100 Word Review: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

In Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, you are forced to fall in love with Tom Cruise again. So we’re reintroduced to Ethan Hunt who is needed once again to save the world from destruction and chaos. However, it isn’t the premise but the action which keeps you glued. Whether it’s Cruise running on the Burj or vertically diving in a car, you can’t help but gush. Either way, Cruise keeps you sweating and asking for more. It’s beautifully constructed and incredibly made. The action sequences have never been seen before. The best dishoom film of the year, hands down. I love!

*It's rather rare that I review a Hollywood film, so you can imagine how much I liked it!

The Classics in 200 Words: Mashaal

Mashaal is not only Javed Saab and Yash Chopra at their best but if at any point you needed reassurance as to how amazing Dilip Kumar is, well then you’ve found the right film. The film follows the life of a man who lives by the law and reforms a goon (Anil Kapoor) while he eventually finds himself becoming an outlaw. There is only one word that fully summarizes Mashaal: Epic. The film in totality is complete in so many ways. Whether it’s the execution, the performances and the dialogues, Mashaal is a treat for all Hindi film lovers. It’s Dilip saab who steals the show with his beautiful depiction of Vinod Kumar. But watching him go from white to black in characterization is phenomenal. Anil Kapoor proves that there is good reason as to why he is one of the best in the business. He is mind-blowing. Waheeda Rahman and Rati Agnihotri are fabulous in supporting roles. But it’s the script and dialogues that keep you engaged and in awe. Kudos to Javed Saab for his mastery and Chopra for doing complete justice as a filmmaker. Easily one of the best 80’s films to come out of Bollywood. Must-watch.

More Power to Amitabh, Anil, Sanjay and Ajay!

Rajkumar Santoshi's newest blockbuster Power brings together some of the most powerful actors in the industry: Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt and Ajay Devgn. In the past, we have seen Ajay Devgn and Amitabh Bachchan featured together in a Santoshi film better known as Khakee. All four actors were seen at he mahurat shot of the film which bought Ajay out of his house after he became a father for the second time. Also seen at the event was Ameesha Patel, who better pray Power works as she is in dire need of a hit film, Kangna Ranaut, Sonal Seghal and Boney Kapoor. According to the subheading, the film is about "anger, lies and truth".

Check out the lads posing together!

The Next 6 Months in Bollywood...

We are half way into the year and Lord knows where has gone. And yes, lots has happened in Bollywood. Rajneeti has been declared hit of the year; Udaan has received critical acclaim and how; Tere Bin Laden has been deemed sleeper hit of the year and I actually enjoyed an Akshay Kumar film. Yes, I thought Khatta Meetha was pretty entertaining. Don't tell anyone I said that though. Okay so what's coming up for the next six months? Check it out!

Aisha: Yes, Sonam Kapoor's slated next week film is all ready to rock n roll. But which will it do? Rock or make you roll out of the cinema?

Peepli [Live]: Super excited for this Aamir Khan Production satire film based on farmers. And you know its good when A.K. agrees to produce it!

Lafangey Parindey: Missing Neil Nitin Mukesh? No? Maybe Deepika Padukone? How about them together. She plays a blind girl and he, a goon.

Dabbang: Oh Salman Khan in an action film gives me butterflies! Exciting and fun. Can't wait for the dishooms and the dshkyun's!

We Are Family: I'm not sure about this one. But if you're a fan of any of the following: Arjun Rampal, Kajol, Kareena Kapoor or Karan Johar, then this is your flick.

Rakta Charitra: Ram Gopal Verma and Vivek Oberoi. Need I say more?

Anjaana Anjaani: As much as I adore Ranbir Kapoor, I worry about him in Dharma films. Oh yeah, he pairs up with Priyanka Chopra for the first time in this one.

Action Replay: Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan go back and forth in time with this one. Not sure what to say except, eeks!

Golmaal 3: Fun fun fun! Yes, the boys and Kareena Kapoor are back to entertain you yet again! woohoo!

No Problem: Well the star cast is certainly makes you wonder if director Aneesh Bazmee did have any problems: Anil Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, Bipasha Basu, Kangna Ranaut, Neetu Chandra, Paresh Rawal, Sushmita Sen!

Guzaarish: It's Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan back with a bang in a film that sees Roshan sporting a rather odd hairstyle. 

Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey: It's Deepika Padukone and Abhishek Bachchan in this period film. National Award for him? Time will tell.

No One Killed Jessica: Rani Mukherjee and Vidya Balan team up for this murder mystery. Gotta hand it to Rani for trying yet again to revive her career. Kudos girl!

Tees Maar Khan: I don't like Farah Khan films. But I'll watch TMK for the much talked about item number Katrina Kaif will be a part of. 


So there you have it, the biggies of 2010. Much to watch and even more to talk about! Woohoo!

Kapoor Khandan Update

Check it out. Apparently, after basking in the success of Slumdog Millionaire. Of course you are, Slumdog is plain boring now. Come to think of it, I never really understood why there was so much hoopla over it anyway. Read: boring and over rated.

Oh and another Kapoor close to Anil, Sonam that is, has rejected her co-stars, Abhay, Imran and Ranbir as potential life partners. She may be a fashionista but the actress is not afraid to let her co-stars know that they really don't fit the bill. "I would never date a guy who works in films like me. We would then end up discussing movies most of the time and that would get boring eventually. Also, if he works in films, he would remind me of my dad!" she was heard saying.

And when it came to her co-stars, she went on to claim, "They are not my kind. I want someone who is intelligent and caring." Wow. Is she implying that the likes of Abhay, Imran and Ranbir are not smart or sweet?

Feroz Khan: The Asli Baadshah

A Tribute to the Bollywood's Cowboy Khan. He lived life King size, ultimately making Feroz Khan the Real King Khan.

Sadly, veteran actor Feroz Khan passed away today, April 27th, 2009, at the age of 70 today after battling cancer for over a year now. The actor, who has contributed to the Hindi cinema for nearly half a decade, will be missed by the industrywalas and his fans all over the world. While fans like myself, would have loved to seen him act in many a more movies, his last feature film was the hit Welcome. Much like many other actors in the industry, he arrived in the city of dreams, Mumbai without a dollar in his pocket and to make ends meet worked a pool table. If anyone had to be deemed the real King Khan, it has to be Feroz Khan.

Born Firoz Khan to a Pathani father and Iranian mother, Khan completed his education in Bangalore and soon after moved to Mumbai in pursuit of a possible film career. His debut film Didi in 1960, saw him as the second lead in the movie which unfortunately is all he seemed to get for a few years after his initial step into films. Over the sixties and seventies, he went on to make low budget movies opposite starlets and featured in the British film Tarzan Goes to India along with Simi Garewal. Khan finally saw success in the 1965 film, Oonche Log which did well at the box office but didn’t put him up in the “A-listers” league just yet. It took the hit film Arzoo, in which he played the sacrificing lover for him to gain credibility as a supporting actor. From that point, there was no looking back for Feroz Khan who went on to win the best supporting actor award for his role as Dharmendra’s best buddy in the 1969 hit Aadmi Aur Insaan.

Feroz Khan soon became a popular name within the film circuit and reigned during the seventies and eighties producing, directing and acting in many blockbuster movies including Jaanbaaz, Dayavan, Yalgaar and of course, perhaps the biggest success of his career, Qurbani. His films were known for being entertaining, modern and musically inclined. The actor took a break from acting for a period of 11 years before he launched his son Fardeen Khan in Prem Aggan which unfortunately was a disaster at the box office. In 2003, he was back with a bang in Janasheen which was deemed as his comeback film with son in tow. This was a dream come true for the veteran actor whose dream was to make a successful film with his son. Khan not only acted but directed and produced the film too. He later starred with son Fardeen once again in Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena and was last seen in the blockbuster hit Welcome.

His acting style was one to beckon with and his stylish ways was extremely popular with the women. Feroz Khan bought a sense of the west to Hindi cinema which was seen as a breath of fresh air from the usual stories in the seventies. All of a sudden, women were not sari-clad and instead took to the mini skirt. They rode horses, wore bikinis and were not afraid of their sexuality. The men were no different in F.K. films. Looking back at his directorial projects, courtesy of Khan, Anil Kapoor shed all his inhibitions to star in Jaanbaaz and partake in a steamy scene with Dimple Kapadia. Through his movies, Zeenat Aman became the seventies sex-symbol of the nation. To his credit, Feroz Khan also directed one of the first Hindi movies that was filmed in Afghanistan, Dharmaatma.

Recently, Feroz Khan was felicitated with the Lifetime Achievement Award and due to his illness was unable to personally receive it. However, he did send a note through his son Fardeen, thanking his fans for the honor. In an interesting interview, Khan spoke to the media about his Casanova image, his Anglo-Indian image and being labeled as the Indian Clint Eastwood. His responses were of course, smart and savvy, much like his personality. He believed in his “Cowboy Khan” ways and had no qualms in admitting he was surrounded by beautiful women but has “never felt the need to remarry” after his divorce from his wife of 20 years, Sundari.

While he announced a remake of Qurbani, it has yet to see the light of day. One does hope that his son will eventually pick up the pieces to fulfill his fathers dream. So while the contemporary Khans sit around claiming the crown and top slot in the industry, it is ultimately Feroz Khan who has “been there, done that.” I often believe that he probably chuckled at their claim for the title and fame. There was only one King Khan: Feroz Khan. He was once asked what he would want his epitaph to read. He responded, “Love and Live.” Rightly said. Personally I'll miss him for his flamboyant ways and charming style. This is one Khan who truly believed in loving and living life to the fullest. And he will be missed for that very trait.

Photo Credit: Ponytone.com