When the ghosts go digital!

IF you thought that spirits evil or otherwise, use only people as a medium to convey their messages, or haunt someone in order to reveal the dark, murky secrets gone to grave with their death, you definitely need to think again! If you believe the ghost can take up only the flesh and the bony matter to carry out the action and quench the thirst of the unfulfilled will, you need to have the hint of the changing psyche of 21st century ghost. In the era of internet and digital ramifications, ghost could well use any medium to convey the message, it could be a television that sits nicely on the corner piece [in this case read central piece] or a sleek mobile phone that you carry to do anything and everything except talking over. Yes, ghosts today are like hyperactive wannabes, even they want their share of twenty seconds of fame. Well, that is the basic premise of 13B.

Madhavan’s character and his family shifts to a new apartment [do I need to tell you the ominous room number?] surprisingly, things start going awry, in this order- milk spilt everyday, Elevator clogs when Madhavan hops into it, Pictures taken on the mobile phone go crooked, lights go flickering like crazy dancers etc. Madhavan takes it lightly till the intensity of the things escalates to a fatal height, then, to his surprise he accidentally finds out that he is a part of this mumbo jumbo and follows a character’s flow ditto from a horror soap, which his family is fond of, and follows it religiously. So whatever happens on the mini series the same follows in the house immediately! Or, the other way round. And the drama within a drama of paranormal existence starts unfolding.

13B has more than a couple of moments that sends a cold, scary sensation down your spine. The movie spares you the horror of occult powers and witchcraft but fails to scare you as much as you would want it to. Excellent cinematography and equally good editing makes the plot even more intriguing. The movie ends up being more of a mystery than a ghost story in the final stages.[ wish it could have both] A novel ghost story that doesn’t take you on the edge of the seat. You don’t find yourself biting you nails while watching the movie, for it lacks the namkeen flavour. The movie!

Ratings 3/5 ***

Black Monkey steals the show

Movie review-Delhi6

While driving back home from a surgeon in some part of New York, he [Abhisheik Bachchan] agrees to take his ailing grandma [ Waheeda Rehman] back to the place of her Origin-Chandani chowk. The yo mama kid [junior Bachchan] had never been to Delhi, and having arrived here he takes time to adjust the hustle-bustle of the chandani chowk, the crowd, the jalebi, the over-the-top emotional play, spilling love and fetish for American culture. He Likes the Ramleela commotion and is impressed by the bonded by blood relation, but hates the judicial system and an anonymous black monkey, responsible for creating havoc in the red-fort city in equal measures.

She [Sonam Kapoor] is a chirpy, in-your-face small town girl busy getting her video shoot done in order to clinch the coveted title of Indian idol. Abhishiek falls for her love for life mantra, her bubbly smile and her charming appearance. Well, Sonam makes him feel that she is hot he is not! Things are good so far till the black monkey raises its bar and creates more ruckuses, leading to communal riots, maramari, blame game, violence. The Message is loud and out, we Indians are good people with our faiths, our emotions, our culture and love, but we are capable enough of turning ourselves into hyper reactive, tamashebaaz, pushing all the good attribute under the carpet in the name of God when the situation get worse. And indulge in emotional atyachaar.

Delhi 6 has some captivating moments and some fabulous hard hitting lines. Without being offensive and offending, the BLACK MONKEY concept works [no it’s not Symond-Bhajji altercation.] What does not work, is the treatment of the movie which seems like some excellent concepts broken into jigsaw puzzle pieces. And the director finds it even more difficult to place them back in order to create a nice meaningful picture. Here, the pieces look good but they somehow don’t shape proper coherent product in the end. Delhi6 talks about some genuine concern of our society and the problem that we with our over the top emotions, are capable of leading to more dilemma and chaos. There are certain issues you can not afford to touch and flinch. Delhi6 does that mistake; it touches a sensitive nerve and then flinches.

Delhi6 holds your attention especially, in the first half, thanks to the excellent and experimental camera movements, easy flow and peppy desi music. As far as acting is concerned, this is easily one of the best by Abhishek Bachchan. He simply flows with the character. There isn’t much to talk about Sonam’s character, but this girl promises to deliver. She smiles, dances and speaks her lines aptly. Waheeda Rehman is as graceful as she is effective.

Overall, Delhi six is good. You must watch this movie only if you are patient enough to develop a palate for hatke cinema.

Rating – 3/5 ***