Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal: underrated version of Chak De India

About: Produced by Ronnie Screwvala, directed by Vivek Agnihotri under the banner of UTV, the cast includes John Abraham as Sunny, Boman Irani as Tony Singh, Bipasha Basu and Arshad Warsi as Shaan. The music is by Pritam, Story is by Rohit Malhotra and lyrics are by Javed Akhtar. Choreography is by Saroj Khan.

Story : The story revolves around South Hall Football team, its fighting spirit, its never dying attitude, its unity, its love towards their home ground, its relationship among team members, its concerns and beyond. The story starts when the local authorities warn South Hall football team that they will have to surrender their football ground if they don’t pay the lease pending for many years. And that is a hefty amount. Only way to pay that amount and keep the ground with them is if they win current year League. The amount money for the winner will be sufficient enough to cover up the lease amount. But winning a single match in the league is quite indefinite for the team as per their performance for the last many years, and then winning the finals is almost next to impossible. Xxxx is the captain and has an emotional touch with the ground. He wants to save this ground at any cost. And for this fortunately he gets a marvelous ex-player as a coach who agrees to train them and to take them in the finals provided they all follow his directions. This movie is also about a never ending fight between the white and Black community around the world. Years back Boman Irani was the captain of this team and they had reached in the finals. Since the South Hall team comprised of mostly blacks, the whites favoring the opponent team in the finals, a night before the final match, attack on the captain and try to hurt him. A handful of fans resist this attack and one of them take all blows on him to save the captain as he wanted the South Hall team to win in the finals. The captain is threatened that if he wins tomorrow, it will be disastrous for him and his family. Captain abandons the match and ultimately South Hall loses in the finals. But the pain carried in the heart of Boman Irani didn’t die down and he becomes the coach of this team after many years. The story is about how he fills fire in the belly of all the players, how he teaches them the tactics, how he unites them and ultimately gives them a feeling that they can be winners before they actually turn out to be winners.

Conclusions: This is an underrated version of Chak De India. Only difference is that it is not made under a big banner, not with a big cast, not with big amount spent on promos. But one thing is sure that the movie is more realistic and has been made quite sincerely. The performance by all the actors and supporting actors is excellent. This story is all about love in hate and hate in love. How the hate is overcome by teaming, will power and hard work. Some scenes are quite touching, and end is quite hilarious. Although the movie didn’t do well at box office, but is worth watching.

Good Moments:

1. When before start of each match, the South hall team all members sing their anthem (dan dana dan goal…)

2. Night time scene when Boman Irani as the coach of South Hall meets John Abraham (the best player of an opponent and best team, favorites for clutching the League Title), the discussion between them is real classic, and then by his skills Boman convinces him to join South Hall.

3. The initial matches when there was no coordination among South Hall team members and gradually how they improve the coordination, determination and skills to pass through each hurdle to win the title

4. Initial matches when the commentators and viewers make mockery of their Anthem.

5. Song – Billo Rani where Bips appers to be quite sober and homely girl (quite opposite to her real life image)

Album: Bhram: ||~jaane~||~kyun~||~huye~ ||~hain~||~vo~||~khafa~||

This album has six tracks in total, but is not enough to saturate you with all colors of music, all moods, all variations. Overall it is has cheerful, joyful, fast numbers with fresh voices, good music, and meaningful lyrics.

Track no. 1: Jaane kaisa hai tu

Sung by : Shaan

Lyrics : jaane kaisa hai tu, chahe kaisa hai tu, tera hua mein

Maine jaana tumhe, chahun paana tumhe, tera hua mein

Maana ye maana ke kuch na tha mein to aaj se pehle tera

Hona hai hona hai mujhko to aaj ke baad teraSummary : Although Shaan is not a perfect singer like Sonu Nigam but this guy tries to give his full in all his performance and that too sincerely. Guitar starts mildly in the beginning but afterwards it is a fast number. Sung intelligently, this song is a good party number/ dance number. Voice is quite cheerful, joyful and enjoyable and equally good are the music and lyrics.

My Ratings to track no. 1: Voice: 2/5, Lyrics: 2.5/5, Music: 2/5

Track no. 2: I am a bad boy

Sung by: Suraj Jagan, Earl D’Souza, Sunaina, Khushboo Jain & Siddharth Suhas

Lyrics: I am a bad boy, I am rude boy,

aa re is dil yaar behla re, kuch pee ke hosh behka re, kuch kar ;le josh mein,

aa re khud ko na aise tarsa re, masti mein mast ho ja re, kuch kar le josh mein

Summary: It is a rap, it is absolutely fit for Salsa dance, it is full of energy and radiance. It has English, It has Punjabi, It has Hindi. So it can be called a hin-eng-jabi song. It is a party song, it is a dance song, it is totally enjoyable song. The voices are fit to the music, music is fit to the voices, and lyrics go well with both. The coordination, synchronization of voices is quite good. Credit goes to singers to do a full justice with the lyrics, tempo and music of the song.

My Ratings to track no. 2: Voices: 2.5/5, Lyrics: 2/5, Music: 2.5/5

Track no. 3: Meri akhiyan

Sung by: Richa Sharma

Lyrics: ve aaja sajna, sajna, sajna, ve aaja sajna

meri akhiyan sun sakhiyan, roz vaariyan ve pal pal gindiyan har pal akhiyan

ab aaja mere sajna

Summary: fast music,folk music, good to listen, cannot dance on it. frankly it took some time to initially understand the starting stuff as Richa Sharma has a habit of catching sometimes trying Reshma sufi high tome style. Overall it is ok stuff, not too good, not bad too. Lyrics is better here than the voice and music.

My Ratings to track no. 3: Voice: 2/5, Lyrics: 2/5, Music: 2/5

Track no. 4: Teri akhion ki narmi

Sung by: Siddharth Suhas

Lyrics: teri ankhon ki narmi, teri sanson ki garmi, pyaas dil mein jagaye, soniye

There is a love when I see you, there is a love when I touch you, there is a love when I kiss you, soniye

Summary: This guy is already present in track no. 2 and has performed well there. From a total fun song he transforms here into a romantic singer here in a Hinglish song. Fast, drums, band and all that. Voice is not unique, or extraordinary. To be a class, this guy will have to work hard and probably create his own style in singing. Otherwise he can be used as a regular, normal singer. But he sang the English stuff better than the hindi one. Before listening to this number when I saw the title of this track, I though it would be a slow number, but it is not at all.

My Ratings to track no. 4: Voice: 2/5, Lyrics: 2/5, Music: 1.5/5

Track no. 5: Lagdaa na ladgaa

Sung by: Kay Kay

Lyrics: lagdaa na lagdaa na, dil mera lagdaa na, Jaane isse kya hua,

tujhko hai khabar kya, Meri to nazar ka...  

Summary: starts with a guitar, this is not one of the best of Kay Kay, not even going to be very popular or hit. Although it is also quite a fast track, and can be used as a dance number for sure. I somehow feel that the lyrics was not given a right music and unnecessarily wasted. That waste has somehow been equalized/balanced by good voice of Kay Kay. This is a hinjabi song (hindi and Punjabi)

My Ratings to track no. 5: Voice: 2/5, Lyrics: 2.5/5, Music: 1.5/5

Track no. 6: Jaane kyun tanha ho gaye

Sung by: Sonu Nigam

Lyrics: jaane kyun tanha ho gaye, sapne kho gaye,

Jaane kyun huye hain vo khafa,begane bewafa,

 jaane kyun chahton ke sare vo pal kho gaye 

Summary: This, I would rate as the best number of this album, although not the best from Sonu Nigam. Probably this style was required as per the situation in the movie to show sadness, desperation, frustration, directionless, hopeless situation. Music is not very special, it is quite plain and straight play of drums, guitars and some other western instruments. Sonu Nigam has used large variation of modulation in this song, at times at a high pitch too.

My Ratings to track no. 6: Voices: 3.5/5, Lyrics: 3.5/5, Music: 3.5/5

My Overall Rating to this album: 2.5/5

Album: Jannat: ~Zara si dil mein de jagah tu~Zara sa apna le bana

Excellent lyrics wasted by a combination of third class music and unmatched singers.

Director : Kunal Deshmukh

Genre : Romance/Drama

Producer : Mukesh Bhatt

Lyrics: Sayeed Qadri, Kamran Ahmed, Neelesh Misra

Music released by: Sony

To be released in the first week of May (2nd May), Jannat is a movie about betting in cricket/ match fixing. Lead role is being played by Safdar Hashmi and Sonal Chauhan. Music is by Pritam. Singers are Rana Mazumdar, KK, Rupam Islam, Kamran Ahmed, Richa Sharma. Overall it seems either Pritam did not get good amount of money and therefore has not given a music of his class. Even the singers chosen are not able to perform accordingly.

1.      Door Na Ja: Rana Mazumdar

Music is too loud, singer is shouting or singing, most of the time it is difficult to make out.        Use of drums and guitar is too exhaustive and loud throughout. Only good part is the beginning of this song when the music is low (only guitar), and the singer sings in low tone (normal tone).

Tera chehra meri ankhon mein basa rehne de

Khud ko thoda sa kahin mere mein bacha rehne de

Door na ja, door na ja, door na ja, door na ja, door na ja, door na ja

Aaj ke baad mera sara safar tanha hai

Aur tere saath ka bhi akhiri ye lamha hai

Aur kuch der mujhe, aur kuch der mujhe khud se judda rehne de

Aur kuch der mujhe khud se judda rehne de

Door na ja – 7 times

Look at the lyrics which is excellent but too loud music, singing style and the high pitch has made it a below normal. Music is purely western, lyrics and voice of the singer is desi, and style of singing is in-between desi and western. It appears as if a immature, newcomer, learner is singing this song. A good singer and style would have made it a very good listening. ‘door na ja’ 7 times at the end of every paragraph is quite painful.

Lyrics: 4/5, Music: 0.5/5, Voice: 1.5/5

2.      Haan tu hai KK

Jo khabon khayalon mein socha nahi tha

Tune mujhe itna pyar diya

Mein jab bhi jahan bhi kadi dhoop mein tha

Teri zulf ne mujhpe saaya kiya

Haan tu hai meri baton mein tu mere khabon mein tu….

In this song dholak has been used extensively. It looks like a mix of marriage song and a fast quawali. A good lyrics has not been justified by a good music and voice.

Lyrics: 3.5/5, Music: 2/5, Voice: 2/5

3.      Jannat Jahan: Rupam Islam

Hey suno na, dil keh raha hai, lalach badi khubsoorat bala hai

Dekho na iski dua hai aasman choo le jo uska bura hai

Drums again are overdone in this song too. Music is inspired by 1970s western country style. Probably there is a competition happening in this album who will shout more...

Lyrics: 1/5, Music: 1/5, Voice: 0.5/5

4.      Judai (Remix): Kamran Ahmed

Char dina da pyar ho rabba, lambi judai lambi judai

Char dina da pyar ho rabba lambi judai lambi judai

Tere bin dil mera lage kahin na, tere bin jaan meri jaaye kahin na

Kitne zamano baad ho rabba yaad tu aaya, yaad tu aaya

Too fast... first two lines are  stolen from a song sung by Reshma. Lyrics again is good as compared to the singer and music. Such a fast pace does not suit the lyrics. A slow version might have done some justice. Voice is a little better. This singer can do better if he sings slow numbers.

Lyrics: 2/5, Music: 0.5/5, Voice: 2/5

5.      Judai: Kamran Ahmed

Lyrics is same as above, singer is also the same, not much difference between remix and this one. A little less speed does not make it better as the music most of the time overpowers the lyrics and singer (and that happened in other songs too). Singer’s voice is shrilling rather than sweet and melodious.

Lyrics: 2/5, Music: 0.5/5, Voice: 2/5

6.      Judai: Richa Sharma

Lyrics is same as above, voice is sweeter and thus makes the number a little melodious but drawback is again that it has been sung in a faster note. Had it been sung with half the speed, it could have been a magical number. The same lyrics in male voice sung above, looks better here when the singer sings it sweetly.

Lyrics: 2/5, Music: 0.5/5, Voice: 3.5/5

7.      Zara sa : KK

Zara si dil mein de jagah tu, zara sa apna le bana,

Zara sa khabon mein saja tu, zara sa yadon mein basa

Mein chahun tujhko meri jaan bepanah

Fida hoon tujhe meri jaan bepanah

Fantastic lyrics, beautifully sung, great music. This is only the winning point in the whole album I found. The way this song has been sung and the music, all the other songs look as if they do not belong to this class. Promos are carrying only this number and probably producers knew that only this number has the calibre to draw people to this movie. Music of this song is very very good.

Lyrics: 4/5, Music: 4.5/5, Voice: 4.5/5

8.      Zara Sa (Power Ballad): KK

As good as the normal number, a little slower, sung with a little sad/serious (painful) mode. I enjoyed the regular number more than this.

Lyrics: 4/5, Music: 4/5, Voice: 4.5/5

If you (still) plan to buy this album even after reading this review, you will be able to listen to all numbers only once, except Zara Sa – that you can listen to as many times as you wish (every time you listen, I am sure, you are going to enjoy this number).

Anand: ~~zindagi ~ kaisi ~ hai ~ paheli ~ haye....~~

This movie was a big hit and has not gone old by the time. The movie is still as fresh as it was when it was released in 1970. 

Directed Hrishikesh Mukherjee and produced by N.C. Sippy, are the two names who used to produce blockbusters during that era. 

Cast: Rajesh Khanna: Anand Sehgal Amitabh Bachchan: Dr. Bhaskar Johny Walker:Isa Bhai/ Murarilal Ramesh Dev:Dr,.Kulkarni Sumita Sanyal: Renu  Asit Sen 

Crew: 

Producer: N C Sippy 

Director: Hrishikesh Mukherjee 

Lyrics: Gulzar, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Yogesh 

Music: Salil Chaudhary 

Story: Bimal Dutt, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Gulzar 

What I liked:  Story, dialogues, script, lyrics, performance – everything was marvelous and probably that is the reason for this movie getting so many filmfare awards – for best movie, for best supporting actor, for best actor, etc. Songs that I still remember are – “kaheen door jab din dhal jaaye, saanjh si dulhan nazar churaye, chupke se jaaye, mere khyalon ke aangan mein koi sapnon ke deep jakaye… deep jalaye” and “maine tere liye hi saat rang ke sapne choone, sapne surile sapne…” and “zindagi kaisi hai paheli hai, kabhi ye hasaye, kabhi ye rulaye…” and “na jiya jaaye na… tere bina mera kahin jiya jaaye na…” 

Best moments of this movie: When Anand calls anyone as Murarilal When Anand calls Dr Bhaskar as Babu Moshai When Anand is about to die and begs doctor banerjee for life When Anand recites the poem – ae maut tu ek kavita hai When Anand tells Isa bhai about the philosophy of life When Anand calls mother (instead of sister) to the head sister of the hospital (who is very strict) When Anand meets Renu for the first time When Anand says – Babu Moshai – hum sab upar wale ke haath ki ek kathputli hain…”  When Anand dies.

What this movie conveys: Anand was a patient but in real sense he was a natural doctor who was spreading life even when he knew that he is going to die soon Dr Bhaskar was a doctor, a doctor who is called as next to god in context of giving life… but moments came when Doctor Bhaskar became so helpless Story: Anand is suffering from Lymphosercoma of blood or blood cancer and is about to die in next six months or so. But he is so lively personality that he wants to live every moment that is left with him even when he comes to know about his illness. Infact there are indications at time that he is afraid to die and that is why also tries to make every moment as lively as possible. Dr Bhaskar is a very serious personality, and a capable doctor. Anand is admitted in the hospital and Dr Bhaskar is treating him. Both are just complimenting personalities. Bhaskar on one hand speaks very little and Anand on the other hand cannot be silent even for a second. Ultimately Anand is able to get place in everybody’s heart… and everybody cries to know that he is about to die except himself… Rajesh Khanna, Amotabh, Ramesh Dev, Johny Walker – all did a wonderful performance to make this movie a memorable movie. The movie is 14 reels and almost 2 hrs duration.

Namastey London: ~~Namastey@India~~

Cast: Akshay Kumar: Arjun Singh Katrina Kaif: Jasmeet/ Jass Rishi Kapoor: Manmohan (Jasmeet’s father) Upen Patel: Imran 

Crew: Producer/ Director: Vipul Amrutlal Shah Music: Himesh Reshammiya 

Lyrics: Javed Akhtar 

Best scenes: 1. When Arjun asks name of Jasmeet 2. When Arjun is drinking fresh cow milk directly 3. All scenes where Arjun displays his selfless, innocent love towards Jazz 4. When Arjun tells an englishman what India is in a party when that man tries to insult India 5. When Arjun accepts Jazz decision of forfeiting their marriage and her marrying Charlie 6. The Rugby Match 7. The last scene when Arjun speaks english Story: Jazz comes to a Punjab village in India with her parents to her father’s childhood friend’s house. Arjun is the son in that house. Arjun is typically a fun loving punjabi boy belonging to a rich family and hence carefree in nature. Jazz on the other hand is an advanced; london born girl who loves advanced life, music, dance… 

Arjun falls in love with Jazz in first sight of her. Both parents also decide to marry Arjun with Jazz but this is against Jazz wishes who has a boyfriend in London (Charlie). Jazz friend in London suggests her over the phone to get married to Arjun as there is no other choice and come back to London with him and her family, and if she tries to run away from this marriage, she will not be, as they will find her and forcefully marry her to Arjun. 

So better is to marry and when they come back to London, she declares that she does not believe in this marriage and wants to marry Charlie. Charlie has 4 ex-wives in last 2 years and Jazz is going to be his fifth wife and nobody else but Arjun is helping her to marry with Charlie. Does Jazz marry Charlie. Is Arjun able to convince Jazz with his true love, Is Charlie really in love with Jazz – let it remain as suspense. Arjun has an edge over Charile on various fronts – character, integrity, truthfulness, sincerity, culture, respect for elders, respect for love, sportsmanship and finally a disclosure in the last scene which Jazz kept on thinking that he lacks. What makes this movie a must watch: The direction, story, acting, lyrics and the music. Katrina did a wonderful job and for the first time she did not use dubbing of her dialogues. Akshay fits very well in such type of roles and what I feel is he has a potential that nobody so far has been able to explore.

Race: ~~~2 chicks+2 dudes = RACE~~~

A child’s behavior bespeaks about his parents… and the same applies to a movie too… Abbas Mastan, the duo directors of this movie talks about money, sex, crime, crime and crime… 

Music by Pritam is fast and fits well in the story… trend today is hinglish lyrics…trend is to focus it more on y-generation of the country… and moreover it is easy to complete a song with a copied music plus patches of lyrics (original – english). 

Cast: Saif Ali Khan: Ranvir Singh Katrina Kaif: Sophia Bipasha Basu: Sonia Akshay Khanna: Rajiv Singh Anil Kapoor: RD (Robert D’Costa) Sameera Reddy: 

Mini Story: Movie is a suspense thriller with lots of twists and turns. It has more number of surprises than the number of songs. Ranvir and Rajiv are two brothers. The family is settled in South Africa with a huge business and properties in various towns of SA – cape town and Durban. 

Ranvir is elder of the two. He grows into a hard and successful businessman who is fond of betting on horse race. Infact he has his own large base of horses. He never likes any of his horse to lose in the race. Rajiv right from his childhood keeps on losing race (first cycle and then horse) from Ranvir and that hurts his ego and turns him into a distracted personality. He always keeps thinking how to win form Ranvir but everytime he tries, he loses. Although whatever Rajiv needs in life, Ranvir provides him… and that is what Rajiv does not like as Ranvir has always the upper hand that hurts Rajiv’s ego. 

Rajiv makes a big plan where he decides to murder Ranvir, and get 100,000 million dollars from insurance company Ranvir’s secy Sophia love him. Ranvir loves his friend Sophia. Rajiv falls in love with Sonia. Ranvir sacrifices Sonia for Rajiv, Rajiv marries Sonia and tells Sonia to seduce Ranvir for the purpose of getting 100,000 dollars. Sonia agrees and succeeds in seducing Ranvir. 

They both start meeting privately. Ranvir realises that this is not fair to sleep in bed with his younger brother’s wife and tells her not to meet him any further. On one weekend Ranvir has to go with Sophia to capetown to sell off one of his property. Rajiv plans to call Ranvir and tells him that he has come to know about his affair with his wife and thus he is deciding to jump down from their office building. Whereas the actual plan is that when Ranvir comes there to save Rajiv, Sonia will push Ranvir off from the top of the office building so that he dies. They both then will declare to police that he has died accidentally and thus will get 100,000 dollars. 

Sonia and Rajiv are able to kill Ranvir. Case goes to RD of police department. Mini is RD’s innocent secy. Sophia is able to prove to RD (police) that Ranvir had married to her in Capetown (one day before he died) and thus 100,000 goes to her. What happens next, How Rajiv gets 100,000, does he ditch Sonia or Sophia, Is RD able to get to the roots of this all, Ranvir is really dead or… to know all this… you need to watch this fast track movie. Some conclusions: 1. Abbas Mastan duo are fond of crime based themes (as they are indulged into it) 2. Movie is really fast and each moment gives you a new turn. Your imagination can’t hold with the pace of the movie 3. You can’t skip movie for even a second while watching… else you will skip a lot. 4. Even in the world of crime – ultimately good wins and evil gets punished 5. Acting wise Akshay, Anil Kapoor and above all Saif have done wonderful job. 6. shocking… that Katrina can act… 7. another shock… that Bipasha too can act even will least of expressions. Happy ending…

Jodhaa Akbar: ~~Hrithik fits well in Akbar's role~~

Every lion has a day in life when he is worst than a dog Every dog has a day in life when he feels like a lion Akbar and Jodha were two strong personalities in their times. Akbar had a vision of uniting all religions for which he had a respect for all religions, place for all kind of people, strong mission, concrete plans and open mindedness. 

Hrithik has become a legend in him by now, in selecting a role, in playing a role in his unique style, in acting, in performance, in real life… Aishwarya has performed well but not the best of her class. She was not as free in her performance as she was in D2. 

If we take comparison following shall be the chart (our of 5): Act Hrithik Aishwarya Dialogue delivery 5/5 4/5 Acting 5/5 3.5/5 Overall Performance 5/5 4/5 Costumes 4.5 5/5 Ashutosh Gowarikar has really taken the courage to get into conflict about the subject and story but he has come out of it very beautifully without any mull over the issue. Lyrics by Javed Akhtar are excellent same as the music by A R Rahman. 

The best part of the movie is cinematography, Hrithik and the storyline. It is a soft, mild story with hard incidents embedded in-between appropriately. Few scenes to highlight: 1. Akbar’s (Hrithik’s) act of taming an elephant 2. Jodha’s conditions for marrying Akbar 3. Akbar’s acceptance of Jodha’s conditions and fulfilling them 4. Akbar’s last scene fight 5. All fights 6. Akbar’s refusal to accept his mentor’s order to kill his oponent 7. Dialogues 8. Lyrics