baburoy

Loosely based on TO CHASE A CROOKED SHADOW, it is a very well-enacted thriller. Uttam (a widower) is about to marry Sharmila Tagore when Sabitri enters his life, claiming to be his first-wife.

While Uttam says his wife dead, Sabitri is hell-bent on proving that she, the wife, is very much alive. She starts proving facts and the case drags to court where Utpal Datta as Uttam's lawyer tries to prove Sabitri as an impostor.

Sabitri is supported by Kamal Mitra, her lawyer and Bikash Roy.

Is Sabitri the real wife? If not, what had happened?

A predictable ending, it managed to portrayal the human emotions of a murderer very well.

I was not impressed. I was expecting a movie that could chill me to the bone. It was probably that I went to see the movie with big expectations.

When a horror movie is made, it needs (a) good story (b) good atmosphere (c) good direction (d) good acting.

What this movie lacked was on the story front.

I am impressed with RamGopal Verma's filming style. He managed to get 7 different directors for the 7 stories. Yes, there are 7 stories - apart from the six stories being told there is a story which revolves around the story teller.

The actors did their job well, they performed to their best ability (yes, Mallika Sherawat has acted for a change) and credit needs to be given to them and the directors.

This movie could not scare me, but again I did not come out looking for the producer and asking for refund of my money (refer to the 1st story of the man who went to see Darna Mana Hai and walked through a graveyard).

I have posted my comments on my blog site (http://babu-roys.blogspot.com/2006/04/you-need-to-get-scared.html) also.

I would not want to see the movie again, but I will not rate it as bad.

When I started watching this film, Amitabh Bachhan had won the Filmfare award for the best supporting actor. I wanted to see how good he was - I wasnt disappointed. The film had a bunch of new comers who didnt really disappoint. But even then I wasnt pleased overall with the movie. A) Do girls in India wear dresses that barely cover them? If so, I am sorry the India which I thought was know for its culture and ethics is no longer there. B) The age old tradition of Surya Namaskaar has got certain 'mudras' for performing it. A 'mudra' is a representation by hands and fingers representing one of the elements. Basking in the sun is nice, just do not break traditions.

I wanted to be pleased with the movie, I was hurt. Is this what Indian culture is about nowadays? I am sorry.

Zubeidaa was a real person. Shyam Benegal has tried to portray her story through the movie. When Indian films graduated from the silent era to the talkies, Zubeida starred in the first Indian talkie - Alam Ara. She was a divorcee who fell in love with the then maharaja of Jodhpur. They got married but Zubeida never earned the status of a queen. She always remained the 'other woman'. Zubaida married the late Maharaja of Jodhpur Hanwant Singh, a high- flier who fell for her beauty. Both the Maharaja and Zubaida were killed in an air crash near Jodhpur 48 years ago. Their son, Hukum Singh, popularly known as Tutu Bana, was murdered fifteen years ago under mysterious circumstances at Jodhpur. Well known film journalist Khalid Mohammed, Zubaida's son from her first marriage, wrote a story on her late mother. Originally, it is a love story, but for the film version, little changes have been made. Now the film - Karishma Kapoor has matured as an actress. She was known as Govinda's heroine. Now with movies like Fiza and Zubeidaa, Karishma has shown that she can act. Rekha is wonderful in her short but important role as the King's elder wife, Mandira Devi. The only flaw I found was casting of Manoj Bajpai as the king. The Rajput kings were really majestic looking - tall and fair and very cultured. Manoj Bajpai did not have that in his personality though he made for it by his acting talent. This is not a typical Shyam Benegal film. People expecting a serious thought provoking movie would be disappointed. This is Shyam Benegal's first attempt to bridge the gap between Commercial cinema and the 'art' cinema.

The movie is a love story of a journalist talking to people trying to find out all he can about a mother he never knew. He meets people and through them Zubeidaa's story unfolds. I enjoyed the movie and give it 7 out of 10.

In May 1991 Rajiv Gandhi was then campaigning as Prime Minister. He went to address the public in South India in the state of Tamil Nadu and there he was assassinated by a suicide bomber. The bomber was a girl called Dhanu. Dhanu was a cousin of Shivarasan, the supposed mastermind of the assassination. When Santosh Sivan, a well know cinematographer wanted to make a film on terrorism and a terrorist, he chose the above events to film his story. And he made a wonderful movie. While many movies try to focus on why a person became a terrorist, this one did not. It was assumed that the terrorists were there.

The story is simple. Malli, a terrorist, is chosen to be a suicide bomber to blow up an important leader. She comes from a family of people who are fighting for their freedom. In her journey she meets many people. A lover, who she met when she saved his life and who later died; a young boy named Surya alias Lotus who dies, a farmer, Vasu and his family. In her journey somewhere, she realizes the importance of emotions and love.

Malli's leader passes her of as his cousin and she goes to stay with a farmer in a village. The farmer's son is not there and thus a room is vacant. Slowly the viewer realizes why the room is empty. Malli rehearses for the final day and then...........

The film is not at all a biography of Dhanu the suicide bomber. Dhanu was never nervous. She had a whole troupe working with her and when she went on with her mission she had a lot of backup in case she failed. The film here is a story of a human being who had become a terrorist who realizes what it is to be human. The film burns with a tense, bloody power ­ there's no denying this is one of the most visually stirring films to come out of the massive Indian film community in years, but the interplay of the beauty and terror clash perhaps too often and leave the viewer wondering why (this is possibly the film's point, though it seems muddled, the tension diluted). John Malkovich, who has been trumpeting the film's praises since he first saw it at a screening during the 1998 Cairo International Film Festival, has come on board as a sort of post-facto executive producer (The Terrorist's titles read "John Malkovich Presents"). It's clear from Malkovich's lengthy article in The New York Times sometime back that he considers the film to be a masterpiece (he says as much), and to a degree it is. Shot in 15 days, with natural lighting, on a budget of $50,000, and using a variety of non-actors, the film is a marvel to behold (at least visually). Incidentally acting in Malli (Terrorist) got Ayesha Dharker, the girl who plays Malli, her role in Star Wars-Episode II. Episode II Casting Director Robin Gurland was completing casting in New York when she read the article in the New York Times by John Malkovich describing Dharker's performance in The Terrorist, a small film he saw at the Cairo Film Festival. "He praised both the film and Ayesha's performance," said Gurland, "but unfortunately I couldn't catch the film before I left New York. By chance Sam Jackson was filming Shaft in town and I stopped by the set to say hello. We started talking about films and as luck had it, Sam had just received a videotape of the movie. I borrowed the tape and was mesmerized by her performance. Fortunately, I was able to track her down and Ayesha and I met in London."

I saw the movie on DVD and liked it. I think if Shakespeare were alive today he would have like. Taylor and Burton do justice to their roles and the movie also introduced a brilliant actor Michael York as Lucentio. I had read the play and had seen the movie 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU which was loosely based on the play. When I got a chance to see the movie, I grabbed it. Elizabeth Taylor as Katharina the shrew is brilliant. She shows why is much more than a celebrity. Richard Burton shines as Petruchio. Franco Zeffirelli is a reputed director and he shows why. A must see movie for the fans of Shakespeare and the play.

A very authentic portrayal of a Jewish girl's adventure. Minnie Driver is very convincing as the Jew girl, who after her father's death comes for employment to a christian house. She passes herself off as a christian girl and become the governess of the small girl in the house.

Here she falls in love which leads to a disaster for her. Wonderfully portrayed and supported by the cast, the movie is a nice thought provoking movie to watch.

I rented the movie and did not like it. The jokes were wasted, it felt like a Troma film (even some of those have been funny). It could have been better - I think the main objective was how to make scenes from "Scream1","Scream2","I know what you did last sumer","Matrix","Sixth Sense" appear. They were so engrossed in this they forgot that there was a movie to be made too.

I saw the movie last night. I had heard about it and did not know what to expect. It was raining last night in San Francisco, so I thought - lets see what the movie turns out like. It was Good. I had initially thought I would watch a part last night and go and finish the rest - but it was so good, I could not bring myself to stop it. Three friends, a dead room-mate and a bag full of money - it didn't sound much but it was a great thriller. Ewan was good and Kerry Fox was good. All in all - a movie worth investing.

I had heard a lot about the movie and people would tell me its too long. So this week, I decided to rent it and see it. Wow!! It did not seem long at all. It was a wonderful movie..very well made. The actors were very convincing, the periodic settings seemed authentic....Over all a wonderful film.

I was quite undecided as to whether I liked the movie or not. I felt satisfied but did I like it. I finally think I did. A psycologist goes into the mind of a serial killer. The mind is a combination of Dali with a generous sprinkling of Freud/ Jung. Bizarre, but enjoyable.

AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs is the first major salute to the films and film artists that have made audiences laugh throughout the century. Continuing the celebration of the centennial of American cinema, AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs aired on the CBS Television network on June 13, 2000.

AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs reveals America's 100 funniest movies, as chosen by leaders of the entertainment community from a list of 500 nominated movies, in a three-hour television event. Drew Barrymore hosted the AFI special, which featured interviews from some of today's funniest stars.

The top ten funny movies were : 1. Some Like It Hot 2. Tootsie 3. Dr. Strangelove 4. Annie Hall 5. Duck Soup 6. Blazing Saddles 7. M*A*S*H 8. It Happened One Night 9. The Graduate 10. Airplane!

A nice story based on THE SOUND OF MUSIC. A hit in its times, it has some good acting by Sanjeev Kumar, Jaya Bhaduri and Jeentendra. Vinod Khanna has a small role in the movie. Pran is trying to bring up his grandchildren, children of his dead son, Sanjeev Kumar. The children are very obstinate, but things start changing when a teacher(Jeetendra) come to take care of the children. The eldest grand child(Jaya Bhaduri) falls in love with the teacher and things sort out.

A hilarious remake of A COMEDY OF ERRORS. Two Sanjeev Kumars and two Deven Vermas - a master and servant pair.

Confusions are many when the pairs get mistaken for each other. Nice music by R.D.Burman.