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TEZZ movie review:High drama but lack of thrills

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Produced by Bharat Shah and directed by Priyadarshan, Tezz is NOT a cut-and-paste replica of the cult Hollywood thriller Speed. Though the basic premise of Tezz is loosely lifted from the 1994 Keanu Reeves-Sandra Bullock film, the rest of the story is quintessentially Indian at heart, set in England and woefully predictable.
   So we have a train  that is on the verge of exploding thanks to a detonator strategically placed somewhere on its exterior. If a particular speed is not maintained, the bomb will go off (the title is justified!). You have passengers being transferred from the fast-moving ill-fated train to another EMU running along a parallel track by 50-something south veteran Mohanlal - his pulling the stunt off all by himself is not at all justified! And you have an original plot with an Indian soul coupled with oodles of emotional drama to make the story uniquely desi. Mallika Sherawat does her bit to set the the tone of the film by shaking her booty in a desi club gaana, Laila…seetiyaan!
















   Tezz is not a bad film at all, mainly because of the brisk pace that keeps you hooked. It is taut, very well shot and finely edited. The film manages to hold your interest, but it doesn’t quite get you moving forward to the edge of your seat. It definitely gets you almost there, especially at those anxious moments when you find yourself biting your fingernails, anticipating what is going to happen next.
   From the promos it is obvious that Tezz is an action-packed masala film, and Priyadarshan’s venture does not let the audience down, though it certainly leaves you craving for a solid and far better central idea. The film has so much going on all at once that you’re left with little time to dwell on the largely ignorable plot holes and some unimpressive visual effects. While watching this otherwise engaging high-octane drama, you chuckle at some naïve factors our filmmakers tend to stick to. People doing evil deeds in Hindi films can’t be just straight-out villainous, but need to justify their villainy as they seek revenge with morality and ethics intact at the back of their modest minds

   When the Chief Traffic Controller, London Railways, Sanjay (Boman Irani) gets an intimidating call from Aakash Rana (Ajay Devgn) informing him about the carefully crafted terror attack on the Glasgow-bound train from London, Sanjay takes the responsibility of averting the attack into his own hands. Boman’s daughter, played by Avika Gor of Balika Vadhu, is travelling on the same train, you see. The train can’t be stopped, ‘coz if the speed drops below 60 miles/hour, the bomb will go off. The British government intervenes and sends in their most trusted politician-celebrity head of the counter-terror attack squad, Arjun Khanna (played by  Anil Kapoor), who is known for employing his unique ways to deal with challenging situations. Aadil Khan (Zayed Khan) and Megha (Sameera Reddy) are the key players for Aakash, who is executing the terror operation to settle an old score. Can the bomb be stopped from going off without halting the train? You have to watch the film to find out.

Shot at beautiful locations across England, Tezz scores thanks to its brilliant photography. The visuals are at par with international standards. The action in the film is thrilling. The car stunts and chase sequences are filmed with meticulous attention to detail. Watch the delicious chase sequences in which Sameera gives the London police a chase for their money on a dirt bike while Zayed performs acrobatic Parkour moves as he runs through various key areas of the city. The performances from the principal cast are a huge plus for the film.

Acting wise, Anil Kapoor has a solid presence and is well complimented by equally intense performances from Ajay Devgn and Boman Irani. Sameera Reddy and Zayed Khan don’t have much scope to deliver any acting talent, but both have done a satisfactory job. Kangna Ranaut howls, screams, sobs and manages to act in-between the action with an ease we expect from her. She doesn’t have much screen presence though and Mohanlal is completely wasted, with just four lines in the entire film – watch him help move the passengers while taking giant leaps from one train to the other

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VICKY DONOR review: A product of fertile sperm

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Vicky Donor running sucessfully .vicky donor is a kind of movie representing our parochial mindset to a certain extent, treating an innocuous and selfless job like some terrible taboo. But what’s really good about Vicky Donor is the fact that it conveys a serious message without sermonising, which is why we thought it would be perfectly apt to label VD as a light-hearted commercial satire that conveys a message in a subtle manner by lacing a random concept like sperm donation with a humorous treatment and copious amounts of hard-hitting punches and one-liners.





So as Ayushmann (Vicky) rakishly rakes in the moolah by helping infertile couples have their own progeny, in the process he bumps into Yami Gautam (Ashima Roy), a Bengali, a banker by profession. And despite the fact that the two initially seem such a misfit as a couple, they eventually end up developing an enviable chemistry. The unusual pairing of a bindaas butter chicken-eating guy and a self-possessed fish-loving Bong girl is wonderfully portrayed.




The first half of the film comprises a hilarious representation of Delhiites, highlighting their ardent need to incorporate slang into every sentence they utter and the way they stow away delectable gastronomical delights like deep fried pakoras and kachoris that don’t ever turn their stomachs, come what may! We like the way the frivolous fluff slowly takes a much serious route once the protagonist Ayushmann gets married to his Bong sweetheart Yami. And trying to resolve the tense situation is Annu Kapoor who plays an astute infertility doctor in the film and who also takes the cake according to us, simply ‘coz he makes us crack up every time he twitches his fingers in order to explain sperm or just talk about it.

Of the many interesting characters, the one that really makes us grin from ear to ear is the old lady who plays Ayushmann’s mod grandmom. She drinks alcohol like no one’s watching, gets disappointed when her grandson gets an iPhone with a 16GB capacity rather than one with 32GB storage and mouths expletives in an amusingly unladylike manner.

The movie ends on a sentimental note, transforming Ayushmann from a young man with a devil-may-care attitude to someone who’s learned his lessons the hard way after discovering his own wife (Yami) isn’t capable of conceiving. Amazed to find out about the kind of happiness he’s bought into the lives of a number of families, Khurana gradually changes from Vicky Donor with fertile sperm to Vicky Donor with a sensitive heart…You have to see for yourself.

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Shahrukh Khan and Abhishek Bachchan to share screen again

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After working in Karan Johar’s unconventional emotional saga Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna way back in 2006, the two stars will be sharing screen space in Zoya Akhtar’s forthcoming film.Those who went to catch  Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna -Karan Johar’s take on extra-marital love equation- primarily swarmed the theatres to watch Shahrukh Khan. Though the film had the commanding presence of Amitabh Bachchan and also featured Rani Mukerji and Preity Zinta, not many really went to see Abhishek Bachchan’s execrable dance moves or his average acting skills. Shahrukh Khan was the biggest attraction and young girls swooned over him, even though the Baadshah of Bollywood played a limping gloomy man. SRK’s character had shades of grey


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Amitabh Bachchan has no problem working with Rekha

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All time popular on screen couple Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha might have parted ways over decades, but Big B doesn’t rule out the possibility of reuniting with her again on the silver screen. ”If there is a good story and like it then I don’t mind working with her,” the megastar said at a function recently.






The two have earlier worked together in films like Silsila, Mr Natwarlal and Muqaddar Ka Sikandar. The couple was quite a hit pair at one point of time and was known for their great chemistry. We wonder if they will be able to recreate the same magic, if they ever plan to work together again!