Anupam Kher, Pawan Malhotra, Tena Desae, Rushad Rana, Kiran Kumar, Suhasini Mulay, Sudha Chandran, Seema Biswas, Rajendra Gupta, Jagat Rawat, Satyajit Sharma, Natasha Sinha, Mazhar Syed, Rachita Bhattacharya 

Last year, UDAAN made a sweeping impact on cineastes, so much so that the honors, compliments and accolades keep pouring in to this day. Besides winning tremendous critical acclaim and bagging awards, the film struck a chord with everyone watching it. The poignant and disturbing relationship between a father and son seemed straight out of life. Now YEH FAASLEY explores the relationship between a father and daughter.

However, comparing UDAAN and YEH FAASLEY would be blasphemous, mainly because UDAAN captured the tense moments between the father and son with aplomb, on paper as well as on celluloid. On the other hand, YEH FAASLEY has an interesting premise, but its writers [Yogesh Mittal, Atul Tiwari and Rajendra P. Makhijani] make a complete mess of it and what eventually unfolds on celluloid is mincemeat of a brilliant thought.

Ideally, one wouldve expected YEH FAASLEY to be an emotional journey, wherein the daughter discovers a shocking truth: Her mother was murdered by her father. Again, the daughters fight for justice wouldve only added a new dimension to the film. But the writing goes horribly wrong after an interesting start and what comes across on screen is clichéd, formulaic and ridiculous. Besides, the film gets lengthy and tedious, more so in its second hour.

Arunima [Tena Desae], the daughter of one of the biggest builders in town, has returned home after completing her studies. She is happy that she will now be living with her father Devinder Dua [Anupam Kher] for good. Arunima lost her mother to a car accident when she was barely two. Arunima just wishes that her mother was alive, but she is somewhere content that her mother and father had a happy love story as long as it lasted.

To her surprise Arunima finds a will written by her mother. Why would a woman, who died in a car accident and that too at an early age of 28, leave a will for Arunima? The presence and the essence of the will raise a few questions in Arunimas mind. But the father is not very comfortable answering questions related to the past.

Arunima further chances upon a few things from the past and it is a revelation for her that her mothers personality was very different to what her father had recounted. She further meets an old friend of her mother, Diggy [Pawan Malhotra], and a few people from the past who tell stories that point in the direction that her mother was not as happy as long as she lasted.

With the image of the past being different to what her father has been telling her, Arunima is left in doubt about what really is the past, especially when the father is not giving a conclusive answer. Gradually, Arunima starts to learn about the many shades of her father that she has never seen. Arunima is torn between the love for her father and the truth.

Like I pointed out at the outset, its the written material that lets director Yogesh Mittal down. There are gaping holes in the screenplay that can be overlooked. Also, some of the characters in the film [Seema Biswas, Rajendra Gupta, even Suhasini Mulay] are completely under-utilized and one wonders, why were they included in the story in the first place? The post-interval portions seem never-ending, the courtroom drama in this half lacks punch and the conclusion to the story is old-fashioned and beaten to death.

Despite the inept writing, I must add that director Yogesh Mittal has handled a number of sequences capably. But how one wished the writing wouldve complimented his skills. The cinematography is incosistent [DoP: Amitabha Singh]. A few scenes seem out of focus and a few, grainy. Also, the film couldve done without songs.

Anupam Kher may have essayed the role of a father several times in the past, but the portrayal of a father in this one stands out amongst his best works. Tena handles her part with complete understanding and confidently matches a veteran like Anupam at every step. Pawan Malhotra doesn really get a chance to showcase his skills. Rushad Rana does reasonably well.

Mazhar Sayed [the young Anupam Kher] leaves an impact. Rachita [the mother] stays with you, despite the limited footage. Suhasini Mulay, Rajendra Gupta, Seema Biswas and Natasha Sinha are wasted. Kiran Kumar is okay. Jagat Rawat [caretaker of the bungalow] is efficient. Sudha Chandran is hardly there. Satyajit Sharma [the lawyer] is competent.

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Vinay Pathak, Sarika, Rukhsar, Chinmay Kambli, Armaan Malik, Atul Kulkarni, Taheer Sutarwala, Rajesh Khattar, Iravati Harshe, Bhairavi Goswami 

Hindi cinema is going through a major metamorphosis. Innovative ideas and fresh stories are being developed and executed by Gen X storytellers. BHEJA FRY director Sagar Ballary also tries to attempt something different from what he attempted in his maiden attempt. The humungous expectations from Ballary mustve put tremendous pressure and responsibility on his shoulders, for sure. But before I begin to analyze KACCHA LIMBOO, let me clear the misconception about the genre of this one. Its not a comedy, not remotely similar to BHEJA FRY, as some people would like to believe.

I couldn help but recall three films while watching KACCHA LIMBOO - Gulzars KITAAB [1977], Ritwik Ghataks BARI THEKE PALIYE [Bengali; 1959] and celebrated French director Francois Truffauts THE 400 BLOWS aka LES QUATRE CENTS COUPS [French; 1959]. These three films had great stories to tell [of a misunderstood adolescent], but among the three, KACCHA LIMBOO bears a striking resemblance to KITAAB, which, in my opinion, ranks amongst Gulzars best works. However, unlike KITAAB, which remains well etched in our memory even after three decades, KACCHA LIMBOO runs out of gas after an interesting first hour.

KACCHA LIMBOO suffers due to a sketchy screenplay, also penned by Ballary. In fact, the post-interval portions ruin the impact that was beautifully created after a fairly engrossing first hour. One wouldve expected Ballary to explore the infatuation angle in the story or the cracks that develop between the adolescent and his parents. Instead, the story wanders to an alien territory in the second hour and I actually wondered, did Ballary intend telling a fresh story in the second half? Thats not all! The story goes on and on and on and on… so much so that you fervently pray that it reaches its culmination pronto. But Ballary messes up the conclusion too.

Makes me wonder if BHEJA FRY was a fluke. Or was it just a flash in the pan? In fact, I would consider it disrespectful if anyone compares the brilliant TAARE ZAMEEN PAR with this slapdash effort!

Shambhu [Taher Sutterwala] is a 13-year-old teenager who falters consistently. Trouble at school, peer pressure and a half-baked romance, all contribute to his woes. A huge fight with some local boys and a stern warning from the School Principal deepens his crisis and running away from home seems like a solution.

On his journey of self-realization and discovery, Shambhu bumps into Vitthal [Chinmay Kambli], an extremely smart kid who belongs to a nearby fisherman colony. Shambhu is mesmerized by this new world he encounters with Vitthal. Everything is in such stark contrast to the world he had just left behind. And everything worked just fine until a sudden turn of events force Vitthal and Shambhu to set out on a train journey in search of a place where they can find the freedom they desire.

KACCHA LIMBOO starts off really well, with Ballary handling the material with great care. Childhood can be a delight, but in todays chaotic world, the kids are often exposed to the realities of adulthood very early in their life. The incidents depicted in the films first hour [peer pressure, puppy love, familial frustrations and high-school dilemmas] seem so real, as if they were borrowed from your, mine, our lives. The incidents, anecdotes, occurrences and episodes are worth noting, especially Shambhus interaction with his classmates and also with his parents [with his father in particular]. In fact, the viewer is introduced to Shambhus grumpy and irritable nature at the very outset, when Vinay Pathak and Rukhsaar, family friends, are invited home for dinner. The kid experiences the lonely stages at home and also at school and the film offers an insight into the emotional confusion that he experiences, besides creating a touching awareness of his unspoken agonies.

But, like I pointed out earlier, KACCHA LIMBOO goes haywire in the post-intermission portions. One only expects Ballary to come up with a much better second hour, but you feel exasperated after a point. The film ends abruptly, leaving the viewer wondering what really happened to Vitthal, who fell off the train? Also, why is Shambhu felicitated by the School Principal? Did Shambhu actually commit some act of bravery to merit a felicitation in his school? If yes, what was it? No explanations are offered, frankly!

Ballary has injected a couple of songs in the narrative and though at least two numbers are decent, the song in the fishermen colony was just not required. In fact, it only makes the proceedings lengthier. I would like to make a special mention of the dialogue, which are wonderful at places.

Talking of performances, Sarika is natural, while Atul Kulkarni handles his part with ease. The show actually belongs to the kids - Taher and Chinmay - who are the real stars of the enterprise. Taher delivers a spontaneous, deep and convincing performance, while Chinmay catches your attention with a splendid performance. In fact, it is Chinmay who makes vital portions of the second hour come alive with his bindaas portrayal. The remaining kids, each of them, are complete natural. Rajesh Khattar is effective. Iravati Harshe does well, but where does she disappear suddenly? Bhairavi Goswami gets no scope. Vinay Pathak, in a cameo, is passable. Ditto for Rukhsaar.

On the whole, KACCHA LIMBOO comes across as an unripe and undeveloped effort. Disappointing!

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Bhushan Kumar, Mukesh Talreja, Kishan Kumar, Twinkle Khanna, Zoeb Springwala Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani, Loy Mendonca  Akshay Kumar, Anushka Sharma, Rishi Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia, Prem Chopra, Hard Kaur, Rabbit Sack , Soni Razdan, Tinu Anand, Prem Chopra, Kumud Mishra, Jeneva Talwar 

A while ago, I posed a question on Twitter and Facebook, asking people what their expectations were from PATIALA HOUSE. The reaction ranged from encouraging and affirmative to unenthusiastic and unexciting. A wide number of caustic and scathing comments were a consequence of Akshay Kumars last years releases, namely KHATTA MEETHA, ACTION REPLAYY and TEES MAAR KHAN. Also, a few called it similar to DE DHANA DHAN GOAL, while some even compared it with NAMASTEY LONDON.

In fact, a lot many factors go against PATIALA HOUSE. Director Nikihil Advani and Akshays last outing together, the infamous CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA, remains a favorite punching bag to this day. Besides, PATIALA HOUSE comes at a time when people have had an overdose of Akshay starrers. I reiterate, there ought to be at least six months gap between two films of a major star, while this is Akshays fourth release in six months [KHATTA MEETHA - 23 July, ACTION REPLAYY - 5 November and TEES MAAR KHAN - 24 December]. Moreover, the film opens exactly one week before the keenly anticipated World Cup cricket matches and coupled with that, it will have no breathing space as the very next week witnesses the release of another much-awaited film 7 KHOON MAAF. Expecting PATIALA HOUSE to overcome these hurdles is tough, mainly when the chips are down!

The chips are down also because people assume PATIALA HOUSE to be something which it is not. Let me clarify that PATIALA HOUSE is not an extension of Akshays previous films. Sure, PATIALA HOUSE has its share of humorous moments, but the humor is of the subtle kind here. Nor can one compare it to NAMASTEY LONDON, since that film was more of a love story between a British-born Indian and a desi Indian, while PATIALA HOUSE is more of an inspirational film. Its about chasing your dreams as and when you get another opportunity, if you don succeed the first time.

Essentially, PATIALA HOUSE is a somber film, with the focal point being drama and histrionics rather than the slapstick wit or in-your-face comedy that one anticipates from an Akshay starrer. Its more about familial bonding, with a sport [cricket] interwoven in the screenplay. This one doesn tickle your funny bone; instead it moistens your eyes thanks to the poignant moments in the narrative, especially the penultimate moments of the film. Those exhausted of watching Akshay getting typecast in similar genre films will drop the charges while watching this one. This is, without a shred of doubt, amongst Akshays finest performances.

On the flip side, the screenplay of PATIALA HOUSE is erratic - vacillating between engaging to run of the mill to flaccid moments. In fact, a chunk involving the game plan - the family trying various gimmicks and ploys to conceal the truth from Rishi Kapoor - is lame and bizarre. Ditto for the romance between Akshay and Anushka; it comes across as half-baked and looks tame. Even the members of the family, most of them, have ill-defined characters. Fortunately, these deficiencies get camouflaged as the father and son get set for an emotional showdown in the pre-climax. From this point onwards, right till the euphoric victory, the film reaches its pinnacle.

Final word? PATIALA HOUSE is an underdog. The expectations are zilch, the odds are not in its favor, but the film throws a pleasant surprise. Go for it!

At Patiala House lives the Kahlon family ruled by Bauji [Rishi Kapoor]. They follow his diktats as he tries to hold onto his Indian values in the land of the goras. The younger generation at Patiala House wants to assert themselves and follow their dreams, but is held back by their respect and love for Bauji and the shining example of Baujis eldest son, Parghat Singh Kahlon aka Gattu [Akshay Kumar].

Gattus decision to turn cricketer and play for England is unacceptable to Bauji, who tears his dream apart right in front of his eyes. A dejected Gattu decides to live the life that his father forces upon him. Gattu genuinely cares and respects his fathers opinion, so much that he is prepared to let his own dream be sacrificed in the process. Will Bauji loosen his hold and let the youngsters find their own dreams, instead of following his? Will Gattu get a second chance to live his life?

Theres no denying that the story of PATIALA HOUSE reminds you of Gurinder Chadhas BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM, wherein Parminder Nagra, as the second-generation Sikh girl, defied her parents wishes to play football. However, PATIALA HOUSE is a film about attachments, affiliations and familial bonding, about respect and trying to adjust to contradictory values that generally crop up when one relocates to another country. More importantly, its about dreams and aspirations and how fate offers you a second chance in life. PATIALA HOUSE is not one of those atypical mass entertainers that focuses only on providing entertainment, while the story takes a complete backseat. This one, thankfully, has a story to tell. And an interesting one, frankly. Also, as much as this film focuses on the relationship between the father and son, it also weaves the popular sport well in the narrative and that makes for an interesting viewing. However, the cricket factor is subsidiary; the focal point remains the father-son conflict. Nikhil Advani ensures that beneath the familial bonding and curbed aspirations, theres an underlined message as well: Chase you dreams, don give up, you live only once!

The film has some striking moments and I would like to single out the ones when writers Nikhil Advani and Anvita Dutt Guptan take you back in time to a younger Rishi Kapoor and Akshays childhood. The racist attacks and how it impacts the family is straight out of life. Besides, the vital sequence in the film - Rishi commands the young Akshay [enacted by Usman Qureshi] to abandon his plans of playing for England - is utmost convincing. The climax, of course, is powerful and the hallmark of this enterprise. It evokes emotions on dual levels - when the father decides to watch his son play cricket and also when Akshay wins the match for England. Ideally, the film shouldve concluded on this euphoric note, but the song thereafter lessens the impact of the exhilarated climax.

Director Nikhil Advani regains his position as a compelling storyteller, which he had lost post SALAAM-E-ISHQ and CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA. He illustrates his proficiency in the dramatic portions, handling the father-son sequences with dexterity. The soundtrack [music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy] is melodic, with Kyun Main Jaagoon being the best track of the enterprise. The song conveys the spirit of the film well. The placement of Laungda Lashkara may be debatable, but the song is tuneful nonetheless. The background score [also by S-E-L] is classy. Santosh Thundiyils cinematography is stunning.

Gattu is a character anyone can relate to or empathize with and to portray that convincingly is indeed difficult, but Akshay plays this part with rare maturity. Its a complex role to portray since he has to conceal the emotional turmoil he is experiencing within, yet wear a cheery expression against all adversities. The viewer is sure to connect directly and indirectly with this character, even if he/she may have not have experienced what he does in this film. Also, Akshay ensures that his bowling skills look absolutely realistic on screen and he does justice to the sport.

Rishi Kapoor, cast as the patriarch of a family settled in U.K., gets it right yet again. Note his dialect and body language in particular. As Bauji, the veteran actor delivers a sparkling performance, which would rank amongst his superlative work when you look back at his illustrious career. Dimple Kapadia doesn really get much opportunity initially, but is wonderful in the penultimate sequence when she confronts Rishi Kapoor.

Anushka is an integral part of the story. She is Akshays shoulder, an unconditional support for him and she fits perfectly into her character. Amongst the plethora of actors, Armaan Kirmani [as Akshays brother] is excellent, Jeneva Talwar [as Armaans pregnant wife, Akshays sis-in-law] is top notch and Usman Qureshi [essaying Akshays earlier years] is natural. Tinnu Anand is competent, as always. Prem Chopra is okay. Soni Razdan does a fair job. The kid who plays Anushkas brother is smart.

On the whole, PATIALA HOUSE is a film about attachments, affiliations and familial bonding. Its a compelling watch, more for its drama and histrionics than anything else. Its a film that explores the father-son relationship and not just those in India, but around the world should be able to relate to the predicament depicted in this film. The hallmark of the film is the merging of its engaging drama with cricket and thats what makes this product stand out from the earlier Akshay starrers. Especially its penultimate 30 minutes, which is the brightest spot of this enterprise. If the movie succeeds in pulling the heartstrings of the moviegoer, it would propel Akshay back in the same position he once was after the victory of NAMASTEY LONDON and SINGH IS KINNG.  

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Vikram Pradhan
Siddhanta Ashdhir Rajpal Yadav, Johny Lever, Divya Dutta, Manoj Joshi, Razzak Khan, Vijay Patkar 

Now heres yet another film that places its story on Rajpal Yadavs shoulders. This time, Rajpal has Johny Lever for company. MASTI EXPRESS, helmed by first-time director Vikram Pradhan, has two stories running concurrently: Rajpal and his wife Divya Duttas fervent desire to have their kid educated at a respectable institution and the auto rickshaw race that forms the crux of the story.

Quite an interesting idea, I must add, but interesting ideas don necessarily translate into fascinating cinematic experiences. The problem is, MASTI EXPRESS appeals in parts, not in its entirety. At places, the film is engaging, but there are times when it comes across as a yawn-inducing attempt. The screenplay writing is clearly the culprit here!

MASTI EXPRESS tells the story of a father [Rajpal Yadav], who desperately tries to get his only child admitted to a renowned school and provide him education. His son is just another brat in a slum with an uninspiring future. The son is refused admission initially, but later, when the father faces a lot of obstacles and wins an auto rickshaw race with the help of the school kids, the Principal [Manoj Joshi] opens the doors of his school to the kid.

The director tries to pack just about everything to make the film palatable to the junta janardhan. He decides to pander to the commercial diktats by injecting songs on guest stars [filmed on Shankar Mahadevan and Kashmira Shah, respectively] and also instill comedy in the narrative. Sadly, one doesn laugh at the jokes [which are crass anyways], the songs too act as speed breakers, while the kiddie portions are half-baked. Ideally, the director couldve avoided the unwanted add-ons [including the characters that suddenly arrive from other states to participate in the race] and the editor shouldve trimmed the film judiciously for a better impact.

On the brighter side, Pradhan has handled a few sequences expertly. Note the sequence when Rajpal cooks an alibi as soon as Divya Dutta enquires whether their kid has been granted admission in the school or not. Prior to that Rajpals sequence with the School Principal [Manoj Joshi] also stands out. Also, note the sequence when Divya tries to pacify a heart-broken Rajpal after the auto rickshaw accident. Besides, the finale, when Rajpal actually pulls the auto rickshaw to the winning post, moves you. The auto rickshaw race is interesting in parts, while the attempt to inject humor during the race falls flat.

Like I pointed out earlier, the songs don help in carrying the film forward, except for one song when the auto rickshaw is being repaired. However, the background score is effective, especially towards the finale. The cinematography is inconsistent.

Given the fact that the story of MASTI EXPRESS rests on his shoulders, one expects Rajpal to deliver a stunning performance, but he doesn . He is decent at best and there are times when one feels that hes hamming big time. Johny Lever is loud, but thats how his character is perceived. Divya Dutta stands out with a striking performance. Vijay Patkar is just right, Razzaq Khan gets to deliver some funny lines, while Rajkumar Kanojia is passable. Manoj Joshi is strictly okay. Ryan Pinto has screen presence and also has the trappings of a fine actor, provided he gets the right parts to portray.

On the whole, MASTI EXPRESS falls short of expectations. Besides, the film has arrived with zilch hype and that will make the effort go disregarded.  

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