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MURDER

Starring: Mallika Sherawat, Emran Hashmi, Ashmit Patel & Raj Zutsi
Written & Directed by: Anurag Bose
Music by: Anu Malik

Simran (Mallika Sherawat) plays a neglected housewife, who is married to her brother-in-law Sudhir (Ashmit Patel), after her sister dies leaving behind a child and a void in the widower's heart that Simran finds impossible to fill. Sudhir is a leading businessman in Hong Kong. Their sweet and small family has everything that they may think of. But, Simran thinks otherwise. Days pass and one day Simran bumps in with her old pal Sunny (Emraan Hashmi). This sudden meeting and loneliness of Simran work in favor of an emotion too hard to resist for Simran. Her fantasies come flying in front of her and despite all the guilt that oozes from her heart; she wants to live the life her heart presses her. Sunny and Simran fall for each other once again. Sudhir comes to know about this and he is devastated but the implications are more dangerous. 'Murder' is not as simple and repetitive as the story looks like. Producer Mukesh Bhatt has taken utmost care in handling the subject in a modern setting. This fine balance has worked magically in favor of this film. Director Basu has the ability to create uneasiness in surroundings, lace it with suspense and garnish it with beautiful locales of Bangkok.

In one of the strongest roles written for a woman protagonist in recent times, Mallika Sherawat gets to the heart of her character and creates a woman who is as appealing in her persona as in her acceptance and comfort-level with her sensuality. In the scenes depicting the housewife's loneliness (A married woman's loneliness can be much more terrifying than a single woman) and in her arguments with her workaholic husband, Sherawat is surprisingly equal to the occasion. Ashmit Patel looks more convincing this time than that in 'Inteha'. Emraan Hashmi proves that he is not a dud as many assumed him in his debut in 'Footpath'. Raj Zutsi plays a belligerent cop whose interrogation yields a two-toned narration, with both the protagonists owning up to the murder. The music is good and Camera work is fantastic. It has all the ingredients to make it click in metros and even in interiors

MASTI

Starring: Vivek Oberoi, Aftab Shivdasani, Ritesh Deshmukh, Amrita Rao, Genelia D'Souza, Tara Sharma & Ajay Devgan.
Director: Inder Kumar
Music Director: Anand Raj Anand

All men love their independence, and they will go to any extent to maintain it, even if it means jeopardizing their marriage. Meet Amar (Ritesh Deshmukh), Meet (Vivek Oberoi) and Prem (Aftab Shivdasani) who do just that. The friends thought marriage would be the absolute blessing in disguise. So the three bachelors get married. But as the cliched saying goes" the grass is always greener on the other side", so is the case here. Amrita Rao plays Aanchal, nagging wife of Meet, Genelia D'Souza plays Bindiya, a dominating wife along with her mother (Archana Puran Singh) who controls all the strings of Amar and Tara Sharma plays Geetha, the zealously religious pativratha patni of a sexually frustrated banker Prem. Lara Dutta is a surprise package who provides a twist in the tale. Ajay Devgan plays Inspector Sikander, a grim-faced cop.

Pre-marriage, they thought marriage would be about Masti. As friends' way back in college, a re-union after a gap of 3 years unites them once again. They pour out their heart's sorrows and the miseries of a married life and decide to spice up their lives with the excitement outside home. But before they can taste the delicious fruit of bigamy, their adventure takes on a different turn and there comes a big twist in their sinful plan. A twist that brings them face-to-face with Sikader… which leaves them dumbfounded. Little do they know they are a part of a mysterious plot? And to top it, they have to combat the danger of being exposed in front of their unsuspecting wives. And what can be worse than that?

The film also stars Satish Shah, Archana Puran Singh, Suresh Menon, Divya Palat, Rakhi Sawant and Shahbaz Khan. Anand Raaj Anand has composed tunes on lyrics penned by Sameer while choreographer Ganesh Acharya has set the mega starcast in the swinging mode. The story screenplay and dialogues are penned by Milaap and Tusshar.

MUSKAAN

Starring: Aftab Shivdasani, Gracy Singh, Neha, Gulshan Grover, Sharat Saxena, Rajeev Verma, Razzak Khan, Pravin Dabbas, Vrajesh Hirjee & Anjala Zaveri
Director: Rohit Manash
Music: Nikhil-Vinay

'Muskaan' is a stale story with some dashes of thriller and love triangle. The film introduces Samir (Aftab Shivdasani), our hero as a fashion designer. He is too soft and romantic to resist any sweet girl. When he gets a wrong number call from a girl - Muskaan (Gracy Singh) and befriends her instantly. Both talk with each other on phone for hours. Oblivious of each other's identity, they meet in beautiful locales of Shimla and fall in love with each other. Soon they are joined by Samir's friend Jhanvi (Neha). Jhanvi loves Samir but love is one sided. Before the matter gets worse, Jhanvi is murdered. Samir finds himself in a dilemma. Samir's friends - Sharad (Pravin Dabbas), Satin (Vrajesh Hirjee) and Shikha (Anjala Zaveri) are suspected for the murder. The friends soon find the culprit. Then the film is back to a regular love story, and misunderstanding between Samir and Muskaan prevail.

There is nothing that could make the film memorable. Songs are too many. Screenplay is very poor and dialogues do not have any punch. Cinematography by K. Dattu is impressive. Music by Nikhil Vinay is just average. The only saving point is Aftab’s performance who looks tailor-made for this kind of role but he lacks support from the other cast. Gracy Singh having entered filmdom with a successful film like 'Lagaan' but is wasting her talent. Neha as Jhanvi leaves an impression in a short role. But Vrajesh Hirjee irritates, Pravin Dabbas and Anjala Zaveri have inconsequential roles. Gulshan Grover and Sharat Saxena do not impress at all, Rajeev Verma and Razzak Khan are wasted.

SUNO SASURJEE

Starring: Aftab Shivdasani, Amisha Patel, Kader Khan & Asrani
Direction: Vimal Kumar
Music: Sanjeev-Darshan

KShot on the exotic locales of Mauritius, Portugal and Spain, Suno Sasurjee is an all out comedy drama. Kader Khan and his brother-in-law Asrani exploit and dupe people by promising them a high interest rate. However, life for the banker turns sour when a grandson (Aftab Shivdasani) comes on the scene demanding money left behind by his deceased grand father. Kader Khan, of course, throws him out of the house. Vowing to get his money back, Aftab woos his daughter, Amisha Patel. But, Kader Khan, a stingy businessman, refuses to acknowledge the relationship. The story takes a turn when Kader Khan's grandmother bequeaths property worth Rs. 50 crores, which goes to Aftab (since Kader Khan and Aftab have the same name). When Kader Khan gets to know about it, he promises to get back at Aftab. The story takes another turn when an extortionist enters to get his pound of flesh...

Vimal Kumar's Suno Sasurjee tries very hard to look like a David Dhawan film, but comes across as a poor cousin. Though the story had the potential to be a rib-tickling comedy, it falls flat partly because the execution of the subject is dull. Music by Sanjeev-Darshan is quite okay with a few hummable songs. Aftab Shivdasani is not able to carry off the role. Amisha Patel doesn't impress either. Kader Khan is as usual.

TUM?

Starring: Manisha Koirala, Rajat Kapoor, Karan Nath, Aman Verma, Bobby Darling & Netanya Singh
Direction: Aruna Raje
Music: Himesh Reshammiya

Kamini (Manisha Koirala) and Vinod (Rajat Kapoor) have been married for 18 years. Vinod has been aware that he is not devoting enough time to Kamini and to make it up, they decide to celebrate their wedding anniversary in Mauritius. She is to leave from Mumbai, he from New York. However, Vinod gets delayed. Meanwhile, a young photographer, Jatin (Karan Nath), finding Kamini alone, gives her company. Kamini spends most of her day with Jatin. On the eve of her anniversary, they drink, dine and dance together. Kamini gets drunk and Jatin takes her to her room. When she wakes up, she finds Jatin in her bed. The same evening, Vinod arrives and Kamini wants to reveal the truth to him, but at the same time does not want to upset him. They return to Mumbai. But Jatin follows Kamini to her house and becomes friendly with her family. Kamini turns into an obsession for him... Karan Nath's gives her an ultimatum to bow down to his 'demands' or else he'd target her teenage daughter.

Ideally, director Aruna Raje, who has also penned the script of the film herself, should've concentrated on either making a story of an elder, married woman and her young admirer and how it affects those around them, or a murder mystery. But clubbing the two plots in one film only confuses the viewer no end. The biggest flaw of the film is its climax, when the identity of the murderer is revealed.

None of the performances stand out, partly because of inept writing. Manisha Koirala tries to get into the skin of the character but ignites a few sequences only. Karan Nath doesn't look the part he's projecting. Rajat Kapoor is expressive enough. Netanya Singh hams throughout. Aman Verma seems to have a Bachchan hangover and it shows. Bobby Darling is a complete miscast. Music director Himesh Reshammiya does not contribute in taking the story forward. However, the Adnan Sami track - 'Kyon Mera Dil' - is the pick of the lot.

KISMAT

Starring: Bobby Deol, Priyanka Chopra, Amit Behl, Mohan Joshi, Smita Jaykar, Kabir Bedi, Ashish Vidyarthi, Sanjay Narvekar & Shahbaaz Khan
Director: Guddu Dhanoa
Music: Anand Raaj Anand

Kismat relies on the same old formulaic stuff the cinegoer has witnessed since time immemorial, but with a new avatar. The story revolves around an orphan, Tony (Bobby Deol) who learns to live by his wit and courage to survive in the concrete jungle. Right from petty theft to loan recovery, Tony does everything for a price. One day, Tony visits a musical show where he falls in love with the singer, Sapna (Priyanka Chopra) at first sight. However, making this dream come true seems impossible. In fact, Sapna's parents have already fixed up her marriage to a boy from an affluent family (Amit Behl). A heartbroken Tony decides to match up in status and ask for Sapna's hand from her family.

At the same time, he gets an offer to coerce a government officer, Dr. Gosain (Mohan Joshi) and threatens to kill his family if he doesn't sign on the dotted line. Unaware that Dr. Gosain is Sapna's father and his signature would allow the corrupt businessman, Raj Mallya (Kabir Bedi), to release his spurious drugs in the market. These drugs would eventually kill hundreds of innocent people. Tony realises his blunder. Sapna's father is put behind bars and her mother (Smita Jaykar) commits suicide. Tony has to undo the harm...

Despite the predictable nature, the film does has its moments. Director Guddu Dhanoa makes an earnest effort to keep the show going. The first half is quite interesting but it seems he runs out of steam in the second half. While the pre-climax is interesting, the end seems like a hurried job. Anand Raaj Anand's music is an asset and the picturisation of the songs elevate the musical score. Bobby Deol re-emerges with a likeable performance. Priyanka carries off her part with conviction. Kabir Bedi is suave as ever, conveying so much through his eyes. Shahbaaz Khan is okay. Overall, Kismat is a predictable fare that holds appeal for frontbenchers mainly.

RUDRAKSH

Starring: Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Shetty, Bipasha Basu & Ishaa Koppikar
Director: Mani Sharma
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Vishal-Shekhar, Shashi Pritam

This thriller is quite different from the usual, as it focuses on voodoo magic and other celestial and metaphysical activities that will twist your mind. Dr. Gayatri (Bipasha Basu) comes to India from the US to find out the mystery of paranormal powers. She meets Varun (Sanjay Dutt) who possesses one such power. He can create miracles for the benefit of the people. However, before the chemistry between the two could create flames, history comes knocking at their doors. And, his quest ends with the knowledge of 'Rudraksh' that can mutate a man into new species. The battle for power begins when it takes both of them to meet the evils (Suniel Shetty and Isha Koppikar).

The film does start on a good note and creates curiosity in viewers' minds. But as it progresses the narration becomes more and more confusing. Mani Shanker loses grip. He concentrates more on special effects and the story takes second place. Technically 'Rudraksh' is ahead of many Indian films made so far. Among performers, Isha Koppikar wins lots of accolades. Suniel Shetty does impress in his villainy but in parts. His dialogue delivery is not apt for such roles. Bipasha is ok. Sanjay Dutt has nothing to gain from this film. Kabir Bedi does his job aptly.

KHAKEE

Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Pradha, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgan, Aishwarya Rai, ‎Tusshar Kapoor, Atul Kulkarni, D. Santosh & Tanuja ‎
Director: Raj Kumar Santoshi ‎
Music: Ram Sampat ‎
‎ ‎
Khakee is the story of Anant Srivastava (Amitabh Bachchan), a man who has ‎accomplished little in his career as an officer. He and his chosen team (Sr. Inspector ‎Shekhar (Akshay Kumar) police force’s bad boy and Sub-Inspector Ashwin Gupte ‎‎(Tusshar Kapoor) a rookie fresh out of training on his first mission with two constables, ‎go to Chandangarh to arrest Dr. Iqbal Ansari (Atul Kulkarni) a terrorist, for trial at ‎Mumbai court. They meet Mahalaxmi (Aishwarya Rai) there who can only identify ‎terrorist leader Angre (Ajay Devgan), their ringleader who is preventing Ansari´s ‎appearance in court. Does the squad succeed in taking Ansari to court? Is Angre ‎defeated? The rest is a roller coaster ride that catches the viewer unaware.‎

‎ Khakee is evidently a cut above the rest of the movies in its genre because of its story ‎and screenplay. Khakee is not predictable like most commercial flicks. Director Raj ‎Kumar Santoshi has paid incredible attention to detail and he comes out with miraculous ‎results. Amitabh Bachchan once again proves why he is the industry’s greatest actor ever. ‎He presents his character’s confidence and inner weaknesses with the highest realism. ‎Ajay Devgan is definitely enjoying the prime of his career, his performance in Khakee ‎will leave your jaw dropped. Akshay Kumar exposes his flair for comedy. Aishwarya ‎Rai’s makes her presence felt in a male-dominated flick. Her role is becoming slightly ‎clichéd in Bollywood, but she adds new dimensions to it. Tusshar Kapoor is improving. ‎Atul Kulkarni is his usual self. Tanuja is great but Jaya Prada is mechanical. A must see ‎film!‎

AETBAAR

Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Bipasha Basu, John Abraham & Supriya Pilgaonkar
Director: Vikram Bhatt ‎
Music: Rajesh Roshan

Dr. Ranvir Malhotra (Amitabh Bachchan) is a father who is very protective about his ‎daughter Ria (Bipasha Basu). Trouble starts brewing when she meets Aryan (John ‎Abraham), a wild and obsessive guy. She falls in love with him, as he is everything that ‎she wanted in a beau. He is unpredictable, intriguing and handsome. Dr. Ranvir gets ‎alarmed when he meets Aryan. He is everything that he would have hated to have in a ‎son-in-law. Dr. Ranvir tries to convince Ria to rethink. Aryan realizes that Dr. is trying to ‎separate them. The rest is how Dr. Ranvir manages to uncover Aryan's past, and convince ‎Ria about the truth. Supriya Pilgaonkar also drops in as a prop as Amitabh's wife. Tom ‎Alter as a doctor, Shruti Ulfat as a professor, Ali Asgar as a friend of Bipasha and ‎Pramod Moutho as the Commissioner of Police.‎

Amitabh Bachchan is simply marvelous. He is convincingly vulnerable and emotional ‎and yet does the protective father act with the appropriate amount of force. Bipasha Basu ‎looks glamourous and sexy but it is John Abraham who is the surprise packet. He ‎manages to be charming and menacing at the same time and acts like a veteran. ‎Definitely an actor to watch out for. ‎

EK HASINA THI

Starring: Saif Ali Khan, Urmila Matondkar, Seema Biswas, Pratima Kazmi & Aditya Shrivastav
Directed by Sriram Raghavan
Background music: Amar Mohile

Ramgopal Varma films rebel against the set-patterns, rules, norms and formulas of Bollywood masala flicks. This movie tells story of Sarika (Urmila Matondkar), a single working woman in Mumbai. Karan (Saif Ali Khan), a globetrotting dashing bachelor, sweeps Sarika off her feat. The two decide to get married. But an incident plunges Sarika into jail. Dumped in prison with a bunch of hardened women criminals, she vows to erase the person she once was and emerge anew. But to do so, Karan and Sarika must confront the truth about each other. The narrative moves at a brisk pace, with the viewer being on the edge all the while. The slimy, mean character (portrayed brilliantly by Saif) comes to the fore in the first reel itself, yet the turn of events continues to keep you engrossed and immersed. The twist in the tale – right from the time Urmila is arrested till her confession in the courtroom – takes the film to an all-time high. The transformation of a simple middle class city girl to a hardened woman is amongst the most convincing aspects of the enterprise. The woman doesn't want to eliminate the culprit so easily – how she plans to settle scores sends a chill down the spine.

Director Sriram Raghavan is a director to watch! The expertise with which he has handled the tense-filled moments should win him all-round praise. The background music enhances the impact of sequences considerably. Cinematography by C. K. Murlidharan and sound by Dwarak Warrier is top notch. Saif seems to have emerged as one of the finest actors we have today after his Dil Chahta Hai Hai and Kal Ho Naa Ho, you would hate him for being iniquitous in Ek Hasina… Urmila delivers yet another knockout performance after Bhoot and Pinjar. Seema Biswas as a cop is fantastic. Pratima Kazmi as a gangster operating from prison as well as Aditya Shrivastav as lawyer is first-rate.

PLAN

Starring: Sanjay Dutt, Dino Morea, Sanjay Suri, Bikram Saluja, Rohit Roy, Mahesh Manjrekar, Priyanka Chopra, Sameera Reddy, Riya Sen, Payal Rohatgi, Sanjay Mishra & Razzak Khan.
Director: Hriday Shetty
Music: Anand Raj Anand

This is a typical masala flick with action, romance, songs, visuals, skin show, the works... Bobby (Dino Morea) is an Amitabh Bachchan fan and thinks he is India's future. Lucky (Sanjay Suri) is addicted to playing cards, and wants to try his luck in Mumbai rather than stay in his small town and run his father's grocery shop. Jai (Bikram Saluja) has run away from home to avoid an arranged marriage, and to meet his girlfriend (Riya Sen). Omi (Rohit Roy) has been forcibly sent to the city by his father to retrieve Rs 1 lakh from a cheater.

Omi suggests they put in all their remaining money and let Lucky play a big gamble at the U-Turn casino. when Lucky manages to convert their Rs 15,000 into Rs 1 lakh, they turn greedy and ask him to try his luck further. Cheated by the owner, they run into a debt of Rs 7 lakh to be paid within a week. Omi comes up with his next plan to kidnap a rich businessman and use the ransom amount to pay up the debt. However, the plan goes haywire as the victim turns out to be dreaded don Musabhai (Sanjay Dutt). However, Musa figures out that his own men were trying to get rid of him. And the four boys had actually saved his life. In the end, with the help of the four boys, Musa gets back at Sultan (Mahesh Manjrekar), his opponent.

The leading ladies are mere decorative pieces. Dino Morea seems to be improving with every movie from ‘Raaz’ days. Sanjay Suri just about manages to break away from his good boy image. Bikram Saluja and Rohit Roy hold their own.

CHAMELI

Starring: Rahul Bose, Kareena Kapoor, Kabir Bedi, Makrand Deshpande, Yashpal Sharma & Rinke Khanna
Directed by: Sudhir Mishra
Music: Sandesh Shandilya's

Prostitution as a profession has been depicted on the Indian screen several times in the past. But what makes Chameli different from films is its story, which takes place on a rainy night and reaches its conclusion the following morning. Aman (Rahul Bose), an investment Banker, has lost his wife (Rinke Khanna) on a rainy night in an accident. The rain brings back haunting memories of the past. While driving around aimlessly on a stormy night, Aman's car stalls at Mumbai's Flora Fountain. He has no option but to take shelter in the arches of Fountain. It is here that Aman meets Chameli (Kareena Kapoor) for the first time. Their worlds are different. But for one night, Aman is compelled to share the footpath with Chameli. It is this rain that brings together these two strangers. And sparks off a romance...

Although the concept of the film is interesting and director Sudhir Mishra has handled few sequences with dexterity, but the film doesn't strike a chord thanks to a half-baked screenplay. The drama begins with Chameli refusing to spend the night with a local corporator Usmanbhai (Makrand Deshpande), to the sequences in the cop station, to the climax - the flow of episodes lack the grip so essential in a film of this genre! Besides, the story unfolds at a lethargic pace, testing the patience of the viewer at times.

Director Sudhir Mishra is letdown by a shoddy screenplay. The film lacks the hard-hitting impact of say, a Mausam or a Mandi or a Bazaar, which also tackled the issue of flesh trade. Sandesh Shandilya's music might appeal to connoisseurs, but doesn't have much to offer to the man on the street. Cinematography by Aseem Bajaj is first-rate. Kareena Kapoor tries hard to look the character, but her otherwise polished personality acts as a major deterrent. There's no denying that she does make a sincere attempt - the styling, the get-up, the mannerisms are just right - but she seems miscast in a role that demands crudeness and rawness. Rahul Bose is competent, but he needs to go easy on his accent. Kabir leaves a mark in a small role. Yashpal Sharma & Makrand Deshpande deserved a better role.

LoC

Starring: Abhishek Bachchan, Ajay Devgan, Akshay Khanna, Sanjay Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, Suneil Shetty, Nagarjuna, Manoj Bajpai, Kareena Kapoor, Rani Mukherjee & Raveena Tandon
Director & Producer: J.P Dutta
Music: Anu Malik

'LoC' was one of the most awaited films of the year for various reasons - The last release of 2003, a war film by a man who is best suited for this genre, and of course the multi star cast. 'LoC' documents the various incidents during the '99 Kargil war in 4 long hours. The film is based on a number of true stories from the Kargil war. Dutta has gone to great lengths to research the story. The shooting was done under extreme conditions. Dutta spares no efforts to recount the events that led to the success of the operation.

The action is set around different battalions and their progress as they capture points along the line of control (LoC). Weaving through the action are the emotional stories of the men who died -- the women and families they loved and left behind. Set against the picturesque, icy heights of Leh-Ladakh and Shimla, Dutta replicates the terrain that soldiers encountered along these alien and gruelling stretches. While a number of stars share screen space, their characterisations are quite well sketched. Your heart goes out to Captain Anuj Nayyar (Saif Ali Khan) who leaves behind his love, played by Kareena Kapoor; Manoj Pandey (Ajay Devgan) is as emotional as the next guy, but won the Param Vir Chakra; Vikram Batra (Abhishek Bachchan), a daredevil soldier whose motto in life is 'Yeh dil maange more', who won the Param Vir Chakra; Lt Balwant Singh (Akshaye Khanna), who was awarded the Mahaveer Chakra. Major Deepak Rampal (Sanjay Kapoor) is on leave, but cuts it short when he hears about the trouble on the border and gets back to the frontline. Colonel YK Joshi (aka YK Joe, played by Sunjay Dutt), awarded the Vir Chakra leads his men to victory. Other actors like Suniel Shetty (playing rifleman Sanjay Kumar), who held the barrels of the enemy's guns with their bare hands as they fired, live up to the real life heroes. Ashutosh Rana and Manoj Bajpai, both called Yogendra Singh Yadav, share camaraderie well enacted. Some of their on screen moments are worth looking out for. Besides the men who fight our wars, the tale also deals with the women who have to live their lives in constant fear for their loved ones.

Dutta uses dialogue and music to bind the story together expertly. You end up rooting for the soldiers as they capture posts one after another, losing many men, but eventually winning the battle. Here, unlike in other movies, the songs are more of a respite. Some of the emotional moments shared between the lead actors and their leading ladies manage to pull at your heartstrings. Like Saif and Kareena, Abhishek and Esha and Suneil and Isha.
The battle scenes are gruesome, loud and hammer at you, much like the blazing guns in the background. The special effects and camerawork are worth a mention. The one negative factor is its length. Possibly a slightly edited version, keeping it within 3 hours is called for.

But definitely a fitting tribute to the soldiers who have sacrificed their lives of the nation.

MUNNABHAI MBBS
Starring: Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Dutt, Gracy Singh, Jimmy Shergil, Boman Irani & Arshad Warsi
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Music: Anu Malik

Munnabhai MBBS is a hilarious and heart-warming story of a local goon's journey into the medical world - a place he neither belongs to nor believes in. It is a classic story of a right man in a wrong place. Munnabhai (Sanjay Dutt) plays a goon-turned-quack whose best prescription for any malady is ‘love and laughter’. Munnabhai is a local Robinhood who helps in setting disputes of the poor. However, this swaggering goon turns into a mellow quack once his father Hari Prasad Sharma (played by Sanjay’s real-life father Sunil Dutt) arrives in the city.

According to the father, his son is a respected doctor in the city. With his father around, Munnabhai turns into an erudite Munnabhai MBBS. But for every malady he has a simple prescription – ‘pyar and jaado ki japphy (hug). His cover is blown once his father decides to marry him to an old friend’s (Dr. Asthana) daughter Suman (Gracy Singh). Suman is a MBBS doctor. Munnabhai’s words come home once his love for Suman inspires him to shed his shamming persona and become a doctor for real. And as it turns out, Munnabhai’s own prescription provides the solution for all his problems.

TEHZEEB

Starring: Urmila Matondkar, Shabana Azmi, Arjun Rampal, Diya Mirza, Rishi Kapoor, Namrata Shirodkar & Diana Hayden
Director: Khalid Mohamed
Music: A.R. Rahman

‘Tehzeeb’ is about the strained relationship between a mother Rukhsana Jamal (Shabana Azmi), a famous and ambitious singer and her daughter Tehzeeb (Urmila Matondkar). Salim (Arjun Rampal), Tehzeeb's husband and the narrator of the film, takes you through Tehzeeb’s childhood, her relationship with her parents, her adulthood and her relationship with her mentally challenged sister. Tehzeeb dislikes her mother as she suspects that she was behind her father's (Rishi Kapoor) death. (Shabana had to face a trial for killing her husband). To make the matter worse, Tehzeeb marries Salim against her mother's wishes. Urmila and Arjun move away to a hill station with her mentally challenged sister Nazneen (Dia Mirza) to their new home.

‘Tehzeeb’ focuses on how Rukhsana, Tehzeeb, Salim and Nazu come to terms with each other. In a consistent pattern of faultfinding, guilt tripping, and defense, Shabana and Urmila play off each other’s emotions in a manner that swings from being everything from humorous, emotional, and downright antagonistic. Happy-go-lucky novelist Salim has a song or couplet for every situation to bring light moments to the film. Khalid Mohamed makes this viewing a worthwhile experience because of the way he plays with humor in his writing. It may shock you with the director’s inability to extract top quality goods from a crew (A.R. Rahman, Santosh Sivan and Sreekar Prasad) that is every filmmaker’s dream. Then, it may also surprise you with the ease and playfulness with which Khalid Mohamed coaxes supreme performances from his cast. "Tehzeeb" is a pot of surprises that is perhaps comparable to a sonata being played on an instrument that is out of tune, but still somehow ends up sounding resonant.

KAL HO NA HO

Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre & Jaya Bachchan
Director: Nikhil Advani
Music: Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy

If you thought that Kal Ho Na Ho is a remake of Anand and Safar then think again. Yes, like Rajesh Khanna of Anand Shahrukh Khan’s character does spread happiness. But the similarity ends there! The story and the treatment are absolutely different. With such blockbusters as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham to his name, Karan Johar adds another feather to his cap. It is the story of three friends, Aman (Shah Rukh Khan), Rohit (Saif Ali Khan) and Naina (Preity Zinta) who travel on a journey that teaches them the true meaning of friendship. They discover themselves and to find the courage to live through times of happiness and sorrow. With the constant arguments and bickering in her semi-Punjabi/semi-Christian family, Naina is completely distraught by the conditions which surround her. In addition to this, she is bombarded with the responsibilities of taking care of her younger brother and sister, as well as helping her mother, Jennifer (Jaya Bachchan). Between all these burdens, Naina never has time for herself. Then comes Aman. He moves into Naina’s small Indian neighborhood in New York. He helps solve everyone’s problems and helps them face the obstacles and challenges. Much to Naina’s dismay, Aman makes her do things that she would never have dreamt of doing. His constant nagging eventually teaches Naina how to smile once again. In doing so, Aman joins with his friend Rohit in trying to help Naina find her happiness. The power of friendship starts to weave its magic over all three friends. But a fatal turn of events causes chaos between them. These fatal events that cause a ruckus of emotions describe the basic essence of this film.

One would never guess that this is Nikhil Advani’s debut film, as he succeeds in every aspect of film making. As a scriptwriter, Karan Johar adds masterful effect of emotions and perfect blend of comic relief. As far as the technical performance, it is almost impossible to create a more perfect film. The editing skills are extremely sound and the cinematography shows the viewers the difference a few angle adjustments can do for a film.

The magnitude of chemistry between Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, and Saif Ali Khan is mind blowing! Adding Jaya Bachchan to the mix creates for an even more awesome effect. It’s safe to say that this is one of Shah Rukh Khan’s best performances ever. He breathes so much life into his character and puts on a mesmerizing performance. This is easily Saif’s best performance since Dil Chahta Hai. No one can play such a role with such ease, it’s almost uncanny. Preity Zinta has also given her best performance as an actress. It’s amazing to see how much energy and talent is given in creating her character. Shankar, Ehsaan, and Loy music compliment the film wonderfully. To top it all off, Javed Akhtar’s mastery of the language creates for some heart warming lyrics. To sum it up, it is a great film with funny as well as emotional moments!

BAGHBAN

Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Aman Verma, Samir Soni, Sahil Chadda, Nasir & Salman Khan
Directed by: Ravi Chopra

The film deals with the bonding between the parent and child to the sad turn of events at the sunset of the parent's life. It is a story of Raj Malhotra (Amitabh Bachchan), his wife Pooja (Hema Malini) and their four sons (Aman Verma, Samir Soni, Sahil Chadda, Nasir). Just like a gardener (Baghban) who plants a sapling and nurses it till it blossoms into a tree, in the hope that he would be able to bask in its shade when he grows old, Raj and Pooja raise their sons, all well settled in their lives, with utmost care. But equations change when Raj retires from his bank job, none of the four sons is ready to take their parents' responsibility. The sons work out a strategy: The father would live with the eldest (Aman), the mother with the second son (Samir). And after six months elapse, they would shift to the third and fourth sons (Sahil, Nasir). Raj and Pooja, who love each other dearly, are separated in their old age…

Director Ravi Chopra has attempted various genres in the past but he is most comfortable attempting this genre. Achala Nagar's script draws inspiration from life and besides some well-penned sequences, the dialogue compliment the narrative beautifully. Aadesh Shrivastava's music gels well with the mood of the film. Amitabh Bachchan delivers yet another memorable performance. Hema Malini looks elegant and conveys the pathos convincingly. Paresh Rawal and Lilette Dubey are lovable. Amongst the 'sons', Aman Verma stands out. Samir Soni is alright, while Saahil and Nasir get no scope. As for the 'daughters-in-law', Divya Dutta scores full marks. Suman Ranganathan is passable. Salman Khan's characterization is straight out of a fairy tale. Mahima Chaudhary doesn't get any scope. On the whole, the movie has strong emotions as its trump card, which appeals to the family audience more than the youth.

ZAMEEN

Starring: Ajay Devgan, Abhishek Bachchan, Bipasha Basu, Pankaj Dheer, Mukesh Tiwari, D. Santosh, Sanjay Mishra & Manish Khanna
Directed by: Rohit Shetty
Music: Himesh Reshammiya

Zameen depicts a real-life incident of an Indian Airlines' hijack to Kandahar on celluloid and the chronology events thereafter. Col. Ranvir (Ajay Devgan) captures the mastermind of Al Tahir organisation Baba Zaheer (Mukesh Tiwari). Six months later, during a fierce skirmish at the Indo-Pak border, four terrorists cross over to India. Ranvir takes over the case and tries to trace these four men, their identities, their motive. Meanwhile, in Mumbai, A.C.P. Jai [Abhishek Bachchan] is tracking a gang that is involved in trafficking arms into the city. But what he uncovers opens a Pandora's Box. Ranvir arrives in Mumbai to track down these men and quash their mission. But Jai and Ranvir are too late - the terrorists successfully hijack an Indian Airlines aircraft and fly to P.O.K.

‘Zameen’ is a cut above the ordinary in terms of scripting and execution. Handling a mammoth star cast and giving the film a larger-than-life look can prove to be an arduous task. Rohit Shetty, who makes his debut as director with this film, passes in all three sections with distinction! There's no denying that the action sequences by Jai Singh are breathtaking and by the way director has juxtaposed them in the script is what deserves to be lauded. Besides, the film moves on a singular track throughout - there're no cheap thrills, no forced comedy, no running around trees. Writer Suparn Verma deserves kudos for his deft writing. Himesh Reshammiya's music is hummable. Aseem Bajaj's cinematography is fantastic. Ajay Devgan towers above one and all, delivering a performance that's truly awe-inspiring. Abhishek Bachchan is cast in a role that has the angry-young-man shades, he gives his best shot and comes up with a winning performance. Bipasha Basu doesn't get much scope, but she registers a strong impact nevertheless. Pankaj Dheer is outstanding, Mukesh Tiwari is first-rate yet again, D. Santosh, Sanjay Mishra and Manish Khanna lend adequate support. On the whole, this movie is a winner all the way.

JOGGER'S PARK

Starring: Perizaad Zorban, Victor Banerjee, Divya Dutta & Khalid Siddiqui
Director: Anant Balani
Music: Tabun Sutradkar

Jenny (Perizad Zorban) is a young vibrant girl, darling to everyone from 6-60 in Joggers' Park. She's beautiful, bold, extrovert and modern. In fact, Jenny is the perfect example of a girl with traditional values yet modern outlook towards life. Working as an Executive in a five star hotel, and also as a popular model of the Mumbai ad world, her values are still intact. She is content being single. At 'Joggers' Park', she happens to meet Justice Chatterjee (Victor Banerjee) who comes into contact with her. He, in the 40 years of his life, has minutely observed the modern youth and its changing patterns and tastes in his courtrooms where morals, values & ethics form the base of the judiciary system. But now what does he see in Joggers' Park? A new world, new people, new feelings, new experience through his bond with this new friend, Jenny and her bold & candid character which amazes him... and attracts him.

Joggers' Park is a light-hearted, unusual, breezy musical tale ever told on the Indian screen. And you keep smiling all the way, realizing how close it is to real life. It is a light film, brilliantly shot, bringing to life amazingly real characters with real sensitivities and sensibilities which finally accentuates.

KOI MIL GAYA

Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Priety Zinta, Rekha, Prem Chopra, Rakesh Roshan, Rajat Bedi, Mukesh Rishi & Johnny Lever
Director: Rakesh Roshan
Music: Rajesh Roshan

Koi Mil Gaya features Hrithik as a mentally challenged young man Rohit who is the son of a space scientist, Sanjay Mehra (Rakesh Roshan) and Sonia (Rekha). Sanjay has devoted his life to find the existence of extraterrestrial life. He invents a super-computer that sends musical notes of Om to the space. His dreams turn into reality when a spaceship is sighted in the sky. Before Sanjay could savour the fruits of his success, he and his wife meet a horrible accident in which Sanjay dies. Rohit is born as a mentally challenged child who is ridiculed by Raj (Rajat Bedi) and his group. The advent of Nisha (Preity Zinta) awakens the 'man' in the man-boy. This infuriates Raj. In frustration, he retires into his father's room and plays with his computer. The magical notes of Om go into the yonder and bunch of aliens land in the woods and Rohit transforms into a super human.

Though the film has it's share of faults but positives outweigh negatives in the end. The climax seems to be wrapped up in a hurry. The film also borrows heavily from Hollywood's ET but fails to match innocence in the eyes of Spielberg's 'Ewok'. But Rakesh Roshan is no Spielberg and full credit goes to him for breaking the mould. Hrithik is superb in his portrayal of man-boy. His repartees leave you wanting for more. Preity is fresh as a mint. Picturesque locales from Canada make the film a pleasure to watch. Rajesh Roshan's music ably supports the project. The film is must watch for the kids between 10 to 50.