Table No.21

I seriously don;t know why critics gave this a bad rating. Is it because they loath actors like Khandelwal and Desae? Or is it because it is concept driven movie and not Dabangg 3?

After 2012's debacle (I cannot list good movies except Kahaani, PSTomar & VDonor), I thought of giving Bollywood one more chance and here I am. Rajdhani Express was a blunder but Table No. 21 is a shocker. It is a great thriller and is sure to blow your head.

The plot revolves around the couple and their journey which is more like a juxtaposition of "Sach Ka Saamna" & "Fear Factor". Paresh Rawal is excellent with his reverse Ghajini haircut and is a perfect narrator throughout the movie. Yes, there are many loopholes for the innovative and experimental flick, but I seriously nail-bit all along.

If you chuck the amateur direction, screenplay, some cheesy bits and unwanted humor, Table No. 21 will serve as a great weekend blockbuster. I won;t spill the beans about a strong plot (which could've been executed well) because you have to watch it to get it.

But, I am sure the box office will despise it because the actors are not celebrities but if have watched Khandelwal's Aamir & Desae's The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, you wouldn't be whining about the little mistakes this movie has to his credits. Instead, I suggest you block the previous year's bad masala-mirch vibe and watch this ingenious flick - the first watchable movie of 2013.

WATCH OUT FOR: Paresh Rawal's portrayal of the mysterious and witty benefactor and most importantly the message that it states!

Bottom Line: Watch this instead of Leander Paes' blunder off pitch.

Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES

Language: No | Sex: No | Foreplay, Mouth-Kiss: Mild | Nudity: Mild | Alcohol: Mild | Violence: Mild | Drugs: No

Any normal Indian movie watcher would not opt for this movie because this is not a dabanng nor it is a rowdy rathore....but the matter of fact is this movie does make sense and has a adorable message in the end...

To begin with, in the first hour you think this movie's concept to be an entertaining thriller one, for eg: luck. The concept is similar to sach ka saamna in which the couple on a vacation need to answer correctly all the questions in order to win a considerable amount of price money...Then begins a journey of thrill, betrayal and a game of life and death through hilarious series of tasks followed one after the other...

As far as acting is concerned, Rajeev and Tena have done a descent job , but we miss the typical Paresh Rawal in the movie...

The entire joyride i.e. the game named as table no.21 is just a bit lame and would have been made much better and more interesting...Just as you think that its a boring movie, comes the climax ....which according to me rubs off all the defects of the movie....The climax ( would not reveal the suspense) steals the show and ends up revealing and passing a strong message. At the end, we realize that the entire game-show has some meaning it...

I know that this movie wouldn't do great on the box office.....for for me that doesn't matter and I recommend you to watch this movie in theaters......for me its 7/10....

Such an amazing movie with a great message for the current and the upcoming youth. This is a must watch movie because the lesson this movie gives is much needed for all of us to learn. Ragging is not a joke it's a crime which can unknowingly or knowingly cause many deaths and also mental instability which is equal to death. Definitely loved everything about this movie.

Anything that seem to be too much for it own good doesn't always have good motives behind it. Like when your neighbour is being extra nice towards you when he needs some favour to be done or when you professor has the that tacky smile on his face when handing out booklets. Something inside tells you that you don't deserve this and the equation of karma doesn't fit in. But nobody takes a cue and thus refuting their guts they continue to go deeper until they realise the cost.

When the Vivaan And Siya, married for 5 years decide to spend their 5th anniversary in the islands of Figi on a lucky draw prize they won, they are in for a surprise. On the last day of their stay, the jobless Vivaan and his affable wife are lured into a game called Table No. 21 hosted by Abdul Razzaq Khan in a bid to win $10million FJ which is approximately Rs 21 crores. But it is not all rosy as it looks, to get to the prize money the couples has to answer correct 8 questions put by the host and correspondingly do the given tasks after each. This all goes well with the moto or the catch line of the game(also the movie) 'If you lie, you die'.

Touted as thriller, this movie starts rather slow, not rushing into the mystery of the plot. The first few minutes into the game for me were silly with protagonists laughing at the plausibility of earning 21 crores which may be rational in real life but seems very boring and uninteresting on screen. Also as the movie gives us rare thrilling aspects it hardly leaves us spellbound. To be more precise the movie fails in the main area i.e. the part where the audience should be enthralled. Most of the questions and tasks in the movie were bland and could have been more innovative to hold up the attention.

But to it's credit the movie does starts to kick in with all cylinders just after the start of second half. This is the part when the protagonist start getting more aware and the antagonist more villainy. Although most of the movie is shot in plush 5 star hotels, getting the feel of the place might have helped the movie. It's very difficult to avert ones eyes from the screen at this part of the movie filled with new mysteries and awaiting twists. The music is also a plus point for the movie with some good tunes to hum about. By the time climax arrives the story is splayed with open can of worms and new revelations about the past as a result of the game being played and thus the reason of the initialisation of such a deathplay comes to fore. Some lines in this movie are really good and need very loud applause for the dialogue writer.

Rajeev Khandelwal as Vivaan plays his part like he does in every other movie, with honesty and putting 100% to his portrayal. Although the start is slightly scratchy but he rarely falters as he makes his character hapless infront of audience. Tena Desae does more than giving us that wide drooling smile or the alluring bikini walk. She has great dialogue delivery and her acting is quite good (after her recent stint in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel). Paresh Rawal shifts the movie into another higher gear in the second half. He kind of holds it in the first half but his second half is really symbolic of his acting prowess. That menacing smile and those witty dialogues gives his villainous personality a new high. He need to do more of this kind villain projects.

When Siya says Money can buy everything in this world, Mr. Khan respond immediately saying not the past, ponder over this because around this very line the whole movie revolves. It's laudable attempt by Aditya Dutt one that just manages to push the envelop and stand out in the most template driven movies. Must watch.

2013 has begun well: "Table No. 21", the first Hindi film I've seen this year is an excellent start to what I hope will be an exceptional one for cinema.

This film came to movie screens without any fanfare yesterday, with no hugely well-known names apart from that of character actor and noted scene-stealer Paresh Rawal. I was unfamiliar with Rajeev Khandelwal's work until now, but he's earning a name for himself doing unusual, offbeat films, and Tena Desae (weird spelling, but no matter – I suppose her name is Tina Desai) debuted last year as Dev Patel's love interest in "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel".

A young couple experiencing hard times wins a weeklong stay in picturesque Fiji. On their last night there, they're invited to dinner at a fancy resort. They are seated at Table No. 21, and welcomed with chilled Dom Perignon by the owner. He tells them that apart from the ultra-swanky resort, he runs a web-based game show that boasts eight million computer geek fans. The game sounds easy enough: answer eight questions with just "Yes" or "No", carry out eight tasks linked to the questions, and walk away with 10 million Fijian dollars, which equals Indian rupees 21 crores. Ah, yes, that No. 21 again! One simple rule not to be forgotten: If you lie, you die. Would they be interested in being that night's contestants?

The broke couple cannot believe their good fortune. Within a couple of questions and tasks, it becomes clear that their mysterious host knows a lot about them. Each "Yes" or "No" answer becomes tougher as he forces them into truly sinister terrain. Suddenly the idyllic Fiji landscape takes on threatening hues.

It would be unwise to ruin a taut, truly innovative thriller with more details. The title of the film gains significance when one considers Article 21 of the Constitution of India, which guarantees the protection of life and personal liberty. No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty, except according to procedure established by law.

It's impressive that such a small film has top-notch production values, a classy look, and best of all, thoughtful writing (Sheershak Anand, Abhijit Deshpande, Shantanu Ray Chibber, and Aditya Datt) and excellent performances. Veteran Paresh Rawal creates a multi-layered character one is unlikely to forget. You cannot take your eyes off him as his inscrutable, Machiavellian host turns the screws on the unfortunate game-show participants, while the hapless husband and wife do a fine job of winning our sympathy as their lives unravel before us.

Director Aditya Datt, whose three prior films went unnoticed, deserves kudos for helming this one with a sure, steady hand. Ravi Walia's slick camera work makes the most of the scenic Fiji locations that become more and more foreboding with the film's darkening mood. Editor Devendra Murdeshwar contributes much to the pace and texture of the film, which will stay with you long after the end credits have rolled. This timely film has enormous crossover potential, but because few know it is playing, it might not get the audiences it deserves.

Here's hoping 2013 will be filled with such imaginative, well-made fare.