Sunday, October 21, 2007

Hindi Chandramukhi

Almost all of you know the story. So no wasting bandwidth posting story, screenplay etc. I can already see my favourite race in the world saying.. "endaa... chandramugeee Manichitirutta taazhanda kaaapi aanu.." yov! 1000 varushama idayee solladeengaappa.

First half of Bhool Bhulaiyaa is semma drag... some slapstick comedy thrown here and there, which I love :) Too many characters - maama, chaacha, athimber, maushi, maushan, cousin, munshiji, seth-ji, astrologer-ji, LKG, UKG etc... So don't waste your time figuring out how they are all related to each other.

CAST

Vidya Balan and Shiney Ahuja play Jyothika and Prebhu who come to the Bhoot Mahal. Shiney is the descendant of Hindi Vettaiyaa Raja. Paresh Rawal, Manoj Joshi, Rasika Joshi play the other characters in the film. Akshay Kumar is Superstar psychiatrist who comes from the US to solve the mystery behind the Hindi Ra-ra, hindi salangai sattham etc. Ameesha patel + 1 kilo makeup - acting plays his love interest. In fact, there is no love, only interest.. Rajpal Yadav is the Bollywood Vadivelu. Asrani who has been doing the same kind of kaamedy for the last 120 years continues to do so.

I can already see Vineeth all set to make a fortune with rumours of this film being remade in Assamese, konkani, manipuri, bhojpuri, swahili and some 500+ languages. I am sure even in those remakes he will play the dancer and earn his 2 minutes of f(r)ame.

WHAT WORKS

Like Superstar's charisma that made Chandramukhi a huge hit, it is Akshay's star power that pulls the film through. He is introduced just before the interval block, just as you start wondering if it is worth staying back to watch the film. Shiney Ahuja's throat must have gone for a six after this film with his constant screaming. Vidya Balan is a lot better than Jyo. Atleast she does a little bit of dancing and super in the climax scene. Paresh, Asrani, Rajpal, Rasika + 100 other comedy artistes are full paisa vasool for front benchers and slapstick kaamedy lovers like me.

Sabu Cyril's set work is good. Thiru's cinematography is decent in parts, especially the scenes shot in twilight - Priyadarshan style. This is probably one of the very very few films where a large section of the people wait till the last frame to see the end credit thanks to the title song which goes "Hare raam Hare raam" that plays along with the credits. The song, sung by Neeraj Shridhar is a real chartbuster. I listen to it almost 8 times a day on radio and laaauv it! Pritam, the Hindi Deva is the music director. Liked Hindi 'ra-ra' as well sung by Shreya Ghoshal and MG Sreegumar.

Vidya's sarees are lovely. Shiney looks smart. The location is beautiful, the bhoot mahal looks believable.

WHAT DOESN'T

The first half is very very slow. Too many continuity mistakes. Too many characters. What was the need for M G Sreegumar to sing Hindi ra-ra.. uggggh! Ore the accent aanu. The mallu connection (Priyadarshan) I guess.

WHAT I MISSED THE MOST

1. Lakalakalakalakalaka...
2. Enna koduma Saravanan Idhu?
3. Purushan felt that Hindi Ra-ra didn't have the punch of the tamizh song.

PREVIEW

Om-Sixpack-Om and Jodha-something's trailors. When one tells the story in the trailor itself, I guess half the interest is gone. Not that I was enthu anyways. Sick pack Khan is the struggling actor and his best friend, also a junior artiste, is Shreyas Talpade(the trailor says junior artist.. englipees elizabetthungala? which is right? artiste or artist?) Sick Khan falls in love with Deepika Padukone, a successful actress. Just as Sick Khan hits the jackpot with a hit film with him in the lead, Arjun Rampal the rival hero kills him. Sick Khan is reborn as Om, becomes an actor and takes revenge on Arjun Rampal (Karz?). It has Kirron Kher in it. One big reason for anyone to avoid the film.. A-V-O-I-D big time but for Blogeswari's sake I shall watch Om Shanti Om :)

Jodha Akbar looked boring. Too many Ishq ki mohabbat ki Jodha Rajputon ki khwatir himmati hijwaar karenge sabko... kinda stuff.. highly yawnable.

13 Responses:

Slogan Murugan said...

Dunno about Chandramukhi. would like to know how Priyadarshan will screw up a Fazil film.

Oracle said...

Wasn't it Priyadarshan who said he will "improve" Devar Magan to make Virasat perfect?

A perfect idiot!

D LordLabak said...

Priyadarshan has absolutely no originality. Has he ever made a film thats not a remake? But as you said Akshay will make sure this becomes a hit. I am dying to see PVasu's reaction for a hindi remake of "his" comeback movie.

aparnaa said...

Good Review!!
will try to watch the movie and post my comment on them..

ambi said...

LOL :)

good review. again in gilli..? :p

also read your prev post now only. good theme. he hee, chithi adress kudunthu irunthaa sundaluku kudumbathooda poi irangi irupoom illa? :p

பரத் said...

//Vidya Balan is a lot better than Jyo//
Really?
பாக்கலாம்னு சொல்றீங்களா?

Me said...

off topic..indha advertising lam dhanda selavu nu sollinurundha amway company ippo ad's lam kudukaraangalay...enna vishyam nu theriyuma?

Me said...

..also what do you feel about ashwini hair oil ad...?

Gowri Shankar said...

//Vidya Balan is a lot better than Jyo//

Well, I dont't think so....

Anonymous said...

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Bikerdude said...

Nice blog :)

Just wanted to add my 2 cents here: I think none of these remakes compare to the original malayalam - Manichitrathazhu. probably because of kerala's inherent ghosts-and-goblins ethos.

Shobhana's acting was phenomenal too. Of course Mohan Lal (the original Akshay)'s underplayed role was wonderful too. Also, since the movie was in malayalam, the ra-ra equivalent song was in Tamil. Went something like "Maranthida maataaya."

Please watch it it you havent.

Slogan Murugan said...

Finally saw the movie and I regret it. Priyadarshan shouldn't be making any movie other than in malayalam. I think he is a dravidian torjan horse in bollywood stabbing away at Hindustani.

Anonymous said...

wherez my comment? y not published?