monicadixit

Khakee 2 is intriguing, gripping and gruesome just like the politics in Bengal.

Barun Da (Prosenjeet Chatterjee) is the most powerful member of the State ruling party NGS. He controls the monies and muscle power. There's not one illegal business that his fingers aren't dipped in.

When the heat starts to turn on to him he even gets rid of Bagha (Saswata Chatterjee),, the dreaded don and his staunch supporter.

But in the process he ends up creating Frankensteins and uses them as pawns to counter the law.

To get the heat off the ruling party he brings in an officer with a clean image, Saptarishi (Parambrata Chatterjee). But the honest cop gets murdered as he closes in on Barun Da's trail

To further control the damage to the party image, he reluctantly brings in another honest cop, Arjun Maitra (Jeet). Arjun Maitra is not only honest but smart as well. Barun Da meets his match in Arjun Maitra when it comes to playing games and manipulating situations.

The unexpected twists and turns keep your curiosity piqued.

Prosenjeet Chatterjee is suave as the cunning politician.

Jeet breathes life into Arjun Maitra. Restrained and calm he never goes over the top.

Savegery has a new face in Indian cinema, Sagor Talukdar (Ritwik Bhowmik) and Ranjit Thakur (Aadil Khan).

I have loved Ritwik Bhowmik as Radhey in Bandish Bandits. If Radhey sounded divine, Sagor personifies diabolicalness. He showcases what he is capable of. From softness, to grief to a maddening rage, he changes expressions within seconds. I never thought I could hate Ritwik Bhowmik but as Sagor he is despicable.

Aadil Khan as Ranjit Thakur incites the dormant rage within you as an audience. There are times you wish to pull him out of the TV screen and strangle him.

Especially when he sexually assaults a girl who treats him like a brother. The scene is sensitively shot but shakes you to the core as you hear cries of help, shrieks and thuds of violence behind a closed door.

The makers also run a message at the end of the episode to report such cases if one comes across any. That was sensitive.

Chitrangada Singh as Nivedita the leader of the opposition, lacks the zest and passion that can ignite a revolution.

With an ensemble cast, brilliant performances, this is a must watch.

Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha.

Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha belongs to the old school cinema. It concentrates more on storytelling and ditches all the other elements like VFX, item songs, steamy scenes to show the chemistry between the lead pair and a syntax that will create controversy or catch eyeballs. To put it simply AMKDT is devoid of the masala thought to be crucial for a Bollywood box office success. In a world where everything is instant from coffee to noodles to gratification what is served is a well brewed, flavoured and fragrant Kahwa. It demands attention. AMKDT like the Kahwa has a blend of flavours, mildly spiced, sweet and savoury and the fragrance of saffron and rose petals. Unlike coffee you don't grab it but relish sip by sip.

The story moves in flash backs and present times. It has its heart at the right place. The beauty lies in its simplicity and soulfulness. Krishna (Ajay Devgan) is undergoing a sentence for a murder. His sentence has been remitted to 22 years on grounds of good behaviour. Krishna doesn't want to leave the prison as he has nowhere and no one to go to. He knows no one will be waiting for him, not even his lady love Vasudha (Tabu). He is also skeptical about the changed world. The tension and anxiety that Krishna and Vasudha feel as his day of release draws closer is palpable. The scene where Krishna crosses the gate of jail and waits a while at the no man's land staring at the final exit gate is painful. His concern that he is not ready for a life outside is again so relatable. Vasudha is not only weighed down with the guilt of moving ahead but also the guilt of continuing to look back.

The roles of younger Krishna and Vasudha are essayed by Shantanu Maheshwari and Saiee Manjrekar.

The strength of AMKDT lies in its story telling, music and performances. Ajay Devgan and Tabu render superlative performances. Shantanu Maheshwari and Saiee Manjrekar are earnest. Jimmy Shergill's cameo adds to the twist in the tale.

After a long time there is a film with remarkable music. The song 'Tu' is picturized beautifully, especially the Janmashtami celebrations. 'Kahin kisi roz' is a treat to the ears and deserved better picturisation, that's my only complain. 'Ae Dil Zara' and 'Jahan se Chale' two songs with the same meter and the same tune, past and present, hit a raw nerve and brings a tear or two to the eye.

Neeraj Pandey excels as a storyteller and a director. The end left me misty eyed and the tears just won't stop. Please carry a tissue or two as you will need to dab your eyes a few times.

Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha is not to be missed.

Heeramandi Heeramandi boasts of the quintessential Bhansali trademarks, opulence and grandeur, but what it lacks is substance. Though Heeramandi is the story of the tawaifs, the most disappointing aspect of this is the music and choreography. Apart from Sakal Ban and Tilsami Baahein all the other songs and dances are passable and can be skipped. This is where one misses the genius of Saroj Khan and maybe Ismail Darbar. The last song "Aazadi" is deeply inspired by Faiz Ahmad Faiz's "Hum Dekhenge" but fails to impress.

Some of the characters don't even speak proper Urdu. One character reads a Urdu book like any English or Hindi book, from left to right whereas Urdu books are read from right to left.

Of all the pompous claims of monologues and comebacks, the only comeback one notices is that of Manisha Koirala. As Mallika Jaan, she portrays almost all shades of Grey like a boss lady. Sonaksi Sinha delivers a strong performance as Fareedan.

But for all the flaws in Heeramandi, Bhansali achieved something that no one else ever did. The industry which has for long objectified women through item songs, Bhansali goes ahead and presents his male protagonists as eye candies dressed in beautiful silks and zaris sashaying in and out of Kothas and making them look caricaturish. The only male actor that impresses is Indresh Mallick as Ustaadji.

Heeramandi as a whole fails to impress.