13B

By Taran Adarsh

Rating: *1/2

Do you believe in spirits? Have you had paranormal experiences? If the answer is in the negative, 13B would try to make you believe in them.

For almost three decades, the Ramsays used skulls-n-skeletons to scare the living daylights out of you. But post BHOOT, supernatural thrillers, errie and spooky themes and scary movies have only evolved this side of the Atlantic.

13B, directed by Vikram Kumar, belongs to the same family as THE RING and PULSE. No, it's not a copy of these two films, but there's an uncanny resemblance: A home appliance is used by the spirits to convey their message.

To give the credit where it's due, 13B involves you in the proceedings and most importantly, scares you as well. But the director, who also happens to be the writer of the film, ought to know an unwritten rule for movies of this genre. Cut it short. 13B is stretched, sorry over-stretched by at least 25-30 minutes and you just can't help but exclaim, 'Enough! Come to the point please.'

The problem is, 13B takes its own sweet time to come to the point. Besides, you can't help notice the blemishes in the screenplay. What eventually comes across is a film that had the stamina to win the marathon, but which runs out of breath and starts huffing and puffing midway.

Manohar (R. Madhavan), an upwardly mobile middle class Indian, moves into a new apartment -- 13B on the 13th floor -- with his family. From the first day in their new home, the women are hooked to a new TV show 'Sab Khairiyat'. The show is about a family eerily similar to their family, who have also just moved into a new house.

As the TV show unfolds, the incidents that happen in the show start happening to Manohar and his family.

Initially, a number of happy events take place and a lot of good things happen, both in the show and with Manohar's family. Then things take a turn for the worse and shocking incidents start happening in the TV show.

Will the same happen to Manohar and his family? Will Manohar be able to solve the mystery in time before it consumes him and his entire family?

Now let's look at the plusses: P.C. Sreeram's exceptional camerawork, the brilliant sound design and of course, an energetic background score that enhances the mood. Add to it a few individualistic sequences, which merit ample praise. The sequences with the septuagenarian neighbour and his dog are exceptional, especially the sequence when the dog refuses to enter the flat.

But the screenplay goes back foot at regular intervals. In fact, the writer builds up the story really well, it reaches its crescendo and then... it blows it up. The viewer is curious to get to the bottom of the mystery and when you do reach there, you aren't too convinced with what actually unravels.

If the television set had to spill the beans towards the end to the culprit, why didn't it do so to the main protagonist earlier? Also, a photo album is unearthed from the play area of the garden, but how come it wasn't unearthed when the mansion gave way to a high-rise apartment?

Even the track involving Deepak Dobriyal had the potential to be a great 'twist in the tale', but the limitations in the writing show up during this chapter as well.

Director Vikram Kumar has executed the material well, but he should've limited the running time of the film to 1.30 hours or maximum 1.45 hours, definitely not 2.28 hours (yes, that's the running time of this film).

Dialogues are, surprisingly, pedestrian. How could the director okay them in the first place? Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music is more of an intrusion. Ideally, it should've been a songless film.

Madhavan does a commendable job. This is amongst his better works. Neetu Chandra is alright. Amongst supporting actors, Deepak Dobriyal's body language and performance leaves an impression. Poonam Dhillon gets no scope. Sachin Khedekar is wasted. Dhrtiman Chatterjee, the neighbour, is first-rate.

On the whole, 13B is interesting in parts, not in entirety. Also, as mentioned earlier, films of this genre, the world over, have a shorter duration (1.30 hours or 1.45 hours) and the approx. 2.28 hours' running time would test the patience of the viewer.

At the box-office, with cricket matches on one hand and examinations on the other proving major oppositions, this scary movie would prove to be a scary proposition for its investors.

Dhoondte Reh Jaoge

By Taran Adarsh

Rating: **1/2

Surprise, surprise, surprise! Dhoondte Reh Jaoge is a pleasant surprise, frankly. Let's admit, we've witnessed a spate of nonsensical comedies in the past and laughed during most of them actually. Dhoondte Reh Jaoge is also non-stop nonsense, but, thankfully, with a story.

Come to think of it, you walk into Dhoondte Reh Jaoge with zilch expectations, almost sure that you're going to devote 3 hours of your precious life to a film that would soon be forgotten the very next day itself.

Okay, now let's forewarn you... Don't wear your thinking caps for this one. This film is plain silly. It has a ridiculous storyline (two good-for-nothing desperate to make a flop film), the most ludicrous jokes (Paresh Rawal, Johny Lever and gang), the most tacky sets... yet, this film works. It entertains and most importantly, makes you laugh at the right places.

Feeling morose or low? Has the global meltdown and recession hit you like a ton of bricks and you need a break? Try out Dhoondte Reh Jaoge. It's silly, but quite funny!

Anand (Kunal Khemu) and Raj (Paresh Rawal) are, perhaps, the two most extreme individuals that have walked the city of Mumbai. While Anand is a chartered accountant, Raj is a film producer.

They hatch a plan to raise big money to produce a feature film and then actually make it at a pittance amount.

In fact, they decide to make it so badly that audiences would reject it on the first day of its release. Anand and Raj believe this would give them a foolproof chance to decamp with the remaining huge amount they've raised for the making of this venture.

But the film turns out to be a huge hit. Now the financers and distributors are after Anand and Raj for their chunk of shares from the huge profit.

In films like Dhoondte Reh Jaoge, the emphasis is not on story, but on the entertainment quotient and the film works on that level. The jokes are quite funny at times and the witty dialogues do the trick as well.

But you can't shut your eyes to the deficiencies in this project. If the first hour succeeds in transporting you to ha-ha-land, the film dips in the second hour, but picks up speed in the pre-climax, at the big nite -- the premiere screening of the film.

Ample time is devoted to the film made by Paresh and Kunal, funnily called 'Solay Se L'Gaan Tak' (yep, that's how it is spelt). The spoof on SHOLAY, D.D.L.J., GADAR and LAGAAN are simply hilarious.

Director Umesh Shukla may not be a proficient technician, but he succeeds in keeping your eyes glued to the screen for most parts of the film. His choice of actors is perfect. Sajid-Wajid's music is of fast-forward quality.

Paresh Rawal and Johny Lever steal the show with their impeccable comic timing. Both excel in their respective parts. Kunal Khemu is a revelation. Very likable.

Sonu Sood plays the moody and tantrum throwing star to perfection. Soha is completely in sync with her character. Dilip Joshi (as Soha's uncle) is top notch.

On the whole, Dhoondte Reh Jaoge is silly, but quite funny. A film that offers laughter in the garb of mindless entertainment. It might just work with people who are looking for some time pass fun, without taxing the brains.

Source: SantaBanta.Com

Siddharth - The Prisoner

By Taran Adarsh

Rating: *

There's a thin line that divides unconventional and experimental cinema. Siddharth - The Prisoner, directed by debutante Pryas Gupta, has an unconventional plotline, but what comes across is quite abstract. In fact, a film like Siddharth - The Prisoner is more suited for film festivals, not mainstream commercial platform.

Also, Pryas's prayaas sounds interesting on paper, but is not even part interesting on celluloid.

Just released from prison, Siddharth (Rajat Kapoor), a once-famous writer, completes a new manuscript. He re-engages with the outside world, hoping that the new book will restore his reputation and reconcile him with his estranged wife Maya.

However, fate has other plans for Roy when his briefcase gets exchanged at a cyber café with a similar briefcase containing a large sum of money. Roy loses the only copy of his manuscript, while Mohan (Sachin Nayak), the cyber cafe manager, comes under pressure from his boss (Praddip Sagar) to recover the lost money.

Director Pryas Gupta devotes the entire first hour in introducing the handful of characters in the film. Ideally, a thriller -- this one had the potential to be a riveting fare -- should unfold at a feverish pace, but the story unfolds at a lethargic pace and worse, there's not much movement in the story in the first hour. In fact, the first hour is too boring.

But the plot does move post intermission, more so towards the pre-climax when everyone starts double crossing the other. Sadly, the end ruins just about everything. What was Pryas wanting to say, lacks clarity. There may've been a message, but it doesn't come across at all.

Besides, the screenplay leaves a lot of questions unanswered. The film begins with Rajat being released from prison, but the reasons that resulted in this celebrated writer being put behind bars remains a mystery till the end. Ditto for the failed relationship that she shares with his wife. Half-baked tracks. Also, Rajat's about-turn in the penultimate moments looks weird.

The direction is below the mark, while the writing is bad. Ditto for the editing.

Rajat Kapoor doesn't get much lines to deliver. Nor is he given an opportunity to display histrionics. He's strictly okay. Sachin Nayak enacts his part convincingly. Praddip Sagar has his moments. Pradip Kabra is bland.

On the whole, Siddharth - The Prisoner is too abstract for Indian moviegoers. A disastrous fate awaits this film at the box-office.

Kisse Pyaar Karoon

By Taran Adarsh

Rating: *

Certain themes worked in the '70s and '80s. But they seem completely out of place in today's times. You can't connect with them, plain and simple. That's the issue with Kisse Pyaar Karoon.

Kisse Pyaar Karoon? uses every rule in the book to entertain the viewer. It borrows heavily from all masala films that one has watched and admired over the years. To give the credit where it's due, a few scenes are indeed funny. But it comes too late in the day. Ideally, it should've released a couple of years ago.

Sid (Arshad Warsi), John (Aashish Chowdhry) and Amit (Yash Tonk) are thick friends. Everything is going fine till Sheetal (Udita Goswami) enters the scene. She plans to usurp the wealth of John. She entices him and John falls for her.

Realising that Sid and Amit could thwart her plans, she creates problems and hurdles in their friendship. Sid and Amit realize her game and plan to throw a spanner. They decide to drill sense in John, but John is in no mood to listen. He's completely smitten by Sheetal. Sid and Amit embark on a plan to save John from Sheetal.

Director Ajay Chandhok displays a flair for comic entertainers, but there's not much he can really do since the writing (Yunus Sajawal) is archaic and outdated.

The same formula has been repeated so many times in the past, you don't react to it any longer. Despite the shortcomings, Chandhok has the potential to strike the right note if he gets the right script. Daboo Malik's music is pleasant. The title track and 'Bechain Saansein' come easy on the lips.

Arshad Warsi, Aashish Chowdhry and Yash Tonk play to the gallery. We don't expect histrionics in a film like this. Instead, we look for buffoonery and that's what they end up doing.

Udita Goswami makes her presence felt, while Aarti Chhabria is hardly there. Shweta Menon entertains when she's on screen. Shakti Kapoor and Ashish Vidyarthi are wasted.

On the whole, Kisse Pyaar Karoon? comes too late in the day. Perhaps, this masala film may've struck a chord a few years ago, not today.

Source:SantaBanta.Com