#MOVIEREVIEW – #PHILLAURI – (2017)

Today we are here the review of a movie released this Friday with a lot of buzz around it. Yes, I am talking about PHILLAURI (2017), a romantic comedy with a cute ghost starring Anushka Sharma, Diljit Dosanjh, Suraj Sharma & Mehreen Pirzada in lead roles. Co-produced by Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma & Fox Star Studios and directed by debutant Anshai Lal, PHILLAURI is inspired by Tim Burton’s animated film Corpse Bride.

PLOT:

Kannan (Suraj Sharma), a Canada return boy, is getting married to his high school girl friend Anu (Mehreen Pirzada) at Amritsar. However, Kanan is reluctant for getting marriage due to some internal conflicts and also he has picked up few western habits including intake of weed during his stay at Canada for three years. After declared as ‘Maanglik’, he is asked to marry a tree in order to solve his post-marraige problems. After resisting first, Kanan married a tree after the pressure from the family. Later, he came to know that eventually he had married a ghost Shashi (Anushka Sharma), who was residing on the fateful tree from the last 98 years.

Kannan finds it difficult to explain his encounter with ghost to his family and Anu. Shashi (the ghost) also helps Kannan in improving their relation. Shashi tells him about her 98 years old love story with a local singer ‘Fillauri’ of her village.  What was their story? How she died? For it you have to watch the movie.

ANALYSIS:

Anvita Dutta plays with the concept of love in two separate time frames. While the new age couple is marrying after the years of courtship, but the Shashi and her lover have to bear a beating from her elder brother. During the whole movie, there is a constant flip flop from the present story to the past story.

Kannan’s character is a confused personality whereas Anu has dreamed only of marrying with Kannan. While talking of past couple, Shashi and her love are quite opposite to each other, where Fillauri wants  to prove he is worthy of her and gives up all his ill habits. The contrast of both the stories is beautifully shown.

The first scene of Kannan’s dream is very beautiful and show us his state of mind. Kannan’s encounter with Shashi is funny. The chemistry between Anushka and Diljit is also looking nice.

Few scenes linger too long where your patience runs out. The movie is slow and the second half of the movie seems overstretched and at times I feel that there is something missing in the past story of Anushka and Diljit.

The poetries of Fillauri are beautiful and so is the music which complimented well to the story. Cinematography is good and so are the visual effects.

WHAT’S GOOD:

Phillauri is entertaining all through and Anushka is delightful as the bride ghost.

UNINTERESTING:

Film seems stretched at times in the second half particularly during the end. The past love story of Shashi-Phillauri should have given more space. The concept was nice but there is something missing in the story.

STAR PERFORMANCES:-

Anushka Sharma pulls off a nice act as a ghost. She also looked good in her role in the flashback. But I can say that her complete skills couldn’t be exploited in the present movie.

Diljit Dosanjh is a treat to watch in the movie. He beautifully carries the character of change of heart and performs the transformation quite efficiently.

Suraj Sharma aptly portrays the confused NRI. However, he doesn’t look appropriate as a lead actor.

Mehreen Pirzada also played her charcter beautifully.

FINAL WORDS:

A NICE MOVIE FOR REGULAR MOVIE GOERS, GOOD ENTERTAINMENT VALUE... A LOVE GHOST TO WATCH... BUT THERE IS SOMETHING MISSING IN THE STORY.....

My ratings for this movie is 2.6 out of 5 stars.

So keep following the page, good day till the next review

Bogal | R E V I E W S

#MOVIEREVIEW – #BADRINATH KI DULHANIA – (2017)

Today we are here with the 2^nd instalment of a franchise that began with HUMPTY SHARMA KI DULHANIA in 2014 and named BADRINATH KI DULHANIA (2017). The movie is a rom-com starring Varun Dhawan & Alia Bhat is directed by Shashank Khaitan and produced by the Karan Johar. Inspite of humour and the movie is herewith a social message of independent life and equal opportunities for girls. The movie has touched many things such as Gender issues, Feminism, consent, dowry.

PLOT:

Set in small towns of Jhansi and Kota where patriarchy is obvious as a crack of dawn, the movie revolves around Badrinath (Varun Dhawan), a Sahukar’s son and a middle class girl Vaidehi (Alia Bhatt). Badri, who is looking for a bride accidently finds Vaidehi in a marriage and falls for him. He somehow tried to manage his love at first sight into an arrange marriage due to the fear of his Patriarch father but Vaidehi was not ready for marriage due to her broken heart. Badri helps Vaidehi and her family in arranging his own marriage and marriage of her elder sister but after that there is a twist which turns the yet humorous movie into a serious one.

ANALYSIS:

The character of Alia is backbone of the movie. She emotes well, she is fierce and real; a girl who is pushed down who gets back up, who protects her dream and doesn’t have emotionally weak and lived up to her dreams. Varun & Alia as a couple are also looked well once again on silver screen.

From the very first scene, we are shown how in most cases, a boy is considered an asset and a girl child as Liability. Some scenes may have been omitted such as scene where Badri put Vaidehi in a dicky of a car in anger. The first half of the movie is loaded with funny dialogues whereas the second one is full on emotional and leaves social impact. The climax seems little bit over dramatic.

The film at no point of time become moralistic, it kept its main theme of entertainment complemented with nice and songs, comic scenes and powerful performances of supporting cast. Scenes where Badri apologized Somdev after he slapped him is also good one.

WHAT’S GOOD:

Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan’s chemistry with a strong message.

UNINTERESTING:

Till when bollywood heroes follow girls who are not interested in them.

STAR PERFORMANCES:-

Varun Dhawan as Badri Nath is quite good enough. His comic timings is also spot on.

Alia Bhatt again steals the show with her stellar performance as Vaidehi. Her chemistry with Varun is also awesome.

Sahil Vaid as Somdev, Badri’s buddy also played a spectacular performance.

Yash Sinha and Shweta Basu Prasad also performed the good acts.

FINAL WORDS:

FULL ON ENTERTAINMENT WITH COMEDY, SOCIAL MESSAGE, WHAT YOU NEED IN A MOVIE GUYS.... WATCH ITTT....

My ratings for this movie is 3.6 out of 5 stars.

So keep following the page, good day till the next review

Bogal | R E V I E W S

Reality and so-called ideals: Dowry

It was about 8:00 a.m. in the morning and I was taking my bed tea. I received a phone call from Akash, my school time friend.

“What are you doing at home till now? I need you here, come fast” he told me and before I could say anything hung up the phone.

Akash Sharma is very close friend of mine from my school days. I was a mediocre student and he was an intelligent guy and now he works as an officer in a Govt. Department.

His marriage ceremony shall be held tomorrow and the marriage rituals/programme shall commence from today onwards and he has requested me accompany him in whole marriage rituals etc. till the end.

Akash Sharma is going to marry Shivani Dutta, a common friend to both of us from our College. They both like each other from college days itself but didn’t confess each other. Few months ago they decided to marry and I had to play the role of a matchmaker to convince Akash’s parents for their marriage as they are very strict and stereotypes even if there was no angle of inter-religion or inter-caste in their marriage.

I left my tea and take a bath in a hurried manner. While changing clothes, I said to my wife, “It would not be possible for you to go with me in such hurried manner.  Anyhow, when will you reach there?”

“I am interested even to go so early there; you go and enjoy your friend’s company. By the way, what is schedule of Shagun?” she asked.

“May be around 12:00 noon” I said.

“Then we will be there around 12:30 p.m.,” she replied.

After waiting for long, Shivani’s family members arrived Akash’s house at around 1:00 p.m. for Shagun ceremony alongwith sweets, fruits and traditional ‘Shagun ki thaali’ for tilak.

As soon as Duttas reached Sharma’s house, there was a buzz in the air. Many from Sharma family and their close relatives were murmuring that Duttas have came for shagun with empty hands (without gifts). In the meanwhile, one aunty among them said, “they must have brought gifts in the form of gold for Akash and his family.”

The news reached to Akash’s father like a wild fire and he instead of attending the guests sprinted towards his wife.

“What our relatives will think that where we are going to marry our son?” said Akash’s father to his wife.

“How shamelessly they have come for shagun with empty hands. Have they not even attended any Shagun ceremony?” said Akash’s mother.

“We have not demanded anything but they should have taken into consideration that how well qualified son-in-law they are getting” said Akash’s father.

I overheard the conversation between Uncle and Aunty & was reminded of the day when Shivani’s father and Uncle had come to meet Akash’s family to discuss execution of marriage between Akash and Shivani.

With folded hands Shivani’s father had asked for any demands from Akash’s family in the form of dowry as it is prevalent in the society.

But the Akash’s father refused and said, “We are not conservative and have everything in our home, we only need your daughter in two pair of dresses.”  

I was unhappy on hearing this and so would be Shivani when she came to know about it as she is a confident young girl who believes in equal rights for womenfolk.

I rushed towards Akash and told the whole stuff to him and asked to handle the situation but he behaved very strangely.

He said, “I can’t interfere in the elders’ decision as our customs don’t allow us to do so.”

“Are you the same person who was the torch-bearer for us in fighting social evils like Dowry?” I replied him in rage.

“There is a difference between Idealist lectures and life. Today if I somehow manage to persuade my family it could be difficult for Shivani to adjust with my family in future,” he cut me off and went towards his parents leaving me still in shocked state.

Then I was reminded of the day of my own Shagun ceremony.

Me and my family had already requested time and again to my in-laws to refrain away from Dowry or any such things but they still have come up with gold bracelet for me and attempted to gift it to me to which I very gently refused as I firmly believe ‘Dowry’ as a social curse. I know my family also supported my call but it was me and only me (though being a shy person) who has to take a stand against dowry.

I was still floating in my thoughts and was revived by Shivani’s younger brother, Sidharth. He said, “Bhaiya, I heard everything and had a chat in this regard with Papa. He has already managed to purchase Gold bracelet for Akash and other electronic gadgets from a friend’s shop and all the stuff would be here in sometime.”

The present situation was handled by Shivani’s family and they will also handle the whole marriage ceremony as they are well off but the problem is for those families who can’t afford dowry in race to those who can afford.

But I am surprised about Akash and other such guys like him who besides loving Shivani didn’t support her family and take a stand against Dowry even he understands the gravity of effects of Dowry to the society, being an educated person he is.

Dowry is a crime under Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 but we as a society are the social offender/s of it. Our young generation has to come forward and stop this curse to our society so that domestic violence and dowry deaths could be stopped.

                                                                                                                                -  S D BOGAL