Yes, Asambhav is an apt case of body beautiful, minus soul. The film is one of the slickest products to hit the Indian screens in the recent times, but how about giving us an equally inspiring content?

Asambhav is set in Locarno [Switzerland]. Vir Pratap Singh [Dr. Mohan Agashe], the President of India, is visiting Locarno not on an official visit, but for a short vacation with his daughter Kinjal [Dippanita Sharma], who studies in the U.S. and who has flown in to the city.

An international terrorist, Mabros [Shawar Ali], kidnaps the President and his daughter and keeps them hostage in a secluded island-hotel. The brains behind this kidnapping conspiracy are ISI officials Ansari [Milind Gunaji], Gazi [Tej Sapru] and Hashmi [model Chetan Hansraj]. Also, another international terrorist group, Al-Hamas, led by Yuzan Baksh [Mukesh Rishi], is hand-in-glove with Ansari.

Captain Aadit Arya [Arjun Rampal] is entrusted the responsibility of bringing the President and his daughter back safely. The mission is called ‘Mission Asambhav’.

In Locarno, Aadit comes across Sam Hans [Naseeruddin Shah] and Brian [Tom Alter], who are involved with Ansari and the drugs that have been flown in the country through a pop singer Alisha [Priyanka Chopra].

Arya poses as a journalist to get to the core of the matter. He realizes that someone in the Indian embassy in Switzerland is also involved in this conspiracy. Who is it?

Screenplay writers Rajiv Rai and Naeem Sha have borrowed from some espionage films made in Hollywood, with a dash of Air Force One [Harrison Ford], and weaved an espionage drama called Asambhav. Unfortunately, what could’ve been an exhilarating flick loses focus soon after a good start, thanks to inept and slipshod writing.

The initial reels of Asambhav keep you on the edge. A good portion of the first thirty minutes is devoted to background, setup and getting the characters in place. Besides the slickly executed sequences, even the story unfolds at a feverish pace, involving the viewer completely in the proceedings.

But one of the biggest drawbacks of Asambhav is that too many characters have been forced into the screenplay and in order to do justice to each character, the script starts going haywire after a point.

So, as Arjun Rampal takes on the mission to rescue the President and his daughter, there’s Priyanka Chopra and the mandatory songs that come in at regularity. Then there’s Naseeruddin Shah, Tom Alter and their deal with Milind Gunaji and gang. Also, there’s the Mukesh Rishi – Shawar Ali terrorism issue. Yes, there’s one more track – the one involving the embassy staff.

As writers, Rajiv and Naeem ought to know that a simple story and a straightforward screenplay is what the viewer yearns for. By incorporating so many characters and the sub-plots, the film becomes one taxing exercise for the viewer.

If the first half is at least tolerable, the post-interval portions take the graph of the film down completely. There’re guns and bullets galore, there’re venom-spewing dialogues, there’s mindless violence aplenty and of course, the unwanted songs!

Director Rajiv Rai is just not in form this time around. The film pales when compared to his earlier products. In fact, it won’t be wrong to state that this is amongst his weakest films. Even his writing is below par.

Viju Sha’s music consists of forgettable tunes. The songs flow in rapid succession, but you don’t carry them once the show has concluded. One definitely misses a hit number like ‘Oye Oye’ or ‘Mast Mast’, which were heard and seen in Rajiv and Viju’s earlier films. Cinematography [Sukumar Jatania] is fantastic. The locales of Locarno are a visual treat. Dialogues [Naeem Sha] are monotonous. Action [Mahendra Verma] is alright.

Asambhav belongs to Naseeruddin Shah. The veteran enacts his part with admirable ease. Arjun Rampal does play the super-hero who bashes up 20 guys at a go, but the role offers him no scope to display histrionics. Priyanka Chopra is reduced to being a mere prop. She’s there to add glamour to the proceedings. That’s it!

Amongst the horde of character actors, Sharat Saxena, Mukesh Rishi and Tom Alter are noticeable. Dr. Mohan Agashe is wasted. Shawar Ali is relegated to being a sidekick. Jameel Khan [as Bhatnagar] is passable. Newcomer Chetan Hansraj is wooden.

On the whole, Asambhav is a weak film in all respects. At the box-office, its chances of survival look completely `asambhav` [impossible].

Julie

Borrowing the essence from R.K.'s blockbuster hit Ram Teri Ganga Maili and a bit from the Julia Roberts-Richard Gere smash hit Pretty Woman, Deepak Shivdasani depicts the transition of a simple small-town girl to a high class prostitute in a metropolis.

So, is it a compelling tale? Not exactly! Julie has a few interesting moments, but the inconsistencies outweigh the positive aspects of this enterprise.

Mihir Shandilya [Priyanshu Chatterjee], the most eligible bachelor in town, is invited by a television host [Achint Kaur] for a rendezvous. The young tycoon talks about his success story and on being questioned about his prospective life partner, he confesses that there is a woman in his life.

Julie [Neha Dhupia] is that mystery woman. However, she is unnerved by the program and wants to reveal the secret to the world. She wants to confess that she is a prostitute by profession, a fact that Mihir and his family members are unaware of.

Mihir reaches the studio [where Julie is recording her 'live' interview] and openly expresses his desire to marry her.

A story like the one in Julie isn't new. There have been umpteen versions of jilted women resorting to prostitution tales in the past. But the reasons that force Julie to take to prostitution aren't persuasive enough.

Neha Dhupia gets tremendous scope to display histrionics and anatomy. While she exposes her anatomy without inhibitions, her performance isn't as awe-inspiring as one would've expected it to be. She does make a sincere effort and also impresses in a few scenes, but she still needs to work on her expressions.

Sanjay Kapoor enacts his part with complete understanding of the character. Priyanshu Chatterjee gets the meatier part and he sinks his teeth into it, delivering a competent performance. Yash Tonk has a small role, which he carries off quite well. Achint Kaur is first-rate. Kiran Kumar, Sudhir Joshi, Kamini Khanna and Donny Bharadwaj lend decent support.

On the whole, Julie is an ordinary product. At the box-office, the sex-laden promos and the fiery dialogues should attract the hardcore masses in the first weekend mainly. Thereafter, the journey of the film will be better at smaller centres. However, the major opposition this week [Spider-Man 2 and to an extent Asambhav] as also the next week [Mujhse Shaadi Karogi] will curtail its business prospects to an extent.

Gayab

A genre like the one attempted in Gayab has not been witnessed with rapid regularity in Hindi films. Of course, there has been Mr. X In Bombay, Mr. India and the two desi versions of Ghost, Maa and Pyar Ka Saaya, in the past.

Garv

There has been Khakee [cops], Maqbool [cops-underworld], Ab Tak 56 [cops], Aan [cops], Dev [cops], Lakshya [army] and Deewaar [army]. In between, Bardaasht and Main Hoon Na also had the protagonist as army officers.

And now there's Garv - on cops again!

The question is, does Garv have something different to say? Or is it the same old story packaged in a new avtaar? Let's put it this way: Garv is old wine, packaged in a new bottle!

Garv revolves around the life and times of officers in the Mumbai Police Force, spearheaded by Samar Singh [Amrish Puri], Arjun Ranawat [Salman Khan] and Hyder Ali [Arbaaz Khan].

In a city where corruption has become the order of the day and ethics a thing of the past, Arjun and Hyder, under the spirited guidance of Samar Singh, take up cudgels against the underworld [Mukesh Rishi], thus eliminating several 'Wanted' criminals.

The powerful people connected with the underworld don [Govind Namdeo, Anant Jog, Shivaji Satam] panic and plan out strategies to counter Samar Singh, Arjun and Hyder.

Samar Singh gets his transfer papers, Hyder is eliminated and subsequently, the underworld-politician nexus targets Arjun's mother [Farida Jalal] and sister Rakhi [Akanksha]. Arjun is compelled to take law in his hands…

Garv has a waferthin story that has been witnessed since time immemorial. Strangely, a number of Hindi films have borrowed heavily from the masala films of the 1980s and 1990s and GARV is no exception. Fortunately for Garv, the speed with which the sequence of events unfold in the first half specifically camouflage the defects largely.

The first half is extremely interesting, never mind the oft-repeated plot. The drama in the first half builds up gradually and thankfully, for a change, the cops in this film are an honest lot. In fact, Puneet Issar gets an extra point for uplifting the image of the cops in his big screen directorial debut.

Besides, the sequence of events unfolds at a brisk pace. There's so much happening in the first hour - the film begins on an exciting note [Salman's introduction is well executed], the corrupt politicians and their shrewd games are exposed, the underworld don and his evil plans come to fore, the encounters take place… It gives the viewer no time to feel restless. Thanks to the drama at the intermission - when Arjun challenges the don - the viewer awaits the second half with bated breath.

But the post-interval portions suffer from the scripting point of view. The forced romantic track and the reasons that compel Arjun to go on a rampage in the end glaringly stand out like a sore thumb.

To start with, there's no scope for romance in a script like this. So, when the battle lines are drawn at the interval point, you expect the two forces [the law makers and law breakers] to collide, resulting in a deadly duel. But, soon after the intermission, what you get to watch is the hero romancing the heroine first in Rajasthan and then in Mauritius [both dream songs]. Hello, why this sudden focus on romance?

The pre-climax and climax is another downer. Arjun decides to conceal the reason that prompted him to go on a rampage and commit mass murders. Even Samar Singh, who decides to fight his case, says that he cannot reveal the reasons that propelled Arjun to take law in his hands and that Samar should be punished. The drama builds up…

On the whole, Garv will meet with diverse reactions. While the hardcore masses will love it, the gentry/family/critics may not really take to it. At the box-office, the film should fare better at single screens, not at multiplexes. Its business will be good in Maharashtra, U.P.-Bihar belt and parts of South [Hyderabad-Secunderabad] in particular and smaller centres in general. The terrific start will only ensure a fast recovery for its distributors and lack of a major opposition for the next two weeks should help.

Chale Chalo

Chale Chalo- the Lunacy of Filmmaking is essentially for lunatics, fanatics and crazy lovers of Hindi cinema. Warning: For those who disapprove of the documentary format of the film, this film is surely not your cup of tea. For all others, you just need a deep passion for films and an open mind.

The film starts with a prologue by Ashutosh Gowariker, the director of Lagaan, where he talks about the conventional norms and rules of Hindi filmmaking and how a filmmaker is not supposed to think outside that domain. Ashutosh himself confesses of having made two films before Lagaan with a similar outlook - Pehla Nasha and Baazi (interestingly he doesn't take credit or even mentions his intermediate film Izzat Ki Roti).

Chale Chalo starts in 1998 when Ashutosh had a rough story idea, which he narrated to Aamir Khan and Aamir instantly disapproved of his unconventional yarn requesting him to drop the idea right away. This hurt Ashutosh but he took the challenge of staying with his idea and wrote down the detailed script. When he re-approached Aamir after six months and asked him to listen to his script-narration, Aamir was totally reluctant.

Thankfully the documentary also stays away from being outright preachy. Monologues of Ashutosh, Aamir and Reena Dutta cover a major part of the film though each has been recorded individually (seemingly after Aamir and Reena's breakup).

On the flipside, one wishes that a strong voiceover (like that of Amitabh Bachchan in the original film) could have invigorated the proceedings more. Director Bhatkal's narration falls feeble at times. Moreover his repeated recollection of his wife Swati towards the end tends to get monotonous. Also the timing of a film is a little late.

Nevertheless Bhatkal makes a sincere attempt at celebrating the spirit of Lagaan without any money-making intentions (as the film has been hardly publicized). At the end, Chale Chalo may go in as an important lesson in filmmaking schools. A must see for all aspiring filmmakers! Also recommended for hardcore Aamir Khan fans who didn't get much of him for almost 3 years now.

Shikaar

The film revolves around a group of casino owners [Danny Denzongpa, Prem Chopra, Shakti Kapoor, Ashish Vidyarthi, Tej Sapru and Shweta Menon], who strike a deal with a car thief Vijay Sanyal [Jas Pandher] for a hotel in Mussorie. Though priced at Rs. 100 crores, Vijay offers to sell it for Rs. 30 crores.

The partners jump at the offer and reach Mussorie to clinch the deal, but there's a twist in the tale. One by one the partners are murdered and the needle of suspicion points towards Vijay. Enter A.C.P. Sumed Singh [Raj Babbar], who is baffled at the rate the murders take place.

Director Darshan Bagga has executed a few sequences well, but he is letdown by the choice of subject as also the screenplay, which is old-fashioned. Anand Raaj Anand's music is a saving grace. A couple of compositions are pleasing, notable among them being 'Tumpe Marne Lage Hain Hum', 'Nazro Se Nazro Ko' and 'Jitna Bhi Karlo Pyaar'. Cinematography [Narein Gedia] is okay.

Jas Pandher shows some improvement when compared to his debut film [INDIAN BABU]. But he still needs to work on his expressions. Kanishka does an okay job. Amongst character artistes, Raj Babbar, Danny and Prem Chopra are restrained. Shakti Kapoor and Ashish Vidyarthi are loud. Saadhika sizzles and her performance is commendable. Shweta Menon is alright.

On the whole, SHIKAAR is too old-fashioned to keep the viewer's interest alive. At the box-office, the film may find some flavour at smaller centres only.

Hyderabad Blues 2

Back home there's Varun's strangely disaffected-looking wife Ashwini (Jyoti Dogra) pining for a child. The sequel far more 'sexy' than the earlier film, as Ashwini plots with her best friend to get Varun more 'interested in her.

Sexy of course is a 'relative' term in Hyderbad Blues. The manner in which Kukunoor portrays the whole familial scenario makes him a disarmingly subvertive Sooraj Barjatya.

"I don't know which of you I should kill first," Varun rolls his eyes at his parents after they mess up his one chance to get back with his sulking wife. Oh, didn't I tell? The baby plans in Varun's and Ashwini's cosy life dissolves into a divorce-like situation after Varun nearly commits adultery.

The voluptuous new floor manager Menaka (Tisca Arora) in Varun's office, who happily admits she's 'made a career' out of seducing her bosses gives Varun a peer into her cleavage. A disgruntled employee (caught earlier for sexual harassment) squeals to Varun's wife about Varun's escapades.

The rest of the story follows a comic and tricky path, with Ashwini sending her repentant husband back to the States. It's all a bit of a been-there-done-it-all marital drama but played out at an unusual octave.

We almost expect a last-minute airport reunion between the couple. But aha! Kukunoor is smarter than we think. He delays the inevitable. The reunion comes at an NRI cousin's traditional wedding where, amidst the sounds of marital vows, Ashwini sobs her way to Varun's heart.

On the surface HB2 follows all the rules of the traditional romantic comedy. It has the chirpy boldness of a Woody Allen fable and the musical aspirations of a traditional Hindi romantic musical (the sporadic songs on the soundtrack are sensibly introduced into the narration).

While Kukunoor is so in-character as Varun that it's impossible to imagine any other actor replacing him, Jyoti Dogra's performance is lacklustre. Playing the realistic versions of the roles that Anil Kapoor and Tabu did in Biwi No.1, Elahi Heptoolah and to a lesser degree, Vikram Inaamdar as the protagonist's friends are delightful. Heptoolah as the busybody running a home and a marriage bureau is so natural, we wonder if she knows what many Kukunoor's characters don't: that life can be taken seriously only at the individual's own risk.

Curiously, Kukunoor introduces homosexuality into the picture a little late in the day. Ashwini's doctor-colleague - in a sequence that's somewhat contrived and badly acted - confesses his sexual preference. "I'm not ashamed of being gay. But it's the loneliness that bothers me," says the doc.

The character's confession stands out in a film and a scenario where no one is ever alone, or given the chance to be lonely. Swarming with characters and teeming with remarks that replicate the rhythms of the educated middleclass in the metro, HB2 is the most likeable film in ages.

The hybridised Hindi-Telugu-English dialogues which were undoubtedly the USP of Hyderabad Blues, continue to lure viewers in this charming tale of heartbreak and laughter in the city of the Charminar.

Deewaar

If you are under the impression that DEEWAAR is about Prisoners of War languishing in the jails of Pakistan, you are bang on target!

If you are under the notion that DEEWAAR is yet another film that is anti-Pakistan, you are partially right. The film is set in Pakistan and portrays the Indian soldiers in a positive light, a few Pakistanis in a negative light. There's no Pak-bashing here, let's get that right!

DEEWAAR is a stirring example of courage and the indomitable human spirit. It thrillingly celebrates the heroism of men who never gave up the fight.

DEEWAAR tells the story of a few prisoners of 1971 war, still in custody of the Pakistanis, leading a pathetic life in their jails.

In India, the wives of these soldiers continue to wait patiently for their homecoming. But the relationship between the two countries being such, the Indian officials fear that if they raise the issue, their counterparts in Pakistan will eliminate the Indians for fear of being exposed.

Gaurav [Akshaye Khanna] decides to get his father, Major Ranvir Kaul [Amitabh Bachchan], back to his homeland. But the path is thorny. Gaurav is aided by Khan [Sanjay Dutt] in his mission, also of Indian origin but held captive in Pakistan.

The prisoners attempt yet another escape. And this happens to be the final escape…

DEEWAAR borrows from two Hollywood masterpieces - David Lean's THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI [1957] and John Sturges' THE GREAT ESCAPE [1963]. With such illustrious textbooks to refer to, DEEWAAR just cannot go wrong…and it does offer plenty of thrills in those 3 hours. DEEWAAR may not be historically accurate, but it does not keep you away from enjoying the film, especially its second half.

On the whole, the plusses in DEEWAAR outnumber the minuses in the film. The lethal combination of a fantastic star cast, hi-voltage dramatic sequences, a riveting second half and vibrant action will ensure a successful run for the film. Yet, the action - specifically the brutal ones - is not the type that would catch the fancy of ladies/families. However, lack of a major release for the next two weeks will only help its distributors smile all the way to the bank!

Lakshya

Karan [Hrithik Roshan] is a happy-go-lucky dude with a laidback attitude towards everything in life. His childhood sweetheart Romi [Preity Zinta], on the other hand, is a modern girl who speaks her mind. On an impulse, Karan decides to join the armed forces and gets enrolled in the Indian Military Academy.

Karan is determined to make something of himself and prove that he has what it takes, despite what his father [Boman Irani] or friends might think.

Unable to cope with the gruelling training sessions, Karan flees from the academy and returns home. But neither Karan's father nor Romi are pleased with this decision. This creates a rift between Karan and Romi and both decide to go separate ways.

Karan and Romi meet again, but the circumstances are different. India and Pakistan have gone to war and Romi, who is now a crusading television journalist, is in Kashmir for a on-the-spot coverage for her news channel. She meets Karan there, who has now graduated to being a key officer.

Karan has just one Lakshya now - to cleanse the land from intruders.

After attempting a film on male bonding in Dil Chahta Hai, Farhan Akhtar goes into a different zone in Lakshya, which brings back memories of An Officer And A Gentleman [1982; starring Richard Gere] in parts. The young maverick did leave an indelible impression in his first film and with Lakshya, he consolidates his position as one of the finest storytellers of India.

Lakshya belongs to Hrithik Roshan undoubtedly. A performance like this comes once in a while and can compete with the best from across the Atlantic. The ease with which Hrithik slips into the character is amazing and the outcome is spellbinding. If he is lovable as the aimless youngster, he is admirable as the officer.

Preity Zinta's character Romi is modeled after renowned TV journalist Barkha Dutt and she enacts the part with incredible élan and authority. Amitabh Bachchan doesn't get much scope, but his work is commendable. His dialogue in Marathi will meet with a thunderous response in Maharashtra mainly.

• On the whole, Lakshya will meet with diverse reactions. At the box-office, the film has already taken a fabulous start everywhere. While the advance booking status will ensure a cent per cent response at metros [Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata] in the first week, the collections will start cracking at places where the system of advance booking doesn't exist. From the business point of view, the film will prove Class 'A' at 'A' class centres, 'B' at 'B' class centres and 'C' at 'C' class centres. The business prospects will be the brightest in Mumbai, but weak in certain pockets of the country. Also, the opposition of yet another biggie, Deewaar [next week], will make a dent for sure.

Hum Tum

HUM TUM has laughter in abundance, but an undercurrent of emotions continues to move alongside. Now to the crucial question, does HUM TUM work? For those who appreciate romantic comedies for both aspects of the genre [the ‘romance’ and the ‘comedy’], HUM TUM works to an extent!

Karan Kapoor [Saif Ali Khan] works with one of India’s leading newspapers as a cartoonist. ‘Hum’ and ‘Tum’ are his cartoon characters.

Karan meets Rhea [Rani Mukerji] in an aircraft, en route to U.S.A. They disagree on practically everything; they are complete opposites. So, to put things right, Karan innocently kisses her, which offends Rhea no end. The budding friendship ends on a disastrous note.

Six months later, the duo meet once again in a park in New York. Rhea hasn’t forgotten the kiss, so she decides to let the cat out of the bag. Karan loses his steady girlfriend [Shenaz Treasurywala] in the process.

Rhea and Karan continue to bump into each other at various phases of life and gradually become friends.

Rhea goes through some personal tragedies in her life, but Karan stands by her. Karan even tries fixing her up with a friend of his, Mihir [Jimmy Shergill] – with her mother’s [Kiron Kher] permission of course – but as with everything else, even this doesn’t work out. Instead, Mihir gets engaged to Karan’s friend Diana [Isha Koppikar].

But destiny has other plans for Karan and Rhea...

A film that travels three continents [Asia, Europe, U.S.A.] and 8/10 years, HUM TUM is a love story that relies heavily on romance and light moments. Though the storyline is waferthin, the twists and turns in the film keep the interest alive to an extent.

The first half has light moments aplenty. The interaction between Saif and Rani in Amsterdam is truly enjoyable and takes the graph of the film upwards. Even the twist in the tale, when Rani gets married, makes for interesting viewing. Again, the interval point -- when Saif learns of Rani's predicament -- is amongst the high points of the film.

Writers Kunal Kohli and Siddharth Raj Anand have packaged several humorous incidents in the first half. A majority of light moments are sure to be appreciated, although the tongue-in-cheek humour is the kind that would appeal more to the city audiences than the hardcore masses.

The post-interval portions begin on a promising note, but things begin to deteriorate in this half. The story actually comes to an end when the two foes turned friends develop a deep bond, but aren't able to express their feelings for each other.

Director Kunal Kohli succeeds on two fronts; he has shot the film exceedingly well and has also extracted fantastic performances from not just Saif and Rani, but also from every character in the film. Knitting animation with the storyline was a novel concept, but it hardly contributes in moving the story ahead. Besides, the locales of Amsterdam, Paris and New York provide a rich visual feast for the cinegoer.

But Kohli isn't completely in form as a writer. The story stagnates in the second half and how one wishes Kohli and co-writer Siddharth Raj Anand would've come to the point fast, instead of beating around the bush and stretching it for another 20 minutes. Besides, the screenplay has two major twists in the first half, but no twists in the post-interval portions. Resultantly, the drama lacks a solid foundation. Even otherwise, there’s nothing much to look forward to in the second half.

Jatin-Lalit's music is amongst the high points of the enterprise. The rule of the game is that a love story ought to be embellished with a melodious score and the narrative in HUM TUM does get a definite push thanks to a lovely score from this talented music director duo. While the title track, 'Ladki Kyon', 'Chak De' and ‘Gore Gore’ sound easy to the ears, the best part is that they're well placed in the story.

HUM TUM has a host of guest appearances. Abhishek Bachchan's entry is sure to be greeted well. And his scene with Saif at the airport confirms yet again that he's carved a niche for himself. Jimmy Shergill is another actor to watch. He is perfect in that one scene with Rani, after she has had a heated argument with Saif. Isha Koppikar is adequate. Shehnaz Treasurywala is alright.

On the whole, HUM TUM is a decent fare, topped with captivating performances and mesmerising music. But a slow and not-too-exciting second half dilutes the impact to an extent. At the box-office, the film should fare exceedingly well at multiplexes [it's an ideal multiplex fare] of Mumbai and Delhi mainly, but its prospects at single screen theatres and also at several key centres will be below the mark. Besides, the flow of biggies from next week onwards will make a dent in its business. Its business prospects in Overseas look bright!