Unnaipol Oruvan-The Power of Common Man

A focused thriller on the travails of terrorism in our daily life is not a regular thing in Tamil cinema. But Kamal Haasan, the man of experiments, has gathered the guts to remake Hindi hit ‘A Wednesday’ that speaks on the effects of extremism on men in streets.

The film's remarkable appeal, which made the fantasy element seem so much plausible and relevant, lay in the recurring reality. The impossible moral frenzy that the hero pulls himself into can belong not only to those areas that are both tattered and numbed by one mindless explosion after the other, but to the other parts of the India too. This is the message that Kamal wants to convey.

What could happen when a common man is pushed beyond his realms of patience and what are its consequences? Unnaipol Oruvan throws light on these issues and the triumph of humanity and its effect on national integration. Indirectly, the film says terrorism can only be held in check by terrorism.

If Naseer brought to fore the throbbing anger of the meek man so credibly, Kamal conjures up the intellectual lava of an individual who equally seethes against the wishy-washiness of a society that had gone easily numb.

Bharathiyar's 'Rowthiram Pazhaghu' may be the dynamite that works the dynamic in Kamal while 'Sathu Mirandal Kaadu Kollathu' may be the muse for Naseer. Mohanlal, on the other hand, comes across as both refined and restrained, a quality that was missing in Kher's portrayal. But both stands out for overall dignity and a decency that are now missing in our lives.

All the characters have been understood and essayed perfectly by the artistes. Anuja Iyer, as the TV reporter, has risen up to the occasion and so does Ganesh Venkatram. Camera by Manoj Soni and music by Shruti Haasan are in sync with the mood of the film and enhance the thrill when required. Although UPO has its flaws, they are negligible when compared to the film in totality.

All in all, a brilliant work which will be appreciated by every socially responsible citizen of India.

Quick Gun Murugan

Its hard to describe a movie like Quick Gun Murugun which stars Rajendra Prasad portraying the title role with Nasser as Rice Plate Reddy, the villian. The movie is a fine combination of witty dialogues, over-the-top acting and action. What is an absolute no-no for most films today, is exactly what works for Quick Gun.

The film is short, sweet and has enough laughs in store to warrant a visit to your nearest movieplex. Director Shashanka Ghosh takes on a difficult script and his uniquely different way of execution is what makes Quick Gun Murugun a compelling watch.

Rajendra Prasad's performance is what takes Quick gun to a different level altogether. He is simply fantastic, its a watch-it-to-believe it performance. Nasser is equally good as the villian. Vinay Pathak and Ranvir Shorey have smallish roles, so does Sandhya Mridul. Rest of the actors are perfectly cast.

To sum up, Quick Gun Murugun is a tasty crisp dosa that should be enjoyed with a bit of popcorn and a lot of pepsi, but only in theatres. Go for it.

Kanthasamy

Sending a message within commercial parameters is no easy task for any filmmaker. But kudos to Susi Ganeshan for achieving the same. Coming out with an unpretentious entertainer, Susi has ensured that he plays to the strength of Vikram. An action extravaganza with technical finesse was lacking in Tamil cinema. But Kanthaswamy has filled the void now. The computer graphics and the breathtaking stunt sequences captured well by cinematographer Ekambaram has proved a point that Tamil cinema is no way behind when compared to Bollywood and Hollywood.

Vikram had got his trophy this time too. The film is pure commercial masala entertainer that strikes fine balance between style and substance and also has neat message. The film has all the trademark super-hero movie elements like flashy action scenes and eye-popping special effects. But, actually it is not a super-hero film that is the twist in the film.

The film opens as normal film showing ordinary people flocking to a Murugan temple which has become famous as all their wishes can be fulfilled at the temple. The people wrote their wishes in a piece of paper and tie it to a tree in the temple.

The introduction scene of rooster Kanthasamy where he comes crashing through the dome of a police station and plays around with the bad comic cop is terrific. The highlight of the film is Kanthasamy dressed as a woman and teaching Charlie and Mayilsamy a fitting lesson is hilarious. The blindfolded action scenes in Mexico are stunning.

What is the connection between masked crusader Kandasamy and the CBI officer Kandasamy? Why is the CBI Joint Director protecting Mr. Kandasamy? Can the villains- PPP, Rajmohan of RMG group, and Mexican Pitchumani expose and bring Kandasamy to trial? Will the DIG succeed in proving that Kandasamy is no God? The underlining message in the film is, “Money (read black) is the root cause of all evil”.

The answers to all these questions are known only when we watch the movie. Technically the innovative camera angles and the lighting of the cinematographer made the film visually stunning. The sets of Thotta Dharani are awesome especially the bedroom of the heroine and the interior of the plus us used as villain’s hide out is fantastic.

The music for the film is by Devi Sri Prasad also given the special support. Two songs ‘Excuse me..’ and ‘Enperu meenakumari..’ have been well picturised and lavishly shot. Susi Ganesan also done a cameo in this film and by this flick he joined in the big league of directors in Tamil.

There is grandeur and richness in every shot in the film and no wonder it took two years to complete. The film with no doubt belongs to Vikram and he rocks. Shriya sizzles throughout and carries the glamourous role. Prabhu fitted the role of investigative cop. There is also a separate comedy track for Vadivel and he keeps you in splits.

Kanthasamy is perfectly an action commercial entertainer and can be seen with the entire family and it is an enjoyable one.

Kaminey - Logical Masala

‘Dhan Te Nan’ Shahid definitely needs applause for his outstanding performance in the film. He now can be added in the list of top actors of bollywood. Piggy Chops is amazing and the chemistry between them is crackling.

With ‘Kaminey’ Vishal Bharadwaj pays homage to many old thrillers which is a good enough reason to watch the much anticipated movie of today's times. This black comedy thriller on the lines of European thrillers is worth a watch.

It is a very unpredictable film which might very well work for the film. Bharadwaj takes you to a completely different world which none of us have witnessed in hindi cinema. It is not a regular masala film, if paid attention you will come to know that very scene leads somewhere and is well coordinated at the end. Not a single scene is wasted.

To cut everything short ‘Kaminey’ is a well made film. If you are looking for an out n out experience this is a must watch. Bharadwaj has a knack of gluing the audience to Kaminey their seats to see what happens next and his way of testing the audience’s intelligence.

In the first half of the film the characters are established. The story takes a dramatic turn towards the interval. The expectations are high and the eagerness builds. It is a bit slow in the middle which might not be liked by the masses. ‘Kaminey’ is a film for the classes.

From the very beginning till the end Bharadwaj places the events with such an ease that we are amazed as the end gives a wonderful blast. It is a very difficult film to execute and if not for Vishal Bharadwaj it would have been a mess. The music by the director himself is superb and the background score enhances the feel of the movie. Cinematography by Tassadug Hussain is visually very appealing. Dialogues by Bharadwaj are mind blowing. The editing is top class not a single spot can be pointed out.

‘Kaminey’ definitely has an effect. When you walk out you will be wondering about the series of events that happened. It is definitely a very smart thriller. Shahid’s acting can is par excellence and Priyanka Chopra has well justified the maharashtrian mulgi. Amol Gupte has done a very good job. Chandan Roy Sanyal, Tenzing Nima, Shiv Subramaniam, Hrishikesh Joshi have acted to their perfection.

Overall a very well made movie and a cool watch. Some spacing in the movie would have helped. But Bharadwaj with his lead actors Shahid and Priyanka and an amazing script is sure to pull it off.

Love Aaj Kal

Love Aaj Kal begins with how a Boy and Girl meet, have a breezy year long affair and then decide to go for a break-up and to top that they have a break-up party. One of the most obnoxious things we would have heard, but dealt in the most hilarious manner. All of this in 20 minutes flat. This pace may confuse you a bit but you will soon realize this pace reflects today’s day and age.

You begin to know more of Jai, an architect by profession and aspire to work at the Golden Gate in San Francisco and Meera who wants to join an art restoration project in India. They both are fun, perky, confident and above all “practical”, who have mapped what they want in life. And this is exactly the reason for their amicable separation. From lovers to ex-lovers who are extremely comfortable with their status and each other, so much so that they can go on to list all things wrong in each other and still have a good laugh. While the casualness of this present-day romance is in contrast to the romance of Veer Singh who befriends Jai post his break-up party which was catered by Veer. And then as the name suggests Love Aaj Kal the love story of Veer’s Kal and Jai’s Aaj run parallel and yet amalgamate beautifully. Both the stories have their ups and downs and how their love story reaches its climax and to the climax of the film is quite interesting.

The film goes on to prove the power of love in its own way and is gripping till the end. It doesn’t begin where you think it does and doesn’t end where most stories do, making it unusual piece of writing.

Imtiaz Ali has done some stupendous writing and wondrous direction. One of the proofs would be the way he has justified Saif playing the younger Veer. He is a pro at story- telling and extracting fine performances and it’s no different even with this film.

Both Saif and Deepika are convincing as Jai and Meera. Saif has pulled of an astounding act as urbane, flirty, idiotic, confused Jai and is likeable as the younger Veer too. Deepika has enacted way beyond her previous roles. Rishi Kapoor is the eternal lover boy and is cute and adorable in the film.

The dialogues of the film surpass most other elements of the film. The music by Pritam is a good mix ranging from soft romantic ones to disco numbers and takes the narrative forward but can’t be called everlasting. The cinematography enhances the landscape of London, Delhi, San Francisco, and Calcutta (not Kolkata) in the film.

All in all this film makes you fall love with the idea of falling in love all over again.

Modhi Vilayadu

A tale of big businessmen and the games they play, that is Modhi Vilayadu. In the world of business tycoons, money flows in millions, assets are worth even more. But, the state wouldn’t be too happy to know that so much wealth belongs to a single person. That is where the concept of ‘binami’ (pseudo ownership) comes into play; a clever way to hoodwink the government off taxes and also to mislead business competitors from one’s real assets. The ‘binami’ idea is the central theme of Modhi Vilayadu. A Saran directorial venture after three years, much was expected from this tale of big money, property and rivalries. Does Saran deliver?

Modhi Vilayadu was meant to be a gripping game of big rivals going for each other with vengeance and cunning. The premise is interesting, the games they play are intriguing, but the proceedings are not exciting. In short, the journey fails to engage you. The masked identities, the target and fate’s unpredictability interest you, but it is when Vinay begins his attempts to checkmate Kalabhavan Mani that you feel a bit let down. Some of the situations in the screenplay are highly improbable occurrences for a multi millionaire to be seen in.

Director Saran who had touched the mass commercial flicks of B and C centres has opted for a film merely for multiplex audiences. But kindly don’t mistake that if a film is shot sleek and stylish, it’s meant only for ‘A’ class. Of course, the film’s screenplay has been well-tailored gratifying for all the centres. Although, first half may not be off great likeliness for miniscule audiences with stylish love tale, the latter portions are commercially weaved catering to tastes of B and C.

Santhanam’s comedy are more enjoyable, especially the moments in second half where he imitates Arya in Naan Kadavul, Jai’s Subramaniapuram, Vijayakanth’s Ramana and as a Hollywood actor. Ramesh Khanna and Mayilsamy add furthermore to the humorous portions.

The high point of Modhi Vilayadu is its production values. No compromises have been made on the rich look of the film; each frame reflects the lifestyle of millionaires. Karun’s camera has captured the grandeur well. Colonial Cousins, Hariharan and Leslie, do not disappoint on debut. Two songs, ‘Chi Chi’ and ‘Padhi Mutham’ are pleasant to hear. Modhi Vilayadu is a pretty lavishly made tale of businessmen and the games they play.

On the whole, Modhi Vilaiyaadu is an interesting film with commercial element and right moments that will entertain the audiences

Kambakkht Ishq

Its raining biggies in Bollywood after almost 3 months of lull, New York revived the market to an extent last week and now it’s the turn of the reigning Baadshah of Bollywood Akki to show some magic with ‘Kambakkht Ishq’. Akki has had a rather lackluster 2009 with three of his releases Jumbo, Chandni Chowk to China and Tasveer that did rather shoddily at the box-office, so Kambakkht Ishq is very important for the macho man of Bollywood. Let’s see if he hits a six or misses it.

Kambakkht Ishq is a remake of Kamal Hassan’s Tamil hit ‘Pammal. K. Sammandham’ but has been changed and tweaked to suit the Hindi audience or that is what they want us to believe. They have made a movie which is full of cleavage and clichés and though cleavages rule the entire movie, during the last 20 minutes clichés take over.

Sabbir Khan, the debutant director has done a good job. He has made a movie which is entertaining almost all the way through, thanks to the lighthearted scenes which take up most of the first half and larger portions of the second too. But as a screenplay writer Sabbir Khan along with Kiran Kotrial, Anvita Dutt Guptil and Ishita Mohitra, is not up to the mark, as the foursome writers have heavily relied on skin show and sex to move the movie ahead. This might work on college youth oriented romance or sex flicks like American pie but not this kind of a genre. The Tamil original might not have had an enviable screenplay but it scored in flawless characterization as every action of the people involved had a reason but Kambakkht Ishq slips in that department as almost all the characters suffer from poor character sketch. One small unworthy dialogue will change their whole life’s principles. Yes, it is a movie which asks you to rest your brain but these are essentials for any movie and without which your heart does not go for the characters.

Thanks to Sajid Nadiadwala, he has given full freedom to the debutant, Sabbir Khan and has made sure in giving a rich product with more glamour and glitz than any other movie in Bollywood history. Cinematography by Vikas Shivaram is brisk but gets naughty most of the time. Action choreography by Spiro Razatas is impressive. Dialogues by Anvita Dutt Guptil are impressive but are not everyone’s cup of tea. Music by Anu Malik is fair and Kyun stands out as a quality number but the execution has too much of the ‘Tanhaae’ hang over. ‘Om Mangalam’ by RDB has been shot well but its timing in the film makes it only half as effective. The editing is crisp. Choreography by Vaibhavi Merchant has nothing much to gaga about as she uses simple steps and finishes her job.

Acting wise Akshay Kumar once again gives his best and his comic timings are spot on. He does the stunts quite well and fits the role of a stunt man quite effectively. Kareena Kapoor has acted well too and looks quite hot almost all through the movie. Aftab Shivdasani hams and is a complete let down. Amrita Arora looks hot and does a decent job in the acting department as well. Vindu Dara Singh makes you laugh but only occasionally while Javed Jaffery lightens things up with his usual antics. Kirron Kher is impressive in spite of her insipid role. Then comes a big list of special appearances, Brandon Routh - decent, Denise Richards – good, Sylvester Stallone – who gets to flex some muscles for a forced fight sequence and also a small sequence in which he gives an award to Akshay. Boman Irani has been wasted.

Overall it’s a decent entertainer, which would be enjoyed more if you grace the theatres with your friends than family. The movie is sure to get a huge opening and lack of opposition would ensure its hold at the box-office for quite a while.

New York

Instantly the innocents were tortured sans any clarifications pertaining to 9/11 incident. It’s out and most of imbecility that American Security Forces had rippled down their lives. They paved the way for turning them into terrorists. Who bears the fault? Kabir Khan elaborately blends the heart touching reality with interesting elements. He has precisely delineated the sufferings of an innocent tortured in solitary confinement that merely soaks our eyes with this picture.

Exactly there have been flicks churned out by World famous auteur on Post 9/11 trauma out of which Kabir Khan strikes Gold. A Brilliant attempt by Kabir!!!

On the pars, there are more entertaining factors set at the backdrops of college campus of fun, amusements and love. And you’ll keep singing appraisals for every star-cast on screens. Know what? It’s their biggest magnum opus in the career.

Although, it’s a pure drama that wouldn’t keep audiences adhered to seats, it has right elements. An appropriate mix of best factors does work it out perfectly. John Abraham tops-on with a different attempt as a playful Sam and a serious guy who’s so dumped-down with tortures. Kabir Khan has well handled the psychological imbalance of his characterization. On the pars, Katrina Kaif has got full-fledged space for spelling her adeptness. Thank God! She has finally done a great job. So, who’s the man of honor? Neil Nithin Mukesh is extraordinarily mind-boggling with his gesture and emotes stunningly to every situation. Getting apart from these characterizations, Irrfan has a substantial role to perform right throughout the show. Sandeep Srivastava has offered him plenty of heart-binding dialogues. Especially the one about finding fault with both USA and Sameer for making wrong decisions has a convincing thought.

Musical score by Pritham is top-notching and Kabir Khan has well-placed every song. In most of the portions, the song keeps continually going amidst of dialogues. On background score, Looks like he didn’t strain much as throughout first half it’s more and more off the ‘Hey Junoon’ Prelude. Cinematography is yet another embellishing factor with handy works of Grading (Color improvisation in post production) by Colorists. And again, posing ‘Philadelphia’ as ‘New York’ is a smart attempt by Kabir...

On the whole, New York is a collection amongst best shows of Bollywood. Although, there’s certain drift in pace during post-intermission sequences, the climax is gripping.

Distinctly, its Kabir Khan’s handling of difficult script and Neil’s outstanding performance that wins laurels for this film.

Muthirai

Not too long that we griped about the lack of movies that keep the turnstiles busy, comes Muthirai, packed with action, sentiment, love and comedy good enough for two movies. Director Srinath knows his onions only too well and as a result, the racy story is further strewn with countless twists – some drab, but most of them surprisingly convincing fuelling the pace of the movie ensuring that there’s never a dull moment in the script.

Muthirai’s story is a tightly knotted web that unfurls during the course of the movie with the help of plot aids, significant with such fast-paced movies such as double crosses, treachery and felony.

In an ugly political feud, Anand’s brother Saravanan gets shot and Anand slips into a coma, by the power-hungry Ponvannan who is next in line for the Chief Minister position. Much to his chagrin, the killing is secretly filmed and when he learns about it, the chase for the video begins. With that begins the script to fly and with only very few stumbling blocks the movie races at the speed of light.

Daniel Balaji and Nithin Sathya are petty thieves who steal passports, credit cards and pick pockets. While Lakshmi Rai is an ill-fated girl who is tricked to marry Daniel Balaji, Manjari catches up with Nithin during his adventures at a ladies hostel. All these characters accidentally cross roads with Chetan, who owns the killer video, and drive the movie to its conclusion.

Twists, like bolts from the blue, packed in every nook and corner of the script unfold rather unexpectedly and since you are not at a loose end, it leaves no time for you to think before another one takes over like it’s a loop. Fifteen minutes into the movie, Rakhi gyrates her way into the script lip-syncing the raunchy number ‘Night is still young’ in her barely-there garb. That sets the tone of the movie and everything from then on is uphill.

Pardon the cliché, but the role does fit Daniel Balaji to a T. His killer looks (literally, that is) and the all-is-chill attitude works for the role. A satisfactorily done job is attributed to Nithin Satya. Of the ladies, Lakshmi gets more footage and scope while Manjari is confined to a few scenes and the rather tolerable Alagaana Neeyum song, in her voice. Talking of it, only the July Maadathil song speaks of Yuvan’s name and the rest of them just fade from memory as soon as the end credits roll on.

Director Srinath, Jeeva’s former Assistant, is the surprise in the whole package, who has earlier done comical roles in a few movies. His script saves the day for him and the nicely done screenplay does more than just that. It adds the required grip to the movie’s flow. The story is written by Anees Jeeva.

Saleem’s camera loses out chances in many scenes and ends up being just above mediocre. With a plot like this, the camera could just have enhanced the impact of the movie in more ways than one. Same way, despite Antony’s choppy editing attributes, the movie sustains owing to the other pluses.

Muthirai is fast and filled with oomph and all that is required to keep you on your toes over the weekend at the theatres. With the stretched-tight script, neat direction, fast men and glamorous women, Muthirai might just be the kind of entertainer you missed for a little while at the box-office.

Aayirathil Oruvan - Sound Track

Oh Eesa: Composer’s Mix

Now, why does Snoop Dogg’s Gangsta Rap piece ‘Lay Low’ cross your mind as you listen to this? Anyway, this song has a refrain that is straight out of an old CD which goes ‘Govinda hari Govinda’ and some English and Tamil lyrics. Bad articulation leaves you guessing the contents! But could catch the fancy of the young!

Maalai Neram

A song with a slight R&B touch to it, this mourns the disappearance of love from the life of a young lady. Bad articulation, again, from Andrea. Pleasant use of strings, though. We don’t get to hear anything to do with Siddhar Padalgal here! Why the mention?

Un Mela Aasadhaan

Oh dear!! This song sounds so very like ‘adadaa vaa asatthalam’ from Sarvam. Were both Yuvan and Prakash ‘inspired’ by the same source? We don’t know! Anyway, Dhanush doesn’t sound bad and the instrumental interludes and the percussions are easy on the ears.

The King Arrives

Soft, majestic music that hints of an imposing presence. How it translates on the screen is what we have to see.

Thaai Tinra Mannae

This song is a very dramatic piece as it incorporates varied musical pieces into it - a javali-like bit from Nityashree and a mournful solo bit by Vijay, and both dissolve into harmony at the end in a soft rhythmic melody. Stands out for the subtle use of percussive instruments. Though the song appears to be in Vakhulabarana raga, we have shades of Nattakurinji raga after the fourth minute when we hear some delicate mridangam and ghatam. A soft ‘thanam’ on the veena, three and a half minutes into the song, balances the crescendo notes of Vijay. ‘Kalambakam’ is pronounced wrongly. A well put together number.

Pemmane

Very powerful verses that simply jolt you-especially the phrase ‘uyir kizhindhom!’ Hats off to Jayashree and the veteran singer Srinivas for investing this number with such deep pathos. Conceived with a touch of Subapantuvarali raga, this song speaks of the agonies of forced relocation. Again a very suggestive use of drums.

Celebration of Life

This instrumental piece that starts off pensively and then breaks out into a faster tempo has a fine ‘period’ feel to it. Very thoughtful combination of instruments.

Thaai Tinra Mannae

This song has different lyrics as it is laden with heavy pathos. Vijay, as well as the flute, tabla and other instruments (do we hear the Yaazh?) combine to bring out a certain amount of wistfulness to the song. Slow paced. Vijay would do well to polish up the soft ‘la’ and the harder ‘la’ sounds and the Tamil-specific ‘zha’ sound. An impossibly long number, at over seven minutes.

Indha Paadhai

The song seems to be slightly introspective. So we have suitably subdued strings and rhythms. Doesn’t seem to hold your attention though, unless it has been shot effectively.

Oh Eesa (Club Mix)

Thankfully rather easy on the ears. Nicely paced.

Verdict:

The sleeve note includes a contest form which asks the listener ‘which six of these ten songs are likely to feature in the film?’ Happy guessing, then! Selvaraghavan seems to have taken great pains to bring in delicate authenticity to the music. And the songs seem suitably slotted into the story. Let us wait for this movie to unfold.

Thoranai

Thoranai has a very simple story, the kind that used to be very popular in Hindi cinema during the 70s, the tale of long lost brothers reuniting. However, the basic plot that has been made into a movie many times does not automatically mean that Thoranai is not worth a watch. The makers have their intentions in the right place; to make a full length entertainer with minimum fuss. Also, the fact that this theme had been cast aside for quite a few years makes its comeback a bit interesting. The real question is whether Saba Ayyappan has managed to weave a good commercial mix around this simple premise or not.

The comic scenes, handled by Santhanam, Paravai Muniamma and Mayilsaamy should be able to impress sections of the audience. But it is tough to appeal across the board to all people. Certain scenes evoke laughter, like the spoof on the yesteryear duet featuring Santhanam and Muniamma. There had been a lot of talk about how Vishal was going to try his hand at comedy in Thoranai. But, barring the scene where he dresses up as Lord Rama and performs a gag to escape from a tight situation, there is nothing else. Even that scene does not have the desired impact. But, it is the romance that fails to leave any impression whatsoever. The chemistry between Vishal and Shriya is totally non-happening. The movie for a large part keeps oscillating between the main plot and the side tracks, frequently interspersed by songs which prevent the central theme from gaining momentum. That is the major drawback of the Thoranai. That apart, the key scene where Vishal identifies his brother could have been better. Also, the means of identification is fetched straight from the annals of cinema (birthmarks, family songs and other similar things).

Vishal is his usual self in Thoranai. The script doesn’t give him the scope to exhibit his skills in comedy. The dons, Prakash Raj and Kishore have walked through their roles with ease. Prakash Raj especially has done similar roles a huge number of times, so there is nothing new on offer. Apart from the main comic stars, there is also M.S. Bhaskar who appears as Prakash Raj’s sidekick and induces a few laughs. Shriya unfortunately is there just for the songs and the glamour. This statement is a bit clichéd but the actress has done nothing else since the days of Sivaji.

Technically, Thoranai is a decent fare. Priyan’s camera has captured a few good visuals, especially in a couple of songs ‘Pattuchcha’ and ‘Vaa Chellam’, the locations are scenic. Music by Mani Sharma is middling. The fights have come out well, as in most Vishal films.

Overall, Thoranai is a film that has been made with the right intentions; to entertain. Quite apparently there has been a conscious effort to incorporate all regular commercial elements to appease the masses. Debut director Saba Ayyappan (also in charge of story and screenplay) has not made full use of a great opportunity. Thoranai does entertain, but a tighter script and better execution could have yielded far better results.

Kanthasamy - Soundtrack

Expectations are sky-high for this long awaited movie, especially from Vikram fans. Here he pairs with Shriya Saran. Produced by Kalaippuli .S.Thanu and directed by Susi Ganesan, this film has music by Devi Sree Prasad (raring to go after his ‘Villu’ success). The lyrics have been penned by Viveka. The audio release function held recently was a grand affair where an adoption of 30 villages and a donation of a marriage hall were also announced along with the audio release! Shot on an expensive budget, this movie Kanthaswamy has scenes in Tanzania, Kenya, Italy, Mexico and Switzerland. We have Krishna, Ashish Vidhyarthi, Vivek, Prabu Ganesan and Santhanam essaying roles along with the lead pair. The film is supposed to have a ‘Robin Hood’ feel to it! Let us wait!

Excuse Me

A fun song with infectious rhythms where the girl goes purposefully after an unwilling boyfriend. Suggestive lyrics, of course to the accompaniment of guitars and keyboard stuff. Vikram has carried it off rather well. Suchitra is her ebullient self.

Mambo Maamiyo

A kind of rock and roll meets twist meets Caribbean rhythms –kind of song! Fun, nevertheless! Lovely interludes from the guitars and violins liven up this boisterous duet no end. This is supposed to have been shot in Mexico with Mexican dancers. (the rhythm is testimony) Vikram is quite stylish here. His fans are going to love it.

Ithellaam Dupe

Well, what can you make of this very, very offbeat crazed-out number? Just freak out, will you? Gives us an amusing glossary of many kinds of words ( especially those to do with wives numbers two and three---etc;) and after a breathless round up of each set, we hear the refrain’ Kandhaswamy dhaan toppu’!! and the fiery electric guitar adds its own ‘dhum’.

Kanthaswamy Theme:

The rhythms for this song are supposed to be by the ‘Murugan Temple Team’, with Susi Ganesan supplying the ‘kozhi’ sound and Rita the female vocals. A very catchy theme song with lyrics that are so carefully worded that the song may well refer to Lord Muruga too! Again a treat for Vikram fans.

Allegro

Technically an ‘Allegro’is a classical piece played in a speedy lively manner. This is certainly an explosive dance number which starts off with a gentle soprano bit and gallops from there. With Shriya dancing to this song, (shot in Italy with Italian dancers) it is bound to be a visual feast. Fine effort from Rita. Plenty of sunshine notes from the trumpets and trombones!

Meow Meow

A very old ‘mettu’ masked in attractive modern rhythms. Priya is husky and seductive and Vikram has nothing much to essay. The guitars and violin have a field day! Could be a hit right away.

Kanthaswamy( DSP Mix)

A neat remix from Devi Sree Prasad. We have some additional rhythm work here.

En Peru Meenakumari

A song intented for 100% titillation. With Mumaith Khan gyrating to it what else do you expect? The first line from the old Chandrababu hit ‘Bambara kannale’ keeps weaving in and out of this song sung in her usual robust fashion by Malathy.

Verdict:

Vikram’s USP is that he never takes himself seriously, and it is always reflected in his song sequences. This lively album too has a huge fun quotient attached to it. If the film also manages to walk the tightrope between comedy and action without degenerating into a farce, then we have a sure hit on our hands.

Sarvam

The trailer looked slick and inviting. The movie really is slick and stylish. But inviting? That depends on what you look for in a movie. If gloss and style matters and the story can exit through the backdoor, Sarvam will be to your liking. The movie has a weak plot and an even weaker execution.

There are five characters in the movie - Karthik (Arya), an architect, Sandhya (Trisha) a doctor in a city hospital, Naushad (Indrajith) a software professional, and his young son Imman (Rohan) and Eashwar (J.D. Chakravarthy).

The first half is mostly about how the love springs between Karthik and Sandhya. The architect and the doctor meet during a kart racing event and here begins the love story. Karthik falls in love and tries to woo Sandhya. He starts visiting the hospital where Sandhya works and slowly, the relationship starts blooming. The scenes are portrayed in a humorous manner and are pretty refreshing. These scenes are the major highlight of the movie and the chemistry between the two deserves special mention.

The movie then slowly starts to get the feel of a thriller ( or should I say, tries to give the feel?). The half way point is reached with the director revealing a twist in the story and sets up for a rather contrived climax. the second half is where the (minimal) story actually gets told. Eashwar comes across as deranged maniac trying to kill the 10 year old Imman. Imman and his father Naushad run for their lives from Eashwar and Karthik enters the story, trying to protect young Imman. At points one starts to wonder whether Naushad and Imman really are victims running for their lives. Is Eashwar really a evil maniac? And where does Karthik figure in all this? The truth slowly gets unravelled and is revealed in the climax. Chase sequences and action scenes lead up to this climax of a wanna-be thriller movie.

Arya and Trisha have done a good job and sizzle together. Trisha hasnt got much of a role, but does well in the limited scenes she does get. J.D. Chakravarthy does the character justice, but the characterization itself has to be questioned. Indrajith and Rohan fill their roles and give decent performances, but nothing to write home about.

The music by Yuvan Shankar Raja has already become a decent hit and the songs have been picturized very well. Cinematography is one of the fine points of the movie and the splendid camera work comes out even more during the songs. Kudos to Nirav Shah, the cinematographer.

The Go-Giver

I'm generally not a fan of the business parable book-dumbed-down, poorly-written stories that equate cheese with change (for one obvious example), and are meant to spur us into new attitudes and actions. Mostly they inspire for a few minutes and then are forgotten. If I remember any for an extended period, it's usually due to the awfulness of the writing. I read one recently that was so bad I didn't know if I should feel worse for the book's writer or the publisher that had decided to waste paper on it.

Which leads me to my review of The Go-Giver: A Little Story About A Powerful Business Idea by Bob Burg and John David Mann. While it may be faint praise, this book is decidedly better than most in its genre.

The story's plot centers around ambitious young Joe, who is spinning his wheels professionally despite his hard-charging attitude and generally likable personality. In keeping with his bold spirit, he decides he's going to meet a powerful local businessman, Pindar, and convince The Chairman (as he's known) to help Joe land a big account. To Joe's surprise, Pindar is easy to get a meeting with. However, Pindar's goals for Joe are not necessarily the same as Joe's goals for Joe, and thus this unlikely parable unfolds with Pindar taking Joe under his wing and teaching him a series of success lessons. Each lesson involves Joe meeting a new, successful person and learning what led to their successes.

(Spoiler: The root of success is giving, not getting - thus the title The Go-Giver instead of The Go-Getter.)

Each meeting teaches Joe one of the Five Laws of Stratospheric Success. There's The Law of Value, The Law of Compensation, The Law of Influence, The Law of Authenticity and The Law of Receptivity. After learning each Law, Joe agrees to try to put it into practice before the next meeting with Pindar, where another Law will be unveiled. Despite my somewhat cynical nature, the book continually kept me curious as to the next law, the next person to meet, and how Joe would put it into practice. While the whole premise of the book is a bit corny, and the writing isn't exactly Tolstoy, I read it quickly and eagerly.

I think my favorite of the laws, in terms of offering something new or fresh (and in terms of sticking with this blog's money theme), is the Law of Compensation, which states: "Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them." The example used is a schoolteacher who invents a line of educational software, thus trading her schoolteacher salary for a much larger income due to the fact that her company's software reaches so many more people than she ever could have as a teacher in a single school.

There's nothing genius about this concept, but I don't know that I've ever heard it stated that way, and it made me think. If you want to make more money, how can you get yourself on a bigger stage where you serve more people? I think any of us could come up with ideas on how to serve more people, whether it's taking on more work responsibilities, adding new volunteer tasks, raising our entrepreneurial sites, or whatever. The benefits may not be immediate, but the more people you touch in a way that makes their lives better, the more you're known for being that type of person, the more chance there is that money is eventually going to flow to you.

Anyway, despite my initial skepticism, I like this one. If you're a go-getter, or would like to be, the concepts in The Go-Giver will help you ensure that your time is spent doing the right things with the right spirit.

8 x 10 Tasveer

Well, here’s another new genre of ‘Supernatural Thriller’ persistently hitting screens sans a pause. Glimpse through previous weeks’ releases. ‘13b’ dealt with a phenomenal idiot box, ‘Aa Dekhen Zara’ – about a mysterious camera unveiling future’. Here goes, ‘8 X 10 Tasveer’ right on similar notes. This time it’s all about a ‘photograph’ that will unravel the frizzled scenario.

It’s really surprising to watch Nagesh Kukunoor taking up a new avatar of treating an unparalleled script – ‘Murder-Mystery’. He takes off with a perfect narration all throughout the show and naturally holds onto a perfect climax. What else should a film possess to carry the label of best verdicts? Obviously, Nagesh seems to have focused more on technical aspects that helps a lot for a positive approach on audiences.

Perfect cinematography – sleek editing – dazing locales of foreign countries; here’s the mantra of delighting audiences with a visual treat.

But the film stops an inch from reaching the destination of triumph. It all goes with a slight stumble in the latter part and the reasons justified for murders. Nagesh Kukunoor sports himself bounded with amateurishness on dropping such motifs on the screen.

‘8X10 Tasveer’ is a story about young man named Jai Puri, (Akshay Kumar), who possesses supernatural powers. Jai is of Indian origin who works as a forest ranger in Canada. His life is shattered by the loss of a very important person in his life, his father (Benjamin Gilani). This personal tragedy leads him to use his unique supernatural power to unravel the mystery behind the murder. ‘8x10’ is a supernatural thriller with a nail-biting finish to come up with startling answers.

Getting on with performance, Akshay Kumar excels with his decent show. Perhaps, if you ever felt that Akki had overdone acting in many of his previous flicks, here’s something that proves his adeptness. Be the sequences, where he’s woe-stricken by his father’s loss or the part where he shares elated moments with his sweetheart, he’s cool. Ayesha Taakia goes about with her middling act and Nagesh could’ve depicted her characterization that would’ve had a better impact. Man who steals the show is Javed Jaffrey. He’s sure about sparkling smiles on your faces when he says ‘My name is Happy… Happy without ‘I’ and you are pulled in more with his witty mannerisms, particularly ‘Aaj Mera Happy Birthday Hai’ quotient works out well. Sharmila Tagore, Benjamin Gilani, Ananth Mahadevan and Rushaad Rana score 5/5 for their best take. Credit goes to Nagesh for a perfect casting.

Vikas Sivaraman’s cinematography is scintillating. As mentioned earlier, his works on the stunning locales are sure to carry your senses straight to those places. Songs are quite mediocre and it could’ve been done better while the background score by Salim Sulaiman has been done stylishly.

On the terms of scripting and narration, Nagesh excels with extraordinary skills. Of course, you are bounded with so much of suspense that you’ll really get mystified about the murderer. But then, if you’re really a wizard, the mystery is disentangled right before the intermission.

A gratifying entertainer.

Ayan

It’s not everyday that you get to watch a gangster movie, with double-crosses, skillful smuggling, mother’s love and a romantic story tossed in, without having to squirm or probably having to end up with a headache. However, Ayan’s screenplay does the trick – brilliantly choreographed stunts and car chase sequences, cleverly planted twists at every nook and corner of the plot and some good music. Ayan proves to be an absolute time pass fare. For a little more than two hours, it would be an offense to call Ayan just another commercial potboiler.

Suriya, who proved his credentials as a versatile actor doing varied roles untill recently, has taken a litmus test of doing a mass commercial hero in ‘Ayan’. In the end, he emerges out as a clear winner leaving his impression all through the film.

The striking feature of the movie is Suriya’s amazing screen-presence. He is right there delivering his best. Be it romance, action or comedy, Suriya is at his crackling form serving the very basic purpose of purpose of entertaining the masses.

Suriya’s rendition of ‘Chennai Thamizh’, his youthful looks and body language are the major strengths of the movie. His onscreen chemistry with Tamannah is good. Amazing to see Suriya performing acrobatic stunt sequences, who has been hitherto considered as a 'performing' actor. His dedication and involvement could be seen in every frame.

Equally appealing is Tamannah. Though she has no major role to play besides a couple of songs including one in alien land, she is convincing. Prabhu as Das is apt fit for the role. He handles the role with much-needed maturity. He renders grace and charm to his role. Jagan and Karunaas play the supporting roles well. Specially Jagan with his one-liners is impressive. Akashdeep Saigal, the baddie from Mumbai, lends solidity to the role. His dubbing by ‘Kolangal’ fame Ajay is appropriate.

The spine-chilling chase in the streets of Congo, choreographed by stunt master Franz Spilhaus deserves a special mention. M S Prabhu capturing the mood of film in various shades and tones is a pillar of strength to Anand. Harris Jayaraj’s songs are peppy. Watch out for the opening song “Pala Palakura”, which is racy. However the real scene-stealer is editor Anthony. His slick work manages to sustain interest all throughout.

Yavarum Nalam

Vikram K. Kumar has done his homework and has associated some big names into his production to make a movie which keeps you on the hook till the riveting end. The director might have got some inspiration from the local horror serial ‘Aahat’ and maybe even more from Steven Spielberg’s ‘Poltergeist’ but what makes this a joy ride is the screenplay which zooms ahead in the second half of the movie.

Madhavan, who the audience got accustomed watching him romancing the heroines and much recently bashing baddies, play a different role. He plays a male protagonist who strives to save his family from the hands of a super natural power. As a caring hubby and a loving son in a joint family, one can see a refreshing Madhavan. He looks dashing with his sophisticated looks. Looking at ease on screen, he is casual in his dialogue delivery and his body language. He bubbles with enthusiasm in the first half and brings out the frightened look well towards the climax.

The Director has done his part well but there is a problem too the first half drags with the usual clichés of an Indian horror which also includes a romantic number in the middle which is totally uncalled for. This does put you off and might drive you off the theatre too. But if you do survive that torturous first half you would experience quite a ride in the second half of this horror.

P.C Sreeram, the veteran cinematographer experiments a lot and some of his experiments work brilliantly and others, especially the hand held shaky sequences does make you shaky too. Editing by Sreekar Prasad is satisfactory. The background music also does its part in increasing the tension of the proceedings. Shankar Ehsaan and Loy’s music is good but totally unneeded for this kind of cinema. The credit roll song, ‘oh sexy mama’ is finely pictured though.

It is a movie that is refreshingly different.

Pink Panther - 2

Back in the fun, free-basing '70s, Steve Martin was a stand-up comic god. Me Decade audiences lined up for hours to see this one-man Beatles of absurdist humor. They bought his albums, memorized his skits -- even stayed up late to see him swing with groovy foxes as part of a then-relevant Saturday Night Live. Fast forward 30 years, and the formerly wild and crazy guy has decided to follow fellow SNL alum Eddie Murphy into the fetid family film arena. With a couple of Cheaper by the Dozens under his belt, Martin is now mangling the legacy of one of film's greatest comedy franchises. No matter how hard he tries, however, he can't completely kill the legacy of the Pink Panther. This unnecessary sequel does come awfully close, though.

When four of the world's most valuable artifacts -- the Magna Carta, the Shroud of Turin, the Royal Emperor's Sword, and France's famous Pink Panther diamond -- are stolen by master thief The Tornado, a dream team of detectives is assembled. They include British sleuth Pepperidge (Alfred Molina), Italian officer Vincenzo (Andy Garcia), Japanese tech expert Kenji (Yuki Matsuzaki), and of course, inspector Jacques Clouseau (Martin). Helped by Sonia (Aishwarya Rai), a special agent from India, and the French home team including Chief Inspector Dreyfus (John Cleese), Poton (Jean Reno), and political correctness liaison Mrs. Berenger (Lily Tomlin), all paths appear to lead to exiled art dealer Avellaneda (Jeremy Irons). But even in light of all the obvious evidence, Clouseau thinks he knows the identity of the real culprit.

If the first Pink Panther remake was the entertainment equivalent of re-experiencing the grief over original genius Peter Sellers' untimely death, Pink Panther 2 is like dancing on the British funnyman's grave. It's akin to whistling past the cemetery and spitting on the mourners inside. It says something about the quality of material here that both Academy Award winner Kevin Kline and Jay-Z's squeeze Beyonce bowed out this time around. In their place are a bevy of polished, professional actors who should really know better, and a storyline that sacrifices intelligence for sloppy CGI-aided slapstick -- and when it's all over, we barely remember what happened.

The lack of imagination and inspiration is stunning. Martin's hate-crime-lite accent wraps around impossibly dumb malapropisms as if merely misspeaking any word in the English language will garner instant giggles. He is matched by his clueless collaborators, all of whom ratchet up the brogue for supposed belly laughs. One feels especially bad for Reno, reduced to an impotent running gag, while Garcia, Molina, and Rai merely take up space. Like the haphazard Disney comedies of the '70s, the action frequently stops dead so that director Harald Zwart can stage another uninspired bit of physical comedy. If anyone other than the Sellers' estate should be offended, it's Blake Edwards. The Hollywood heavyweight, known for helming some of the best films of the '60s and '70s, gets his legacy undercut by this Panther's pathetic pratfalls.

Even if we were to consider the demographic and argue that Martin has made yet another PG-oriented celluloid babysitter, the witlessness on display argues for child abuse, not appeasement. There are so many dead spots in the script that you wonder if some of the onset bloopers couldn't have been substituted in their place. Nothing with Irons' character works, and when Clouseau and implied love interest Emily Mortimer (as poor, put-upon policewoman Nicole) get romantic, the lack of chemistry is appalling. Three decades ago Steve Martin was considered a true comedy original. The Pink Panther 2 proves he's now nothing more than a paycheck-cashing hack.

Valkyrie

The problem with films consisting big stars is the fact that their films garner humungous expectations. Unfortunately, very rarely do these films live up to our expectations and Valkyrie is no exception.

The film’s trailers were exceptionally promising and the whole ‘conscience v/s duty’ tag line made it all the more interesting. Although barring the first ten minutes of the film and a few scenes which can be counted on your fingers, Valkyrie which showcases the plot of few Nazis’ to kill Hitler fails to hold your interest, nor does it evoke any sympathy towards those involved in the plot.

Valkyrie is a story of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Cruise) and a few others like him who are desperate to rescue Germany from the clutches of Adolf Hitler. These army men put humanity before patriotism as they get involved in this treason.

Stauffenberg (Cruise) for the sake of Germany plans and executes this ‘kill-Hitler’ mission, only to meet with devious consequences.

Valkyrie is pretty much a court-room drama and for a film of this genre to work, the suspense and script should be able to create that extreme impact. With Valkyrie, neither the dialogues, script and nor the performances keep you engaged! The story drags throughout and very rarely do you find yourself deeply engaged with the film.

Hitler’s atrocities are known to all but a brief flashback here and there describing his misdeeds could have given the film the background it needed. You do not feel for the protagonist as his intentions are not backed with credible reasons either.

Casting is another problem in this flawed film. The actor who plays Hitler is effective but he too is kept in the backdrop with nothing much to say. Cruise acts well but does not fit into the role of a German soldier... his accent, body language everything is supremely American which acts as the biggest flaw in the film. Other characters impress more than Cruise does but even those characters are not introduced well and before you try to register their identities the focus shifts on to someone else. Majority of other characters are British so even that takes away the authenticity needed for a film like this.

Cruise’s love for Germany, duty towards human kind and concern for his family – None seems convincing.

Operation Valkyrie is indeed a failed attempt of replicating the July 20, 1944, plot of killing Hitler.

Delhi-6

Thousands of people in Chandni Chowk watch with intensity as the Ramayana unfolds on stage when their attention is suddenly jarred by the appearance of a local politician in saffron clothes, who makes a spirited speech and disappears. The sequence, shot by director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra in his consistently inventive, funny, entertaining and life-affirming cautionary tale Delhi-6 is highly comical.

But like most of the funny scenes in the film -- including the frantic search for the kala bandar (black monkey), who is reportedly harassing the citizens of Delhi -- the Ramayana scene is also linked to the darker situations that unfold in the film's last quarter.

The new film does not offer many complicated stories as those found in Mehra's previous hit, Rang De Basanti, but this film is a worthy follow up to its predecessor.

It may look like the film centres around Roshan (a thoroughly engaging Abhishek Bachchan ), born and raised in America, who returns to Delhi to leave behind his ailing grandmother (Waheeda Rehman). He falls for a free-spirited but conflicted woman (Sonam Kapoor), who is preparing to become next Indian Idol .

But the film is not just about two young people. It seeks to capture the bigger picture of a neighbourhood. Its episodes capture a raft of conflicts involving families, politicians and two religious communities, Hindus and Muslims. The film creates a wonderful world of a vast neighborhood in old Delhi. But its concerns -- including how the fear of the black monkey is manipulated by one community to punish the minority community -- have wider implications.

As Mehra says of his episodical film that while it is firmly centered in old Delhi and is filled with local colour, its concerns are universal.

Despite Abhishek and Sonam's romantic entanglement being a major part of the film, its appeal is enhanced by half a dozen glorious performances. Mehra deftly exploits the comic talent of Vijay Raaz,who is far more amusing here than in Monsoon Wedding ,as the pompous, corrupt and opinionated police officer. And then there is Rishi Kapoor's character, who cannot forgive himself for not having had the courage to declare his love years ago and who will now make sure that Roshan won't make the same mistake.

There is hardly a character in the film who is not anchored to the film, and Mehra ensures that even a small gesture adds to the film's proceeding.

Sonam Kapoor, who showed ample promise in her debut film Saawariya,not only looks alluring but has also grown into an actress of subtle power. Whether she is doing a comic scene, or dancing to the feisty Masakali song or executing an act of rebellion against her family's plans for an arranged marriage, she hits the right notes. It is indeed not an easy thing to hold your own in a film filled with an admirable ensemble cast.

Among the many amusing scenes that are also illuminating is the one that begins with dadi (Waheeda Rehman) suddenly taking ill. She is being rushed to a hospital in a cycle rickshaw much to the frustration of her grandson Roshan who is perhaps thinking the care she would have gotten in America. The rickshaw is stalled as hundreds of people have gathered to see a cow in labour in the middle of a road. The event has religious significance. But Roshan is petrified; he wants to get his grandmother to the hospital the soonest. He sets out to disperse the crowd and by the time he manages to do it -- you have guessed -- the grandmother has disappeared. We then see her gingerly walking towards the cow. She has more than recovered, and her heart is full of piety.

Mehra and Joshi do not ridicule her faith. But the sequence also serves as a powerful reminder of generational and faith gap between two people who love each other, and who can indeed tolerate each other's opinion.

The climax, which also involves the black monkey, has been imaginatively devised but nevertheless, it is a bit labored. However, it also serves as a good moral ending and could send viewers home in a happy mood.

There may be mixed reviews about this movie,but in my opinion it is a worthy follow-up to RDB and definitely a enjoyable movie.

And one more thing. A.R.RAHMAN is the GOD OF MUSIC

Only drawback : Abhishek's worst American accent.

Billu Barber

Shahrukh Khan, the name is enough for a movie to get noticed and add Priyadarshan's name to that and it is sure to make everyone's head turn. But with an average soundtrack and a not so special trailer, the question in everyone's mind was whether it would be worth the ticket price.

Its another remake of the Malayalam movie Katha Parayumbol, the movie had been already remade in Tamil with Rajinikanth called Kuselan but while the first was a superlative movie the latter was an average one which bombed at the box-office. Thankfully Billu Barber is inspired mostly from Katha Parayumbol than its Tamil counterpart (Priyadarshan is usually very faithful to Malayalam originals), but still the magic seemed a little missing.

The movie is a decent one which has its moments but the slow pace and too many songs make you restless. Priyadarshan proves once again how competent a director he is, with too many characters the need for a professional at the helm is a must and who better than Priyadarshan? But he does loose his grip when too many unwanted songs are added and the second half moves at a snail pace.

Technically the movie is decent with cinematographer Manikandan's work clear as crystal but with steady cams mostly he is in no mood to experiment. Editing by Arun Kumar is a let down and snipping at least 20 minutes off the running time would do a world of good to the film. Music by Pritam has nothing to write home about, and none of the songs stay with you after the end of the screening. Dialogues by Manisha Korde and Mushtaq needs special mention as it makes the proceedings enjoyable.

Acting wise, Irfan khan comes up with a performance which is extremely enjoyable and this is sure to make him a hit among the masses. Lara Dutta comes up with a brilliant performance, she is a complete natural as a homely house wife. There is a battalion of supporting artists but among whom Om Puri and Rajpal yadav impresses us the most. Shahrukh as Sahir Khan is good but still has to work on his emotions, especially his emotional sequence at the climax.

Overall Billu Barber is a decent one time watch. The climax is the high point of the movie and some of the dialogues does crack you up. Go for it but I would recommend Katha Parayumbol if you had not yet seen it.

Sarvam - Soundtrack

‘Trio strikes back’ wouldn’t be apt as often clichéd every media channel would comment the same. Precisely, it isn’t the same score you heard for ‘Arindhum Ariyamalum’, ‘Pattiyal’ and ‘Billa’. All the songs are catchy and sure on screens as you know Nirav’s pitching cinematography is sure to work wonders. Yuvan’s stupendous touch is sure in all Vishnuvardhan’s piece for he considers him as his ‘Special Buddy’.

1. Adada Vaada

Singers: Ilayaraja, Yuvan Shankar Raja

Ever imagined about heeding to an unique tune of Ilayaraja’s voice with the rhythmic style of 50 Cents. Here’s the one. ‘Adada Vaada’ has it all starting with Yuvan’s humming at interlude followed by Maestro’s rich voice. The flute note is replicated from the famous pop tune that’s used as polyphonic ringtone in many mobiles. It’s a sure chartbuster.

2. Neethanae
Singers: Yuvan Shankar Raja

The rhythm doesn’t get you mesmerized. It would be better if Yuvan can stop imitating A.R. Rahman on the same intonations. It may click on the screens.

3. Sutta Suriyanae
Singers: Vijay Yesudas

The first line of this song seems to be the yesteryear tune of Ilayaraja and rendered by Yesudas. Vijay Yesudas’ voice dominates the instrumentations.

4. Kaatru Kullae
Singer: Yuvan Shankar Raja

Water drop programmed as rhythm is a commendable factor. But again, Yuvan is imitating Rahman’s way. It would have been better if Karthik had crooned for this piece. But, it’s a nice song about the young lad’s pathos about missing his girl.

5. Siragugal
Singer: Madhushree, Javed Ali

A poignant melody with good singers on the lead. The melodious tune is sure to turn one of the best top-charting songs of this year.

6. Theme Music

Extraordinary, Fantabulous!!! Yuvan has the knack of spelling the best when it comes to theme music. The first part is carried through with Ceylon-rap song while it suddenly transcends into the other mood of spine-chilling thriller (more or less the same as ‘Billa’ signature tune)

As a whole, Sarvam has good tunes that will keep us entertained for sometime as there aren’t any melodies to heed over and over. Keep listening to the songs and it’s worth doing so.

Verdict: Decent score by Yuvan

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The ancient Greeks had a riddle: what walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three legs at night? The answer is man: he crawls at the start of his life, stands upright in his prime, and hobbles along with a cane in his later years.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, loosely based on a 1922 short story by F Scott Fitzgerald, is also about the span of a human life.

Nominated for 13 Oscars this year, it's a drama, rich in ironies both funny and bitter, about the inevitability and indignity of aging, as well as the gulf that exists between how old we feel and how old we actually are.

Brad Pitt plays Benjamin, born an aged whelp at the end of the Great War and promptly abandoned by his shocked father (Jason Flemyng).

He's taken into care by Queenie (Taraji P Henson), the caretaker of a retirement home, one of whose residents, upon discovering he has cataracts, parched skin and severe arthritis, remarks: "He looks just like my ex-husband."

Not only does he survive, he actually gets younger. He becomes friendly with Daisy, a resident's granddaughter. Soon he's taking steps into the big wide world, visiting a brothel, joining a tugboat crew, hanging out with tattooed bruisers.

He goes to sea too, to Murmansk where, in one of the film's happiest sections, he has an affair with the aristocratic, English Channel-swimming wife (a wonderful Tilda Swinton) of an English trade minister.

Death and disappointment follow: he loses shipmates to an attack by a Nazi U-boat; he returns to New Orleans where he's reunited with Daisy (Cate Blanchett) who has grown into a sensual ballet dancer and whom he woos to no avail, even after he travels to Paris to visit her following a terrible accident she suffers.

A lot more happens in the film. Characters appear, disappear, reappear. Affections ebb and wane. America – the clothes its citizens wear, the wars it wages – changes. And, like a less sentimental version of Forrest Gump, at the centre of all this motion is Benjamin himself. Even he is unstable, getting younger as the people he cares about hurtle in the other direction.

Benjamin's wisdom, if that's what he grows into, comes from being a witness as much as a doer. It's the people around him – a revivalist preacher who makes him walk, a retiree who has been struck by lightning seven times, even the passionate and headstrong Daisy – who amass the experiences that allow him, in flatly-delivered voiceover, to talk about the importance of "having to let go" or of how "our lives are defined by opportunities".

Pitt is an actor who has long coasted on his good looks. His character here, in spite of hugely skilful digital make-up, is still more handsome in his sixties than many people half his age. But, though he's rarely called upon to show signs of an interior life, he carries the film pretty well, twinkling as he never did in his dead-eyed sleepwalk through Meet Joe Black (1998).

It's something of a surprise that the film is directed by David Fincher, best known for cold, muscular works such as Seven (1995) and Fight Club (1999).

Here he has cushioned his clinical edginess the better to serve a screenplay by Eric Roth (who also wrote Forrest Gump) that touches on unhappier aspects to aging (Benjamin asks Daisy: "Will you still love me when I have acne? When I wet the bed?"), but doesn't pursue them.

There are other aspects of Benjamin's story that, oddly in a film that lasts the best part of three hours, are left undeveloped. It's strange, given the often traumatic nature of black American history through the course of the 20th century, to say nothing of his being raised by a black woman, that race goes unmentioned.

It's also strange, verging on overwrought, to set the story on the day of Hurricane Katrina. Time races by mercilessly, sure, but usually not so apocalyptically.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button fascinates at a technological level: we're shown a tantalising and entirely plausible vision of what Cate Blanchett might look like in 30 years; Brad Pitt seems no older than he did in Thelma and Louise (1991).

But it's also the anti-Slumdog Millionaire: a film that's stately, tasteful and genteelly melancholic rather than fevered, rollicking and euphoric. It's a film about time that seems almost out of time.

Naan Kadavul

Call it breath-taking, stunning or out-of-the-world. Any amount of appreciation would fit well for this film. Bala, considered the maverick director of Tamil cinema believes in quality rather than quantity and has come up with a film that spells both charm as well as fear on you.

Technically rich visuals, soul-stirring songs and splendid re-recording apart from top-notch performances by the artistes make 'Naan Kadavul'.

In the recent past, there were very few films that cast a spell on the audience. Novel themes and innovative storylines virtually dried up in Tamil Cinema. Been in the making for over three years, Bala has come out with a movie that is strikingly different from the rest. Certainly several notches above the rest.

The dark realities of our lives, which we have never bothered to know until now, have been pictured realistically by Bala. The life among 'Agori' Sadhus, the troubled life of blind beggars controlled by the mafia and the lives of mentally-challenged people have been narrated in a way that is new to Tamil Cinema.

Bala, who proved his mettle with films like Sethu, Nandha and Pithamagan, has gone on to greater heights with Naan Kadavul. The lives of saffron clad Sadhus have been poignantly brought out in the first half, while the screen goes red towards the latter part.

Bala, who has chiselled the actor in Vikram and Suriya, has taken all pain and efforts to bring out the real and true actor in Arya. He succeeds in his mission at the very word go.

Bala scores straightaway with a poignant and touchy narration in the beginning which slowly picks up momentum to end as carnage. Arya with his frightening looks and immaculate body language brings out an animal before us. His rugged looks complimented by his rustic performance add value to the movie. His performance towards the climax will be remembered for years to come.

Pooja as a blind beggar stuns one with her performance. Hitherto seen as a glam doll, she has come up with loads of expressions and is sure to make the industry look back at her as an actress, who can deliver emotional outbursts at ease.

Equally impressive are Azhagam Thamizhmani and Rajendran. The typical Balaisms are visible in every character in the movie. A whole lot of the cast includes Sadhus and beggars who fit their roles well.

Arthur Wilson's camera is sheer poetry. His capturing on lens the crowded Kasi and the ruthless struggles of Rudhran deserves appreciation. What can be said about maestro Illayaraja. Not just his songs but his extraordinary re-recording brings the right feel to the whole film.

Jayamohan has added strength with his delicate dialogues. Though very few in the film, they are hard-hitting and sensible.

Kudos to producer Sreenivasan for sponsoring such a bold attempt. All said, it is a Bala special loaded with his trademark style and mannerism. Though many scenes are devoid of logic, Bala's magic makes us forget them.

In one word, Naan Kadavul is a movie to cherish and celebrate.

Luck by Chance

Brilliant music and a special appearance coup which leaves even the Yash Raj movies far-far behind, this Konkona Sen, Farhan Akhtar starrer is easily the most awaited movie of the season. A lot was riding on Farhan as his acting debut was the stunning Rock on. And add to the excitement is the directorial debut of Farhan’s sister Zoya. Will this movie turn out to be a lucky affair for the Akhtars?

With a half impressive trailer, I had little expectation, and I should say I underestimated the Akhtars.

The movie is more of a satire on Bollywood (or should I say the Hindi film industry). The movie is about Sona Mishra (Konkana Sen) a struggling actress who wants to make it big but still getting the second fiddle roles. She meets a young vibrant Vikram(Farhan), falls in love and somehow due to her he gets his first break. How the couple’s life gets complex after Vikram getting a break forms the rest of the story. The pain, the misery, the sacrifice people have to go through to achieve stardom or even getting recognized in this Industry is well shown.

Zoya Akhtar has chosen a difficult path for her first movie but has sailed through quite easily. Many scenes are handled so intricately that it shows no sign of a debutants work. There are many messages passed on to our youngsters without getting too preachy. But she has confused herself and us, as the story of Sona Mishra soon wanders away and shows the life of Farhan more. If only she stuck to Sona a little longer her pain could have affected the audience too, which would have made a brilliant movie. The scene when Dimple- talks about her past life, is not needed and clearly shows just the desperation of the director to scrape in a emotional dialogue. Why was Farhan’s friend given more weight in the first half, and his role cut half way cruelly? Even the screen play post intermission does go out of steam for a while but not too much to complain about. The last end credit role was a lift from Michael Clayton but does give the touch, which is needed.

Cinematography by Carlos Catalan is brilliant. The work in Baawre song needs special mention. Editing by Sreekar Prasad was good but if only the work in the second half was better he could have got ace marks. Music by Shankar – Ehsaan – Loy was engaging, sounded much better on screen too. Yeh Zindagi bhi, Sapnon se Bhare naina, and Baawre were the pick of the lot. Baawre was well choreographed and Yeh Zindagi bhi, the title credit song was well picturized.

The movie clearly belongs to the talent powerhouse Konkona Sen, she has given a performance which is sure to add some more fans to this rustic beauty. Farhan Akhtar who was decent in Rock On excels as Vikram, a role which demanded a seasoned player was given life by this two film old talented youngster. Isha Sharvani looks cute and has acted with maturity in a role, which is on a girl who lacks it. Dimple Kapadia and Juhi were likeable. Sanjay Kapoor was passable. Hrithik in a cameo excels. Rishi Kapoor as the producer was exceptional in both comic and tragic sequences. The special appearances will surely fill this page up but Shahrukh does get the best role and does impress with his natural elegant characteristics. Saurabh Shukla and Anurag Kashyap come a close second.

Overall it’s a well made entertainer. A movie, which will be loved by the multiplex audience but a single screen will be a tough place to woo the audience. A movie which will make you laugh but tries desperately to make you cry too - that could be a minus. But go for it, it’s worth the ticket price.

Slumdog Millionaire - Motion Picture

Yeah! When you've a British Filmmaker and Indian Artists are on the show, 'a mind-boggling' magic goes on. For sure, you wouldn't need an illustration for this. Richard Attenborough's 'The Gandhi' touched the feat of honor. Now, after 27 years, here the Indian dreams getting accomplished yet again. Thanks to Danny Boyle who has made us wonder how versatile filmmakers of our Country weren't able to present such a mirror-image of Mumbai, its beauty and the other side. Precisely, it's worthy calling the film as the 'Good-Bad-and-The Ugly' of Mumbai. Indeed, the British Filmmaker endows us with a tremendous piece of work. Well, this flick isn't merely about 'A Slumdog turning millionaire overnight', but the heart-and-soul encounters faced by a lad on his way from 'Rags to Riches'.

Ever heard about the line 'Reality Bites', you should have. A staggering film that offers you surprises and irresistible shocks that even Mumbaikers wouldn't have noticed. If you're looking out for any messages to be perceived - yeah, you've one. 'Bitter experiences making you stumble down are the stimulants to successes'. Don't assume this to be Danny's statements; but it is for those audiences who expect a solid substance from it.

Accused of cheating and desperate to prove his innocence, an eighteen-year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai reflects back on his tumultuous life while competing to win 20 million rupees on India's 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' in Danny Boyle's inspirational drama. Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) may not have a penny to his name, but that could all change in a matter of hours. He's one question away from taking the top prize on India's most popular television game show, but as with everything else in Jamal's life, it isn't going to be easy.

Arrested by police under suspicion of cheating, Jamal is interrogated by the authorities. The police simply can't believe that a common (Slumdog) could possibly possess the knowledge to get this far into a brain game game, and in order to convince them of how he gained such knowledge, Jamal begins reflecting back on his childhood. As young boys, Jamal and his older brother, Salim, lived in squalor, and lost their mother in a mob attack on Muslims. Subsequently forced to rely on their own wits to survive, the desperate siblings fell back on petty crime, eventually befriending adorable yet feisty young Latika as they sought out food and shelter on the unforgiving streets of Mumbai.

Though life on the streets was never easy, Jamal's experiences ultimately instilled in him the knowledge he needed to answer the tough questions posed to him on 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'. Though Jamal makes a convincing case for himself, one question still remains: why would a young man with no apparent desire for wealth or fame be so determined to win big on a national game show? Of course, it won't be long until everyone finds out the answer to this burning question, because as Jamal sits down to find out whether he will be rich beyond his wildest dreams, 60 million viewers remain transfixed to their televisions eager to see if he'll correctly answer the final question.

t's merely not the expositions of Mumbai and Vikas Swaroop's 'Q&A' that makes 'Slumdog Millionaire' an interesting film. Simon Beaufoy's gripping screenplay of continuous switching over times of past-and-present, keeps you edge-seated for every single second of the 120 minutes. A groovy narration with joy, pain, union, separation, tragedy and love doesn't get anyone's attentions scattered.

Check out the list of star-casts, everybody on the title cards steals the show with their exceptional performance sans flawlessness. Dev Patel has an inborn talent that's so evident on his gestures and actions on every frame. The glimpse on his reactions as Irrfan questions 'Who's there on 100 rupee Indian Note?' his fantastic spell of reaction would never stop anyone from applauding. Watching this guy glimpsing on his past for the last question of 'Three Musketeers' and smiling cheerfully, would again make you hail him with praises. 'An outstanding actor' and that's it.

Well, you don't have Frieda Pinto appearing for more than 30mins (3 different girls on different ages of Latika's characterization). But, gets her depicted attractive sans a lavish makeover… Madhur Mittal as Older Salim overwhelms with sparkling acting especially in the penultimate sequences. Wanna hear his Punch dialogues? 'Eeee…easy', 'Aaraamse….', 'I'm at the centre of centre'.

Anil Kapoor deserves great appraisals for the bold attempt of picking a characterization of negative shades. Irrfan Khan with his casual efforts picks your attention. Saurabh Shukla does his characterization which is presented with finesse.

The technical aspects are enthralling. We have never seen Mumbai's slums so deeply. The cinematographer doesn't fail to capture even the minutest props with the best-innovative placements of camera angles. We also get to see a bird's eye view of Mumbai's slums.

As icing on the cake, the Musical score by Rahman makes it big with the visual perception. To a certain extent, title song 'O Saayo' seems to be carrying the traces of opening scene in Fernando Meirelles' 'City of God'. Rahman's earnest involvement in getting along with creative thoughts of the cinematographer and Danny Boyle has yielded the best results. Doubtlessly, 'Jai Ho' and 'O...Saayo' are electrifying making you feel to watch it over again for many times. Nithin Desai's set decoration of 'Kaun Banega Crorepathi' and the marvelous Taj Mahal are a masterpiece.

On the whole, 'Slumdog Millionaire' has various reasons to capture everyone's attention. Probably, the most top-charting show of 'Who wants to be a Millionaire', 'Kaun Banega Crorepathi' should have earlier pulled everyone. Nevertheless, there's something more close to your hearts than these factors of emotional vistas. A beautifully portrayed romance bounded with lots of hurdles in the union till last moment is sure to melt down your hearts.

Watch it any cost…. Even, if a ticket costs a million dollars!!!

Ayan

Winning laurels with his tracks for 'Vaaranam Aayiram', Suriya is back to strike gold with his forthcoming film 'Ayan'. K.V. Anand who won laurels for his debut directorial 'Kana Kandein' is back wielding the megaphone for this film produced by AVM Productions. A commercial entertainer, the auteur seems to have mixed exceptional plotlines. And here comes the most grandiloquent pair of Harris Jayaraj and Suriya who worked magic with 'Kaakha Kaakha', 'Ghajini' and the recent 'Vaaranam Aayiram'.

The Musical Album of 'Ayan' has 5 melodies belonging to various genres…

Pala

Remember the most fantastic song of 2008! Yeah, it's none other than 'Nenjukkul Paidhidum' with Hariharan rendering voice for it. Over here, he croons for the same actor but with a different style. Unlike the melodious one, this track is a grand fast moving peppy number that carries an electrifying message for youngsters.

Nenje Nenje

This one is a romantic number with poignant lyrics centering on a young lad and his missy looking out for pure love. Harris Jayaraj has picked up apt singers in Malathi and Harish Raghavendra and his choice doesn't disappoint you. Unforeseen efforts from Malathi are revealing with her intonations and ditto to Harish Raghavendra who is up with the same show as in 'Azhagiya Theeye' of Minnale.

Honey Honey

'Sensuous', 'Sultry' (you can use the best of words for this song) … brimming with such feel, Harris tunes a melody with the beats on Congo drums running all through the rendering. Intonation of Sayonara Philip steals the show while Devan's strides creates a penchant feel amongst the listeners.

Vizhi Moodi

'Oru Maalai'- A splendid song that never fades from our memories had Harris and Karthik on the tracks. And again, we've another melody churned by this duo and Vairamuthu's lyrics of a lad's intrinsic feel when in love captivates. This one is sure to rock as a chartbuster. Marvelously orchestrated beats with female vocalism in preludes offers complete enhancement.

Oyayiye Aayiye

'Perky lines and peppy tune' has a big sensation for young hearts. Haricharan, Benny Dayal and Chinmayee deliver with elegance on their quotients. KV Anand's innovative motif and Prabhu's cinematography are sure to turn the song a lot more fantastic on screen.

On the whole, 'Ayan' has a whole lot of mix in spellbinding melodies and mind-boggling peppy numbers. Undoubtedly, Harris is there over the top with the prodigious score for his ducky actor Surya.

Dilli-6

The year 2008 has been the most stupefying year for Rahman fans and you know why? 'Jodha Akbar', 'Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na', 'Yuvvraaj', 'Ghajini' and 'Slumdog Millionaire; Well, it's been a 'Rah-mania' with prodigious tunes of unique genres. Be it 'Tu Hi Meri Dost', 'Jai Ho', 'Pappu Can't Dance Saala' or 'Guzarish, everything has been soul-stirring strains from the Mozart of Chennai. Here come, the duo Rahman-Rakeysh Om Prakash who created wonders with their combination in 'Rang De Basanthi'.

Perhaps for 'Delhi-6', a couple of songs 'Masakali' and 'Maula' continuously aired round-the- clock shot our adrenalines looking out for other numbers. And here comes the most spectacular album and precisely, they are exceptional from Rahman's compositions during the previous year. Moreover, it is the never-heard-before tunes that'll get you transfixed. Indeed, Rahman offers 'Dus Dhamaka' with panache and every number is gonna top the charts.

Aarti (Tumre Bhavan Mein)

It's Prasoon's heart-warming lyrics that make the song exceptional in the album. Rahman is exceptional when it comes to blending melody with simple instrumentations. Yup! All throughout 180 seconds, we hear a single-noted Veena with simple beats on cymbals blended with a mesmerizing chorus humming. Perhaps, an ardent fan of Rahman should've heard of similar genres in his Tamil composition for 'Alaipaayudhe Kanna'…

Arziyan

Sufism which is so close to Rahman's heart drives him tuning such melodies. Of course, it's so illustrious with his previous piece of music for 'Pia Haji Ali', 'Khwaja Mere Kwaja' in 'Jodhaa Akbar'. And again, here's one more on the same lines. A lengthy duration of 9 minutes has tabla and harmoniums accompanied by the glorious voice of Javed Ali and Kailash Kher. Prasoon Joshi gears up for yet another devotional song.

Both 'Aarti' and 'Arziyan' are devotional hymns of different religions and yet Rahman's composition gets the listeners mesmerized sans barriers.

Bhor Bhaye

The music maestro weaves a spell of magic on 'Hindustani Ghazal' with the same instrumentations of tabla and harmonium used in previous the song. We have an evergreen legend Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan rendering in his voice. Shreya Ghosal adds colour, shifting octaves on her voice which flows in to the listener's ears and Gujri Todi makes it with finesse. Sounds like a live-recording and possibly Rahman should have done it because it adds a naturalistic touch.

Delhi – 6

Doubtlessly, heeding to the first three numbers of 'Carnatic', 'Sufi Qawwali' and 'Hindustani Raga', you should've made listeners perceive Delhi-6 to be an offbeat genre. If so, you're wrong… Here goes the precipitous shift to a different scenario. Of course, just imagine how a song sounds when there's Blaaze, Benny Dayal, Vivinenne, Tanvi and Claire are on the track. A stylish sleek rap savors to the tastes of young lads and missies. Simple-yet-catchy beats on synthesizers and lyrics penned by Vivinenne Pocha and Claire make it a lavish fiesta.

Dil Gira Dafatan

A western style with Ash King's voice and good accompaniment by Chinmayee makes the song so special… Running notes on lead guitars with vibes on intervals is picked by an exceeding orchestration of stringed instruments. Preludes on violin blended with strings offers a feel of heeding to contemporary World Music.

Genda Phool

Need a best illustration for fantastic mix of West 'n' Folk? And you have it here with 'Genda Phool'. Rekha Bharadwaj's unique style of vocalism picks listeners' interest while chorus parts by Shraddha and Sujatha offers enhancement to the song. Nothing exceptional with the beats, for the synthesized ones on pads and bass guitars are repeated throughout.

Hey Kaala Bandhar

Sounds alike one of Rahman's previous compositions of 'Shano Shano' from Yuvvrraj and precisely, the chorus part is a bit similar to 'Dil Ka Rishta' from the same album. Rap lines are again the same remix of 'Shano Shano'. We are not sure who Kaala Bandhar is, guess we have to wait for the promos to come out… The song may capture our senses once on the screen.

Masakali

Uh-huh! The song that has been raising our expectations with beautiful promos is finally out. Like 'Bheka' in 'Ghajini', Prasoon Joshi pens yet another song with lyrics that are filled with tongue twisters and Mohit Chouhan spells it on best terms. With Congo drums used on rhythms, 'a good experiment' by Rahman works best. Masakali is worthy getting ennobled as the 'Song of the Album'.

Rehna Tu

Rahman rendering a song always turns to be a chart topper. Is it because he picks the best songs and sings or the song becomes special once with Rahman's voice? Yeah! It goes unanswerable at many times and 'Rehna Tu' isn't an exception. A wonderful orchestration of voices between Rahman, Benny Dayal and Tanvi gets you addicted to the song with simple beats. Don't miss the instrumental (Flute and strings) part at the penultimate part of the song; they're awesome.

Noor

Possibly, maybe this voiceover is heard in the prologue part of film. Amitabh's catchy-voice uttering the poignant poem on 'Ishq' penned by Prasoon is easily grasping. On instruments, stringed chords following mildly with vibes are heard.

On the whole, A.R. Rahman offers an exquisite platter of tunes to his fans with his music in 'Delhi-6'. Well, assume it to be the maestro's special treat for the 'Golden Globe Achievement'. And again, Rahman starts off 2009 with fascinating musicals and doubtlessly, the songs are sure to be prized as best spells of this year.