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meetu — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 12:27:40 +0000

Dear Readers,

As you might already know, I recently revamped the site ‘Without Giving the Movie Away’ - the hindi movie review site you have been subscribed to.

Please ignore this note, if you are subscribed to the new feed. That is if you visited the new site and subscribed to any of the feeds in the subscription box, please ignore the following. If you didn’t do that there’s some good news and some bad news.

Since the website address has moved from its long name to www.wogma.com the subscription details will change too. For technical reasons you will need to subscribe to a new wogma feed. I’m extremely sorry for the inconvenience this may cause.

But, there’s good news too! You now have a choice.

E-mail subscribers:

If you wish to continue getting e-mails with the latest updates on wogma like you have been so far, click here for ‘all content’
If you want to get only reviews, you now have an option to do that. Just click here for ‘only reviews’
If you want to get only non-reviews, like the buzz (preview posts), essays, etc you can do that. Click here to get ‘only features’

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You can subscribe to:

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And the bad news of course is, I will stop updating the old feed on Feb 25th. Hurry up, and join us at our new location!!

Thanks for your cooperation and hope to see you on the new feeds,

- meetu

Update your subscription please

meetu — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:33:30 +0000

Dear Readers,

As you might already know, I recently revamped the site ‘Without Giving the Movie Away’ - the hindi movie review site you have been subscribed to.

But, there’s good news too! You now have a choice.

E-mail subscribers -

If you wish to continue getting e-mails with the latest updates on wogma like you have been so far, click on - http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WogmaAll
If you want to get only reviews, you now have an option to do that by clicking on http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WogmaReviews

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If you are subscribed using RSS feeds, you have more choices!! You can subscribe to -

all wogma content at http://feeds.feedburner.com/WogmaAll
only reviews at http://feeds.feedburner.com/WogmaReviews
only non-reviews (Buzz, interviews, essays) at http://feeds.feedburner.com/WogmaFeatures

And the bad news of course is, I will stop updating the old feed on Feb 15th. Hurry up, and join us at our new location!!

Thanks for your cooperation and hope to see you on the new feeds.

meetu

Note to wogma subscribers

meetu — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 09:53:11 +0000

Dear subscribers,

We are shifting base and are very excited about it too!! We have a spanking new site with the same content but more features at http://wogma.com

But like all changes, this one too will cause some inconvenience to a few of us. We tried our best to avoid it, but as it turns out we couldn’t. So here goes -

E-mail subscribers: You don’t need to do anything, you have automatically been added to receive all published posts by e-mail. But, you should check out the new site, I’m sure you’ll enjoy the experience.

RSS feed subscribers: You have more choices now! You can either subscribe to -

All content at http://feeds.feedburner.com/WogmaAll to your feeds or
Only reviews at http://feeds.feedburner.com/WogmaFeatures or
Only features (all non-review articles) at http://feeds.feedburner.com/WogmaFeatures

Do give little wogma a dekko, and let us know what you think.

I’ll stop publishing new posts on Withoutgivingthemovieaway.com shortly, so the old feed won’t get any posts in about a week.

Thanks for your cooperation and extremely sorry for the inconvenience!

meetu

Jumbo - To Each His Own

meetu — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:38:32 +0000

Meetu’s Review: With a dearth of good Hindi movies in this genre, this one might as well be what kids deserve this holiday!

Rating: Wait for video release (Rating Scale)

See full review

Here is what 11 other reviewers/viewers think. Average rating 3.0 / 5.0: 3 thumbs up, 7 so-so, 1 thumbs down.
Warning: clicking on “See full review” will take you to an external website which could contain spoilers.

Click here for meetu’s full review of this movie.

Sanjay Ram, Business of Cinema Rating: So-So …While a Roadside Romeo displayed quality work from Indian animators, Jumbo explores the weaving of emotions into such films…. See full review	Suranjani Nandi, Buzz18 Rating: So-So …The animation is good. It may not match up a Surf’s Up but is light years advanced than Dasavatar… See full review
Rajeev Masand, IBN Live Rating: So-So …A typical coming-of-age drama told in a simple, straight style, Jumbo has some respectable animation, but lacks the edge that is required to make it an engaging enough watch…. See full review	Taran Adarsh, IndiaFM Rating: Thumbs up …UMBO has the trappings of a typical Hindi film. There’s revenge, romance, emotions, action… plus, the voiceovers by several top names… See full review
Indiaglitz Rating: So-So …Voices of Dimple Kapadia and Lara Dutta are off mediocre while Gulshan Grover’s voice sans intonation doesn’t suit for the characterization… See full review	Gaurav Malani, indiatimes Rating: So-So … Jumbo isn?t as hugely entertaining as the title suggests…. See full review
Janhvi Patel, indya.com Rating: So-So …Children will like the movie because the visuals are pleasing enough. Adults on the other hand will only find Jumbo very cute…. See full review	Sukanya Verma, Rediff Rating: Thumbs up …Plot-wise, Jumbo is a stereotypical revenge drama. Even so, this time it’s a sweet-looking elephant and not a gun-toting Amitabh Bachchan… See full review
Sonia Chopra, Sify Movies Rating: Thumbs down …The film is clearly too simplistic and boring…. See full review	SmasHits.com Rating: Thumbs up …he salient features of ‘Jumbo’ include a song choreographed by Ahmed Khan and also Akshay Kumar’s scenes that fascinate all, irrespective of age and sex…. See full review
Janhvi Patel, StarBoxOffice Rating: So-So …Child artiste Ashar Shaikh and Akshay Kumar who provide the voices for Jumbo are excellent,… See full review

Back to meetu’s review.

Jumbo - Review

meetu — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:38:26 +0000

Rating:

Wait for video release (Rating Scale)

Movie Info, Detailed ratings, To each his own, Parental Guidance

not bad but not new either

Quick Review

With a dearth of good Hindi movies in this genre, this one might as well be what kids deserve this holiday!

Rating: Wait for video release (Rating Scale)

In absolute terms Jumbo, the baby elephant will keep kids good company. But relatively speaking it doesn’t have the zing of The Lion King or the wit and sensitivity of Finding Nemo, two movies the plot seems to have tried to combine.

On the look for his missing father, Jumbo loses his way and is torn apart from his mother too. What more can a child identify with? Separation from parents - the biggest fear and the most traumatic nightmare imaginable. Going ahead too, the plot is not treated with kid gloves. It stays pretty close to dark. That makes it a kids’ movie that respects the target audience’s intelligence even if the subtlety is not noticed by them.

And yet they need the fun and energy, which I think is missing. That kids might not miss it at all, is a completely different matter. The story doesn’t have anything new, but then kids love repetition. And hey, it is, in fact better than the alternatives produced in recent times. So, it all depends on what you are comparing it too. There are enough on either side of the scale and Jumbo stands pretty much in the middle.

Same goes for the animation, it wasn’t entirely appealing. Elephants with long legs, wide eyes, and out of proportion trunks were not pleasing to watch, even if it was only for 90 minutes. Same goes for other animals sketched out. I liked the concept of elephants in multiple colors though. A comment on how the species stays united despite the variation in skin color?

In my mind voices of characters are done well, if I have to try hard to recognize the voice - it seems familiar but I cant spot it because of the modulation. So, when a Gulshan Grover does a Gulshan Grover and Rajpal Yadav and Asrani too play themselves, I find it mundane if not annoying. On the other hand despite the tremendous publicity Akshay Kumar and Dimple Kapadia got, they sounded like supposedly-cute elephants would if they could speak. Their inflections sounded convincing.

On the Hindi animation scene for kids, there isn’t much happening - especially non-mythological. In that sense, it is good to have Jumbo dubbed with the right amount of star value. But otherwise, there isn’t anything remarkably different about the story or the animation.

Parental Guidance:Violence: Fair amount of war scenes.
Concept: Separation from and death of a dear one.

Click here to see what 11 other reviewers/viewers think. Average rating 3.0 / 5.0: 3 thumbs up, 7 so-so, 1 thumbs down.
If you enjoyed reading this, please help maintain this site with a donation

- Meetu, a part of the audience

Rating:

Wait for video release (Rating Scale)

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction: 2.5	Story: 3
Lead Actors: 3.5	Supporting Cast: 2
Dialogues: 1	Screenplay: 2
Music: 2	Lyrics: 2

Jumbo - Details

Lead Actors: Akshay Kumar, Lara Dutta

Supporting Cast: Dimple Kapadia, Gulshan Grover, Rajpal Yadav

Music Director: Ram Sampat

Lyrics: Asif Ali Baig, Israr Ansari, Munna Dhiman

Genre: Animation, Kids

Official Website: Jumbo

Duration: 1:25 hrs (approx.)

Jumbo - Review

meetu — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 19:27:27 +0000

Rating:

Wait for video release (Rating Scale)

Movie Info, Detailed ratings, Parental Guidance

not bad but not new either

Quick Review

With a dearth of good Hindi movies in this genre, this one might as well be what kids deserve this holiday!

Rating: Wait for video release (Rating Scale)

In absolute terms Jumbo, the baby elephant will keep kids good company. But relatively speaking it doesn’t have the zing of The Lion King or the wit and sensitivity of Finding Nemo, two movies the plot seems to have tried to combine.

On the look for his missing father, Jumbo loses his way and is torn apart from his mother too. What more can a child identify with? Separation from parents - the biggest fear and the most traumatic nightmare imaginable. Going ahead too, the plot is not treated with kid gloves. It stays pretty close to dark. That makes it a kids’ movie that respects the target audience’s intelligence even if the subtlety is not noticed by them.

Parental Guidance:

Violence: Fair amount of war scenes.
Concept: Separation from and death of a dear one.

If you enjoyed reading this, please help maintain this site with a donation

- Meetu, a part of the audience

Rating:

Wait for video release (Rating Scale)

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction: 2.5	Story: 3
Lead Actors: 3.5	Supporting Cast: 2
Dialogues: 1	Screenplay: 2
Music: 2	Lyrics: 2

Jumbo - Details

Lead Actors: Akshay Kumar, Dimple Kapadia

Supporting Cast: Gulshan Grover, Lara Dutta, Rajpal Yadav

Music Director: Ram Sampat

Lyrics: Asif Ali Baig, Israr Ansari, Munna Dhiman

Genre: Animation, Kids

Official Website: Jumbo

Duration: 1:25 hrs (approx.)

Ghajini - To Each His Own

meetu — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 16:21:01 +0000

Meetu’s Review: That I didn’t realize how my 3+ hours passed by is testimony to the fact that you can’t take the love for masala out of this Indian. Even though I usually don’t like this combination of spices I found myself enjoying most of Ghajini. The thriller succeeded in getting me anxious but the seasoning left a bad after-taste.

Rating: Wait for video release (Rating Scale)

See full review

Here is what 41 other reviewers/viewers think. Average rating 3.4 / 5.0: 21 thumbs up, 14 so-so, 6 thumbs down.
Warning: clicking on “See full review” will take you to an external website which could contain spoilers.

Click here for meetu’s full review of this movie.

Lipika Varma, AOL INDIA Rating: Thumbs up …Ravi Chandran’s cinematography is excellent and AR Rahman’s music is top-notch…. See full review	N K Deoshi, Apun Ka Choice Rating: Thumbs up …If you can digest an overdose of physical violence, then Ghajini is a film you shouldn?t miss… See full review
Sanjay Ram, Business of Cinema Rating: Thumbs up …Intelligent, violent and packed with a freshness that Hindi cinema hasn’t seen in a long time is what Ghajini offers…. See full review	Anand Vaishnav, Buzz18 Rating: So-So …This star driven, mega hyped action flick is an Aamir Khan vehicle from start to finish…. See full review
Deep, Deep’s Home Rating: Thumbs up …Amir Khan was superb.. award winning performance.. Asin did not have much to do but she was good at whatever she did?… See full review	fullhyd.com Rating: So-So …most of the reason you enjoy Ghajini is how much you’ve been made to await for it… See full review
Martin D’Souza, Glamsham.com Rating: Thumbs up …The action is slick, the fight sequences powerful, almost giving you a Jean Claude Van Damme impact…. See full review	Hindustan Times Rating: Thumbs down …you?d like to give Ghajini a long-term memory loss… See full review
Rajeev Masand, IBN Live Rating: Thumbs up …Ghajini is an old-fashioned entertainer with a half-convincing plot, packed with enough gratuitous violence to qualify as a B-movie… See full review	india today Rating: Thumbs up …Imagine a South Indian movie made in Hong Kong by John Woo’s disciples and you get close to the kind of mind-bending brutality unleashed in Ghajini…. See full review
Taran Adarsh, IndiaFM Rating: Thumbs up …GHAJINI is not MEMENTO. There’re minor similarities, but GHAJINI takes a completely different route to tell its story…. See full review	Indiaglitz Rating: Thumbs up …’Ghajini’ is so tremendous on all panoramas of narration and technical aspects…. See full review
indiainfo.com Rating: So-So …The film is good in bits and pieces. There are several loopholes in the film and scenes that leave many questions unanswered…. See full review	Gaurav Malani, indiatimes Rating: So-So …Sadly gimmicks like 8-pack abs or trimmed hairline can’t cover up loopholes of a flawed script…. See full review
Indicine Rating: Thumbs up …Your first reaction after watching Ghajini is WOW What a movie!!… See full review	pandu, indihot Rating: So-So …Ghajini’s strength lies in its gripping screenplay…. See full review
Moksh Juneja, J.A.M Rating: Thumbs down …The villain was not at all menacing enough and took the protagonist and his illness too much for granted… See full review	Suda, Life Love and Logic Rating: So-So …Nothing special in story, slow, some typical Hindi/South movie type incidents, overdose of Aamir Khan… See full review
Amit R Agarwal, merinews Rating: So-So …Pradeep Rawat as the antagonist Ghajini makes his presence felt…. See full review	Sarita Tanwar, MiD DAY Rating: So-So …Director AR Murugadoss has done the unthinkable…. See full review
Movie Talkies Rating: Thumbs up …The film’s USP is naturally Aamir Khan and quite deservedly so…. See full review	Mr. Inkenti, Mr. Inketis Weblog Rating: Thumbs down …There is no point running down a massala film by comparing it with an English one, however inspired…. See full review
musicNmovies.info Rating: Thumbs up …After not so frutiful year, finally something fresh hits the screen to celebrate…. See full review	naachgaana.com Rating: Thumbs up …Aamir - very few dialogues and very intense expressions - one of his finest… See full review
Anupama Chopra, NDTV Rating: So-So …For Aamir, Ghajini is a 360 degree turn from the sensitive teacher he played in Taare Zameen Par…. See full review	Arpana, Now Running.com Rating: So-So …The film brings back the popular theme of the ’80s and early ’90s - revenge, romance, action and thrill with a nice touch of humour…. See full review
Ashok Nayak, Now Running.com Rating: Thumbs up …the film has proved to be the biggest entertainer of the year… See full review	Nita Jatar Kulkarni, Now Running.com Rating: Thumbs up …Ghajini is a powerful movie, sucking you into the violent and disturbing world of a man terribly wronged… See full review
Jehan Handa, Passion for Cinema Rating: So-So …The film will set new records and has the merits to emerge one of the biggest Hits of all times…. See full review	Phoenixnu, Passion for Cinema Rating: So-So …i don?t remember a single song after it gets over?.think it gels well with the concept of short term memory loss…. See full review
Subrat, Passion for Cinema Rating: Thumbs down …Ghajini had so many layers that you need to watch it a few times to make sense…. See full review	Shruti Bhasin, Planet Bollywood Rating: Thumbs up …It?s not a surprise to say that Ghajini ends 2008 on a very high note. One of the best films of the year and not to be missed…. See full review
Goher Iqbal Punn, Radio Sargam Rating: Thumbs up …The movie is surely a gift for Christmas and it will undoubtedly inject sugary pleasures in the audience’s hearts… See full review	Raja Sen, Rediff Rating: So-So …The film itself is impressive in bits, with some terrific sequences, but the romance takes away its thunder…. See full review
Sukanya Verma, Rediff Rating: Thumbs up …By now the whole world and their unborn children know Ghajini… See full review	SearchIndia.com Rating: Thumbs down …When Aamir Khan gets angry in Ghajini, it?s with the ugly intensity of a neanderthal;… See full review
Sonia Chopra, Sify Movies Rating: Thumbs up …Ravi K Chandran?s first-rate camerawork aids the storytelling. Editing is masterful and, though tad long, the film unfolds efficiently…. See full review	Nikhat Kazmi, Times of India Rating: Thumbs up …Ghajini is a thoroughbred Bollywood film which celebrates the formula with panache. Enjoy the unadulterated desi!… See full review
The ThirdMan, Upper Stall Rating: Thumbs down …Overhyped, extremely loud and way, way overblown…. See full review	Urge to Fly Rating: So-So …The screenplay is full of glaring loopholes and scant regard for the audience’s intelligence…. See full review
ZEENEWS.COM Rating: Thumbs up …Ghajini, a revenge saga, has a riveting storyline but adding to the plot is powerful treatment, mind-blowing performances and superb music…. See full review

Back to meetu’s review.

Ghajini - Review

meetu — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 23:06:16 +0000

Alternate Names: Gajini

Rating:

Wait for video release (Rating Scale)

Movie Info, Detailed ratings, To each his own, Parental Guidance

Original fusioned with a decent flavor of desi tadka

Quick Review

That I didn’t realize how my 3+ hours passed by is testimony to the fact that you can’t take the love for masala out of this Indian. Even though I usually don’t like this combination of spices I found myself enjoying most of Ghajini. The thriller succeeded in getting me anxious but the seasoning left a bad after-taste.

Rating: Wait for video release (Rating Scale)

A few frames into the movie and I knew I’d be wasting the 3 hours to come if I chose to connect the proceedings on the screen with Memento. So, I sent Memento out of the dark hall. I began adjusting myself to the loud chant-like background music which over-compensated for the sparse dialogue. And my eyes refocused as per the over-zealous camera-person/editor’s demands. Once I gave in, I saw myself getting involved with the characters, getting curious, heart-beating in the throat and all.

Ghajini is one of those movies which I liked despite sensing the flavor of ‘over-the-top’ cinema in each of the 185 minutes. It absorbed me in its present scene and yet left a garish after-taste. It’s all packed in there - drama, emotion, romance, action, song, dance, and a social message thrown in for no charge. Mixing of more than 2 genres annoyed me here, as always, e.g. I felt completely lost when the romance cropped up.

And just imagine the state of my mind when songs were thrown in like rabbits jump out of magic hats - from nowhere. While on that note, my heart bled when I heard Prasoon Joshi pull a Sameer, save a few verses. Since the songs were picturised and choreographed well, I vote for a separate music video album for those who are interested. Do you?

Anyway, scene-by-scene Ghajini grew on me. While I wouldn’t have enjoyed any one thread of the plot by itself, the total added up to a little more than the sum of the parts. The sequences that worked without any caveat were the two junctions where the thriller was poised such that anxiety of the protagonist’s next step raised my pulse-rate.

Not as badly as Aamir Khan’s pulsating nerves at his temples though. Wide eyes wanting to scream louder than what his voice box can create. It’s inexplicable why his character transformed into this unwieldy monster when angry. Almost as if to show this is what this Khan is capable of -physical shape included. And note that I haven’t yet spoken against how his short-term memory turns him into a superhero with super-duper action-powers. Now that I’ve done it, I had a huge problem with all the so-called ‘crowd pleasing’, ‘mass appeal’ items added. Once again, I’m a part of the masses and one in the crowd and I don’t want it! Oh well…

However, Aamir mesmerized me with his subtle reflexes in the emotional and romantic sequences. And Asin very charmingly supported him and entertained the audience. Her occasionally-irritating saccharine character was endearing enough for me to wish for her happiness. Though all very white, it was a part written with a little more meat than usually accorded to women in Hindi cinema. On the other hand, Jiah Khan had a sketch of a role which she fumbled through as ungraciously as she could. Why were her urdu lessons being publicized? She could barely hide the accent while speaking English!

Ghajini’s nowhere as smart or nearly as subtle as Memento but it’s not completely stupid either. It’s not even a fraction as mind-boggling as Memento either, but it does keep your brain ticking fast enough to ignore the huge leaps of faith every 10th minute. Ghajini is certainly one of those that people who love the melodramatic elements of Hindi cinema will enjoy but those who hate masala will hate. And either you have to be one of those who hasn’t watched Memento or can block memories of Memento to make the most out of this one. I combined my tolerance of all things Bolly and ignored the original to like it as much as I did.

Parental Guidance:

Violence: Loads and pretty brutal at that!
Nudity & Sexual content: Not much except for a few songs with skimpily dressed women.
Concept: That of revenge and use of violence to achieve goals.
General Look and Feel: Very rugged and raw feel in about half the movie. And the rest is bright and peppy with songs at regular intervals.

Click here to read what I scribbled on my notepad while watching this movie (what worked and what didn’t for me). Might contain spoilers!

Click here to see what 41 other reviewers/viewers think. Average rating 3.4 / 5.0: 21 thumbs up, 14 so-so, 6 thumbs down.
If you enjoyed reading this, please help maintain this site with a donation

- Meetu, a part of the audience

Rating:

Wait for video release (Rating Scale)

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction: 2	Story: 3.5
Lead Actors: 3.5	Supporting Cast: 1
Dialogues: 2	Screenplay: 2
Music: 3	Lyrics: 2

Ghajini - Details

Director, Story, Screenplay: A. R. Murugadoss

Lead Actors: Aamir Khan, Asin

Supporting Cast: Jiah Khan, Pradeep Rawat

Music Director: A. R. Rahman

Lyrics: Prasoon Joshi

Genre: Thriller, Murder Mystery

Official Website: Ghajini

Duration: 3:5 hrs (approx.)

Ghajini

meetu — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 04:49:07 +0000

Alternate Names: Gajini

Cast and crew, Full Review

NOT A REVIEW - Just wondering if I can delete Memento from my memory, so I can give Ghajini a fair chance…

Do your ears prick up when you hear the name of one of your all-time favorites? If yes, then you’ll know exactly what I mean, when I say, “I felt like a newly married Indian bride - full of mixed feelings, sorrow and excitement all at once - when I heard Aamir Khan is going to star in the Hindi version of Memento. It’s one of my all-time favorites, across genres, across boundaries, across years, etc.”

Mixed because it’s exciting that someone’s trying something as mind-boggling as Memento in Hindi movies. The concept will be exposed to so many more people. BUT, one look at the promos, and my apprehensions began germinating.

Songs! With dance!! Bare-chested hero dancing!!! Noooooo, they can’t do this to me!!!!

What’s wrong with that? For one - its going to make the movie longer. See what I mean here. And when you are used to eating a particular dish with a certain amount of salt-and-pepper, there is bound to be anxiety if other masala is added to suit other people’s palate, right? Anyways, that’s the flipside of wanting more people to watch it, I guess. Let’s just hope the publicity department got over-enthusiastic and the movie will be in stark contrast to the on-the-face promos. Other bloggers share my uneasiness too, albeit for different reasons.

But these objections make sense only if Ghajini is a remake of Memento. According to producer, Madhu Mantena -

There are other Hollywood films on same theme of short term memory loss like Finding Nemo and 50 First Dates. So why single out Memento?

*LOL* Finding Nemo? Ha! Finding Nemo?? Ha! Ha!!

If Ghajini is like Memento as Finding Nemo is about short-term memory loss, then it can have all the songs and drama as it likes. To me we are not even talking about Memento, then. Besides, there’s more to Memento than just the background of short-term memory loss. It’s the whole construct. The non-linear narrative technique used is completely justified and in sync with the background. And the lingering effect that the climax has on your psyche - the kind which wants you to watch the movie again…right away!

For now, let’s hope the makers have done a little more research on short-term memory loss than they have on movies that have it as a backdrop.
Anyway, in the same interview, Madhu says -

It’s not a tale of violence. It’s a tale of retribution. And at the moment after 26/11 everyone wants answers. Films about retribution are always liked.

Now, that may be the need of the hour, when cinema halls in cities are being avoided in the last few weeks.
And the theaters seem all set to welcome Ghajini too. Read this fun bit about how the theaters are gearing up in response to the promotional efforts -

Mumbai actor Aamir Khan, whose hairstyle in the film “Ghajini” has been imitated by the ushers and employees of various multiplexes as part of a special promotional activity.

I’m assuming no-one was coerced into it.

The actor’s physique, is the other marketing tool. 6-8-10-12-infinity pack abs. Who am I to complain about a good-looking male body on screen every 10th minute? Hey, 5th will do too. But, if I’m too distracted to notice/follow the story, only the makers are to blame. And I certainly hope that the distraction from story is not intentional, just so we don’t notice the gaps. However, it has already earned some good karma by inspiring some of us to hit the gym and stay healthy!

Meanwhile, the blog-world however seems to have warmed up to the music. Some love lyricist Prasoon Joshi’s work and some hate his guts, but almost all have enjoyed the music.

Hey, is there some hope of dark humor considering the URL chosen for the official site is ‘remember ghajini‘. Let’s just cross our fingers and hope Ghajini will stay in our memory for longer than short-term…

Ghajini - Cast and Crew

Director, Story, Screenplay: A. R. Murugadoss

Lead Actors: Aamir Khan, Asin

Supporting Cast: Jiah Khan, Pradeep Rawat

Music Director: A. R. Rahman

Lyrics: Prasoon Joshi

Genre: Thriller, Murder Mystery

Official Website: Ghajini

Duration: 3:5 hrs (approx.)

Jumbo

meetu — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 04:33:20 +0000

Cast and crew, Full Review

NOT A REVIEW - Just wondering if this one is really for the kids unlike some other films floating around in the name of kids movies…

They claim to have learnt from Yash Raj Film’s mistakes -

Despite the fact that Yash Raj Films hired the services of top stars like Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor for their expensive animation project, ROADSIDE ROMEO, they failed to get the fact across to the audience! None of the promos both print and broadcasted showed the top pair.

I hope this is not the only thing they have learnt. So, Percept has pulled the magic trick. Now we all know Akshay Kumar is the voice behind the cute-blue elephant and that he’s been paid 9-crores to gain all that weight and color. Oh yeah, and the fee must also include the item number, ‘Everything’s gonna be alright’, in his non-animated avatar.

Now, what I don’t understand is whether the Thai production companies instructed Percept Picture Company not to mention the Thai-origin in any of the promotional material.

While we are yet to come across an Indian animated movie that was worth watching after Hanuman, a Thai movie which has done well in Thailand might have been something that would have worked well for the health of the cash registers. Especially when pitted against Ghajini. But, looks like that is a very intentional move -

We have purposely pitched Jumbo against Ghajini because we feel that our film has the ability to stand against a big commercial film

What is also interesting is that Yuvraj Singh will replace Akshay Kumar in the Punjabi version. 9 crores for every language that Akshay can speak might not exactly define a wise commercial decision now, would it? But, it’d be fun to see Yuvraj in an alternate career because he seems really comfortable in commercials.

The commercials for the movie have teeny-weeny glimpses of the voiceovers done by Akshay Kumar, Lara Dutta, Dimple Kapadia and Gulshan Kumar.

It actually looks like everything is indeed gonna be alright…

Jumbo - Cast and Crew

Lead Actors: Akshay Kumar, Lara Dutta

Supporting Cast: Dimple Kapadia, Gulshan Grover, Rajpal Yadav

Music Director: Ram Sampat

Lyrics: Asif Ali Baig, Israr Ansari, Munna Dhiman

Genre: Animation, Kids

Official Website: Jumbo

Duration: 1:25 hrs (approx.)