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August 25, 2005
Eight Days a Week
FILM
Debutante director Kabeer Kaushik delivers a taut police procedural in Sehar, a cops vs. gangsters film based on true events. Known more for his comedy, here Arshad Warsi proves his versatility with a low-key but intense performance as Ajay Kumar, a police officer posted at Lucknow.
Against the wishes of old-style bureaucrats and corrupt politicians, Kumar puts together a Special Task Force to combat a more ruthless type of gangster that emerges in U.P. Sushant Singh plays Gujral, the young gang leader who is not only willing to use violence to settle matters with rivals but also starts recruiting disenfranchised university students to his gang. Gujral is Kumar’s evil doppelganger.
Both men are able to think outside the box, are committed to their causes, and command deep loyalty from their men. The movie then becomes a battle of wits between the two.
As Kumar takes on both the system and Gujral, he puts a local university professor (Pankaj Kapur) on his team for his expertise with wireless communications and mobile phones. This move starts to turn the tide of the battle in favour of the police. I won’t tell you more but rest assured the movie has a fair number of plot twists and the suspense is genuine.
There is plenty of violence but it remains realistic and the film never becomes melodramatic. Kaushik gives his movie a semi-documentary feel but the pacing doesn’t lag and he makes you care for his characters and what happens to them as well. Don’t let this one slip under your radar. Also starring Mahima Chaudhry.— Khusro Mumtaz
OR
Comedy director David Dhawan’s unique brand of humour was perfectly matched with Govinda’s comic skills (yes, yes, I know what you’re thinking –– but Govinda is actually a very good comedian). But with Govinda fading at the box-office, Dhawan has moved on to working more regularly with his other favourite, Salman Khan. The results aren’t as successful but at least some of the movies that Dhawan and Khan have done together do turn out to be watchable –– witness hits like Judwan, Biwi No. 1, and Mujhse Shaadi Karo Gi.
Khan’s latest pairing with Dhawan is Main Ne Pyar Kyun Kiya? and it also reworks the director’s tried and tested formula –– (extra) marital shenanigans, mistaken identities, catchy songs, and humour that treads a fine line between exaggerated and dead-pan all combined with old-fashioned homilies about the sanctity of marriage and family, with reasonable results and a few chuckles.
Salman Khan plays Samir, a doctor trying to convince his girlfriend, Sonia (Katrina Kaif) that he’s married while he’s actually single. Samir ropes in his nurse, Naina (Shushmita Sen) into his scheme which keeps getting more and more convoluted. Complicating matters further is the presence of Pyare (Sohail Khan), Sonia’s neighbour who has more than a neighbourly interest in her. Throw in some additional characters in the form of Arshad Warsi, Isha Koppikar and Rajpal Yadav and you get a decent time passer. If you’re partial to David Dhawan comedies you’ll probably like this one too. — K.M.
OR
I hate to admit this but I’ve never read any of the children’s author Roald Dahl’s works. And I’ve also never seen 1971’s Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory, based on a Dahl book and starring Gene Wilder. So I had no preconceived notions going in to see Charlie And The Chocolate Factory which is based on the same book (Dahl’s original title is restored with this new adaptation) and ended up being quite charmed with this fable.
Director Tim Burton has an intriguing sense of the weird and his imagination seems to know no bounds. But sometimes he gets so delighted with his inventions and toys he doesn’t know when to say enough. His humour, often deliciously black, can also turn unnecessarily nasty.
Burton’s sensibilities are perfectly matched with that of his favourite leading man, Johnny Depp (they’re the Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro of the quirky set) and there’s always the danger that when the two of them get together the bizarreness will overwhelm story and structure.
But in their fourth pairing together (not counting the animated feature Corpse Bride) Burton and Depp rein in their extravagances (which is a relative term, of course, when talking about Burton and Depp) to create a sweet fairytale with an appealing moral at its core.
Burton lets his imagination run riot inside Wonka’s factory –– the Oompa Loompa musical numbers and the scene with the squirrels are particularly delightful –– and Depp is clearly channeling Michael Jackson (pasty faced, high-pitched voice, etc.) in his version of Willy Wonka. But somehow the affectation works –– perhaps due to the reason that we’re never quite sure about Wonka’s intentions as he invites five children to a guided tour of his chocolate factory. Four of them are mean little brats but the fifth is sweet-natured Charlie (Freddie Highmore).
One of the five is to win a special prize at the end of the visit. But we don’t know whether the prize is really worth winning. Like any good fairytale there’s just a hint of danger under the surface but that’s what make fairytales so much fun. — K.M.
SINGLE
When Junoon’s frontman Ali Azmat released his highly anticipated solo album Social Circus, he shut up naysayers once and for all and proved himself a player in his own right. Although the album has as many misses as hits, it was a solid effort and did feature some gems, most notably Na Re Na.
Poignant lyrics, thematic harmonies and a brilliant concept, this track is an instant classic. Azmat had always described Social Circus as his “personal expression,” and this single shows his depth as an artist and songwriter.
The composition of the song is particularly worth noting. Its tumultuous pace is actually the result of artful craftsmanship and is perfectly timed with the arcs in the lyrics. This single was the star on the album when it was first released and created an immediate buzz. Now, however, with its official release and the accompanying video, the track is elevated.
Azmat powerfully invokes a larger pain and other people’s sorrows in the brilliant video. Revealing scenes shot in Lahore perfectly capture the struggles that are currently being faced and are unspoken about. Hats off to Azmat for taking a terrific song and making it about so much larger than any single previously.—T. U. Dawood
ALBUM
The mere mention of the release of a tribute album such as Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen is enough to give any true Queen fan nightmares. After all, can anyone really touch the late, great Freddie Mercury?
That being said, the resulting CD by Various Artists isn’t as bad as all that. In fact, American Idol finalist and heartthrob (certainly judge Paula Abdul’s favourite) Constantine Maroulis actually steals the show with his phenomenal interpretation of the classic Bohemian Rhapsody.
Overall, the CD is inconsistent. Gavin DeGraw butchers We are the Champions and gifted songstress Joss Stone fares no better with Under Pressure, in fact she seems to be collapsing under the weight of Mercury. Flaming Lips kills Bohemian Rhapsody and Jon Brion strikes out on Play the Game.
Fortunately, Breaking Benjamin fares better on Who Wants to Live Forever, Antigone Rising smells sweet success on Fat Bottom Girls, and Shinedown actually nails it with their funky, grungy, smooth Tie Your Mother Down.
Yet, even then, this CD wouldn’t have been worth it if not for Maroulis’ awesome interpretation of Bohemian Rhapsody. He may have been bunked from American Idol, but he’s the winner hands down on this CD.—T. U. D
EXHIBITION
Opening of the exhibition of Mansoor Rahi’s paintings is taking place at Canvas Gallery on August 25 from 5pm to 8pm. Rahi’s paintings consist of new forms, illusion and spontaneous use of brush strokes. The exhibition will continue till September 3 from 11-8pm excluding Sunday.—A.S.
TV
A weekly talk show Baby say na! is hosted by Mani in which parents are asked to think like kids and guess how children would behave and answer questions. A family programme that has a lot of humorous moments. Shown on ARY every Saturday at 6.30pm.
THEATRE
The Funkar Theatre in collaboration with Show You Care, an NGO that helps handicapped people, is presenting a stage play Chalta hai mera dimaag, at PACC auditorium on Aug 27 at 8pm.—S.R.
WORKSHOP
The British Council in collaboration with Northamptonshire Police UK is organizing a three days police training on Honour kiling: advanced investigation techniques for Sindh Police and other stakeholders from 24 to 26 Aug at Marriott Hotel, Karachi.
RECITAL
Mutual dialogue by reciting and discussing both Urdu and German literature is being held at Goethe-Institut on Aug 26 at 6.30pm. Short story, The wolves are coming back, by Hans Bender will be read out, and Mrs Mazahat Nasim will recite her poetry.—A.S.
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