Amrita Arora

Amrita Arora has a vitality that is very appealing. Fondly called “Amu,” Malaika Arora’s younger sister is confident, clear-headed, and charming. Like most young girls growing up watching Bollywood films, she was addicted to the films of Madhuri Dixit and Sridevi. “They inspired me to be an actress, as much as my sister did.” Amrita watched with admiration as her sister practiced for the incomparable “Chaiyya Chaiyya” song sequence in Dil Se (1998) with Shah Rukh Khan and this deepened her resolve to become a part of Bollywood.

Amrita started her career by winning the MTV VJ Hunt, and hosted shows like “MTV Houseful” and “Chill Out” for over two years. “I grew up watching this channel so it was amazing to have such a ball hosting shows, doing gigs and earning all that pocket money!” She was at the Natraj Studio filming an advertising campaign when she met Aamir Khan who predicted “You will definitely be an actress one day.” Amrita does not think he remembers that, but for her they were the nicest words anyone could have said to her.

Her initial films did not do well but she was unfazed and continued to take on parts with zeal and determination. Her efforts were rewarded with a string of hit films. Girlfriend (2004), her most visible and controversial film, dealt with the theme of lesbianism. While the moral brigade and media tore the film to shreds, Amrita spoke up to defend it with commendable rationality and clarity. Her song sequence “Dilli Ki Sardi” in the film Zameen (2003) has become incredibly well known and provided an opportunity for her to work with directors like Mahesh Manjrekar—”He really pushes the boundaries of his actors”—and Vikram Bhatt—”You have to unlearn everything with him and then learn so much. He is from a different school of acting altogether.”

Amrita loves London because it has an “electric vibe” and she often meanders around central London, relaxing in cafés and window-shopping. “I like the Edgware Road district with its Lebanese, Arabic, and Iranian communities and food. Another favorite is Chai in Primrose Hill, who do a wonderful variety of teas and desserts and even serve a masala tea from India.” Amrita’s boyfriend, Usman Afzal, is a cricketer with the English team. She loves to watch him play, accompanied by a basket of French fries with Mexican chili. She is also addicted to watching British sitcoms like Nighty Night, Only Fools and Horses, and Footballers’ Wives.

Kambakkht Ishq (2009)

After a long tedious week, what one desperately needs is mindless entertainment. And this is precisely what Kambakkht Ishq promises and delivers: Bollywood masala coated in glam, tossed with idiotic humour, garnished with scantily clad women, spiced with a brigade of Hollywood superstars, and of course that special condiment a super sexy Kareena Kapoor igniting the screen in an acerbic verbal tennis with Akshay Kumar.

But let’s face it, what is drawing audiences (read hot blooded males with raging hormones) to the cinemas is clearly an alluring and stunning Kareena aka Bebo – who now even has a highly unpalatable song to her name courtesy this film (and if this wasn’t worse enough a David Dhawan film due this season also has a track with the same chorus).

Kambakkht Ishq hardly has a mentionable plot. It simply revolves around the super model Bebo and the bane of her existence, the super Hollywood stuntman Viraj, the notorious womaniser played by Akshay Kumar – a role he’s done so often in films such as Garam Masala, it’s become second skin really. However his last attempt, the infamous Chandni Chowk to China fell flat, and this latest venture seems exactly what he needs to pump up his ratings. True to form though, the value in the film comes from the ludicrous situational comedy and the natural flow of humour that surges through Akshay’s perfectly delivered rebuttals, although Javed Jaffrey and Boman Irani are also included and added sparsely for flavour. Jaffrey plays the role that he has been stereotyped in after playing a ‘desi Aussie’ in Salaam Namaste, with his over exaggerated puns on the US penchant for legal action: spinning off the word ‘sue’ in a myriad of farcical ways. Jaffrey has a totally unnecessary character that has no link to the rest of the story, as does Irani, though his subdued humour makes sure that he delivers a respectable performance each time. Meanwhile it is Akshay and Kareena’s tiffs as they try and sabotage each other as they get their heads around their best friends getting married, that this film really revolves around.

Interesting additions to the cast are Aftab Shivdasani and Amrita Arora, both of whom have been absent from the scene for quite a while, and whose careers have certainly gradually sunk into the backwaters of Indian cinema. They both needed this film for a much needed boost, which it certainly has done. Although they have very minor roles, Amrita stands out with a body to kill for. Her new fully toned, highly stylized persona is testimony that she has finally joined the ranks with sister Malaika Arora Khan and best bud Kareena, who actually, despite her super sexy role, manages to look haggard compared to Arora. Kirron Kher also does her customary two bit as the aunt cum surrogate mother; a cameo of the worst and forgettable kind, and is also fairly stereotyped, particularly after Dostana.

But as mentioned before, Kambakkht Ishq is a glamorized masala film that is complete brainless entertainment so it requires nothing from the actors but the ability to deliver their pithy and coarsely humorous dialogues in a particular time sequence. The rest of the laughs the situations manage to elicit themselves naturally. The film should be a roaring success akin to that of Singh is Kinng.

However, the musical score eaves much to be desired. The only noteworthy track is RDB’s ‘Om Mangalam’ which was used in the film’s trailers. The song ‘Bebo Mein Bebo’ makes one cringe in utter disbelief that Kareena now has a song to further pump up her already pompous self. While the video of the song has strong remnants of the mutilated classic ‘Yeh Mera Dil’ from Don, only this time a slimmer Kareena is adorning a slinky baby pink sequined mini dress instead of the gold one that she wore in the former.

Nonetheless, despite these significant upsets, the film is sure to be a crowd puller for the star value and manifests in full form how far the Indian film industry has reached to be able to garner cameos such as Denise Richards and Sylvester Stallone – an icon himself of the coveted and fascinating Hollywood. Kareena as always is a delectable treat to watch, but one can’t help but feel that any actress with a body to pull off her urbane wardrobe could have easily done this role. But these days whatever Bebo touches turns to gold.

At the end of the day, Kambakkht Ishq is total paisa vasool entertainment. Leave your cognitive capacities at home to indulge in the uproarious and ribald, although at times raunchy humour, while Bebo and Akshay set the screen ablaze in more than one ways – they’ve made out ten times in the film – strange trivia to reveal but with masala comes mirch. Enjoy this scintillating summer special! – Hani Taha Salim (Rating – 3 OUT OF 5)

Cast and Production Credits

Year – 2009, Genre – Comedy, Country – India, Language – Hindi, Producer – Sajid Nadiadwala, Director – Sabir Khan, Music Director – Anu Malik, Rdb, Sulaiman Merchant, Cast – Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, Aftab Shivdasani, Amrita Arora, Vindoo Dara Singh, Ashwin Mushran

Aa Dekhen Zara (2009)

Money is power. Power is seduction. It can seduce anyone, even the simplest of men. Can one cheat death? Can fate be fought? These are the questions that Aa Dekhen Zara poses as a film.

But make no mistake. This isn’t a moralistic film. It is pure suspense with a dose of fantasy but the questions keep coming back as the film progresses and therein lies the beauty of this film.

The young hunk Neil Nitin Mukesh plays Ray Acharya, a freelance, broke and struggling photographer who is a straightforward enough guy. With the death of his grandfather, Ray inherits a camera that can take pictures of the future. But there is a catch. A black photo means death.

On the other hand is his neighbour, the beautiful Bipasha Basu (Simi Chatterjee) who is a DJ. As they fall in love and Ray figures out the real purpose of this futuristic camera, one is taken on an adrenaline ride that gains pace as the reel rolls on.

As Ray makes the moolah, he changes. A small time photographer is suddenly wearing Armani suits and driving around in a Mercedes. Personal gain and greed should not be toyed with. But human beings are flawed and greed finds its way into Ray’s life very quickly despite the fact that he plays a genuinely upright fellow, one whose motivation was never money in the first place. Lack of opportunities in the harsh city of Mumbai pushes him towards the shortcuts. But there are consequences. And those consequences are the real reason why Aa Dekhen Zara is worth a watch.

Relationships are put to some serious tests as the lovebirds struggle amidst lies, deception and run out of options quickly. As they move from Mumbai to Bangkok, the action sequences start and because they are few of them, they stand out. This is not an out and out dhishum dhamaka film and that is a relief. A jump from a high-rise building by Neil Nitin and Bipasha stands out.

The whole idea of a futuristic camera sounds unrealistic and ridiculous but this is fiction at work. Like Shekhar Kapoor’s Mr India or the Keanu Reeves-Sandra Bullock starrer The Lake House where the two live in two time frames – one is in the past and the other is in the future two years later – these are all fictional ideas and they have all worked because they have been executed sharply. Same goes for Aa Dekhen Zara.

Come to the acting and the combination of young Neil and slightly older but smouldering Bipasha Basu makes an interesting pairing.

For once, Bipasha has a film where she is the crowd pleaser, the bigger star. In the first half, she is wasted. Beyond looking good, she has nothing to offer. But it is in the second half where Bipasha Basu shows off her craft as an actress. Fear, love and bravery, she switches from one emotion to another with equal grace.

For Neil Nitin Mukesh, this is an important film. His debut Johnny Gaddar won critics over but it failed to make a mark at the box office. In Aa Dekhen Zara, Neil proves once again why he is one of the new age actors to watch out for. He plays the role naturally and that is his biggest feat in the film. This isn’t a hardcore drama but it is a film that requires a varied range of emotions to be played out. From struggling freelancer to super rich man drowning in the seduction of money to a man on the run, Neil pulls it off with a natural grace. The fact that he is a good-looking guy makes him even more appealing.

Another man who makes his mark in a supporting role is Rahul Dev who plays Captain. His role appears somewhere in the second half but his villainous ways are enticing. And the bad guy is always impeccably dressed and looks rather sexy. And he is a very good actor with films like Asoka, Insan and Kidnap to his credit. His roles may be supporting but he delivers every time. In this film, he shines out.

The main flaw, one that is common in most Hindi films, is the film’s length. It is over two hours long. The first half drags on and it could’ve been easily chopped. On the upside, there are few songs in the film and that comes as a relief especially since most songs are typical numbers. The title track, ‘Aa Dekhen Zara’, which one first heard on Sanjay Dutt’s Rocky has been remixed and sung by Neil Nitin. It is an average song. In fact, the slower lounge version is far more interesting. The other track worth a listen is ‘Gazab’ which has been running on airwaves consistently. It’s catchy and both Bips and Neil look good together in it. The rest of the numbers are dull so ignore them.

For director Jehangir Surthi, this film is a first and as a debutant director, he does deliver. He has ended the film on a note where a sequel might be possible. So watch out, there just might be a sequel with time travel in the makings.

Aa Dekhen Zara is not groundbreaking cinema but it is intriguing. The suspense quotient is sufficient to keep one glued to the film till the end.

So far, Indian audiences and critics have slammed the film. But then it is the same audience and critics who gave a film like Rock On!! two thumbs up even though it was a mockery of the rock music genre – Maheen Sabeeh (Rating – 3 out of 5)

Cast and Production Credits

Year – 2009, Genre – Thriller, Country – India, Language – Hindi, Producer – Viki Rajani, Director – Jehangir Surti, Music Director – Pritam, Gourov Dasgupta, Cast – Neil Nitin Mukesh, Bipasha Basu, Amrita Arora, Koena Mitra, Rahul Dev, Sophie Choudhary, Bobby Vats, Shrivas Nydu, Deepak Dhariwal, Biswajeet Chatterjee