Aag - Movie Review

Aag

Genre Action

Director Ram Gopal Varma

Cast Amitabh Bachchan, Mohanlal, Ajay Devgan, Prashant Raj

Storyline A cop hires two buddies to capture the dreaded gangster Babban Singh

Bottomline Miracle cure for insomnia


David Dhawan made Jodi No.1, as a cheeky tribute to Sholay. Though irreverent, that was true homage. Unpretentious, it interpreted the classic effortlessly, confident in its own skin and consistent with the director’s style. Ram Gopal Varma Ki… [Insert appropriate Hindi ‘gaali’, if you are a fan of the original] is an insufferable potboiler about a bandit called Gabbar. The kind of film that makes turkeys like Daag – The Fire look infinitely slicker.

There’s no stopping Varma’s Aag, especially, after he cuts off his editor’s arms (in the original, Gabbar cuts off Thakur’s). The film agonisingly runs for over two and a half hours, unleashing its sadistic streak with bursts of Babban (Bachchan playing out his childhood fantasy, just like a child possessed) and we find ourselves at the butt of all cruel jokes.

It’s difficult to review Aag because I kept nodding off to sleep, waking up to be occasionally frightened by the name mothers will drop in the coming weeks to scare kids crying in the cinemas: “Soja, nahi to Nisha Kothari aa jaayegi.” Nisha makes ‘su-side’ sound like a good idea.

Sho lay was way ahead of its times with elaborate set-piece action sequences of an epic scale – remember the painstakingly shot and orchestrated train-being-chased-by-dacoits sequence in the original? Here, Ramu rents out run down ru ins of a fort and lets his Steadicam operator run amok. Deserted ruins instead of a speeding train crashing into timber for an impact? The metaphors can’t be more definitive of the respective narratives or the audience response. Watching stuntmen who’re shot at fall down animatedly, you let it pass thinking maybe he’s just recreating the 1970s feel all over. You may have forgiven him for that too, if it were consistent. Aag is a confused product. Suddenly, it opts fo r the slickness and subtlety of Company. Sholay came across as a seamless narrative, in spite of the motley crew of unforgettable characters. Here, in spite of its attempt to simplify, the screenplay is terribly disj ointed, at times even making you forget the characters that exist in the film. There are all of three scenes to write home about. Veerendra Saxena as A.K. Hangal is heartrendingly good. Two, Bachchan as Babban when he chops off the Inspector’s fingers is psychotically effective and the third, I forget but that Prashant Raj chap isn’t half-bad.

Karthi may be soon in Shankar's production

‘Karthi, who shot to fame through Paruthi Veeran, would soon act in a movie produced by director Shankar's S Films. The film would be directed by a one-time associate of Shankar’, say Kollywood circles.

With Karthi is currently acting in Ayirathil Oruvan in Selvaragavan's direction, it is said that works for the new project would commence once the actor becomes free.

Resembling Kadhal and Veyyil, this production venture of Shankar too would come with a strong story line.

It may be recalled that Shankar is already producing Kallori and Arai En 305il Kadavul, directed by his former associates Balaji Sakthivel and Simbudevan respectively.

Apart from this, Shankar is busy with his directorial venture Robo, in which Sharukh Khan is acting in the lead.

Kamal and Hrithik come together

Two tops stars, one from Bollywood and the other from Kollywood are coming together for a new film to be produced by Adlabs. The film will be made with high technical values and will be made on a huge budget of about 100 crores. The film will be made in Hindi and other south Indian languages. Kamal Haasan is reportedly been signed up for 20 crore as remuneration.

75 years of Tamil Cinema Festival

75 years of Tamil Cinema Festival kicked off in a grandiloquent
manner on August 6th, 2007 in Singapore. President of South Indian Artists
Association, actor Sarath Kumar inaugurated the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of
Tamil Cinema at the Golden Village Theater in the presence of actors, actresses,
media and well-wishers of the industry.

The inauguration of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of Tamil Cinema on August 6th,
2007 was a colorful and flamboyant affair. The Golden Village Theater was decked
with backdrops of the most famous names in Tamil Cinema history. The achievement of
Tamil Cinema - right from the days of ‘Kalidas’ in 1931 to ‘Sivaji’ in 2007 – was
displayed at the premises. In short, the stage was set for the grand event.

Super Hero Sarath Kumar, President of South Indian Artistes Association, inaugurated
the week long celebrations and delivered the key-note address. Veteran director Mr.
S.A. Chandrasekar, President - Directors Union (TANTIS), Producer Mr. K.S.
Srinivasan, Secretary - Producers Council, Actress Ms. Sripriya, Committee Member -
South Indian Artistes Association, Mrs. Radikaa Sarath Kumar, Chairperson - Radaan
Mediaworks, Mr. C.R. Venkatesh, Director - Galatta Global Events, Mr. Girish Ramdas,
Director - Galatta Global Events and Mr. K. Ramesh, President - Galatta Global
Events were the other delegates who graced the occasion. The representatives and
heads of council and unions Mr. Sarath Kumar, on behalf of the Nadigar Sangam, Mr.
S.A. Chandrasekar, on behalf of the Director’s Union and Mr. Srinivasan, on behalf
of the Producers Council and President Mr. Rama Narayanan assured that the Kollywood
community would actively participate in the grand fete. The impressive inauguration
was followed by the screening of the evergreen classic movie of MGR ‘Nadodi Mannan’.

Cameraman and Director Jeeva dead

Ace cameraman and director Jeeva passed away in St.Petersberg, Russia, following cardiac arrest on Tuesday morning at 7.30 a.m. (Indian Standard Time). He was 44.

Director Jeeva was shooting for a Tamil film “Dham Dhoom” with ‘Jayem’ Ravi as the hero, Kangana Ranaut, Laxmi Rai and other artists. His body is expected to be flown to the city on Thursday.

An acclaimed cinematographer-turned-director, Jeeva had worked in over 40 films starting with Malayalam films. He was the cameraman for director Shankar’s “Gentleman”, “Kadhalan” and “Indian.”

Jeeva ventured into Bollywood and cranked the camera for several blockbusters, including films directed by Priyadarshan. Some of his Hindi movies include “Hulchul,” “Yeh Tera Ghar Yeh Mera Ghar,” “Run,” “Kushi,” “Hera Pheri” among others. A native of Thiruthooraipoondi, Jeeva ventured into direction with “12B” in which he introduced Sham as the hero. The film featured Jyothika and Simran. Jeeva’s next film was “Ullam Ketkumae” with a cast of now-popular stars like Arya, Asin and Pooja. Jeeva followed it up with “Unnale Unnale,” where he introduced a Bangalore model Vinay in the lead role. “Unnale Unnale” was a run away hit and is still running in theatres. Jeeva was currently engaged in directing “Dhaam Dhoom.”

He is survived by his wife Annesha, the costume designer of Jeeva’s films, and two children.