F.i.g.h.t C.l.u.b

Its that day of the week which we love the most! Filmy Friday! This week there are two new hindi releases – Ajab Prem Ki Ghajab Kahani (APKGK) and Jail. Or as they are saying, its Ranbir Kapoor VS Neil Nitin Mukesh, now that Imran Khan is miles and miles behind!

APKGK is directed by Raj Kumar Santoshi and stars Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif. And here are the early reviews…

Taran Adarsh(Indiafm) – On the whole, APKGK entertains majorly. At the box-office, the fantastic pre-release campaign coupled with the terrific chemistry between Ranbir and Katrina, excellent music by Pritam and tremendous appeal for youth should ensure a big start for the film at the ticket window – 4/5

Anupama Chopra (NDTV) – Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani, a comedy set in a comic book universe, is a frustratingly uneven film. Some of it is genuinely funny and delightful and some of it is repetitive, and annoyingly tedious – 3/5

Raja Sen (Rediff) -Honestly, it’s just good to watch a film with memorable comedy again. Heaven knows its been a while. And one that takes us back to a different, more wholesome kind of cinema. Even as the climax drags into predictability, Santoshi ensures that even divine intervention — to pull it all back on track again — comes with laughs. Gotta love that – 3.5/5

Mayank Shekhar (HT) – You look through this hollowness, and sense there is not a comic bone at all. There is certainly no romance either. Good boy (Ranbir Kapoor) fumbles and chases good girl (Kaif) through multiply tiring sequences. Saawariya for a debut was a poor practical joke on young Kapoor. This humourlessness, if at all, is infinitely sappier.

Gaurav Malani(Indiatimes) – The one thing you can’t overlook noticing in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani is how Rajkumar Santoshi takes liberal references from every popular prem kahani of Bollywood and ends up with an ajeeb (weird) jumbled screenplay – 2/5

Nikhat Kazmi(TOI) – Gazab comedy, this one. Really, Ranbir is a revelation, Katrina is full of beans and the newly formented Ranbir-Katrina chemistry sets the screen on fire in this mad hatter’s tea party that takes you on a roller-coaster ride as Raj Kumar Santoshi tries to retrack his way to his Andaz Apna Apna days – 4/5

Rajeev Masand (CNN IBN) – Despite its hiccups, Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani is not an entirely unwatchable film, and the credit for that goes squarely to its leads who invest sincerity and genuine enthusiasm while attacking their roles. Katrina Kaif breezes through her scenes, endearing you to the vulnerable Jenny; striking up a radiant chemistry with her co-star. As for Ranbir Kapoor, he is the brightest spot in this ordinary film, rising above the script’s many holes, occasionally even making the stupidity work – 2.5/5

Khalid Mohamed (PFC) – The kid’s brilliant. So watch it Hrithik Roshan, Shahid Kapoor and all the big and small Khans. At the rate he’s going – by sheer evidence of his screen charisma, technical felicity and youth power – Ranbir Kapoor is more than likely to be the Next Best Thing, if he isn’t one already. He’s RK Jr and he’s more than super A-Ok -2.5/5

Shubhra Gupta(Indian Express) – Once upon a time, Rajkumar Santoshi made a lovely little film which was all fun and games. ‘Andaz Apna Apna’ (1994), which came at a time when neither Aamir nor Salman were Superstars Inc., has traveled well—its unfettered joyousness delights at every fresh viewing. The same cannot be said for Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani – 1/5

Kaveree Bamzai (India Today) – The movie sails because of Kapoor’s effortless ease. He dances like a dream, looks good enough to take your eyes off Kaif, and raises a lot of laughs with his goofiness. And guess what, he looks pretty in pink too. Ad he has a memorable no sorry, no thank you dialogie as well: all he wants is to be Kaif’s friend, no complaints, no demands. This one, ladies and gentlemen, is a stayer. See you around, Ranbir – 3/5

Minty Tejpal (Mumbai Mirror) – For the most part of the film, you do drool, mostly over the totally delicious lead pair, and often enough over the ridiculous dialogue in this absurd, mad comedy being played out on screen. Ha ha and a hoot. In fact, the first half of the film just rocks all the way – 3.5/5

Anand Vaishanav (Buzz18) – With such a gorgeous pair, Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, could have been a charming joyride. But instead it settles for a routine, time pass watch. Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif’s chemistry shines long after the curtains fall down – 2.5/5

Jail is directed by Madhur Bhandarkar and stars Neil Nitin Mukesh,  Mugdha Godse and Manoj Bajpai.

Rajeev Masand (CNN IBN) – Because it’s well-intentioned and settles for a hopeful message, you stay with the film despite the fact that it’s never quite compelling. It’s got its heart in the right place, but sometimes that’s not enough – 2.5 /5

Anupama Chopra (NDTV) – Bhandarkar’s cinema has often been called hard-hitting but the trouble with Jail is that it simply doesn’t hit hard enough. See it if you must – 2.5/5

Taran Adarsh(Indiafm) – On the whole, JAIL is a well-made film from an expert storyteller. At the box-office, the film will appeal to those with an appetite for hard-hitting, realistic fares, but its clash with APKGK will affect its business to an extent – 3/5 

Khalid Mohamed (PFC) – Okay, okay, for heaven’s sake this is a Bhandarkar, Madhur Bhandarkar movie. Get real, appreciate Jail for being as rough, real and dammit, outspoken. Sorry guys, want to..however it’s anything but. It’s just not in the league of the eye-opening Fashion, Traffic Signal, Page 3 and Chandni Bar, which have their loyal admirers including the National Film Award juries. Yeah – 2/5 (there’s nothing here that you don’t know or haven’t seen already)

Raja Sen(Rediff) – The detailing is shoddy, the characters cardboard and the dialogue plain laughable. Jail is a formulaic, below average Bollywood headache, slowed down to lugubrious dullness. Groan. Leave it be, this prison of cardboard and cliche. We all deserve better – 1/5

Mayank Shekhar (HT) – What we may have liked to know, like with any story, is something more about the hero himself — his past, his conflicts, his shattered dreams. It could’ve greatly helped with the sorely missed empathy. But that’s not to be. I guess, only in a film-culture as less evolved as ours, would a movie with merely a setting, pride itself so much on realism alone – 2/5

Kaveree Bamzai (India Today) – There’s a sense that we’re sitting in on a reality show, that it’s Bigg Boss Season 4 set inside a jail. You find yourself wishing Mukesh’s ordeal ends, not so much for him as for you. Hey Mr Bhandarkar, it’s time to think of a new formula, or choose a subject that thrills like Fashion- 2/5

Gaurav Malani(Indiatimes) – Compare Jail to Madhur Bhandarkar’s earlier works and you would be disappointed to a degree. Nevertheless, compare it to many other mediocre movies of today and Jail is still a step ahead. Jail is captivating but not consistently – 2.5/5

Minty Tejpal (Mumbai Mirror) – The movie itself is more like a well-researched documentary that teaches you a few new things about life in jail, so it’s pretty instructive for anyone planning on landing up there. The promos of Jail read, ‘sentenced on November 6’. Yes, ‘sentenced’ is right – 2/5

Shweta Parande(Buzz18) – If the film works, it will only be because of Madhur’s execution. Otherwise, Jail has nothing new to offer – 2/5