Movie Review: KURBAAN

A Jihadi hello my frEeky fellows!

It's been several years since 9/11 now, resulting in a spate of movies from Farenheit 9/11 to Oliver Stone's World Trade Center to the brilliant United 93 It seems rather ironical that Bollywood's bandwagon is catching on to the trend, only now. Following in the footsteps of the daring ( for Yash Raj Studio's standards) NEW YORK is Dharma Productions KURBAAN



What it is: Directed by Rensil D'silva and starring India's Brangelina jodi: Saif and Kareena, Kurbaan tells the story of a teacher (Kareena) who falls for a dapper colleague played oh-so-suavely by Saif. Their fairy tale marriage seems threatened whenupon moving to the USA, Mrs. teacher realises that Mr. teacher has a few secrets up his kurta sleeve!

the YAays: Slickly shot, Kurbaan boasts of sizzling chemistry between its lead pair, however the much talked about intimate scenes come across as too corny! Kurbaan boasts of an excellent supporting cast including Kirron Kher who deviates from her usual boisterous Punjabi mother persona to an underplayed performance. Om Puri as an calculating terrorist leader, is in fine form.

the NaAys: One can't but help get the feeling of deja-vu while watching Kurbaan. While the initial reels, resemble the deceitful romance of Kajol and Aamir Khan in Fanaa, the latter reels invloving Vivek Oberoi's character too strongly reminds u of Neil Nitin Mukesh's character in NEW YORK. Kurbaan's biggest apparent flaw is that it tries to hard from being a thriller to a palette for the romance between its leads to a political commentary; and the strain shows!!

Rating:



a theek - theek three frEekies!

My name is K..K.K. KHAN!

A sleepy Sunday hello, my frEEky fellows!

We are awakened from our slumbers with the "shocking" news of Bollywood's Badshah
(does that title still apply I wonder?) Shahrukh Khan being detained for questioning at Newark airport. The impossible has happened, and the furore over swine flu, the drought, hell event the Ambani Brothers have been eclipsed by this event of catastrophic proportions.
It cannot be denied that said event reeks of racial stereotyping and was an easily avoided incident, especially given SRK's megastar presence, It was SRK's close friend Karan Johar who had once recounted how SRK had generated more crowds for a movie premier in London, than had Tom Cruise at a theater near by. Surely then it would not have been hard for airport authorities to recognise who they had detained.

What pertrubs me, is that said event too closely mirrors the plot of SRK's upcoming release called "MY NAME IS KHAN" - directed by close friend Karan Johar, the movie tells the story of an autistic patient (played by SRK) who is detained by U.S. officials, during 9/11, when is unable to answer their questioning due to his mental condition, the film goes on to show the efforts of SRK and and his wife (played by Kajol) to clear his name. Both SRK and Karan Johar have a lot riding on this movie, and have inked out a mega-dollar deal with a Hollywood Studio to promote the same. SRK can also use all the publicity he gets on this outing, as it is reportedly to be a songless film ( it would be a stretch even by bollywood standards to have an autisitic patient sing around trees!)


Bollywood has not been a stranger to publiicity stunts, several years ago, cheap-thrill-generator-extraordinaire Mahesh Bhatt had spalshed adverts in dailies claiming the murder of Manisha Koirala (remember her?). This turned out to be a marketing gimmick for his upcoming movie "Criminal" where Manisha played the murdered wife of the protganist. In the wake of the Gulshan Kumar murder, Mahesh Bhatt again was held responsible for creating a rumour about the SRK being shot on the sets of his then movie "Duplicate".


So there you have it folks, a sad case of mistaken identity or a publicity stunt like no other? Whoever said all is fair in love and war, forgot to mention movie publicity, after all a bollywood potboiler has equal amounts of love and war!!

extra frEEky: Duplicate was also produced by Karan Johar's production house - Dharma Productions!!

Everyone loves a comeback!!

Before we jump into the slime that is today's post, let us take a minute to salute all those brave officers, policemen and security personnel that lost their lives while protecting us, during the recent tragic events that befell our beloved city of Mumbai.You will be remembered always.

COMEBACK KIDS:

While we wait our beloved city to recover and make a comeback from the dastardly wounds recently inflicted upon it, the Freek ponders upon comeback kids, that have managed to stage a comeback in real and reel life!
1. John Travolta

That's right folks, the Mr.-Bust-a-move himself suffered a crashing setback in his film career after the above pictured legendary movie role. Johnny boy was shoved in the deep basement of forgotten popculture trivia right along with that that shiny disco ball, and that polyester suit. And while he featured in such sappy crap such as Look Who's talking and its innumerable sappier sequels (yes, yes I've seen them all!! and so have you!); he could never make up for his lost glory until.....

That's right peeps, It was this frenetic razor-witted ensemble piece of a movie which depicted John as Vincent Vega - a fast food addicted, assassin who wants to do the tango with his boss's wife played by the saucy Uma Thurman - that bought back Mr. Travolta in the limelight.
There are more classic scenes in this one than the Freek has warts, so i'll keep this a surprise, and let you check out my fav, by clicking on the picture above. enjoy!!!

Mickey Rourke:

What can I say about the Mick..starrer of such classic manly-man movies like Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (click on the poster to watch the coolest opening scene...well of 1988 at least!!) Mick, also was the subject of my pre-pubescent idol worship for getting Kim Basinger to beg, swallow and..yes strip in that much paused, and rewinded movie of the eighties: Nine and a Half Weeks!

(go on and click on that title you perv..and thank me later!!) The Mick went on to make some very wierd career and personal choices, including pursuing a professional boxing career and even joining the Hell's Angels!

The downward spiral had just begun for Mick who lapsed into a severe drug habit that left him looking like......talk about ageing gracefully!!

All seemed lost, until...

Bruised, battered, steroidal..and totally badassed (I'm talking about Mick here!) Mick's porrtrayal of the vengeful Marv in the comic-book-to-screed adaptation of Frank Miller's "Sin-City" (yes,yes click away!!!) The Mick fit right in this film-noir ensemble piece...and has never looked back!! As we speak, Mick and his latest cinematic offering The Wrestler is gathering serious oscar buzz!! (click away on the title for the trailer) See you at the awards Mick!!!

Robert Downey Jr.

When you have scored two of the year's biggest blockbusters, it's hard to believe RDJ has been through the career turmoil that he has gone through of past..drug addiction, rehab, and more office disasters than the zits on my left cheek have frequented this man's past. It is his drug addiction that cost RDJ his promising role in the overtly weepy, yet hugely popular Ally Mcbeal (click on the title to watch RDJ clear his vocal chords on the said show!) While he made a comeback of sorts in the hugely underrated Kiss-Kiss -Bang-Bang starring the other under-rated Val-Kilmer, it was not until RDJ decided to don a bit of red-and-gold and go the summer blockbuster route..that he hit block office gold!!!

Propped up as the Marvel's answer to that lesser known superhero called Dark Knight, RDJ's impact can be seen in the fact that he even featured Marvel's next superhero offering: the Incredible Hulk - click on the title to watch the Hulk trailer featuring who else..RDJ!!

Not content with just one box-office goldmine, RDJ let loose, in the amazingly satirical

Tropic Thunder - check out the hilarious trailer right there!! RDJ in a tribute/kick in the pants to all "method" actors plays Kirk Lazarus (click on the title to see his faux website...heelaareyous!!) a five time oscar winning, australian actor, who undergoes plastic surgery to take on the role of a african american platoon sergeant named Lincoln Osiris! soon enuf, Lincoln is required to disguise himself as a chinese drug trader, which leads him to lead this marvelous dialogue..

"I'm just a dude playing a dude, disguised as ....a dude!!"

Whatever he be playing today, RDJ is sure to hit pay-dirt!!!

So there you have it folks, comebacks are all around us, and if I have inspired you freeks to be inspired to put you fears away, and help get this wonderful city back to its crazy buzz, then i'll consider it a post, well done!!

Freek

a little freeky: Mumbai's the best!!!