The Fault in our Stars - 2014

This movie based on a novel of same name by John Green about two teenagers suffering from cancer was a surprise success, made on a budget of 12 million dollars the movie went on to collect more than 300 million dollars worldwide.

Movie although based on a grim premise, is not a grief ridden drama; else it is a love story with ample doses of humor. Hazel Grace is a teenage girl suffering from thyroid cancer; on persuasion of her parents she attends a support group of cancer patients, where she meets Augustus Waters, a teenage boy who has already lost a leg due to his disease. Augustus is a boy with high spirits and he immediately starts taking interest in Hazel. Although the girl is initially reluctant but with time both become friends and romance blossoms afterwards.

Although the protagonists are aware of their fate they seldom take pity of themselves, they try to live their lives without becoming corny or philosophical and it is preciously where the movie scores big time. The viewers expects them to behave in a certain way, which of course they don’t, breaking the stereotype is what this movie does.

There is another character in the movie, an author who has written a book with an abrupt climax, the heroin is so much fascinated with the book that she wants to know what actually happened in the book, things that the author chose not to tell the reader.  

As you may be aware that the movie is about to be remade in Hindi, however, whether Dipika Padukone and Varun Dhawan would be able to pull off a teenage act remains to be seen, but whatever happens to the remake one thing is for sure that the original is a beautiful movie worth watching with some superb dialogues and amazing performances.

Rating ***1/2

Mardaani (2014)

The first thing that flashed in my mind after I watched the trailer of Mardaani was that the movie looked like a rip-off of Nial Leeson’s ‘Taken’. The setting was similar, a loved one of protagonist was kidnapped, and incidentally the villain gets a choice over phone about either leaving the kidnapped girl of be ready for consequences. So does the movie actually is inspired from ‘Taken’, maybe, but it is not a mindless copy if you come to that.

The beauty of the movie lies in the way it has been presented, no emotional out lash, minimum preaching, pragmatic, still entertaining and enjoyable.

Sr. Inspector Shivani Sivaji Roy works with Mumbai Crime Branch, she lives with her husband and niece, and she also has emotional attachment to a street urchin ‘Pyaari’. Things change as soon as Shivani realizes one day that Pyaari has been kidnapped. Thus begins the chase to get her back.

The story unfolds at a decent pace, new characters come and do their part, no unnecessary melodrama, no ‘roona-dhoona’, no ‘one man against the system’ crap.

Although the movie has its share of profanities, and characters, especially Rani Mukherji’s has qualm about dropping the ‘C’ word regularly, but it doesn’t look forced ay any point of time, ditto to a couple of scenes where you see how women are disgraced, objectified and used, however even that part builds to the narration of the story.

On one hand where Nial Leeson takes the CIA backed cowboy style of dealing with the enemy, our heroine on the other hand tries to remain by the book most of the time, even in climax when everybody thinks she will take law in her own hand, she instead finds a loophole in law to take care of the villain.

Rani Mukhrjee has given a solid performance but kudos to the guy playing the antagonist as he gives a knockout punch, you will specially enjoy the conversation he has with Rani’s character over phone. It may also remind you of similar scenario that you witnessed in ‘Ab tak chappan’, however it will not look like repetition to you.  

On the whole the movie is not appropriate for children for its share of curse words and gritty portrayal of skin trade, but a must watch for anybody else. Recommended.

P.S. I won’t mind a sequel.    

Rating ****