FAMILY - Ties of Blood

Name: Family
Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Bhumika Chawla and introducing Akilman
Rating: ***

The basic storyline is of revenge...taken in the name of family.

Amitabh, is an underworld GOD, working from outside the country yet controlling everything from the streets to the government...he can come and go as he pleases - despite all the warrants/rewards for his arrest - and do as he pleases. And he does not tolerate anyone who speaks or raises an eye against any member of the family. The family which is typically represented by a son-who basks in the glory of the father, a wife-who has severed relations with him, a daughter-in-law, a grandson and a daughter.

Akshay Kumar, the quintissential good son, is all good and kind-hearted and nice, until its the question of his family members -their honor, their dignity, their safety. His family consists of Akilman - the family black sheep, Bhumika - his wife, and his harried parents.

Amitabh's acting was stuck somewhere between the Amitabh of Agneepath and that of Sarkar with shades of Ek Ajnabee thrown in...the casual smirk and the rolling of the cigar..just somehow took away from the persona that Amitabh is.

Akshay Kumar, was stuck between his action man image and his David Dhawan loyalties.....expressiveness never having been his forte, and a dead-pan voice to boot.

Akilman - no one could've asked for a better movie for debut..but he fails to sizzle the screen.

The first half of the movie is more like a chitrahaar of yesteryears .... interspersed with dialogues ... or so it seems. There was a song virtually every 15 minutes.

This is a good story spoiled by bad direction and not quite upto the mark acting.

Verdict: Good movie, could've been better.

ZINDA

Name: Zinda
Starring : Sanjay Dutt, John Abraham & Lara Dutta
Rating: ****

A slickly edited thriller, with a unique story line that keep you guessing till the very end. Powerful acting by Sanjay Dutt..very ably supported by John Abraham and surprisingly, Lara Dutta.

Thankfully, the movie has a minimal musical score which is nicely interwoven in the movie. The love making scene between Sanjay Dutt and Lara Dutta, which was expected, has been treated well, and for the first time I think the Director can stand proud and say "The script demanded it"...unlike the proliferating movies..where sex is used to sell the movie.

When the intermission happens..you get a feeling of incompleteness and are not really able to comprehend the story..which seems to be moving...but not fast enough...every time you expect something to happen, nothing does..

The intermission seemed more like a requirement of the cinema hall (so that they could sell their refreshments!!) rather than an actual turning point in the story.

This is a story which all comes together in the end...till then the viewer is kept guessing.

The verdict : Must watch.

Wah life ho to aisi

My review of this movie ?? - Dont watch it !!!

This is perhaps the first movie in my entire life which I had to walk out of....after 20 minutes of its starting...the 20 minutes because of my being an incorrigible optimist and refusing to accept that someone could actually make a movie like this !!