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THE ACTOR/ACTRESS OF THE WEEK (AS YOU SEE IN THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT) IS UNANIMOUSLY:
Shah Rukh Khan
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Zakhm
Starring: Ajay Devgan, Pooja Bhatt, Sonali Bendre, Nagarjuna, Akshay Anand, Ashutosh Rana
Director: Mahesh Bhatt
Music: MM Kreem
Released. Mahesh Bhatt is known for making films based on his personal life's relationship like Arth which had glimpses of his relationship with Parveen Babi, Janam based on his father and now Zakhm which is based on his Muslim mother and the son's love for her mother.
A Brahmin film-maker (Nagarjuna) loves a Muslim woman (Pooja Bhatt). He gets two children from her -- the elder one Ajay (Kunal Khemu as younger Ajay Devgan) and Anand. However Nagarjuna does not get married to the Muslim lady because of his mother's pressure. At the father's funeral Ajay comes to know that his mother is a Muslim. Ajay's mother tell him not to disclose this truth to anyone. As a result even the younger brother does not know the truth and he joins a Hindu party and hates Muslims.
Then come the 1992-93 riots after the Babri Masjid incident where Ajay's mother is burnt by a Muslim mob. When Ajay buries her mother's body, it is seen by the party leader (Ashutosh Rana) and then starts the communal conflict.
Of the stars, Ajay Devgan has given a very sensitive performance as an angry young man and his love for his mother has been portrayed very well. Pooja Bhatt has also given an excellent performance. Akshay Anand and Ashutosh Rana have also given remarkable performances. Sonali Bendre as Ajay's wife is also impressive. But is Kunal Khemu who steals the show with his excellent performance.
The story does have some issues which are not very clear like why the mother wanted to hide her religion. The climax becomes too melodramatic and the basic line of the story changes. Anyhow there are few moments in the film which reminds of Mahesh Bhatt of seventies and early eighties. Music and lyrics are good.
Rating: Fair + 1/2
Daag
Starring: Sanjay Dutt, Chandarchur Singh, Mahima Chaudhary
Director: Raj Kanwar
Music: Rajesh Roshan
Released. Daag - The Fire - We must say that this film has a rather unusual name! However, Raj Kanwar has successfully blend emotions, action, drama, and songs, to give the audiences a watchable masala film.
Ravi Verma (Chandarchur Singh) is a corrupt criminal lawyer. He uses his legal powers to save the criminals and implicate honest people for a crime, just to save his father-in-law, Singhania (Raj Babbar). Ravi's wife Kajal (Mahima Chaudhary) disagrees with Ravi's attitude.
In one of the cases, Ravi implicates an honest municipal commissioner who is then sent to jail for corruption charges. While in jail, the commissioner is murdered by Singhania.
Now the revenge part starts. The commissioner's son Major Karan (Sanjay Dutt) sets out to avenge his father by attempting to kill Ravi. But unfortunately, Ravi's wife Kajal is killed and Ravi loses his memory.
A nautch girl Kajri (a look alike of Kajal) helps Ravi to regain his memory. Ravi, now a changed person, proceeds to marry Kajri. He tries to prove in the court that Karan's father was an honest person but ironically, Karan is still after Ravi's life. After a few dramatic scenes Karan and Ravi join hands and together finish off the Singhania's empire.
The ending of the film is too melodramatic. However there are so many things happening in the film and at such fast pace, that there is very little time for the audience to think.
The highlight of the film is excellent performance by all the three lead stars. Sanjay Dutt's presence on the screen after a long gap is appreciated. He excels in action scenes. However the director has focussed only on Sanjay's muscle power and ignored the emotional aspect of his role. Chandarchur Singh impresses in the role of a corrupt lawyer rather than the other role of a reformed person.
On the other hand, Mahima Chaudhary more in her second role of a nautch girl than as Ravi's disapproving wife. Not doing a glamourous role has given Mahima a chance to prove her talents. Raj Babbar and others are as usual.
Music by Rajesh Roshan is good especially with the songs Dil Deewana... and Pardesiya...
Rating: Fair + 1/2
Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain
Starring: Anil Kapoor, Kajol, Anupam Kher
Director: Satish Kaushik
Music: Anu Mailk
Released. It is a remake of the Telugu film Pavitra Bandham. It is not a usual love story. But it is a love story which begins after marriage.
Vijay Chopra (Anil Kapoor) after tremendous force from his father (Anupam Kher) to get married agrees into a one year contract of marriage. If he finds the girl perfect as a wife then he will continue the marriage otherwise break it. Megha (Kajol) who is the personal secretary of Chopra is the sole bread winner of the family. To support her family financially, she agrees for the marriage without disclosing to the family the clause of the one-year contract.
Megha gives all the happiness to Vijay which a wife needs to give her husband. But after one year Vijay though he likes her does not find her perfectly fit as a wife and he leaves her. Soon Vijay realises his mistake and also realises that he actually started loving Megha and goes to her to get her back. A humiliated Megha now does not want to return back to her husband. Vijay tries all the ways to woo Megha. After lots of drama and melodrama the two unite on the hospital bed.
The story is novel but some of the facts are just unconvincing like why poverty would force a self-respecting girl like Megha to enter into a one-year contract marriage. The ending of the film is too melodramatic where the wife has to rethink her decision of rejecting her husband just because she is a Bharatiya naari.
With all the faults in film and lengthiness of the film, it is Kajol who steals the show. She is just incomparable. She excels in every scene of the film and has put life into the most dullest scenes of the film. She is just par excellent in every role she played in the film whether it is of a self-respecting girl who supports her family, as a caring wife or finally as a dignified bold lady. One may not like the film but one surely falls in love with her, her acting powers. Her emotional scenes in the film make you cry. Anil Kapoor is also good in the heroine-oriented film. He underplays his character and is excellent in god bharai scene. Anupam Kher has done a good job. The characters of Satish Kaushik and Johnny Lever are unwanted and start getting repetitive and boring in the film. Anu Malik has given melodious music especially the title song and Chup Gaya Badli Mein Chand.... Just for Kajol's performance the film is worth watching.
Rating: Fair + 1/2
Aa Ab Laut Chalen
Starring: Rajesh Khanna,Akshaye Khanna, Aishwarya Rai, Suman Rangnathan, Satish Kaushik, Paresh Rawal, Jaspal Bhatti, Kader Khan and Moushami Chatterjee
Director: Rishi Kapoor
Music: Nadeem Shravan
Released. Rishi Kapoor's debut film as a director Aa Ab Laut Chale is a good attempt and it has successfully followed the RK tradition. Papa Raj Kapoor must be proud of his son's directorial talents. Except for the poor storyline, the film is very well directed with all the required gloss, message and love for one's country on the big canvas.
It is the story of an unemployed graduate Rohan (Akshaye Khanna) who comes to America to make a big fortune. Being a first class degree holder he does not get a job and is helped by Indians settled there. He also has to do the job of a waiter. Then there is Pooja (Aishwarya Rai) who is called to the USA by her elder brother for his own motive. The brother wants Pooja to marry his aged boss. Dejected Pooja wants to come back to India but does not have the money. She meets Rohan and soon falls in love with each other.
However Rohan's only ambition is to get a green card and so he tries to woo a rich NRI girl (Suman Ranganathan). Broken-hearted Pooja is supported by four NRIs who are poor but good at heart (Jaspal Bhatti, Kader Khan, Vivek Vaswani and Satish Kaushik). Soon Rohan realises his folly and so comes back to Pooja.
Now there is another angle to the story also. The hero's father (played by Rajesh Khanna) is added to the script. He is a rich NRI who came to America leaving his wife and son to earn money. Here he marries another girl and later his second son becomes a drug addict. Finally with lots of melodrama everyone wants to come back to their motherland (Aa Ab Laut Chalen).
Performance-wise Akshaye Khanna is very good. His expressive face is an ultimate boon to the camera. Aishwarya Rai looks very beautiful but then she has to go a long way in acting. She is not at all good in giving various expressions on her face. Suman Ranganathan has exposed and done a fairly good job. Rajesh Khanna in his comeback has done a decent job especially in the emotional scenes. It is Jaspal Bhatti in his light comedy who attracts your attention.
The film is a visual treat. The breathtaking foreign locales are just like a trip to America. The minus point is Nadeem Sharavan's music which is not up to the mark of RK banners' music. Another minus point is the really poor script and screenplay. The over melodrama towards the ending and some unconvincing points in the film weakens the grip of the film. However Rishi Kapoor's direction abilities are worth noticing. He has a great sense of visuals and there are not much jerks in the film and he is successful in making a big canvas film.
Rating: Fair + 1/2
Chalo America
Starring: Ashish Chaudhary, Deven Bhojani, Mandhar Shinde
Director: Piyush Jha
Released. This is not a routine commercial film. It deals with the urge of youths to go to America to earn money and live a luxurious life there.
The film tells the story of three friends, Sunny (Ashish Chaudhary), Akshay (Deven Bhojani) and Rajat (Mandhar Shinde). They don't have any talents nor experience but only dream to go to America and become rich. To achieve this dream they try all the tricks in order to achieve their objective by hook or by crook. Every attempt of theirs fail but they never give up.
Finally one of the friends actually gets the chance to go to America. But after doing so he realises that life is not as easy as their dreams had made it out to be.
All the three main stars gave excellent performances. The conception and misconception of America in a few scenes are very well shot.
The direction is good and music is fair.
Rating: Fair
Kachche Dhaage
Starring: Ajay Devgan, Saif Ali Khan, Manisha Koirala, Namrata Shirodkar
Director: Milan Luthria
Music: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Releasing This Week
Kaun
Starring: Urmila Matondkar, Manoj Vajpayee
Director: Ram Gopal Verma
Releasing Next Week
Lal Badshah
Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Manisha Koirala, Shilpa Shetty, Shakti Kapoor, Amrish Puri
Director: KC Bokadia
Music: Aadesh Srivastava
Releasing Soon
Aarzoo
Starring: Madhuri Dixit, Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Aruna Irani, Paresh Rawal, Reem Lagoo, Laxmikant Berde, Amrish Puri
Director: Lawrence D'Souza
Music: Anu Malik
Releasing Soon
Laawaris
Starring: Akshaye Khanna, Manisha Koirala, Jackie Shroff, Dimple Kapadia, Parmeet Sethi, Johny Lever
Director: Shrikant R. Sharma
Music: Rajesh Roshan
Releasing Soon
