Hawaa Hawaai

 

Film: Hawaa Hawaai  Starring: Partho Gupte, Saqib Saleem, Makrand Deshpande
 Director: Amole Gupte
 Producer: Amole Gupte, Deepa Bhatia
 Banner: Fox Star Studios, Amole Gupte Cinema Pvt. Ltd
 Music: Hitesh Sonik
 Review : 
Very early in this wonderful film we see the extraordinarily talented young hero  Partho Gupte in prayer with his screen-father, played by the redoubtable Makarand Deshpande.
Immediately, you sense you are in the midst of an exceptionally serene, nurturing and rewarding work of art.
“Hawaa Hawaai” never lets you down. Sure it has its conclaves of concession to populism, like a sports coach on a wheelchair (very chic!) who seems to have watched too many Hollywood films. But you welcome these very endearing attempts to communicate the film’s theme on the right to dream in a language that’s accessible to a mass audience.
This is a film that must be seen by every person young or old who has ever dreamt.
Deeply inspirational it picks an easygoing, jaunty, light and supple tone of narration so that the audience never feels the weight of the message.
The journey of little Arjun Harishchandra Waghmare, played with effortless candour by Partho, from rural Maharashtra to the heart of Mumbai city is mapped with astonishing fluidity and conviction.
Writer-director Amole Gupte looks at the life of the fringe people in the city with a huge amount of compassion. Here is an artiste who happens to be a filmmaker. He is not the least fearful of stepping into the streets of the uncaring city looking for empathy and compassion in the unlikeliest of places.
And finding it!
You may feel that little Arjun encounters too many thoughtful people in a city notorious for its brutal insensitivity. But that’s Amole Gupte for you. Whether it was the hunger for food in “Stanley Ka Dabba” or the yearning to achieve one’s dreams in this film, the child at the centre of the plot is constantly being given a chance to find his identity amidst the turmoil, chaos and bustle of Mumbai.
Arjun’s dreams are visualised not as a fairty-tale, but an obtainable reality.
The narration glides forward in the same streamlined movements as little Arjun’s big dreams on the roller skates. The director allows the dream to grow on its own volition until Partho’s yearnings acquire wings and soar to a splendid culmination where the director intercuts scenes from the boy’s past with the present race on roller skates.
No matter how you look at it, life is tough. But finally beautiful.
While the sequences showing Arjun’s growing bonding with the wheelchair-bound Lucky Sir, adequately played by Saqib Saleem, are very cinematic, it’s in the boy’s relationship with his parents and grandmother and with his four street-smart friends that we witness the full force of Gupte’s virtuosity.
Gupte understands the mind of a growing children intuitively and naturally. He sneaks into corridors of the impressionable mind with the unquestionable certainty of someone who knows his way around. That he has Partho as his ally in this endeavour to map the innerscape of an innocent heart is just so providential for the film.
Partho has already shown us his ability to comprehend the dynamics of childhood in “Stanley Ka Dabba”. Here he moves with age-defying effortlessness from the ‘dabba’ to the chai-glass. Partho brings an element of deep tragedy to the boy’s life without playing for sympathy. Stripped of cute trappings it’s a phenomenal performance.
And he isn’t alone. The four boys, who plays Partho’s pals, namely Ashfaque Bismillah Khan, Salman Chote Khan, Maaman Memon Aand Thiruptathi Kushnapelli are equally adept at portraying the premature wisdom of street children.
Another small hero in the film is Hitesh Soni’s background score. Deepa Bhatia’s edits down the material to a place where we see right into the soul of humanity.
While the scenes of camaraderie among the five boys and between Partho and screen parents (Makrand, Neha Joshi both brilliant beyond words) puts a clamp around your heart and lump in your throat, the skating coach’s Hollywoodian swagger and his “troubled” relationship with his NRI brother (Anuj Sachdeva) didn’t quite grip me.
And honestly, the effort to introduce a hint of a romance between the coach and a rich bored girl from South Mumbai was just too strained to be endearing.
Minor aberrations do not take way from the majesty of the larger picture in this film that dares to dream for the dreamer-hero. You will laugh, weep and cheer for this little Milkha on roller skates.
“Hawaa Hawaai” is an extraordinary saga of ordinary lives, the kind we often pass by at traffic signals. Gupte penetrates the heart mind soul and dreams of those unsung lives. This is the most moving film on street kids since Mira Nair’s “Salaam Bombay”.
This is a not-to-be-missed life-changing experience.

R… Rajkumar Review: A ‘Masala’ Recipe

Just when Hindi film lovers started to think that Bollywood is taking a turn towards making quality movies, along the likes of The Lunchbox, there come movies like Singh Saab The Great and R… Rajkumar; with the age old one hero-one love interest-one villain-5 songs-6 fights-100 punches and punchlines recipe. Prabhu Deva’s Shahid Kapoor starrer R… Rajkumar was touted to be a masala entertainer but it turns out to be just a recipe. Bollywood Celebden presents R… Rajkumar review.
Rating: 3.5/5
Prabhu Deva has a demigod status when it comes to dancing and Shahid Kapoor is popular for his lover boy roles and also for his dancing skills. The question that pops into one’s head while watching is what the hell are these two doing in the action genre???
Shahid desperately tries to pull off a Suniel Shetty or a Sunny Deol or an Akshay Kumar but horribly fails. The way he woos his love interest, played by Sonakshi, will put any self-respecting eve teaser or a stalker to shame. Sonakshi plays his love interest who initially bashes up baddies but falling in love with the ‘hero’, somehow morphs her into a damsel in distress (or a distressing damsel as she is the reason Shahid Kapoor and Sonu Sood fight each other).
All the punch-lines, the short-lived scene where Prabhu Deva and Shahid Kapoor share screen space, the chemistry between the lead actors, the villainous villain have already been shown in the trailer. In fact, if one watches the trailer, it is enough to know what happens in the film. The long trailer was probably its undoing; a mistake that another recent masala film Bullett Raja didn’t make. But then that was directed by someone like Tigmanshu Dhulia.
The songs, which are the saving grace of the film, are exhausted in the first half and Shahid fans will not get to see him dance in the second half; which is filled with punches and kicks and Shahid beating up goons thrice his size.
Sonu Sood makes the movie a little watchable but that’s just about it.
Verdict: Watch it only if you are desperate to sit in a theater.

Gori Tere Pyaar Mein movie review: No romance or comedy in this rom-com!

The Imran Khan-Kareena Kapoor Khan starrer is supposed to be a romantic comedy. Unfortunately, it is merely an insipid mess…

First things first. Punit Malhotra cannot direct rom-coms…period. The filmmaker tried to do a Karan Johar in I Hate Luv Storys and almost nailed it, but with Gori Tere Pyaar Mein, he failed miserably.
Gori Tere Pyaar Mein is the story of Sriram Venkat (Imran Khan), a young man who doesn’t value relationships, family or friends, and Dia Sharma (Kareena Kapoor Khan), who is a hardcore social activist who wants to change the world. They meet and fall in love over one wedding song and numerous social revolts. The attraction initially is physical, but later becomes emotional and veers into complex territory, resulting in a clash of ideas and ideals, which drives them apart. However, Sriram soon realises that he is not over Dia and still loves her. But it’s too late for him; Dia has moved on and now lives in a village called Jhumli near Gujarat where she is playing Mother India to the locals. Like a perfect lover, Sriram arrives in Jhumli to take back Dia home and show her that he is a changed man. But she refuses to go with him. Now since there has to be a happy ending – it is a Dharma Productions movie – Sriram is successful in wooing Dia after a lot of maar-dhaaad and conflict.
Kareena is eye catching in her appearance. Unlike the typical social activists who’ve graced the Bollywood frame in drab and rustic costumes, Kareena is always well turned out in colourful outfits and nicely manicured nails. Imran, on the other hand, doesn’t impress at all. Come on, we have to say that the guy cannot act, no matter how hard he tries! The two look good together, but they seem uninterested and passionless. Newbie Shraddha Kapoor has an extended cameo in the film, and we have no complaints about her. She is adorable and does her part well. Anupam Kher’s character has grey shades, but hey, he is spotlessly impressive.
Punit has given us a blend of rural and urban India with Gori Tere Pyaar Mein, but has desperately tried to do a Karan Johar and failed. Clearly, Karan’s brand of romance isn’t rocket science, but it does require some talent to pull it off. You will have to agree that texturing love sagas in a glossy setup is an art that only Karan has mastered, with Shahrukh Khan standing strong by his side. And if Punit’s directorial duties weren’t arduous enough, he doubles as writer to assist Arshad Syed on the screenplay and dialogue, penning the most bakwaas and insipid lines ever. Even his lame trick of borrowing fun dialogues or scenes from Bollywood hit romances isn’t noteworthy.
The music of the film, Punit claimed in an interview, is apparently Vishal-Shakhar’s best work till date. Frankly, the composers have done much better.
Sadly, Gori Tere Pyaar Mein is supposed to be a rom-com, but it’s not. It’s supposed to have peppy dance numbers, but it doesn’t. It’s supposed to have some stellar performances by Imran and Kareena, but it doesn’t. You are supposed to watch this film? No, you aren’t!

Singh Saab The Great movie review: Sunny Deol’s dhai kilo ka haath still packs a punch!

The jodi of actor Sunny Deol and director Anil Sharma is back for a fourth time with Singh Saab The Great and the duo has tried to give the audience an earnest film. Though the story could have been tighter, Sunny paaji’s action avatar makes up for it

Director Anil Sharma and Sunny Deol have delivered three hit films together so far – Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, The Hero: Love Story of a Spy and Apne. And we can safely say that they are back with a bang with Singh Saab The Great. The movie is about an honest collector Saranjit Singh Talwar (Sunny Deol) who believes in doing the right thing and does so till he is transferred to Bhadori – a small town in Uttar Pradesh. This is when Bhoodev Singh (Prakash Raj), the baddie in the film, comes into the picture. While Saranjit believes in the power of truth, Bhoodev thinks the ultimate power is money. Like any politician, Bhoodev is corrupt, powerful and does every wrong thing possible. But Saranjit gets in his way each time to make things tough for him. In their fight, it is Saranjit’s wife (Uravashi Rautela) who bears the brunt of the enmity and dies. Things take a turn for the worse when the Bhadori collector is accused of bribery and is jailed. Seven years later Saranjit, with a help of his cop friend manages to get out of jail and changes his identity. Now he is known as Singh Saab, whose motto is not ‘badla’, but ‘badlav’. But does he manage to change society and most importantly, Bhoodev Singh? Watch the film to find out.
What’s good about Singh Saab The Great?
Without a doubt, it has to be Sunny Deol’s performance. Even though he is in his late ‘50s, Sunny still manages to do action sequences amazingly well. His dhai kilo ka haath yet again entertains us…and how! He is one actor who actually makes action stunts look believable. Another highlight of the film is its dialogue. An angry Sunny mouthing dhansoo lines like ‘Bali hamesha bakre ki di jaati hai, sher ki nahi’ is a treat to watch. And though the story could have been more crisp, I enjoyed watching it coz there is different atmosphere when you enter a Sunny Deol film. It’s like watching a cricket match. Every time Mr Deol fights or says a dhamaakedar line, the audience goes crazy and claps and whistles. That’s what made my experience enjoyable. Besides Sunny, Prakash Raj has delivered a solid performance. In fact, he gives worthy takkar to the ultimate action hero. His scenes with Sunny Deol are to watch out for. They make a perfect hero-villain jodi!
Amrita Rao as a journalist does well. Urvashi Rautela has nothing much to do in the film and after a point you forget why she is there at all…and then she is dead. Johny Lever makes you laugh in places.
What’s bad about Singh Saab The Great?
The most important thing: the story. While Anil Sharma’s concept is good, he fails to execute it properly. Also, the love angle between Sunny and Urvashi doesn’t fit into the plot seamlessly. The film gets boring in between, though never when Sunny is in the frame. Apart from the title track sung by Sonu Nigam and his sister Teesha Nigam, none of the other songs are too appealing. There is an item number too, but the only thing which makes that tolerable is Sunny Deol and Prakash Raj’s dancing. It fun to watch them, trust us!

Bullett Raja movie review: Tigmanshu Dhulia hits the bull’s-eye with guns and gore!

Challenging brainless action movies that our B-town directors have been selling blatantly with alarming regularity-in the name of blockbusters or crowd pullers-Tigmanshu Dhulia gives us a delicious blood-battle saga. The intelligent filmmaker blends high-octane drama and power-packed action beautifully with a concrete plot, taut editing and excellent writing to produce an engaging watch!

Do Rs 100 crore movies have to be brain-dead mass pullers? Do stories have to be crafted keeping in mind ‘what’s in’ with an air of arrogance that tends to take cinegoers’ wisdom for granted? And most importantly, is it mandatory for movie buffs to leave their brains at home when they walk into a movie theater and then invariably get served mindless masala flicks in the name of entertainment?
In this day and age when entering the glamorous club of Rs 100 crore seems to be the only motive of our directors, Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Bullett Raja should ideally be served as a template especially to those who believe that the business of entertainment is trend-driven as opposed to logic-driven. In his attempt to engage the audience, Dhulia comes up with an electrifying entertainer that demands you to use your brains!
For those who have been cringing at the alarming flourish of Dabangg kinda productions, where the protagonist is larger-than-life; someone who keeps the audiences glued to the seats with his relentless high flying starry kicks and power-packed punches, Dhulia’s Bullett Raja comes across as a breath of fresh air. It certainly is a time for our high profile film directors to watch Dhulia’s latest endeavour to get a clear idea about how a fine cinematic experience can be creatively crafted. In this one, even if our hero wanders around with the machismo of a desi cowboy while totting guns, his antics never defy your ability to think. The director certainly has a grip on the narrative and he knows how to draw the proverbial laxman rekha between fiction and facts without going overboard.
Moving over the Rowdies and the Tigers and the Singhams –who should, by now, die a shameful death-thanks to the arrival of the new age Raja..err Bullett Raja who keeps you entertained without taking your IQ for granted. This tale is rustic, raw and unapologetic with lots of believable twists and turns that leave you wondering what will happen next. Dhulia keeps both the intensity and intrigue element of his earlier movies like Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster and Paan Singh Tomar intact as he portrays his story set in the backdrop of Uttar Pradesh’s goondaraj.
Following the trajectory of hot headed Raja Mishra aka Saif Ali Khan Bullett Raja’s story should not be unraveled in words, for the attempt may dilute the essence of the action thriller. Instead we give you a list of pluses (and a few misses) that makes this flick an entertaining watch.
Amidst the showers of bullets being sprayed in almost every second frame (to exaggerate) this movie follows a definite path to unveil the story in a gripping manner.
Fiery and impactful dialogues will make you giggle and think at the same time. For instance when Saif Ali Khan is suggested to think twice before seeking revenge against his opponents our hero goes- Bhai mara hai hamara, badla lena parampara hai. Koi corporate culture nahin hai ki agli deal mein profit ya loss adjust kar lenge. The lines are really quirky and stay true to the situations and believable for the characters who mouth them, throughout the film.
Possibly the best role Saif has played ever after Langda Tyagi in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Omkara. Saif’s Raja Mishra aka Bullett Raja is rooted and raw.
Jimmy Shergill has once again made us ask the pertinent question-why has the good looking Punjabi lad has remained underrated in our movies despite his commendable acting skills? Shergill is never off key in any of his scenes.
Sonakshi Sinha has played her part well. Raj Babbar is fine with his portrayal of an influential politician, while Vidyut Jamwal looks impressive with his solid screen presence and his impossible to match action moves if not exactly with his acting chops.