SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2019 (PAGE 4) MOVIE-REVIEW BOLLYWOOD-BUZZ Nothing substantial to offer "Grateful to be an alchemist for LAAL KAPTAAN is the story of revenge spanning a cou- Navdeep Singh's direction is highly disappointing. He ple of decades. The year is 1789, 25 years after Battle of had very weak material in his hand and moreover, he further Buxar. Hunter (Saif Ali Khan) is a Naga Sadhu who’s looking spoils the show with his execution. The film is extremely dry present day working women" for a man called Rehmat Khan (Manav Vij). Through Noor and slow and very few scenes arrest your attention. There’s Bibi (Sonakshi Sinha), Hunter finds out that Rehmat is a also an attempt to add humour with the character of the Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who completes grey part) to me half-way through the movie. And I governor of a kingdom somewhere in North India. At this tracker and by showing Pindaris, allied with the Maratha was so cool about it. Anything different has always time, the evil Rehmat takes away all the treasure of his king- army, as buffoons. But it just doesn’t impress. Even the 25 years in show business, says she is excited me," she said. dom and kills his servants. Along with his army, his confi- revenge bit looks silly as Hunter crosses paths with Rehmat grateful for the "unfading love" of fans The actor said it felt prophetic to voice Jolie's char- dant Aadham Khan (Aamir Bashir), his wife (Simone Singh), Khan twice and yet doesn’t kill him. that has helped her be "a bit of an alchemist" acter in Hindi as she had watched the film in the same wet nurse (Eshika De) and his newborn son, he abandons KAPTAAN has an intriguing beginning showing the week the offer came to her. the fort and is on a way to the banks of the river Yamuna. By flashback portion. Hunter’s entry is heroic but soon the film in the evolution of "us as women". the time Hunter reaches the fort, there’s no one except a falls flat and it remains that way till the end, save for a few "The idea of doing a voice-over than an actual per- widow (Zoya Hussain). Hunter gets injured while fighting minutes in between. The film is too long at 155 minutes and Aishwarya has been a part of the entertainment formance delivered by another actor was interesting some Pathans on the way and the widow takes care of him moves at a snail’s pace. The story moreover is very random industry since she won the Miss World title in 1994, and unique. It all happened very quickly and sudden- and treats his wounds. In return, she requests him to take and also quite confusing. Hence, it becomes difficult for which eventually led to her cinema debut three years ly. I surrendered to what I felt was some kind of her with him. Hunter refuses and yet, she follows him. After audiences to keep their interest. Also, it is bewildering that later with Mani Ratnam's Tamil political divine push." Hunter and the widow leave, a tracker (Deepak Dobriyal) Hunter is desperate to find Rehmat Khan since 25 years. drama "Iruvar". She made her Bol- Aishwarya revealed her daughter Aaradhya was And when he finally meets him, lywood debut the same year the most happy when she heard her talk about he never kills him. Audiences with "Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya". "Maleficent". would never be able to under- "Aaradhya and we loved 'Maleficent' as stand this factor. In the end, the "I am grateful to the reason is revealed but it’s very audience for their unfading a character." unconvincing and silly. love. The way they have There is an ongoing debate for better Talking of performances, Saif supported, embraced and written roles for women in cinema, Ali Khan genuinely puts up a encouraged me... I have something that Aishwarya believes will good show. His look is quite been loved and it is a continue for a while. dashing and he excels in action unique blessing," the actor "It is a discussion that is on-going in scenes. Manav Vij too does very told PTI in an interview. every industry. There is a definite urge well, as the baddie. His intense Aishwarya, 45, said eyes work very well for such for writers to write a lot more for roles. Deepak Dobriyal is mildly people initially did not women. To be able to do a lot more in amusing but in most scenes, his understand her motivation the narrative, actors will seek that. act doesn’t raise laughs. Zoya behind working in regional "Women writers say they want to be Hussain puts up a confident cinema or collaborating with encouraged by the system to write show. Simone Singh is decent. a certain director, but she freely without having to conform with Aamir Bashir and Eshika De are liked exploring new paths in what investors perceive might work and passable. Neeraj Kabi (Sadullah her career. Khan) gives a nice performance "Right now, I will be work- women filmmakers want to tell a story in a cameo and same goes for ing with Mani Ratnam for what it is." Chetan Hansraj (Sangram because I want to work him. But she believes for such stories to Singh) and Ajay Paul (Thakur). It is a simple earnest reason work at the box office, audience sup- who’s an expert in finding out whereabouts with the help of Vibha Rani (Laal Pari) is quite scary as clairvoyant but the port is important. his smelling power and pet dogs, reaches the fort. In some director misses the bus here as he could have done a lot with to do the film and that's how time, the Marathas attack the fort and the tracker agrees to this character. Madan Deodhar (Maratha captain) is appro- I have worked over the years. "If the audience is coming help them find Rehmat. Rehmat was to give a portion of the priate and he’s the only one who manages some laughs. "I am very grateful that I and watching these treasure to the Marathas but since he didn’t, they are trying Henry Douthwaite (British officer Theodore Munro) has kind of had the opportunity to be a films, there will be to find him. Meanwhile, a few days later, the Hunter reach- nothing much to do. Sonakshi Sinha is wasted and is there bit of an alchemist in little more writers. The es the place where Rehmat and his army have camped for for just one scene. changes and discoveries or audience needs to the night. Hunter quietly enters Rehmat’s tent but he does- Samira Koppikar's music is nothing great and songs are the evolution of us as respond and they n’t kill him, which has always been his sole aim since 25 badly used. 'Taandav' sounds exhilarating but comes at a women in the present years. Rehmat’s army nabs Hunter but Rehmat doesn’t want very confusing point in the movie. 'Red Red Najariya' could say they are sup- him eliminated. He wants to know who exactly is Hunter have made for a great item song but is played just for a few time in our work porting but it and why he wants to kill him. Rehmat is also reminded that seconds and hence, wasted. 'Kaal Kaal' and 'Lahu ka Rang field. I don't doesn't trans- six years ago, he had crossed paths with Hunter and the lat- Kara' don’t make the desired impact. Benedict Taylor and want to ques- late to num- ter had told him that he’ll finish him. Even then, Hunter had Naren Chandavarkar's background score is in sync with the tion it," she bers. So it is a spared him. What happens next forms the rest of the film. film’s mood. added. bit of a vicious circle. Deepak Venkatesha and Navdeep Singh's story is very Shanker Raman's cinematography is spectacular and the It will be Aishwarya's fourth collaboration with "But at this side of the table, everybody is seeking a poor and gives a déjà vu of certain period films of Bollywood film is shot in some virgin locales. Rakesh Yadav's produc- Ratnam after "Iruvar", "Guru" and "Raavan". lot of opportunities as one would. This is happening and also Hollywood. Deepak Venkatesha and Navdeep tion design is authentic. Darshan Yewalekar's hair design One of the first female stars from the Hindi cinema in the West very strongly. That's why there are a lot of Singh's screenplay is confusing and ineffective. The film has and Dhananjay Prajapati's makeup is spot on, especially in to cross over to the West with films such as "Pink too many tracks and except Hunter’s track, none of them are case of Saif. Maxima Basu Golani's costumes too are straight bodies over there to encourage women as there are a Panther", "Mistress of Spices" and "Bride & Preju- interesting. Also, the transition between tracks is not out of the 18th century India. Illusion Ethereal's VFX is fine lot more opportunities in various vocations of film- smooth. There’s a twist in the tale revealed in the pre climax but could have been better in some scenes. Jabeen dice", Aishwarya has now lent her voice for Angelina Jolie in the Hindi dubbed version of Disney's "Malefi- making. I hear a lot of that (happening) here as well.