Movie Review: Airlift..takes off in nearly grand style

Movies like Airlift are not generally made in Bollywood and that?s really a pity. If this is a harbinger of things to come, 2016 couldn?t have started on a better note (let?s just forget about Wazir for the moment). While its not perfect, Airlift sets the bar really high. More so, it pays a grand tribute to an epic story, that most would never have known had it not been made.

There are two main reasons why Airlift succeeds ? one, due to its powerful storyline which is inspired by real events and two, because of the wonderfully understated yet deeply intense performance of Akshay Kumar. In fact, it?s the second of these that will get you to overlook some of the flaws in direction ? the unconvincing transformation of Akshay?s character, the hurried build up to the sequence of events that play out and even the over-dramatization of the hero towards the climax. I wouldn?t be overstating the case to say that this is probably Akshay Kumar?s best performance till date.

Playing his better half is Nimrat Kaur who is surprisingly a bit of a mixed bag. The dolled up look doesn?t suit her and for someone so naturally beautiful it is the second half where she isn?t wearing that much make up that she is much more appealing. Her performance also has a similar trajectory and it is her acidic monologue in the second half that gets you to sit up and take notice. The side act isn?t really for her and she should take more and more central roles ? she seems most comfortable and convincing in those. The side acts are solid as well ? Purab Kohli, Kumud Mishra, Inaamul Haq (a tad unconvincing in comparison to his natural act in Filmistaan previously) and Prakash Belawadi (as the particularly well delivered obnoxious Malyali) all bring credence to the script.

Unlike Baby, which harped too much on the mission and action, Airlift is about human emotions and you can feel for the trials and tribulations of every person you see on the screen. There are other gems as well ? the good production design, wonderful camerawork and mostly tight and deft direction which keeps your interest going in the events of Airlift pretty much throughout its runtime. There are some special touches too ? scenes where no words are spoken and yet everything is said, the aforementioned monologue, Purab Kohli?s understated character and his story arc. I should probably stop here..lest I spoil your fun.

Its not all a smooth ride though. There is the obvious turbulence with completely avoidable songs ? which do nothing to help the tense nature of the plotline and seek to provide unnecessary relief. Thankfully they are cut short and we go back to the events before they can become more tiresome. There is a distinct focus on keeping things real and balanced rather than making them sensational, that is truly the hallmark of the film and takes the script to greater heights. This has been the bane of most Bollywood commercial entertainers and while it almost teeters on the edge, Airlift doesn?t succumb to that trap.

Instead Airlift gives wings to a tight script and makes a near perfect lift off the runway giving us a flight that is truly worthy to remember and a great start to 2016

Movie Review: 12 Years a Slave..is cold, hard and relentless

12 Years a slave is a very well made movie. No one can doubt that. However, despite how good it is, I wouldn?t say you should go and book your tickets right away. Here?s why

The thing about a true story is that it is scarcely the romanticized stuff we want it to be. The highs and lows cannot be pre-decided, hardly ever are things ?planned? to go a certain and even so, most of those times also the plan tends to get derailed. Thus, if one has suffered much hardship, the hopelessness of the situation has been all too obvious, despite any amount of courage and there has been much despair and grief, then that?s how their story will be. One can?t fault the makers for it. And that?s the issue with 12 Years a Slave

Exquisitely executed, in painful (and I mean the word literally here, as well) detail Steve McQueen does not shy away from showing the horrors that a man suffered in the despicable act of slavery. The basest of human emotions and utter sadism is exposed bare (again, quite literally) in scene after scene in unrelenting fashion. That such savagery existed amongst humans, itself, is a shame for humanity altogether and the movie makes no efforts to hide any of it.

As a result then, 12 Years a Slave can scarcely be described as ?entertaining?. If anything, it gets more and more gruesome and depressing as it progresses and while you feel for the protagonist and his circumstances, the whole situation itself is over-whelmingly off-putting. After a point, the whip lashes, kicks, bared backs and blood marks become too much to withstand and you will the movie to move on to the better part, content-wise.

Apart from the subject matter itself, the treatment of the movie is perfected to a fault. Dialogues spoken plainly would sting you long after they?ve been said. A lingering scene will have you thinking deeply about it rather than pass it off as a mere occurrence. The character of Chiwetel Ejiofor suffers too much but is pulled of extremely well by him. That said, I don?t think his character was as complex as the others in the race for the Oscars. Brad Pitt?s role is too small to speak of. Michael Fassbender is fantastic as the evil slave owner and Benedict Cumberbatch is more than equal to his relatively smaller role as Mr. Ford

12 Years a Slave is right up there in terms of quality movie making. However, given the extremely depressing nature and hopelessness of the situation the protagonist finds himself in over and over again, for majority of the movie, it makes for a rather grim watch. Bear that in mind if you decide to go for this one

Movie Review: Talvar?surgically cuts sharp and deep

I?ve been quite the ass. I know - Not the most self-promoting way to start a review but that?s exactly how I felt after watching what is probably the best movie of 2015, so late in the day. So affected was I by all the talk of this movie, though well made, being depressing and a mood spoiler, that I kept putting it off. However, one look at the trailer ( something I normally avoid) and I knew I had made a mistake.

Talvar cuts you deep ? there is no doubt about that. It is unforgiving and relentless in its presentation. The camera does not shy away from showing the murder in its macabre form and the grieving parents played exquisitely by Konkana Sen Sharma and Neeraj Kabi will hit you hard. Parents will definitely find this one a difficult watch.

I am not going to debate whether the movie presents the case in the right light, whether it supports or refutes the actual events or whether it helps shed any kind of light on the proceedings at the time. Very aptly, the movie itself doesn?t direct you regarding that either (though it does lean very hard, on one version of events) ? instead choosing to let you experience the events as they actually unfolded and arrive at your own conclusions.

What this movie does wonderfully well is to have a sense of balance. It is easy for any film maker, especially for such a subject, to take the audience deeper into the dark abyss that sets the movie?s context and show the utter hopelessness of the situation from different angles. However, the film goes a step further and brings in wry humor and comic relief, especially after intense scenes. The combination works particularly well and gut-wrenching thought the storyline is, there are welcome moments of relief every now and then. Further, the movie makes no attempt to dramatize beyond what is necessary preferring to make sequences more realistic than oriented towards commercial impact.

The first half of Talvar is taut and gripping. You want to hang on to every word, look through every clue and follow the investigation. In the second half the movie dips a bit with the final analysis coming across as farcical and unusually light. However, one glimpse at the parents is all it takes you to relegate you back to a state of despondency.

Irrfan puts in a stellar performance ? his passion and anguish coming across particularly well on the screen. Special hat tip to Konkana Sen Sharma and Neeraj Kabi for agreeing to play such a heart-wrenching role in the first place. Not once do the two stalwarts look like they are putting on an act.

Despite its controversial subject and presentation ? Talvar is an indication of a grand leap forward by Bollywood ? one that should be applauded and promoted. Scarcely does one get to witness such a well made movie without the unnecessary razzmatazz. There?s scathing commentary of the state of affairs of our police and investigative departments, the adverse impact of clashing egos and the futile attempt to fight a corrupt system ? without actually saying any of those in words.

The content is depressing no doubt, but you still can?t miss it. After all, these events have actually occurred even if the truth and facts around them are blurred. At the very least, the movie will have you wanting to go back and re-examine the facts of the case, that?s the kind of impact Talvar leaves you with.