new york movie review

'New York' Review: It's Good

Film: New York
Rating: 3.5/5
Banner: Yash Raj Films
Cast: John Abraham, Katrina Kaif, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Irrfan Khan etc
Music: Pritam Chakraborty, Pankaj Awasthi, Julius Packiam
Cinematography: Aseem Mishra
Director: Kabir Khan
Producer: Aditya Chopra
Released On: 26 June 2009

This is a film that’s made with the backdrop of 9/11 attacks. Although it’s too late to watch something on those lines, Kabir Khan made an exhaustive attempt in making it enticing.

Story:
The story revolves around three youngsters Sameer (John), Maya (Katrina) and Omar (Neil) in USA. Initially Omar falls in deep love with Maya but shortly knows that she is already in love with Sameer.

And silently Omar moves away from her love. He returns after seven years of hibernation. He is arrested by FBI on false allegations and compels him to aid them to smoke out the suspected culprit Sameer who is alleged to be the head of a sleeper cell that plans to attack USA.

Omar helps the FBI as per their force. But is Sameer the real culprit? And is Omar really on his way to prove Sameer is the real criminal? That has to be watched on screen.

Performances:
Hero-John:
He is up to the mark and aptly grooved in the shoes of the character. He has delivered what has to be. But his role is little smaller when compared to that of Neil. John’s performance in jail episode is interesting.

Hero-Neil:
He has got bigger scope to perform than John. His presence is felt in bigger way with this film after ‘Johnny Gaddar’.

Heroine-Katrina:
She is at her best. She scores well both for performance and aptly suited for the role.

Others
Irfan Khan repeats a routine cop role like in many of his earlier films. He is up to the mark and did what has to be done.

Technical Departments:
Commercial values of the film are outstanding. Although Kabir Khan is known to be a small film maker, his commercial extravaganza is seen in this flick. Cinematography is marvelous as it has canned many interesting locales of New York. Screenplay and Editing also falls on right track.

Music and Lyrics:
Music is not that catchy but ‘Mere Sang’…’ is the song that touches the hearts. Homework would have done better in music department for this range of movie.

Highlights:
Cinematography
Thrilling part

Disappointment:
Late arrival-It’s almost years after the ghastly 9/11 incident. Hence people find it difficult to connect to it instantly.

Analysis:
First half of the film moves in a soft manner while the second half catches up the momentum.

The film has many memorable scenes and the scene when Omar sees Maya after seven years is wonderful. On the flip side, the film has some loose ends where the Sameer’s part in second half passes of abruptly in hasty manner. Barring those minimal exceptions, the film leaves a memorable mark on the viewers. It has got the muscle to appeal for the audiences of all classes, be they from multiplex or rural.

oy movie "GOOD BUT NOT GREAT"

oy movie review

Film: Oy
Banner: Universal Media
Rating: 2.5/5
Cast: Siddartha, Shamili, Surekha Vani, Napolean, Sunil, Pradeep
Rawat, Tanikella Bharani etc
Music: Yuvan Shankar Raja
Editing: Marthand K Venkatesh
Director: Anand Ranga
Producer: DVV Danayya
Released On: 3rd July 2009

The much awaited debut of Baby Shamili as heroine has arrived today. The film will be remembered only as ‘heroine debut of Shamili’. Let us see how far that appealed for audiences.

Story:
Uday (Siddartha) is the son of a big business magnate and Sandhya (Shamili) is a simple girl who is religious, disciplined and perfectionist. Like their names, their attitudes are on two extremes- like dawn and dusk. But Uday falls in attraction with Sandhya. He tries to pull her towards him. But all his habits and interests are away from her. He strives hard to impress her by enacting as if his tastes suit that of hers. And slowly Sandhya inclines towards Uday.

But a startling fact comes out. What’s that fact? How that influences the love of Uday and Sandhya? That forms rest of the story.

Performances:
Hero-Siddartha:
His energy levels are shown in first half and he is all pervasive. But his character goes sidelined in second half without his mark. On a whole, as a performer he proved once again. He is impressive all the way.

Heroine- Shamili:
Baby Shamili has now turned heroine. Proper costumes and make up are not given for her and hence she looked like a side artiste than a heroine. Although the attempt to show her as ‘girl next door’ is appreciated, little care would have taken in her appearance. And she is too heavy to her age. She needs to cut down weight to look better and have future in film industry.

Others:
Surekha Vani looked glamorous enough with slim personality and neat gait. Tanikella appears for sometime as ‘Telugu Pundit’ throwing some comedy. Sunil’s comedy episode is good in first half but goes eccentric in second half.

Music and Lyrics:
They are good. Yuvan has given the best of tunes and the lyrics are also rightly grooved in the tracks with new sense of poetry. The song ‘176 beach houselo….’ is impressive and catchy. And the expressions like ‘kannu veedi choopu poyenaa…’ are interesting and marvelous.

Technical Departments:
Cinematography is good. Editing is up to the mark. Dialogues are also up to the requirement. Direction has suffered ups and downs and the production values deserve a very good mention.

Crowd Pulling Aspects:
Baby Shamili (as it’s her debut as heroine)
Music (lyrically also good)
Siddhartha

Disappointments:
Shamili has no grace or glamour that’s required for the heroines of this era Second half killed the momentum with ‘extras’ Lack of grip on characters and characterization

Highlights:
Cinematography
Music
Subtle comedy in first half

Analysis:
The movie promises very big with the conclusion of first half. But the expectations fall down mercilessly. Audiences find it difficult to sit on seats when the second half starts. The characterization of heroine goes berserk with second half. How can she ask for a cigarette when she was projected as idealistic lady in first half? How can she comment on mangalasootram and mattelu of married women to a pet dog’s belt when she was shown as a pious religious lady in first half?

Connectionless scenes, eerie characters come on to screen to kill time but they killed the interest levels of audiences. The journey from Vizag to Kaashi via Kolkata on ship, on road to some extent …blah ..blah is the way chosen by director to kill time and narrate how the hero can make his heroine happier by fulfilling all her fantasies and desires. He has gone to certain unwanted extensions by showing ‘Annavaram’ movie in a Kolkata theatre with huge hoopla by fans!!! The director might have expected some patronage from the fans of that matinee icon, Pawan Kalyan. All is ok till then. But he has overlooked the vehicle of ‘Hyderabad City Police’ moving fast in Kolkata!!!

While first half resembles a kind of ‘Chukkallo Chandrudu’, the second half recalls something on the lines of ‘Jab We Met’ and ‘Geetanjali’. This mixed concoction leaves no pleasant freshness in the film.

Choice of the subject is not bad but the implementation part is mishandled. Director failed to maintain momentum in narration. He has shown his slapdash execution in second half.

On a whole, the movie cannot please all sets of audiences. High expectations on this movie would certainly disappoint.