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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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Tere Bin Laden (Film)

by Mamta Bhatt | July 20, 2010 10:12 | Edited July 20, 2010 10:13

While not as controversial as some may assume, this film is largely an engaging and often hilarious satire.

With a title featuring the name of the most infamous man of the last decade, a ban on the film's release in Pakistan, and death threats to the film's production company, it wouldn't be wrong to anticipate controversial and confronting themes in Tere Bin Laden. And so one would - up until the reel rolls and the satire is in full swing.

 

The story is set in a post-9/11 world, and revolves around a Pakistani journalist, Ali (Ali Zafar), who is hoping to migrate to America. Unfortunately, the antagonistic and xenophobic paranoia that's sweeping the country means that his visa is denied, and he is deported back to Pakistan. Desperate in his bid to return, Ali finds a farmer, Noora (Pradhuman Singh), who uncannily resembles Osama Bin Laden. He decides to hire Arabic coaches and makeup artists to transform Noora into Bin Laden, film him, and sell the tape to American TV stations to make enough money to obtain a guaranteed visa into the country. A harebrained scheme can only have harebrained consequences, and sure enough, The White House quickly becomes involved, tracking Ali's every move.

 

Though at times over-the-top and contrived, Tere Bin Laden is essentially a hilarious satire of the paranoia that gripped America, and one man's opportunistic bid to make it into the land of the free. The film deals with serious issues, but the tense themes are undercut by the self-conscious humour. It's a testament to the skilful writing from first-time director, Abhishek Sharma, who delivers a taut, sassy, fast-paced, and above all, engaging, script.

 

The ensemble cast works well off each other, and each character is given ample space to showcase their comic timing. No political statements, no moral probing, and no reason for anyone to get their knickers in a twist in the uproarious comedy that is Tere Bin Laden.