Top 10 Brands : 2008

What better way to Startoff than by having a look at the top 10 Brands in the world by Businessweek in association with Interbrand. Most of us have already seen the list but still for those who havent. Here it goes.

The Interbrand method for valuing brands is a formula that examines brands through the lens of financial strength, importance in driving consumer selection, and the likelihood of ongoing branded revenue. The method evaluates brands much like analysts would value any other asset (on the basis of how much they're likely to earn in the future) There are three core components to their proprietary method:

1. Financial Analysis : Forecasting the current and future revenue specifically attributable to the branded products.

2. Role of Brand Analysis: A measure of how the brand influences customer demand at the point of purchase is applied to the economic earnings to arrive at Branded Earnings.

3. Brand Strength Score : This is a benchmark of the brand's ability to secure ongoing customer demand (loyalty, repurchase and retention) and thus sustain future earnings, translating branded earnings into net present value.

Brand value is calculated as the net present value of the earnings the brand is expected to generate and secure in the future. All brands were then subject to the following criteria that narrowed candidates significantly:

• There must be substantial publicly available financial data
• The brand must have at least one-third of revenues outside of its country-of-origin
• The brand must be a market-facing brand
• The Economic Value Added (EVA) must be positive
• The brand must not have a purely B2B single audience with no wider public profile and awareness

The Top 10 list remains more or less unchanged, except Google making an entry in the top 10 jumping 10 places from 20th last year.

2008 Rank	2007 Rank	Brand	Sector	2008 Brand Value ($m)
1	1		Beverages	66,667
		Coca-Cola has once again retained its status as the world’s most valuable brand. Proving that it still has a few tricks up its sleeve, current trends toward healthier diets have seen Coke shift focus to better-for-you drinks in the last year, with the launch of products like the vitamin and mineral enriched Diet Coke Plus and the continued push behind Coke Zero, which is now available in more than 80 countries. Coke has also worked hard to engage consumers, with innovative online campaigns such as “Design Your Own” that invited people to design their own Coke containers and share them with the world. 2008 66,667 2007 65,324 2006 67,000 2005 67,525 2004 67,394 2003 70,453 2002 69,637 2001 68,945
2	3		Computer Services	59,031
		Big Blue’s transformation from PC vendor to solutions provider continues. Recognizing that we live in an increasingly connected world, IBM has positioned itself as the partner of choice for businesses that operate across borders. This position has been solidified through a number of smart strategic acquisitions in recent years. Lenovo’s announcement to remove the IBM brand from the ThinkPad range earlier than planned will create more distance between the IBM name and PCs in customers’ minds, which in turn will clarify what the new IBM is really all about. 2008 59,031 2007 57,090 2006 56,201 2005 53,376 2004 53,791 2003 51,767 2002 51,188 2001 52,752
3	2		Computer Software	59,007
		Despite maintaining its position as one of the world’s biggest brands, Microsoft has had a slightly rocky year. The new operating system, Vista, was poorly received, not least of all by Intel, which refused to install it on its machines due to compatibility issues. The failed takeover of Yahoo! and Bill Gates’ decreasing role piled further pressure on a brand already struggling to articulate how its offering fits together. Looking ahead, the company is hoping a diversification from software into the broader online and entertainment arenas, coupled with a US$300 million advertising campaign starring Jerry Seinfeld, will breathe new life into the brand and pave the way for a brighter future. 2008 59,007 2007 58,709 2006 56,926 2005 59,941 2004 61,372 2003 65,174 2002 64,091 2001 65,068
4	4		Diversified	53,086
		Few companies are in as strong a position to push the green agenda as GE. Its Ecomagination program has been incredibly successful in raising sustainability awareness and has reflected positively on the brand. As GE continues to expand internationally it has a unique opportunity to shape the way that businesses all over the world approach sustainability and in doing so, can cement its green credentials. 2008 53,086 2007 51,569 2006 48,907 2005 46,996 2004 44,111 2003 42,340 2002 41,311 2001 42,396
5	5		Consumer Electronics	35,942
		Despite increased competition from the likes of Apple, Nokia has solidified its position as the #1 mobile phone brand, increasing its global market share to 38%. The iPhone and the Blackberry have certainly raised consumer expectations of what devices can do, but Nokia has not stood still. It recently launched the E61 in direct response to the Blackberry and is currently developing the “Nokia Tube”, an eagerly awaited touch screen device that will see it compete head-to-head with the iPhone. It’s this spirit of constant innovation, coupled with an innate ability to segment its customers (be it on an attitudinal, geographical or demographic basis) that’s added to Nokia’s brand value this year. 2008 35,942 2007 33,696 2006 30,131 2005 26,452 2004 24,041 2003 29,440 2002 29,970 2001 35,035
6	6		Automotive	34,050
		Toyota continues to benefit from the "green halo effect" of the Prius, which is still widely talked about in the media. Like its sister brand Lexus, Toyota has managed to control the perception of its national heritage where helpful, but also ply its trade as a truly global brand. 2008 34,050 2007 32,070 2006 27,941 2005 24,837 2004 22,673 2003 20,784 2002 19,448 2001 18,578
7	7		Computer Hardware	31,261
		Having just announced its most profitable quarter ever, Intel is reaping the benefits of continued innovation and a partnership with Apple that has seen it get inside some of the most desirable computers of the moment. Going forward the brand will shift half of its advertising budget to the Internet channel to better target technology-savvy consumers who are spending more and more time online. 2008 31,261 2007 30,954 2006 32,319 2005 35,588 2004 33,499 2003 31,112 2002 30,861 2001 34,665
8	8		Restaurants	31,049
		McDonald’s has never been a brand to sit still and its ability to adapt to consumer needs is almost as fast as its food. McDonald’s has been addressing the healthy eating issues that have dogged it in the past. Its french fries are now trans-fat free, and its offering of healthier meal options keeps increasing. Looking ahead, the chain aims to become the #1 destination for chicken and to significantly boost its coffee credentials by introducing 14,000 coffee bars at its US outlets. With specialist baristas serving cappuccinos and lattes at a time when consumers are less willing to fork out for a pricey Starbucks, it’s a shrewd move. Further afield, aggressive expansion in emerging markets will see 120 restaurants open in China and an innovative series of smaller kiosks sprout up in India. 2008 31,049 2007 29,398 2006 27,501 2005 26,014 2004 25,001 2003 24,699 2002 26,375 2001 25,289
9	9		Media	29,251
		The magic has stalled somewhat for Disney, with the brand taking a bit of a back seat to those it partners, and its core target becoming more distant from the Disney brand as a result. Still, the phenomenon of High School Musical and its spin-offs is keeping the tills singing around the world, and it’s also bearing rich fruit from its partnership with Pixar. As consumers upgrade to high-definition TV, Disney should see strong sales of its back-catalogue, offsetting the decline in profitability of theatrical releases. To really advance the brand, it needs to make big inroads with emerging markets, adapting its product to win over a whole new generation of families from different cultures. 2008 29,251 unchanged 2007 29,210 2006 27,848 2005 26,441 2004 27,113 2003 28,036 2002 29,256 2001 32,591
10	20		Internet Services	25,590

For detailed report visit : http://www.interbrand.com/

The next few posts will be on the above mentioned Top 10 Brands only.

Kambakht Ishq: Akshay and Kareena should jump off a cliff.. or Better still.. Should be pushed from one!!!!

Bhaad mein gya review.. Aur Tel lene gayi FEEL. Pehle mujhe ye batao.. Who is this Idiot who wrote this piece of crap and what was the storyline?? A doctor forgets her wrist watch in a stuntman's stomach and they live happily ever after!!!!

This is like the shittiest movie ever. To give you a perspective Even Chandni Chowk to China was better or rather Less Worse as i say!!! I mean i dont even know what do i write yaar. It doesnt even deserve a mention anywhere ya. This is like nothing but a bilkul bakwaas and defective product in an attractive packaging. Bas publicity kar di. 4 hollywood stars se guest experience karwa diya. Bas ho gayi movie. I understand that some movies are brainless comedies but this is like sh*t.. No humor. No punchlines. No witty one liners. No script. No comic timing. NOTHING!!!!!

Kareena Kapoor just going down and down adjusting her inner wear trying to show her non existent cleavage in every second shot possible. The movie is full of sleaze too. I just did not understand why did she have to run, run and run in like a dozen shots in a skimpy top without any 'you know what'. I guess she was trying to give shilpa shetty a RUN for her money trying to Shut Up and BOUNCE!!!! Just pathetic ya. But i guess you cant do much if you dont have anything for script, story or direction. You just need to use cheap tricks. But this was not expected out of an A list movie with A list actors like Kareena and Akshay. This is in the same league as Masti and Kya Kool hai hum, just that the other had SOME comic timing.

Story bata ke kuch fayda nahi, because anyways its not gonna make any sense what so ever. Kab kya ho raha hai and kyon ho raha hai. Kisi ke baap ko nahi pata!!!!! Once toh i thought that director had taken a compulsory core leave and gave the director's cap to somebody else in some other unit who was shooting some other movie altogether.

Performance wise, NOTHING worth mentioning. Akshay is trying sooo hard to be funny that it is Sad. Kareena couldnt find time from adjusting her top to flaunt some you know what. Javed jaffrey couldnt do anything because he did not have anything to do in the movie. Boman irani is wasted in a cameo which could have been decent. Amrita Arora just comes in and goes out and in the middle is wearing like a dozen skimpiest thong bikinis possible and is either IN the pool, or AT the pool side or taking a bath. Gross just too Gross for me. Go and watch a C rated masala movie instead!!!

Music sucks anyways. There aint even ONE song worth mentioning. Although the title track which is more like an item song is still tolerable and is quite a clubbing kinda number.

I am very disturbed, almost angry at the fact that this movie was shot alongside A list hollywood stars like Stallone, Routh, Denise Richards etc and THIS is the reason the Indian movie industry is looked down upon globally. If they watch the movie, the impression of the Indian movies being ONLY full of trash and latka jhatka masala stuff will always remain. I guess there should be a ban on using Hollywood stars or even releasing a movie in the international market unless the script is approved by a central authority!!!! Kam se Kam kuch izzat to bachegi

Overall, The most bakwaaas movie ever witnessed by me. Akshay, Kareena, the director and the whole crew should release a public apology for making such filth. Bottomline, If somebody offers you a free ticket or may be WITH a couple of hundred bucks.. Run and Hide!!!!!

Feel-o-Meter : ZERO/Ten

(It doesnt deserve to be reviewed EVEN by a wella movie reviwer like ME)

The Hangover

An honest confession first. The review might be a bit biased since i am an absolute teetotaler myself and it may be very natural for me to not be able to relate to the incidents. But what the heck..
The movie had everything. Smooth Timing, Gripping script, Witty one liners, Nice chemistry, Starry Cameos, everything. I mean every checkbox was ticked. Dont know why but there was something that didnt work for me. May be the build up was too much. Every single person who had already seen the movie called or messaged me and said.. Freak, How come you havent seen it as yet, go and watch it.. Its Awesommmme.. In different words and accents, But the essentially FEEL was the same.. So as i was entering the theater i already had very high expectations and nothing short of Awesommmme would have impressed me and Exactly thats what happened. The movie is pretty amazing otherwise and has all the ingredients for a perfect comedy.
As far as the story is concerned, nothing needs to be mentioned as the name itself suggests that its about.... surprise!!!. A Hangover. 4 friends go for a bachelor party, get drunk and wake up to find out that the person who is supposed to get married tomorrow is not to be found, but a Tiger in the washroom!!! And then, starts the process to find out what happened last night in order to ascertain where their friend is. And THATs where the chemistry and the mystery is unfold.
Performance wise, Zach Galifianakis just beats the other 3 hands down. He is just tooo cool. Heather Graham's role is a total waste and dint even deserve to be in the movie. Mike Tyson's cameo is just not funny at all. But i think the movie should be seen for the chemistry between the four friends rather than individual performances.
Overall a pretty decent watch and in case you have had a Really Bad hangover anytime in your life. You are just gonna LOU it. Go with friends. Forget about Office, Relax, Sit back and Enjoy the fun.
Feel-o-meter : 7.5/10

Terminator Salvation

Okay.. First things first. Think of the ruthless terminator from the first movie and just make him around 60 Ft tall with mototerminators(which are nothing but terminators + ducati bikes) coming out of his thighs driving at a more than 120 mph dodging cars, bullets, flying pieces of scrap. Whats the first reaction??? Kick ass.. right?? Not really.. coz when you realize that THIS is all what the movie offers especially given the responsibility it carries on its shoulder given the legacy of the franchise. It isnt just enough..

Secondly. set your expectations straight.. What do you want to see in a Terminator Movie?? Kick Ass action, Ammmazing Special Effects and Hard core Chase Sequences. and THATs all the movie delivers.

As far as the story goes. I am sure that nobody is bothered about it anyways. Terminator Series has never been known for its screenplay or storyline, but for its futuristic look, crazy action sequences and a bit of masala. This is no different but to be honest. FEEL NAHI AAYI YAAR.

For starters, it dint feel like a Terminator movie at all. The franchise is known for its hard core feel and not toyish stuff like the transformers.. This feels like the sequel of the latter more than the former. And i guess thats where the problem lies. No where in the movie you get the FEEL of the original series. It feels like a different movie altogether with just a couple of characters taken from the original. McG has its share of blame to take in this case. I mean he still has too much of Charlie's Angels in him left, to fit in the shoes of Mr Cameron.

The storyline is not relevant except that John Connor is all grown up and is fighting the machines in 2018. Rest is all the same. A Terminator is sent to kill him the only difference being that the terminator this time around is in the form of a spy and he (or rather IT) doesnt even know that he is a machine himself. He considers himself as a man full of emotions!!! Nice twist to the story.. Performance wise, there was nothing to mention, even Christian Bale couldnt do anything about it coz there was nothing in the movie that he COULD do too. Its not a character specific movie but Franchise specific.

The problem lies is the Zabardasti ka Masala too.. Arnie makes a guest appearance, just for the heck of it. and All the good work that is present in the first half wrt the special effects goes waste when the movie becomes a drag and starts preaching the basic difference between the man and the machine and blah blah blah starts. So much so that you stop empathizing with the characters too. The Final battle too doesnt impress much. I guess the movie should have ended at the interval and a lot of people would have come out of the show happier.

Bottomline: If you have wella time, some extra bucks, already seen other movies this weekend and are an ardent T-series fan. Go for it. But come out before the second half begins coz it spoils the amazing stuff portrayed in the first half. Dont apply brains. Dont care about the minute details. Just go for the mind blowing action and especially the moto-terminators, coz they ROCKK..

Feel-o-Meter : 6/10

Dev D: Mr Rahman here comes Mr Trivedi. Run and Hide!!!!!

Well.. Firstly, i know i am writing it like 6 months too late but what the heck. The FEEL is still the same. Most of us are already aware that it is a Sooooper Album and complements the movie in every way possible. Its like a central character in the movie itself and lyrics don't feel like songs but a narrative. Without the sound track, i guess its very difficult for somebody to actually even imagine the movie.

Dev D. is the most versatile and complete album that i have come across in a VERY VERY long time. I mean i am just crazy about every f**kin track. There is not even a single song out of the 18 on the album, which can be classified even as Average. It is just amazing how different can all 18 songs be from each other and Still bind the movie together.

Sometimes, i actually wonder if Amit Trivedi himself composed all the songs!!! Its very difficult to imagine somebody compose songs so different from each other and including genres like rock, pop, folk, bhangra, semi-classical and EVERYTHING works!!!!

I am not sure how many would have noticed the 'By Gods' in "Paayalia". I am amazed to even imagine how he would have actually thought of putting these words in the song randomly and it is nothing short of genius. I think the soul of the music lies in the how different instruments have been used so imaginitively together and Amit Trivedi manages to get just the right mix.

Emosanayal Atyachar which obviously is the most popular track of the album for its DIFFERENT brass band sound and since everybody has already heard it like a million times so no point discussing it further. But i must appreciate that even the rock version although doesnt give the full FEEL of an international rock band still is not that bad either.

Bhangra songs like Hikknaal and Mahi Menu are just as good as they come. Former is fully unadulterated and rustic, and latter is more on the UKish bhangra pop.

Pardesi's fusion FEEL with English Lyrics at the beginning and then completely to folkish stuff, Use of Electronics, Turntables along with Sitar is out of the world.

In terms of vocals too, Amit leaves his mark in ALL the songs that he has sung, be it Duniya (specially when he says Horran bajaye), Aankh Micholi, Nayan Tarse or Saali Khushi.

Now the problem is that i think i can deliver a lecture or write atleast a post for EACH of the track but i dont really if others get the same FEEL that i get from the album or not. So wont even talk about it anymore.

The bottomline is that arguably this is the BEST ALBUM by far since a pretty long and i am just in love with it and Amit Trivedi is nothing short of GOD in terms of versatility. I would love to see how he beats THIS the next time he composes. Mr Rahman, you've got competition!!!! and IF this is not a flash in the pan, Start worrying as well.. Because THE trivedi has arrived.

10 Things you never knew about Shiney Ahuja!!!

1. He likes stuff which is MAID in India!!
2. Because he is a self-MAID Man!!
3. His Favourite artist is Maid-onna!!
4. He's the only Indian, whom even Australians wont hate. Right 'Maid'???
5. If he goes to Big Brother, all 'house-maids' are gonna love him too!!
6. Soon, He'l be in Maid-ame Tussauds too!!
7. He is the second most popular RAPER after Eminem!!
8. He surely knows how to bowl a Maid-en over!!
9. In college, his favorite subject was Maid-a-physics!!!
10. Why is he called 'SHINEY'??? coz his maid keeps rubbing him all the time!!!

PS : Poor Shiney!!! But kya karein, FEEL aa gayi hogi ;-)

Wolverine: X Men Origins

I think the problem was with the expectations. I expected too much out of the movie. I mean, you take one of the finest action trilogies from hollywood and then base a movie on the most popular character of the series, the expectations were always supposed to be very high. So even though the movie is pretty good. When you go in the theater with such a high level of anticipation. 'Pretty Good' is just not enough.

The movie has got everything. From Spectacular Action sequences, Great Casting, Decent Story line, Phenomenal Special Effects. But Still... There is something missing. It promises so much and ends up with another 'good movie' feeling rather than 'Man, It was awesomme'.

Well. Nothing to mention about the storyline. As the name suggests, It talks about Wolverine's origin and is a prequel to the X men series. It talks about Love, Hatred, Revenge, Anger, Everything possible. But mentions everything so quickly that you seem to lose your way in the middle somewhere.

Technically, the cinematography is amazing. The Action sequences are spell binding. Special Effects too cool even for the current hollywood standards.

But the movie neither scores on the script nor on the performance. One thing thats worth mentioning is Hugh Jackman and the effort that he has put in to get his new physique. He surely gives our own Aamir 'Ghajini' Khan a run for his money. Man, He looks soo ammazing.

Bottom Line: If you have not seen earlier X Men movies. Dont get lost. Just enjoy the action and in case you are a woman then Hugh's huge muscles and come back. Dont apply too much brains and its gonna be worth it. 'Pretty Good' but not too great.

Star Trek

First, an honest confession.. I generally dont really like sci fi and action flicks, but still LOVED it..
Star Treak is not your regular run of the mill sci fi movie with great graphics, amazing sound track or crazy special effects. Actually its all that AND much more..

Its like a bollywood masala movie, with everything thrown into it. From Spell binding action sequeces to Great Emotional Connect. From a bit of rona dhona, senti wenti to Phenomenal Special Effects.. From poori Filmi Revenge ki kahaani to Ammazing One Liners..

Fulltoo paisa vasool and If you are a physics student (unlike me). You' get a lesson on two extra in the same ticket!!!

As far as i remember, Movie talks about the revenge of the villain who wants to destroy all the planets through a process by which he creates a black hole with in a planet and the planet consumes itself with in like what 10 seconds o something and blah blah blah.. etc etc... And the parallel track is obviously of kirk and spock with kirk's father's sacrifice for saving a few hundred and people etc etc and spock's' inherent dilemma wrt his half vulcan and half human identity. Add to that Well.. If the movie is as gripping, I dont really care about the part actually..

In short, The movie is fast paced. The script is tight. The action is sharp and the Adventure is captivating. Just go,sit back, Relax and Enjoy the ride. Ek baar to banta hai yaar..

Friend: Batla, why are you SO self obsessed?

Batla: Darling, If you were HALF as good as good as me, you would have been TWICE as self obsessed as i am right now!

Humbled

It was a very strange feeling sometime back. I was driving in the evening and at a usual red light, on a usual crossing, saw a very usual sight. Street 'unprivileged' Kids selling 'stuff' to us, the privileged ones. People shooing them away and the kids coming back with a stronger argument or their 'uncle please le lo na', 'aapki jodi bani rahe bhaiya', 'Didi aap le lo' etc etc. And then the prospective buyers just simply ignoring them, as if they dont exist, acting as if they have just developed a hearing problem and cant listen to them. But then i saw something unusual(to me atleast).

Amongst those kids, i saw this one kid about 12 years old selling pens with an inbuilt torch. The 'difference' was not about the uniqueness of the product promotion he was doing or the product itself. Butthere was a small thing which i noticed. The kid was in his school uniform with a bag on his shoulders. Within a second, i realized that the kid goes to the school in the afternoon and then sells these pens at this crossing.

Suddenly i could feel the whole weight of HIS bag on MY shoulders. Here I am who is never satisfied what he has. Someone who wants more and more and more and there is this kid, who despite all his troubles and problems is carrying the weight of the absence of a silver spoon in his mouth and doing whatever he can do in order to make a living for himself and may be his family.

All our life, we keep cribbing about stuff. We don have this, We dont have that. I deserve this but i cant have it. My friend has got a promotion and I havent. THAT guy drives a BMW at 25 and i drive an XYZ. Blah Blah Blah... Comparisons. and Cribbing have become a cornerstone of our lives. Being Ambitious is one thing but not living in the moment and only worrying about the future is other. The cliche of the glass being half full or half empty is so valid in this case.

Whenever i am in my car, on one hand i see a swanky new 7 Series and say darn.. Why cant have it NOW??? Why do i need to wait for say 15 years to get one for me??? and then i look the other way and see a family of 4 trying to fit themselves on a scooter or a motorcycle with one kid on the fuel tank, the other one in the mother's lap and father struggling to maintain his balance. Add to that the 40 degree temperature of Delhi.

Most of us complain that there is so much traffic on the roads in the evening and it takes me an hour to reach back home etc etc. But how many of us can even imagine how difficult it is to undergo the same journey in a bus.

I know i am sounding like an NGO worker and there is nothing that i am trying to preach too. It is just that i suddenly feel too humbled and lucky to be where I am. I think most of the cribbings in life can go away when we just look around and realized that life is not always like a bed of roses for 99% of the people of the world. We just have been lucky to have born in the families that we belong to and we cant thank God enough, for what we have. Just be thankful to Him for the tiny little comforts that he has bestowed us with and life will be that much more fun. Remember: Life is just the same, it depends on which perspective we want to see it from.

Defiance

"Our Revenge is to LIVE". This one dialogue describes Defiance to the core. The movie is about struggle and war but more than that, its a tale of survival, resistance and retaliation.

Its a True story of 1200 survivors, whose new generations spans tens of thousands people, who spent almost 2 and a half years in a forest in belarus post world war 2.

I dont know what is it that makes War movies great. Although Defiance is not in the same league as the finest, It still makes a mark and leaves you feeling for the families. Step by Step you start loving the 3 Bielski brothers (The leading one being Daniel Craig).

Performance wise, Daniel Craig, who portrays a spectrum of emotions from being an angry man who takes the revenge of his dead parents in cold blood, to the leader of the clan whose lone objective is to survive and to help others live.

But, i think the script overpowers the direction. The narrative and the story itself is so strong that you wish that the director takes the story in a different plain altogether, which just doesnt happen.

"We Jews are only good at dying". The words seem so tragic and hit just the right chord with the audience and thats where the movie scores. Overall a good movie worth a watch but not in the same league as Schindler's List. But i think the comparison itself is not fair.

Little Zizou

I know its quite late to review Little Zizou but heck ,there are no movies releasing these days because of the producers' tiff with the cinema halls.

Its a very simple and sweet movie set around the parsi community. There are no central characters in the movie, rather everyone is equally important, which actually does the trick for the movie. Honeslty speaking, there is nothing special that i found in the movie but its not bad either. Its like a collage or rather a sequence of events and there is nothing intellectual about it (in a positive way). Its not the kinda movie where in you come out of the hall with a thought or a new perspective. Its more like a short story rather than a classic novel. But ya, you do fall in love with the characters be it the Jahan (little zizou), Imaad Shah, Shernaz Patel or Boman Irani.

Although i have a strange smile on my face when the movie ends but may be being a punjabi i have not been able to identify with the bawas and bawis. I know, this is like a confused review but i dont really know if i love the movie or dont. Its somewhere in the middle. But ya, one time watch, definitely it is.

Barah Aana

Well, I don’t know whats wrong but may be these 'multiplex' movies are just bombarding the cinema screens with no sense of direction or purpose. Its more of a financial proposition rather than anything to do with movie making per se.

They are like 'Big Bazaar' sale. They cost less, Recover cost quickly because of one or two actors and provide some decent amount of profit for the producers. That’s it. I sometimes feel may be the phenomenon is nothing more than Mithun movies releasing every 15 days about 5 years back which cost less, had mithun as a crowd puller and made decent money. They are like the moving assembly line of Bollywood. But atleast, they provide platform to new age 'actors' (not stars mind you!!) to show case their talent.

Anyways, Coming back to the point, As far as the movie is concerned, Despite presence of actors like Naseeruddin Shah and Vijay Raaz, the movie is pretty ordinary. It talks about the constant struggle for people belonging to the lower income strata of society and how every day angst keeps getting accumulated and then burst like a volcano in the end. Movie simply puts one very straight forward point: There is a limit to every thing and EVERYONE has one's self respect.

Performance wise Naseeruddin Shah is good in his restrained performance. Due credit should go to him especially since he has almost no dialogues in the first half. Vijay Raaj also does justice to the role. Casting wise he is the obvious choice given his command over the UPish accent that he has and he delivers to the core. But isnt that expected from him and high calibered actors like Naseer???

May be since my expectations were too high and the movie just about matched it, so i wasnt too impressed. Its a good movie but i think takes too much time to establish characters and their struggles. Its too simple a tale to actually specially go and spend your money on it. Given the recession, Might as well buy (even better, Rent) the DVD (that too pirated) and save on the popcorn atleast (which sometimes cost more than the tickets!!!). Save money for the better days.

Gulaal: Colored me Red

Okay.. Describing this movie in a paragraph or two and doing justice to it is a daunting task in itself and then using the correct words for the description is even more difficult. After watching Dev D i thought Anurag Kashyap has given his best and then as most filmmakers he might not be able to top it up. But i was proved wrong and that too so soon.

The first word that comes to my mind is AMAZING. The whole thought which starts from a simple song by sahir ludhyanvi and then coming out with such a tight script is just a genius' work. And the layers in the movie where parallel lines are being simultaneously being portrayed in the constant struggle of the characters which coincide in the last part of the movie.

Most people (even those who have already seen the movie) think its about college politics or the struggle for a separate rajputana state and has a 70s struggling flavour to it. But in the end you realize that all those things are sub-plots and the movie is about a simple need of recognition as legitimate children for a brother-sister pair. They need that recognition and WILL get it at whatever cost possible.
And THATs the bottom line.

Technically by far among some of the best that i have witnessed, the sets, the colors used in the background from dark greens to yellows to bright reds are a part of the storyline itself. The usage of lights to accentuate sequences is just out of the world.

On the performance front, EVERYONE delivers. Be it kinda character roles by Abhimanyu Shekhar Singh (Rananjay), Deepak Dobriyal (Bhatti) or Piyush Mishra(Prithvi Singh) or the leading actors like Kay Kay Menon, Aditya Srivastava, Ayesha Mohan, Raj Singh Chaudhary.

Characterwise, Ayesha Mohan's character stands out. The layers that are shown both in terms of characterisation and portrayal is just awesome. The pain that is reflected by tears in her eyes in the last scene describe the struggle that she has grown up with every moment of her life.

I can go on and on and on.. The movie is just plain brilliant.. Period..

If you havent seen it. You have definitely missed out something.. Go grab a look before some new 'brilliant' commercial flick like Aa Dekhen Zara replaces it from the cinemas.. ;-)

Anywhere but Home

I generally like romantic comedies but this one just dint click for me. There is no comedy and absolutely no romance. Every romantic comedy has two very special ingredients 1. The Chemistry between the leading pair and 2. The presence of sweet incidents which stay with you after you come out of the theatre. The movie dint have either.

Reese and Vince just dont look like a couple. It appears as if they have been imported from different movies and have been placed in this one. Vince looks atleast 15 years older to Reese and is almost 1 and a half feet taller than her. It seems like the oddest couple imaginable.

It tries every trick in the book to tickle your funny bone. From Sexual encounters to Slapstick but nothing works. You come out of the hall minus the smile that is THE absolute necessity for every romantic comedy. There is a difference between being funny and being stupid. Absolute Rubbish..

DO NOT watch it. Rather Go have a coffee with your boy/girl friend.If you are a woman and single, Give me a call ;-)

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

Well.. An honest confession before i comment.I have never liked this Vampire, Monsters, Werewolves genre and its my first watch in the same league.
I wasnt impressed much as there is no story line, no sense of direction, no straight line of thought that binds the movie. It is just a sequence of events which is served with the usual masala of special effects, make up, sound engineering and pretty neat action sequences.
Movie just keeps wandering here and there, sometimes about the inner struggle of the main character and others the love between a vampire and a sort of werewolf. If you are thinking about serious cinema then its too obvious that you wont go and watch it.
But ya, If you are a bit stressed in this recession time and do not want to apply your brains and don give a damn about the story line and wanna feel relieved and do not have anything better to do, then Just go, Keep your brains aside, sit back, enjoy the ride, have some popcorn and come back.. Wont be too disappointed either.. ;-)

The Reader

The Reader is a tale of love between a 15 year old guy and a 30+ woman though its not a love story. It talks about war crime and holocaust and still not a war movie too. The tender intimacy of the love story gives the film its strongest moments. It’s a simple, sombre, soft, somewhat emotional but confused movie. Kate is phenomenal. Even the young David Kross has done his bit.

But if slightly slow paced movies are not your cup of tea then you better give it a miss. The movie has everything but still there is lot more which one feels missing. It just doesnt give THAT indescribable 'FEEL'. The Movie should be seen more for Kate's acting prowess rather than anything else

Aloo Chat

The movie is another COULD have been movie. It could have been a sweet love story. Could have been a laughter riot. Could have had great cameos. Could have been so much and ends as nothing. It tries too hard to showcase SOME amount of chemistry between Aftaab and Aamna. But to no avail. The movie has its funny moments but there are too sporadic and few.

Aamna Sharif should stick either to television soaps or rather to selling soaps and detergents in Television commercials as she looks as if she is posing rather than acting in every frame possible. Aftaab anyways has never been known for his acting skills. Both of them look good and thats it. The movie tries soo hard to tickle your funny bones but the jokes are just not funny.

May be i am being too harsh but i dont think the movie had any script of sense of direction where the movie was headed. May be it was only supposed to be a movie with funny moments which never took place. In short, Its like a big Vaccuum cleaner. It SUCKS. Aamna sharif should jump off a cliff and Aftaab should be thrown.