Chocolate

One hell of a movie. The transformation of Hindi movies that started with movies like Kaante, which gave a fresh look different from the typical love stories with triangle, quadrilateral and all the other geometric diagrams, has presented us with one more edge of the seat suspense movie Chocolate. Supposedly inspired by “The Usual Suspects”.The opening scene is the climax (anti) and hence the main story of the film is in flashback, so I was expecting a good plot to unravel and I was not disappointed. The brochure about the film said "7 strangers in a foreign land: drugs, passion, and obsessions, and a crime that brings them together. Life just doesn't stay the same". That probably sums it up well.

The story moves fast, fast enough that you are not left with time to analyze every detail of it, very intriguing and keeps you interested till the end. Krishna Pandit (Anil Kapoor) is rich, egoistic, famous lawyer in London. Monsoon (Sushma Reddy) is a journo looking for spicy stories but remains a secretary of Krishna Pundit for most of the time. Pipi (Irrfan Khan) is an artist in the film but is also good in forgery, has come to London to become famous. Sim (Tanushree Dutta) is a dancer in club and hooker in night, looks hot, [you will be disappointed if you are looking for hot scenes though]. Chip (Arshad Warsi) is a computer hacker and is under utilized in the film. Deva (Emran Hashmi, surprise: he does not get to do his usual scenes!) is an ex-army man and is an expert in networking technology. Finally Rocker (Suneil Shetty) wants to get rich quick (any means) and get married to Sim.

The story begins with two major incidents in the heart of London city, a desperate Indian journalist Monsoon Iyer(Sushma Reddy) connecting both the incidents and the arrest of two Indians Pipi and Sim.With the help of Monsoon they manage to get a lawyer in Anil Kapoor who though initially hesitant, takes up their case in order to become famous. The interrogation of Irrfan and Tanushree by Anil is interesting as one layer by another the story takes new turns, new characters get added, gets more complex and gets bigger.

The way in which the whole story unwinds, how all of them are connected to each other, how they get entangled in the two major incidents in London, who is behind their actions…..For all these answers you have to see the film (sorry man, no spoilers!) and of course for the million dollar question too: what is CHOCOLATE ?

For the downside, there is excessive talking, the change of stories tend to confuse and presence of some loose untied ends [Like Krishna meeting a person in the bar and the story related to that].

Anil Kapoor with a bit of voice modulation has rendered some good dialogs. Though it is not as composed as his acting in My wife’s murder, he looks best person for unconventional and “jara hatke” roles these days.

Irrfan hogs most of the camera time and is good. But I think his role in Maqbool could not be bettered this time.

Arshad Warsi, who gives good comic relief is first rate. I must say he is the most under rated actors in the recent times. His diversity is to be appreciated given that he can perform an intense and serious role in “Sehar” and easy-go-lucky in Chocolate with the same ease.

Emran has little to do. Same with Suneil Shetty (apart from sporting a new hair style). Tanushree does what she was expected to do : add oomph. And Sushma Reddy failing in the same department after some silly, desperate try.

London looks good in the camera and so do other things: be it bank robbery or the city in night or the action sequences. But be warned, this is not an action flick but rather suspense oriented one. The music of the film by Pritam (of Dhoom fame) is very good ("zahreeli raatein" –missing?) and perfectly suits the pace of the movie. The direction is also good by one more debutant director Vivek Agnihotri.

Taste the Chocolate once !

- Naveen Kumar B K, guest reviewer.

Iqbal

Quite a few times, after first few minutes of the movie, you will be transported to some other world. You will remain there, laugh and cry with characters, cheer at some scenes and become dumb during others, gasp and finally clap. You move out of the theater nodding, smiling at others. Everything looks beautiful.
Iqbal was one such experience for me. I knew the story, but is not a movie much bigger and different than a story ?The plot is simple and simplicity is in everything – the dialogues, the humour, the drama, the action. Iqbal is dreaming to play cricket and get into Indian team. He tries hard but meet hardships. He is determined, but the difficulties at home are more demanding. He finds a coach for himself and beats all odds to achieve his dream. There are many small notable dialogues. Like the one where mother in just couple of sentences, changes her husband. Like when Mohit(Naseer) confronts Iqbal's father(Yateen Karyekar). The humour too comes in short sentences and visuals. When the mother threatens Naseer that she would kill him, whole theater bursts into laughter. When the family members pretend to be working just before Yatin's returning home attracts smiles. Naming of buffaloes after crickters too. The drama – just one ball Iqbal bowls at Kamal is as good a drama as the climax match or the Guruji's talk with Iqbal before the match.

We don’t actually dislike any character (except perhaps that of Guruji's(Girish Karnad)). The father dislikes his family members wasting time on watching cricket – a common scene in many families. He expects his son to work with him, but that is ok, he too is helpless. Kamal's jealousy is also normal. The adoring characters, apart from that of Naseer and Iqbal's are the mother – ever smiling and encouraging and wait :the most adorable character/ child artist in recent times has to be Iqbal's kid sister(Shweta Prasad).

The way Iqbal practices in the night is my favourite part of the movie. We often land in no-way-out situations due to many factors and blame the circumstances and resign to the destiny. Or we compromise and get defeated. That part shows that everything is not over if one door is closed. I can quote many, but let me say in cricket lingo: It is not over till the LAST ball is bowled.

The story telling, performances are all first rate. A little pace in second half would have been better. That said, there is nothing that takes it away from the movie.

Iqbal is not Lagaan. The comparision stops at that the both involve cricket. Iqbal is not Black. Iqbal is colorful – green fields, blue skies, bright hopes (except for 2 dark shades of politics and jealousy).

In Hyderabad Blues in which Nagesh showed simple lives, in Bollywood calling where he exposed dramatic life in movie making, in this film he carries same finisse in showing a boy's dream, and its coming true. Between poetic narration, he packs other aspects like scenic beauty, the corruption, the leg-pulling activities, the fun.

Please stop reading this and watch Iqbal if you have not yet.

I have few complaints. Very few. First – the parents should have been watching him play the last match. They should have been shown watching it on TV, at least. Second, Just like for a batsman hitting a sixer is, for a bowler, the ultimate thrill and satisfaction is in getting a batsman BOWLED out. Middle stump. And that is an ultimate answer to a batsman. Given Iqbal's bowling, I thought, that was how it should have ended ideally – Iqbal authoritively bowling out Kamal.

Saalam Namaste

AV: ***
EV: ***Sweet is always cute, Too sweet is still adorable but when it is tried to make it extra sweet it tends to be bitter. Saalam Namaste is a classic example of this. They way movie is being promoted like “live-in relations” and “no family” involved; I expected a mature movie with no melodrama. Alas they were just promos. Till the intermission the movie is cool, sweet n funny and after that it becomes drag, senseless and stupid. On a whole it is 70’s movie repacked with gorgeous looking stars, exotic location, good hum able songs and funny a times.

Preity is Amber a medical student and a part time RJ. Saif is Nikhil Arora who prefers to call himself Nick is an architect turned chef. They hate each other until they meet and when they meet it is not love at first sight either. Yes they are attracted to each other and want to find out whether it is THE LOVE. Saif comes out with a brilliant idea of a Live-in Relation (Oh! I wish I was in Australia..) but living in different rooms. ( Oh Come on Saif did u really mean different rooms). Time passes, they figure out they are quite opposite to each others, but Opposites do attract (never knew so much), Love Blooms and finally “Ding-Dong” So what’s next??? “More Ding-Dong”…and phir kahani main twist…

Priety: Main tumhare bache ki maa bannewali hoon…. (How Original)

Saif: What? S****! Come on how did it happen? (If u really don’t know Saif, How did it happen than Ask the postman)

So what now…. things change. The broad-minded career oriented Priety suddenly becomes Bhartiya nari doesn’t want to kill the baby. The word is Abortion. Cute n happy go lucky Saif becomes coward when it comes to take the responsibility of the baby and to tie the knot. He wants abortion i.e. to kill the baby. The best part of the live-in relationship you can say Its over. Its not exactly over still the continue to stay together in different rooms, keep nagging and harassing each other and of course you know how the movie going to end.

Director is quite creative during the first half and there are quite a lot funny instances through out the movie. But has wasted talents of Arshad Warsi and Javed Jaffry. Mr Director audience won't even notice when you are calling mallu a “Debo Nair” but they will raise eyebrows if you make an eight-month pregnant Preity do the Moon Walk and even if she is expecting triplets or quadruplets she wont be having that pot that you have shown. Saif who has taken some "Kishy-Vishy" lessons from Emraan and Preity who has figured out "How to look hot" have given a great performance. Only four songs but good and the entire movie is shot very beautifully. Abhishek has a cameo and he is really awesome ( Best part of the movie according to me). Movie one time watch, but not in the lights of Hum-Tum or any other Yash Raj movies. Sorry to say Mr Director Ekkjactly Kya Kehna remade.

Moral of the Movie:…Ummmm…….use Double Protection…

P.S.: Sorry to have told what to expect, but if you really go with no expectation movie might be worth your money.

-Aditya "Bye-Bye" Parekh