familiar with ALI G, Borat and Bruno, must definitely be waiting for the new and much awaited movie of Sacha Baron Cohen named “The Dictator”. There is not second thought that the actor is amongst the finest comedians and can take up any script and add “life” to it by using his tremendous efforts. This particular movie “The Dictator” receives a mix reaction from the audiences. Let us discover more about this laugh riot.

 Read More At Tribune

“The Dictator” revolves around a plot that is based on the bestselling novel “Zabibah – The Kingdom”, penned by Saddam Hussein. The movie tells the tale of a ruler (Dictator) who lived a jeopardized life trying to make certain that democracy would never enter his land. Sacha Baron Cohen portrays the role of Admiral General Aladin along with the much talented and amazing actor Ben Kingsley as Taamir. 

As far as the performance of both the actors are concerned, they both do justice to their roles – without a doubt. But one can not go overboard when the script is weak. Same happened with “The dictator”. The well known writers Alec Berg, David Mandel and Jeff Schaffer could simply not let the audience gag. On the contrary Larry Charles (director) tries really hard to do justice and he definitely saves himself on that ground.

Cohen is an amazing performer and his conviction is seen on the screen, he is one committed actor but the role that is played by him in this particular movie lacks conceiving power. He manages to provide some great laughs especially when he discusses about “Osama Bin Laden” and his death. Ana Faris is competent and adds what she is capable of.

This is amongst first of those American movies that makes audience laugh at 9/11. This is definitely a bold step in itself. On the whole “The Dictator” is receiving multiple reactions, for those who have high hopes with the movie will be definitely disappointed and for those who will take it as a normal or usual fare will in one way or the other might like the movie. The movie offers few nice jokes, not good enough, and the rest of the jokes range from filthy to terrible and obtuse. 

Advise: Before going for this movie, throw away the expectations that were born after watching “Borat” or even “Ali G”. Life will be good, if the expectations will be lesser.

Rating: 5.5/10

10 Steps That Can Lead To Breakup - Part 1

Treating a woman as per her expectations is a “Myth”. No one knows what a woman wants. Within last few years, during my interactions with students, peers and colleagues (both males and females) I learned few pointers on the basis of which most of the guys were either dumped or slapped by their spouses. Following are the main outcomes of an exhilarating research! Enjoy and save yourself from committing them!

1. There are times when a Woman does not want Equality!

There are times when a woman demands for equality in life but if you are on date with a woman, it is never a good idea to let her enjoy the right of equality, by letting her pay her bill or half of the bill. If you are planning to break the tradition be prepared for the back firing, it can be horrible.

2. Never Drift your Mind When She Speaks

Pay attention to even the minute details of her “fluffy the kitten”, she can check your presence of mind by asking you questions regarding the color of Fluffy’s milk pot. Keep the track of the keywords.

3. Do you really want to move in together?

Never confront the idea of moving in with here until you are completely ok with letting her know about your whereabouts, cleaning and tidying the kitchen and cooking dinner for her on week days and rest of the days taking her out on dinners.

4. Never Trust on chat up lines

Never trust on the corny “Come-ons” blurted by women, they are either lies or rare. Never endanger your dignity.

5. Do you wish to watch your favorite sports match?

If you want to invite her to watch sports match with her, beware, this can lead to something very dangerous. You may end up your match with her. Remember one thing, what you love, she doesn’t.

6. Do you leave your toilet seat up?

It is definitely not a cliché, such acts of simplicity can drive women crazy. 

7. Never Bombard her with messages

A woman always enjoys to be urged and wanted by her man, but if the same man crosses the limit (which is never described by her) she is ready to come up with a simple line i.e. “We need time”. This can be an outcome of multiple SMSes or FB messages. So let her enjoy her space.

8. Pointing out Girls

Never share the details about your “Ex”, as it might fire up unwanted things in your relationship. Some secrets are worth not disclosing.

9. Sharing Password? Really?

Never on earth reveal your password in front of her. The spying instincts are part and parcel of every woman – so let her say things like, you don’t trust her or other emotional lines. If it really itches you then create a new account and share the password of that.

10. In case you love the physique of Deepika Padukone

Never ever share the secret thoughts that you have for Deepika or any other celebrity because the moment you will share, you might get to know the reality of your own personality and how you can never be compared with the ideal she had in her mind since adolescence.

These are the few points on the basis of which you can turn things down and can even stamp a breakup, so try to keep these in your mind before reacting in any of the mentioned situations.

Soon I will disclose more of the pointers to save you from getting dumped or slapped! Till then, play safe and keep your cool.