Karthik Calling Karthik - ALL REVIEWS POST HERE - Page 4

Feb 25, 2010 00:30 EST

Bollywood | deepika padukone | Farhan Akhtar | suspense thriller

Farhan Akhtar has now come to be associated with a particular kind of cinema – slick production values, quirky characters and smart writing. So when I went in to watch his latest production, "Karthik Calling Karthik", I was expecting something similar. While I got to see the first two aspects, the third, and the most important was gravely missing.

The film, a thriller about a meek, submissive man called Karthik, whose life changes when he gets phone calls from an anonymous caller who also calls himself Karthik, starts off well, and is engaging enough, but for some bad writing and corny dialogues, which take away from the edge-of-the-seat thrill that a film like this should give you.

Akhtar plays Karthik Narayan, a mousy MBA grad who is bullied by pretty much everyone around him, including his tyrannical boss, and pesky landlord. He is secretly in love with Shonali Mukherjee (Deepika Padukone), who works in the same office, but is unable to muster up courage to talk to her, instead writing her an email everyday and then saving it in his drafts folder.

Fired from his job, and with no friends to turn to, Karthik is on the verge of suicide when one phone call changes everything. The caller always calls at 5 am and identifies himself as Karthik. He instils confidences in Karthik, exhorting him to set his life right. After the initial apprehension, Karthik actually looks forward to the calls, and egged on by the mysterious caller, sets about reclaiming his life.

The film is meant to be a thriller, but as I said before, there are hardly any edge-of -the seat moments. The narrative is a little bumpy and some of the dialogues are unintentionally funny. Director Vijay Lalwani sets out with a good enough intention, glimpses of which are visible throughout the film, but doesn't quite reach the destination he intended. Also, the ending of the film is predictable, and I wish had been dealt with in a better way.

But watch this film for Farhan Akhtar, and his performance as Karthik. In some places he reminded me of Naseeruddin Shah in Sai Paranjpe's "Katha", where Shah plays a similar meek, submissive character. He carries the film even through its bumpy moments. Deepika Padukone tries her best and looks ravishing, but her acting still feels laboured.

This is a good one time watch at the movies, especially if you are a Farhan fan.

Karthik Calling Karthik: Watch it for the stylish performances

As far as wake-up calls for Bollywood thrillers go, Karthik Calling Karthik has set the right tone, but the story failed to keep the momentum going

• By Manjusha Radhakrishnan, Staff Reporter
• Published: 10:45 February 25, 2010

By Taran Adarsh, February 26, 2010 - 10:19 IST Have you ever received a call from yourself? Is it possible in the first place? There are several theories doing the rounds about the two Karthiks in this movie. So what is it? Is Karthik hallucinating? Does he have a double role? Or a split personality? For most parts of the film, you actually buy the explanation that Karthik does receive calls from, well, Karthik. Let's accept the fact that a concept like this instinctively generates curiosity in the film. But the real test is to make the story work in those 2 hours. Also - this is vital - the identity of the caller should come as a jolt when the film concludes. Write your own movie review of Karthik Calling Karthik KARTHIK CALLING KARTHIK works in parts, but during the penultimate part, when the story shifts from Mumbai to Kerala, the sand castle, so beautifully built by debutante director Vijay Lalwani, gets washed away.

One doesn't want to challenge the behavioural patterns of a person with a certain disorder, but when it comes to the big screen, when you are narrating a story on celluloid, you need to do a lot of spoon-feeding and make it look convincing. In this case, unfortunately, the finale is just not convincing and therefore, acts as a spoilsport.

Meet Karthik [Farhan Akhtar], an introvert by nature and shy by choice. Karthik suffers with huge confidence issues and is miserable at his average job that yields less than average results. His boss [Ram Kapoor] treats him like dirt. Shonali [Deepika Padukone], his colleague, who he secretly loves, doesn't even know that he exists. Karthik is a loser. He knows it. He accepts it.

Suddenly, one night, the phone rings. And Karthik speaks to someone he never thought he would. He speaks to a man who also claims to be Karthik. The man on the phone says he's here to change Karthik's life. Karthik accepts the phone in his life and soon it becomes his guide, his mentor, his friend, his guardian.

KARTHIK CALLING KARTHIK is a love story as also a suspense fare that teases your mind. Any love story works if the chemistry and also the moments between the on-screen lovers looks real and the chemistry between Farhan and Deepika works well.

Correspondingly, a suspense film works if the viewer keeps guessing what the culmination to the story would be. The mystery only deepens when not only Karthik, but also his girlfriend and psychiatrist are engulfed in this storm. All hell breaks loose when Karthik's life goes upside down and Karthik is back to square one. But from this point onwards, the graph of the film only goes downwards.

Debutante director Vijay Lalwani knows his job well, but he's letdown by his own writing. The second hour not only looks stretched [two songs flow one after the other, with the story coming to a grinding halt], but the pace also gets excruciatingly slow at this juncture. The climax, as mentioned earlier, is a complete downer.

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's musical score is an asset. The film has some lilting tunes. Cinematography [Sanu John Varughese] is perfect. Dialogues are simple mostly and at times, very witty.

This is Farhan Akhtar's third film as an actor and it must be said that he takes giant strides when it comes to acting. The story throws several challenges at him and fortunately, he emerges trumps in the most difficult moments. This is, by far, his best work.

Deepika Padukone looks bewitching and acts natural throughout. Ram Kapoor is fantastic. Why don't we see him so frequently on the big screen? Shifaali Shah is excellent. Vivan Bhatena is good. Tarana, Vipin Sharma and Yatin Karyekar are serviceable.

On the whole, KARTHIK CALLING KARTHIK is a decent product with an unconvincing conclusion. Watch it for the wonderful performances of Farhan and Deepika, if you have to. Caters to the youth in metros mainly.


http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/review/14050/index.html

Movie review: Karthik Calling Karthik

Tags: Review , Karthik Calling Karthik , New Delhi

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Movie: Karthik Calling Karthik

Writer and Director: Vijay Lalwani

Producers: Ritesh Sidhwani & Farhan Akhtar

Ratings: ****

Karthik Calling Karthik, starring Deepika Padukone and Farhan Akhtar has released today.

This is a movie with an intresting, unconventional and convincing screenplay. Actually a too woo the young crowd.

Vijay Lalwani has done a good job in both of his roles, writer and director. Vijay has managed to get the best out of the actors.

This is a story about an introvert guy, Karthik, who has huge confidence issues. He is poor performer at his office. His boss doesn't treat him well. His existence goes unnoticed by his office colleagues.

Karthik loves his colleague, Shonali. But he doesn' exist for his lady love. He writes her many mails expressing his feelings but never send them across.

Karthik has well accepted the fact that he is a loser. He knows nothing would be better. And then that magic bell rings. He gets a call from someone whose name is also Karthik.

The unknown caller Karthik becomes the guide, philosopher and guide of shy Karthik. Everything goes right now. Karthik is able to woo his lady love. He starts performimg well at office too.

Will Karthik be able to sail through all the difficulties in life with the help of caller Karthik's guidance?

Will Shonali accept Karthik as her soulmate?

http://www.samaylive.com/news/movie-review-karthik-calling-karthik/675587.html

Farhan Akhtar KARTHIK CALLING KARTHIK for Gen X: Movie Review

[26 Feb 2010]

STARRING

Farhan Akhtar, Deepika Padukone, Ram Kapoor, Shefali Shah and others.


DIRECTION

Vijay Lalwani


STORY

The story of the flick revolves around an introvert person Karthik (Farhan Akhtar), who believes himself to be loser after being shabbily treated by one and all in office and other places. He is unable to express himself properly to even his girlfriend Shonali Mukherjee, who works in the same office.

However, a phone call changes everything in his life after the voice introduces itself to be Karthik and wants Karthik to follow his instructions to make his life better.

Karthik Narayan, as Karthik is generally known to people, did not have any confidence to put forth his ideas or fight for his causes. However, it all changes once he starts following the instructions from phone.

The phone call instructions changes Karthik's life so much that Shonali becomes his friend and does not mind spending some quality time with him. This confidence gives self respect back to Karthik.

What happens to his love story with Shonali is revealed in the later part of the flick.


PERFORMANCE


Farhan Akhtar, who plays the part of introverted Karthik Narayan, comes out with a brilliant performance in the film. He has successfully enacted the three different nuances of the character of Karthik and comes out as absolute winner in the acting department.

However, the last avatar of Karthik when he retreats into his cell once again proves to undoing of the film. Even the climax sequence seems unconvincing and does not add much to the film. But, Farhan's chemistry with co- star Deepika Padukone is terrific and it comes out beautifully on the celluloid.

Deepika Padukone, the leggy beauty of bollywood who plays Farhan's love interest in the film Sonia Mukherjee, looks stunningly beautiful. She is natural to the core in playing the bindas character of an upwardly mobile girl. After her performance in 'Love Aaj Kal', Deepika seems to be in her elements once again.

But her role is relatively shorter and she could have easily provided the audiences respite from this serious stuff, had she been around for a longer period. In fact, Deepika Padukone's bubbly character makes the movie work for hoi polloi.

Ram Kapoor, who is currently hosting Rahul Mahajan' show on television, has acted well in his part. Even Shefali Shah does well and provides excellent support to the main cast of the flick. Others like Yatin Karyekar, Tarana, Vipin Sharma etc provide good support to the film.

The direction of Vijay Lalwani shows spark but fails to take the film to its logical conclusion. In fact, the second half is not only slow but also climax seems out of tune with the feel of the movie.

The music by Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy is excellent and already a rage with the audiences. 'Ufff Teri Adaa' number has already been making waves among the audience and should help the flick at the box office. Sanu John Varughese's cinematography is good and adds value to the project. Other production values are good.


STARDUST VERDICT


Despite of Farhan Akhtar's towering performance and Deepika Padukone providing the glamour quotient to the flick, the movie drags in the second half. The whole venture may attract some sections of Gen X towards multiplexes but aam janta is unlikely to come for Karthik calling Karthik. An average fare at the box office.


Star Rating: * *

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