This is for fans and foes of Salman Khan...
Fans, rejoice, Salman is back with a vengeance with WANTED. This is his deadliest performance to date. Yes, you read it right!
Foes, sorry, you won't be able to lash out at him or pick on him or launch a vicious tirade this time. The spate of flops should come to a grinding halt with WANTED.
Let's get this straight. WANTED rides on Salman Khan's star power. He may not be the best actor in town, but in a film like WANTED, in a role that seems like an extension of his personality, you can't think of anyone else enacting this role with flourish.
Write your own movie review of Wanted
A remake of POKIRI [made in Telugu and Tamil versions], WANTED is a full on masala film. Recall the successful potboilers of yore. Recall how the good guy would reduce 10 hoodlums to pulp in a fraction of seconds. Recall how heroism prevailed in the end, no matter how adverse the circumstances were or how powerful the villains would be. Recall those movies in which logic took a backseat since the focus was on entertainment... You relive those moments as reel after reel of WANTED unfolds.
A departure from candyfloss movies and diabetic-sweet characters that most Hindi movies boast of, WANTED takes you back to those days when popular cinema reigned supreme, when the sole motive of the film-maker was to entertain.
The daring hero and his herogiri, the naïve girlfriend, the corrupt cop, the dreaded don, the don's moll, the fist-clinching henchmen... WANTED is for those who seek unabashed entertainment and relish masala films. Damn the indomitable critics, pseudo intellectuals and connoisseurs of parallel cinema, this one's not for them. WANTED is for the aam junta.
Radhe [Salman Khan] is a hardcore gangster. A sharpshooter with a sharp brain, he works for Gani Bhai [Prakash Raj], the dreaded Mafioso, but on his own terms. Totally fearless, Radhe single-handedly eliminates Gani Bhai's enemies one by one; making more enemies in the process.
He's astounded when the young and pretty Jahnvi [Ayesha Takia Azmi] professes her liking for him. Inspector Talpade's [Mahesh Manjrekar] lustful eyes fall on Jahnvi. He doesn't know that Jahnvi has developed a soft corner for Radhe.
Whether it's the Golden Gang or Data Pawle's Gang, everybody wants the biggest piece of the lucrative cake that is Mumbai and the only way to get it is to eliminate whoever gets in the way. As Mumbai reels under bloody gang wars, Commissioner Ashraf Khan [Govind Namdeo] vows to make the city crime free.
Director Prabhu Dheva serves a hardcore masala fare that's not inventive or path-breaking by any standard, but the execution of several scenes as also of stunts takes the graph of the film Northward. In fact, if at all there's any film that competes with GHAJINI as far as raw appeal goes, it's WANTED. Every action/stunt/chase here is choreographed with aplomb.
Watch out for the action sequence at the interval point or the penultimate half-an-hour. The climax is sure to send scores of action lovers in frenzy, as Salman bashes the evil forces black and blue. It wouldn't be erroneous to state that the climax is worth the price of the ticket, samosa, sandwich, popcorn, nachos and cola put together.
Not that this 18 reeler abounds in mindless action. As mentioned earlier, this one's a hardcore masala film and the narrative has its share of light moments and romantic sequences. Even the bad man here makes you laugh intermittently [when he's not spewing venom], especially in the sequence when the Commissioner of Police holds him captive in the middle of the sea. Even the romance between Salman and Ayesha charms its way into your heart. It's very likable.
But WANTED is not without its share of flaws. The film stands on a thin storyline and the viewer can guess what's in store next, which means that there's not much novelty in the plot. Besides, WANTED could've done without a song or two, thereby keeping its length in check.
Director Prabhu Dheva has presented Salman like never before. Most actors have drifted away from roles that hold tremendous mass appeal, that cater to the desi audience, like they did in the 1980s. SRK did it in OM SHANTI OM, Aamir Khan did it in GHAJINI and Salman does it so effortlessly in WANTED. The screenplay [Shiraz Ahmed] may not be foolproof, but it has its share of shining moments. Dialogues are clapworthy, especially those delivered by Salman.
Sajid-Wajid's music is of a mixed variety. 'Jalwa' is the best of the lot and the star presence of Anil Kapoor, Govinda and also Prabhu Dheva in this track will send the viewers into raptures. The remaining tracks oscillate between good and strictly okay. This review would be incomplete without the invaluable contribution by the action director. It deserves brownie points. Cinematography too is top notch.
Salman is like a ferocious lion who roars with all his might. The show belongs to the actor, who scorches the screen every time he displays the manic anger. Without doubt, Salman gives the power to WANTED. It's his best work to date.
Ayesha Takia Azmi is very good and the pairing with Salman looks wonderful. Vinod Khanna is sidelined. He deserved more footage. Mahesh Manjrekar is excellent. He's only getting better with every film. Prakash Raj is first-rate. The accomplished actor adds yet another feather to his cap. Govind Namdeo is perfect.
Mahek Chahal radiates oomph. Aseem Merchant is alright. Raju Mavani is effective. Inder Kumar and Sajid are okay. Manoj Pahwa tries hard to make you laugh. Prateeksha Lonkar is as usual.
On the whole, WANTED rides on Salman, Salman and only Salman Khan's star power. A masala film that's aimed at the masses, WANTED is backed by tremendous hype and hoopla, which will result in the film taking an earth-shattering start at the ticket window. The Idd celebrations in the coming days will only enhance the business of the film, which means that the film will have a solid Week 1. The holidays in Week 2 should also be bountiful, thereby ensuring a strong place in the 'Hit' category.
MUSIC
With Neeraj Sridhar at the helm of affairs, what does one expect? Another 'Hari Krishna Hare Ram'? Or a 'Aahun Aahun'? Or a 'Chor Bazari'? Well, get set for some surprise as both Pritam and Neeraj make a conscious effort to do something completely different with the title song of 'Tum Mile'. This time around it's the feeling of innocent and pure love that takes centre-stage as Neeraj gets into the shoes of a lovelorn youngster who is plain and simple glad to have found the love of his life. A rhythmic tune that has a much better 'antra' when compared with 'mukhda', 'Tum Mile' has an elaborate setting to it in it's opening version.
However, to one's pleasant surprise, even better versions follow after a while with Javed Ali and Shafqat Amanat Ali getting their own solo versions of the same song. Frankly, the two singers do well in stealing the show this time around. Even though it's the original version which is currently on air due to ingredients that give it a popular appeal , the ones that should turn out to be 'lambi race ka ghoda' are the 'Love Reprise version' by Javed Ali and 'rock version' by Shafqat Amanat Ali.
Javed Ali takes huge strides with his soft rendition in this melodious outing which stays away from excessive musical instruments. On the other hand Shafqat Amanat Ali, who hails from Pakistan, gets another fabulous song under his belt after 'Mitwa' [Kabhi Alvidaa Naa Kehna] with this soft rock version of the title song. All in all, this is a song that grows on you and once the tune is set in mind, there is no stopping.
However, one is always greedy for more when it's a Bhatt-Pritam-Emraan combination and this is where the trump card is out in the form of 'Dil Ibaadat'. If one thought that Tum Mile was fabulous then one listening of 'Dil Ibadat' will quickly make you change loyalties. In this love song, K.K. has a number in hand which could well be an award winning outing if aided by good picturisation. If presented in a highly passionate and dramatic manner, something which goes with the genre of the song, 'Dil Ibadat' could well be the 'Khuda Jaane' [Bachna Ae Haseeno] moment for Pritam.
Special mention is reserved for the oriental touch to the arrangements which gives that added edge to 'Dil Ibadat' that also sees a 'rock version' as the album progresses. This is where one begins to draw comparisons with Pritam's soundtrack of Life In A Metro since that too belonged to a similar space.
The signature tune that is currently being heard along with the promos of Tum Mile kick starts 'Tu Hi Haqeeqat', which is yet another solo, this time Javed Ali at the helm of affairs. By this time, one realizes that the album is made of all-male singers. In fact this could well be the first ever instance for the music of a film with romance as it's strong point not to be featuring any female voice at all. Coming back to 'Tu Hi Haqeeqat', it is not as strong as the title song or 'Dil Ibaadat' but that's purely on a comparative scale. Rendered by Javed Ali, this one has a core Indian feel to it and is the easiest tune to grasp. Perhaps this is the very reason one looks forward to the songs that follow since in Tum Mile one doesn't expect Pritam to churn out a conventional Bollywood tune.
It's a journey into the 'youngistan' world with Mohit Chauhan taking listeners right into a campus through 'Iss Jahaan Mein'. A lively number with fast paced arrangements and a definite rhythm to it, 'Iss Jahan Mein' still manages to get a melodic base to it. Also, one has heard Mohit Chauhan in quite a few slow moving tracks earlier, most of which are quite sober in appeal. However, this time around he also lets his hair down and with an innocent appeal to it; 'Iss Jahan Mein' does carry enough potential to be yet another 'Junoon' [New York].
K.K. returns to the scene with 'O Meri Jaan' and makes sure that he gets to croon some of the best tracks in the album. This time around it's a sad outing for the entire team which makes sure that the song turns out to be an emotionally charged affair, whether in terms of composition, writing or singing. This one is again straight out of the kind of genre that Life In A Metro had established a few years back. If you had liked the songs back then, there is no reason why they won't work now in the context of Tum Mile.
Finally comes 'Soul Of Tum Mile' and as expected, this four minutes piece begins with the sound of a thunderstorm. There is a slow and steady movement in this instrumental piece which shows an escalation coming in at just the right junctures. Boasting of an international appeal, this piece become more intriguing 100 seconds down the line, hence ensuring that it would add on to the dramatic quotient as a part of the film's background during some intense dramatic moments in the film.
OVERALL
2009 is clearly Pritam's year. If he has enjoyed the biggest musical success in the form of Love Aaj Kal then he has also seen a steady success run of New York. If at the beginning of the year he gave multiple item hits in Billu then he has also got some pure and fresh music in place for Tum Mile. In between he has found some good tunes rolling for All The Best and Dil Bole Hadippa too, which re-establishes the fact that he is clearly THE most prolific hit-maker that we have in Bollywood today. This is what he proves yet again with Tum Mile where he gives Bhatts their very own Life In A Metro to be preserved and relished for years to come.
Via. http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/musicreview/13924/index.html
A much sober and subdued Himesh is heard in "Mann Ka Radio", the opening track of the film. In the first listening, all one ends up focusing is on lyrics that go as 'Mann Ka Radio'. Frankly, it's hard to digest. However, as one gives the number a few repeat hearing, it's the music and the singing (in Himesh's new voice) that takes centre stage. What further impresses is the overall soft mood of the song that does the trick. Once the song reaches it's 'antra' portion, one gets to hear a little of Himesh in his vintage style as well. The 'remix version' only elevates the song further as it heads straight for the club. It's a Western bhangra fusion feel that "Zindagi Jaise Ek Radio" carries. Based on the folk flavor of Punjab and carrying a similarity feel to it, "Zindagi Jaise Ek Radio" is high on rhythm with the 'dhol' beats ensuring that the 'bhangra' mood is set right away. Himesh gets into his full throated rendition with this number (which also appears in a 'remix version') that does come with a sense of deja vu but one doesn't mind that due to it's foot tapping ability. The real album begins though from this stage on as there are six straight songs that bring that side of Himesh that hasn't been heard in the present times. It's the sound of guitar strings which begin "Jaaneman", a soothing number that is sung in almost an unplugged manner. A brilliant track that announces loud and clear the melodic mood that the album develops from here on, "Jaaneman" has minimal instruments in the background with Himesh holding centre-stage. His voice too sounds all smooth-n-silky which makes "Jaaneman" an ideal number for a candle light dinner. Shreya Ghoshal joins Himesh in this romantic outing and makes sure that "Jaaneman" turns out to be one of the best songs to have arrived this year.Click to read Full Article
