Okkadine

Okkadine
2013
3/5 stars

Shailaja (Nithya Menon), daughter of famed philanthropist Shivaji Rao (Sai Kumar), returns home from abroad.  She takes a trip to a retreat, where she meets Surya (Nara Rohit) and his household.  She falls in love with the kind family, and eventually with Surya as well.  However, murder and revenge stand in the way of happiness.

(Cast also includes Nagendra Babu;  Rachana Maurya stars in an item number.)

Rohit and Menon

The plot is involved, and isn't always logical, but is still intriguing; there is a particularly good cliff-hanger at the intermission.  While the characters are sometimes excessively emotional, the acting is generally good all around, with the leads being particularly unaffected. It was refreshing to see these two appealing principals look attractive in a natural, unsophisticated fashion.  The musical numbers are average and below.  Due to the music and the, at times, irrational story, I can only give the film three stars; however, I certainly got five stars worth of enjoyment out of it.

Kalank

Kalank
( translates as "stigma" or "blemish")
2019
3/5 stars

In Lahore, in 1946: Satya (Sonakshi Sinha), knowing she is to die soon, persuades a reluctant Roop (Alia Bhatt) to become a second wife to her husband, Dev (Aditya Roy Kapur) so that he won't be alone at Satya's death.  Petulantly, Roop insists on taking singing lessons from Bahaar Begum (Madhuri Dixit), despite being initially forbidden to enter that part of the city by her father-in-law (Sanjay Dutt).  While there, Roop meets a womanizing blacksmith, Zafar (Varun Dhawan), and falls in love with him, a situation that leads to disastrous results.
(Kiara Advani, Achint Kaur, and Kunal Khemu also have prominent roles.)

The six main actors gave mostly natural performances, with good chemistry throughout.  Dixit was especially convincing, but Bhatt was stiff at times.  This movie is visually stunning: costumes, sets, choreography, cinematography, and even the actors themselves.  The songs are generally good, with exceptional incidental and atmospheric music.

The basic story, while mostly predictable, is strong but there are plot holes that weaken it, and unneeded scenes (the bull fight in particular) that seem to be there just to add minutes.  In addition, the action is interrupted from time to time by an unnecessary interview scene taking place with Roop ten years later.  This breaks the mood and why it was included is baffling.  Despite these negatives, it is worth watching for the visual spectacle alone.

Dutt, Dixit, Dhawan, Bhatt, Kapoor, Sinha

Jab Tak Hai Jaan

Jab Tak Hai Jaan
2012
(translates as  "As Long As I Live")
4/5 stars

Major Samar Anand (Shah Rukh Khan), fearless when defusing bombs, hides grief over a lost love behind a severe and stand-offish personality and a strong disregard for his safety. Akira (Anushka Sharma), a young filmmaker, finds Samar's journal, and discovers his past romance with Meera (Katrina Kaif), ten years ago in London.

After making a documentary on Samar, Akira returns to London, but needs him to come there as well, to verify the legitimacy of her story.  Reluctantly he returns to the city of his heartbreak, and the unexpected brings Meera back into his life.

(Anupam Kher plays Meera's father.  Rishi Kapoor and his real-life wife, Neetu Singh, play Meera's mother and step-father.)

The first two hours of this film were excellent; the plot was immersive and the characters believable.  The make-up artists did a wonderful job making Khan look younger, but did not do so well aging Kaif.  The music was mostly great and the cinematography was perfect.  Khan and the vivacious Sharma had fantastic, natural chemistry together; Kaif was too stiff at times, however.  Unfortunately, around the start of the third hour, when Samar returns to London, the plot becomes less credible and the ending lacks emotional punch.  Despite that, it's a movie worth watching, just don't expect to be particularly moved by the ending.

Notebook

Notebook
2019
4/5 stars

Kabir (Zaheer Iqbal ), at loose ends since he quit the Army, agrees to become the teacher of an isolated Wular Public School with an enrollment of seven students.  He is failing dismally when he finds the diary of the previous teacher, Firdaus (Pranutan Bah).  At first, reading her diary gives him confidence to teach the children.  Later, however, he falls in love with her as he learns to know her inner self through the diary.  He leaves the school at the end of the year, still thinking of Firdaus.

In the meantime, Firdaus is teaching in a large city school, trying to conform to traditional ways of teaching while she waits for her marriage.  The unexpected happens, and Firdaus' wedding is cancelled; she returns to Wular Public School, and finds messages to her from Kabir.

This is a charming movie. Iqbal and Bah, both debut actors, are natural and believable.  The energetic and jubilant children are a pleasure to watch.  The music is only average and below, unfortunately, and does effect the whole.  The ending was particularly good.   With it's uncommon plot, engaging cast, focus on the importance of education, and beautiful cinematography it is an overall enjoyable experience.

Bharat

Bharat
2019
4/5 stars

This movie follows the life of Bharat (Salman Khan), from his childhood in the midst of the 1947 Partition of India, to age 70, as he and his best friend (Vilyati, played by Sunil Grover) mature, take jobs, and experience life-changing events.  Bharat proves himself as a hero throughout, without great feats of daring, simply as the average working man.

Katrina Kaif also stars, with Jackie Shroff, Disha Patani and Tabu in lesser roles.

The plot is made up of six slices of Bharat's life during pivotal moments in his history.  As a result of covering so much time, the story isn't profound or particularly emotional, but it is still engaging and engrossing throughout the 155 minute film.  Khan was convincing in all avatars, as was Grover.  Khan and Kaif have good chemistry, and she, too, gave a solid performance.  The child actors portraying young Bharat (Kabir Sajid) and young Vilyati (I couldn't find his name), were also believable. The music isn't exceptional, but is good, with the incidental music being effective.  Overall, it's an enjoyable, if not deep, movie that thoroughly entertains.

Khan and Kaif

Vivah

Vivah
(translation: "marriage")
2006
4/5 stars

Prem (Shahid Kapoor) and Poonam (Amrita Rao) are introduced as a possible match for each other, and find an instant connection.  A happy and emotionally charged engagement follows, but a tragedy strikes that could prevent their marrying.

(Anupam Kher, Alok Nath, and Seema Biswa also star.)

This movie about love, traditional values, and respect for women is so sweet that it should be repellent, and yet it has enough charm to still be enjoyable.  Veteran actors Kher, Nath, and Biswa give solid performances.  While Kapoor and Rao have good chemistry, their acting is mainly reduced to boyish charm from him and demure dignity from her.  The saris are stunning throughout the entire film, and there is some lovely scenery.  While the songs aren't extraordinary, they are still good; there is a lack of dancing, however.  Vivah is so full of innocence and goodness, that's it's almost a guilty pleasure to watch, but I will admit to being entertained by it.

Fanaa

Fanaa
(translates as "love destroys")
2006
4/5 stars

Zooni  (Kajol) travels for the first time to New Delhi with friends to perform in a ceremony for Republic Day.  While there, she meets and falls in reciprocated love with a tour guide, Rehan (Aamir Khan).  Her friends are over-protective of Zooni, as she is blind, but eventually help the two spend time together.  It seems that Zooni's romance will have a happy ending, but tragedy happens.

Seven years later,  Susheel Rawat (Sharat Saxena) of the Anti Terrorist Special Force and special agent Malini Tyagi (Tabu) are trying to track down the leader of a Kashmiri terrorist organization before he can get possession of the final piece needed to make a nuclear weapon.  Zooni becomes unwittingly involved when a wounded stranger appears on her doorstep.

The first half of this romantic thriller was good, but not great -- it played out like a mostly typical Bollywood romance.  The second half, however, kept me riveted.  The suspense and uncertainty were both written and portrayed well.  Khan and Kajol were average in the romantic beginning, but were excelled during the thriller portion.  Zooni's parents were played by veteran actors Rishi Kapoor and Kirron Kher, who were excellent. Child actor Ali Haji gave a convincing performance as well. The songs were a mixed bag, some just okay but some memorable; the incidental music, however, was quite effective.  Overall, Fanaa delivers near perfect entertainment.