Bollywood Buzz : Jan 28 - Feb 03 2008

INTERVIEW: SUBASH GHAI

WithVeteran director Subash Ghai speaks about his upcoming film on terrorism, Black And White. source: Buzz18

NEIL WALKS OUT OF GOOD NIGHT BUT INTO FASHION

Director Tigmanshu Dhulia was in for a big shock when Neil Mukesh claimed that he did not want to start the filiming of their new film, Good Night. As per news, Neil wanted another three months to get into the character.source:Midday

However it seems that not all directors find him tough. Infact some insist on him. Like director Madhur Bhandarkar who was adamant of getting Neil in his next project Fashion. And that is exactly what Madhur eventually got! source:Midday

INTERVIEW: AISHWARYA RAI

With Jodhaa Akbar round the corner, the Bachchan bahu decides to do her bit of promotion. Catch an interview of Aishwarya as she talks about her expectations of the magnum opus Jodhaa Akbar. She also speaks a bit about Sarkar Raaj and Robot as well. source: Hindustan Times

Hot Pix : EIGHT BY TEN

Akshay Kumar teams up with director Nagesh Kukunoor on this project. Though initially titled Tasveer, now the makers have renamed this thriller as Eight by Ten. You can take a glimpse of more pictures by clicking the pic below.

VIDHYA BALAN BACK TO BENGAL

Director and national Kicking off her career with a Bengali film, Vidhya Balan have returned for yet another Bengali film for director Haldar. She talks about her love for everything Bengali in this article

ADITYA CHOPRA'S NEXT WITH SRK

Buzz 18 reports that Aditya Chopra is ready to start his next project for Yash Raj Productions. As expected the film will star Shahrukh while a new heroine is to be signed opposite King Khan. Will this film, titled Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi be a multistarrer with another top hero too? No idea as of now.

INTERVIEW: SHEKHAR KAPUR

Shekar Kapur speaks about his upcoming Pani, the revival of Time Machine and ofcourse, his take on Indian cinema vs Hollywood. source: Hindustan Times

RAJAT KAPOOR ON MITHYA

Director and national award winning actor Rajat Kapoor talks about his upcoming Mithya and the mythological connection in this article

HRITHIK WITH VJ BRUNA ??

Anurag Basu is directing a project with Hrithik for papa Roshan's production house. But the film requires the heroine to be international, sexy and from what I hear- saucy too. And Indiafm reports that Basu have even thought of Channel V VJ Bruna Abdullah as one of the candidates! Basu...noooooo!



APARNA SEN AND THE JAPANESE WIFE

Aparna Sen is giving the final touches on her next project, The Japanese Wife, a bilingual based on author Kunal Basu's short story. The film starring Rahul Bose, Chigusa Takaku, Raima Sen tells the love story between two people who never met but lives out a marriage through letters and thoughts! More on this interesting project in the HT article.

INTERVIEW: RITEISH DESHMUKH

He might have multistarrers and not solo releases. Yet, Riteish Deshmukh manages to win the critics and the crowds. So the man who stands out in a crowd speaks about his journey in Bollywood and even a bit about his upcoming Alladin. source: HT

LONDON DREAMS TO BE REVIVED?

Hindustan Times reports that Raj Kumar Santoshi and producer Param Jeet Singh is keen to revive their shelved project London Dreams that was to feature Salman Khan and Ajay Devgan. This musical flick about two musicians trying to control the London underground music scene might just be what Santoshi needs the most, to make an impact at the box office. Especially since Rahman is the music director for the film based on the musical Amadeus.

DEVGAN AND KAJOL TO GO TOON

Producer Kumar Mangat now wants his fave Mr and Mrs Devgan to feature in an animation flick. The film on the lines of Who Framed Roger Rabit? will have a movie actor falling into an animated world and ending up as their superhero. Titled Toonpur Ka Superhero, this 40 crore project shall be directed by Kireet Khurana. Source: Rediff

KUNDER WANTS A QUICKIE

Dream big and chances are that you might never get a project going in Bollywood. After Jaan-E-Mann, director Shirish Kunder has announced two big projects- Joker and Prince of India. However with both being big budget films that requires a lot of pre-production, it seems Shirish would settle now for a quickie titled Tees Maar Khan. So is there a Khan in it? We do not know for now. INDIAFM

JOHN-NEIL TOGETHER?
INDIAFM is onto their usual guessing games. IF directors are meeting up with actors, that means we have a movie on hand. So when director Kabir Khan (Kabul Express) bumps into John Abraham and Neil Mukesh, Taran is certain that they are planning a new flick together. Whatever it is, we will have some confirmed news from Kabir by Feb end!

JOHN FOR SANTOSHI's NEXT
Bollyvista reports that Raj Kumar Santoshi has signed on John Abraham for a partition era subject titled Jis Lahore Nahi Dekhiya based on Dr Ashgar Wajahat's novel.

MILAP TO DIRECT RITESH
Writer Milap Zaveri is the latest to try his hand at directing a flick. Roping in Ritesh Deshmukh, Ayesha Takia and Ruslan Mumtaz of MP3 fame, he expects to start the film by summer 08. Produced by Nikhil Advani and Mukesh Talreja, the film is tentatively titled JAANE KAHAAN SE AAYEE HAI. Indiafm reports as Milap does have a lot of people to thank for it!


SHEKAR KAPUR THIRSTY FOR PAANI
It has been long in the talking, and now Shekar Kapur seems happy to talk about it again. With music from Rehman, this futuristic flick Paani should have the potential but who is backing him. Subash Jha guesses UTV to be the one. Kapur also claims that his other flick Time Machine is also being revived by Rakesh Mehra.

Meanwhile Kapur is suddenly under the spot light as it is believed that he is the last person to have spoken to his Four Feathers star Heath Ledger before his untimely death. And to think that Kapur was supposed to have woken up Ledger. Sigh. Read Kapur's words on the young actor.

Hollywood Buzz: Jan 28- Feb 3 2008

ROMANEK WALKS OUT OF WOLFMAN

Universal Pictures have lost a director for their upcoming project The Wolfman when Mark Romanek left the project. This Benecio Del Toro-Anthony Hopkins starrer scheduled to start shooting in March will now have to find a new man for the hot seat! -Hollywood Reporter

ELM STREETS TO HAVE FRESH NIGHTMARES

New Line Cinema looks all set to revamp and relaunch the - A Nightmare on Elm Street series. The horror franchise produced one of the popular villains of all time in Freddy Krueger and the
studio thinks it is the right time to go at it again! - Variety

INDIANA JONES AND THE LOST BAZOOKAS

Empire Online brings us a new pic from Indiana Jones 4 and just the sight of that bazooka in
Indy's hands is enough to make one go wild in aniticipation. Meanwhile producer
Frank Marshall is right there with the updates on this flick.

THE UGLY TRUTH ABOUT BUTLER

300 star Gerard Butler will star opposite Katherine Heigl in the battle of the sexes comedy The Ugly Truth. The plot centers on a romantically challenged morning show producer (heigl) who
is embroiled by her chauvinistic correspondent (Butler) in a series of outrageous tests to prove his theories on relationships.- Variety

POSTER: LEATHERHEADS

George Clooney finally decides to go out, direct and have a ball while he is at it. So the result is that his comedy about a team of unlikely football heroes is ready to touch down this April. And the
above poster has emerged for Leatherheads - the comedy starring George Clooney and Renee Zellwegger.

GI JOE gets a DUKE

After rumours and speculations, it seems that they have finally got their Duke. It shall be Channing Tatum who shall play the role of Duke in the upcoming GI JOE flick. Based on the popular Hasbro toys, this Paramount back film shall be directed by Stephen Sommers and is one of the hottest projects out there. -Hollywood reporter.

Variety also confirms that Dennis Quaid is the next big name to join the cast. He shall be playing team leader General Hawk.

Del Toro for the HOBBIT?

The spin off of the hugely popular Lord of the Rings looks like will go on full swing. It seems that though Peter Jackson will not direct the movies, he shall be very much involved in the project. Talks are on with Guillermo Del Toro, who seems to be the most likely candidate to step into the directorsseat for the upcoming Hobbit series. The films are expected to hit screens by 2010 and 2011 with each of the film given a budget of 150 million. Hollywood Reporter has the scoop!

Julianne Moore seeks Shelter

Julianne Moore has been roped in to star in the supernatural thriller Shelter. The film is based on a script by Michael Cooney and to be directed by Mans Marline and Bjorn Stein with a budget of $ 25 million. -Variety

Sam Raimi brings magic to TV

Spidey director Sam Raimi has now set his eyes on the Television to bring back some medieval magic. Teaming up with Disney and ABC studios he is looking at a live action weekly series Wizard's First Rule based on Terry Goodkind's epic fantasy series The Sword of Truth. It tells the tale of the extraordinary transformation of woodsman Richard Cypher into a magical leader. More on Hollywood Reporter

A Walk in the Woods

Years back Robert Redford had the desire to get the 1998 book A Walk in the Woods made into a movie starring himself and good friend Paul Newman. However that never took off. However the project seem very much alive with now talks on with director Barry Levinson to kick start with this project with Redford playing the author's role in this humourous tale of two buddies deciding to go on a hiking mission that never really sets off anywhere! -Hollywood Reporter

Bharat Gopi passes away, but shall not fade away!

I always knew him as Bharat Gopi. In a land of superstars like Mammooty and Mohanlal, I always knew him as an actor. An actor par excellence, who with every minute expression could bring out emotions far deep within you. And today I know that he is no more. For Bharat Gopi or Gopiyettan as the film circle knows him, has passed away at the age of 71.

Bharat Gopi secured the national award for best actor in 1977 for Kodiyettam. From there on 'Bharat'got affixed to his name Gopi, and so for me he was always Bharat Gopi. His performances in films like Yavanika, Katuthe Kilikoodu, Aadaminte Vaariyellu still is fresh in my mind inspite having watched the movies ages ago.

Things ofcourse never looked so rosy for this actor ever since his paralytic attack some twenty years back and ever since then, we all knew that this was coming. However he did recover a lot to work with the current generation in films like Wanted, Vasenthiyum Lakmiyum Pinne Njaanum and the latest Rasathantram and Nivedhyam.

And at times like this, one learns what a great talent he truly was. We get a chance to look at his achievements from a more meaninful perspective. Not many know that besides acting, he has also won National awards for his writing (his book Abhinayam Anubhavam) while his productional venture Padheyam won several awards and laurels.

He will be surely missed and yet one more from that golden era of Malayalam cinema has left us.

Manoramaonline: Tribute to Bharat Gopi

Shobha Warrier give us a touching insight to this veteran at REDIFF

Gopi's take on the state of Malayalam cinema: REDIFF

When Legends Come Together

One man who accidentally ventured into film making when his dreams of a race driver was cut short thanks to a near death experience.

Another a man who wanted to 'dream for a living' and posed as an intern at the Universal Studios as his first step into filmdom.

Then a veteran actor who managed to bring to screen some of the most remembered of characters. And now at the age of 65, he returns to relive the magic one more time.

Yet coming together was never easy. It almost never took off. And now years later, they can smile on how everything aligned in their favour so that viewers are not denied another INDIANA JONES outing.

Catch this indepth article on how INDIANA JONES 4 is ready to blaze the screens in this must-read article !! source: VanityFair

TOP WEAPONS IN MOVIES

Interesting enough. Telegraph decide to check out what is the favourite weapons from movies and the top ten goes like this



Top 10 Favourite Movie Weapons
1. Lightsabre (Star Wars)
2. .44 Magnum (Dirty Harry)
3. Bullwhip (Indiana Jones)
4. Samurai sword (Kill Bill)
5. Chainsaw (Texas Chainsaw Massacre)
6. Golden Gun (James Bond - The Man With The Golden Gun)
7. Bow and arrow (Robin Hood)
8. Machine gun (Scarface)
9. The Death Star (Star Wars)
10. Bowler hat (James Bond - Goldfinger)





So what according to you is the top movie weapon. Let me know and let us see if this change needs to be changed at all? So leave your comments...

RAMBO (2008)

RAMBO

Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Julie Benz

Director: Sylvester Stallone

I am not surprised when people are reporting applause and whistles as Stallone's name appears on the screen. Neither am I amazed when the fans are sent into a frenzy as John Rambo is unleashed upon the Burmese soldiers onscreen. Because, Rambo is one of the greatest icons of cinema that has transcended across boundaries and countries, beyond languages. This red banded Vietnam veteran is the true super hero when it comes to the global world, enjoying a certain awe and admiration that none of the current top bracket heroes can command. It was never about the acting or the dialogues. That lone figure and Goldsmith's memorable theme music blaring was all it was.

Exactly why I am surprised when people demand Oscar winning material from the makers of Rambo. Rambo is something that literally means in Japanese violent and unreasonable (the actual word being ''ranbou''), and to expect something NOT all that from this character is like asking the mobsters of Godfather to break into a musical. The genre of Rambo more or less like its prequels spells out just that - mindless brainless action.

And that is exactly what you get. Atleast that is what I got. 90 mins of pure brutal raw violence and however fast and furious they came, I enjoyed it in the overall format of the film. And Rambo as a character does not need any time to beat around the bush, it is straight to the point approach that Stallone takes. But then again, it is not until 50 minutes into the movie, that Rambo takes out his arrows upon his enemies, and from there on it is total mahyem- literally to hell and back!

The storyline is just an excuse for the action set up. Things are not exactly great in Burma. The villages of minorities are being raided, kids burnt, women raped, and men brutally masacerred in the hands of the Burmese army .

A group of Christian missionaries show ups with medicines and bibles to help these victims of one of the longest civil wars of modern earth. However for that they require the assistance of the boat man John Rambo, to get them across the rivers of Thailand into Burmese shores. John Rambo is content staying out of trouble with his boat for hire services, but the persistence of the lady member of the group makes our man relent. And so he drops them to the Burmese river banks and returns, only to be told weeks later that they have not returned and are feared to be captives.

So now the boat man takes a bunch of merceneries in order to bring back the survivors. Yeah, sending the Devils in order to rescue God's men! But little they know that it is the ''boat man that will show them how. The boatman is instructed to stay by the boat by the arrogant mercenery leader but when the time comes, it is the boatman that unleashes the fighting machine upon them. Now they will get a taste of John Rambo!

As one of those pure action flicks, this had me excited. It took me back to those times before CGIs and flash edits took over Hollywood, the ones that had us lapping up the Arnolds and Van Dammes. It was nostalgic allright. And what makes it better was the unflinching portrayal of violence on the big screen. It had the graphical voilent-porn nature that is now a Mel Gibsonish trait.

Not that the movie was perfect..I had my complaints too. To begin with, it left me wanting more of Rambo and I wish that I got to see more of Rambo, especially a more jungle combat. Also I wish he was pushed to an extent mroe on the lines of Apocalypto. Yeah, unlike his Rocky, this character is not one that be defeated, but never does the going get tough either and that was a let down. So there you have...my biggest argument was that inspite of all that blood splattered, I wanted more of the Rambo, cause this one ends up as a tease once the pile of dust and smoke settles down.

But for the playstation crowd, they do get a lot of action, lot of blood and gore. And I am certain most of it did make it way outta the screens onto the front row.

Cast wise it was Stallone all the way. The rest was quite an example of bad acting talents. However one notable character that did stand out was Schoolboy played by singer cum actor Mathew Marsden.

If Stallone wanted to go out in style, in style he does! He wrapped up the Rocky series with passion and now with Rambo, he showed us that he is still bad ass, and probably change the studios mind into giving him a bigger budget this time around. This is certainly the answer to all those rotten chick flicks that the studios throw at us day in and day out - the kickass guy flick!

So for all those hard core critics, There Will Be Blood is a frontrunner for the Oscars, but for all those who wish to catch Rambo - trust me - there will be blood, lots and lots of them! Guilty pleasure!

MovemagiK rates it 3 outta 5

Also have a look at the Rambo Death Chart (source:slashfilm.com)

MoviemagiK reviews SUNDAY (Hindi)

SUNDAY

Cast: Ajay Devgan, Irfaan Khan, Arshad Warsi, Mukesh Tiwari, Ayesha Thakia, Anjana

Directed by Rohit Shetty

Director Rohit Shetty is here with his next offering after the runaway success of Golmaal. Ofcourse there is Golmaal Returns later this year, but another quickie before that.

Like Golmaal, this is no original either. For Sunday is the remake of the Telegu film Anukokunda Oka Roju. Keeping the darkness totally out of it, and focussing on the lighter moments, and repackaging it as a comic suspense thriller, Shetty hopes to strike the box office. And since comedy is the selling point these days at the box office, the makers are going in full swing to promote it as a silly comic caper, keeping the suspense factor totally out of the equation. So my advise is do not expect an out and out comedy like Golmaal.

Anyways, what is the film about?

Sehar (ayesha Thakia) seems to have a normal chirpy life , working as a dubbing artist. However one day she realises that nothing is as normal as it was before. She simply cannot remember what happened on a particular Sunday. All she knows is that she hasnow strangers running after her and claiming several things.

And in steps ACP Rajveer (Ajay Devgan) munching his ice cream cones, trying to get to the bottom of all this. After all he has to help out his fiance while the clues begin to stack against her. Rajveer is still certain that the crime has nothing to do with Sehar. It could be the taxi driver Ballu (Arshad Warsi) and his wannabe actor friend Kumar (Irfan Khan) or even Sehar's freind Ritu (Anjana Sukhani).

After all it is only a matter of time as we find out what happened that Sunday!

Lazy , i say because this is a weak exercise in movie making. No one seems to be really there to give it a shot. The screenplay is so weak, and so is the script. The makers certainly did have a creative set up but the lack of a clever script or an impressive screenplay meant that they just failed to get it all together and keep the viewers on the edge of their seats. Surely when they have lifted it from another film, they could have atleast tried tweaking on the original and come up with something much better and refined.

What instead we have is some people trying to do what they call 'comedy' and push it down your throat with a suspense that we are least interested in. As a viewer one does not connect with any of the characters and therefore the film limps towards a finale that is anything but exciting.

Ajay Devgan is just passing by on this lazy Sunday and does not exactly leave a mark. He just spent most of the screentime playing cool and covering his tired baggy eyes with those shades. Arshad Warsi also could have easily avoided this outing as it does nothing for him on any level. Ayesha Thakia manages to get some attention with the script making her the center of gravity. Not that it demanded a lot from her.

However if any one impresses, then it is the non-stars. Irfan Khan as the silly actor wannabe manages to make even silly lines sound like winners with a dead pan act that surprisingly plays out well enough in the bigger picture. Equally impressive was Mukesh Tiwari as the cop in one of the few comic outings.

But the script is hardly there, various characters are thrown in for no major reason and many of them just turn annoying as we go along. Two major songs with Tushhar and Eesha Deol were could be highlights and could have turned out effective if there was actually a hit soundtrack on hand. However inspite of roping in nearly six composers in the form of Sandeep Chowta, Shibani Kashyap, Daler Mehendi, Raghav Sachar, Band Suroor, and Amar Mohile, it is just disappointing that the soundtrack is still left wanting.

The real silver lining is that director Roheit Shetty might not be ace when it comes to scripting or directing. But what he has talent is for action sequences. And he indulges into them with such a glee and confidence, that it clearly shows. Being the son of a stunt director, he adds a punch to his action sequences and surely an action film would come out great in his hands. But the success of comedy genre has taken him into a totally different side.

Even the editing is noteworthy cleverly employing split screens and overlapping to keep the flow between scenes and time frames. However it sticks out sorely in this flick that is played out with a stronger comic tone. Things would have worked out better then if the film was a laugh riot. But all it offers is a few chuckles here and there.

Therefore on the final count, the movie fails in all the genres- it fails to raise the laughs, does not bring out the suspense, and nowhere an edge of the seat thriller either.

Sunday simply fails to impress and staying away from this one would instead guarantee you a nice weekend!

MoviemagiK rates it 2 outta 5

Critics Rating: 2.70/ 5

Taran Adarsh believes that it is a well made entertainer with a potential to click with the moviegoers 3.5/5- IndiaFM

HAVE patience and you might just begin to have a ball with this quirky little thriller. -3/5 TimesofIndia

Sunday entertains as long as it tries to be funny but isn't sly enough to find a mention in the archive of whodunits. 2.5/5 Rediff

amnesia will strike the minute you leave the cinema. That's one missing Friday in the life of everybody who bought a ticket to this movie. 2.5/5 Hindustantimes

it's a just-about tolerable watch for those with high patience levels 2/5 IBNLIVE

Bond 22: QUANTUM OF SOLACE (2008)

Bond 22 or rather the 22nd film in the Bond series has finally got a title.

The title shall be - QUANTUM OF SOLACE.

Yes, looks like we will have to get back to our physics books to decipher this weird sounding title. But it seems that the title comes from one of author Ian Fleming's short stories.

The new installment will have Bond (Daniel Craig) out for revenge on a mission that takes him to Austria, Italy and South America. Bond girl Camille, (Olga Kurylenko) leads the secret agent to Dominic Greene (Mathieu Almaric) a member of a mysterious organization and a ruthless businessman, seeking to control huge natural resources!

Marc Foster directs this one as the movie sets its eyes on a November release date!

Well, hope the film is not bad as that title!

10,000 BC (2008) : A Preview

10 000 BC

Cast: Steven Strait, Camilla Belle, Omar Sharif, Cliff Curtis, Tim Barlow

Directed by Roland Emmerich

Written by Roland Emmerich and Harald Kloser

Release date: March 07, 2008

Director Roland Emmerich brings an epic pre-historic drama 10000 BC that seems to be nothing more than a jazzed up Apolcalypto from the looks of it.

In a remote moutain tribe, D Leh is a young mammoth hunter who has fallen fall for the beauty of Evolet (Camilla Belle). But when she is taken by the mystery warlords after a raid on their village, D Leh with the help of a few fellow hunters goes out after the warlords and rescue his love.

However the journey takes him and his men through battles with pre historic monsters of all kinds, only to stumble upon a Lost civilisation. This is where they will have to take on their biggest of enemies.

Coming from director Roland Emmerich, we expect the digital wizardy and heavy CGI thrown in like his previous flicks Independance Day, Godzilla and The Day After Tomorrow. However the fear is that justike those movies, this will be all style with very little soul underneath.

But cannot hold that against this German director, afterall all those movies were mega blockbusters around the world. So you see, the man makes movies that gives a visual thrill to the wide world. So maybe huge numbers ultimately pay rich dividends.

However interesting to note here is how this is not a summer release. Strange, because all those flicks of Emmerich's that I named earlier, were all summer bonanzas. But studio Warner Bros after putting it up for a summer 07 , then pushed it to a Dec 07 date and ultimately seemed to have settled in for a Spring 08 release date of 07 March.

Surprising because frankly, no big studio pits a visual popcorn extravaganza in the month of March unless the film has turned out to be a disappointment. And that I guess is what has happened to this project!

Evident cause most of the early previews have generate nothing but a negative response yet.

Trailer Zone : RIGHTEOUS KILL

Two screen legends....together....does it get any better than this?

Al Pacino and Robert De Niro gets together in this cop drama which will have them playing investigating officers after the drug dealer played by 50 Cent Curtis.

The trailer did not really impress me, but when names like these two flash together who goes by the cover, eh?

Probably we will have a better trailer as we near the Fall 2008 release date!

Aishwarya singed up for ROBOT

The news out there is that Aishwarya Rai has finally agreed to be the heroine for ROBOT opposite Rajinikanth.

It was kinda coming since Ash was going ga-ga recently how much she wishes for a tamil flick since it is the Tamil industry that gave her the break with Mani Ratnam's IRUVAR and Shankar's JEANS.

On the other hand you had Rajinikanth who has been always trying to rope in Ash opposite him. Aishwarya was one of the first names that is thrown up everytime Rajini announces a film.

However this time the makers of ROBOT seems to have clinched the deal for a whopping 1.5 crores making it the highest an actress has got in India. Behindwoods and Indiaglitz have confirmed this news...so looks like this time it is for real.

So good luck for the sci fi flick which is sure to have a budget of nearly 125 crores. That is expected when you have director Shankar at the helm of things. This Rajini starrer will obviously have an A R Rahman soundtrack, and Ayngaran International is producing this flick in Tamil, Telegu and Hindi.

The Buzz at Bollywood

So what is the buzz at the Bollywood movie factory ??

Anurag Kashyap might not venture into his Devdas remake -Dev D at the moment. Instead he looks set for a love story starring Abhay Deol and also getting ready for Bombay Velvet, a period thriller that will bring together John Abraham and Kay Kay Menon together. READ MORE

Himesh Reshamiya is off to South Africa to start work on his next project - Karzzzz. The remake of the Rishi Kapoor starrer Karz, shall be directed by Satish Kaushik. Shwetha Kumar, Inder Kumar's daughter will make her debut with this flick as the heroine while Urmila shall play Simi Garewals'role from the original. READ MORE

Krazzy 4 is another hot project in the trade circles. Directed by Jaideep Sen, this comes from Rakesh Roshan productions. This comedy starring Arshad Warsi, Irrfan, Suresh Menon, Rajpal Yadav will have its trailer premiere with this weeks' release Sunday. Obviously the real buzz for this flick comes from the item numbers from Hrithik, Shah rukh and Rakhi Sawant. READ MORE

Shahrukh will also be a guest in an upcoming Salman movie. Mr and Mrs Khanna, a Sohail Khan production starring Salman and Kareena will see special appearances of SRK, and even Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra and Preity Zinta. READ MORE

Do not be surprised if there is more of Jodhaa Akbar all around you. After all latest news suggests that UTV Pcitures, the producers have sold off the rights to Reliance Adlabs, for a whooping 90 crores, while the actual budget is estimated at 50 crores. READ MORE

Also an interview with the director Ashutosh Gowariker on his epic. READ MORE


Meanwhile the media was fully going blah-blah about Hrithik taking on the role of Buddhaa after Akbar, that too for director Shyam Benegal. However Benegal sets things right in his interview about his Budhaa project and his upcoming comedy Mahadev! READ MORE

And heres another shocking remake news from the house of Sanjay Gupta. It seems he plans to take on Training Day, and that too with Aftab for Denzel. You gotta be kidding me....READ MORE

Heath Ledger found dead!

HEATH LEDGER (1979-2008)

Australian-born actor Heath Ledger was found dead on Tuesday at a downtown Manhattan residence in what authorities called a possible drug-related death, the New York Police Department said. He was 28.

The demise of the popular star, famous for his roles in films like Brokeback Mountain, A Knights Tale, was also going to hit a career high note this summer after being casted as The Joker in the upcoming Batman flick : The Dark Knight.

Read reports on his demise courtesy: Age

Read the complete profile on Heath Ledger

THE OSCARS 2008

THe Oscar Nominations have been finally released for the year 2007.

Front runners for this years ceremony are No Country For Old Men and the epic drama There Will Be Blood.

And as expected, the surprise hit of the year JUNO has found its way into some of the biggest slots including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay.

And for all you Depp fans, yes...Johnny Depp did bag a nomination in best actor category, while the best supporting category certainly looks like Javier Bardem's for the taking.

Any more surprises....check out for yourself.

THE COMPLETE OSCAR NOMINEES LIST

However the big question still remains...with the Writers Strike, do you think we will have a ceremony this year?? Curious....indeed

Hot Pix: THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN

USA TODAY has come up with a whole set of stills from the big summer flick CHRONICLES OF NARNIA : PRINCE OF CASPIAN - one of the few sequels slated for this year.

MoviemagiK reviews EASTERN PROMISES (English, 2007)

EASTERN PROMISES


Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel and Armin Mueller Stahl
Directed by David Conenberg
Script by Steve Knight





Director Conenberg comes together with Steve Knight with a russian mob thriller that easily finds its way into the list of top movies of the year 2007. It even has a scene that will not be forgotten for a long time. Yet it is not the masterpiece....why...read on...

Anna (Naomi Watts) is a midwife at a London hospital and has just delivered a baby though the mother passes away. With the mother's diary written in Russian, Anna tries to find the relatives of the girl. The diary leads her to a restaurant owner Semyon (Armin Mueller Stahl). Anna also meets the boss' son (Vincent Cassel) and the chauffeur Nikolai (Viggo Mortenson). The friendly Semyon offers to translate the book for her, inspite of Anna coming from a Russian background.



However soon Anna realises, on learning the details of the diary, that these people are not exactly what they seem. She realises that she has dipped her fingers into the murky world of the Russian mafia. And the baby's life is no longer safe.



As more light is thrown into Semyon's world, we see a more distinctive picture of the chauffeur Nokolai who is sent out to clean up the dirty works of his master.


Though Viggo Mortenson is supposed to be the main star, the truth is that he is saved by the immense screen presence that he has. If not, his was a much restrained act until the final few reels and could have easily been over shadowed by the supporting cast. For that is because you have really good performances dished out by Cassel as the queer son and Naomi Watts as Anna. And what authority does Mueller Stahl demands with his act.

As far as the film is concerned, this is the second time this season someone is trying to keep a baby alive while a mob tries to kill it. If you want a fun version, you can catch Shoot Em up but this is a more grim one.

And grim is what we expect from Cronenberg who shall always be remembered for his The History of Violence flick. And if graphic violence is his forte, he clearly shows that to us in the first few reels itself. So people who do not have an appetite for the gore, may stay away. However after then it settles down to the crime drama territory but we are then treated to a classic fight sequence in the stream room as Mortenson battles it out with a couple of thugs totally nude. Yeah, this is the live version of what you saw in Beowulf however without the camera gimmick.

Surely the biggest flaw of the film is its ending. It just does not end the way you expect it. You would believe that an additional ten minutes is coming your way, but it never does. Things are certainly not wrapped up and thus stops right when you think you are getting a wholesome experience.

Kudos to the technical team, without a doubt. Be it Ronald Sanders' editing, Peter Suschitzky's cinematography or Howard Shore's score - all contributes wonderfully to the end product. So there you have, a dark mob thriller that is good, but could have been much better if it actually had an 'ending'!



MoviemagiK rates it 3.5 outta 5

Tales from the Counter: Jan 21 2008

BOX OFFICE CHART JAN 18-20

CLOVERFIELD as expected has come out and taken over the box office as expected. Even since they put up a teaser with no title in front of the summer biggie TRANSFORMERS, the hype was all over and eventually the results are to be seen.

With an estimate of 41 million in the first three days, it has turned out to be one of the biggest January releases ever. And the most interesting aspect is that it is a film has absolutely no star power, and made on a budget of 25 Million. Surely if it wasnt for the NFL Playoffs, this would have ended on a bigger note.

So while the male folk took to CLOVERFIELD, the female section of the audiences also warmly received the comedy 27 DRESSES with a 22 Million opening, for which Katherine Heigl, who got KNOCKED UP last year, can take all the credit.

However the success of 27 DRESSES meant that the other big release of the week, MAD MONEY had no takers and despite names like Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes, all it could manage was a mere 7.7 Million and a lot of negative reviews.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

INDIAN BOX OFFICE

It is still disasters at the Bollywood side of things. Neither HALLA BOL nor MY NAME IS ANTHONY GONSALVES could manage to get a decent opening. And with the bad word of mouth, both films have certainly bit a dust. Suprisingly both have good directors behind the projects in Raj Kumar Santoshi and E Niwas.

This week's release also has a wonderful director helming the project in Nagesh Kukunoor. But his flick BOMBAY TO BANGKOK also looks set to making no impact whatsoever.

Which means all eyes are on next weeks release SUNDAY. Things going for its favor is that its a comedy flick and a multi starrer featuring Ajay Devgan, Arshad Warsi and Irfaan Khan. Probably this will open the innings for the business side of things.

Down south, Vikram starrer BHEEMA has taken over the Tamil Nadu box office. Coming back after two years, it was expected that people would come to see Vikram. But the lack of story could hurt the movie making it limp in the coming weeks. However from all the other Pongal releases, it seems like only Cheran's PIRAVOM SANTHIPOM can play catch up. If not, we could have the likely situation of Vadivelu toppling the BHEEMA next week when his film INDRALOHATHIL NEE AZHAGAPAN comes to the theatres.

The Malayalam box office is also literally dead with both the 2007 releases of OF THE PEOPLE and NOVEL biting dust. So no surprise that Vikram is ruling there too. However next week we will see the release of Mammooty's ROWDHRAM and Dileeps CALCUTTA MAIL. And a week later a Mohanlal release too will make it in the form of COLLEGE KUMARAN. The heat is on!

DASAVATHARAM DATE ANNOUNCED

It was supposed to have hit the theatres last year. Then news came out that it is looking for a possible Pongal release. However that festival too came and went, yet no news from either Kamal or the makers regarding DASAVATHAARAM.

But now it seems that they have announced the official release date as APRIL 10, 2008.

The film is eagerly awaited all across the country and that is evident with the prints that it will have out - 1200 of which 300 would be for the Hindi market.

source: Behindwoods

Hollywood Buzz: New Projects in the pipeline

John Carpenter, notoriously famous in the horror genre, shall make a return to film direction with a new flick titled LA GOTHIC. The film shall tell you five interwoven horror tales depicting the evils of LA’s darkside.

John Hillcoat shall be directed an adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s THE ROAD.
Viggo Mortensen is slated to play the lead role while Charlize Theron too will play a bit part as the late wife of Motenson’s character.

Drew Barrymore is all set to make a directorial debut and for this she shall take on the autobiographical tale of Shauna Cross – DERBY GIRL. The film is tentatively titled WHIP IT!

THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL is slated for a December release. The sci fi flick about an alien that arrives on Earth to learn about the planet shall star Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly and Jaden Smith.

CHAOS will bring together Martin Scorsese and Harvey Keitel. This romantic drama follows two lovelorn people whose lives intersect in the city.

Mark Wahlberg and director Peter Berg is said to colaborate in an untitled film based in international drug dealer Jon Roberts. Paramount Pictures is slated to back the project that will tell the story of this vietnam returned soldier who goes on to dealing with drugs.

Richard Eyre is all set to bring to the screen THE OTHER MAN. Laura Linney, Antonio Banderas, Liam Nesson and Romola Garai are slated to be cast in this film about a man who begins to suspect that his wife has another man in her life.

Trailer Zone : VANTAGE POINT

Well, here is a political thriller that actually looks interesting. It brings together Dennis Quaid, Mathew Fox, Forest Whitaker, Sigourney Weaver and yet it looks a lot more creative and original a thriller....or will it get buried under the big names.

Trailer Zone: WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS

Ok...another possible date flick where they bring together opposites Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher, put them together in a project and get them to play off each other. That is WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS

- a comedy about two strangers with lousy lives who have one of those crazy drunk nights out at Vegas only to end up marrying each other. Next morning, as they fight on a divorce, they just hit the jackpot of 3 million. Now though they hate each other, they have to stay together to get their hands on the pot of gold!

Hot Pix : X FILES : DONE ONE

They are Back! The successful TV show X FILES comes to your cinema halls for a second time this summer with X FILES:DONE ONE. Yes David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are back. It is not like they have something else important to do.

So excited on watching the two back on screen?

The flick releases in July 2008

MoviemagiK previews BABY MAMA (2008)

Starring: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Steve Martin, Sigourney Weaver, Greg Kinnear, Dax Shepard, Romany Malco

Studio : Universal

Directed by Michael Mc Cullers

Official Website

Pregnancy was brought into fashion in 2007 with runaway hits like Knocked Up and Juno. So why should we chance the mood? And that theme is not going anywhere soon for in April we have yet another comedy based on similar lines – Baby Mama.


Kate Holbrook is single and a successful business lady. But at 37 all she can think of is babies, something that she realize will not be coming her way.

Not one to step back, Kate instantly decides to hire the services of another woman, Angie (Amy Poehler) to be the surrogate mother for the child. And once Angie is pregnant, Kate believes everything is to follow smoothly.

That was until the mother-to-be Angie soon shows up Kate’s door claiming that she has no place to live after a breakup with her husband. Now Kate and her new roomie Angie have to stick it out together for the sake of the baby, and the laughs ensues.

The cast is the key here. Poehler and Fay are some of the few actresses who have a wonderful flair for comedy and that surely will be tapped into this one. And definitely this too might find the kind of success that 27 Dresses enjoyed earlier this year.

Add to that names like Greg Kinnear, Steve Martin, Sigourney Weaver, and surely we have enough names in there to attract the average moviegoer for a laugh. That is if the comedy can deliver it.

EARLY BUZZ

Latino Review has come up with a reader review which gives the movie a favourable thumbs up. But please be warned that it gives a lot of the storyline.

TRAILER ZONE

Trailer Zone: DOOMSDAY

DESCENT was a pretty decent horror flick. Probably the reason why writer director Neil Marshall thinks he can do the horror genre one more time, bigger and grander.

So he ropes in a star cast of Rhona Mitra and Bob Hoskins.

The film is about London in 2030s with a deadly plague kilings thousands. And to find a cure for this, they have to go back to a site they built 30 years back. A site with walls around a pack of inflicted people with no way to escape. Now a special squad is sent back to this site with a hope of finding some clue on a cure.

This looks bad...and no, I did not mean it in a good way!

Trailer Zone: DEFIANCE

Director Edward Zwick, the man behind movies like GLORY, THE LAST SAMURAI and COURAGE UNDER FIRE is getting ready with his next offering - DEFIANCE.

It brings together Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber and Jamie Bell for this movie that tells the story of three Jewish brothers who are escaping from the Nazi occupied Poland. As they make a journey to join the Russian soldiers, they help a lot moe people to escape them. They go on to even form a small community inside the forests that they are hiding in, training the people to fight and stand up for themselves.

The film is based on the true story as told by Nechama Tec in the book DEFIANCE: THE BIELSKI PARTISANS.

MoviemagiK reviews I AM LEGEND (2007)

I AM LEGEND (English, 2007)

Genre: Sci fi/ Horror/ Thriller

Cast: Will Smith. Alice Braga

Director: Francis Lawrence

Writer: Marl Prostosevich and Akiva Goldsman based on book by Richard Matherson

Studio: Warner Bros Pictures

Official Site

I AM LEGEND is based on the book by Richard Matherson. AFter eventually finding its way as two movies, Will Smith comes out with the third and the latest version. After providing inspiration to a whole lot of vampire genre, the Hollywood studiosthink it is time to revisit the book once again.

The plot takes us to a futuristic 2012 where we learn that a cure gone wrong has wiped out around 90 per cent of the human race. And the rest seems to have been infected but still living in a mutated form. However their reaction to sunlight forces them to stay in the dark.

However Neville has survived this, and seems to be the sole survivor in a quarantined Manhattan city. He hopes that there are other survivors like him out there , but until then he goes about his daily life with the company of his dog, Sam. Being an ex-military scientist, he spends his day mostly in his lab working on a possible cure for this outbreak.

However he is left shattered when he loses his only remaining companion, Sam. But soon he meets a couple of other survivors too. But by then the living dead group of zombies seems to have tracked them down, leaving them in grave danger!


Eventually Will Smith might only stand out legendary for the ability to carry a movie through for the mere fact of his screen presence. Having the whole run time for himself, it must be said that he has given a arresting performance that grips the viewers. The sequence where Will Smith holds his dog in his hands and realise that he has to let it go is one of the highlight sequences of the whole film.

However have to admit that inspite of that the German Shepherd did steal the show.

Visual effects could have been better as the vampires ended up a lot CGI going against the mood it was trying to create.Otherwise the sets and the cinematography does make up for some remarkable viewing by a great deal.

There was a certain pacing, and with just one main protagonist, it was to be expected .However just as the directer held our interests using the techniques of suspense and thrills, he decided that he needed to pack it up quick. From thereon the film takes a whole different pace, a whole different treatment and eventually ends up ruining whatever was created so far painstakingly.

This looks like a perfect example of how oppurtunity is wasted. A good performance, a mighty good budget, great studio backing...and alas...If you are looking for a mere zombie thrill, this film does that for most of its running time. And the end also turns out to an action flick of sorts.

Eventually the elements in this movie are not the kind that makes legends!

MoviemagiK rates it 3 outta 5

MoviemagiK reviews JUNO (2007)

JUNO (English, 2007)
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, JK Simmons
Director: Jason Reitman
Writer: Diablo Cody
Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Official Site



Sometimes great joys come in little packages. And like a precious stone, comes this little comedy that instantly radiates the charm that makes it easily one of the best flicks of 2007.

Yes, did hear a lot of noise for this Indie flick. Thay have been raving about the movie from the various festival circuit, and usually a lot of movies do manage to generate the buzz that makes many of us curious. This is one of those few that justifies all that buzz.


For in JUNO is a romantic comedy that stands apart from the crass that the big studios churn out year in year out. KNOCKED uP already won the box office and great reviews for its male centric take on pregnancy. Now here is one from the other side of the fence. A teen pregnancy tale from a girl point of view.

But make no mistake - this is not your usual chic flick. IT is much more than that. This is one of the movies that boast of great performances, great witty lines, a story that manages to touch, and sprinkled with smart humour throughout. It is a rarity these days and it is one of those rarity that young director Reitman has come up with.

Being the son of Ivan 'Ghostbuster' Reitman, son Jason could have gone the big budget way anytime. However it is encouragin to see that he has put his hand into much more smarter stuff. His debut with THANK YOU FOR SMOKING was impressive to an extent, and with this he has certainly hit the nail.

Also well deserving all the credit is the writer for the movie- Diablo Cody. A former stripper, she in an instant has slingshot herself into one of the most hot shot of writers out there. And Juno's script proves that the lady has some great talent (as a writer, that is).

Juno MacGuff (Ellen Page) finds that she is pregnant. She takes a few more tests, but things are no different. She realise that she is only sixteen yet pregnant. All this while she still is not sure if she is in love with the father, her friend Paulie (Michael Cera). However she decides that she will go for an abortion.However she decides against it, and instead suggests giving away the child to a couple who badly requires one. And that is when she stumbles upon the wonderful looking couple Vanessa and Mark (Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman. Now in the firm belief that she has sorted out her rather 'dump of a situation', she looks forward to the nine months of labour. Somehow the situation just goes from bad to worse.

The script, the director is all in its place. But the cast is no less. Ellen Page has given such a marvellous performance in the lead role of Juno. To think of a teen that behaves like that might be something else, but Page gives such life to it that makes us love and adore the eccentric Juno.
Ellen is well supported too. Michael Care does the SUPERBAD role of the shy timid guy once again, that makes you wonder if he can act in any other role that than. But he is effective here once again. Equally impressive is his Arrested Development dad Jason Bateman who along with Jennifer Garner plays 'The Couple so Right'.

The comedy might not be slapstick, but it is clever at most times. Leaving you in chuckles throughout, this is one of the feelgood movies though it is tackling a sensitive subject like teen pregrancy. It might not be taking the topic seriously and making a light thing out of it all, but the characters still makes us involved and therefore leaves no room for complaints.

Oh before I forget...this is not just a great indie flick, but a great indie flick with an equally great indie soundtrack worth checking out!

Juno is fresh air all right. Walk into it right now!

Moviemagik rates it 4.5 outta 5

Tales from the Counter: Jan 18 2008

The Hollywood scene if finally buzzing thanks to the release of one of the most hyped of flicks- CLOVERFIELD. Thankfully it seems that the high expectations will be met to a certain degree. The film which is a kinda Godzilla meets Blair With Project, seems to be a fun time at the films and is certain to give the box office the much required boost. This creative take on the monster genre does deliver the thrills and chills that would make a good weekend watch.



However the same cannot be said for the other two releases that try to please the female audiences. 27 DRESSES that tells the story of a bridesmaid who could never find her groom is not the kind of start that Katherine Heigl is looking for in 2008. The film looks to have been getting an outright thumbs down.



Equally being panned is the comedy MAD MONEY. Boasting of a talented trio of Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes, one was expecting a comedy that might just make the mark. However this too falls as flat as the storyline - that of three normal women trying to rob the Federal Bank!





While in India, the major Bollywood release is Mukta Arts' BOMBAY TO BANGKOK. This Nagesh Kukunoor's flick seems to be opening to pretty dismal reviews that stresses the fact that it is still very much same same and nothing is different about the film. Looks like this will sink without a trace. Tough luck for actor Shreyas and Nagesh.



However fireworks is coming in plenty downsouth, as the Pongal releases fight for supremacy in Tamil Nadu. Obviously it is BHEEMA that will be winning the crowds the opening week due to the hype around it. However reviews are quick to show that the movie is pretty ordinary by standards. Even disappointing reviews are pouring in for the other two masala flicks - Simbu's KAALIA and Bharath's PAZHANI. The only movie that is winning some appreciation is Cheran's family flick PIRAVOM SANTHIPOM. But who will eventually win the race at the Box office can be only confirmed only once the hype settles down.

Hollywood Buzz: A TEAM The movie

Now this is news. Fox seems to have given the go ahead to float a movie based on the popular 80s series A TEAM.

Though no cast has been decided yet, John Singleton confirms that he shall be directing the movie and promises to give us something to look forward to.

Catch his interview HERE (source: Collider)

Hot Pix: Indiana Jones 4

Undoubtedly the biggest release of the year, Indiana Jones is coming to your screens for a fourth time.

Titled Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull', the film brings back veteran Harrison Ford along with Cate Blanchett, Shia LaBeouf, and Ray Whinstone.

Directed by Steven Spielberg, produced by George Lucas and written by David Koepp, this one promises to deliver what the fans all are eagerly waiting for.

Meanwhile what I can give is the first official poster for the film as well as one of the first pics from this flick!'

Trailer Zone : BLACK OR WHITE (Hindi, 2008)

Surfaced online is the exclusive trailer for Subash Ghai's next BLACK OR WHITE.

An offbeat flick from Subash Ghai, this one tells the story of a terrorist who is in Delhi to complete his mission. Anurag Sinha debuts in this thriller that also has Anil Kapoor playing an important role of an Urdu professor. Also starring are Shefali Shah and Aditi Sharma. Music is by Sukhvinder Singh.

MoviemagiK reviews BHEEMA (Tamil, 2008)

Cast: Vikram, Trisha, Prakash Raj, Raghuvaran, Ashish Vidhyarthi
Music: Harris Jayaraj
Director : Linguisamy


This is the biggie of Pongal 2008. Much delayed yet with high expectations, Bheema makes its way through as the front runner this festival season.

Surely expectations are bound to be sky high since this is Vikram's first release since 2005 when he gave us Anniyan and Majaa. Directed by hitmaker Linguisamy and produced by AM Ratnam, this one had been the one to sizzle the screen from day one!


Chinna (Prakashraj) is the goon with a gang of his own but more importantly with a heart of gold. And when a young Sekar comes up to join his gang, he immediately takes him in impressed with his actions. However there is more to it than what meets the eye. For Sekar is someone who grew up admiring Chinna and his deeds. Hence Sekar becomes the most trusted aide to Chinna and is ready to take on anyone for Sekar is all heart and brawns, a thug that has no match living up to the mythological character of Bheema.

Fearing the rise of this gang, their archrival Periyavar (Raghuvaran) and his sons try to stop them. But they only burn up their hands in the process. Even the new Commisioner in town (Ashish Vidhyarthi) unleashes his young rookie force to stop Sekar.

However Sekar cannot be stopped by anyone but himself. That is exactly what happens when he falls in love with a young girl (Trisha) and decides that he should now live a life retiring from the life of crime. However little does he know that he has started on a path where there is no turning back!

Let's accept it...this is the Tamil action potboiler that everyone has tried and everyone knows from start to finish. The story line is that vintage stuff and every director gives it a shot thinking he can still work magic and play to the hysterical fans.

It is unfortunate when film makers think of a novel idea, mostly the climax and then works out everything around it. That is exactly what has happened here. The makers have a rather interesting climax on hands that depict that character of such a Bheema like character, however they failed to bring it out convincingly with a gripping story.

The screenplay is entirely at fault here. Sekar pops up from nowhere to join a gang and he is taken into the gang without any questions. Then we are made to believe that this is a fast paced thriller with Sekar and the gang's growth shown in the first song itself. But that was a false promise, for then the story comes to a halt.

Then Trisha is added and a romantic plot is thrown in. Again without a motive or purpose, we are asked to believe that this college girl suddenly is all hearts for a thug she hardly knows. Several silly scenes later she is slapped by our hero.

Now throw in a rival gang in the form of Raghuvaran. They also turn out to be silly caricature of villains and simply not strong enough to battle with the might of Sekar. But the audiences are kept fed by countless examples of that with fight sequences one after the other.

Just when that gang is depleted and we begin to question the law and order of the city that Linguisamy is dealing with, the Police steps in and there we are handed the most atrocious of fight sequences in a public restroom.

Then all of a sudden our hero has a change of heart and starts pursuing his romantic angle and tries to woo the girl back and win her love.

The screenplay is outright silly and most importantly , hardly creative. The only novel aspect in the whole writing is the climax and for that we are forced to sit through the routine motions of action, song, action song with no emotional motive behind any actions. As a result the audiences do not get involved in the going ons.

Linguisamy should have tried to throw in something new instead of just going down the tried and tested lanes of RGV classics like SATYA or COMPANY. And what was that with Harris Jayaraj giving us those COMPANY soundtrack in the background. They could not create one of their own. The lack of creative inputs is clearly showing all throughout!

Vikram is able. Unlike other heroes, he took time off to look the part and makes Sekhar look convincingly menancing enough. However he seems more demi-god like with no opposition coming into the picture. But he should not have spent such a time of his life on this silly script. Prakash Raj puts a good effort in his usual style. Raghuvaran does a hamming act in a weak role of no substance. while Ashish Vidhyarthy is another victim of bad writing. Trisha is just there for the glamour quotient and to fill up the songs.

The songs by Harris Jayaraj might have been a hit but there is a deja vu feeling that runs through the soundtrack and the BGM. To make things worse, they just pop in to spoil the pace and some of the songs were absolutley not needed in the first place. Even the choreography left a lot to be desired.

Technically it is good as the whole team from KHAKAA KHAKAA has been roped in for this. The cinematography is good and most of the action sequences are well laid out except for the restroom one. That should have been flushed out!

Overall a disappointing flick. Despite a slick look, the script is so normal that it offers nothing new to the audiences. It is not a bad film, but it just ends up as as a platter of too much action, with no story to fall back on.

Vikram is the only reason why this movie needs to be checked out. Otherwise this is one disappointing action flick. MoviemagiK rates it 2.5/ 5


Pros: Vikram. Good action sequences. Good music from Harris Jayaraj
Cons: Age old plot. Cliche screenplay.

REDIFF seems to be all praise for it in the review though settles down for a pretty average rating of 2.5/5

BEHINDWOODS also gives it an average rating claiming too much action with too little story plays spoilsport! Another 2.5 rating.

However INDIAGLITZ seem to have enjoyed the flick to the fullest. They claim that it stay true to its name, Bheema is a power packed action entertainer.