Starring: Nandita Das, Rashid Farooqi, Syed Fazal Hussain, Maria Wasti, Noman Ijaz

Ramchand Pakistani is a film that explains how the unintentional crossing of the Pakistan-India border by a Pakistani Hindu family during a time of extreme tension between the two countries changes the lives of the members in that family.

The story revolves around how the family is forcefully separated and how they are struggling to survive without each other. A young boy must learn how to deal with the fact that he is in a jail cell along with his father after being separated from his mother, who must try to build a new chapter in her life and survive without her husband and son. The family belongs to a small minority of Hindus living in Pakistan, and they are part of the 'untouchable' caste in India.
The film makes you aware of discriminatory practices in both countries, as well as the heartless social system that doesn't provide tolerance for people who may be of a certain religion or family background. It is saddening yet revealing of some of the political injustices people face in the subcontinent.

Verdict: Give it a try!

Picture courtesy www.ramchandpakistani.com

Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Arjun Rampal

Harish Mishra (Amitabh Bachchan) is a veteran thespian passionate about Shakespeare whose life changes when he meets Siddharth (Arjun Rampal), a young film director who offers him a role in his film. Siddharth develops a friendship with Harish and convinces him to accept the role of the Joker in his production. While shooting in the mountains of India, relationships develop between coworkers. Harish teaches his co-star Shabnum (Preity Zinta) acting and is also is in a way mentoring her both professionally and personally. As the film shots wind up, Harish’s health begins to deteriorate and his memory fades. The entire film is in English and catered to a very niche audience.

Verdict: Rent on DVD!

Starring: Shahzad Nawaz, Mahnoor Baloch, Ali Kazmi, Nausheen Shah 

This telefilm showcases a very intricate and complex story that revolves around the situations couples face when living in Pakistan due to the highly conservative society.  Shahzad Nawaz plays the role of Dabeer Baig, a successful business tycoon who is living a very unhappy (second) married life with university professor and ambitious woman, Izzat Adil, played by Mahnoor Baloch.  In the lives of these individuals enter Sharjeel Khan (Ali Kazmi), a college student and Rosheen Aslam (Nausheen Shah), an assistant and secretary to Dabeer.  How these individuals interact and the relationships they develop make for a very interesting plot.  This telefilm leaves you thinking about the extremes of relationships and how insensitive human beings can be to each other.

VERDICT: A must watch!

Starring: Ranbir Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Deepika Padukone, Minissha Lamba

Some girls can't help but fall crazy in love with the 'bad guy' despite warnings from parents and friends, there is just something thrilling about them. Meet bad boy of the movie, Raj who wins over any girl with his good looks and charm. In this movie, the story revolves around not one, not two, but three young women who have fallen in love with a heartbreaker. Mahi, Radhika and Gayatri all have been in a relationship at some point with Raj, and they have taught him a thing or two about love and life in general. The movie has excellent songs and great scenery to see as it was shot in Switzerland, Sydney and Italy.

VERDICT: Worth a try!

Starring: Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif

The duo of Akshay & Katrina is back in another romantic comedy. Akshay plays the role of Happy Singh who lives in a small village of Punjab and is sent on a “mission” to Australia to bring back Lakhan Singh ‘Lucky’ (Sonu Good), who is the current king of the Australian underworld. The village has actually sent Happy Singh out of desperation so that he will be gone for a while and they won’t have to deal with any embarrassing or disastrous situations. Happy Singh embarks on his journey with the help of his friend Tony Singh (Om Puri). While on this journey to find Lucky, Happy Singh meets and falls in love with Sonia (Katrina Kaif). Upon arriving to Australia, twists and turns begin to happen and somehow Happy manages to fight off the mob of people who were attempting to take Lucky’s life. After this confusing and hilarious brawl, Lucky ends up paralyzed in the hospital and Happy is crowned the new title of Kinng.

VERDICT: Wait for the DVD!

Starring: Boman Irani, Archana Puran Singh, Rachit Trehan, Harman Baweja, Priyanka Chopra, Harsh Vasishtha, Mehezabeen Sarela, Karan Verma

Meet Sana (Priyanka Chopra), a young girl who plays by the rules and is focused in everything she does. Karan (Harman Baweja) on the other hand, is a carefree character who doesn't always abide by the rules. Their 'love story' develops when they travel forward to the year 2050 by using a time machine developed by Karan's crazy, scientist-uncle. They are fascinated by the flying cars, robots and extremely tall buildings. Karan finds himself being drifted from his love, Sana, and thus it is in the hands of the robots to bring them together! However, the robots soon realize that they are in danger because of the evil Dr. Hoshi, the demi god of the future. How futuristic!

VERDICT: Entirely up to you!

Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Vidya Balan, Juhi Chawla
Om Puri, Vishal Malhotra

Shahid Kapoor plays the role of Raj Malhotra, who has been the overachiever and perfectionist in sports and academics all throughout this college career. Four years after graduation, Raj finds himself not as lucky as he once was, as he is repeatedly unable to win over a major contract that could do wonders for his career in architecture. Raj comes to the conclusion that there is a negative energy around him; once anything good is about to happen in his life, just the opposite happens and he's back to square one. Frustrated with never winning the deals, Raj meets oracle Hasina Bano Jaan (Juhi Chawla). She tells him that his luck will soon change for the better, but he must first find his lucky charm and hold onto it for the rest of his life. As she said, things begin to look up, and Raj finally wins the contract he's been wanting. Not only that, his personal life also is beginning to look up, the lucky charm seems to be Priya (Vidya Balan), a pretty lady who is always lending a helpful hand to the community.

VERDICT: Worth a try!

Starring:Govinda, Aftab Shivdasani, Upen Patel, Manoj Bajpai, Hansika Motwani, Celina Jaitley, Ravi Kishan and Prem Chopra

The very funny Govinda is back in the movie scene, and we’re happy to review his next comedy that revolves around six individuals struggling to make it big in their lives. The character of Bobby is one that runs away to prove to his family that he is capable of making it on his own. Lalabhai is a character who wins 1 crore rupees, only to lose that money when his business fails. Gaurav is a copywriter who just got fired, Manik is a model desperate to make some money, Shruti is a struggling designer and finally, Ashima Kapoor is an actress who never gets to play the lead role! Their lives change when one fine day; they all receive a text message stating they are the new owners of a 1000 crore company, however, that too a company that owes money for a 1200 crore loan. Until the loan is paid, they are all under house arrest.

VERDICT: Wait for the DVD!

Starring: Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Alan Arkin, Terence Stamp, Ken Davitian

Steve Carrell plays the role of Maxwell Smart, an eager and enthusiastic analyst working at U.S. spy agency Control. When the agency is attacked by KAOS, Smart hopes to have the opportunity to work alongside superstar Agent 23 (The Rock). Instead, he is partnered with Agent 99 whose identity is never revealed (Anne Hathaway). As they move closer to figuring out KAOS' plan and strategy, they discover that operative Siegfried and his coworker Shtarker are planning to take the cash for themselves and their evil network. One can only wonder, will Smart save the day?

VERDICT: Will have you laughing throughout!

Starring: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon

For those of you not familiar with the show, the story revolves around Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), a love & sex writer living in New York. After moving in with her on and off boyfriend Mr. Big, both decide they should finally just get married. The wedding at first is planned to be on a small scale, but soon things get carried away when the guest list jumps from 75 to 200 and Carrie is offered a photo spread on wedding dresses in Vogue. Carrie and her girlfriends Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda couldn't be happier for her friend. Although each has their own problems at home, when Miranda lets her problems affect the relationship between Carrie and Mr. Big, things get very complicated.

VERDICT: Worth a try!

Starring: Akshaye Khanna, Paresh Rawal and Genelia D'Souza Director: Priyadarshan Genre

Paresh Rawal is back in the comedy scene with the release of his new movie in which he plays the role of widower Janaradhan Wishvanbhar Rane. After spending his entire life raising his two sons Chirag (Manoj Joshi) and Gaurav (Akshay Khanna), the roles are now reversed as they now look after their elderly father. The fun starts when Gaurav begins getting prank calls from an old college friend Sheeka Kapoor (Genelia D'Souza) who just happens to be staying with Rane's first love Anuradha (Shobana). Gaurav and Sheeka team up to arrange the marriage of Rane and Anuradha. That's bound to be one hilarious journey!

VERDICT: A must watch!

Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Anita (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), CEO of Sheppard Power Plant proposes a plan to the Nagres family of building a power plant in the rural area of Maharashtra. Shanker (Abhishek Bachchan) is easily convinced and can foresee the benefits it can provide the residents. Sarkar(Amitabh Bachchan)isn’t so keen towards the plan; however, Shanker manages to convince him to accept it. Shanker travels with Anita to the rural area to gain the public’s support. Soon, political troubles come Shanker’s way and evil forces group together to destroy Sarkar’s regime and eliminate Shanker from the political scene.
Ram Gopal Varma has done an excellent job in directing this gripping film. As far as the plot is concerned, surprises are a part of the game and make the movie very entertaining. It’s bound to be a box office hit!

VERDICT: A must watch!

Starring: Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Rishi Kapoor, Amisha Patel

The story revolves around the life of a lonely business man who at a young age lost everyone he loved. Due to his loneliness, Ranbeer Talwar strongly focuses on working hard and becoming successful, thus forgoing any other aspect of his life. A rare court ruling provides him the duty to look after four orphans who need love. Ranbeer and the orphans don’t get along and are having an extremely difficult time living together. To help them unite, Geeta (an angel) is sent on a mission to help unite Ranbeer and the kids. While playing the role of a nanny, Geeta begins to feel love towards the children and even Ranbeer, despite knowing that she has to return when the mission is complete. What will happen to Geeta? One can only imagine…

VERDICT: Wait for the DVD!

Starring: Patrick Dempsey, Michelle Monaghan, Kevin McKidd

Tom and Hannah are the best of friends, but they also have their differences; he likes speed dating and she is on the lookout for Mr. Right. When Hannah goes to Scotland for a six-week business trip, Tom realizes his life is boring and quite incomplete with out her. He decides to ask Hannah to marry him when she returns. Hannah comes back already engaged to a handsome and rich fellow from Scotland. When Hannah asks him to be her ‘maid’ of honor, he unwillingly agrees only to have some time with her in which he plans to convince her to stop the wedding before it’s too late.

VERDICT: Worth a try!

Starring: Starring: Emran Hashmi, Sonal Chauhan, Sameer Kochhar, Vishal Malhotra, Javed Shaikh

For the first time, a movie has been released simultaneously both in Pakistan and India. The stars and producers of this movie arrived in Lahore for the grand premiere. Booking had already begun and with the story line containing a cricket background, it is expected that the movie will be received well by the Pakistani audience.

The story revolves around (Emran Hasmi), a character struggling with the dilemma of choosing between his obsession to materialism and the love of his life, Zoya (Sonal Chauhan). Before encountering Zoya, Arjun was much involved with card games and gambling. In an effort to better their lives, Arjun takes it a step further and becomes a bookie, and then later also becomes involved in the mafia. Upon entering the world of match fixing, Arjun finds more success, wealth and power. Offers for infinite wealth once again confuse Arjun…will he continue to immerse himself into the materialistic and corrupt world or will he change?

VERDICT: Definitely a must watch!

Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Cameron Diaz

After a long night of partying in sin city, two strangers wake up and find that they've married each other AND one of them has hit the jackpot (obviously with the other's quarter!). Both begin plotting against each other and are determined to keep the money for themselves. During this quest though, we know love is bound to happen! If you're in the mood for a chick flick, be sure to check this one out; it'll have you laughing throughout and be well worth your time!

VERDICT: Definitely!

Starring: Arshad Warsi, Sunil Shetty, Rashmi Nigam, Sandhya Mridul, Atul Kale

The comedy presented in this movie is not something new in Indian cinema. Throughout the movie, silly jokes are plentiful and they get old…fast. Nevertheless, the movie is an attempt to create something different than the usual Indian love story. As far as the synopsis of the film is concerned, there is some suspense and mystery involved! Sunil Shetty plays the role of Gopi, who travels from Hoshiyarpur to Goa to bestow the responsibility of a small piece of land to his childhood friend Kishen (Arshad Warsi). Kishen is now a corrupt individual who scams people in order to pay for his sister’s education; however, he has been hiding that identity and claims those acts were done by his evil twin brother (ha!). On top of that, Kishen is on a mission to steal diamonds worth Rs. 25 million. Will he succeed in doing so when the owner of the diamonds is also arriving in Goa? Will Kishen even go back to get the land? Oh the confusion and suspense…

VERDICT: Watch it on DVD!

Starring: Anil Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar

Yash Raj Films has produced yet another one hit wonder…or has it? The overly done promotions for this movie are a bit overrated for the actual story presented. Bhayyaji (Anil Kapoor) is a conniving gangster who is planning kill the very people that work for him; along the while learning some English from the swanky call center executive Jimmy Cliff (Saif Ali Khan). Pooja Singh is an untrustworthy character played by Kareena Kapoor. Akshay Kumar plays the goofy role of Bachan Panday who has been hired by Bhaiyyaji to kill both Jimmy and Pooja! Together, these characters embark on a journey across India which ultimately changes all their lives as they must learn to trust each other if they want to stay alive!

VERDICT: Give it a shot - the music and actors make it worthwhile!

Starring: Arshad Warsi, Rajpal Yadav, Irfan Khan, Juhi Chawla, Diya Mirza, Mandira Bedi, Rakhee Sawant and Hrithik Roshan

Dr. Sonali is in charge of treating the psychological problems of four diverse characters. Gangadhar is a schizophrenic patient who thinks he is living in the past and is fighting for the country’s freedom along with Mahatma Gandhi. Dr. Mukherjee is a character struggling with OCD and cannot resist the temptation to clean everything that comes his way. Raja is an angry character who is easily irritated by the smallest issues. Daboo is a quiet character who is suffering from autism. Is it possible for these characters to return to normalcy? Dr. Sonali has faith that with time and patience, they will recover. With as ‘krazzy’ as they are, it seems unlikely…

VERDICT: Wait for the DVD!

Starring: Sunil Shetty, Tusshar Kapoor, Paresh Rawal
Upen Patel, Esha Deol and Sameera Reddy

Laxmi Narayan times three is a more suitable title for this movie! Tushar Kapoor plays the role of Laxmi Narayan No.1, a character with a mafia background who is paid to kill the Don, also known as Papa at the Hotel Blue Diamond. Laxmi Narayan No.2 is an MBA graduate whose main purpose in life is to please his boss, and as an order, he is sent to the same hotel to pick up a car for his boss. The third Laxmi Narayan is played by none other than Paresh Rawal, an older man who makes his living by selling lingerie. He is also arriving at the same hotel to pick up lingerie samples from designer Jiya. As they each arrive, confusion begins and identities are mistaken, thus providing comic relief for the viewer.

VERDICT: Funny and entertaining, a must watch!

Starring: Anil Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Saif Ali Khan, Bipasha Basu and Akshay Khanna

The much awaited star packed movie is finally released, but is its plot strong enough to make it become a box office hit? Obviously, the cast is enough to make it worth watching! The story revolves around two brothers, each with different ambitions and personalities, Saif plays the role of Ranvir and Akshay plays the role of Rajeev. One greedy brother plots to take his sibling down in order to acquire the $100 million insurance claim. Betrayal is the name of the game; with twists occurring all too often, leaving you to keep up with the ever changing story. The action is overrated, especially with the car exploding in mid-air - Saif did you really need to do that? Bipasha and Katrina’s roles are nothing much more than serving as seductive back stabbers that add on to the drama.

VERDICT: Watch it!

Starring: Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shah, Anurag Sinha

Subhash Ghai’s latest production is an interesting one, revolving around the story of a young man on a terrorist mission. Junaid is a young Afghani who is sent to India under the name of Numair Kazi on a explode Delhi’s Lal Quila. Once in Chandi Chowk, he resides with an interesting poet and becomes friends with Rajan Mathur. Mathur and his wife are activists who fight for secularism and justice in the Chandi Chowk area. They develop a friendship with Junaid and offer to help him get a ticket to travel to Lal Quila. Will Junaid go on with his plan or will he decide against it…

VERDICT: Wait for the DVD!

Starring: Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson

Matthew McConaughey plays the role of Ben Finnegan a surfer dude who has a knack for treasure hunting. Finnegan is determined to find out where the 18th century Queen’s Dowry was lost in 1715. With the start of his new quest, his wife leaves him (Kate Hudson) and his boat. Tess is moving on with her life and working for billionaire yacht owner Nigel Honeycut. Finnegan happens to find a crucial clue on the yacht, and convinces Honeycut to help him find the treasure. Tess’ love for Finnegan is reborn with the search. Another party is also looking for the same treasure…who will get to it first?

VERDICT: Fun and entertaining!

Starring: Naseeruddin Shah, Ranvir Shorey, Saurabh Shukla, Neha Dhupia.

Ranvir Shoray plays the role of “VK,” an aspiring actor who only seems to land the roles of an extra. His fate changes when he is abducted by an underworld gang because he just happens to look like the leader of their rival gang. VK seems to enjoy the perks of posing as an imposter gang leader; however he contemplates between choosing this lifestyle or his lifestyle of a struggling artist. Before he can make a choice, unexpected events change the fate of everyone involved in the story for the worst…

Rajat Kapoor has directed the actors exceptionally well; it certainly is not your run of the mill Indian movie. The story is told in a very suspenseful and creative way.

VERDICT: Wait for the DVD!

Starring: Ajay Devgan and Kajol

Ajay Devgan has directed his new movie starring himself and his wife Kajol. Ajay (playing Ajay) is on a cruise with his friends when he encounters Piya (Kajol). Their first meeting is somewhat awkward; after a few too many drinks Ajay is in no position to impress Kajol who has already been turned off from his behavior. He makes several attempts to win her heart, and at the end he is successful. They fall in love and marry despite their family and friends who try to convince them otherwise.

After marriage however, the problems they face are too much to handle…

VERDICT: Worth a try!

Starring: Hrithik Roshan, Ashwariya Rai, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Suhasini Mulay

Director Ashutosh Gowariker has successfully recreated the sixteenth century love story of Muslim emperor Akbar (Hritik Roshan) and his Hindu wife Jodhaa (Aishwariya Rai Bachan). To become an ally with the Rajputs, Akbar asks for Jodhaa’s hand in marriage. Akbar soon finds that Jodhaa resents the fact that her marriage is for political purposes and he must find a way to her heart.

Although the move is long (approximately 4 hours), it is worth watching if you’re interested in the elaborate set locations and costumes. Hritik and Aishwariya have played their roles exceptionally well despite their reputation for not being the finest actors.

VERDICT: Definitely watch it!

Starring: Ajay Devgan, Arshad Warsi, Ayesha Takia and Irfan Khan

Seher is a young woman that just happens to “forget” about a day in her life – what happened to her on a recent Sunday. In the course to figure out what happened, she finds that she has been the target of an attack. Ajay Devgan plays the role of a shady and corrupt cop who has undertaken the assignment to help Seher figure out exactly what happened.

He soon discovers that Seher is linked to two recent murders. She at first finds it humorous, but soon becomes frightened when clues begin to surface (i.e. her bracelet lying next to the dead body). She is unable to recall anything that happened despite all the evidence pointing to her as the culprit. Her fiancé Rajvir Randhava desperately wants to believe that she is innocent; however he must live with the fact that his future wife could be a murderer. Is Seher really a psycho killer hidden beneath the mask of an innocent woman?

VERDICT: Nobody likes Sunday, especially after this movie!

Starring: · Ellen Page, Michael Cera, J.K. Simmon, Alison Janney, Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner

Juno is a witty young woman who becomes pregnant by her high school sweetheart. She is forced to look at different options about what to do with her situation. Juno decides the best solution for her is to have the baby and give it to young couple who is having trouble getting pregnant. How her character deals with the pregnancy, interacting with the adoptive parents, her family, friends and boyfriend is what makes this movie interesting and heartfelt.

VERDICT: Quirky, fun and definitely worth watching!

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Firoz Khan, Mallika Sherawat, Paresh Rawal and Malaika Arora

It was supposed to be a comedy? And it was for about 40% of the time only if you understood the lame jokes. The movie was disappointing from the very beginning despite the large cast of talented actors. Akshay plays the role of Rajiv who has fallen in love with Sanjana (Katrina Kaif), the sister of the ultimate bad guys of the city (Nana Patekar and Anil Kapoor). Rajiv and Sanjana have taken on the task to transform her brothers into “decent” men so that Rajiv’s uncle will not be opposed to them getting married.

VERDICT: Forget it!

Starring: Ranbir Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Slaman Khan and Rani Mukherjee

Saawariya is a timeless story of two young star-crossed lovers whose passions take them to the brink of self-destruction. Based on Dostoevsky's short story “White Nights,” the tale centers on two lonely souls awaiting true love. Raj (Ranbir Kapoor), a free-spirited artist, idealist and dreamer, feels at home in the world when he arrives in a quaint, picturesque town. When he meets Sakina (Sonam Kapoor), a somber, shy and enigmatic girl desperately awaiting the return of her past love, he is instantly enamored. As a tumultuous romance blossoms between Raj and Sakina, they are faced with tests of faith and commitment. Sakina battles her newfound feelings for a man that is not her betrothed, and Raj mustdecide if he loves Sakina enough to set her free. Above all, their story is a testament to the power of unconditional love and the delicate nature of the heart.

VERDICT: Worth a try!

Starring: Shiney Ahuja, Soha Ali Khan, Soniya Jehan and Rajat Kapoor

Set in the 1950’s Indian film era, this movie gives us an insight to the dark side of showbiz. Soha Ali Khan plays the role of Nikhat Bano, a young struggling actress that gets her big break through Prem Kumar, a well known actor who takes advantage of her. Zaffar is a young script writer that also enters the film industry through the help of Kumar. From working together, Nikhat and Zaffar develop a romantic relationship which gradually turns troublesome as both try to concentrate on their careers. Their love has a tragic ending as a result of over inflated egos and selfish goals.

VERDICT: A slow movie, watch it on DVD!

Starring: Katherine Heigl and James Marsden

Katherine Heigl plays the role of Jane, a caring and self-sacrificing woman who has served as a bridesmaid 27 times, and has yet to become a bride herself. Her sister is now the fiancé of her boss.

The twist of the story is that she is also in love with her boss, however now she must deal with being assigned the task to prepare for her sister’s wedding. Just as she is starting to question her bridesmaid syndrome, another man (James Marsden) walks into her life and…

VERDICT: : A must see for those who are fans of Katherine Heigl, and also those who love romantic comedies.

Directed by Marc Forster, Starring: Khalid Abdalla, Zekiria Ebrahimi and Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada

For all those who have read the New York Times best seller The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini’s know that it’s impossible to fit the entire book into a single movie. However, Marc Foster has done an excellent job of incorporating the major scenes into the movie.

The story is set in Afghanistan before the Soviet invasion; and revolves around young Amir, the son of a wealthy businessman and his servant’s son, Hassan. The boys are good friends and together take part in a kite tournament; what happens during the tournament is what changes both their lives and friendship forever. One boy’s act of betrayal leaves him searching for salvation. As an adult and living in America, Amir has an opportunity to go back to Afghanistan and make things good again. What happens there, and the secret he learns about his father and his relationship with Hassan, makes him have a better understanding of his childhood.It is now Amir’s turn to act with a lot of courage and finally put all his fears that had been haunting him to an end.

There is a lot of emotion in the film especially between Amir and his dad, the child actors Zekeria Ebrahimi (young Amir) and Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada (young Hassan) have acted brilliantly. The character of Amir jan, the adult played by Khalid Abdalla fits him perfectly. The movie is actually shot in China, with some scenes shot in the US, and is about 2 hours long.

VERDICT: An overall good movie!

Starring: Kareena Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor, Dara Singh.

Surprisingly Kareena Kapoor is not her usual annoying self, and actually does a job well done in this movie costarring her ex Shahid Kapoor.

The story revolves around a very energetic and careless Kareena whose life collides with a heartbroken Shahid on a train. Kareena is traveling home and plans to runaway to her boyfriend. Shahid’s life has taken a downturn because the love of his life is getting married to someone else. Kareena persistently asks Shahid why he’s so quiet and what his problem is. Shahid finally walks off the train, and Kareena follows him to tell him that he’s about to miss it. They both end up missing the train, and Kareena tells Shahid that because of him she missed the train, and he must take her home. Shahid hesitantly agrees and takes Kareena home; and overtime both become friends.

However, their relationship doesn’t end upon their arrival at Kareena’s house…

VERDICT: Worth watching!

Starring: Madhuri Dixit, Konkona Sen Sharma, Kunal Kapoor, Jugal Hansraj

Let's get one thing straight before you read on - what's special about Aaja Nachle? Madhuri Dixit!

The movie plot is simple - Madhuri plays Dia, a runaway bride, who had dissed an arranged marriage to a local cafe owner in her small Indian hometown and run away to the US. (Hard to imagine how easy it was to "run away to the US" just a few years ago, isn't it?) She is leading quite a progressive life in NYC (Broadway choreographer, single-mom after divorcing her gora hubby). Then, 11 years after abandoning the mandap, she hears that her dance teacher is dying and her dance temple is being torn down to build a shopping complex. Disregarding all the "let's spit in the face of this runaway bride" sentiment back home, she returns to save the temple. Her solution? A grand musical show on the Laila Majnu story. Her challenge is not just to put the show together but to find people to do it with her, given her checkered past and rotten rep with the locals. Does she succeed? Please don't say you are in suspense!!

So again - what's special about Aaja Nachle? Madhuri Dixit. The lady is truly gifted and when you see her, 40+, having packed on a few pounds in addition to dollars, you will still say that she is the unchallenged queen of Bollywood even today. True, she's not as nimble and light-footed as she once was but does she look good? Does she act well? And does she still have the screen presence to hold the audience mesmerized through a fairly blah plot from beginning to end? Yes, yes, and yes!

The movie is all Madhuri and she does not leave any doubt about why she was (is) such a hit with millions of fans. Madhuri is supported by really good performances (as usual) by Konkona Sen Sharma (Page 3, Metro, Laga Chunri Mein Daag) and Kunal Kapoor (Rang De Basanti, Laga Chunri Mein Daag) and all in all the movie is very watchable, inspite of its flimsy though good hearted plot.

VERDICT: A must-see for Madhuri fans; not a bad way to spend time for others either!

Starring: Shaan, Iman Ali, Fawad Khan, Naseeurddin Shah, Austin Marie Sayre, Simi Raheal, Hameed Sheikh

Directed by Shoaib Mansoor, "Khuda Kay Liye" or "In the Name of God" is one of Pakistan's best films in its entire film history!

The film is about the paradox between liberal Muslims (and Pakistanis) being typecast as potential terrorists by the west on one hand and being condemned as heedless traitors to their culture and religion by Muslim fundamentalists on the other.

Shaan is a liberal Muslim from Pakistan who is living in the US when the tragedy of 9/11/2001 unfolds.  The film follows his life in the aftermath, not as a documentary, but a really well made, well directed, and very well acted drama.  It is an excellent comment on the torn state of liberal Muslims that takes a hard and unbiased look at the extremism in our cultures. 

Characters like Shaan's friend who turns fundamentalist add a very real flavor to the cast, which is not mean by any stretch of the imagination.  Stalwarts like Naseeruddin Shah and Simi Raheal have done an excellent job.

According to everyone who has been to see the movie in Pakistan, it is a movie that can revive Pakistani cinema if other directors and producers try to take some lessons from it. 

VERDICT: Opened in the US on November 21 in select theaters - DEFINITELY check it out!

Starring: Shahrukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Arjun Rampal, Shreyas Talpade, Kiron Kher, and Javed Sheikh

 Om Shanti Om was the title of a song in the old Indian movie Qarz starring Rishi Kapoor. If you haven't seen that movie or if this doesn't tell you what we are trying to say, then let us not spoil Om Shanti Om for you :) Let us just repeat what the previews say: it is a movie about unfinished business and reincarnation.

Director Farah Khan (Main Hoon Na) has a good, entertaining style. Clearly it does not involve spending money on original stories - take a movie here, stitch it with another one there - and then spend most of your time making the movie colorful and entertaining. Om Shanti Om feels similar to Main Hoon Na - a huge 70s flavor, interesting special effects, glamorous (a bit too much) sets, dances, songs, and lots of sarcastic humor, mocking the "filmi" aspect of films. The music is a disappointment compared to Main Hoon Na but the song "Deewangi Deewangi" makes up for the lackluster music with all the special appearances by almost every actor and actress who has ever worked with Shahrukh Khan. The dialog is entertaining and well written, mocking the filmi-pun of films - while making one laugh, out loud at several occasions.

All in all, the movie was worth watching on the big screen, and one left with a good, entertained feeling.

VERDICT: Certainly check it out

Starring: Emraan Hashmi, Shriya Saran, Mrinalini Sharma, Ashutosh Rana

 You will mostly not find us reviewing Emraan Hashmi movies unless there's a good reason.  In this case, it happens to be Mahesh Bhatt's welcome fascination with Pakistani musicians and the fact that this movie is the third Bollywood flick to be released in Pakistani cinemas as well!  So the film industry continues to forge bonds between the two countries and Mahesh Bhatt, especially, seems to be on the front lines in this peace-not-war campaign!

This time, Mahesh  Bhatt has picked Roxen - a band made famous by their hit "Tau Phir Aao".  Their hit single is, of course, the theme song, touched with the Bollywood music style.  The film itself is love mixed with action mixed with international locations.  The direction is good, the tempo is fast, and the movie wraps up before you can get tired of it.  Oh, the heroine is of Pakistani origin too (just in the script though, she's actually Indian).  Pakistani audiences are rather enjoying the experience of beating the killer heat while actually watching a movie in an air-conditioned theater, instead of dozing off to the 157th Golden Jubilee week of some old "Lolly"wood flop.

We think Mahesh Bhatt is doing something great for Pakistani music.  He has commercialized it beyond the concert level for our bands, first putting Atif Aslam literally on the world map and now taking Roxen to that level. We've got immense talent and it just takes the right commercial platform which our film industry can sadly not provide.  So thank you Mahesh.  We will definitely watch this movie to support you!

VERDICT: Give it a shot!

Reviewed by Ayesha Azhar

Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Tabu, Zohra Sehgal, Paresh Rawal

Mix 1.5 kg of sugarfree Amitabh, 999 grams of fresh Tabu , 2 teaspoons of spice-ridden Paresh Rawal and 5 ml of saucy  Zohra Sehgal and you’ll end up with about two and a half hours of a little bit of romance and a whole lot of sarcasm.

Someone once said, “Age is an illusion.”  I’m thinking it was the director of the forthcoming film, Cheeni Kum.  It’s not as if it’s unusual for an older man to marry a younger woman, especially in the South Asian culture, but isn’t it just a bit over the top when the man of your dreams happens to be a good 6 years older than your FATHER?  Then again, maybe it’s not.  It’s up to you to decide.  I have to admit I entered the theater with a little hesitation and a lot of skepticism about what I would encounter on the big screen. But I had nothing to fear. 

The recipe goes something like this.  Buddha (Amitabh Bachan) is an arrogant 64 year old restaurateur who runs “London’s top Indian restaurant” like a boot camp.  He lives with a mother who thoroughly enjoys wrestling and is best friends with a nine year old smartass named Sexy who is fighting cancer.  Nina (Tabu) is a 34 year old Indian woman who, shocking to say, is still unmarried.  What is the world coming to!  While there’s nothing particularly unique about her character itself, she does have a redeeming factor in the form of a Gandhi-obsessed father (Paresh Rawal). 

The minimalist background, the sharp dialogue and the unusual circumstances all result in a stupendously humorous and slightly thought provoking film. Performances are a mesh of deliberate immaturity, natural simplicity and sharp sarcasm.

Amitabh delivers his character’s lines with such a boyish charm you would think he’s still in his twenties.  Of course, his stylish wardrobe only adds to his character’s inner youth.  Tabu’s character, on the other hand, could have been meatier although the little she said went a long way.  Her colorful shawls and knee length kurtas were a perfect match for Nina’s mature mind and simple lifestyle.  Where Tabu fell short of my expectations, Paresh Rawal exceeded them.  His character’s sharp tongue, Gandhi get up and twisted philosophy only added to the film’s absurdity.  Zohra Sehgal as always made her presence felt.  But the real surprise was the 9 year old Sexy.  The child delivered her lines with an élan unexpected from such a young artist.  Throughout the film, she earned the right responses at the right time from her audience.  In one word, brilliant.
Writer-Director, R.Balki’s witty script and detailed direction were a pleasure to watch.  The background score was an added bonus.  Music Director Ilaiyaraaja’s pieces were perfectly timed to the relativity of the storyline.  “Cheeni Kum” was the best of the lot with its melodious tune and wispy voice.  Cinematography was average while editing could have been better. The film could easily have been shortened by a good 30 minutes resulting in a stronger production.

For those who like to hold the romance in a romantic comedy, Cheeni Kum will be right up your alley.  For those who might get a little queasy watching a father figure court his much much younger love interest, may I recommend the macho-infested Shootout at Lokhandwala playing next door .

VERDICT: Definitely check it out!!

Starring: Shilpa Shetty, Shiney Ahuja, Kay Kay Menon, Konkona Sen Sharma, Irfan Khan, and Dharmendra

Don't you just love movies that launch without hype yet take the box office by storm?  Isn't that how movies ought to be - less pomp and show upfront and more guts in the movie to actually make audiences rave about it?  Well, we do, and Metro is just one of these movies.

An original, released on May 11 without any buzz compared to stolen, remade, and otherwise regurgitated crappy movies that seem to be all the rage in Bollywood, Metro has clean bowled audiences and critics alike. 

A movie about the fast paced life of large metropolitan cities (hence the name) and how it robs people of the time it takes to truly build a relationship with one another, Metro is remarkably enjoyable and well made. The cast is excellent; all the big names of non-conventional commercial cinema are there: Shiney Ahuja, Kay Kay Menon, Konkona Sen Sharma, and Irfan Khan.  This one has the added spice of an otherwise conventionally commercial actress, Shilpa, and a yesteryear icon, Dharmendra.  The movie is seen as representative of metro life in any big city in the world, and has premiered in several large metros like Dubai, Sydney, London, and of course Mumbai.  Audiences love the plot, the acting, and the excecution of the film.  Having opened to limited audiences, the movie raked in Rs.6.6 crores in just 4 days, owing primarily to word-of-mouth publicity!

VERDICT: Definitely check it out!!

Starring: Aishwarya Rai, Naveen Andrews, Robbie Coltrane, Miranda Richardson, Nandita Das, Rebecca Pidgeon, Steve Mcfadden

Provoked is based on the true story of a woman from the Indian Punjab, who moved to the UK after marrying an Indian already settled there.  Things were fine at first but gradually the husband's darker side emerged.  He violently beat up his wife and had illicit relations with other women. The violence got to a point where the wife could not take it any more and she killed her husband.  Jailed for life and separated from her two children, her cause was picked up by an NGO, who fought for her and eventually got her justice.

In Provoked, the lead role (Kiranjit) is played by none other than Aishwarya Rai.  The psycho, drunk, wife-beating, cheating husband Deepak is played by Naveen Andrews.  The cast includes veteran British actors Miranda Richardson and Robbie Coltrane, as well as Bollywood stalwarts like Nandita Das.  From all accounts, the movie is clearly a hard one to watch, for all of the gruesome and violent acts it highlights from the Ahluwalia marriage.  However, it is, in some way, uplifting as well, from the perspective of helpless women who find desperate means to get out of their hellish marriages. Aishwarya Rai plays a far from glamorous role but also proves the point that beauty is not the only thing men go after, or her husband would have definitely stayed glued to her side.  She does a fairly good job, as does everyone else on the cast. 

VERDICT: A must see - whether in the theater or on DVD is entirely up to you!

Starring: Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Javed Jaffery

TaRaRumPum is a light hearted, feel good movie about families who stick together no matter what.  Saif plays a race car driver whose fame on the tracks is only rivalled by immense marital bliss with wife Rani, plus their two lovely (albeit precocious) children.  A twist of fate puts Saif off the track and into a very tight financial situation.  Not having the heart to tell the children how they've lost everything they had, Saif and Rani pretend that they are taking part in a reality show to win a grand prize.  Hence the move from riches to rags goes down somewhat easy on the kids.  Another twist brings Saif back on the racing track but whether he can stake the claim on his lost fortune or if the reality show will unwind quite brutally for the children is something we will let you see for yourself!

There isn't anything striking about this movie except it has a good soul and the Saif-Rani pairing always brings some entertainment.  The music is so-so.

VERDICT: Definitely a DVD flick!

Starring: Kal Penn, Tabu, Jacinda Barrett, Zuleikha Robinson, Irfan Khan

Directed by Mira Nair, The Namesake is based on Jhumpa Lahiri's book.  It is the story of Ashoke (Irfan Khan) and Ashima (Tabu), who immigrate to New York from India to raise a family. They have a son whom they name Gogal (played by Kal Penn) after Ashoke's favorite author; and a daughter who they name Sonia (Sahira Nair). Both children grow up completely Americanized and confused about Indian culture and customs. Gogal grows up resenting his name and later on changes it to Nikhil or Nick. He becomes an architect and has a love interest with a white American girl Maxine (played by Jacinda Barrett). Although his parents are not fond of the relationship, they don't want to interfere in his personal affairs, until a twist of fate brings the family closer together. Gogal/Nick starts to see his world in a different light and begins to understand the Indian culture more. Whether that helps or hurts is something we’ll let you see for yourself. The film showcases the strength of family ties despite cultural differences that may come about between immigrant parents and their children.

The film is a bit depressing but the situations resonate with immigrants, especially South Asians. The plot and story are quite good.

VERDICT: Check it out, but maybe on DVD!

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Rishi Kapoor, Javed Sheikh, Upen Patel

This is a movie about cultural extremes who consider cultural assimilation a sin at heart, even if they condone immigration for economic reasons.  Katrina is the British born, naturally westernized daughter of Rishi Kapoor, an Indian immigrant who cannot let go of his roots, even though he has hardly ever been or exposed Katrina to India. Katrina grows up to be, well, quite British as one would naturally expect.  Ignoring how his own upbringing may have influenced her to be so detached to India, Rishi forces Katrina into a marriage with a very rural Akshay Kumar.  Katrina accepts the marriage but what follows is a war of the cultures with a very predictable end. 

The movie itself may have a good heart and soul but we really don't understand what is the real message. Extremes are just that, extremes!! Immigrants whose children hate or have no connection with their parents' heritage are probably a minority, not the norm.  But making a movie about extremes implies that they are the norm, which is not true, and perpetuates the stereotype that all children born to desi parents who live abroad are disconnected and detached from their roots, which is as stupid and unfair as the stereotype that all middle eastern or desi people are chauvinistic illiterate terrorists!  Anyway, who really expects realism or responsibility from movies!!!

For us, the only attraction is to see Javed Sheikh, one of the most popular Pakistani film and TV actors, play a role in this Bollywood flick so we may indulge in the DVD when it comes out!

VERDICT: Wait for the DVD

Pakistani actor Javed Sheikh (R) with Upen Patel

Starring: Fardeen Khan, Esha Deol, Bikram Saluja, Perizaad Zorabian Irani, Sadia Siddique, Mukul Dev, Kirron Kher, Saitish Shah, Tarina Patel, Raj Zutshi

The story of a young couple who enter an arranged marriage and then struggle to gain that comfort level where they can be each other's friends as well as, well, consummate the marriage.  The friendship part comes easier than the rest, bringing some tension and stress for the groom, and creating as harsh a twist as this otherwise sweet and colorful movie can have.  The movie is filmed in a very colorful way and is enjoyable just for that reason.  The story is simple and slice-of-life, without any violence or other harshness.  Not a bad one to rent for the weekend, but worth $10 in the theater? Maybe not!

VERDICT: Wait for the DVD

Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Jiah Khan, Revathy, Nasir, Shradha Arya

Quite in contrast from last week's Grant and Barrymore flick, this Ram Gopal Verma love story is hard to understand, or so the byline says.  Amitabh is 60 and Jiah Khan is 18.  She is his daughter's friend and visiting their house when Amitabh develops some feelings for her and vice versa.  The feelings deepen and in a sudden, unexpected Bollywood twist, they are discovered by Amitabh's brother-in-law. Inspired by Lolita, Nishabd is another one of RGV's adapted, yet original, movies.  But while his spin on Godfather (Sarkar) may have been more apt for eastern audiences, Nishabd is questionable.  In the east, 60 year old men don't publicly acknowledge lusting after 18 year old girls.  They may marry them, have affairs, etc. but probably won't like to be seen going to a movie that condones such bad behavior!!  No surprise the box office figures were miserable.  However, critics seem to like the movie and even some of the audience praised Amitabh's performance.

VERDICT: Entirely up to you!

Starring: Hugh Grant, Drew Barrymore, Brad Garrett, Kristen Johnston, Campbell Scott, Haley Bennett

Hugh Grant plays a washed up 80s pop star, who receives an unexpected offer from a pop diva to record a duet with her.  Not having put the proverbial pen to paper in many years, Grant is at a complete loss for what to do when Drew Barrymore walks in to help with her flair for words.  She's on a rebound from a relationship with yummy Scott Campbell and Hugh Grant, as ever, is commitment phobic.  The movie is predictably about the two of them falling in love inspite of themselves and their fears.  Whether it is something so predictable that it will make you yawn, or predictable in the warm familiar smell of mom's cookies kind of way, we'll leave it up to you to decide!

VERDICT: Give it a shot, at least on DVD!

Starring: Abhay Deol,Minissha,Shabana Azmi,Boman Irani,Amisha Patel,Raima Sen,Kay Kay Menon,Sandhya Mridul,Vikram Chatwal Karan Khanna,Ranvir Shorey,Dia Mirza,Arjun Rampal,Suzanne Bernert

Co-produced by Farhan Akhtar (Dil Chahta Hai), Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. is a story of six new couples on their, you guessed it, honeymoon! They don't know each other, but they have all signed up for a honeymoon package with the same tour company, to Goa.  The movie is a slice-of-life (Bollywood style) comedy/lovestory/drama with a variety of flavors to choose from.  You will see twelve people with different expectations about their marriages thrust together with veterans like Boman Irani and Shabana Azmi adding a helluva lot of spice to this tasty Goan delight.

VERDICT: Don't miss it!

Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Sharmila Tagore, Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, Boman Irani, Vidya Balan, Raima Sen, Jacki Shroff

This is a movie to watch! The director of Parinda and 1942: A Love Story, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, is back behind the camera after a hiatus of 7 years.  (FYI, he didn't just sit around these 7 years, he was busy writing and co-producing mega hits like Parineeta and Munna Bhai MBBS!) And he has returned with a movie that is not only getting rave reviews in India, but even publications like New York Times and the Guardian have given it excellent reviews.

Set in contemporary Rajhastan, Eklavya is the story of a ninth generation royal guard, Amitabh Bachchan, who is still devoted to guarding the family of Boman Irani (the king) and Sharmila Tagore (the queen).  Even though the family's heir, Saif Ali Khan, has given up and moved to England, Amitabh stays loyal to the royalty.  A sudden twist brings Saif home and exposes Boman Irani and his brother, Jackie Shroff, for their atrocities.  The king receives a death threat, bringing in Sanjay Dutt, an otherwise insignificant police officer.  The peace and quiet of the small kingdom is shattered and what ensues is no different from any contemporary thriller with a very unique, retro ambience that gives this movie a rare, unique flavor amidst all the remakes and high-tech nonsense being dished out of Bollywood lately.

VERDICT: Don't miss it!

Starring: Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Anil Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Akshaye Khanna, Ayesha Takia, John Abraham, Vidya Balan, Govinda, Sohail Khan, Perizaad Zorabian, Shannon Esra, Aroon Bakshi, Anjana Sukhani

A multi-starrer, big budget, lots of guts movie with a romantic theme and a light hearted tone.  It's a story of six couples and the twelve different lives they represent, with their own unique issues and challenges.  The music is good, the movie has enough actors for you to like at least some!  The John Abraham-Vidya Balan duo has caused some stirs.  All in all, it's not a bad movie to check out but maybe not so good that you should spend $10 on it!

VERDICT: Rent it on DVD!

Starring: Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Queen Latifah, Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman

It will probably be the most serious side of Will Ferrell that you will ever see. The story revolves around Harold Crick (Ferrell) who works as an IRS agent. One fine morning, he discovers that a voice is narrating his every move (from the number of toothbrush strokes to the number of seconds he waits at the bus stop). The voice narrating states that Crick will soon face death. This leaves Crick disturbed and determined to find out where the voice is coming from and how he can prevent his death from occurring. He falls in love with a bakery owner on whom he was conducting an audit. He struggles to find out where the voice is coming from and seeks the help of Professor Hilbert. While on a visit to his office, he overhears the voice of an author on television and recognizes it as the voice of the woma