Raaz the mystery continuous Review

RAAZ
Perhaps, the title 'Raaz' should've got everyone's adrenalines shot-up, anticipating it to be a stupefying ride of roller-coaster. Well, the 'Bhatt' factor seems to spell tremendous magic when it comes to 'Horror'. Of course, who can refuse it or forget the most scintillating horror flicks released by the 'Bhatts'. Years back it was 'Raaz' and then '1920' had us tied to our seats and now 'Raaz – The Mystery continues' isn't an elision.

Mohit Suri brims with a commendable directorial and precisely, he strikes with a decent effort on all quotients. Not only does this flick include a gripping screenplay; his top-notch designing of the technical aspects of cinematography and background score too has us raising our hands for a grand applause.

Does 'Raaz – The Mystery Continues' offer a never-seen-before show of an exceptional storyline? Nah! You've the clichéd plotline of a ghost's unaccomplished desire for seeking revenge. But, the difference comes in the form of the unique intentions of a thirsty soul. Don't get surprised to experience certain replicas of 'The Exorcist', or the Recent Hollywood releases 'Mirrors' or 'Stigmata'. With all these properties Mohit Suri doesn't get you disappointed at any moment of the show.

Precisely, at particular points we've him getting through the lines of the 'classic-horror touch' that'll let your nerves frizzled and move you to the edge of your seats. Looking for an illustration; Uh-huh! Kangana's bathtub sequences, Adhyayan Suman dropping cash from an ATM Machine, they are sure to horripilate your senses.

A successful model Nandita (played by Kangana Ranaut) is in love with a creative director of a television program, Yash (played by Adhyayan Suman). Everything is fine and cool until Nandita's life takes a dramatic turn when she meets an artist, Prithvi (played by Emraan Hashmi). He tells Nandita that all the paintings he has made on her are getting disfigured which spells impending danger for her. Initially, she does not believe him but then she starts facing horrifying situations herself. After this, hell breaks loose and an unstoppable storm begins. Thus unfolds some of the most thrilling horror sequences of Bollywood with 'Raaz – The Mystery Continues…'

Kudos to Kangana, Emraan and Adhyayan; they are 'wordlessly stupendous,' showcasing their brilliant performances. Kangana engrosses with her fantabulous actions as a scary girl on the pursuit of detangling the dark-hidden mysteries. Watch her scream while on her anesthesia, they're tremendous getting you awestruck. Obviously, it's a million-dollar expression. On the pars, we have a flabbergasting performance by Emraan Hasmi in a silent-stubborn guy bounded with inscrutable looks. Possibly, Mohit Suri seems to have been vividly influenced by Ed Norton's looks in 'The Illusionist'. Thus getting similar makeovers for Emraan... Doesn't look like a debut show, but a decorous act by Adhyayan. Emoting to different situations of joy, horror and pain, he's patently colossal. Jackie Shroff does justice in his minimal role.

When it's a horror flick, everyone's gotta follow Hitchcock's traits of coalescing the factors of 'foreshadowing', 'pre-planting' and what else? Shuddery twists and turns with shocks 'n' surprisals. Mohit Suri doesn't tread away from the master's theory. If he had penned an impaling screenplay sans unwanted songs and presenting a fine-ending, things would've been far better than the present scenarios.

In fact, a 'horror' doesn't strike richer without perfect musical scores and a spellbinding cinematography. Of course, it's the most innovative angle-moves that fling such a feel… Ravi Waliah's cinematography is top-notch, particularly in the exotic locales.

A short-break from horror is offered through the songs 'Soniyo' [Raju Singh] and 'Maahi' [Sharib-Toshi]. The background scoring is stunningly prodigious enhancing the visuals, especially on scary sequences.

On the whole, 'Raaz – The Mystery Continues' is a superb horror flick with few middling attributes. Although it doesn't happen to be as powerful as '1920', it's worth watching for the enchanting directorial of Mohit Suri.

Victory movie Review

Victory
Cast: Harman Baweja, Amrita Rao, Anupam Kher,Gulshan Grover,Dilip Tahil
Direction: Ajitpal Mangat
Production: Manmohan Shetty, Ajitpal Mangat

It happens to be a welcome First Friday for a couple of debutant filmmakers in Bollywood. Yup! If Zoya Akhtar does it with 'Luck By Chance', Ajithpal Mangal takes on with 'Victory'. Perhaps, film 'n' cricket buffs were elated picking on 'Lagaan' and 'Iqbal'. These flicks had much more about the emotional side touching the poignant theme of unity and integrity. Well, real biggies on cricket field teaming up for 'Victory' got our adrenalines shot up expecting a much greater show. Unfortunately, the film doesn't gratify to audiences' interest in many vistas.

In fact, a film made on 'Cricket' has the clichéd formula of protagonist peaking with triumph as there aren't any other options. 'A Hero Must-Win' factor always persists in any sports-based films and 'Victory' isn't elision. No fault in the script penned; but the lengthy duration of 155 minutes of 'Rise of the Phoenix' story does get everyone annoyed with more fidgetiness.

Ok! In India, cricket is much more than just a game; it is a passion, an obsession, a religion! Millions of youngsters, in all the corners of the country dream of playing for India! A dream which incredibly only one in every 100 million realizes.

'Victory' is the story of a father, Ram Shekhawat (Anupam Kher), who saw such an impossible dream for his son! This is also the heroic story of his son Vijay Shekhawat (Harman Baweja). Hailing from the small town of Jaisalmer, Vijay Shekhawat becomes India's latest world-class batting sensation and is catapulted to superstardom!

But it is the glamour and the glitter of this very demigod status that makes the young, vulnerable small-town boy Vijay stray from his true vocation of cricket. Unfortunately this leads to a loss of focus and to a miserable drop in his performance. But by the time Vijay realizes the error of his ways, it is too late and he finds himself thrown out of the Indian cricket team because of disciplinary reasons. Suddenly the hero of the cricket crazy India becomes a villain in everyone's eyes. His father Ram Shekhawat's dreams are shattered and suffer a paralytic stroke.

This tragedy awakens Vijay's conscience and sense of honor. He wants to redeem himself in the eyes of his father and every Indian. Against great odds, he once again makes it back to the Indian team and gets to play in the finals of the Champion's trophy against Australia where he plays a stellar role in enabling India to win the Trophy. In the emotionally moving final, in spite of being hospitalized mid-innings because of an injury, Vijay returns to bat, risking permanent injury, when India are nine down, to pull off an impossible victory against the world champion, Ricky Ponting's Australia.

In this match Vijay Shekhawat fulfils his father's dreams and enters the pantheon of Indian cricket.

Harman Baweja looks amateurish performing as a cricketer on the grounds. It doesn't matter about his batting skills, but on many parts he fails to emote as an aggressive guy or an elated one. Sweating in liters and rolling eyes-all over doesn't offer a tensed look. Perhaps, watching at least couple of real matches could've got him the psychological feel of emotions displayed on the grounds. Of course, even in most of the sequences outside the field, he isn't up with finesse. Amrita Rao has nothing big to spell apart from supporting the hero and appearing in songs. Gulshan Grover does justice to his role, with this one the farthest distance away from his previous one 'Karzzz'. A flawless performance by Anupam Kher.

Getting on with Debutant Ajithpal Mangal; dealing with a complicated theme with real life characters makes his deserve a grand round of applause. But, the director doesn't accomplish his directorial task so effectively. Especially, his sluggish screenplay in the latter half offers nothing more than boredom to the audiences. Sometimes you yawn and are restless and the scenario seems to be quite different during penultimate scenes as he makes a good comeback with the climax. But every best effort gets weakened due to the irksome screenplay. Not alone Ajithpal, Kannan Iyer too needs to be blamed for it.

Anu Malik doesn't come up with an extraordinary musical on both the songs as well as the background score. Apart from a couple of songs, 'Balla Utha' and 'Money Money', nothing is quite worthy heeding. Cinematography and editing, to a certain extent is commendable, but only a few computer generated works are quite laudable.

On the whole, 'Victory' could have made it bigger on the screens if the entire team had worked on an effective preproduction. Apart from this, it's a film worth watching for the different attempt by this debut filmmaker. Though loaded with more favorite cricketers on the screen, the film lacks solidity on many quotients.