John Abraham has been gradually morphing into a major player in Bollywood. He is juggling his cards right with a mix of commercially viable films and independent ones. As a first time producer he hit gold with Vicky Donor.
Madras Cafe looks like a movie you don’t want to miss.
Besides John, the movie stars the Sri Lankan beauty Jacqueline Fernandez from Housefull2 and Nargis Fakhri, who we remember from Rockstar. Critics didn’t, but I liked her.
Madras Cafe is directed by Shoojit Sircar. (Vicky Donor)
I love Indian crime stories. They are gritty, messy, wild, passionate. In the US they are polished, predictable and boring. Bharat mein, pre-release there are always some little scandals surfacing, pushing much awaited release dates back. Personally I believe that monies might get shoved under some tables to make more people happy.This is India, afterall, where honey cakes get divided, or else!!
Shootout at Wadala is no exception. but it’s not about release dates but rather it might step on some sensitive toes in the underworld. specifically, we hear, Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar is not happy with his depiction by Sonu Sood :-) so there, let’s quickly change the character’s name..we don’t want Ibrahim to be sulking.
I just ordered the book the movie is based on. Dongri to Dubai by Hussain Zaidi at amazon. I hope it’s not written in Hindi :-) i did it a bit in a hurry.
Directed by Sanjay Gupta, close friend of Sanjay Dutt, who was proofreading the script and exclaiming here and there,” no it wasn’t like that at all!” I am making fun of course, Sanjay Dutt has no connections to the underworld whatsoever.
What I am looking forward to is John Abraham and not because of his muscles displays. He is just getting better and better with every film. more forceful, more powerful, more convincing. He can play the phonebook, he’s good at comedy at action at drama at romance. John Abraham is maturing like a good bottle of Bordeaux. And boy, I wish I had him in my wine cellar. I want to add, I very much enjoyed his first gig at producer, Vicky Donor, it was a hilarious movie. (btw, i think Hollywood might have stolen the idea, just saw a trailer yesterday which reminded me very much of Vicky Donor, a bit too much! )
Most of all, I love John’s naughty little smirk. but that’s just an afterthought….
He’s never looked hotter and never played a more despicable character. Or that at least is what I think as a woman. Parents of eligible daughters, meet your nightmare. Well, the girl will never get to meet the parents and that’s how the movie starts. Haven’t we met them before, the commitment-phobic?
This is a bittersweet movie about a flailing relationship that doesn’t go anywhere, mainly because our protagonist, music producer with a golden touch, Ishaan (John Abraham) is a self-centered and self-destructive SOB, the center and blackhole of his own universe.
His girlfriend Anushka (the beautiful Chitrangada Singh from Desi Boyz and Inkaar) a successful professional in her own rights, has had it with him, his empty promises, his hedonistic life-style. He doesn’t know it, but there is an ultimatum in the air. She gets dressed up to meet his parents, he forgets all about it partying and drinking after-hours.
Anushka means business and for her a no is a no and shuts him out of her life, figuratively and literally. Even though the movie applauds the manifesto of “hey, I don’t need you. I can figure it out on my own,” none of the female characters is flawless or very likeable. Each character is actually pretty lonely and struggles with their own demons and their own narcissistic tendencies. I couldn’t warm up to any and yet, could relate to their strengths and their weaknesses, their humanity. Often we don’t mean to be hurtful and just don’t think things through, the ramifications of our behavior.
After being fed to the dogs, Ishaan seems to find new love and outlook on life when he gets to know more intimately his new neighbor, Gauri, played by Prachi Desai. But even this relationship is flawed. In his professional life, Ishaan doesn’t score much better. His boss is a woman with her own S&M fantasies (slightly wardrobe challenged Raima Sen). We can’t even celebrate her higher salary and position because she is not much nicer than Ishaan and seems just vindictive.
And then there is still Ishaan’s overpowering and overindulging mother, who clearly favored her son over her daughter from the getgo. since he was the younger of the siblings, did she feel the need to protect him or is it that she favored in good old tradition the male progeny?
We know little about the sister other than she sides with Anushka, not her brother, which isn’t difficult to understand.
Relationships leave marks and sometimes have consequences. The film offers a window into difficult and uncomfortable solutions. When we walk out of the theater, there is no sense of elation. The movie attempts to close on a high note, but we don’t buy it.
This is not a high-five type of a movie. But this is exactly what I appreciate about it. Once again John Abraham doesn’t shy away from a role that makes him appear unlikeable. Even though I must say he has never looked hotter and made my heart stop more than once with his brooding masculinity. Deep down he represents these dangerous type of men good girls are attracted to. And somewhere inside of him he might have caught a glimpse of familiarity with the dark side of his character. He played Ishaan with ease.
This movie reminds us to be better, as lovers, as friends, as mates. So it comes with a message. It’s almost a dialogue opener between the sexes, between partners. What do we want from each other, what are our expectations? What is acceptable, what not?
I liked the conclusion of the movie. It was painfully realistic. Therefore I believe it won’t be a big box office success. For some reason I gravitate towards those.
On another level, I liked the nuanced cinematography. It’s a promising directorial debut for Kapil Sharma. Not a novice in the film industry, this is his first gig as director. Promising.
Writer Devika Bhagat has written some fabulous screen-plays, like Manorama 6f u.Bachna Ae Haseena, Aisha, Ladies vs RB, JTHJ..
Even though Devika takes a women-centric stance she still doesn’t lose perspective. We have our weaknesses too. I like that about her characters. Never comes out more than in this movie. Aisha was such a mix of likeable, manipulating, shallow and earnest.
However, her characters put their foot down and are unafraid, facing a challenging world upfront. Gone are the times in India that women smile bashfully through abuses. Anushka, Gauri, even the mother are decision-makers and won’t get bullied into submission.
Devika Bhagat writes for contemporary women, encouraging them to come into their own. Yet, a reconciling middle-ground should be the goal. I wouldn’t like to see male chauvinism being replaced by female chauvinism.We can find a seed of that threat in I, Me aur Main.
Action: Akki in his hottest, pheromoniest Khiladi avatar! Get ready!! Looks like fun.
I love Akshay Kumar in action-packed roles. He’s a bit older now but age doesn’t seem to interfere with his sexiness. Whereas I find that Salman Khan and Shahrukh have lost some of their legendary sex-appeal [ but maybe that’s just me], this little gangster hasn’t.
He’s a bit heavier around the middle but I don’t mind. hey, and that’s the keyword: MIND. Akki sparkles with genuine enthusiasm and it’s somehow contagious. Salman looks a lit bit worn out. Shahrukh turned slightly introvert, Akki seems to enjoy himself. Even in lukewarm or disastrous movies, he is always a breeze of fresh air. so yes, I am looking fwd to the movie.
Most of all, however, I’d like to see him pairing up again with John Abraham! That would be my greatest joy. They make such a power-team! Garam Masala, Desi Boyz… Action/Romance/Comedy: Can you make it a triple play!?
just look at our Superman. Could John Abraham get any sexier? This teaser makes me want to watch a movie I ordinarily wouldn’t want to see.. too bad it never released here in the USA
If you liked Dostana you will be looking fwd to Dostana 2.
Tarun Mansukhani has cracked the code to a successful sequel (hopefully). He must have had lots of sleepless nights cuz I remember him talking about writing the sequel ages ago, when I had just joined twitter. Good things come to those who wait…as the proverb says.
As the months and years went by… Tarun Mansukhani’s thoughts and writings got progressively kinkier and naughtier.
This is Tarun before writing the sequel:
and after
and now the glorious moment has come: He’s cracked it.
…. wait a minute. 2011?
ok, it took long
but at least we know who’s starring in it.
John Abhi and Katrina Kaif.
at least that’s what we think….
John Abraham desperate to get naughty with partner Abhishek Bachchan
John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan’s much-awaited Dostana is all set to come up with it’s sequel soon. If reports are to be believed, director Tarun Mansukhani has finally cracked the plot. Dostana 2 is said to be far more naughty and wicked than that of the original.
Talking to a leading daily, John Abraham said that he can’t wait to get cosy with Abhishek Bachchan on the screen again. The actor further said that Dostana 2 would be set in London and Punjab. A source informed the daily that Dostana 2 would unfold on terra firma.
Something that disappoints us is that the sequel won’t have Californian seasides and bikini babes. The sources also informed that there will be lots of sexual jokes, but innocuous fun would still be the key in the film.
After hitting jackpot as a producer with Vicky Donor it looks as if John Abraham is going to surprise us next taking on directing. This will be really interesting because John seems to like challenging the norm. As an actor he took quite a few risks, which I love about him.
Just think about the deeply dark movie No Smoking. If that wasn’t gutsy, what is!? :-) The first totally surreal Indian film I have ever seen.
Water, another brave topic. Deepa Mehta’s brilliant movie about a child widow
In Jhoota Hi Sahi he took a chance playing the love interest of an entirely unknown actress, Pakhi Tyrevala, the wife of the director Abbas Tyrevala. for an actor of his stature that was taking a risk.
7 Khoon Maaf, alongside Priyanka Chopra, another unusual role for a ‘leading’ man. In this case one out of seven…
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In Dostana he pretends to be a homosexual, another tabu topic in India.
Aashayein, a movie about a man who has 90 days to live, another smart but surprising choice of film
John chooses roles wisely mixing commercial cinema, Dhoom, Housefull, Desi Boyz, etc., with offbeat movies and challenging topics.
In taking on sperm donation in the first movie he produces, he again proves to be a risk taker. I like that about him. I’ll be looking forward to his debut as director.
Vicky Donor is getting a lot of buzz these days. Sperm donation, that’s something which hasn’t been discussed much publicly in India, perhaps here and there behind closed doors. It’s a smart move on John’s part to take a novel topic for his first venture in production.
At this stage of his life it’s a great idea to become a producer, doors are already wide open. I guess it could be also somewhat risky when you don’t have much experience yet, but that wouldn’t deter our Johnny, would it. All I can say is though, I wish he had been acting himself in this movie, such a fantastic topic. I wonder why he didn’t.
but let’s wish him good luck with his first movie. I hope it will get here to the US, which is still to be seen….but since Johnny’s name is crowning the movie, I let myself be surprised.
John Abraham wants to follow Aamir’s footsteps
Source: Dailybhaskar.com
Bollywood’s muscular hunk John Abraham has just turned producer and he seems very excited about the potential that this venture of his holds. ‘Vicky Donor’ has created quite a buzz in the country with its bold subject and the innovative manner in which it is being marketed. The movie has been produced by John Abraham under his banner ‘JA Entertainment’. The actor is pretty confident about his production debut, but still feels that he needs grooming in the department. Hence, John has said that he would want to follow the Aamir, Farhan model in going about his work.
Ayushmann Khurrana, the lead actor of ‘Vicky Donor’, had recently come to Dailybhaskar’s Mumbai office and had said that John is a very generous producer. Rather he was more like an elder brother on the sets. Well, John would be very happy to hear that his ‘employees’ have good things to say about him, which does not really happen very often. John has reportedly said recently that even though he might have turned producer but he admits that he does have a total grasp on cinema. He further said that he wants to follow Aamir Khan and Farhan Akhtar because they are brilliant producers.
Well, John, with your name backing a project, we are sure that a host of women would certainly crowd the cinema halls.
postscript: I am glad he didn’t snatch the lead. Ayushman Khurana was brilliant in the role!!!
played to a housefull of Bollywood fans here at Bombay Theater in NY. The movie was sold out in no time, a rarity these days. Akshay and John are box office gold..
They are a mega-winning couple. I had low to no expectations reading all these lukewarm reviews but I was positively surprised. Housefull 2 is being treated way too unkindly in the press. Sajid Khan has the last laugh because this movie is going to make a lot of money. People like the light-hearted crying-out ridiculous. It’s fun.
Housefull 2 is a goofball comedy all right, a bit like Bringing Up Baby, or the comedies of the 30s and 40s with their typical identity reversals and screwy twists. Love’s dilemmas, comedy and conflicts are symmetrically distributed among two or three couples. The concept is even older than that. You find it already in Mozart’s operas.
Housefull 2 is wildly entertaining, well-choreographed and directed. Great supporting cast with Rishi Kapoor, Boman Irani and Mithun Chakraborty, Randhir Kapoor. Jonny Lever at his usual best. Riteish Deshmuk is mellowing out nicely and sensibly. The female protagonists were just ok, Asin shining a bit brighter than the others .
But Akki and John are the bomb together and I can’t understand why Akshay would be saying he wants to move away from comedy. He’s soooooo good at it!!!
Comparing the two, I liked it better than Housefull 1.
thebollywoodaddict 