Film Review By Sachin Chatte
Film: Once upon a time in Mumbaai
Cast: Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Kangana Ranaut
Directed by: Milan Lutharia
Duration: 134 minutes
Rating: * *
The underworld gangsters are back. But unlike most of those films that were set in the 90’s, Milan Lutharia’s ‘Once upon a time in Mumbaai’ rewinds back to the 70’s, the early days of organised crime that made the likes of Haji Mastaan famous.
This effort leaves you with mixed feelings because even though you appreciate the fact that the film makers have chosen a subject could make a gripping film, the screenplay and the dialogues don’t quite do justice.
Set in the early seventies, there are plenty of allusions to real life people like Mastaan, Dawood Ibrahim Vardaraj Mudaliar and the heroine also suffers from the same heart problem as Madhubala. Told in flashback by ACP Wilson (Randeep Hooda), Sultan (Ajay Devgn) is the reigning king of the underworld who indulges in smuggling and some other illegal activities.
For his muse (Kangana Ranaut), who is an actress, he doesn’t mind buying a 25 paise guava for Rs 400 but much like the Godfather, he also detests anyone dealing with drugs. There is another guy on the scene Shoaib (not Akhtar) played by Emraan Hashmi, who is an aspiring Dawood. He also wants to be the king of Mumbai some day and joins the gang of the Sultan. He also has a girlfriend (Prachi Desai) who deserves an award for being the most dedicated girlfriend in the world. At one stage, he even dresses her up in a polka dot shirt, a la Dimple Kapadia in Bobby.
Between all the romances, senior gangster gives charge to be junior, only to be left huffing and puffing when he gets back from Delhi followed by a climax that is tame and predictable as it could get.
The characterisation is one of the weak points here and the screenplay rarely rises above the ordinary. Instead of talking straight and to the point, the dialogues almost test your patience. The film scores on the set design and production values. It does look like a scene from the 70’s giving a slight sense of nostalgia – There is also an oblique reference to Big B’s early days of stardom.
The songs just act as fillers and when it comes to the acting, Ajay Devgn has been there and done that, more than once. Emraan Hashmi is okayish in a rather crazyish role.
As for the ladies, both their characters are half baked. So once upon a time, they used to make better films in Mumbai…
For Whom The Bella Tolls
Film: Eclipse- The Twilight Saga
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
Directed by: David Slade
Duration: 124 minutes
Rating: * *
Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series has a huge fan following especially among adolescent teenage girls. The fan club has somewhat increased after the two films (‘Twilight’ and ‘New Moon’) in the sense that there are more teenage girls following Twilight than before.
From a cinematic point of view, the first was just about watchable, the second was quite an ordeal and the third one is no better. One was hoping that a different director, David Slade in this case, would bring in a refreshing approach but alas, that is not to be. The blame perhaps should go on the original material and the screenplay – Even though the writer says it is about the ‘virtues of chastity’ what we see here is a young girl who, three movies later, still can’t make up her mind if she wants to sleep with a wolf or a vampire. Fortunately, she has to decide between only those two categories and no more.
The story continues where new moon left and if you don’t know about the wolves and vampires here, you will be lost like a kid at a Mumbai railway station during peak hours. Bella’s (Kristen Stewart) IQ is and EQ still appears to be the same. She is blowing hot and cold with both the ‘guys’ Edward (Pattinson) is a hundred something year old vampire who is love with her and so is the shirtless wolf Jacob (Lautner). Bella wants to eat her cake and have it too – and have a second helping as well. She wants to sleep with Edward but he is rather old fashioned. Perhaps it is his age that has taught him to be patient.
She changes sides much faster than a Goan politician changes parties. In no time, she is asking Jacob to kiss her. Once, when they are sleeping the middle of a storm, he also gets a chance to warm her up while the vampire looks at them and has a conversation with him. To spice up things, you wish it would head the Brokeback mountain way but stops just in time.
The action involves Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard) who leads a team of vampires and is seeking revenge against Bella, for the death of her boyfriend. The ‘bad’ vampires fight against the wolves and the good vampires but you couldn’t care less as to who kills whom as long as they do it quickly in this 124 minute film.
The next book apparently will be made in two parts as far as the film is concerned.
It is hard to identify or feel sympathetic with any of the characters, least of all Bella. Much like the previous installment, there is fair bit of humour here – too bad it is unintentional. Of the cast, sadly they still haven’t learnt to act. Kristen Stewart is not a bad actress but Bella seems to bring out the worst in her. Robert Pattinson looks like a statue from Madame Tussauds museum. Taylor Lautner tries to substitute his acting skills by taking off his shirt. All in all, Twilight is meant only for die hard female teenage fans of the series. Men should consider a sex change operation if they are to make head or tale of this saga.
