Akshay Kumar Archives

From Farts To Toilet: Is Bollywood Breaking Barriers?

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From Farts To Toilet Is Bollywood Breaking Barriers

Aren’t the titles of the films going really quirky and different? Imagine telling a movie illiterate person, oh I went to see ‘Fan’ or ‘Tubelight’… that poor chap would be wondering as to what’s so special seeing the basic things of existence.

And now we are all geared up to see ‘Toilet’, funny indeed… you use it every day and infact see it more than you see your sweetheart, but yes you would be seeing ‘Toilet’. But this is not what are article is all about. It’s actually about how things that were perceived taboo earlier are slowly coming in the mainstream cinema.

Remember ‘Hum Dil Chuke Sanam’ and how coolly Ms Ash made fun of Sallu’s name as ‘Sameer, Hawa ka Jhoka’, which was a taunt at the fact that he farted in front of her. But on second thoughts how many movies ever since have actually shown the lead actors farting, c’mon its natural phenomenon, but still films are scared of showing it… scared of the smell it would generate?

There are many things which were still considered a taboo or shame showing in movies but with the new breed of directors and writers and their innovative thinking, some of them are now being considered normal.

Flashback yourself and think that had you ever seen the concept of ‘sperm donor’ in movies… shh what are we talking sperm and all that… but with movies like Vicky Donor and various web series, now we actually find the idea practical, it’s a way of helping the childless couple and in a way creating awareness. And talking about Sperms, the next thing which is haww so shameful to show in a movie is Oral Sex.

Isn’t Sex an integral part of our lives and what’s wrong in showing the various forms of sex, thanks to films like Delhi Belly where the lead actor was actually shown going down on his girl rather than being on the top, we actually saw a little ‘different’ aspect of it even though it was not shown fully, but yes it was a change after all.

And how many of us have actually seen frontal nudity in films? We go ga-ga when the man shows his 8 packs or when the heroine strips down to her bikini, but people there is more to that and it seems impossible that we shall see a full Monty in movies soon. But hopes are alive… one day …one day!!

Sex leads to think us about relationships and yes, the concept of ‘live-in’ are now being shown pretty commonly in movies and so are the ‘gay relationships’ with Mr Karan Johar contributing to it in a way, how can we forget ‘Kanta Ben’ looking all shaky and shocked seeing SRK and Saif in the same bed!

But why is a gender discrimination here also, if Gays are shown why are we still scared to touch the topic of ‘Lesbianism’. After all, if men have feelings don’t do the females have and the one film that dared to show it was ‘Fire’ although it is still considered parallel cinema. Waiting for that day when Lesbians would be shown in a main stream masala movie.

Awareness is also being spread in the form of making movies which cater to a certain section of society like in the case of My brother Nikhil, where AIDS was discussed or for that matter Taare Zameen Par which dealt with the problem of Dyslexia which is something not talked about it so openly, but yes, these movies are breaking the barriers.

Movies are not only generating awareness about superstitions in fairly dominant religious country thanks to movies like PK and OH! My God, but upcoming movies like Toilet- Ek prem Katha takes the social mission of ‘Swatch Bharat’ forward.

When movies were just considered a mode of entertainment where you could forget about your life problems and just enjoy, the new trend is breaking barriers in making us sit and think and in a way making us aware, but there is still a long journey ahead and hopefully one day it would be achieved. Filmi Files is the one-stop destination for the latest tinsel town happenings.

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Movie Review: ‘Naam Shabana’

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: **

Akshay Kumar Donates Money To Martyrs Families, Home Minister Says Thank You!

By Bhumika Rawat

Bollywood actor and Megastar of Hindi films Akshay Kumar has donated a whopping Rs 1.08 crore to the families of twelve CRPF men martyred in an ambush by Maoists in Sukma, Chhattisgarh last week. This act of generosity has been applauded by the people including India’s Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Appreciating Akshay Kumar’s philanthropic act the Home Minister tweeted last night, “I thank Shri @akshaykumar on donating a generous amount for the welfare of the families of CRPF martyrs who lost their lives in Sukma”
“The generosity of Shri @akshaykumar is highly commendable. This gesture will inspire others to come forward & help the families of martyrs”, Rajnath Singh added further.

Akshay Kumar Gears Up For Next Release ‘Toilet-Ek Prem Katha’

A brand new still from upcoming film ‘Toilet – Ek Prem Katha’ was unveiled on social media on Tuesday. The actor Akshay Kumar posted the still on Twitter and also inform his fans that the shooting of the film has culminated. “With the wrap of @ToiletTheFilm treating you guys to a still from the film…Keshav and Jaya’s unique love story coming to you on June 2,” Akki tweeted while posting the picture

In the new still, we can see Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar as the bride and groom and Akshay is seen in a garland of notes. The movie faced many hurdles as some religious groups felt the movie hurt the sentiments by depicting wedding rituals of two villages and a saint had announced a prize money of Rs 1 crore to whoever gets the tongue of the director of the movie.

Just some days back, the team was shooting in Hoshangabad when the shoot was disrupted for a few hours as some bouncers misbehaved with the locals there. Now, finally after so many hurdles the movie has wrapped up and it’s indeed a great time for the entire team of ‘Toilet: Ek Prem Katha’.

‘Toilet: Ek Prem Katha’ is directed by Narayan Singh and jointly produced by Neeraj Pandey and Vikram Malhotra. Apart from Akshay Kumar and Bhumi Pednekar, the movie also stars Anupam Kher and Sanaa Khan in pivotal parts.

First Look: Trailer for ‘Khiladi 786’

Bollywood’s original action star Akshay Kumar aka Khiladi Kumar is back in his action mould. The super success of ‘Rowdy Rathore’ has instilled a new confidence in Akshay and he is taking his action image to new level with his upcoming film ‘Khiladi 786’.

A film teaser was released online today which showcases Akshay Kumar in his true ‘Punjabi Munda’style. Directed by Ashish R Mohan this film has a heavy Rohit Shetty effect as the director has learnt his skills by assisting him. Take a look at the teaser.

Movie Review : ‘OMG ! Oh My God !’ (***Three Star)

(By Akshat Sharma )In the wake of ongoing riots and protests around the world unleashed by the cynical and criminal elements from the Muslim community on a stupid movie called ‘Innocence of Islam’ this week’s Bollywood release ‘OMG! Oh My God !’ is an eye opener of sorts!

This movie has an atheist Kanji Lal Mehta (played by Paresh Rawal) as central character who spews venom against Hindu deities because he believes Shiva is nothing but a ‘Kala Patthar’ and people should not spend time or money in praying in temples, mosques or the church. He has a special case against Hindu deities coz he finds them funny. Sample a dialogue from Kanjibhai “Ek dozen bade pet wale Ganpati de, aath body builder Hannuman de, dhai sau wala Krishan de, Panch tiger wale de (Sheranwali mata), teen dozen ho gaye, teen Sai Baba to bonus me milega kya”. Pure evil man..Thankfully India is no Iran, Afghanistan or for that matter Malasiya or Indonesia.

Director Umesh Shukla takes plenty of potshots at things majority of Hindus do. His message is clear that why Hindus should look out for God in places of worship when God is everywhere. True we all agree but the issue is not so simple. In a country like India where you cannot call Billu a barbar and where cities go up in flames because some religious book has been desecrated, as it recently happened in Ghaziabad, making a movie like this is tantamount to enticing lunatics to scream blasphemy.

It is shocking that the Censor Board of India cleared this picture for public viewing. On the one hand the Government is running helter skelter to force Google to delete the video link of ‘Innocence of Islam’ and on the other hand it has cleared a movie like this which simply makes fun of things people do in the name of religion.

The point is not whether you agree or disagree with the movie. This is purely the audience call and in any civil society the freedom of speech should be absolute. ‘OMG’ has certainly proved one thing that the people in India do not need any censor board. We can peacefully watch ‘blasphemous acts’ as Indians do not believe in violence and the point is well taken.

‘OMG’ story is lifted from an Australian comedy named ‘The Man Who Sued God’ so it is not an original idea. It also heavily borrows from a Gujarati play ‘Kaanji Virudh Kanji’. Paresh Rawal’s character is well crafted and finely ingrained in the script. He delivers his lines against God’s with gusto and looks pretty solid in his character.

Being an atheist Kanji bhai holds God responsible for damages to his property during an earthquake. When he goes to the insurance company it refuses to compensate by calling it an ‘act of God’. Kaanji takes the matter to court and makes religious leaders who are presented in poor light a party in his case against God.

Akshay Kumar plays modern day Lord Krishna who is heard saying, “You will not recognise me as I have not updated my photo album on Facebook “, and people find it funny. Then we have Mithun Chakroborty who plays an evil Hindu Godman who is surrounded by lampoons in Sadhus’ garb. He is also accompanied by a selfish Maulvi and inconsiderate father of some nondescript church while defending the case against ‘God’. But wait the Maulvi and the father have been spared from the humiliation because the makers seem to be fearful of backlash against them.

Story of the movie ‘OMG’ is in a sense quite unique as it makes you uncomfortable. If the makers had not chickened out they should have attacked those Muslim and Christian religious ceremonies and practises which are also blind to logic and knowledge. Unfortunately and sadly the makers had no guts to venture further.

One should appreciate the makers for their boldness to handle such sensitive issue in an environment where people are getting murdered in the name of ‘blasphemous movies’ for no apparent connection with the movie. But as I said earlier the makers should have taken every major religion in India to task for what they believe is stupidity in the name of religion. Targeting only one religious community doesn’t serve the purpose because Indian society comprises of many religions and sects and all needs to be reformed in a big way. In fact Karl Marx has said ages ago ‘Religion is opium’ but human beings love their share of opium.

In spite of these inherent flaws in the script one must admit that the movie keeps you entertained till the end because it is not some stupid Bollywood comedy. Paresh Rawal’s performance deserves special mention as he delivers one of his finest performance till date. Akshay Kumar plays a different role this time but his portrayal of Lord Krishna is a bit unconvincing. Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty has once again delivered an amazing performance in a role which has negative shades. He proved to us once again that Bollywood could not extract much from his talent reservoir when he was much younger.

Prominent among others who have done well in the movie are Govind Namdev, Om Puri and Poonam Jhavar. Prabhu Deva and Sonakshi Sinha’s also appear in an item song ‘Go Govinda’. Music has been composed by Himesh Reshamiya but there is not much scope for music in the movie.

It would be wrong to dismiss this movie as only an act of entertainment because the movie wants us to ask some serious questions to ourselves. One question I would like to ask myself why the hell we need a Censor Board in India if we can watch this movie without any significant protest or sense of outrage from the majority of Indians. A sign of a mature society or it is too early to reach this conclusion ?

( Akshat Sharma can be followed on Twitter @akshatsharma101)

Movie Review: ‘Joker’ (Zero Star)

(By Akshat Sharma)This week’s Bollywood release ‘Joker’ is a cruel joke on cine goers. The movie is so pathetic and lame that you start wondering what on earth made Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi Sinha sign this disaster. Director Shirish Kunder’s misadventure called ‘Joker’ will go down in the history of Indian cinema as one of the most appalling films to watch.

It is a movie about aliens and to be honest any attempt by Indian filmmakers to make another ‘ ET’ is nothing but suicidal. Neither do we have the resources nor the technology to make a believable film on aliens in India.

‘Joker’ opens in a village aptly named Pagalpur. This village actually does not exist on the map as it went off the radar during the British Raj. A scientist-hero comes into picture who wants to contact aliens. He makes a plan and whole Paglapur gets involved in it.

The script showcases an array of bizarre characters who launch a torrid attack on your brain cells. The film meanders aimlessly till the end and you fail to understand what exactly is going around. ‘Joker’ has not a single funny joke to offer as all the jokes in movie make fun of your commonsense.

After watching the movie you are left in a state of comatose. No point in discussing the movie further because it is not even worth criticising this dysfunctional film. Shrish Kunder, if possible, should be banned from making such movies and the audience should be saved from the mental agony of watching such disasters.

Actress Chitrangada Singh’s hip shaking number ‘Kaafiraana’ is the only relief which you get in this more than two hours long horror called ‘Joker’.

Akshay Kumar To Play Modern Day Krishna In ‘Oh My God’

Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar is ready to play modern day Lord Krishna in his upcoming movie ‘Oh My God’. In the first look of the movie poster Akshay is shown riding a pillion in the sky.

After his ‘Rowdy Rathore’s stupendous success Akshay has decided to switch gears and go back to comic roles and this time he is paired up with none other than Çomedy King’ Paresh Rawal who turned producer with ‘Oh My God’. Paresh and Akshay have been instrumental in delivering hits like ‘Hera Pheri’ and several others.

The is reportedly based on Umesh Shukla`s Gujrati drama ‘Kanji Viruddh Kanji. ‘ Directed by Ashwini Yardi ‘Oh My God’ is set to scheduled for release on September 2012.

‘Rowdy Rathore’ Becomes ‘Wowdy Rathore’ At Box Office

Bollywood’s very own Khiladi, Akshay Kumar has delivered a huge hit in ‘Rowdy Rathore’ which has collected whopping Rs 48.5 crores in three days only. Trade pundits are surprised over the kind of response this movie has received from cine goers all over the country.Leading film trade analyst Taran Adarsh posted a message on Twitter, “#RowdyRathore Breakup:- Fri 15.1 cr, Sat 14.7 cr, Sun 18.5 cr +. Total: Rs 48.5 cr + nett. Biggest non-holiday weekend. Fantabulous!(sic).”

“#RowdyRathore has a M-A-S-S-I-V-E Sunday. Emerges the biggest non-holiday opener ever in Bollywood history(sic), Adarsh tweeted. ‘Rowdy Rathore’s super success has left this year’s blockbuster ‘Agneepath’ behind when it comes to collections in the opening week. Confirming it Taran Adarsh wrote “#RowdyRathore biz is *better* than this year`s first Blockbuster #Agneepath, if one compares Friday to Sunday numbers(sic),” Adarsh wrote on the micro-blogging site.

Adding further he wrote, “#RowdyRathore Monday trends: Rocking… Expect a big, fat total on Monday… `Wowdy` Rathore!(sic).”

Movie Review: ‘Rowdy Rathore’ (** Two Star)

‘Rowdy Rathore’ races on the premise that heroes are made by circumstances, not design. That’s how the street-smart Shiva ends up in a town run by garish goons, where homes, humans and hopes are burnt in effigies mocking human rights.It is an old-fashioned good-versus-evil comedy-action-drama with paisa-vasool written in every frame.

Prabhu Deva, who earlier directed Salman Khan’s cop-on-a-rampage saga ‘Wanted’ puts Akshay on the same page. To his credit, Akshay manages to create his own world in that Salman-space. Never letting go of that twinkle in his eye, Akshay sinks his crooked teeth into the meaty double role with the warmth, affection and relish of a dinner guest who knows all the yummy dishes on the table have been cooked only for him.

Akshay goes for the sumptuous meal with the hunger of a man who may not see tomorrow. It’s high-octane performance full of warmth and fury, never over-the-top, even when all hell breaks loose.

The thing about ‘Rowdy Rathore’ is it never takes itself seriously. The cop and his double won’t kow-tow to the powers-that-be. Ironically, the film grandly bows its head to the Great Bollywood Formula. The dialogues are bombastic, bordering on the corny, nevertheless fun in their intended ideological inferences.

A profound reverence for every trick in the book of filmic formulas sees the accelerated narration to its breathless finale. Even when the going gets gory, there is a tongue-in-cheek humour in the violence.

It’s not the arrogant aggression of Salman in ‘Dabangg’ or ‘Wanted’. In ‘Rowdy Rathore’, Akshay creates a new language of heroic aggression. He is goofy, wonky, clumsy and oafish. He has no respect for the rules of the office. But his character loves doing what he does, because a man has got to do what he has to do, and really someone has to do the dirty job of cleaning up the mess we’ve created.

Metal rods from rickety machines are wrenched out and used to teach the anti-socials a lesson. The ‘ouch’ is never unwelcome. Akshay creates a ‘no wince’ situation.

Whether its wooing a Patna girl (Sonakshi Sinha) all over Mumbai streets and right into a wedding venue, or in the second half, taking on the vile villainy of a self-appointed lord of diabolism named Baapji (Nasser), who is so uncouth, unwashed and unmannered that he is downright funny in his obscene rowdyism.

The generous splash of colour and music (Sajid-Wajid at their peppy pinnacle) pitches the film at a massy level without toppling over into a revolting rowdyism.

Formulistic cinema has never been celebrated with more gusto.

‘Rowdy Rathore’ revives the years of Eastman colour cinema in the 1960s and 1970s, when movies were crazily colourful and rollicking fun, when you knew the villains would get their cacaphonic come-uppance.

Pulling out all stops to give us a spicy meal, Prabhu Deva succeeds in putting a dizzying spin into Akshay’s double-role act. Twirling his moustache in Rajputana pride, romancing the spirited small-town chick or beating up 23 goons with one weapon (self-determination), Akshay delivers a performance that makes you want to jump out of your seat, clapping, whistling and cheering in appreciation.

While the fights are brilliantly conceived and executed, it’s Akshay’s courtship with Sonakshi that had me giggling non-stop. If he is outrageously coy in his wooing act, Sonakshi gives him tit-for-tat, matching steps with her far more experienced co-star, never letting the age difference daunt her.

The rest of the cast only has to stand around to extol and cheer our down-to-earth superhero cop. All the while, the narration never loses its tempo, warmth or humour.

The choreography ensures that the dances merge with seamless elan into the action.

‘Rowdy Rathore’ is quite a gravity-defying feat. It often finds the villains being hurled into the air. But the narration manages to keep its feet on the ground. Really, Akshay as the angry cop is more entertaining than intimidating.

Three cheers for producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali for coming out of his comfort zone to celebrate the spirit of Hindi commercial cinema at its dizziest and craziest.

(IANS)