Filmi Files Bureau
Yashraj Films has released the trailer of debutants Aadar Jain and Anya Singh starrer Qaidi Band yesterday and it looks quite promising.
The film revolves around 7 under trail prisoners who hope high on their freedom, and in the same context make a band. They are then held in longer for political purposes and they fight back.
The film is slated to release on August 25th and is directed by Habib Faisal.
Filmi Files Bureau
Shraddha Kapoor has stolen the show with the Haseena Parkar trailer and she is definitely giving everyone serious acting goals. Playing the fierce queen of underworld god mother Haseena she is successful in showing how shrewd and big a mastermind she was and the film shows her journey from a young bubbly girl to a fierce and scary woman.
Her grey avatar followed by the gritty and non-emotive modulated heavy voice and straight face is far from the roles that Shraddha has portrayed earlier. She has done complete justice to the character and the hard-hitting dialogues leave a mark on the audience too. The film stars Shraddha as the infamous sister of Dawood Ibrahim, Haseena. Shraddha’s own brother Siddhanth Kapoor will be seen playing the don. The film is slated to release on August 18th and we just can’t wait for it now.
By Bhumika Rawat
The trailer of eagerly awaited ‘A Gentleman’ has been released this afternoon. The film has Siddharth Malhotra and Jacquline Fernandes in the lead. The trailer showcases two male charters played by Siddharth. His character Gaurav is of a sweet and charming man who loves to cook, clean up his house like a typical Delhi Punjabi boy.
On the other hand, he is seen as bad mouthing action loving Rishi. He mouths lines like ‘Jhand Hai Meri Life Behanchod’ which gives his character earthy shades
Playing female lead actor Jacqueline Fernandez portrays Kavya which is a character of an over-enthusiastic adventurer with good looks. In the trailer she is seen with Gaurav who according to her is ‘Thoda Jade Hi Safe’. The trailer gives an impression that it is a tussle between liking a ‘Sundar Susheel’ or a ‘Risky’ guy. The film will definitely reveal the suspense. Till then you can enjoy the trailer.
Before its release on 21st July, Lipstick under my Burkha released its 2nd trailer last week which is already creating waves. The second trailer has already crossed five million views. People are getting curious and intrigued to see the ‘most controversial film’ of the year which deals into the secret lives of four women who are being told to supress their sexuality, an ageing widow who comes on terms with her own sexuality at a later stage of life, a homemaker with kids who longs for employment, a small-town girl who is forced into a wedlock which she does not approve and a young girl college who aspires to be a pop sensation.
Starring seasoned actors like Ratna Pathak Shah, Konkana Sen Sharma and newcomers like Aahna Kumra and Plabita Borthakur, the film already hit a massive roadblock a few months ago when the CBFC refused to certify the film due to its bold subject, ‘lady oriented content, abusive language and audio pornography. But now that it has got the clearance, everyone is waiting with bated breath for this movie which is under the Prakash Jha banner and directed by Alankrita Shrivastava and which has strong feminist connotations.
Watch the trailer
Actor and Singer Ayushmann Khurrana is gearing up for his new film ‘Meri Pyari Bindu’s release. The trailer for the movie had been released online. Starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Parineeti Chopra the film ‘Meri Pyaari Bindu’s trailer showcases the melodious era of the 60s and the emerging India of the 80s in a unique blend.
The movie is scheduled to hit the screens on May 12, 2017. Produced by Maneesh Sharma for Yashraj Films, the movie is directed by Akshay Roy.
By Meetali Kutty
Title: Naam Shabana
Director: Shivam Nair
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Tapsee Pannu, Anupam Kher, Manoj Bajpayee
Genre: Thriller, Action
This film aims to be a spin-off of the popular film Baby, but fails to match up to the expectations of the audience. While Baby was a taut film with a gripping narrative and well paced scenes, Naam Shabana lags in parts, with a slow first half and a rushed ending that feels unsatisfying.
This film is centred around Shabana, played by the wonderful Tapsee Pannu, and the tragedy that shaped her life and made her join the espionage service in search for retribution. Tapsee plays her character with zeal, and is equally stunning during her action scenes or when showcasing raw emotion. The interesting part of the film is it is helmed by a strong woman lead (although overshadowed in the credits by Akshay Kumar in a guest role!)
Shabana is a girl who enjoys martial arts and being with her family. She is pursued by a young man who she inevitably falls for but who she loses under tragic circumstances. This tragedy allows Manoj Bajpayee, the leader of a shadowy organization, to recruit her and help her get revenge on those who wronged her.
Akshay Kumar’s cameo role seems tacked on, but is sure to be a crowd pleaser as the theatre erupted into applause when he arrived. There are plenty of plotholes in the film such as why they would choose a rank newcomer to the system to chase one of their most sought after criminal masterminds, or how a complex medical procedure seems as simplistic as a dental visit. There are lighter moments in the film that serve well to break up the tension, but overall the plot lacks the intricacies of the far superior Baby.
Tapsee Pannu is the shining star of this venture, and manages to breathe life into the material. The item numbers seem forced, and are surely placed there for some appeal to the masses, which in my mind seems to be a wrong step. The directing is up to par, but the movie is let down by the script, which could have used more fine tuning, and lacks tension. Manoj Bajpayee is also good in his role, and fits into the universe of the film smoothly, while Akshay Kumar’s performance feels a little flat. The cinematography of the film is also vibrant and adds some depth to this lackluster fare.
This film could certainly have taken a few tips from Baby!
Verdict: **
By Troy Riberio
Director Vikramaditya Motwane’s film ‘Trapped’ is a minimalist survival film. It is the compelling tale of a man trapped and stranded on the 35th floor of a newly constructed, unoccupied building, in the heart of Mumbai.The film begins on an unassuming note with Shaurya, a shy and timid guy, falling in love with his colleague, Noorie. In his bid to start a new life with her, he shifts from a shared accommodation to a flat in one of the unoccupied skyscrapers. That he is an illegal tenant, is a separate issue.
Designed to cater to an intelligent audience, the film has all the trappings of this genre. It is well made and engaging, but nevertheless, seems contrived simply because the entire setting is far from subtle. What starts of like a realistic film ends up like a fabricated drama — on the face, breathlessly rushed and manufactured.
This is evident, as the director has taken enough measures to ensure the mise-en-scene is perfect. In one of the earlier scenes when Shaurya is leaving his shared accommodation, the television set is on in the background and the host of a television programme states, “a… and the great survive”. This predictably lays the foundation for the events to follow.
Also, what makes “Trapped” seem utterly fabricated is that the story takes place sometime in Mumbai and the time in the film universe seems timeless. So the sudden downpour that enables Shaurya to fill his refrigerator with water seems like deus ex-machina for the plot.
Also, the thrilling factors are trimmed, especially when Shaurya escapes from the flat by scaling down the grills.
The film drags. There are moments of pure agony that make you squirm, waiting for the torturous moments to tide-away. Interestingly, these moments along with the scenes when the tables are turned with Shaurya being a timid guy to a hunter, are probably the best flashes of the film.
As Shaurya, this is Rajkummar Rao’s canvas and yet it is not one of his best performances. An excellent actor, he is stifled with the limitation of the script. He appears dim-witted and portrays a gamut of emotions that are blatantly cheerless, gloomy and far from being intelligent. He excels in being frantic, anxiety driven and desperate. But the desperation comes across as a half-hearted attempt, probably because of the script.
Geetanjali Thapa as Noorie is natural and sincere.
On the production front too, with a simplistic approach, the apartment is not congruent to a flat in a newly constructed apartment. And the background score fluctuates from being realistic to over-the-top.
Overall, the film makes you feel trapped in the auditorium. (IANS)
Rating: ***
