Wanted: Radhe and Salman’s commitments
Film presents Salman Khan in a role where he is at ease and where his working on his character looks visible. From a Character point of view Salman was at home.
Very easily he takes off with the spirit of the Chabhee (keys) wala scene in the beginning and neither scene nor Salman’s overall performance in that scene look like a caricature of the similar scene performed by Amitabh Bachchan in Deewar.
Film plays successfully with the twists, atleast for them who have not seen the original versions of the film in Telugu and Tamil.
Film gives approximately 6-7 minutes screen presence to Vinod Khanna but he has managed to fill up the screen with energy in that small scene when he sarcastically laughs on Prakash Raj and says menacingly,” Mein agar tujhe bata doonga to bhee tu mujhe maar dega, agar nahin bataoonga tab bhee maar dega”.
Film shows quite good action sequences happening at various places (in open on the roads, inside the closed rooms, in the moving train, inside the mill, on the roof etc).
Film goes to cover the attractive whiteness of Santorini, Greece also through an imagination based song and dance sequence. (Though mostly songs and dance sequences pop up like an odd material in such a thriller).
Film may boast upon Mahesh Manjrekar’s performance which should be his most natural and appealing kind of performance till date else he is mostly seen performing in an over acting domain. Here he catches the frequency of becoming a genuinely negative character on screen (hence here a good villain), who generates hatred amongst audiences.
Prakash Raj presents an interesting comic villain.
Technical departments of the film have contributed in the best of their capacities.
Most of the times things look entertaining but many other sequences simply bring boredom. For example whole Mushtaq Khan and Manoj Pahwa scene on road, Manoj Pahwa sequence in train after Salman kills the goons. Some scenes between Salman and Ayesha Takia look like stretched out a lot.
Wanted is a remake of Tamil and/or Telugu film/s but nowhere it is written in the books of filmmaking that improvements can not be done, while making a remake. If a good 90-100 minutes film can be
made out of the available material then why to expand its length with the help of odd material completely irrelevant to the topic and genre of the film?
Prabhu Deva can direct well, his actors can act well then where has been left a space so that Wanted does not look like genuinely a solid film?
Character profiles of the characters of Salman, Vinod Khanna, Prakash Raj, Mahesh Manjrekar, Ayesha Takia and her mother provided a good material to make a good thriller. Salman, MaheshM , Ayesha Takia and her mother’s angle was able to bring in a great conflict in such a thriller.
Salman and Ayesha angle could have been improved. A young girl, living with her widow mother and kid brother and oppressed by a middle aged married man, who is a corrupt and powerful police inspector and who has an eye over her mother also, will definitely prefer a goon but a brave young man, who loves her. Police inspector will make her a concubine and she will have to live a life where she has to face insult every single moment. Even if she has a normal boy friend, he will not be able to save her from the catch of a corrupt police officer.
That angle has not been explored properly and it has been handled via direct action sequences and psychological effects on the concerned characters have been given a pass.
It was such an interesting angle but more emphasis was given on a regular romantic theme between Salman and Ayesha. Film could have got new dimensions added to this part but now it has been settled in a manner that is usually seen in most of the hindi films.
Ek baar maine commitment kar dee to phir mein apne aap kee bhee nahin sunta
Salman reiterates abovementioned line all through the film and he says it with a lot of conviction. This seems to be a tag line for his acting career also. Once he says yes to a film then it seems he does not listen to his own inner voice also. It can not happen that being a son of one of the most successful writers of commercial hindi cinema and being an experienced actor of 2 decades, he does not know what is stopping a film to be a good film or a very good film and what could be improved in his film/s or what could be removed from his film/s?
When few hundred million rupees are invested in a film and director and his actors are doing hard work, then why there is not a wriggling inside the producer, director and a super star like Salman Khan, on whose stardom film is based, to shape the film as a very good film? Why compromises are done under the fear that a film has to appease everybody in the audiences section? A very good film earns its own audiences.
Wanted had a material to make it a slick thriller if extra materials, looking completely irrelevant in the film, were operated out of the main body. A little more hunger inside Director, producer and Salman Khan to make a very good film could have improved the quality of Wanted to make it safely a good film. Now it will ride over the popularity of Salman Khan to become a hit but after some months it will be lost as another film of Salman Khan.
Writer of the film or dialogue writer of the film might have thought that since it was a Salman Khan film so what was the need to pay full attention and care while writing the dialogues? Film shows a retired police officer stating a wrong fact. Vinod Khanna, a former police officer in the film shouts at Gani Bhai,” IPS officer, Batch number this, cadet number that,…., trained at Dehradun….”.
IPS officers are not trained at Dehradun but at Hyderabad (Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel National Police academy).
Such films definitely suggest the requirement of involvement of better writers in the making of the films. Writers who can supply material to make a film as a good film in its genre.
Most of the films of Salman Khan are made to encash his popularity among masses and in such a scenario responsibility falls on the super star Salman Khan more to take care the overall quality of his films.
There has to be a difference between commitment of Radhe and commitment of Salman Khan.
Tags: Amitabh Bachchan, Ayesha Takia, deewar, mahesh manjrekar, Prabhu Deva, Prakash Raj, Salman Khan, vinod khanna
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
i just saw the movie… Hardcore masala. But sallu much betr than Vijay in Tamil version. But not as gud as MaheshBabu in Telugu…
@iamvineethn,
Haven’t seen Telugu or Tamil versions. You are in better position to compare.
Does not song “Appadi Pode Pode” belong to any of them (Tamil or Telugu), on which an ad. featuring Abhishek Bachchan was made? Later it was taken off the air.
RK- the Appadi Pode Pode song is from Gilli a Tamil film with Vijay and Trisha and not from Pokiri.
@Sethumadhavan,
Thanks. Have seen only the video of the song and not the film. actor is same so got confused.
Gilli again was a remake of a Telugu movie starring Mahesh Babu
Loved this review.
Definitely there were aspects in the movie which could have been improved, given that film has already been made in Telugu and Tamil, the writer and director had a very good opportunity to improve the shortcomings. Prabhu Deva was directing this movie for the second time and while doing the same work again one has better understanding and control over it. But improvement doesn’t happen often with remakes may be because people want to stick with the success formula and don’t want to interfere with the already successful storyline.
The scenes of Salman and Ayesha were really cliched. The lift scene was sponsored by Vico Vajradanti or what? And what is her comparison with a chewing gum? From where did it come? Just for the sake of writing a dialogue? “Jis school mein tum padhe ho hum uske headmaster ko tution padha chuke hain“- Nothing new, just extension of Haath ki Safai dialogue. Still few dialogues clicked.
And as it has been already mentioned, there was no psychological impact of the whole situation with Ins. Talpade on Janhavi. The scene where she was crying in the lap of her mother was wasted because the next day she seems to be all happy go lucky girl. Even after goons attack the house, there seems to be no affect. There was an opportunity of developing the character of Janhavi and her mother.
Laziness has continued throughout it seems because in the original Telugu version too it was there that IPS officers are trained at Dehradoon despite that the movie itself was made in Hyderabad. Nobody corrected it in the script.
@Jahanpanah,
Truly said. Lift scene and few other Salman Ayesha scenes dont go well either with a goon or an undercover pursuing a very serious operation.
These and such scenes, maybe suitable in a candy floss or rom-com, actually reduce the effect of a thriller.
Salman Ayesha Mahesh M angle should have been explored extensively.
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Perhaps when first time concept of the film was written on paper, character of Radhe/Rajbir (Rajveer) is an army officer, who is on deputation in RAW or IB, as only that possibility justifies the training at Dehradun. Later they made him an IPS officer but forgot to change the training place.
Being an army officer or a secret agent type may have at least justified his actions than being an IPS officer as he was operating outside the law whole time.
i remember having watched salman’s Auzaar, where again he was supposed to be an undercover agent, but he kept on shouting at the top of his voice to whoever would care to listen that he was an undercover agent. even his jacket had CBI written in bold at the back! so much for the logic and back-up work by the script-writers!
@Satyendra Jha,
Hindi films have been having a long tradition of having “COUNTRYWIDE FAMOUS SECRET AGENTS“. Auzar might have been continuing that tradition. (Haven’t seen it).
Yeah i remember some, Rajendra Kumar’s “Kismet”, Jeetu’s “Farz” and then there was this Dharam-Mala Sinha movie “Shatranj” i think.
Sorry i mean’t Manmohan Desai’s Kismat, and Shatranj starred Rajendra Kumar, mix up there.
Dharam-Mala Sinha movie was Aaankhen I suppose…by Ramanand Sagar…enjoyed as a schoolkid…
Johny Mera Naam, Jewel Thief…
Johny Mera Naam – yes but Dev Saab is not deliberately in the gang of Ashok Kumar in Jewel Thief. He is there because Ashok Kumar wants him to. Moreover Dev Saab is not a police officer there though his father Nazir Hussain is IG of police.
Can recall Ankhein of Ramanand Sagar, but have faint memory about this aspect. Perhaps Nazir Hussain is no more in the army or police job but he runs a secret service type organisation which is having official support also. Dharmendra may also not holding any official position but he is a member of this organisation.
I guess they get such idea from Ved Prakash Kamboj’s novels where his lead characters Vijay, Raghunath etc run a parallel security system to save the nation and they have approval of government also. A fictitious idea.
…
Dharmendra plays an undercover in SHALIMAR and there he is a secret agent/ police officer and presents himself as a criminal before Rex Harrison.
Ha actually thats nothing, u should see Vijaykanth’s Narasimha, where he is supposed to be an undercover agent, and he walks about wearing a huge trenchcoat, 4 dogs, and in the background voices screaming “Simha, Simha, Narasimha”.
“Now it will ride over the popularity of Salman Khan to become a hit but after some months it will be lost as another film of Salman Khan.”
May be they didn’t mind that?
@Tejas,
perhaps. That is why Salman should mind it.
Salman hasn’t had a hit film despite a huge fan following for quite some time now. This film is clearly only his vehicle, and not necessarily a good film. I don’t see him losing any fans with this film, only gaining a few more who like to jump down from the intelligent, good film wagon time after time.
He should stop with this one though. If he continues doing films like this, he will go 90’s Mithun Chakraborty way.
True. Mithun lost all his brand name in hindi films because of the kind of films he did Dalaal onwards.
Salman is a far bigger star than Mithun ever was. So, no such danger. But Salman should really work hard on choosing good films and see to it that they shape up well and stand on their own as good films. I don’t understand why he puts his stardom to test everytime to carry ordinary or senseless films? Shahrukh and Aamir ensure the A-rate setting in every aspect. Be it story, production values, music directors, dress desingers, co-stars or marketing and then they shine in that. This fellow Salman, a phenomenal star just takes things too lightly does himself and his fan an injustice. Wake up Sal!
The shock factor of these movies also don’t work because people guess the twist coming beforehand, it reduces the overall impact of the movie.
If someone wonders what will be the end of a goon like Radhey, three possibilities are there, considering the trend in Indian movies
*He’ll be jailed and then freed (as a good man) but then he has killed so many persons so he’ll get a death sentence.
*He’ll be killed in the end
But the portrayal of his actions throughout the movie are glorified one, he is good at heart too and the movie is not that gritty also the trend of these movies are happy ending hence the above possibilities are ruled out and then only the third option remains that he is working for government. One can easily guess the twist. This also overall hampers it to be a good thriller movie.
I don’t think this was intended to be a Donnie Brasco kinda movie, where the undercover agent, gets angtsy over what he does, its more a masala flick like Transporter and i think shud be seen that way.
This was our own Shoot ‘em Up. And yeah, I didn’t find anything great about Vinod Khanna’s role or acting.
Shoot Em Up was fun, and then it had Monica Belluci, always a bonus.
@Tejas,
There was nothing great about Vinod Khanna’s role. He did not have a justified screen space. His kind of talent is 99% wasted in such a film.
1% is that particular moment which is quoted and which is typical Vinod Khanna moment.
Even if you have tried acting on stage at school or college level , you will get this action-reaction process which is happening in that particular scene.
Prakash Raj is having a heavy support of doer. He is a main villain, he is allowed to follow histrionics and he does it. He is having author backed moments in that whole sequence.
Vinod Khanna’s character is at recieving end but as soon as Vinod Khanna takes up the laughing from Prakash Raj, he takes the charge also in that moment. He is the master now of those moments. And as an actor he shows that mastery.
Though this is just a glimpse into the powerhouse of acting talent he has been carrying inside him.
@RK, not to take anything away from Vinod Khanna sir, but there was nothing that he didnt have in his hand to replicate… Nassir (south indian cinema actor, was seen in chachi 420 as the cook) … had already done the scene so well in 2 versions, that Vinod Khanna actually lil off the shade… what Nassir does is create a scene even while his ’son’ is bumped off, and though you know whats the climax, the scene does take drift you a bit away, purely cuz of his acting… and then from that sadness when he comfortably jumps into this maniacal laughter and then the pride infested man… he was brilliant… he is like the Vinay Pathak kinds, whom not many consider when they rate their list of actors, but is par brilliant… so again nothing to take away from VK, but the scene was already pretty well orchastrated… and despite that, the magic was little lack lusture… and I seriosly dont think that it was cuz i saw the telugu version first or something, but I would definately recommend to catch that scene in telugu and tamil.. thats when those movies (tamil and telugu) were almost single scenically lifted into this maniac crazed overworking veins moment…
@PS,
Surely it c’d be as you ‘ve seen all the three versions.
Wanted should be Vinod Khanna’s weakest performance since the time of Man ka Meet.Considering “Risk” it looks more awful in Wanted. He was quite different there.
If such an able actor is seen as a weak performer then whole blame goes to director, who might not be willing to get best shots from such a capable actor. If less skilled actors give weak takes then it is understood but with capable actors Directors may get what they want (if they want)
He captured weak takes given by Vinod Khanna in the shots where he was supposed to perform alone. Lack of tuning between Prabhu Deva and Vinod Khanna looks visible.
Same was the case with Ayesha Takia. Recall the scene where she is confronting Salman Khan that he is always involed in killing etc and what she must do? She must forget him or what?
In whole that scene she was not a usual Ayesha Takia, a competent actress. here Salman’s irresponsive behaviour was not able to create required emotions in her expressions.
Perhaps Actresses of Tamil and Telugu versions might have done this confrontal scene better than Ayesha.
…
I can see if Nasser scene is available on you tube?
Though impact of a scene can not be felt in its true manner as film presents it as part of a continous journey.
I saw one scene each from Tamil and Telugu versions. One was train scene where Jahnvi’s younger brother manages to inform Radhe.
it looked that Salman has handled this scene in a better way than this actor (Vijay?)
Other scene was basket ball scene where Inspector reaches to threaten Radhe. Scene was slightly changed as when Radhe starts counter questioing Inspector, all the boys start revolving around Inspector. These things were missing from hindi versions but Salman was not less than the actor in this version. (Mahesh Babu?)
Whole concept of Wanted is not so strong otherwise could have seen Tamil and Telugu versions also.
In these hours I can watch Kamal Hassan’s versions of A Wednesday.
Nassir’s scene in Telugu version can be seen here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJB-C3vaC4s&feature=related
@Jahanpanah,
Earlier if a lead actor used to pursue things usually associated with on screen villains then films used to justify it with a proper reasoning.
Perhaps new changes were required so that reasoning became absent from the scene.
Doing all kinds of crimes but still good at heart, is still in a fashion. This way they feel happy that they are pursuing grey shades and not black and white.
Radhe of Wanted seems to be following old tradition where he is on a mission and is finishing off the criminals but not disturbing common people.
Many famous gnagster films of last 12-14 years present different scenario before us. They tell that criminals can also have human emotions and that is a different area than their brutal criminal activities.
It was sad watching Vinod Khanna doing a glorified extra role, something that could have been done by any actor. And i say sad, coz Vinod Khanna makes one of the best action heroes, even at his age, and its a waste of talent here.
@Ratnakar,
For misusing Vinod Khanna and using Ayesha Takia in an less effective way, Prabhu Deva as a director is a main culprit. Perhaps he could not develop a matching frequency level with these actors. Even blinds can vouch for Vinod Khanna’s acting skills just by listening his impressive deliveries, and Ayesha Takia has shown much better acting skills in many of the films in last few years.
adding to RK’s comments, some Bolly flicks i recall with this undercover agent theme
Kalicharan, An Evening in Paris, Don, Chinatown-All movies where the hero impersonates his look alike in the Gang.
There was Meri Awaaz Suno, sometime in the 80’s, with Jeetu and Hema Malini, but quite a gory movie for its time, one scene has the villians kicking around a pregnant Hema, and then the torture scene of Jeetu was quite graphic in those days.
@Ratnakar,
An Evening in Paris? I guess you are confusing it with some other film. Sharmila Tagore has double role but I guess Shammi Kapoor is not on any mission etc. Though he goes with two names in Paris.
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Have not seen Meri Awaaz Suno.
Kadar Khan was quite responsible in writing many awful dialogues in the 80s. On one hand he has given very nice dialogues to hindi films but he also had contributed in creating double meaning and often vulgar dialogues in the films in the 80s.
There should be a film of 80s where he as a villain threatens a pregnant lady that he can pursue the delivery of baby right there on the road itself.
After his Maqsad phase, His comic villain, explored vulgarity also.
@RK,
Meri Awaz Suno, was one of the better 80’s flicks, it was serious, hard hitting, and the theme of system corruption was well handled. It was a remake of a Kannada flick Antha. But i think it needed a better director, some one like Subash Ghai could have made it a memorable one. I still rate Ghai’s Kalicharan n Viswanath, among his best movies. Also Jeetu did not really convey that angst, agony effectively, had that movie been made with an AB-Yash Chopra combo, it would have been dynamite on screen.
@Ratnakar,
Subhash Ghai had a phase but even now parts of Kalicharan, Vishwanath, Karz, Vidhata, Karma and Saudagar will appeal. They are good parts for any era.
Two of biggest hits in recent months has been remakes of South Indian flicks. Does this show any pattern?
Wanted is a hit already?
as per reports its a big hit, though more at the single screens, but also picking up at the plexes. DBH on the other hand seems set to join the list of YRF misfires in recent times.
When will YRF shutdown ? any prediction ???
Rocket Singh, looks promising, so some hope is there. And i think as long as the “NRI-I am nostalgic for Mitti” crowd exists, remote chances of shutdown.
C’mon,
Rocket singh, I am not sure, Ranbir kappor as sardar. Dont know, but i dont want it to succeed.
yes, valid point, NRI’s are the main consumers of YRF and Dharma productions.
if Rani can play a Sardar, Ranbeer surely can…
Shimit Amin as a director of Rocket Singh might pull it off.
I hope YRF lives on, just their marketing team, and the few folks who believe pind, sarson, swiss, NRI, bauji, DDLJ, Dhoom, rab, panjabi, glossy pictures, glossy marketing, trendy clothes and excessive sweetness are the essential formulae of any hit, get a chance to open their windows, and walk out of the doors, to get out of the excessive perfume and deodarant ‘fragenence’ to a normal park ka air….
Just as stories, YRF has been coming out with great variety … just that they all look/feel the same… treated the same way, similar songs, dance patterns, lights, background everythign….
JBJ, RNBDJ, Dhoom, Sathiya, Bunty aur Babli, Aaja Nachle, New York, Chak De India, Fanaa, Laaga Chunari Mei Daag, Bachna ae haseeno, hum tum,…. this is a great variety of scripts… the range is high… and I actually feel that the scripts are great… but damn the treatment kills it so bad… m mean they can make Vishwanathan Anand, Andy Roddick and Sachin Tendulkar look the same (YRF I guess is being run by Agent Smith… jise bhi mila, sab ko ek jaisa apne jaisa banaa daala)these guys can kill any good/normal story with all these ingrediants..
I am pretty sure Yash Chopra would be feeling like a fkd up king stuck inside his own fortress cuz his ‘well wishers’ are over doing their goodness!!! He definately needs to be like “brick top” from snatch and get few toungues thrown off his ass..
RNBDJ was their biggest hit in recent times and even New York is a hit, so its too early to talk about YRF shutting down anytime soon.But yes they need to go easy on the Punjab formula for a while.
Thats the point RNBDJ was a grand hit, but it sucked. I banged my head in theatres inspite of being a die hard SRK fans. I felt irritated and wanted to kill AD for serving such a miserable film.
It should be a hit. We may see further reduction in the NRI-Punjabi’s candy floss flicks.
To be frank , I am happy for the debacle of DBH. NO more Rani for me. I want her to settle down with AD ( if she hasn’t) :D
This year I am watching an interesting thing though, all the directors who earlier made relevant and good drama movies are making romantic comedies. Ex. RKS, Ashutosh Gowarikar, Shimit Amin.
Raj Santoshi’s APKGK may work quite well. Looking like further exploration of the character Aamir Khan had played in Andaz Apna apna.or may be Salman’s character is also mixed up in this character of Ranbir. It seems to have parody of many famous scenes of many hindi films. Like the last one in the trailer reminds me the scene of Lamhe – “Anil Kapoor reaches where Sridevi is crying as her father has died. She runs and Anil Kapoor thinks she is coming to him but she bypasses him and embraces Deepak Malhotra who has reached just now and standing behind the Anil Kapoor”.
Here it is given a comedy touch. Raj Santoshi has proved his command over comedy in AAA and Lajja (though there he had the additional support of Madhuri Dixit like fine actress also). His film is looking a safe bet.
Ashutosh and Shimit Amin, both have their reputations on stake.
Ashutosh G. has taken a concept which has already provided a nice TV serial Mr Yogi (Late Mohan Gokhle) so that way his subject is a approved one as far as audiences approval is concerned. Priyanka Chopra’s 12 incarnations- a double edged sword. It may help the film or marr it completely. Herman Baweja could not impress the audiences in his early 2 films so this factor certainly goes against Ashutosh’s film. Hope Herman proves his worth as an actor in his third chance.
@RK,
The scene where Katrina runs off from Ranbir, reminds more of the entire movie of Deewana Mastana in 2 seconds
…
While RKS is very capable director, the only scare I have is, that he doesnt go the Subhash Ghai way, to out do or overplay the ‘coolness’ to appeal to the ‘upmarket youth’ and kill the movie… for some reason, one gen back directors in our country, who can still give kickass stuff within their league try to make movies that were never off their understanding or pulse and failed miserably … hopefullt RKS will stick to his pulse and sensibility and show us a movie, than try to copy somebody else’s pulse and expect us to watch (why would I anyways expect a Farhan Akhtar movie in RKS/Ghai movie… I hope they understand that) …
Harman Baweja, I guess will make it into the ‘insiders’ league with whats ur rashee … like Tushar Kapoor and Zayed Khan, who are much better position than Ashmit Patel, Prashant Raj, Mohit Ahlawat and Randeep hooda…. wait till Jaccky Bhagnani also makes into this league… (wish my dad too had produced a few flop movies!)
All the above mentioned directors are capable of delivering sensible movies. Lets wait and watch .
it might set up a trend…next on line is Magadheera remake….whatever it is…they’ll bring the action back…I would also like 2 see more southside sirens in bollywood…:yahoo:
Priyamani, will be comming in Mani Sir’s Raavan, Bollywood Hungama as usual goofs it up claiming she is Vidya Balan’s sister, when in reality, she happens to be a distant cousin of hers. The babe is quite hot though. And i guess Anushka is slated for the Arundhati remake, she is one real sexy kick ass babe.
In fact Priyamani’s wallpaer is adorning my desktop at the moment…:P….Anushka is also gr8…I would also like 2 see Nayantara…actually I watched many Telugu & Tamil masala films without understanding a single word just 2 catch these babes…
I am watching hot, sexy videos of priyamani on youtube. yummy !
gr8…just eagerly awaiting for ravana..:cool:
She is playing Suparnakha in the movie I think, not a matter of great excitement.
@Yaatri
I didn’t know who she was until today.
@Jahanpanah
I also learnt about her today only :-)
These movies may well have their shortcomings but as long as they appeal to the crowds in the interiors I’m all in the support of these flicks. I mean there was a time when movies and cricket made people in urban and suburban area united but now movies totally cater for urban audiences.
@Jahanpanah,
Even films which are good in every department of filmmaking earn countrywide recognition. This process may take little time but it happens.
Many small budget films made in last 5-6 years have done this.
An actor’s reputation can grow beyond the boundaries of the language, he speaks and the boundaries of his state. Same is true with actors of hindi films.
India is making so many films that it is not possible for a person to watch all of them.
In such a scenario this trend that every film should earn very big profit is un real. This new trend of winning the BO for first three days on the basis of a heavy marketing campaign is not helpful in the growth of the indian cinema.
When there are so many genres of the films and people have different tastes then it is unlikely that all people will watch all kind of films.
Keep the budget less (as much as it is possible) to earn the profit and that demands the reduction in the fees of the stars and directors etc.
Do formula films but do some meaningful films also. And its not restricted to Salman Khan only, it’s just discusseed coincidently on this thread, devoted to his film, it is true for every super star of Hindi films.
They can not always make their films as super hits so why not try to do some meaningful good films also so that they contribute in the growth of the industry through which they are earning millions of rupees.
Yup. there should be both formula films and as well as meaningful films but seriously whenever I pass by some small town etc. during a journey I always see the posters of some 90s masala movie. I do wonder why the movies released recently aren’t being screened there.
Recently, Ghajini was a massive success countrywide because of Aamir Khan and it’s 90s maar-dhaad stuff but before that which movie did this on such a large scale? Vivah probably or Dhoom 2?
Good and small budget movies like KKG and A Wednesday etc. may have earn a countrywide recognition but again they weren’t hit movies. I was awaiting to watch A Wednesday but I was never released in the theatres and was limited to multiplexes.
You wrote a post on multiplex culture stating that the movies are not released in the single screen theatres anymore and so demarcation is there by the distributors and producers.
There is clearly a difference between the audiences and movies like Wanted could bridge the gap by increasing the sensibilities of people towards cinema but directors fear from experiment to keep the movie on safer side.
Yes. IMO, Multiplex culture is harmful for the films in India like country.(not the multiplexes and their facilities).
regular business people are heading towards rural areas to earn more profit after exploiting the city based sector completely (and which has become stagnant) but people controlling the market of film distribution are stuck at first phase only.
They may be demanding same money in advance from single screen theatres also which they demand from multiplex owners and this could be a problem.
But market can not ignore single screen business for longer. They will be given attention again.
KKG was a different case as it got a delayed release but inspite of its release in multiplexes, audiences of single screen also could have seen it on DVD.
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You said it rightly. many films may not run in single screen theatres like Being Cyres and if Films like Wanted, which can be watched by a wider section of audiences, may have more quality then taste of people will be improved.
Remaking South Indian flicks in hindi is quite an old formula for hindi film industry. Jeetendra’s biggest hits were remakes of South Indian films. But during late 60s and whole decade of 70s he used to get good hindi films also. Remakes of south hit films in 80s might have earned a big profit for his producers but they reduced the chances for the growth of Jeetendra as an actor.
Sridevi (and Jaya prada and many other south Indian actresses like Bhanupriya) was his partner in 80s, But she got the proper reputation and recognition and growth by doing original Hindi films like Mr India, Chandni, Lamhe, Chaalbaaz etc.
Sometimes remakes dont challenge the directors and actors and that is dangerous. Some grammar has to be changed while making a remake in hindi. Otherwise people can watch a subtitled version. Why to remake a hit film made in other language, if everything has to be copied as such?
@ Sivakumar …. The pattern should ve been identified quite some time back, and there could ve been good capitalisation… but then again, I am pretty sure that now that the pattern has been seen, we are going to have way too many remakes and everybody jumping in, too many cooks will spoil the broth, with half cooked movies, B grader producers looking for quick money, dubbed movies, imposed lyrics, non running actors like Fardeen Khan and Tushar Kapoor and if lucky vivek oberoi will be served till they are abandoned and we again start believeing ’south Indian’ cinema are not for ‘north Indian’ audience … this is not the first time its going to happen …
@PS,
Deewana Mastana- Is it a Govinda film?
Govinda has repeated himself so much in many of his comedy films that it is difficult to keep things from his films in the memory.
But if I have to recall anything from hi Shikari then it is easy because it was different.
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Raj Santoshi may not give a super hit film but he has skill to create some good cinematic moments in his every film. BO success is beyond explanation and understanding.
His last release Halla Bol had very good scenes whereever Pankaj Kapoor was on screen.
Good actors work very well under his direction.
Even in China Gate he had a sequence where Samir Soni brings an actress pretending to his mother and later when Amrish Puri gets to know the reality he scolds Samir Soni, kamine ne kis aurat ke pair chhuva diye. Being a wonderful actor Amrish P. creates so much fun in that whole sequence. Raj Santoshi knows the comedy.
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Technically also, in the trailer itself the shot of a bike falling in to water is a good one. Good imagination is captured with good technical competency.
There was a scene in Halla Bol in the cinema hall, which very few directors of Hindi films may capture rightly but Raj Santoshi kept his tenchnical sense in a correct order. When film is not successful at BO, merits of a film are not paid proper attention.
Halla bol speaks volumes on Pankaj kapoors acting capabilities. but Ajay Devgan was weak link.
true
@ RK,
Most definately RKS has been the one director who has continuously been able to hit the hardest with his movies for a very very long period of time.. I had even mentioned in a few other posts, but I think KK Raina is possibly one of the most under rated dialgoue writers, thought along with RKS has given us some of the strongest lines, which makes the scenes so powerful that you carry them on…
My concern is that a lot of directors have been trying to move out of their forte and try to work things like say KJ, or the younger lot of YRF or a lot of the new directors who ve into the scene in the last 10 years… more often people like Subhash Ghai could ve continued to make their staple movies, just enhance their look the way Rakesh Roshan did and still live on their brand name, but what they ve tried doing is, bring in that coolness in the talks, jokes, look and feel, which does not fit into their scheme of story telling….
I loved Halla Bol, and I think the scene where Ajay Devgan is beaten around in front of the public is possibly one the most blood boiling scenes I have personally felt like, but the same Halla Bol, had a lot scenes which never struck a chord, the way a usual Santoshi movie can… the whole Ajay Devgan doing commercials, part… though funny, and likable, made sure it took away a lot of attention from the movie’s story, but was more of a gimmick like the Farah Khan movies have… when Vidya Balan walks into Ajay Devgan having a session going on with a heroine, though the scene was shot trying to keep it casual as these are common moments in movies today, but what got missed out was the “fire” that a ususal Santoshi heroine is given.. Ajay Devgan peeing in the politician’s house, …. though all of it is good, but somewhere they took away from the Santoshi brand of no nonsense pure fire touch….
Apart from AAA, a general santhoshi brand of comedy has been more or less a stronger version of vagle ki duniya, with common man comedians like anjan srivastav, harish patel kinds… I just hope that with APKGD, if he has tried to stretch beyond his realms till date (I am not saying he cant, its just that its been rare, 5min moments in movies) then he should ve done a great job … definately looking forward to his movie..
Have liked completely portions where Pankaj Kapoor has contributed as in all those scenes a continuity has been maintained and a deeper sense flows along with the scene.
For example the scene at the stairs of Gurudwara.
That scene on stairs is an amazing compilation of everything that makes a scene a memorable scene.
Something is happening on surface and much deeper is done by Pankaj Kapoor’s gestures. A very realistic and interesting touch showing the changing dynamics of relationship between an elderly man and a younger man and where elderly man has almost a patriarchal influence on the younger one.Raj Santoshi excels in that scene.
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Ajay Devgan was less effective once he became a film star. It is very difficult for hindi film actors to play a film star.
Film belongs to Pankaj Kapoor completely.
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Lately commercial elements have been becoming heavier on Raj Santoshi’s films also and that could be the reason that we like only portions of his films and not in a complete sense.
Here in APKGK he might present film in its totality as it belongs to comedy and he does not have to mix different things.
When China Gate was about to release he had given an interview. That interview was a gem. DDLJ had started this trend of promoting film on DD by showing the making and interviews of the actors and filmmakers and China Gate had followed this trend.
N yep… forgot to answer ur first q… deewana mastana is the one where govinda and anil kapoor are behind Juhi, … if u havent seen it.. watch the movie… its still create laughs :D
I might have seen the film though I can not recall anything about it. Will watch again some day.
ha ha
its one mindless cracker. Govinda, Anil kapoor, Johhny lever are in party !!
typical David dhawan film.
Deewana Mastana was a cracker, along with Dulhe Raja, Aankhein, remains one of my favorite Govinda flicks.
David Dhawan was at its best in Deewana Mastana, one could liston the best one lines like matter ke aakhiri daane and kaaju ke nichle hisse and many more like this. How could one forget Satish Kaushik in it…aaeee… tum log ghabrane ka nahi han…pappu pager ko pehli baar koi aadmi bhari padela hai… kuch sochna padega
everything about this movie was tackiness at its best that u cant resist laughing out aloud… i still remember the BMG whenever patibha sinha walks in… govinda version of om jai jagdish hare, and jaadu teri nazar… love spray … baby steps.. this movie was sure shot a personal party going on … still never understood why avtar gill gets arrested… but who cares… :D
deewana mastana is one of my alltime fav comedy films, which had so much of unadulterated fun with govinda nad anil kapoor. satish kaushik was mindblowing as pappu pager.
Deewana Mastana is certainly one of my all time fav comedy films as well.Govinda was in top form and so was Satish Kaushik.The songs looked very ordinary initially but now I think it went in with the flow of the film.And yes remember Salman makes a grand entry @ the end as Prem?
Well since sethu sir u’ve mentioned, then let me add to my favorite scene finally … when Kadar Khan asks the Anil and Govinda …. aap log kaun hai jo ekdum saj dhaj ke aaye hai … ‘dost hai’ kya “DOST HAI’ their tone is kickass :D:D:D
You mention of Viviek Oberoi. I feel sorry for him, he had a gret start but Mrs Jr Bachchan f**ked his career. :(
He f**cked his own career…
Problem with Vivek Oberoi, was that with just a semi hit(Company) under his belt,he began to imagine himself as the next superstar, and signed movies left, right and center. He suits the angry young man action roles, but was a total misfit in the candyfloss stuff like Kyun Ho Gaya Na. His only hits later on have been the mult starrer ones like Kaal, Masti.
@ RK…ekdum perfect review. Wanted could have been very good thriller but they had made it another B class regular action movie. There was no need of those crapy songs and ridicolous comedy scenes and BTW what was the need of scene between Manoj Pahwa and Mushtaq Khan…totaly a waste. Performance wise all were nice but Vinod Khanna in small role was superb. The saving grace for the film is its ending…and RK were you a civil service aspirant or are are from Hyderabad because civil service aspirants are more interested in knowing who are trained where….but you noticed a very valid point here….
@Akash,
Many ways to know.
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Salim Phenku called to tell it. After all he has been living around Chaarminar for 40+ years
I predict that Salman Khan is going to end up like “Rajesh Khanna” in a couple of years….shacking with Katrina till she boots him and finds an Ambani…
Sallu will look better than Kakaji of course with hair implantations and all…
Then there are all those pending court cases…Bobmay’s bhikaaris should also be on alert in case he decide to runover some more…
If Katrina needs plastic surgery people should support her …after all Sallu “batters” up ihs ladyloves quite a bit too.
Which alliance may win in coming assembly elections in Maharashtra?
@Jahanpanah,
Thanks for the link of Telugu version.
Maybe watching the complete film may bring different impression but considering this clip and comparing it with hindi version Vinod Khanna (IMO)brought more vareity in the expressions and changed them with the dialogues. After sitting at chair his version looks more interesting. After sitting at chair Nasser could not change the gear the way Vinod Khanna changed in laughing scene. Nasser remained same theatrical in whole scene. That fearless attitude which comes once one goes beyond the fear of death, that sarcasm, that cynical over confidence which Vinod Khanna brought in the scene was missing in Nasser’s performance. Vinod Khanna’s voice did not have same sharpness which it used to have, and his nahin nahin was quite filmy when he falls on dead body of Ajay but watching Telugu version he looks comparatively better. Even Prakash Raj improved in Hindi version.
If I have not missed any moment of this clip, hindi version had an additional dialogue exchanged between Prakash Raj and VK, where VK says, tu khud nahin aya tujhe laya gaya hai.
(Though by mistake Hindi version shows the Salman Khan with long hair in flashback where he is stabbing an important gang member of Gani Bhai. Except songs this should be the only place where he is shown with long hair)
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This is interesting in one version they used Mukesh Tiwari for the character of Inspector and for other version, Ashish Vidharthi. Atul Kulkarni could have been very good for hindi version.
@RK, then thats truly the beauty of watching a movie
… each man with his own taste…. to me it was not just the laughter from nassir, but the way he changes the scene from a lump in a chair, to this guy who starts to comfortably adjust into that small space, his body language, his eyes, dialgoues and the expression just takes away the scene…. and exactly the words you ve used “That fearless attitude which comes once one goes beyond the fear of death, that sarcasm, that cynical over confidence” were what I felt when I saw Nassir… to me when I saw VK, I felt more like he was a little ready with his responsive expression to PR… but as I started again .. movie viewing is like having a girlfriend… sometime you just cant stop wondering what your friend saw in his girl … :D
With mahesh manjrekar, I thought he did a decent job, Atul Kulkarni though excellant might have just brought back memories of DUM… cuz his performance in DUM as the menace inspector was still leagues ahead of Mahesh manjrekar in wanted(which I found later was a remake of another southie flick… mmm southie flicks do like their inspectors bad!!! wow interstingly I think Ashish Vidhyarthi played the cop in the Tamil original of DUM… !!! WOW south flicks do have bad dreams about ashish vidhyarthi being a police officer some day)
Just that Atul Kulkarni is a very good actor and perhaps he is involved in acting only unlike Mahesh Manjrekar who is a director first. Being a regular actor Atul K should get more roles than occasional actors. Moreover being a good actor Atul must be having the ability to showcase many more shades of Kaminapan so there is no risk of repeating what he has done before in Dum or in any other film.
@ Totally Agree, yet to see a movie where Atul Kulkarni hasn’t fit into his role….
I don’t agree with the reviewers opinion about Mahesh Manjrekar. And anyone who’s seen ‘99′ will have to agree with me.
Any individual has full right to have an individual opinion that may not match with other’s opinions. Have seen almost all the hindi films where MM has played a role including 99.