Review: Aurangzeb is VERY engaging

Bombay Talkies celebrates the language of cinema that permeated our system long ago, writes Sukanya Verma.Hindi cinema is too voluminous a medium, and now a century old, to try encapsulating its glory in 25 quick minutes. At the same time, the broad appeal of silver screen and its gift to forge unique association with every single member of the audience is much widespread to ignore. And that’s the idea behind Bombay Talkies, a cinema anthology, directed by Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, ...

There is never a single dull moment in The Croods, writes Sukanya Verma.Whether it’s a prehistoric time or modern, the parent-child equation hardly alters.At least that’s what DreamWorks’ latest animation in 3D would like you to believe. Only director duo Kirk DeMicco and Chris Sanders go about this conjecture with such ardent faith and endearing whimsy, you don’t really mull over authenticity.Just like Merida defies Elinor in Brave and Hiccups sneaks behind ...

Nautanki Saala's plot seems better-suited for a sitcom episode, writes Sukanya Verma. When it comes to recounting an event or anecdote, I have encountered two kinds of people.There’s one who can engross over the plainest of stories by embellishing it with colourful expression and vivid details. The other, however, can turn the most spellbinding yarn into a cumbersome exercise with his needless digressions, numerous pauses and speech interruptions. In his fourth film as director, Rohan ...

David Dhawan's Chashme Baddoor is an unnecessary remake, writes Sukanya Verma.What’s the point of a remake?Either a) a filmmaker wants to recreate the success of the original or b) wants to better it so that it gets the due it never did or c) because he wants to remind the audience its forgotten virtues.But after watching David Dhawan’s remake of Sai Paranjpye’s 1981 classic, I have come up with a few more alternatives, which certainly apply on Chashme Baddoor -- Bollywood is ...

Sukanya Verma says you'll laugh at Sajid Khan's remake of Himmatwala if not with it. Couple of weeks back, my neighbour and I were chatting about upcoming Bollywood films and he completely dismissed the probability of watching Sajid Khan’s Himmatwala. His six-year-old daughter overheard this and at once protested, ‘But I want to watch it and I will whether you like it or not.’ Few days later, I watched a television interview where the audacious filmmaker notes, ‘My ...

Twenty five years since its release, Mira Nair's Salaam Bombay has aged well, writes Sukanya Verma.Inside the Chillar Home (children’s remand home), one of the boys tells our 10-year-old hero, Paanch saal mein hum sab ko sab bhool jaate hain. (Everybody forgets about us after five years.)It’s been 25 years since Mira Nair came out with her debut feature film, a poignant depiction of street kids of Mumbai (then Bombay) but the depressing admission of Murtaza continues to ...

Jack The Giant Slayer is a memorable fantasy but it doesn’t have exceptional visuals, writes Sukanya Verma.I’ve always wondered about Jack and the Beanstalk.  For one, the English folktale actually promotes stealing and self-interest over hard work.  But what truly intrigues me is this: what became of the giant’s wife?We all know about the farm boy who climbs a massive beanstalk and tricks a giant by running off with his many riches. But, let’s be honest, he ...

  What was Professor Parimal Tripathi's area of specialisation in Chupke Chupke? What's the connection between Ketan Mehta's Holi and Aamir Khan's AKP Films? What was the colour of Madhuri Dixit's lipstick in Dhak Dhak? (Alright, just kidding!) Bottom-line: love Bollywood? Breathe Bollywood? Never miss out on the tiny details? Got a XL memory? Point behind all these questions is, well, some more questions. Join film critic Sukanya Verma as she tests your knowledge on all things ...

Mumbai: As Aurangazeb saw its release on Friday, actor Prithviraj Sukumaran walked away with stellar reviews as he essays the role of a tough clean-cut cop with élan. "Prithviraj has been able to bounce back with élan. The Malayalee actor has an ...