I am naming those films which I thought had good script but failed on directional ground. The list is in no specific order.
HEROES (Samir Karnik)- If thought deeply, the script of the film was really, really interesting! The way the two guys set a trip to film a project on three different families was very innovative. But director ruined the film. First track of Salman and Preity was very good but later two were intolerable especially because they looked way too superficial and even the actors seemed very disinterested.
KITES (Anurag Basu)- Who would have dared to pen a story where the female protagonist don’t know any other language except Spanish! There was enormous passion for love (the climax says it), but Anurag Basu was not quite capable to bring it on celluloid efficiently. Also the treatment was too sober. I expected it to be fast and brisk, but it had a lazy pace.
MURDER 2 (Mohit Suri)- There were enough moments in the film where Suri tried his level best to make the film engaging, but he miserable failed because there are many scenes which are unimaginably dragged. Emraan Hashmi not believing in God was direct rip-off from his own AWAARAAPAN. The script was good because there were several turns in the film.
BADMAASH COMPANY (Parmeet Sethi)- Interesting on paper but boring on screen! I wonder why the director wasted his time Shahid Kapoor-Anupam Kher track! Also, instead of being youthful and happening the film refrained itself to filmy limits (the whole second half). The cons were written carefully and also executed well but second half was surely ailing, thanks to director’s failure.
AARAKSHAN (Prakash Jha)- Genuinely lost opportunity, I must say. I mean there were so many contrast characters in the film and Jha didn’t bother explaining a single character in detail. I mean, Amitabh Bachchan character was so complex. The film failed for me because I was not able to sympathize with the character Amitabh played. It could well be even writer’s fault but then Jha made the film repetitive post-intermission because every alternate scene was Amitabh teaching the students “Yeh toh easily done ho gaya”! If the film runs for 160 minutes I expect atleast one character that plays central role should be defined properly.
7 KHOON MAAF (Vishal Bhardwaj)- There was quite an interesting twist in last few minutes of the film, but by then I was so bored that even miracle would have not changed my perception. The problem here was that director stretched few stories to death like the John Abraham one or the one of that Russian man. Such films need to have momentum every second and the film lacked it. When it’s all about killing, the director doesn’t even show clearly the way they are killed.
SARKAR RAJ (Ram Gopal Verma)- What a bore! RGV uses the same dark light and nails the film under that focus. Not a problem, but I wish RGV would have been more concerned about his work. To be honest, the script wasn’t an great one but at-least it had many good scenes written and also an twist in the tale (which RGV failed to keep unpredictable). Few scenes were really not necessary. King-size disappointment for me!
I will add more as I come to think of them.
Tags: 7 Khoon Maaf Aarakshan Badmaash Company Heroes Kites Murder 2 Sarkar Raj
Badmaash company was a decent film.
I ddint like kites script,I thot it had no pay-off in screenplay.Both leads dont get moeny neither life.Khaya piya kuch nahi,gilas toda bara aana waala case.
aarakshan was a good topic but prakash jha is a coward.He made a pro-reservation film.and in second part ,film suddenly shifts focus on “commercialisation of education”.it was a bad confused cowardice effort.
Not seen 7km.SR i dont think had good script.heroes and murder 2 also not seen
not seen murder 2 but saw original of murder ,The Unfaithful two days back.Not a very good film but great great performance from the leading lady.The train scene is epic acting – showing guilt yet enjoyment perfectly.Mallika sherawat was bad in that scene in murder mainly due to regressive writing of her character.
Indian filmmakers will copy western movies but give the heriones the same old cliched regressive roles be it BBB or ishqzaade now.They will be talkative and chirpy initially only to come across as emotionally weak and stupid in the film later.
I dont think bollywoods stupid filmmakers will never be able to write a role for a heroine like Catherine Tramell in Basic instinct.She is selfish,unapologetic,open about her sex preference like men and is cold blooded and is not guilty about it.
These filmmakers just talk and then serve the same old wine in new bottles.I am bored already.
I will list down two movies which I thought had good ideas but poor direction ruined it.
CCTC : akshays cosmic kick scene was directed so poorly.the film should have been like 36th chamber of shaolin.and more importantly a serious film on kung fu.The film ended up making fun of a great martial arts which was sad.
Rockstar : I think movie had a good chance to be a socially relevant film on rockstar theme if imtiaz had explored the tibetan angle.But he was interested in making his leads horny.
The first story of Heroes was good. Even Sunny’s story was not bad but the fight scene was so stupid – just pandering to Sunny fans. The Mithun track was boring and I did not even care for it. First of all the director should not have cast Sohail Khan because it robs the movie of all its serious intentions.
Rakesh Roshan has been inspired from the same movie twice. Koyla and Kites both were inspired from the same movie Revenge. Revenge is more disturbing and more violent and may be Kites should have been more like Revenge. It would have still flopped probably but I may have liked it 😉 Revenge is not anything great either but I liked it for some reason. Rockstar had the same ending as Kites but Kites ending was panned/ridiculed whereas Rockstar’s ending praised just because it was directed by Imtiaz Ali.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenge_%281990_film%29
Agree with Baba on Aarakshan. Aarakshan was initially about reservation and in second half film suddenly changed tracks to “commercialisation of education”. It was a bad confused cowardice effort.
I don’t think the script of 7 Khoon Maaf was good. It had Priyanka marrying a guy and killing him track 6 times. It was boring to see the same thing over and over. May be 3 murders would have been enough or may be the movie should have been non linear so that the audience does not know she killed her husbands till the final scene. Instead of making Priyanka the women who kills her husband because they are bad guys Vishal should have made her a pyscho. I liked the scene where Priyanka’s maids scare her Russian husband. I think that’s how the whole movie should have been – like a thriller. I did not like the Jesus ending anyway.
Did not think much of Sarkar Raj. RGV was ruining the movie with his stupid camera angles.
Have not seen Badmaash Company and Murder 2.
Aarakshan, Sarkar Raj and 7 Khoon maaf were way better movies than first set.
Aarakshan had some problems in treatment but I think 7 Khoon Maaf and Sarkar Raj were suppose to be like that.
Baba- Oh yes CCTC was good enough. And i actually didn’t mind it but yeah it would have been lot better.
Totally disgaree with rockstar. It wasa film with heart. Script had to be depressing.
Hithere- Well, the director should’ve not dragged some tracks. The film should have been very fast pace and should have been atleast 25-30 minutes shorter. He dragged some portions. Naseeruddin Shah one was very absurd.
Sputnik- Agreed partly on Heroes. Sohail Khan was fine I guess. Vatsal Seth was very ordinary there.
“Rockstar had the same ending as Kites but Kites ending was panned/ridiculed whereas Rockstar’s ending praised just because it was directed by Imtiaz Ali.” ha ha ha. That’s not true. Rockstar had mixed response because the one who liked the film was not just because of its climax, but because of the kind of passion Imtiazx showed in their love story. I don’t like such deep larger than life kind of romantic films (read srk type films) but Rockstar was different in its own ways.
About 7KM, I feel it was one of the biggest disappointment. Also the film was very slow and Bhardwaj expected the audience to get emotionally involved with Sussana, which never happened and there is where the film got beaten.
Anyways thanks for your views all of you three.
Good post sanket
first story of Heroes was very touchee and had soul in it and obviously priety acted very well. sarkar raaj was ok for me infact i liked the ending
all the other movies very decent enough apart from kites and Arakshan.
havent seen 7 khoon maaf never felt interested in that movie
reason (piggy chops) 🙁