Movies

Tu Hai Mera Sunday

Friends & Football – Tu Hai Mera Sunday

March 10, 2018 Movies

I spent my Saturday afternoon watching ‘Tu Hai Mera Sunday’ which turned out to be a nostalgic ride! Despite Bollywood breathing and thriving in the embrace of ‘Amchi Mumbai’ there are only a handful of films that have captured the ethos and the charm of this metropolis on celluloid, not just with their urbane settings but also by showcasing the common citizens entwined in their everyday wanderings. Where the characters are uncomplicated, not vying for attention or fighting for screen space, yet leaving audiences enthralled with their storyline alone. A few weeks prior I came across such a film, Netflix’s ‘Love Per Square Foot’, and today it was time to catch up with another ‘Made in Mumbai’ movie with ‘Tu Hai Mera Sunday’. Released last year, it was critically acclaimed and well-received, but as usual, it was buried deep within the debris of its box-office performance.

‘Tu Hai Mera Sunday’ revolves around an ensemble cast of 5 fun-loving buddies who reckon Sunday isn’t about getting comfy within their homes. So they routinely engage in a game of football at Juhu Beach, one of Mumbai’s characteristic destinations where locals assemble to escape the drudgery. However, on one such fateful trip, the group is joined by an ‘Appa’ who boots the ball harder to whack on the head of a local dignitary decisively ending their sporting sojourns on the beach. Would it bring an end to their passion? I believe not. Because football defines their urge to chug along, it’s their only chance at redeeming their spirits be it from an unruly boss, abject solitude, a cacophonous family, or mundane life in general. So alongside Appa, the group begins scrambling for a new playground, and from within that emotional journey, they discover their true personalities. I wouldn’t miss this fun-filled outing, even if it’s a Sunday!

Latika’s Theme – Slumdog Millionaire Soundtrack

February 19, 2018 General Movies

I have zero recollection of the hours that I have spent listening to Suzanne D’Mello’s melancholic crooning of Latika’s emotions in this track, a slow and an entrancing piece of melody from the critically acclaimed soundtrack of Slumdog Millionaire. Once again, I discovered it quite randomly during my music listening spree today – perhaps your most cherished songs follow you everywhere just like your beloved memories. There are other hit tracks on the album, including the award-winning Jai Ho (Academy Award for Best Original Song and a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media) which captured the imagination of the world and also Ringa Ringa, but I keep returning to Latika’s Theme like a hopeless romantic. From my list of favourite composers, A R Rahman is one who has the potential of casting a spell on my latent consciousness with his tunes, while consistently demonstrating the obvious that music has a universal appeal even when it’s deprived of any language or words and an effective antidote for healing our bruised soul.

Mumbai Delhi Mumbai (2014)

February 8, 2018 Movies

Mumbai Delhi MumbaiI had cherished the Marathi original Mumbai Pune Mumbai (MPM) a tale of two distinct personalities representing major cities of Maharashtra, a reluctant lady from Mumbai visiting a Pune guy whom she hopes to marry. Pune is a short train ride and hence the title of the movie from the Indian Railways’ name panel. Shot entirely in Pune the highlight about MPM was its cast of 2 seasoned actors Mukta Barve and Swapnil Joshi, with Joshi’s flawless enactment of the Puneri accent and his explanation of the steadfast Puneri Baana to a suave metro girl Barve who’s just as proud about her liberal Bombay antecedents as the man could have ever imagined resulting in a mind-blowing account of repartees. Importantly, the simple script through the eyes of the protagonists acquaints you to Pune’s Maharashtrian middle-class culture & sunny locales on a day’s trip. This film checked all my boxes for a good entertaining romantic comedy including its well-deserving sequel Mumbai Pune Mumbai 2. Then, Bollywood got into the mix and engaged the original writer/director Satish Rajwade to make an urbane Hindi adventure which unfortunately lost its way and failed miserably to do justice to the original.

So instead of a train, Pia takes a flight to Delhi and literally lands in an argument with a local upsetting her. From there onwards she becomes cacophonic, that seething rage of displeasure with Dilliwaalahs displayed with incessant shouting & heckling of her helpful partner. The character’s persona is so amateurish that she gets needlessly offended by ‘Goli’ her Delhi mate and vice versa much to my exasperation. But, it was her constant rebuttals & conversations starting with “Boss…Boss” that made me wonder if the swank Pia is indeed the correct personification of the city’s elegant diaspora. To make matters worse, the mellifluous Marathi song of ‘Kadhi Tu’ returned in an uninspiring avatar called ‘Tham Sa Gaya’. Skip this one by all means, but you don’t want to skip the original.

Rating: ⭐

Come And Find Me (2016)

January 30, 2018 Movies

Come And Find Me

I basically like thrillers and this was yet another addition to my list in that genre, Come and Find Me is a thriller and a love story with several angles. When Claire disappears suddenly David relies on the law to make breakthroughs and find her but when they reach a dead-end he decides to pursue the case himself. What begins as a simple case of disappearance gets embroiled in a string of lies and deceit, involving mobsters and federal sleuths. Technically, the movie becomes compelling at various intervals as the story swings back and forth to capture intimate moments between the couple while introducing Claire’s persona before her disappearance and details on their fledgeling relationship. Halfway through the plot as David wades through the suspense, the plot gets even murkier and I am now doubting my knowledge of Claire which forces me to focus more closely on the events and the individuals as they reveal themselves.

The climax left me with more questions than providing the justifications straight away much like the situation I faced with The Open House. This probably comes from my expectations with run-of-the-mill thrillers and I believe the thriller/suspense genre has undergone some welcome changes. But Come and Find Me is still worth a watch.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

True Grit (2010)

January 21, 2018 Movies

True Grit

This was my third movie directed by the Coen brothers after Fargo (1996) and No Country For Old Men (2007). True Grit is also executive produced by Steven Spielberg and set in the American wild west in the 19th century, about a 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Steinfeld) teaming up with an ageing U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn (Bridges) to hunt down the killer of her father Tom Chaney (Brolin). The classic western movies have a distinct semblance about them which compelled me to watch True Grit, the story along with the action was well-paced and the casting of Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, and Jeff Bridges was superlative. To summarize, True Grit has wonderful direction and beautiful cinematography and gripping in parts.

This line from the young Mattie is worth contemplating:

You must pay for everything in this world, one way and another. There is nothing free except the grace of God.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️