Do dooni chaar (दो दूनी चार)

"Do dooni chaar (दो दूनी चार)"

Watched Hindi movie Do dooni chaar (दो दूनी चार). This film is directed by Habib Faisal. Story Habib Faisal. Produced by Arindam Choudhuri. Music by Meet Bros Anjjan and Ankit Tiwary. Cinematography Anshuman Mahaley. The film stars Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Singh, Aditi Vasudev, Archit Krishna and Akhilendra Mishra. The film runs for about 1 hours 45 minutes and was released in 2010. I watched it on Netflix with Mihika and Aditi on 25th May 2020.

 

Santosh Duggal (Rishi) is a maths teacher who makes ther ends meet by teaching in school and coaching classes. He is famous for his ancient scooter. Neetu is his wife and they have teenager daughter and son. This movie is about their journey from owning a two wheeler to a four wheeler. 

What do they have to do to cross the bridge? How can Duggal afford a car with his salary? Where does he get the money from?

The story is simple. A teacher squeezed from one side financially and on the other by the expectations of his family and generally by the poky remarks of relatives and neighbours. What are his ideas, plans and temptations. Will they lead to a car? It's a feel good movie. 

Rishi Kapoor is a pleasure to watch. But he simply doesn't look financially distressed or squeezed by the situation. Neetu is also a pleasure to watch. She too doesn't look lower middle class. Aditi and Archit are good. Akhilendra has a small role of neighbour.

Direction is decent. Director manages to capture minor details well (like a neighbour commenting on car colour, a relative making remark on his scooter etc.). The graph of movie steadily keeps rising until climax in McDonald's. Here the director hurry's things. Director delivers a message for everyone. But what could have been delivered very effectively is delivered plainly. The fight scene with burgers, coke and French fries is totally uncalled for. It doesn't only not fit the script but goes against it. Director slips here. 

Cinematography is ok, mostly Delhi. Music is ok. I didn't remember any song after the movie. 

A good movie to watch with family. 

Murder mystery

Watched English movie "Murder mystery". 

This movie is directed by Kayle Newachek. Screenplay by James Vanderbilt. Produced by Adam Sandler, James Vanderbilt and others. It stars Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Luke Evans, Gemma Arterton and Luis Gerardo Mendez. Music is by Rupert Gregson- Williams. Cinematography by Amir Mokri. Film runs for about 1 hour 40 minutes and was released in Aug 2019. I watched it with Aditi on 10th Apr 2020 on Netflix.

This movie is part of series of movies by Adam-Jennifer where Adam plays a cop who isn't able to pass the detective exam. 15 years after marriage they decide to go for honeymoon to Europe. Here they land on a yatch of a rich wrinkled industrialist when he is about to marry a young lady. Guess what? There is a murder and the American couple is suspect. 

Can Adam and Jennifer avoid arrest? Can they find the real killer? Are there any more murders? How will it end?

Adam plays the underachieving cop who also shows sparks occasionally and keeps cracking bad jokes otherwise. Jennifer plays the pretty hairdresser wife who likes her husband but also likes to have fun. Other characters play their part. 

It's a whodunit murder mystery. So everyone is a suspect and no one appears innocent. However there is hardly any investigation and detective work. Most of the things happen by chance assisted by some deduction. Needless to say this movie has a very unimaginative title. 

Cinematography and music is good. Sets are good. Things appear real. Locations are good. One should not ask questions like: How French police enter Italy and make an arrest without knowledge of Carabinieri? Why an Indian Maharaja speaks with American accent? How can a right handed person plunge dagger deep from left of the victim? and so on..

This movie won people's award for Favourite Comedic movie. 

Watch it for fun, if you don't have a better movie to watch!

Dum laga ke haisha (दम लगके हैशा)

"Dum laga ke haisha (दम लगके हैशा)"

Watched Hindi movie 'Dum laga ke haisha (दम लगके हैशा)'. Directed by Sharat Katariya. Produced by Aditya Chopra and others. Writer Sharat Katariya. Cinematography Manu Anand. Music Andrea Guerra (Italian musician, background score) and Anu Malik. It stars Ayushman Khurana, Sanjay Mishra, Shiba Chaddha, Alka Amin, Chandrachoor Rai, Shrikant Verma and introducing Bhoomi Pednekar. I watched this movie with Aditi, on Netflix, on 24th April 2020. The movie is about 1 hour 50 min long and was released in 2020.

Ayushman, a 10th fail, owns a video and audio cassette shop in Haridwar. His father marries him to Bhumi, who is a graduate and is fat (overweight), against his wish. In the wedding of his friend, who lands a slim and good looking wife, he gets drunk and bad mouths Bhumi, who hears it. She goes away to her parents. 

Will they divorce? Will they come together? Will the marriage disintegrate? What is Dum laga ke haisha pratoyogita?

The story starts like a regular story but quickly catches your imagination. A smart lad and a fat girl makes an interesting story. However, the condition of winning Dum Laga ke haisha patiyogita is childish. Ayushman-Bhumi don't practice for it even once. They simply wake up and decide to participate and win the pratiyogita. Just like that. It appears like an appendage. 

Ayushman and Bhumi play their role very well. It's Bhumi's debut film as heroine. She deserves credit for selecting to play a fat lady for debut. She had to become fat for the role. Other actors are proven supporting actors and do their job.

Locations in Haridwar are carefully chosen. You feel the sights and sounds. No sets.

Shakha babu is shown criticizing Ayushman for marrying while underlining the importance of bachelorhood. But in Pratiyogita he is competing with his wife. How?

So, good start, decent build up, sloppy end.

Watch if you have nothing better to do during lock down. 

Badla (बदला)

"Badla (बदला)"

Watched Hindi movie "Badla (बदला)". This film is directed by Sujoy Ghosh. Screenplay by Sujoy Ghosh. Produced by  Gouri Khan, Sunil Khetrapal and Akshay Puri. Music by Amaal Mallik, Anupam Roy and Clinton Cerejo. Score Clinton Cerejo. Cinematography Avik Mukhopadhyay. The film stars Tapasee Pannu, Amitabh Bacchan, Tony Luke, Amrita Singh, Tanveer Ghani and Manav Kaul. The film runs for about 2 hours and it released in Mar 2019. I watched it on Netflix on 10th Apr 2020 with Aditi and Mihika.

Tapasee, a successful business woman, is having an affair with Tony. One day a blackmailer invites them to a remote hotel. Tapasee is found unconscious and Tony murdered in a room locked from inside. Tapasee's only hope of avoiding arrest is Amithabh, a lawyer who hasn't lost a single case in his entire career. 

Who is the murderer?  What is the story behind the murder? Can Amitabh defend Tapasee and avoid arrest?

Most of the movie happens in one room with a few scenes outdoor shots. Director has done a commendable job by ensuring that the audience remain rooted to the chair despite it not being a fast story. There is a web of lies in this movie but director doesn't get entangled in his own web. The movie has all ingredients in measured quantity to ensure that the balance is maintained, audience remains interested, 'what next' always remains on the mind and the overall effect is more than sum of it's parts. 

Amitabh and Tapasee are accomplished actors and they do complete justice to their roles. Probably the roles are made for them. Tapasee plays an innocent accused who had made a mistake of having extra marital affair. Amitabh plays a supremely confident lawyer who sifts through lies to find truth and has attention to detail. Amrita Singh plays role of a bereaved but determined mother. Tony is the only character who appears inadequate when pitched against likes of Tapasee and Amitabh.

Cinematography is good. Story happens in UK, there are many scenic locations. I especially liked the hotel. Although there are music directors, there is no song in the movie. 

The story of this movie is based on 'The invisible guest' by Oriol Paulo. In this movie the genders of all protagonists is changed as compared to the original Spanish movie. 

A very good movie. Recommend to watch.