“Student Of The Year 2 Is An Entertaining & An Enjoyable Fare”
Banner: Dharma Production & Fox Star Studio
Producers: Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar, Apporva Mehta & Fox Star Studios
Director: Punit Malhotra
Star Cast: Tiger Shroff, Ananya Panday, Tara Sutaria, Aditya Seal, Samir Soni, Gul Panag, Abhishek Bajaj, Manoj Pahwa, Ayesha Raza Mishra, Rajesh Kumar, Manasi Joshi Roy, Chetan Pandit, Samreen Kaur, Manjot Singh, Sahil Anand, Daljeet Singh, Harsh Beniwal & Rajveer Siungh & above all Alia Bhatt & Will Smith  
Music: Vishal – Shekhar & Salim – Sulaiman

Some of the most popular films on OTT platforms at present are those that are set in schools or colleges. These are usually light-hearted films dealing with love & other school based aspects. Not just on streaming platforms, even in cinemas, this genre has never gone out of fashion & Hollywood regularly churns out such films. But when it comes to Bollywood, one can hardly recall a handful of such films. The only memorable movies one can recollect in the last 10 to 12 years are Jaane Tu Ya Na Jaane Na in the year2008, 3 Idiots in the year 2009 & Fukrey in the 2013. Student Of The year 2 hence is an important film in this regard. Its 1^st ever part, released in the year 2012, was a runaway success & had established 3 new actors namely Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt & Siddharth Malhotra. Now, Karan Johar has released Student Of The Year 2 & this time he has cast 2 new girls namely Ananya Panday & Tara Sutaria, along with the popular actor Tiger Shroff. However, it’s Punit Malhotra who’s wearing the director’s cap for the sequel.

The scripted scenario of Student Of The Year 2 opens its frame with the story of triumph, love & also making a comeback. Rohan (Tiger Shroff) & Mridula (Tara Sutaria) study together in Pishori Chamanlal college. Both are in love & there comes a time when Mridula changes her college & gets an admission in the prestigious St Teresa College. Rohan too wants to get admitted in this institution but knowing that the fees there are too costly, he abandons the plan. He still tries his luck & seeks admission under the sports quota. As luck would have it, his admission is approved. Rohan reaches there & realizes that Mridula has changed. For starters, she now calls herself Mia. She also gets a bit detached with Rohan. However, in no time Rohan wins her heart & they both again become a couple.

Meanwhile, Rohan is introduced to the Teresa’s stud & star athlete, Manav Mehra (Aditya Seal). They quickly become friends but Manav Mehra’s sister Shreya (Ananya Panday) detests him. She always tries her best to put Rohan in a spot. At the time of the dance competition of the college, Rohan & Mia team up while Manav & Shreya jointly participate. For both the girls, winning the competition is very crucial.  Mia wants to attain popularity & she realizes that this dance competition will be a step in that direction. Shreya, meanwhile, wants to escape the clutches of her tyrannical father Mr Randhawa (Chetan Pandit) & also her over-achiever brother Manav & get enrolled in a dance school in London. During the competition, Manav & Shreya win while Rohan & Mia get defeated as Mia loses her grip. So Mia is devastated & when Rohan goes to console her, he finds Mia & Manav cosying up to each other. An angry Rohan punches Manav. This action leads to Rohan’s expulsion from St Teresa. Manav, still cross over getting hit by Rohan, gangs up & beats up Rohan black & blue. What happens next forms the rest of the crux of the film.
Arshad Syed’s story, with additional inputs by Paulomi Dutta, is nothing new & novel. However, it’s written keeping in the mind the genre. Arshad Syed’s screenplay however is praiseworthy as it’s peppered with some entertaining, dramatic & even moving moments. The beginning however is a bit haphazard. Arshad Syed’s dialogues are witty & some one-liners raise guffaws.

Punit Malhotra’s direction is appropriate. He understands the space in which the film is set & does justice to the plot in hand. He had a tall order to reach considering that the 1^st ever part was very well helmed by Karan Johar. In that regard, he comes quite close & that’s quite a feat. Despite the unreal world, Punit Malhotra puts his earnest effort in making it seem convincing. At a few places, he does falter though, story-wise. Shreya’s turn around in the 2^nd half is difficult to digest. Also, a twist in the 1st ever half revolving around Mia is surely a shocker but might raise questions.
Student Of The Year 2 doesn’t have a great opening as such. The beginning portions don’t really engross viewers. It’s only when Rohan gets admission in St Teresa that the film picks up. The stark contrast between Pishori & St Teresa is well depicted. Also, the issues Rohan faces while adjusting in the new environment & the way he upgrades his wardrobe to fit in is very relatable. The scene at Jeffrey’s is funny but the scene to watch out for in the 1^st ever half is when Mr Randhawa slaps Shreya. It takes the film to another level as viewers realize Shreya’s life isn’t as lovely as it seems to be. Another sequence that comes close is the intermission point is quite impactful. The 2^nd half gets better as Rohan changes gear & also his life dream. A few sequences stand out here like Shreya celebrating her birthday alone, Rohan, Shreya & Mia arguing in the café & the fight in the college stadium. The climax keeps viewers on the edge & though predictable, it makes for a fine watch.
Vishal-Shekhar’s music is not that great. The 1^st ever part had very memorable songs while in this part, songs are below-par. “The Jawaani Song” is the best of the lot & even most entertaining. “The Hook Up Song”,appears in the end credit, is okay. “Main Bhi Nahin Soya”is moving, more so because of the visuals. “Fakira” & “Jat Ludhiyane Da” are also alright. “Mumbai Dilli Di Kudiyaan” is not a part of the film. On the other hand Salim-Sulaiman’s background score is energetic & dramatic. 
Ravi K Chandran’s cinematography is rich & gives the film a brilliant look. Choreography is visually appealing by all 3 of them namely Remo D’Souza (“The Jawaani Song”), Adil Shaikh (“Fakira” & “Jat Ludhiyane Da”) & Farah Khan (“The Hook Up Song”). Sumayya Shaikh’s production design is superior in terms of visuals & ups the film’s richness. Manish Malhotra & Nikita Jaisinghani’s costumes are also a treat to the eyes. Though they might seem a bit too over the top, especially the costumes worn by Ananya Panday & Tara Sutaria, it will be liked by the target audience & might soon even set a new trend in fashion. Sham Kaushal’s action defies logic & laws of gravity at places but in a film of this zone, it actually works well. Ritesh Soni’s editing is praiseworthy. The film is nearly 145 minutes long but doesn’t seem lengthy.

Performance wise Tiger Shroff is completely in his element & as always, does a great job. His screen presence is electrifying & though he is perceived as a killing machine, it’s still believable when he’s the one getting bashed up by the baddies & he doesn’t even fight back. However, when he does make a comeback, it’s seen to be believed! In fact, the praise should also be showered on director Punit Malhotra for using Tiger Shroff’s action potential to the fullest & also seamlessly making it a part of the film’s narrative! Ananya Panday is a complete star & she proves it. She looks very convincing as a spoilt rich brat. Her change of heart might seem unconvincing but once that happens, she impresses even more, acting-wise. Her’s is in fact the most moving character in the film & she wins everyone’s hearts! Tara Sutaria too puts her best foot forward. Her screen presence too is something to watch out for. Sadly, she gets a bit sidelined in the 2^nd half but she surely gets noticed & is all set for a bright future in Bollywood! Aditya Seal is well casted & he is terrific as the baddie. Watch out for the scenes where he’s silently observing & without saying a word, he conveys a lot! Harsh Beniwal as Puggi is quite entertaining & raises laughs. Ayesha Raza Mishra as Principal Singh & Manoj Pahwa as Coach Mahipal are a bit over the top but it was as per the requirement of the character. Samir Soni as Principal Gujral tries to be funny but fails. Gul Panag as Coach Kuljeet shines in a small role. Chetan Pandit is alright. Rajesh Kumar as Rohan’s astrologer uncle is hilarious in his entry scene. Manasi Joshi Roy as Roshan’s aunt is unrecognizable & doesn’t have much to do. Samreen Kaur as Mia’s mother is there for just 1 scene which is also needless. Rajveer Singh as Security guard Lahiri Singh does gets noticed. Will Smith is seen for a few seconds while Alia Bhatt adds to the glamour quotient in the end credit song.

Tail Piece: On the whole, Student Of The Year 2 is an entertaining & an enjoyable fare which will strike a chord in the audience’s hearts.
At the box office, it has the potential to do an excellent business!

Kalank

“Kalank Is Indeed A Visual Spectacle That Lacks The Soul”

Banner: Fox Star Studio, Dharma Productions & Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment

Producer: Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar, Sajid Nadiadwala & Apoorva Mehta

Director: Abhishek Varman

Star Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Maadhuri Dixit, Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sonakshi Sinha, Kunal Khemu, Kiara Advani, Hiten Tejwani, Kirti Sanon, Pavail Gulat & Achint Kaur

Music: Pritam, Sanchit & Ankit Balhara

At one time, the multi-starrers were indeed in vogue but of late, such films barely come out of Bollywood. A few franchises like Golmaal & Housefull have kept this tradition alive. Even Dhamaal can be counted here & its recent installment Total Dhamaal was one of the biggest multi-starrers in a long time as Ajay Devgn, Anil Kapoor & Madhuri Dixit got added to the star cast. Kalank goes one step ahead as it stars 6 actors, all of whom are big & prominent names in their own right.

The scripted Scenario of Kalank is the story of lovers not destined to be together. The year is 1945. Satya Chaudhry (Sonakshi Sinha), wife of Dev Chaudhary (Aditya Roy Kapur) is diagnosed with cancer & she is told that she has just a year or maximum 2 years to live. Realizing that Dev Chaudhary will be shattered after her demise, she decides to find a 2^ndwife for him. Her search takes her to Rajputana, Rajasthan where Roop (Alia Bhatt) resides. The families of Roop & Satya Chaudhary go back a long way. Roop at 1^st rejects Satya Chaudhary’s offer but upon knowing her medical condition, she agrees. However, she has a condition, that Dev Chaudhary will have to marry her at 1^st & only then she’ll move into the house of the Chaudhry’s. Satya Chaudhary, Dev Chaudhary & Dev Chaudhary’s father Balraj Chaudhary (Sanjay Dutt) agree. So Dev Chaudhary & Roop get married & Dev Chaudhary makes it clear to Roop that this will be a marriage of convenience only. After marriage, Roop moves to Husnabad near Lahore where the Chaudhary’s reside. At 1^st Roop feels lonely but then she gets curious by the voice of Bahaar Begum (Madhuri Dixit). She decides to learn music under her tutelage. Satya Chaudhary & others at 1^st are aghast on hearing this decision since Bahaar Begum runs a brothel & that too in the infamous part of the city called Heera Mandi. But Roop protests & then the Chaudhary’s give in. Bahaar Begum meanwhile is impressed by Roop & decides to teach her singing. At Heera Mandi, Roop bumps into the flirtatious Zafar (Varun Dhawan). Both of them get attracted to each other. Zafar is a blacksmith & works for Abdul (Kunal Kemmu) who has a communal mindset. He’s also against Dev Chaudhary’s newspaper named Daily Times that promotes the idea of 1 nation theory, rejects the notion of Partition & recommends industrialization even at the cost of job loss of the blacksmiths. Bahaar Begum senses that Roop is getting attracted to Zafar & she gets horrified. After all, she knows that Zafar has ulterior motives behind romancing Roop & it can lead to the disastrous consequences. What happens next forms the rest of the crux of the film.

Shibani Bathija’s story is poor & silly and totally rests on a wafer thin plot. Except for Roop & Zafar’s track, all other parts of the story are not well fleshed out & are full of loopholes. Abhishek Varman’s screenplay doesn’t do much to salvage the situation either. Instead of wrapping up the scenes quickly, he lets them go on & on. And again, he doesn’t do much to hide the glaring glitches. Hussain Dalal’s dialogues are quite good at places. But in some scenes, it’s too filmy & might even induce unintentional laughter.

Abhishek Varman’s direction is not at all up to the mark. He was quite in control in his directorial debut, 2 States which was released in the year 2014. But in case of Kalank, he makes a mess. Anyways he couldn’t have done much when the script itself is flawed. The only plusses are that the climax is engaging & he is able to handle the visual grandeur of the film very well.

Kalank has a surprising commencement since the trademark & the famous title card of Dharma Productions is not displayed in its usual style! The 3 production houses associated with the film are quickly mentioned & the film begins. Again, here the principle cast is depicted quite smartly, without showing their faces. This might make everyone believe that one is about to see a film laced with a superlative script & execution. In no time, it becomes evident that it’s not going to be the case. The biggest problem with the film is that most of the developments are not convincing. In the beginning itself, audience will be bewildered as to why Satya Chaudhary went to Rajputana of all the places to search for a bride. Roop in fact reminds Satya Chaudhary that her family had helped her own family at one point but no details are ever given. It is also quite laughable that Zafar had never seen the face of Dev Chaudhary ever despite the fact that he had so much poison against the Chaudhary’s & also that Dev Chaudhary is a prominent figure of the town. The entire track of the blacksmith’s revolting against the industrialization process & also for a separate nation also seems superficial. Why was Abdul so insecure about what gets published in Dev Chaudhary’s newspaper? Agreed that Dev Chaudhary’s daily newspaper must be having a wide readership. But it can’t be the only newspaper in circulation? He could have taken the help of other newspapers to spread his agenda. The film moreover is too long & some scenes could have been done away with. The bull fight sequence, for instance, serves no purpose & was just added to appeal to the masses. On the positive side, a few sequences are well directed. The intermission point, though predictable, makes for a nice watch. The sequence of Bahaar Begum, Balraj Chaudhary & Zafar in the 2^nd half is quite dramatic. Also, the climax & the madness at the railway station will keep the viewers engrossed.

Pritam’s music could have been much better. “Ghar More Pardesiya” leaves impact followed by “Tabaah Ho Gaye”. The title track is relegated to the background. “First Class” is catchy & “Rajvaadi Odhni” is okay, but they come almost back to back. “Aira Gaira” is forcefully added. Sanchit Balhara & Ankit Balhara’s background score is dramatic & adds to the effect.

Binod Pradhan’s cinematography is captivating & has the big screen appeal. Amrita Mahal Nakai’s production design is surreal & though it might remind one of Sanjay Leela Bhansali films, it is praiseworthy. The Heera Mandi set & especially the brothel of Bahaar Begum is stunning. Manish Malhotra & Maxima Basu Golani’s costumes are appealing but don’t seem authentic in terms of the era & the economic condition of some characters. Sham Kaushal’s action is fine & not too violent. Remo Dsouza, Bosco-Caesar & Saroj Khan’s choreography is praise worthy. Fluiidmask Studios & NY VFXWaala’s VFX is good overall but quite bad at certain places, especially in the bull fight sequence. Shweta Venkat Mathew’s editing is very disappointing as the film is quite lengthy at 168 minutes.

Performance wise it is indeed Varun Dhawan & Alia Bhatt who save the film from becoming an ultimate disaster. Varun Dhawan is as always at his best & gives his 100% to the role. He also contributes to the laughter quotient. In the climax however, he is terrific. Alia Bhatt also puts her best foot forward & just like Varun Dhawan, even she is let down by the poor writing. She arguably has the maximum screen time out of all the 6 actors & makes great use of it. Aditya Roy Kapur seems monotonous but this is how his character is. His dialogue delivery is quite good & in the scene with Varun Dhawan, he does quite well. Sonakshi Sinha is sincere but her role will remind one of her act in the 2^nd half of Lootera which was released in the year 2013. Madhuri Dixit looks stunning & gives a decent performance. Sanjay Dutt, credited as special appearance, is okay. Kunal Kemmu as Abdul plays the villainous role with panache. Achint Kaur as Saroj, Hiten Tejwani as Ahmed & Pavail Gulati as Aditya; the journalist interviewing Roop are fine. Kiara Advani is royally wasted. Kriti Sanon looks glamorous in the item song.

On the whole, Kalank is a visual spectacle that lacks soul & falters big time on account of its writing, length as well as music.

At the box office turnstiles, the film will suffer due to negative word of mouth publicity & therefore the collections will drop after the initial euphoria subsides. Period!!!!!

Ex-Child Actor Of The Small Screen Arena Bhavesh Balchandani Celebrates His 18^th Birthday

Terrace lounge, upbeat music & celebrity crowd set the mood for Ex-Child Actor of the small screen arena namely Bhavesh Balchandani’s 18^th Birthday Party. The child actor who rose to fame from his role in TV series like Ek Veer Ki Ardaas Veera celebrated his birthday with a Gothic theme based party with family & friends at Trumpet Sky Lounge. Stars like Siddharth Nigam of Alladin – Naam Toh Suna Hoga fame, Jannat Zubair, Digangana Suryavanshi, Saloni Daini, Bhavin Bhanushali, Reem Shaikh, Arishfa Khan, Harshita Ojha, Ekta Jain & Avneet Kaur were amongst the many other telly celebs to attend the party. The stars in Gothic attire elevated the ambience as they dance to the tune of the devilish Bollywood tunes. On his 18^th birthday, Bhavesh Balchandan’s parents wished him all the success & love & also advised the mischievous birthday boy to inculcate the habit of sleeping in time & getting up early. When Tiktok Star Jannat Zubair was asked about the one bad habit she would want Bhavesh Balchandani to quit, without skipping a beat Jannat Zubair said, “I want to change his laughter when he laughs, he sounds like a car engine struggling to start. And yes, he should definitely stop biting his nails.”  Amidst the eventful night Bhavesh Balchandani shared how excited he is to vote for the ongoing Loksabha elections & take on the responsibilities that come with adulthood, he humorously added, “I watch Spiderman so I know with great power comes great responsibility.” The party was supported by Chand Seth of SOS Nightlife & Aditya Kumar of Telly Chaska.