Movie Review: Bhaag Milkha Bhaag?is a good tribute to the ?Flying Sikh?

I am glad this movie was made. There is so much that I learned about the greatness and glory of the achievements of our very own Flying Sikh, which would have been lost on me otherwise. In a cricket obsessed nation, such stories tend to go untold and I am glad that wasn?t the case with this one

However, what prompted the makers to make it a freakin 188 minute offering is what I can?t get over. When you emerge from the movie hall, that is your single, albeit substantial, complaint. Especially when as per what?s shown there isn?t too much meat to the story. Quickly told, this story would have resonated big time and perhaps even made for repeated viewings. However, the pace at which it unfolds would weary even the most determined watcher

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is, no doubt, well made. The cinematography is classy and the movie has a distinct sheen about every sequence. Remove a few songs, a few extra sequences and stick to the main story and you had an explosive offering. Instead, what could have been a beautifully directed and shot movie gets relegated to mere moments ? moments which are brilliantly captured and full-on display how forward movie making has moved in Bollywood ? but that?s what they end up as ? moments. Be it the way his runs are captured to the macabre nature of our partition; a hilarious sequence on a plane journey to the burning of a certain tissue paper - these are the moments that create the real magic about the movie. However, thanks to its runtime and the extra sequences, despite being somewhat of a biopic on a really inspirational life story the film really doesn?t succeed in getting the audience to connect and feel for its main character, which is a pity. Then there are some scenes that don?t really add up with threads that are left hanging in mid-air, making you wonder what was the point of showing them in the first place.

As for the act, well, its Farhan Akhtar all the way. Not only is he visibly fit for the part, he slips into the shoes of his character quite effortlessly. In my view, the character itself isn?t all that complex to pull off but that takes nothing away from Farhan?s performance. The only slight hitch is that his Punjabi accent isn?t all that there ? but that isn?t a problem for most of the movie. However, it does come out in sharp contrast to the natural performance of Pawan Malhotra, as his Army coach. Sonam Kapoor has roughly 2 dialogues in the entire movie so that isn?t a problem for this one and she actually looks quite pleasing to the eye for a change. Divya Dutta gets noticed for all the right reasons in her spirited support role while Yograj Singh also does a good job

Regarding the music, quite simply ? most of it shouldn?t be there. It slows down the narrative and adds nothing to the plot. Only Zinda is a song that really peps you up and maybe it could?ve been repeated in the background for scenes later in the movie rather than all the other unnecessary music. Tu Bhaag Milkha is decent but its no Lakshya and doesn?t have the same kind of energy about it

To sum up then, this movie should have been a 2 hour watch with much less of the song and dance routine and more on the inspirational story. Still, a visit to the hall is a must, if only to celebrate the story of the Flying Sikh, and ensure his legend is not forgotten anytime soon.

Movie Review: Shahid?deserved better direction

Shahid?s is a compelling story. Once you?ve entered the hall, whether you would like to or not, you are going to get drawn to the unique context in which his story is built and follow with great interest, the story of his life. It is truly one of the stories that deserve to be told. But is it deservingly told? Well, not entirely.

Shahid starts with striking all the right notes. The unique point to start off the story itself is a smart ploy. Background score is cleverly used. It is absent most of the time and in some sequences the silence can be deafening. The first half sets up things quite well. You understand why Shahid does what he does and the connect with the protagonist is well established. There are some niggling questions, but you let that go ? maybe the second half will deliver better.

However, its the second half when things become much more aimless than before. After the tense note on which the movie intermissions, you expect it to pick up the thread where it left off, but instead the movie chooses to slows down. It takes you to a point where you make your peace with the fact that is a biographical account of this young man and his unique story before it again changes gears and suddenly starts running through event after event. Editing would be chiefly responsible for this mess-up in my opinion.

The camerawork is good for the most part but towards the end it becomes one trick too many. I almost put it down to malfunctioning equipment rather than an effect that the director purposely wanted to achieve in a particular scene because he over-did it so much. Speaking of over-doing things, Shahid talks a lot of sense, but then the same sentences keep getting repeated, in the same form and it becomes a forced rather than subtle message.

What is invigorating though, is the performance of Raj Kumar. He breathes life into the script and slips into the shoes of Shahid with ease. In Kai Po Che, Sushant Singh Rajput may have stolen the show, but Raj Kumar made his presence felt. With Shahid though, he makes it amply clear that he has the ability to carry a film on his shoulders alone. He is possibly the best reason to watch this movie. He is also ably supported by Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub, Baljinder Kaur and others who play cameos around Shahid?s story ? though the kind of actors they are, they could have easily been utilized more.

In summary, Shahid?s is a story that people must know about. It was the right thing to make this movie. Only, I am pretty sure it could?ve been made better.

Movie Review: The Imitation Game?well played

A rather humble looking title for a movie that celebrates a humongous yet sadly little known achievement. This ?Well Played? is not so much for the movie but its for the life of the person it takes us through. Yes, well played Sir Alan Turing (I don?t care if he wasn?t really  knighted, what he did provided every reason for him to be. In fact, the very device I am typing..but I get ahead of myself?). Well Played, indeed.

The question is not so much whether you should go for this movie since this is about the life and achievements of a genius everyone ought to know about but more, whether you should go for the movie for how the central character has been portrayed, the performances, the story development, the visuals and the answer in each of those departments is also a resounding yes.

While a biopic, there is a sense of intrigue built right from the opening scene, in fact the opening narrative itself ?  which I thought was very smartly done. The movie scarcely loses your interest, though the constant flitting between past and present can be a little disconcerting. Some scenes, in particular could?ve been done with a better context and presentation, but these are minor niggles in what is otherwise a remarkable story that is extremely well told.

Benedict Cumberbatch is in familiar territory with the British accent and the reclusive character he plays but he does so with an ease few others would exhibit. What works in his favor is also that while a complex character, the protagonist scarcely displays more than the minimal range of emotions ? not unlike his Sherlock avatar. Keira Knightley is also in her comfort zone with a character that doesn?t have a lot of complexity either but goes further to bring a natural warmth to her character. All others perform their side roles ably well.

However, more than the performances, it?s the story itself that is the real hero in this offering. A story of a highly significant achievement, the tremendous burden it bore and the treatment of its protagonist - one that by the end will have moved you enough to moisten your eyes or maybe even scream and shout. From a simple story of the life and times of Sir Alan Turing, emerges what ought to be known and more importantly, highly respected.

Thank you for making The Imitation Game and making this highly deserving story available to one and all. Now you need to do yourself a favour and go watch it. Oh, and a word to the wise..don?t watch the trailer?it gives away practically everything