Starring Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukherjhee, Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Preity Zinta
KANK is a good movie but it could have been much better. Johar shows his flair for comedy, he shows his flair for drama he shows his flair for relationships however when you leave the cinema there are only a couple of moments you take home with you. There's something missing in the film- at times it seems too big, too glamorous and too far for us to relate to what's happening onscreen
Bollywood Today Verdict: * * * 1/2
It's been a huge year for Bollywood. Never have we soon so many big films hit the mark at the BO. From 'Lage Raho Munnabhai' to 'Phir Hera Pheri' to 'Fanaa' the cash is just coming in for Bollywood. We take a look at what it all means.
After the much maligned 'Mangal Pandey' Aamir Khan has returned to the top with two of his films crossing 50cr in one year. Hrithik Roshan has silenced doubters with a powerpacked performance in Krrish. And Akshay Kumar continues to stay in touch with films like Phir Hera Pheri striking it big. But what lies amidst the carnage? SRK's claim to the title of Bollywood Baadshah.
Am I being premature? Perhaps. I mean KANK still grossed a respectable 45cr at the BO and Don looks on track to reach the same mark. But if you take a look closer you have start questioning SRK's numero uno status. KANK was heavily hyped, it had a huge budget, it had a huge starcast. If anything a 45cr gross is disappointing. Further, critics were far from impressed with SRK's grouchy Dev (although I admit that I was a huge fan). Don- its a yesteryear classic. There's no way you can go wrong working with a script like that (although Farhan Akhtar very nearly did).
SRK is not a spent force. He will still deliver hits. He will be the biggest drawcard in the overseas territories. But he has been knocked off his perch in India. Aamir Khan- with two vastly different films in 'Rang De Basanti' and 'Fanaa'- has gained ground; so much that he now leads SRK in India at least. But this industry always changes. SRK has had a solid year this year but no one can deny that he has been beaten hands down by Aamir. Maybe next year he'll be on the comeback trail.
Starring Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra, Naseeruddin Shah, Rekha
Priyanka Chopra delivers a weak performance. Some of the music is a little disappointing. The first half is formulaic. And yet this is by far one of the best movies of the year and there's only one reason. Hrithik. The actor take enormous strides with this film and comes up trumps wtih a performance that will make SRK nervous. If you watch it for nothing else, watch this for Hrithik.
Bollywood Today Verdict: * * * *
We have seen Saif Ali Khan as Iago and Ajay Devgan as Othello, but could we see Hrithik as Hamlet? Reportedly, the director of My Brother Nikhil, Onir (not Bharadwaj!) is considering making an adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet wtih Hrithik in the lead role.
Vishal Bharadwaj who actually directed 'Omkara', an adaptation of Shakespeare's 'Othello', and 'Maqbool', an adaptation of 'Macbeth' is currently looking at adapting Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar'. Having already displayed immense foresight and innovation in adapting Shakespeare's works into urban India one can only wait with unabated breath for what the director will dish up next.
But it seems Bharadwaj is not the only one in Bollywood who loves his Shakespeare.
Lage Raho Munnabhai
They're back! Munna (Sanjay Dutt) and Circuit (Arshad Warsi) are all set to light up the scren again when they return in an all new comic caper 'Lage Raho Munnabhai'. One of the most keenly awaited films of the year, it releases on September 1 and is expected to take the BO by storm.