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Men In Black 3

It’s not a sequel that needed to be made, but thanks to the charm of its leads and a tone that harks back to the wit and humour of the original, it’s a pretty enjoyable trip.

Bel Ami

The excellent female support cast saves this patchy effort, which is let down by its leading man and a flat screenplay.

The Dictator

A disappointing, often repulsive and mean-spirited mess of a film with seemingly only one real criterion on its agenda: to shock and offend.

The Woman In Black

Packed with atmosphere, this old-fashioned but deftly told ghost story delivers ample chills and thrills.

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Dum Maaro Dum (Film)

by Mamta Bhatt | April 27, 2011 16:26 | Edited April 27, 2011 16:30

While it loses steam toward the end, this is largely taut, exciting drama and dazzlingly captures the rollicking city of Goa.

Set in the rollicking city of Goa - the party central of India - Dum Maaro Dum is a stylish ride through dangerous world of drug trafficking. Abhishek Bachchan plays ACP Vishnu Kamath, a down-on-his luck cop given the chance to regain glory by cracking down on the illegal drug mafia ring. Unfortunately, his mission is exacerbated by the rampant corruption in the police force, powerful drug lord, Lorsa Biscuta (a deliciously wicked Aditya Pancholi) intent on foiling his investigation, and a slew of innocent victims caught up in the trade. High in style and substance, Dum Maaro Dum is an enjoyable, riveting ride.

 

The film is a throwback to the cops and robbers capers of yesteryear Bollywood, but with modern sensibilities. Admittedly, the film is predictable to the core, and loses steam towards the end. However, the flaws in the story are overshadowed by a generally taut screenplay, crisp dialogue, and likeable, fleshed-out characters brilliantly brought to life by the ensemble cast. After a succession of poor character sketches (Raavan, Khelein Hum Je Jaan Sey), Bachchan finally excels as the tough-as-nails cop. He disappears into his character effortlessly, with every mannerism and expression screaming authenticity. His intensity is matched by the remaining cast - particularly Pancholi's mafia boss and Rana Daggubati, who aids Bachchan in his investigation.

 

Dum Maaro Dum truly excels because of its dazzling depiction of the main character - the city of Goa. Director Sippy captures the life and soul of Goa - its sensuality, dangers and charm - with vivid colours and a rollicking, youthful soundtrack. It's the city that allures the audience, and it's the city that is ultimately deciphered as the cat and mouse chase ensues.