2019 draws to an end with a Good Newwz…

Unorthodox-heartwarming-hilarious, is how you would sum up the latest offering from Dharma Productions, Good Newwz is a breath of fresh air amidst some truly disappointing releases in recent time and indeed brings 2019 to an end in a good note. A fresh plot, witty dialogues and some flawless performances by the ensemble cast makes Good Newwz a must match for the holiday seasons. The plot revolves around a set of couples with the same surnames (Batras), eager to conceive and finally opting for invitro fertilization, which ends up in a horrible mix-up of sperms leading to each wife being impregnated with the wrong sperm, what follows is a hysterical and gratifying journey of these couples and how they manage and deal with the mixed up pregnancies. Debutant director/writer Raj Mehta has beautifully woven an intricate masterpiece which envelopes various sensitive issues of the society such as modern-day infertility, miscarriages, abortion and the elegant journey of a woman from pregnancy to childbirth. With almost no bad aspects, here are the good aspects of the movie:

Akshay Kumar has proven time and again that he is an all-out performer, his 4^th release of the year and last release of the decade only attests to the fact. Akshay is the heart and soul of the movie, with his relentless comic timing and versatile acting chops, Akshay never skipped a bit, be it in a comedy scene or a hardcore emotional one. Kareena Kapoor Khan seemed flawless in her portrayal of the ambitious Deepti Batra, ferociously eager to conceive, and going lengths for the same, effortlessly put forth her journey to motherhood and shined particularly in the emotional bits of the movie. The 2^nd set of Batras, namely the loud-mouthed Honey Batra and the bubli Monika Batra from Chandigarh, played almost quintessentially by Diljit Dosanjh and Kiara Advani have done equal justice to their roles. Veteran actors Adil Hussain and Tisca Chopra as the owners of the successful Invitro fertilization clinic have put forth commendable performances as well. The actual stars of the movie however are the dialogues and screenplay, the movie is studded with hilariously witty dialogues that are sure to tickle the funny bones of every viewers.

Final verdict: The ignorance of modern man towards the simple-basic articles of life draws him ever so close to insanity, that something as magnificent as child-birth is being excluded and cases of feticide are soaring every minute. The movie takes a modern route and a hilarious one to educate the masses of the basic roots of humanity. The average Indian movie buff deserves such unconventional projects from fresh narrators as Raj Mehta and any such future endeavors. Good Newwz is a must watch for any avid movie goer for the festive seasons, the exuberant narrative not once seems a drag in the long 134 mins running hours. To top everything is the infectious chemistry amongst the ensemble cast with multiple momentous sequences that will either make you chuckle or shed tears, in a nut-shell Good Newwz is the sort of closure Bollywood deserved for the past decade and keeps us exhilarated, for more such gems in the coming decade.

Stars: 4/5

The fourth installment of the infamous Housefull franchise opens this Diwali with a bang…!!

Housefull 4, like its premise almost came back from the dead, when director Sajid Khan, along with Nana Patekar (playing a vital role in the movie) had to leave the project after facing serious allegations during the #MeToo movement, and writer-director Farhad Samji took to direct the project in peril after directing the third issue. The fifth Bollywood franchise to have a fourth installment after Raaz, Hate Story, 1920 and Golmaal, Housefull 4 was pretty undesired by now, especially after the very forgetful and horrible Housefull 3. But the movie was able to garner at least some attention with its well-crafted trailers and fine posters, so viewers around the country marched in theatres to find what Akshay Kumar & Co. had to offer this time around this Diwali. The plot revolves around 3 couples, who are about to get married, until one individual realize that they are all reincarnations from 600 years earlier and that to the wrong couples are about to get married, what follows is a roller coaster of a series of confusions, mindless comedy, some dreadful song sequences, a very forgetful Nawazuddin cameo, and thus we have Housefull 4. So, does the fourth issue carry on with the ludicrous reputation of the Housefull franchise, or does it stand out and give the viewers something to look forward for the upcoming installments?? Here are some god and bad aspects of the movie:

The Good: Akshay Kumar; undoubtably is the heart & soul of the franchise or of any other comedy movie for that matter. With an implacable comic timing, Kumar doesn’t skip a beat in any sequence or dialog, in fact some of the most genuine & memorable scenes are his. While others struggle, Kumar’s performance stands out as hilariously effortless, as if comedy comes to him naturally. The actor, over the years has seamlessly transformed from a hardcore-hunky action hero to a hilariously-lovable star, and is here to stay. This performance keeps us excited for the actor’s future endeavors like Sooryavanshi (Rohit Shetty, 2020), Laxmi Bomb (Official remake of Kanchana, 2020) and Prithwiraj (2020). As evident from the trailers, Housefull 4, a period comedy, is filled with references and parodies of Bahubali and Padmavat, perhaps two of the most successful period/fantasy dramas in the recent years, with literally a direct parody of the Bahubali title track in the movie, but thankfully not once the parodies seemed cringeworthy. The movie fortunately delivered what it promised with some breathtaking VFX and prepossessing set designs, almost at par with the originals!! The 1419 Sitamgarh is exquisitely crafted and remains a spectacle to be experienced only in the theatres. To top the majestic sets and to conclude the period comedy experience is the magnificent costume design, with the 3 leading ladies looking simply ravishing in every possible frame & scene.

The Bad: With running hours of 2hr 22mins, Housefull 4 seems to take an eternity to reach climax, but somehow appears to be rushed. Unfortunately, other than Akshay the ensemble cast had nothing to offer either to the script, or the screenplay, as if they are simply there to fill the frame, while Kumar does the heavy lifting. The music is outright vile, with perhaps some of the most cowering lyrics ever written in a Bollywood movie, each song sequence is undesired and only adds length to the film.

Final Verdict: With two similar big releases like Made in China and Saand ki Aankh, Housefull 4 appears to take the cake this Diwali, with viewers choosing Housefull as their favorite for the festives. But box office numbers aren’t all, as Housefull 4 seems to be a missed opportunity where the fourth installment had all possibilities of surpassing all three predecessors both in respect of a compelling plot-VFX & sets design and commendable performances. It’s a step in the right direction though, and it appears that the fourth issue in some way stands out as the best till now in the franchise, which offer viewers something to look forward from the franchise in the future.

Stars: 3/5

The majestic 2.0 hits theatres after years of anticipation and excitement, so does the Indian sci-fi extravagant strike all the right notes or not?? Lets find out...

2.0 is perhaps the most eagerly anticipated sequel, only seconded to another monumental masterpiece- Bahubali 2, The conclusion. Before anything else, 2.0 has proven a point, that with proper vision, Indian movies have the potential to rival the likes of any foreign movie industry. The brainchild of director Shankar Shanmugham is a glorious spectacle to witness. The animatronics, prosthetics, vfx and makeup team have done wonders, the icing on the cake is Akshay Kumar's brief but significant appearance as Dr. Richard. Rajini sir as Dr. Vaseegaran/ Chitti (1.0, 2.0, 3.0) is brilliant, his energy and charm is simply unparalleled. Sadly, this is as much good we can get, out of this movie.

The movie starts from where we left Robot (2010), the city of Chennai plunges into mayhem, as a mysterious supernatural force absconds with each and every cell phone of the city followed by bizarre murders of big cell phone dealers and telecom giants by the stolen phones, in its tiring 2hrs 26mins run time, too much time is given building up the plot and staging the massive clash of the protagonist (Chitti) with the big bad (pakhshirajan). The entire first half of the movie somehow feels irrelevant at times with unnecessary comedy sequences at times when the whole city is under threat and despair. The script simply refuses to provide any credit to the talented supporting cast, who for most part seemed dull and insignificant. Finally, 2.0 is a full on modern day sci-fi with a hint of spirituality and a social massage that demands immediate attention.

Final verdict: 2.0 is a worthy sequel to the successful Enthiran (Robot) and a must watch for avid movie goers (3D recommended), for casual viewers however its something one can skip and wait for its premiere on streaming platforms and television.

Stars: 3/5