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I thought a film marketed with a rugged look would be an action flick. But, surprise-surprise Tashan is an out-and-out comedy. The action makes you laugh, the romance makes you laugh louder, and it is so funny that the characters make you laugh even when they are seething with anger. And the beauty is I haven’t been able to figure out whether any of this was intentional!

Speaking of beauty, after a long time have I seen India shot so beautifully. Kerala, Rajasthan, (Ladakh?) were all saturated with color, alright. Nevertheless the way the intrinsic beauty of these places was shot made me want to find out exactly where those places were and when I could go there.

But alas! Come action sequences, and the camera blows its horn too hard. It doesn’t allow the audience to register the seemingly interesting stunts. Similarly, there were glimpses of interesting editing decisions. Like when a character says ‘BITCH’ with a long ‘i’ and the scene cuts to a long shot of a beach or when “kabhi kabhi” is playing and a car falls down a cliff when the song reaches “tujhe zameen par bulaya gaya” (you have been called to the earth) part. That the car flying in the air was very shoddily animated is a different story altogether.

However, what really surprised me is that the four main characters in the film had actually different traits which were more-or-less consistently adhered to. What’s more, each one had a story arc too!? - Very atypical of a Hindi movie in this genre. An underworld don, a wannabe don with super-powers, a supposed simpleton, and a lady with a mission - all with brain and brawn. (yes the girl too! YAY!!) Sounds like a decent enough premise. But something grossly went wrong in the execution. And I could complain about artistic liberties taken, if only there was any art in sight.

A big fat finger can be pointed at the dialogues. My fears came true, as in the word “the” was overused. I think the writer was pretty sure people are going to go off to sleep. Which is why the name of the movie is repeated every half hour - to orient the people who have just woken up! Also, Hindi-fying of English was done in such abundance that I was soon immune to it. So, while it didn’t bother me, it didn’t make me laugh either. Sure, there were obvious tributes to Deewar, Sholay, and Jaane Bhi do Yaaro. Would have been good if they were done well, though.

What is amazing is that despite really lousy dialogues, each one of the four actors has given a good performance. Having the right expressions (exaggerated as they might be) to rise above the bad lines must be applauded in any case. Certainly, the roles must have looked interesting at script stage for established actors like them to give Tashan space in their portfolio. Of course, Kareena overshadowed the male trio put together in the “looks” department. By the way, am I the only one here to sense that Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan are too old and too mature in this industry to flout their ’sexiness’ in such an inelegant, uncouth way?

The songs functioned like the snooze button for me. I felt like muting it off when a song started and suffered the familiar rude shock five minutes later when it ended giving charge to the louder background music. So loud that it overshadowed dialogue at many points. The lyrics, the choreography and of course the music, all seemed too generic and random. Actually a level below generic. We can see Kareena not only sporting the golden “Aishwarya look” from Dhoom 2 but she also has a few ofAishwary’s dance moves! And why was Saif Ali Khan made to look like he couldn’t dance to save his life?

Despite the things done right, while leaving the theater I was praying that Vijay Acharya hadn’t over-dosed me with whatever anesthetic it was he was using. The numbness I felt in the brain region was really scary. Anyway, all’s good, I’m out of it and hoping to keep you away from it

It would be wrong to slot KRAZZY 4 as a comedy. Sure, KRAZZY 4 remains faithful to the ongoing trend of providing laughs at the oddest of things, but it’s more of a masala fare that’s evocative of the 1980s cinema. Packaged in a modern avatar, of course.

A film like KRAZZY 4 is easy on your brains. It rests on a thin plot, but the makers have tried to package the proceedings with entertaining stuff from Scene A to Z. Sometimes it works, at times it doesn’t. But the pros overshadow the cons in this case. Also, let’s get one thing straight. This isn’t path-breaking or ground-breaking cinema by any chance. It’s targeted at the aam junta, not connoisseurs of cinema.

Also, one of the trump cards… sorry, make it two, are the dance numbers filmed on the two superstars — SRK and Hrithik. Just these two numbers are enough to satiate the hunger of an avid moviegoer. Even the Rakhi Sawant track is an asset, since it’s hugely popular with the desi junta [like 'Main Aayee Hoon U.P.-Bihar Lootne' and 'Beedi']. It would be wrong to slot KRAZZY 4 as a comedy. Sure, KRAZZY 4 remains faithful to the ongoing trend of if laughs at the oddest of things, but it’s more of a masala fare that’s reminiscent of the 1980s cinema. Packaged in a modern avatar, of course.

A film like KRAZZY 4 is easy on your brains. It rests on a thin plot, but the makers have tried to package the proceedings with entertaining stuff from Scene A to Z. Sometimes it works, at times it doesn’t. But the pros outweigh the cons in this case. Also, let’s get one thing straight. This isn’t path-breaking or ground-breaking cinema by any chance. It’s targeted at the aam junta, not connoisseurs of cinema.

Also, one of the trump cards… sorry, make it two, are the dance numbers filmed on the two superstars — SRK and Hrithik. Just these two numbers are enough to satiate the hunger of an avid moviegoer. Even the Rakhi Sawant track is an asset, since it’s hugely popular with the desi junta [like 'Main Aayee Hoon U.P.-Bihar Lootne' and 'Beedi'].

In a nutshell, KRAZZY 4 isn’t the kind of cinema that would invite debates or discussions. Its intention is to make people leave the cineplex with a smile and it succeeds in its endeavour.

Arshad Warsi is Raja: Truly the angry young man! His blood boils, his fists clench and he’s ready to beat the daylights out of anyone who upsets him in some way, Irrfan Khan is Dr. Mukherjee: He has decided that he’s the Captain of the team! But so obsessed is he by the need to be in control of a situation, he doesn’t realise he’s totally lost control of himself and his mind.

Rajpal Yadav is Gangadhar: He’s marching to a beat only he can hear; he’s fighting for a cause that’s long over. But in his mind he’s still fighting for Swaraj. Suresh Menon is Dabboo: He’s everybody’s pet and however far gone the rest may be, when it comes to Dabboo, everybody’s protective. Even if he can hear and understand, Dabboo refuses to speak. And nobody knows why!

Dr Sonali [Juhi Chawla] treats them all. She has faith that all it needs is a little time and lots of patience to make them part of the mad, mad, mad world out there… Rakesh Roshan’s story takes a leaf out of ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST, while Ashwani Dhir’s screenplay tries to pack everything that’s available on the shelf. The first hour is quite enjoyable, with a few sequences compelling you to flex your facial muscles?

But the problem lies in its second hour. More purposely, the writing relies on the age-old stuff to reach the finale. Too many cinematic liberties have been undertaken in this hour, just to reach the culmination and it doesn’t in truth work at times. Even the end outside the hospital looks manufactured.

Jaideep Sen shows a flair for comedy, but had the debutante director opted for a slightly novel screenplay, it would’ve taken the film to another level. A few comic scenes are well executed and in terms of execution, Jaideep knows the grammar right. Ashwani Dhir’s screenplay may lack novelty, but the dialogues penned by him are witty and enjoyable. Cinematography is nice. Rajesh Roshan’s music is up to the mark. The two tracks, filmed on the superstars, are top notch and what enhance the effect are the choreography and construction design [of SRK track] and the visual effects [in Hrithik track].

Arshad Warsi is the best of the lot. His character is bound to work with the moviegoers. Irrfan’s role doesn’t offer him that much scope. Yet, the actor enacts his part with precision. Rajpal Yadav is quite funny next to places. Suresh Menon is a disclosure. He hardly utters one word in the film, but he delivers with expressions. Juhi Chawla doesn’t acquire ample opportunity. Dia Mirza is efficient. Zakir Hussain is okay. Rajat Kapoor is relegated to the backseat. On the whole, KRAZZY 4 is slightly above the average mark, but the brand [Rakesh Roshan] coupled with the presence of the two superstars in its songs and of course, some great actors in comic roles should ensure constructive returns at the box-office.

Aamir Khan has lifted the bar with T Z P. Comparisons between Aamir and Ajay Devgan, who makes his managerial debut with U ME AUR HUM, would be erroneous, but you can’t turn a blind eye to the fact that the watcher would expect an encore with U ME AUR HUM. Will U ME AUR HUM live up to the great hype and expectations? Does Devgan have the trappings of a fine storyteller? Oh yes, he does!

Let’s come to the point right away. Devgan needs to be lauded for choosing a daringly different theme in his first appearance film and most highly, doing justice to it, handling it with extreme care. We know him as a powerful actor, now there’s yet another designation added to his name — avant-garde director.

Let’s move on to the next query! Is the real-life couple — Ajay and Kajol — as dynamic yet again? The answer is, they’re electrifying. Both pitch in bravura performances, reaffirming the fact that this jodi is amongst the finest of this generation.

One of the prime reasons why U ME AUR HUM works, and works big time, is because it’s aimed at the heart. Anyone who’s into relationships, anyone who believes in love, anyone who thinks from the heart, anyone who has watched his/her partner wrestle a grave disease, will identify with a film like U ME AUR HUM. To cut a long story short, U ME AUR HUM marks the birth of a powerhouse of talent. Watch U ME AUR HUM for various reasons, but most importantly, watch it for a new director who respects your 2.30 hours and the hard-earned bucks that you invest on watching his movie. It’s time to fall in love with love… again!

The first time Ajay [Ajay Devgan] saw Pia [Kajol], she served him drinks. She affected him more than the alcohol, it was love at first sight. The first time Pia saw Ajay, he had a drink too many. She watched him make a fool of himself and was relieved when he passed out. Ajay is on a cruise with his friends — Nikhil [Sumeet Raghavan] and Reena [Divya Dutta], unhappily married, and Vicky [Karan Khanna] and Natasha [Isha Sharwani], happily unmarried. Ajay is having a wonderful time dealing with martial strife, lots of bad language and huge hangovers, when he finds Pia and time stands still.

After a disastrous first meeting, Ajay tries everything to woo her. He wants her, by hook, crook or even her little private notebook. She’s not an easy catch at all, but finally, by sheer perseverance, he dances his way into her heart. Ajay and Pia develop a strong and special bond.

Happy marriages begin when we marry the ones we love, and they blossom when we love the ones we marry. And Ajay-Pia love each other dearly, but no marriages can be complete without problems, and Ajay and Pia have also have to face hurdles. Kajol is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. How does the couple face the crisis? The one thing you must carry when you set out to watch U ME AUR HUM is a kerchief. For, this film makes you shed a tear at times, cry at places and weep in at least two vital sequences. But it’s not just rona-dhona that you get to see in U ME AUR HUM.

The first hour, strictly average in terms of writing, has several sunshine moments. It’s breezy, funny, at times silly, but interesting. What also catches your eye is the eye-filling cinematography [Aseem Bajaj in top form, yet again] on the cruise. The songs, the glam look, the subtle humor… you don’t take to the film instantly, but you know for a fact that a volcano is brewing.

And the volcano does erupt in the second hour! Ajay Devgan, the director, shows his expertise in this hour as the story does an about-turn, exposing the delicate, sensitive and fragile relationships. Devgan reserves the best for the concluding reels and you finally get the answers in the end.

U ME AUR HUM is more of a director’s film, than anyone else’s. A theme like the one projected in this film could go dangerously haywire if entrusted in inept hands, but Devgan seems to have done his homework well. The only glitch is the length in its second hour. A shorter narrative would’ve only helped!

Robin Bhatt, Sutanu Gupta and Akarsh Khurana’s screenplay casts a hypnotic spell in the second hour. Sure, the germ stems from THE NOTEBOOK [2004; James Garner, Gena Rowlands, Rachel McAdams], but the writers have altered the screenplay keeping Indian sensibilities in mind. It works! Ashwani Dhir’s dialogues touch the core of your heart. Every spoken sentence has a meaning. Vishal Bhardwaj’s music may not be a chartbuster, but it alternates between soulful and melancholic beautifully. Aseem Bajaj’s cinematography is topnotch. Monty Sharma’s background score is effective.

Now to the performances! U ME AUR HUM is like a medal that glimmers on Ajay Devgan’s body of work. He’s exceptional! Kajol, well, what can you say of an actress who has proved herself time and again? That she’s undoubtedly the best has been proved yet again. Sumeet Raghavan is first-rate. Divya Dutta gets into the groove in the subsequent portions. Karan Khanna and Isha Sharwani are okay. Sachin Khedekar does a fine job. Aditya Rajput and Hazel get minimal scope.

Finally, U ME AUR HUM is a well-made, absorbing love story that’s high on the emotional quotient. And that holds wonderful appeal for ladies/families mainly. At the box-office, it’s the kind of film that will gather more and more speed with each passing show. Its business at multiplexes should be fantastic. Overseas too should be outstanding. Very strongly optional!

The trend is to make entertainers that don’t tax the spectator’s brains. The mantra is simple: Plunk yourself on the cushy seat, munch popcorn, sip cola and enjoy the on-screen antics. Just don’t ask questions. Just don’t look for logic. No-brainer comedies are what the doctor ordered to keep the industry’s mind live and ticking.

ONE TWO THREE, helmed by debutante Ashwani Dhir, follows the rules faithfully. But… Like most films of its ilk, ONE TWO THREE rests on a wafer thin plot. No issues with that, but after a point you don’t react to the on-screen jhamela. Substituting a consistent script with witty one-liners and funny situations has never been the shortcut to accomplishment and never will be.

Besides, the masti-mazaak works at times, but falls flat on quite a few occasions. The on-screen characters try their level best to tickle your funny bone, to evoke mirth, but the viewer sits motionless and deadpan like a mannequin.

Comedy is serious business and Ashwani Dhir has proved his skills in the past [he had penned the immensely likeable OFFICE], but cinema is a different average altogether. Sure, Dhir has worked solid on wit-laden dialogues and individualistic sequences, but how one wishes he would’ve worked on presenting a tighter script. It’s like promising a sumptuous meal, but being offered just starters. The main course is conveniently forgotten!

Diamonds belonging to a Don [Manoj Pahwa] get stolen. The diamonds accidentally fall in the hands of Chandu [Upen Patel] and Chandni [Tanishaa], who hide them in a car. Papa [Mukesh Tiwari] and his henchmen [Vrajesh Hirjee and Sanjay Mishra] are badly hunting for the diamonds, while hot headed police office Mayavati Chautala [Neetu Chandra] is on the prowl looking for offenders of any kind.

Enter the first Laxmi Narayan [Tusshar Kapoor]. He’s from a khandani mafia family and his mother prays that with a few murders under his belt, he will be settled for life. He’s got a final chance to redeem himself as a Bhai. He comes to Hotel Blue Diamond because he’s taken a supari to bump off Papa.

Enter the second Laxmi Narayan [Suniel Shetty]. He is sent to Hotel Blue Diamond to collect a new car for his manager from Laila [Sameera Reddy]. The third Laxmi Narayan [Paresh Rawal] is a hawker who has made so much money selling under-garments on the footpath that he has set up a lingerie factory now. His son sends him to Hotel Blue Diamond to collect lingerie samples from upcoming designer Jiya [Esha Deol].

The three Laxmi Narayans are at the same place, at the same time. They get letters and photographs meant for the other. The first Laxmi Narayan gets lingerie designer Jiya’s photo and goes to kill her, only to end up falling in love with her. The second Laxmi Narayan gets Papa’s photo and goes to collect the car from him, only to be mistaken for a slaughterer and gets beaten black and blue. The third Laxmi Narayan gets Laila’s photo and asks her to show him the under-garments, only to be branded an old pervert. Meanwhile, Chandu and Chandni are determined to stop anybody from buying the car where they have hidden the diamonds.

Lock your brains at home when you watch this movie, for ONE TWO THREE, like its predecessors, is more of a stress buster than anything else. Unluckily, the nonattendance of a strong screenplay evokes varied reactions. You do laugh when you’re supposed to laugh, but even those jokes are forgotten as you breeze out of the Cineplex. You don’t carry the story, the film, the gags and punches, the witty one-liners with you at the end of the show.

Ashwani Dhir is a far more accomplished dialogue writer than a screenplay writer. Directorially, the choice of actors is right and a few scenes are well canned. Raghav Sachar’s music disappoints. Barring the title track, the remaining numbers are unmemorable Cinematography is inconsistent. It looks like a hurried job at times.

The film has a number of characters, but the one who actually makes you laugh the maximum is Sanjay Mishra, who impersonates the yesteryear villain Jeevan to perfection. Suniel Shetty too has his moments, but his ‘Left-Right’ dialogues, in scene after scene, tend in the direction of get monotonous. Tusshar does a decent job. Paresh Rawal is okay, but not the scene stealer — something you’ve started expecting from him.

The girls enact their parts impulsively. The performances are in this order — Sameera Reddy [okay], Esha [dull], Tanishaa [no scope] and Neetu Chandra [loud]. Manoj Pahwa excels. Mukesh Tiwari is alright. Ditto for Vrajesh Hirjee. And what is Upen Patel doing in this film? Murli Sharma doesn’t deliver this time. Under the whole, ONE TWO THREE falls below the ordinary mark. At the box-office, don’t wait for much!

Subhash Ghai is identical with larger than life movies. Movies that cater to the well-liked tastes. With BLACK & WHITE, Ghai changes lanes. Deviating from the large work of art, extravagant sets and soulful-music-with-lavish-settings, he comes up with a film that’s real, that pricks your conscience… a film that’s in sharp contrast to his earlier events. It truly requires courage to swim against the tide. With BLACK & WHITE, Ghai enters a lane not many master tellers would dare to venture into.

BLACK & WHITE signifies the coming of age of a seasoned storyteller. Sure, he has made great entertainers that have tremendous remember value, but BLACK & WHITE is a gutsy step. It’s realistic, it’s thought-provoking, it’s topical, but not dark, depressing or preachy.  As a storyteller, Ghai has handled the subject with maturity and a few scenes do leave an indelible impression. But BLACK & fair could’ve done with a shorter length and a tighter screenplay. Yet, all said and done, Ghai deserves marks and praise for this courageous step. Watch it for a different experience!

Rajan Mathur [Anil Kapoor] is a Professor in Urdu literature. He resides in Chandni Chowk with his activist wife Roma [Shifaali Shah]. Professor Mathur comes across Numair [Anurag Sinha], who introduces himself as a victim of communal riots in Gujarat. But, in actuality, he is a suicide bomber commissioned by a Muslim fundamentalist group to detonate a bomb near Red Fort on 15th August. During his fifteen-day journey, Numair manages to take shelter in the Professor’s house and wins the trust and fondness of the couple. While helping Numair to get an admission pass intended for 15th August celebrations at Red Fort, Professor Mathur introduces him to the warm and loving people of Chandni Chowk.

Amidst all the tension, he is caught in an emotional dilemma whether to go ahead with his mission. Despite his inborn fundamentalist beliefs, he sees this as one of the most colorful and loving areas. Nevertheless, he moves on with his mission. But something is disturbing the mind of this young lad… The story of BLACK & WHITE [Varun Vardhan] is one of its USPs. BLACK & WHITE tries to peep into the psyche of a human bomb, a fanatic who has a change of heart gradually. The transformation of a heartless, cold-blooded murderer to someone whose inner voice tells him to revolt against his ‘masters’, the change is well depicted on screen.

But BLACK & WHITE is not without its share of hiccups. The romantic track, for instance, stands out like a sore thumb. It could’ve been avoided. Also, the reasons that change the fanatic’s thinking aren’t powerful enough. To be specific, the portions from Shifaali’s brutal murder, to her last rites, to Anil and Anurag entering the crimson Fort premises, to the cops arresting the terrorists – the sequence of events should’ve been more dramatic and convincing. But the last few minutes, when Anurag confronts Milind Gunaji and assaults him cruelly, is simply outstanding. One of the finest sequences ever filmed in this genre! Directorially, Ghai rises beyond the script and has canned a number of sequences well. The portions depicting Afghanistan as also the pre-climax [Anil’s emotional breakdown] are excellent. Sukhwinder Singh’s music has a soothing outcome ‘Jogi Aaya’ and ‘Main Chala’ are melodious compositions. Somak Mukherjee’s camera captures the bylanes of Delhi well. Dialogues are well worded.

BLACK & WHITE belongs to new-find Anurag Sinha. The newcomer carries the cold, murderous look with gusto, living the role with his electrifying presence. Ghai has been instrumental in carving the careers of several names in the past. Now add Anurag to this well-known list.

Anil Kapoor proves his versatility yet again. In his last outing [WELCOME], he enacted the role of a person who was on the other side of law. In BLACK & WHITE, he’s a law-abiding citizen and Anil is memorable in this film too. This performance should occupy a coveted place in his impressive repertoire. Shifaali Shah is brilliant. Although the length of the character isn’t substantial enough, the actor stays in your memory thanks to a highly competent performance. Aditi doesn’t get much scope. The senior citizen is first-rate. Aroon Bakshi is efficient. Milind Gunaji does a good job.

On the whole, BLACK & WHITE is a fine effort from a master storyteller who dares to change lanes with this film. In that respect, an effort like BLACK & WHITE needs to be lauded. Targeted at the thinking viewer, the makers and distributors have truly released the film at multiplexes primarily and the multiplex government by the army be supposed to appreciate the effort, at big centres mainly. It will have to have the backing of a strong word of mouth to scale the ladder. More than anything else, a film like BLACK & pallid deserve to be tax-exempted, so that it reaches out to a wider audience across the length and width of the country.