Finding Fanny

Reminsicent of this fim, 'Finding Fanny' is about a dysfunctional group of friends, family & an artist who undertake a road journey across Goa in search of a long lost love. A robust cast with the best of the past (Pankaj Kapur standing out) and a couple of the young brigade. A decent addition to director Homi Adjani's resume but the general cuteness kills any edge - of the kind we saw in his earlier film. Yes, they are very different films. Nevertheless.

Rating: * * +

The Blue Umbrella

Little Biniya chances up on a beautiful blue umbrella whistle wandering around the mountains sorrounding her village. The umbreall is soon coveted by many of the village folk. When it suddenly vanishes, Biniya suspects the curmudgeon tea stall owner, Nandakishore (Pankaj Kapur). Based on a Ruskin Bond story, the film is allegorical of human life and existence. A well taken film that somehow lacked soul in spite of some great acting from Kapur.

Rating: * +

Dharm

The film is set in the holy city of Varanasi and centers around Pundit Chaturvedi (Pankaj Kapur), a Hindu priest who stringently follows the Manusmrti. The folk in his neighborhood practically worship the ground he walks on and his word is final in most matters. But things start to shift for the pundit when his wife and daughter adopt an abandoned baby whom he comes to love. Soon he finds himself questioning the very meaning of Dharm, of which he thought he was a master of.

The film has real life couple, Pankaj Kapur and Supriya Pathak, playing the lead roles with a certain effulgence that is rare in Indian cinema. Kapur's acting is understated but his glances shimmer with fire. Eyes that twinkled with mischief whistle playing Karamchand in the 80s, now glow with certain stoicism.

The priest's blind following of the word of Manu is juxtaposed with the simmering communal violence in the city. The film focuses on this difference to show a present day India struggling to abolish the demons of its past that continue to linger strongly. Demons that might never disappear and which continues to posses the citizens causing irreparable harm.

Rating: * * *

Halla Bol

Sameer Khan (Ajay Devgan) is an arrogant actor with nary a scruple. But seeing a girl being murdered causes him to magically remember the conscience he once had. After an hour, I realized that even the presence of Pankaj Kapur and Vidya Balan couldn't save this cliche filled sorry excuse of a film.



Rating: +