BOLLYWOOD NEW MOVIES

BHOOTNATH

Producer Ravi Chopra Director Vivek Sharma Music Vishal Dadlani, Shekhar Ravjiani Writer Vivek Sharma Lyrics Javed Akhtar Release Date 09-May-2008

CAST

Amitabh Bachan,Juhi Chawla,Rajpal Yadav ,Tejas,Satish Sha,Arman Siddique

JIMMY

Producer Salman Malik, Nawman Malik Director Raj N. Sippy Music Anand Raj Anand Writer Ranbir Pushp Lyrics Ranbir Pushp, Anand Raj Anand Release Date 09-May-2008

CAST

Mimoh Chakraborty,Pooja Singh,Sulfi Syed,Ashish Vidyarthi,Ehsaan Khan,Rati Agnihotri,Rahul Dev,Shakti Kapoor,Vineeta Thakur,Adi Irani,Vikas Anand,Gargi Patel,Vikas Kalantri

JANNAT

Producer Mukesh Bhatt Director Kunal Deshmukh Music Pritam, Kamran Ahmed Writer Vishesh Bhatt Lyrics Sayeed Quadri Release Date 18-May-2008

CAST

Emran Hashmi, Esha Deol,Samir Kochhar

Cast: Kajol, Ajay Devgan, Isha Sharvani, Rituparna Sengupta, Sumeet Raghavan, Divya Dutta, Karan Khanna, Sarika Director: Ajay Devgan Genre: Drama, RomanceLanguage: Hindi

Synopsis U Me Aur Hum is a love story between Ajay (Ajay Devgan) and Pia (Kajol).

The first time Ajay saw Pia, she served him drinks. It was love at first sight and Ajay knew he had discovered true love. In spite of being a leading psychiatrist, he knew it was too early but he had fallen in love and he wanted her forever. But the first time Pia saw Ajay, he had too much to drink. She watched him make a fool of himself, and was relieved when he passed out. She was a woman who followed her heart, but despite his claims of true love; she had made up her mind. Ajay by sheer perseverance danced his way into her heart and they fell in love. In time, the couple developed a special bond. With no doubt in their minds about the way they felt for each other, they rushed into marriage (despite the advice and proof of failing relationships of their friends). Their marriage flourishes, but like everyone, they too have to overcome hurdles, some of which seem insurmountable. But even as things get worse, and sometimes unsolvable, Ajay and Pia don't give up! But even as things get worse, and sometimes unsolvable, Ajay and Pia do not give up!

Ajay Devgan delivered a superb effort in his directorial debut, U Me Aur Hum. This movie is not about you or me; it's about Hum as a couple! It's a very sensible film, which deals with a very, very sensitive aspect of married life - commitment. The tagline is apt: "The greatest journey in life is the distance between two people." How well Ajay (Ajay Devgan) makes you travel this journey with him and Peeya (Kajol).

Ajay and Peeya meet on a cruise. She is a waitress, while he is a psychiatrist on a holiday with his friends. The first time Ajay [Ajay Devgan] saw Peeya [Kajol], she served him drinks. She affected him more than the alcohol, it was love at first sight. The first time Peeya saw Ajay, he had a drink too many. She watched him make a fool of himself and was relieved when he passed out.

Ajay is on a cruise with his friends -- Nikhil [Sumeet Raghavan] and Reena [Divya Dutta], unhappily married, and Vicky [Karan Khanna] and Natasha [Isha Sharwani], happily unmarried. Ajay is having a wonderful time dealing with martial strife, lots of bad language and huge hangovers, when he finds Peeya and time stands still.

After a disastrous first meeting, Ajay tries everything to woo her. He wants her, by hook, crook or even her little private notebook. She's not an easy catch at all, but finally, by sheer perseverance, he dances his way into her heart. Ajay and Peeya develop a strong and special bond.

Happy marriages begin when we marry the ones we love, and they blossom when we love the ones we marry. And Ajay-Peeya love each other dearly, but no marriages can be complete without problems, and Ajay and Peeya have also have to face hurdles. Kajol is diagnosed with Alzheimer's. How does the couple face the crisis?

Kajol is first rate. This is an actor here with the Midas touch. She makes acting look like child's play. As the young girl who falls in love with Ajay, she is simply ravishing; as the doting wife, she is awesome and when tragedy strikes, her confusion is alarmingly clear. This is not to undermine Ajay Devgan who comes up with a reassuring performance; be it as the lover boy romancing Kajol or as the husband who refuses to leave her side.

The one thing you must carry when you set out to watch U ME AUR HUM is a handkerchief. For, this film makes you shed a tear at times, cry at places and weep in at least two vital sequences when Ajay leaves Kajol in the care of a hospital for good, and another when he goes to get her back, against his doctor's advise. Both actors sizzle the screen with their chemistry, be it while in love or when its time to sacrifice.

On the whole, U Me Aur Hum is a well-made, absorbing love story that is high on the emotional quotient. And that holds tremendous appeal for families mainly. U Me Aur Hum works because it's aimed at the heart. Anyone who's into relationships, anyone who believes in love, anyone who thinks from the heart, anyone who has watched his/her partner grapple a grave disease, will identify with a film like U Me Aur Hum.

RACE

Director Abbas Burmawalla, Mustan Burmawalla Producer Kumar S Taurani, Ramesh S Taurani Starring Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif, Anil Kapoor, Sameera Reddy

Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Katrina Kaif, Anil Kapoor, Sameera Reddy Director: Abbas-Mustan Genre: Action, Thriller, Romance

Synopsis

Ranvir (Saif Ali Khan) and Rajiv (Akshaye Khanna) are half brothers who own a huge stud farm in Durban, South Africa. They breed horses on their huge ranch house and are also renowned to be the biggest bookies in the horse racing circuit. Ranvir, the elder of the two is known to be a very shrewd man. He is very aggressive, and is always on the move. His half brother Rajiv, on the other hand, is extremely laid back, and is also a chronic alcoholic. Sophia (Katrina Kaif) is Ranvir's personal secretary. She adores her boss and loves him. However, Ranvir is totally unaware of her feelings for him and regards her adoration as her efficiency. Shaina (Bipasha Basu) is an upcoming Indian ramp model in Durban. She and Ranvir share a very beautiful relationship, which is just on the borderline of love.

Shaina is in love with Ranvir but through a twist of fate gets married to his younger brother, Rajiv. When she discovers that Rajiv is a chronic alcoholic, her world is shattered. Ranvir too is disturbed as he had sacrificed his love for his younger brother because Rajiv had promised him that if he gets married to Shaina, he will leave alcohol forever. Rajiv, after getting married breaks his promise and the story starts getting complicated. In a weak moment Ranvir and Shaina come very close to each other, and an affair starts between the two. When Rajiv starts suspecting his wife, all hell breaks loose! A murder is committed, a contract killing is issued, double crossing becomes the order of the day and betrayals are executed at the blink of an eye!

A sharp tongued detective R.D., getting wise on the proceedings, starts an intriguing investigation with his brainless assistant Mini (Sameera Reddy) and the story starts to move at a breakneck speed, full of unexpected twists....

Race is Abbas-Mustan's most accomplished work. There is nothing new in the story line. The story moves in a serpentine manner, there's a twist every fifteen minutes and it's impossible to guess what the culmination would be. The girls involved are sometimes as confused as the viewer mean when did Bipasha Basu (Sonia) hatch the plan with Saif Ali Khan (Ranvir Singh) to knock off younger brother Akshaye Khanna (Rajiv Singh)? And what is the Katrina Kaif (Sophia) angle? Director duo Abbas Mastan, despite having over two-and-a-half hours at their disposal fail to throw convincing light on her role with both the brothers, especially Akshaye. Katrina has clearly been wasted.

Ranvir [Saif Ali Khan] and Rajiv [Akshaye Khanna] are step-brothers who own a huge stud farm in Durban, South Africa. They breed horses on their huge ranch house and are also the biggest bookies in the horse racing circuit. Ranvir, the elder of the two, is known to be a very shrewd man. He is very aggressive and is always on the move. Rajiv, on the other hand, is very laidback and is also a chronic alcoholic. He likes the smell of alcohol. Embittered because the entire estate is in his elder brother's name, he hatches a plan to kill him and claim the insurance money apart from the other businesses. He ropes in Bipasha Basu for this heinous crime. However, it turns out that Bipasha was already roped in by Ranvir.

Sophia [Katrina Kaif] is Ranvir's personal secretary. She adores her boss and loves him. Sonia [Bipasha Basu] is an upcoming Indian ramp model in Durban. Sonia loves Ranvir, but through a twist of fate gets married to Rajiv. When she discovers that Rajiv is a chronic alcoholic, her world is shattered. Ranvir too is disturbed as he has sacrificed his love for his younger brother because Rajiv had promised him that if he gets married to Sonia, he will leave alcohol forever.

After marriage, Rajiv breaks his promise and the story starts getting complicated. In a weak moment, Ranvir and Sonia come very close to each other and an affair starts between the younger brother's wife and the elder brother. When the younger brother starts suspecting his wife, all hell breaks loose.

Even though the plot is convoluted, the movie will work because there is a hidden star who will never be highlighted. His name is Allan Amin, the action director. The action is top class and slickly executed which gives the movie the edge in the absence of a tight script.

Every actor in Race puts his/her best foot forward. Saif is solid as an actor; looks, style, dialogue delivery - the entire package. Akshaye gets into the NAQAAB mode quite often, while Bipasha Basu is quite the temptress with her role reversal. Anil Kapoor delivers his due but has not much meat in his role.

Dialogues are excellent. Styling is superb. Background score has the international feel. Choreography is top class.

In nutshell the movie is especially good for them who are action addict. Race is a superb entertainer all the way. It's not just style, it has substance as well. Even the camera work by Ravi Yadav is top class.

BLACK&WHITE

Director Subhash Ghai Producer Subhash Ghai Starring Anil Kapoor, Anurag Sinha, Shefali Chhaya, Aditi Sharma

Cast: Anil Kapoor, Anurag Sinha, Shefali Chhaya, Aditi Sharma Director: Subhash Ghai Genre: Drama Language: Hindi

Synopsis

Rajan Mathus (Anil Kapoor) lives in Chandni Chowk with his activist wife, Roma Mathur (Shefali Shah). By profession, he is a professor in Urdu Literature in Dr. Zakir Hussain's College. He comes across a young boy named Numair Qazi (Anurag Sinha) who introduces himself as a victim of communal riots in Gujarat. In reality, Numair is a suicide bomber commissioned by a Muslim fundamentalist group to detonate a bomb near Red Fort on 15th August. Since he is on an important mission, Numair manages to take shelter in the professor's house and succeeds in winning the couple's trust and fondness. During his fifteen day roller coaster journey, Professor Mathur introduces him to the warm and loving people of his neighborhood who enjoy music, events and colourful festivals in perfect harmony together. On the other hand, the Professor also tries to make arrangements for Numair to get an employment entry pass for the 15th August celebrations at Red Fort.

However, Numair is astonished with some of the characters he meets in Chandi Chowk and perplexed on seeing their unity. Some of these are Shagufta, a modern Muslim college girl, the Professor's sharp-tongued wife Roma, Rahat, a Sufi pop singer, Miya an 84-year-old who is full of patriotism and the fun loving Sardar Kirtan Singh. But Numair also feels that he must keep his mind focused on his mission as he struggles to carry out orders from his superiors.

Amidst all the tension, he is caught in an emotional dilemma whether or not to go ahead with his mission. Despite his deep-rooted fundamentalist beliefs, he sees this as one of the most colorful and loving areas. There is no black and white here! Nevertheless he still decides to go ahead with his mission.... What is disturbing the mind of this young lad who has come here to attack? Doesn't the sacrifice of the Professor and his wife mean anything to him?

Black & White signifies the coming of age of a seasoned storyteller. It's realistic, it's thought-provoking, it's topical, but not dark, depressing or preachy. The movie is directed by Showman himself, and is far from the commercial films he's known for, and it raises many questions with a disturbing message. As a storyteller, Ghai has handled the subject with maturity and a few scenes do leave an indelible impression. But Black & White could've done with a shorter length and a tighter screenplay. Yet, all said and done, Ghai deserves marks and praise for this courageous step.

This movie deals with a Muslim fundamentalist group and a suicide bomber. It goes into his mind. However, the end is rather tame, with Anil Kapoor (Professor Ranjan Mathur) who aids Anurag Sinha's (Numair Qazi) escape from the Red Fort saying that, "If they (the fundamentalist group) had one mindset about killing, by allowing Numair to escape he had sent them a message of love." In addition, the letter which comes from the group that always take responsibility for any carnage (according to the dialogue) absolving Professor Mathur of his involvement in the terrorist attack, is a bit hard to digest.

Shifaali's brutal murder, to her last rites, to Anil and Anurag entering the Red Fort premises, to the cops arresting the terrorists - the sequence of events should've been more dramatic and convincing.

The story of Black & White [Varun Vardhan] is one of its USPs. Black & White tries to peep into the psyche of a human bomb, a fanatic who has a change of heart gradually. The transformation of a heartless, cold-blooded murderer to someone whose inner voice tells him to revolt against his 'masters', the change is well depicted on screen. Anil Kapoor proves his versatility yet again. In Black & White, he's a law-abiding citizen and he is memorable in this film too. This performance should occupy a coveted place in his impressive repertoire.

On the whole, Black & White is a fine effort from a master storyteller who dares to change lanes with this film. In that respect, an effort like Black & White needs to be lauded.

SUPER STAR

Cast: Kunal Khemu, Tulip Joshi, Aushima Sawhney, Darshan Jariwala, Reema Lagoo, Sharat Saxena, Vrajesh Hirjee Director: Rohit Jugraj Genre: Drama, Thriller Language: Hindi

Synopsis

Based on the reality of the entertainment field, Superstar is an action packed drama, telling the story of a young man with several aspirations. Kunal defines the youth of today - he dares to dream, think big for himself and also work hard to get what he wants. A promising actor, Kunal wears the tag of a Bollywood struggler lightly - he is convinced he will rise as a big league star in a matter of time. But life has a prank in store for him. The entry of a rich debonair, Karan, crushes all of Kunal's dreams. Fierce competition soon begins and Kunal tries to prove that he is much better than Karan. Soon, Kunal ends up getting Karan's role. The struggler is suddenly transformed into a superstar. Public adulation and unwavering media attention, he receives it all!

ANAMICA

Director Anant Mahadevan Producer B. L. Sharma Starring Minisha Lamba, Dino Morea, Koena Mitra, Gulshan Grover, Aarti Chabaria, Achint Kaur, Bunty Grewal, Prithvi Zutshi, Vishwajeet Pradhan

The movie Anamika is directed by Ananth Narayan Mahadevan. He presents every sequence with utmost care. Everyone is hooked and transported to the world of Mrs. Anamika Sisodiya, the character who continues to haunt everyone in this film, even after she's gone. Everyone eagerly look forward to the twist in the tale.

But the movie fails to surprise you because midway through the journey, you know what the outcome would eventually be. What Mahadevan could have finished telling off in one reel, he prolongs for 14 painful reels. And he has no semblance of a clue of how to hold the suspense.

A suspense saga works only if it is backed by a solid climax. In Anamika, the tension gradually builds up till the climax, but the end is so tame, so contrived that everyone exclaims, 'Gosh! What was that?'

Dino Morea (Vikram Singh Sisodiya) a rich industrialist from Rajasthan comes to Mumbai for a business meeting and requests the services of an escort who actually will be his secretary for the day. Minisha Lamba (Jia) who is employed by the escorts service makes a hash of her job, which prompts Dino to train her to be a good escort. Before the day ends, he has proposed marriage, and she has accepted.

Next she moves on to his palatial bungalow where she is introduced to the caretaker Koena Mitra and other support staff who do nothing but always refer to the dead Mrs Sisidoya (Anamika). "She would have preferred it this way", and "she would have done it this way" Everything in the mansion has her stamp "A"and Jia is trapped, until she musters enough courage to say that she is Mrs Sisodiya. Both try to save their marriage by burying the ghost of the past and by a twist of fate, are led to the body of Anamika.

In a turn of events, Anamika's dead body is discovered and the police [Gulshan Grover, Dino's brother-in-law] re-open the case. All fingers point towards Vikram. Is he the murderer?

Loosely based on the novel 'Rebecca', Anamika is a difficult subject to make. But after the initial hiccups, the director succeeds in involving the viewer in the mysterious world of Anamika. The backdrop of Rajasthan, the isolated palace and the reference to Anamika at every point only deepens the mystery. So far so good!

Dino Morea surprises you with a controlled performance. Also, he carries the regal look convincingly. Minissha Lamba is a revelation. She's getting better and better with every release. Koena Mitra is first-rate. Gulshan Grover is effective. Achint Kaur is highly competent. Vishwajeet Pradhan and Jatin Grewal are okay.

On the whole, Anamika is letdown by its writing in the second hour. At the box-office, the not-too-interesting face-value coupled with the ongoing cricket mania will only go against it.

MR.BLACK MR.WHITE

Director Deepak Shivdasani Producer Deepak Shivdasani, Bhola Malviya Starring Suniel Shetty, Arshad Warsi, Sandhya Mridul, Upasna Singh, Vrajesh Hirjee, Tania Zaetta, Sharat Saxena, Mahima Mehta, Shravan, Ning, Anishka Khosla, Bobby Darling, Rashmi Nigam, Sadashiv Amrapurkar, Aashish Vidyarthi

PRANALI

Director Hirdesh Kamble Producer Nikhil Mathur Starring Raman Trikha, Sudha Chandran, Deep Shikha, Vinay Apte

Pranali is the movie released this Friday. The movie is directed by Hirdesh Kamble and producer is Nikhil Mathur. Nikhil decided to make this film based on the centuries old Indian tradition of Devdasis. In fact, he had visited several places where this tradition of Devdasis exists even today.

Really, the producer seems to be nourishing the idea of giving legal sanction to such women who are practicing this age-old tradition in the name of God. So, Nikhil thinks of changing the social concept of treating Devdasis in a disrespectful way.

But the problem with Pranali is that director Hridesh Kamble does not know how many elements to bring onto the screen. He has an interesting subject but manages to blow the gun in his face by going off track and telling too many stories. Instead of two hours, if Kamble had stuck to a little over an hour and eliminated the usual 'politician wanting to take mileage' situation he would have packed a mighty punch and saved the audience from boredom.

The movie begins when a foreigner known as Judy comes across a prostitute named Pranali whose husband is writing a book on her life. Then the movie goes into flashback: In a famine hit poor village, the parents of a little girl (Pranali) get convinced by a priest to allow their daughter enter into the system of Devdasis.

Under this system in the name of God young girls are forced to carry out prostitution. The rich and famous strata of the society is afflicted to the Devdasi system. So, Pranali is handed over to the priest to carry out the system of Devdasis.

No sooner Pranali reaches the Mumbai red light area than she decides to give birth to a baby and she seeks education for her child but her kid is barred from getting education from the place where all the socially sanctioned people are teaching their kids!

Here enters the scene a NRI who helps Pranali to get her kid educated; he also writes a book on Pranali's life. The NRI helps Pranali's co-sex workers to get out of the wretched tradition and also tries to get a legal sanction for the so-called profession of sex-workers. However, the movie suffers in several departments.

But if light is thrown on the cast of the movie, performances of almost all the actors fall below average but for Nargis the others fail miserably in doing their jobs.

On the whole the movie may not ring its cash registers because of its failure to appeal to the general moviegoers.

TASHAN

Director Vijay Krishna Acharya Producer Aditya Chopra Starring Akshay Kumar, Anil Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor

Tashan is a movie which takes you back to the 1970s bollywood, when illogical situations, blood and gore, for no rhyme of reason, were the main ingredients that made the junta break into taalis. The one thing that viewers realize after watching Tashan is, no amount of gloss, glam and top notch stars can ever substitute for a riveting script. Great stars, great styling, great songs and great visuals work as long as the script is great.

Tashan is a film directed by Vinay Krishan Acharya. He made debut in this film as a director. Unfortunately the script of the film is not very good. It is better to watch a masala movies of 1970's. Tashan is a regressive cinema with a capital R.

A call centre executive Jimmy [Saif Ali Khan] is entrusted the responsibility of teaching English to a gangster, Bhaiyyaji [Anil Kapoor]. But Bhaiyyaji's key help Pooja [Kareena Kapoor] uses Jimmy to swindle Bhaiyyaji of Rs. 25 crores. Obviously, Bhaiyajji wants his money back and also Jimmy and Pooja's heads.

He settles for Bachchan Pande [Akshay Kumar] to carry out the job of tracing Pooja, once Jimmy surrenders himself to Bhaiyyaji. What happens next?

Actually, Tashan starts off very well and the first hour unwinds at a feverish pace. Besides, there're interesting twists and turns in this hour that make you jump with joy. Akshay's entry in the movie is the turning point and the actor only takes the film to a new level.

Anil Kapoor is a bhai who kills with bat, hockey stick, guns and even tennis racket. The Kareena Kapoor, is also with him in his adda. Anil Kapoor tries to talk, half-English, half-hinglish and half Hindi.

Tashan belongs to Akshay Kumar completely. He's the lifeline of this project and his performance will be loved by elite and masses, both. Kareena Kapoor is fantastic. She looks gorgeous, acts very well [her role is similar to the one she essayed in FIDA] and yes, she carries off the bikini with elan.

Saif Ali Khan is relegated to the backseat. What did Saif see in this role? He's hardly there in the second hour. Anil Kapoor entertains at the start, but after a point, the Hindi-English bhasha gets on your nerves. Also, it's very difficult to decipher what he's speaking most of the time.

On the whole Tashan is a very weak film with a weak script. This is also the weakest film to come out of Yashraj Banner. Viewer's Review Waste of time by Atal (posted on : 03-May-08) Rating: (Poor) the movie is a waste of time. i would rather watch saawariya than tashan. the movie's story is pointless. its like those old movies when the actor beats like 20 mobs. the songs are bad too a very dull debut by the director (its his first time directing)

Excellent Thriller by Amarish (posted on : 26-Apr-08) Rating: (Very Good) Overall its an excellent thriller Highlight of movie: Kareena in bikini scene was breathtaking and looks superb overall, Akshay was at its usual best rustic guy, Good comedy by Anil and Saif. First half just passes off very quicky though it becomes boring in second half ( Story line is average). But overall Kareena, Saif and Akshay tashen steal the show

i loov the by Jai (posted on : 26-Apr-08) Rating: (Excellent) i lave th movie of tahan . the movie is exllent and mandbalwoing the story is to good and akshya look is si good he look like a real man and the acting is such to good

SIRF

Director Rajaatesh Nayar Producer Sanjay Kayadia, Kanu Patel Starring Kay Kay Menon, Sonali Kulkarni, Rituparna Sengupta, Shilpa Anand, Nausheed Cyrusi, Manisha Koirala, Manav Vaswani, Sonu Sood, Ranvir Shorey, Ankur Khanna, Parveen Dabbas

Sirf is a normal, ordinary story of what happens when in love and marriage. It revolves around four couples played by Kay Kay Menon and Manisha Koirala; Parvin Dabbas and Rituparna Sengupta; Sonali Kulkarni and Ranvir Shorey; and Nauheed Cyrusi and Ankur Khanna. Sirf takes a look at the relationships of these four couples in a metro and each of them crosses the other's path and, in some way, is connected with one another.

There are four couples in the film played by -- Kay Kay Menon-Manisha Koirala, Sonali Kulkarni-Ranvir Shorey, Parvin Dabas-Rituparna Sengupta and Ankur Khanna-Nauheed Cyrusi. While the first couple is financially well off, the one thing missing from their lives is love. Another couple [Ankur-Nauheed] is hopelessly in love, but don't have the financial security to realize their dreams. The third couple [Parvin-Rituparna] is searching for trust, while the fourth couple [Ranvir-Sonali] has to find time to nurture everything that they have.

Each couple has their own problems to deal with, but they cross each other's paths on the crossroads of life.

For Kay Kay and Manisha, when love went out of the window and when work took over, they don't know. Kay Kay is so engrossed in his business that he even once forgets that his wife is sitting at his office waiting for him to finish. He forgets and hops on to meet the Chief Minister for a meeting. In his pursuit for money, he neglects his wife and forgets important dates. Manisha is cooked up and wants out.

Both, Ranvir and Sonali, have to work hard to make ends meet. They have a little daughter who is sick and while Sonali makes it a point to spend time with her, Ranvir is chasing the elusive promotion, which will help him earn more than his wife and maybe help him move into a bigger house. However, it's too late. So engrossed is he in his work that he requests his wife to postpone his daughter's heart operation when the doctor had clearly warned that the quicker it is done the better.

Coming from a small town in Jabalpur, Rituparna Sengupta is confused with life in the Metro. She is aghast when Parvin's colleagues drop in at her home for a party at the way they speak and their 'general sense of humour'. Parvin is heading an Ad agency and he has cracked a deal with his old colleague, Manisha's firm. All hell breaks loose, as his wife thinks he is having an affair with her.

Finally, Ankur and Nauheed are youngsters in love and so want to get married. While Nauheed is quite settled with a receptionist's job, Ankur is an assistant director for whom the payment never comes. Finally, he agrees to spy for Kay Kay Menon and in his greed to make a quick buck makes it appear to Kay Kay that Manisha is indeed having an affair with Parvin when there is no truth to it.

Debutante director Rajaatesh Nayar has handled a few scenes well, but the writing is ineffective and hence, it's impossible to salvage the show. Music [Sohail Sen and Shibani Kashyap] is strictly okay. Baba Azmi's cinematography is perfect.

On the whole Sirf is a film with a very weak script. But the film has number of powerful actors. And at box office the film will have to face difficulties to breathe easy because of its weak script.

HOPE AND A LITTLE SUGAR

Director Tanuja Chandra Producer Scott Pardo Starring Mahima Choudhary, Suhasini Mulay, Vikram Chatwal, Amit Sial, Anupam Kher, Ranjit Chowdhary

SHAURYA

Director Samar Khan Producer Harish Dayani Starring Rahul Bose, Kay Kay Menon, Minissha Lamba, Javed Jaffrey

Cast: Rahul Bose, Jaaved Jaaferi, Minissha Lamba, Deepak Dobriyal, Kay Kay Menon Director: Samar Khan Genre: Drama Language: Hindi

Synopsis

Shaurya is the story of Javed, a man wronged by his country by the very men who he fought with and who were his friends. It's the story of Siddhant, whose only aim in life was to escape reality and wasn't prepared for what life gave him. It's also the story of Kaavya who never understood why it was difficult to speak the truth. And Aakash for whom living by the rules was the only way to live life. And also about Brigadier Pratap who lived by his own principles even if they were against humanity.

Captain Javed Khan is charged with mutiny, treason and killing a fellow officer. Even when he is held for court martial, he refuses to speak in his defense, as the secret he holds is too powerful for the establishment to handle.

Assigned for this task are Sid and Aakash....two best friends, lawyers and very ambitious individuals who have contrasting views on life. Nevertheless, this one case will change their lives...forever. The case takes them to Srinagar. While Askash, for whom winning the case matters the most, follows the blueprint, Sid discovers a new meaning in life, Kaavya.

Shaurya is not a war film. It is not patriotic. It does not spew venom on the neighboring country. It does not show mutilated bodies or blood-soaked faces and limbs. This movoe has backdrop of armed forces. This film is about court martial. Shaurya is a serious film and raises a serious issue.

The story rests on five actors - Rahul Bose, Kay Kay Menon, Jaaved Jafferi, Deepak Dobriyal and Minissha Lamba. Captain Javed Khan (Deepak Dobriyal) is charged with killing his superior. He is also charged with mutiny and treason. And even though the case appears to be an 'open and shut' one with the army just following proceedings of the Court Martial with a Defense and a Prosecution lawyer appointed, things do not look so simple as they seem. For one, Javed does not make anything easier because he prefers to stay silent. For Major Siddhanth Chaudhary (Rahul Bose) who is appointed to defend Javed, life is one big excursion in the wild. As for Major Aakash Kapoor (Jaaved Jaffery) who is the prosecuting lawyer and Siddhant's best friend, conviction for Javed Khan is just a matter of procedure. But there's more, and there in lies the intense courtroom scenes which is the highpoint of the movie.

Kay Kay Menon performs with such intensity that the force of his belief in the character he portrays hits you with the power of a sledgehammer. He goads you to loath him so much that you sit terrified in his presence even though he is just on screen. As Brigadier Rudra Pratap Singh, he has his set of beliefs on how the army should function. His performance is so cunningly menacing that it even puts a real life Adolf Hitler to shame!

Jaaved does a decent job. However, his character is relegated to the backseat after a point. Deepak conveys a lot even when silent - that is the sign of a fine actor. Minissha is effective. Besides, she looks the character. Amrita Rao handles her part with maturity. She is first-rate. Seema Biswas, as always, is a complete natural.

Shaurya is not a flawless script. But it has been treated with utmost realism and sensitivity by Samar Khan. Talking of the narrative, the film could have done without the item song at the very start.

On the whole Shaurya is just a garnish, which does well in masala movies. This here is a taut courtroom thriller. However, the film deserves to be tax-exempted since it is a genuinely deserving case.

KRAZZY4

Director Jaideep Sen Producer Rakesh Roshan Starring Arshad Warsi, Diya Mirza, Irfan Khan, Rajpal Yadav, Suresh Menon, Rajat Kapoor, Zakir Hussain, Juhi Chawla

The makers of the movie Krazzy 4 have tried to package the proceedings with entertaining stuff from Scene A to Z. But it would be wrong to slot Krazzy 4 as a comedy. Sometimes it works, at times it doesn't. But the pros outweigh the cons in this case. Also, let's get one thing straight. Sure, Krazzy 4 remains faithful to the ongoing trend of providing laughs at the oddest of things, but it's more of a masala fare that's reminiscent of the 1980s cinema.

Krazzy 4 is about four patients from a mental asylum. But, of the four, two seem to be perfectly normal. Arshad Warsi (Raja) is 'Mr Angry Young Man', Irrfan Khan (Dr Mukherjee) is 'Dr Fetish For Cleanliness', Rajpal Yadav (Gangadhar) lives in the past while Suresh Menon (Dabboo) hardly ever speaks. One day, Juhi Chawla (Dr Sonali) decides to take them to watch a cricket match 'live' and while she stops the car to pick up some papers from her office, she is kidnapped, and the four are left loose on the streets. There is also Dia Mirza, Raja's love interest, who works for Aaj Tak.

Rakesh Roshan's story takes a leaf out of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, while Ashwani Dhir's screenplay tries to pack everything that's available on the shelf. The first hour is quite entertaining, with a few sequences compelling you to flex your facial muscles.

Jaideep Sen shows a flair for comedy, but had the debutante director opted for a slightly novel screenplay, it would've taken the film to another level. A few comic scenes are well executed and in terms of execution, Jaideep knows the grammar right.

Performance wise, none stand out; the poor script does not allow them to. So the only interest remains the 'Special dances' of Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan. While SRK performs an item number with a bevy of beauties, Hrithik comes in after the credits have rolled with a solo dance performance. No prizes for guessing who the better dancer is. Hrithik wins hands down.

Arshad Warsi is the best of the lot. His character is bound to work with the moviegoers. Irrfan's role doesn't offer him that much scope. Rajpal Yadav is quite funny at places. Suresh Menon is a surprise. He hardly utters one word in the film, but he delivers with expressions.

Juhi Chawla doesn't get ample opportunity. Dia Mirza is efficient. Zakir Hussain is okay. Rajat Kapoor is relegated to the backseat.

On the whole, Krazzy 4 is slightly above the average mark, but the brand [Rakesh Roshan] coupled with the presence of the two superstars in its songs and of course, some great actors in comic roles should ensure positive returns at the box-office.

BHRAM

Director Pawan Kaul Producer Nari Hira Starring Dino Morea, Milind Soman, Sheetal Menon, Simone Singh, Chetan Hansraj

Bhram is a movie directed by Pawan Kaul. This movie is engaging in parts. The film holds your attention intermittently, but the writing gets too predictable in the latter reels. The problem is, the incidents leading to the culmination appear to be a complete compromise from the writing point of view.

Watching Bhram one can feel the small screen format in place. Most of the characters and sets are even dressed up the way a television set is, not a grand 70mm movie set. The dialogues, at best are juvenile, with Fs and Bs and hard-ones thrown in for impact. Director Pavan Kaul doesn't open the cards at the very outset. You've to be alert to grasp things since the past and present move concurrently in the first hour, which, let's face it, tends to get confusing at times. It's only at the interval point that you exclaim, 'Okay, got it' and you look forward to the second hour with enthusiasm.

Antra [Sheetal Menon] is a successful model, but is hiding behind the veil of a traumatic past. Shantanu [Dino Morea] is initially attracted to Antra, who snubs him initially, but the two develop a strong bond subsequently.

Things take a dramatic turn when Antra is introduced to Devendra [Milind Soman], Shantanu's elder brother. The wounds re-open and the skeleton tumbles out of the closet.

Pavan Kaul has managed to lay his hands on an intriguing story, but the writers let him down. While the first hour isn't faulty, things go awry in the second hour. When Dino lands up in Manali to experience the truth, he meets a series of people who were present on the fateful day. Now note this: Everyone seems to be talking of the birthday party, but the incident never takes place then. It happens at a time when only the young kid is a witness. So how would the entire town know what really transpired?

The assorted people Dino meets in Manali are suddenly told to keep their mouth shut. Wait, a still photographer is murdered as well. The question is, how does the key culprit [name withheld] enjoy such clout in an altogether different state, when, in the first place, people blame him for the rape and death? Clearly, the writers [writer: Bhavani Iyer, screenplay-dialogue: Radhika Anand] don't know how to culminate matters. Incidentally, the dialogues are too hot to handle. Sure, it's right to change with the times, one doesn't argue that, but why so many words and terms which are in poor taste? Not required!

As for the characters, the less said the better. Sheetal Menon may be a good model, but she does not have that necessary skill to convey her presence on screen. Or I dare say she has not been presented well? Only Simone Singh stands tall among the ruins of this illusion.

Milind Soman gives a decent account of himself. There wouldn't be a reason to dislike him. Dino Morea carries off his part with sincerity. The vulnerable look comes across well at places. Sheetal Menon fits the role. Simone Singh is first-rate. Chetan Hansraj is strictly okay. Sheetal Shah is hardly there. Ditto for Deepshikha.

On the whole, Bhram has an interesting story to tell, but lack of publicity, face-value and uninspiring promotion will hit the business hard.

KHUDA KAY LIYE

Director Shoaib Mansoor Producer Shoman Production Starring Iman Ali, Larry Neumann Jr, Shan, Hameed Shiekh, Rasheed Naaz, Naseeruddin Shah, Simi Reheal

ONE TWO THREE

Director Ashwani Dheer Producer Kumar Mangat, Sunil Lulla Starring Tusshar Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Tanishaa, Suniel Shetty, Upen Patel, Esha Deol, Sameera Reddy

One Two Three, helmed by debutante Ashwani Dhir, follows the rules faithfully. But like most films of its type, One Two Three rests on a wafer thin plot. One Two Three provides humour in huge doses. And, though at times it does get a bit monotonous. There are some stupid one-liners, which are witty nonetheless and every situation is a moment for comedy.

And the situation here is a case of mistaken identity with three men sharing the same name Laxminarayan (Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal and Tushhar Kapoor) checking into hotel Blue Diamond for different purposes. As expected, the envelope they are to receive describing their job goes to the wrong Laxminarayan and therein lies the tragedy that opens up to a laugh riot.

Diamonds belonging to a Don [Manoj Pahwa] get stolen. The diamonds accidentally fall in the hands of Chandu [Upen Patel] and Chandni [Tanishaa], who hide them in a car. Papa [Mukesh Tiwari] and his henchmen [Vrajesh Hirjee and Sanjay Mishra] are desperately hunting for the diamonds, while hot headed police office Mayavati Chautala [Neetu Chandra] is on the prowl looking for offenders of any kind.

Enter the first Laxmi Narayan [Tusshar Kapoor]. He's from a khandani mafia family and his mother prays that with a few murders under his belt, he will be settled for life. He's got a final chance to redeem himself as a Bhai. He comes to Hotel Blue Diamond because he's taken a supari to bump off Papa.

Enter the second Laxmi Narayan [Suniel Shetty]. He is sent to Hotel Blue Diamond to collect a new car for his boss from Laila [Sameera Reddy]. The third Laxmi Narayan [Paresh Rawal] is a hawker who has made so much money selling under-garments on the footpath that he has set up a lingerie factory now. His son sends him to Hotel Blue Diamond to collect lingerie samples from upcoming designer Jiya [Esha Deol].

The three Laxmi Narayans are at the same place, at the same time. They get letters and photographs meant for the other. The first Laxmi Narayan gets lingerie designer Jiya's photo and goes to kill her, only to end up falling in love with her. The second Laxmi Narayan gets Papa's photo and goes to collect the car from him, only to be mistaken for a killer and gets beaten black and blue. The third Laxmi Narayan gets Laila's photo and asks her to show him the under-garments, only to be branded an old pervert. Meanwhile, Chandu and Chandni are determined to stop anybody from buying the car where they have hidden the diamonds.

To be honest, there are some seriously funny moments that make you laugh the loudest, which dull the impact of a weak storyline. Suniel Shetty is lovable in his bhola act; Tushhar Kapoor is ok while Paresh Rawal shines in bits.

The girls enact their parts mechanically. Sameera Reddy [okay], Esha [dull], Tanishaa [no scope] and Neetu Chandra [loud]. Manoj Pahwa excels. Mukesh Tiwari is alright. Ditto for Vrajesh Hirjee. And what is Upen Patel doing in this film? Murli Sharma doesn't deliver this time.

On the whole the movie falls below the ordinary mark. A descent fare if going in just for the laughs.

LOVESONGS

Director Jayabrato Chatterjee Producer nil Doshi Starring Jaya Bachchan, Om Puri, Mallika Sarabai, Neil Bhoopalam, Rajit Kapoor, June Maliah, Shahana Chatterjee, Madhuchanda Ghosh, Prithviraj Choudhury, Armaan Ahmed

26TH JULY AT BARISTA

Director Mohan Sharma Producer Sumeet Chawla Starring Kabier Sawhney, Simran Vaid, Seema Pande, Anil Mahatre, Rohini Hattangadi, Paramveer, Ashish Duggal, Rita Joshi, Gopi, Ramesh Suneja

BHOOTNATH

Producer Ravi Chopra Director Vivek Sharma Music Vishal Dadlani, Shekhar Ravjiani Writer Vivek Sharma Lyrics Javed Akhtar Release Date 09-May-2008