Junglee

“Junglee Pictures ‘Junglee’ Is an Entertaining Movie For Children & Senior Citizens”
Banner: Junglee PicturesProducer: Priti Shahani  & Vineet JainDirector: Chuck RussellStar Cast: Vidyut Jammwal, Pooja Sawant, Asha But, Atul Kukarni, Akshay Oberoi, Makrand Deshpande, Thalai Vasai, Don & Bhondyaaa,  Vijaya Kumar Arcot Ramachandran, Vishwanath Chatterjee, Rohan JoshiMusic: Tanuj Tikku & Sameer Uddin

The gentle giant, elephant, at one point was a significant part of some very important films. The most memorable film in this regard was Haathi Mere Saathi in the year 1971. Then there were films like Maa in the year 1976, Safed Haathi in the year 1977 etc. that also dealt with elephants & made for a great & entertaining watch. Almost 4 decades later, the jumbo makes a mighty comeback in Bollywood with Junglee. The film has been noticed for its trailer & plot. Moreover, it’s a rare Bollywood film directed by a Hollywood director, Chuck Russell.
The scripted scenario of Junglee Pictures Junglee reveals the story of a veterinarian trying to fight an international poacher’s racket. Raj Nair (Vidyut Jammwal) is based in Mumbai & is a renowned veterinarian. He has an estranged relationship with his father, Dipankar (Vijaya Kumar Arcot Ramachandran), who runs Chandrika Elephant Sanctuary. Their relationship soured a decade ago after Raj Naiur’s mother passed away. On her 10^th death anniversary, Dipankar requests Raj Nair to come back. This time, Raj Nair agrees & he’s accompanied by journalist Meera Rai (Asha Bhat), who wants to interview Dipankar for his contribution in safeguarding elephants. Raj Nair is welcomed with open arms by his childhood friend Shankara (Pooja Sawant), who’s also a female mahout. Meanwhile, Kotian (Atul Kulkarni) is a poacher working for a client in Taipei. They realize that an elephant in the sanctuary, Bhola, has unusually large tusks. If they manage to retrieve it, they can get amazing returns for it. Kotian accepts the assignment & after a thorough recce, he attacks Bhola at night. Dipankar however reaches the spot & Kotian kills him. The goons working with Kotian also kill Bhola & escape with his tusks. Raj Nair too goes to the rescue of Bhola but is defeated. What happens next forms the rest of the crux of the film.The main flaw of Junglee Pictures Junglee is that Rohan Sippy, Charudutt Acharya, Umesh Padalkar & Ritesh Shah’s story is very poor & totally outdated. The only plus point is that it educates audiences about the horrors of poaching & wildlife conservation. But audiences also need entertainment along with enlightenment & that’s where this film falters. Adam Prince & Raaghav Dar’s screenplay is ineffective for most parts. There’s a lot the screenwriters could have done here but they don’t & it’s a loss of a golden opportunity. Akshat Ghildial & Suman Adhikary’s dialogues are nothing special & some of them are even awkward.Chuck Russell’s direction is shockingly bad. One expected this director from Hollywood would work his charm & entertain audiences. Instead, he makes it a total mess. He takes too much time to establish & build up. It’s still fine for the scenes of Raj Nair bonding with the elephants as it has novelty value. However, the sequences of Raj Nair & his father are very unconvincing & looks totally staged. Also, he goes overboard while depicting the Indian culture & customs. In this regard, there are some ridiculous developments in the 2^nd half which would leave the audiences shocked. It’s unbelievable how it got approved in the first place.

In fact Junglee Pictures Junglee is just 115 minutes long & that’s a big advantage. The beginning portions, depicting the sanctuary & the presence of poachers is neat & sans any complaints. Raj Nair’s entry sequence & the fight scenes at the skywalk are also decent. One expects fireworks once he reaches the sanctuary. His scenes with Bhola & a female elephant, Didi, are also quite good. But the film drags a lot out here with nothing much happening. In fact, this goes on for a long time till the pre-intermission point. The interval point is a shocker & gears up audiences as they anticipate a roller-coaster ride from here on. But sadly enough, apart from Raj Nair’s escape from the prison, no scene really makes a mark. The film also gets silly & absolutely ridiculous here. The sequence where Raj imagines talking to Lord Ganesha is when the film touches a low. The grand finale is also nothing special.

Sameer Uddin’s music doesn’t work. “Dosti” is sweet & is well shot. “Fakeera Ghar Aaja”could have been touching but it comes at a time when the film is really dragging. “Garje Gajraj Hamare”is played in the end credits. Sameer Uddin & Tanuj Tikku’s background score is better & has that big-screen appeal. Mark Irwin & Sachin Gadankush’s cinematography is average in most scenes. Also, too many long & bird’s eye view shots are used & it kills the impact. Chung Chi Li, Parvez Shaikh & Seayoung Oh’s action is entertaining. Special mention should also go to Vidyut Jammwal’s additional action choreography & it adds to the film. Mukund Gupta’s production design is a bit unreal but works nevertheless. Urvashi Shah, Anirudh Singh & Dipika Lal’s costumes are glamorous. NY VFXWala’s VFX leaves a lot to be desired. And it’s very bad in the Lord Ganesha scene. Jayesh Shikarkhane & Vasudevan Kothandath’s editing should have been sharper in the 1^st ever half.

Performances wise, Vidyut Jammwal’s act is nothing great but he has a fine screen presence & that helps in the long run. Also, his action scenes are always 1^st rate. Pooja Sawant looks stunning & arguably is the “Best Performer” of the film. Asha Bhat keeps her performance controlled thankfully. Makrand Deshpande as Gajja, on the other hand, hams like anything. Atul Kulkarni is passable. Vijaya Kumar Arcot Ramachandran gives a decent performance. Akshay Oberoi as Dev is sincere, in a special appearance. Vishwanath Chatterjee as Inspector Khan is quite theatrical. Rohan Joshi as Jayesh tries to be funny but seriously fails. The same goes for Lars Kjeldsen as Vane; villain in Taipei. Agnelo Chang (Mr Sinaki; buyer of the tusks) and Ania Zeyne (Crimson lady) push the envelope when it comes to giving the worst performances of the year.

Tail Piece: On the whole, Junglee Pictures Junglee is a clichéd revenge drama & reminiscent of the 80’s & 90’s action fare. The use of elephants might attract a section of the audiences but in the long run, it’s bound to suffer at the ticket windows.

“Notebook Is More Of A Multiplex Film Than Single Theater”

Banner: Salman Khan Films & Cine 1 Studios

Producers: Salman Khan, Murad Khetani & Ashwin Varde

Director: Nitin Kakkar

Star Cast:  Newcomers Zaheer Iqbal, Pranutan Bahl, child actors Mir Mohammed Mehroos, Soliha Maqbool, Mir Mohammed Zayan, Baba Hatim, Adiba Bhat & Hafsa Ashraf Katoo along with Mir Sarwar, Zahoor Zaidi, Mozim Bhat &  Farhana Bhat

Music: Vishal Mishra

In the age of electronic media & social messaging apps, the charm of handwritten letters & note is even more special. At such a time, Salman Khan presents Notebook. Although it is based in time period of the last decade, it is not exactly a period film & talks about some of the relatable issues of Kashmir & also of the matters of the heart.

So as per the scripted scenario the movie Notebook reveals the story of the bond that develops between 2 lonely teachers without even meeting each other. Kabir (Zaheer Iqbal) is based in Jammu & has quit the Army following a traumatic incident. He is called to Srinagar by an acquaintance who recommends him to join a school started by his father in Wular. The school’s only teacher Firdous (Pranutan Bahl) has quit the school just some time back. With no other teacher there, Kabir agrees to join. Wular is located in a remote town & the school is built in a rundown houseboat. There are only a handful of students around & Kabir starts teaching them. In the drawer in the teacher’s desk, he finds a notebook written by Firdous. She has written her thoughts, fears, insecurities, strengths etc. while she was teaching in Wular. It helps motivate Kabir & he also falls for her. Also, the manner in which the students speak highly of her makes it clear that she’s a kind-hearted person. Firdous also mentions in her diary that she is having an on-off relationship with a man called Junaid. Moreover, one day the school is hit by a storm during which Firdous’s notebook falls in the water. Kabir tries to save it but fails. What happens next forms the rest of the crux of the film.

Notebook is the official remake of the 2014’s Thai film Teacher’s Diary (Directed by Nithiwat Tharatorn). Darab Farooqui’s adapted screenplay comes across as inconsistent. The script had to be watertight in this film keeping in mind the loopholes in the plot. Sharib Hashmi & Payal Ashar’s dialogues are fine & work well within the context of the film.

Nitin Kakkar’s direction is poor, which is shocking considering how well he had executed his previous films, Filmistaan in the year 2014 & Mitron in the year 2018. The 1^st ever sign is seen in the opening scene itself depicting Kabir suffering from the horrors of his past. However, this bit is shown just once. Ideally, the director should have shown it multiple times that he’s getting flashes of the horrendous episode he suffered when he was in the armed forces. Secondly, an action scene is needlessly forced in the 1^st ever half & it serves no purpose. Notebook is a niche, multiplex-type urban film & the masala fight sequence looks so out of place. In fact, this niche appeal is also an issue as audiences might not get exactly the gist of some scenes. Take for instance the scene where Kabir reaches Delhi Public School to find Firdous. It is not clear at this juncture whether he managed to recognize Firdous. If he did, it’s bewildering why he didn’t talk to her. If he didn’t, then why didn’t he ask around in the school about her whereabouts? Lastly, it is laughable to see that Kabir never reads Firdous’ book fully. He’s reading just few pages each time. Note that he’s in a remote town & he has no other means of passing time. Also, he has fallen crazily for this girl. In such a situation, anybody in his place would have read the notebook in one go. But Kabir doesn’t & it’s only a few months later that he realizes that she has also written about her marriage! Due to such silly sequences, the impact goes for a toss.

Notebook is around 2 hours long but moves at a snail’s pace. The introduction part is engaging & the manner in which the school is depicted initially is intriguing. One can actually feel that the school is located in the middle of nowhere. Kabir trying to adjust to his new surroundings makes for a fine watch. The sequence of Kabir making friends with the kids is okay as the humor seems forced. The best part of the 1^st ever half is however when Kabir catches his girlfriend Dolly cheating. The use of the song “Accha Sila Diya”adds to the fun. The intermission point is quite arresting. Post-interval however the film falls. Kabir could have easily met Firdous by making inquiries but the makers don’t allow that to happen. Hence, it seems very unconvincing. Also, the film deals with too many topics like terrorism in Kashmir, exodus of Kashmiri pandits, importance of education for Kashmiri children etc. These tracks however are more interesting than the principle plot & that’s not good news for a film that is essentially a love story. The film ends on a fine note but it’s too little & too late.

Vishal Mishra’s music is melodious. “Nai Lagda” is the best song of the lot & is also picturised well. “Bumro” is peppy although it comes up all of a sudden. “Main Taare’comes next though Salman Khan’s voice doesn’t come across properly at a few places. “Safar” & “Laila”are forgettable. Vishal Mishra’s background score is as per the film’s theme. Manoj Kumar Khatoi’s cinematography is stunning & captures the remote Kashmir locales beautifully. Urvi Ashar Kakkar & Shipra Rawal’s production design is rich. The entire school-in-houseboat bit is fascinating. Sanam Ratansi’s costumes are appealing. Shachindra Vats’s editing could have been tighter.

Notebook rests on some fine performances with both the debutante actors doing an excellent job. Zaheer Iqbal is quite sincere & genuinely does a good job. Despite his tough look, he plays the vulnerable part very well & comes across as quite endearing. Pranutan Bahl, granddaughter of yesteryear actress the late Nutan & daughter of yesteryear actor Mohnish Bahl, is quite stunning & has a supreme screen presence. She delivers a first-rate performance & can definitely make a mark in Bollywood, provided she signs some well-written films. From the kids, Mir Mohammed Mehroos as Imran has an important track & is a natural. Soliha Maqbool as Shama is most adorable. The others – Mir Mohammed Zayan as Tariq, Baba Hatim as Waqar, Adiba Bhat as Dua & Hafsa Ashraf Katoo as Iqrah also put their best foot forward. Mir Sarwar as Iqbal’s father, recently seen in Kesari is fine. Zahoor Zaidi as Hameed Chacha, Mozim Bhat as Junaid & Farhana Bhat as Dolly are decent.

On the whole, Notebook boasts of exemplary performances by the debutantes & is beautifully shot while stressing on the importance of education.

At the box office turnstiles, the film would appeal only to multiplex audience.

Ranveer Singh Launches India’s Most Cutting-Edge Label Incink 

In what can be called a truly historic day in the music industry of India, actor superstar Ranveer Singh & filmmaker & music evangelist Navzar Eranee have teamed up to launch their passion project, an independent music record label called IncInk. The label will look to unearth the future superstars of the music scene in India & present their raw talent to a global audience.

“We are first starting with launching some really raw, immensely talented, new rap & hip-hop artists who we believe will be the next superstars of the scene. Rap & hip-hop are the biggest thing happening in Indian music today. This poetry is speaking of revolution, it is speaking of how India is protesting against class structures, injustice & social atrocities. It is the voice of India, from the streets of India that you just can’t ignore anymore. Hindustani rap/hip hop is telling our nation’s story & reality & we at Inc Ink want to bring out the real poets of our generation. Inc Ink literally means writing your own story & I’m inspired & thrilled to be starting this passion project that aims to affect social change. I hope that we can present some of the strongest & boldest voices of Indian youth to the world,” said Ranveer Singh, who turns a global entrepreneur with his music venture.
He added, “The 1^st ever 3 exceptional talents being launched are Kaam Bhari, SlowCheeta & Spitfire & I’m a huge fan of their music. We intend to sign & promote several more artists, who are exploring varied genres of music, in the days to come & showcase their beautiful music to India & the world. As an outsider in Bollywood, I have always wanted to do my bit to bring out & support the outstanding talent that we have in every street of our country. So, when Navzar Eranee & I came up with the idea of IncInk, it appealed to my core, my heart. Inc Ink is my passion & I intend to use this platform to give as many artists, from across the country, a chance to dazzle India with their talent.”
Ranveer’s partner & co-collaborator in IncInk is Navzar Eranee, a filmmaker & music lover aiming to nurture, launch & build artistes in India. He too turns an entrepreneur with this company that will give contemporary poets of our generation suitable exposure & reach amongst people.

Co-founder Navzar Eranee said, “Art can comfort the disturbed & disturb the comfortable. Music has always inspired me to think & act beyond my perceived limitations. As an artist bubbling with a point of view, I grew tired of safe conversations & diplomacy driven by economic interests. I want to connect with people. These connections via truth & authentic expression, though not always agreeable, create a more inclusive conversation. This insight drove Ranveer Singh & me to push our own boundaries & form IncInk. Anushka Manchanda a.k.a. Nuka & Shikhar Manchanda a.k.a. Rakhis came on board as our Head of Music, because we all agreed on the absolute core of what we envision for IncInk. Where artists can collaborate & express with real freedom. In my view, the haves & the have nots must engage on common ground, through art & music. This is where all collisions, disagreements & agreements must occur. To cause this change we must stir the nest, with our thoughts, our deeds & our words.” 
About the decision to start their independent label by launching rap & hip-hop artists, Navzar Eranee added, “Rap allows for a bold & direct approach. We can speak our truths, learn, educate & maybe even inspire somebody outside of ourselves. Oppression must be faced with bravery & creativity. We often face injustice every day. By bringing these subjects to light through art, we can recognize them & take action. Rap lends truth to the idea that art is mightier than the sword.” 
Today, IncInk released their 1^st ever single, titled Zeher written & performed by Kaam Bhaari, produced by Shikhar Yuvraj Manchanda (a.k.a. Rakhis). Zeher is a hard-hitting song that challenges the prevalent conforms of the Indian music industry boldly and unapologetically. 
So IncInk is an independent music company formed by artists, for art. ‘Inc’ stands for Inclusive, and ‘Ink’ for Inkalab, revolution through art. ‘IncInk’ is Inclusive Ink & an Inclusive revolution. It seeks out musicians, poets, painters & film makers. Their aim is to create an infrastructure where artists from different mediums can collaborate without restrictions. By being inclusive, IncInk will create authentic music, art & film which will provide a voice & a platform for artists. In essence, IncInk is an end to end solution for artistic freedom.

Chhota Bheem: Kung Fu Dhamaka 3D Unveils New Trailer & Poster

India’s most iconic & popular animation character Chhota Bheem has been upgraded to become more stylish & powerful. With killer Kung Fu moves & a great amount of fun as its driving force, Chhota Bheem: Kung Fu Dhamaka 3D, releases in theatres on 10^th May, 2019.  Directed by Rajiv Chilaka & Binayak Das & produced by Green Gold Animation, the producers have partnered with Yash Raj Films to give the film the widest ever release for an animation title in cinemas across India. 

The film is set in China & this time Bheem & his friends set out on an adventure in the Land of the Dragon to participate in the biggest Kung Fu competition of the world. However, the capturing of the princess by China’s arch nemesis Zuhu hinders the competition as Bheem is called upon to rescue the princess. Director Rajiv Chilaka, CEO & Founder of Green Gold Animation, says, “Children’s favorite animated character is coming soon on big screens in 3D on 10^th May, 2019. Chhota Bheem Kung Fu Dhamaka 3D is an amalgamation of team effort &  hard work over the last couple of years.  We hope our audiences enjoy the film & we wish to make an impact about the quality of Indian Animation throughout the world. Green Gold Animation has left no stone unturned in creating this enthralling feature & we are proud to present our work to the world.” Green Gold Animation is a pioneer in creating original Indian animation content & has been entertaining the young generation for over a decade. The shows produced by Green Gold have been hugely popular across all leading kids TV channels like Cartoon Network, Pogo, Discovery Kids, Hungama & Disney, drawing an active viewership of over 60 million kids. The popularity of the characters like Chhota Bheem, Mighty Raju, Super Bheem, Kalari Kids created by Green Gold has transcended over the years & it has helped the company establish itself as a leading player in Licensing & Merchandising, Movie Production & Distribution, Digital Business, Retail Stores & Events. 

‘1978 – A Teen Night Out!’ Releasing In Apr, 2019   A supernatural horror thriller titled 1978 – A Teen Night Out! is all set for release in the month of Apr, 2019. Crescendo Music & Films has joined hands with KSM Film Productions to produce India’s 1^st ever teen thriller. The film has been co-produced by Spotlights Creation & is being distributed by Utopia Studios, worldwide.

 1978 – A Teen Night Out! is racy, supernatural & terrifying  suspense story that promises to keep the hearts of its viewers thumping, right from the beginning till the last scene.

 1978 – A Teen Night Out! has been directed by Aziz Zee & it features a bunch of young teenage actors who have performed amazingly well. They are Yash Rajpara, Apurva Godbole, Gaurav Sharma, Vaishnavi  Kadam,  Rishabh Raj, Muskaan Tomar, Sunny Yadav,  Rohit Mugallu, Maliha Malla.  & the film also features renowned TV actress Sonyaa & above all singer Abuzar Akhtar.

 While the songs are completely composed with a retro feel of the 70’s, the USP of the film is that all the songs are actually sung by the actors of the film. By sheer coincidence, during auditions Suresh Thomas of Crescendo films discovered that some of the actors are brilliant singers. He then decided to create the entire music score using the voices of the actors themselves. This is possibly the 1^st time ever that this has ever been done in any Hindi film so far. 

Kunal Shamshare Malla stated, “1978 – A Teen Night Out! is a brilliantly made slick horror thriller which is like a Hollywood film of the same genre.” 

Director Aziz Zee said, “With films like Stree, Pari & Ghoul being widely appreciated, we can be sure that 1978 – A Teen Night Out! is bound to draw crowds to the theatres.”

 So re-live 1978 – A Teen Night Out, with what else, but a dash of chilling horror.

Viacom18 Motion Pictures To Distribute A Children’s Film ‘Dora And The Lost City Of Gold’ In India

Viacom18 Motion Pictures will distribute a children’s film titled ‘Dora And The Lost City Of Gold’ In India on 2^nd Aug, 2019.

 The scripted scenario of the children’s film Dora And The Lost City Of Gold reveals that Dora having spent most of her life exploring the jungle with her parents, but nothing could prepare Dora (Isabela Moner) for her most dangerous adventure ever namely high school.

 Always the explorer, Dora quickly finds herself leading Boots (her best friend, a monkey), Diego (Jeff Wahlberg), a mysterious jungle inhabitant (Eugenio Derbez) & a rag tag group of teens on a live-action adventure to save her parents (Eva Longoria & Michael Peña) & solve the impossible mystery behind a lost city of gold.

 Some of the cast members had this to say:- 

“Growing up, I really related to Dora, in the sense that she spoke both English & Spanish. Then, at a young age, I had the same haircut, so everyone called me Dora! When they sent me the script I was like, ‘I have to do this. I’ve been her, my whole life!’” – Isabela Moner

 “Like any great family movie, parents will have as much fun as their kids.  Lots of humor & lots action!  I can’t believe how talented the whole cast is. The 1^st night after shooting I went back to my wife & said, ‘I’m really worried that I’m going to have to up my game because these kids are really good!’”– Eugenio Derbez 

“I was thrilled to join this cast & be a part of bringing the story of Dora to life. She has been such a positive role model for kids around the globe. The film is so much fun & has a lot of heart & I can’t wait for audiences to enjoy it this summer!”– Eva Longoria 

“My daughter grew up watching Dora, so I knew her pretty well. But are you the same person at 16 as you are at 6? I think the great thing is that, in this movie, Dora kind of is! That’s her charm. She has grown up by herself in the jungle, with just her parents, so the world hasn’t put her down. No one has ever told her she can’t do anything; she’s not lived through social media & peer pressure, so she doesn’t care what people think. And you love her for it.”– James Bobin

 Dora And The Lost City Of Gold stars Isabela Moner, Eugenio Derbez, Michael Peña, Eva Longoria, Adriana Barraza, Temuera Morrison, Jeff Wahlberg, Nicholas Coombe, Madeleine Madden, & above all Danny Trejo. 

Dora And The Lost City Of Gold is being presented by Paramount Pictures, Paramount Players & Nickelodeon Movies Present in association with Walden Media. A Burr! Productions Production & A James Bobin Film. The executive producers are Julia Pistor, Eugenio Derbez & John G. Scotti. The film is produced by Kristin Burr, story by Tom Wheeler, screenplay by Nicholas Stoller & Matthew Robinson& directed by James Bobin.

Zoa Morani Wins Hearts With ‘Yeh Crazy Dil

’Zoa Morani is back in the limelight for her recently out web series namely Yeh Crazy Dil. Playing a de-glam avatar, Zoa Morani looks quite real in her character & is winning hearts for her performance. The Always Kabhi Kabhi actress Zoa Morani has been known to play all-glam roles & hence Yeh Crazy Dil was an experiment, but Zoa Morani sailed through it effortlessly.

Zoa Morani had even cropped her hair a straight 6 inches short for the series. This 2019 web series marks Zoa Morani’s comeback after her last film, Bhaag Johnny Bhaag which was out in the year 2016.

Zoa Morani is happily basking in all the compliments & is now more pumped about her upcoming film with none other than Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

Yeh Crazy Dil is a 6 episode Web Series & was released in Feb, 2019. Yeh Crazy Dil Stars Zoa Morani & Adeeb Rais in the lead with Mini Mathur, Lillete Dubey amongst others.

Tennis Buddies All Set To Be Released On 29^th Mar 2019  

The Children’s Film Society India’s upcoming film Tenis Buddies is all set to be released on 29^th Mar, 2019 & the entire credits & cast of the film are as follows:- Directed by Suhail Tatari, produced by Children’s Film Society India’s Shravan Kumar, executive produced by Anoop Wadhwa & Ashok Wadhwa, story & script by Anoop Wadhwa, edited by Archit D Rastogi, music by Kashi Richards, dialogues by Rohit Rana & Pawan Sony, cinematography by John Wilmor, casting by Kashyap Chandhock & media publicity by Parul of Filmkraft. The film stars Dakshata Patel, Ranvir Shorey, Divya Dutta, Bikramjeet Kanwarpal, Madhu Anand Chandhock, Darshan Gurjar, Arsh Gyani, Bachan Pachehra, Amar Talwar, Charu Sharma et al. The film will be released across all theaters Nationwide on 29^th Mar, 2019.