~~Befikre Review & Boxoffice Thread~~ - DT N P 92 - Page 22

Originally posted by: Love_Katty_24-7

Raja Sen with his puesdo-intellectual crap😆, this stupid idiot gave a fuddu movie like ADHM 4 stars and here is he giving his fuddu gyan.

Originally posted by: pallavi_

U spoke my mind..
Baba is here to stay.. Hearing awesome things from my colleagues will go tomorrow despite being exams.
RS fans don't make noise.. let success make it 😊

Review: Aditya Chopra's Befikre

I wonder what films Aditya Chopra watches. I wonder who the reclusive filmmaker meets and speaks to in real life, and what on earth he imagines lovers and romantics to be doing. Perhaps he, who obviously watches his own iconic success Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge a million times over, believes (and hopes) they do the same. Yet if he intends to connect with his audience and make films speaking the with-it' language of the youth today, perhaps it is finally time he put an end to his Willy Wonka lifestyle, strolled out of his production house and took a look at the world.

This is because his Befikre is a colossally stupid film, a bad comedy with some skin and spit-swapping thrown onto it in a desperate attempt to attract attention. Despite the montage where lovers " old, blond, bewigged " smooch over the opening credits, what follows is not a youthful or fresh or interesting film. Like a big budget wolf dressed like a particularly skimpy sheep, this film recycles ideas we've seen done to death by Chopra's own production house: the underdressed carefree tourism of Neal And Nikki melts into the inevitability of Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai, itself built upon the second half of Chopra's DDLJ, with the Dance Of Envy from Dil Toh Pagal Hai thrown in for good measure.

Befikre goes through all these hackneyed bits while trying, in foolhardy fashion, to make a combination of the over-imitated talkie Before Sunrise and the wildly sexy Love Me If You Dare. Love Me If You Dare, a twisted French romance about a pair of lovers egging each other on from fun and games to callous and destructive madness, is a film that fetishises recklessness and the idea of committing to something impossible: a dare. It is a heady film that captures, vividly and sexily, the volatility of a relationship built on wildcards.

Befikre doesn't dare.

A mediocre advertisement for Paris Tourism, the film is an inane mess where characters contradict themselves merely in order to outdo their own stupidity. Even the stolen idea of daring each other into anything isn't adhered to as we see a couple of fools fall in love " the only upside to this being that they cancel each other's imbecility by taking themselves off the market. Ranveer Singh is a Delhi boy who titters at lesbians and uses "that's so gay" as an insult, while Vaani Kapoor is a French girl of Indian origin who has a prolific sex-life, and " conveniently for the production incentives " shows tourists around Paris. There are no emotional or romantic stakes anywhere in sight, and it's hard to give a flying fikar what happens to these idiots.

He falls for her, she falls for him, and then after a year of separation " though we hardly see them apart " they decide to be friends. How very French, says the film, which also believes that a young man being polite to his mother is not French. Ah. I wonder where Aditya Chopra stands on fries. That said, we do find out where he stands on desi potato eating, this film's big romantic question being a mother asking her daughter if her potential soulmate is aalu paratha enough for her.

Kapoor's character is confident but unbearable in the film, yet at least she occasionally makes sense when talking of life and love and marriage. Singh, who plays a lame stand-up comic, knows absolutely nothing. There are other people on the scene, lovers for these lovers, and while he scores a pretty French girl who tries on headphones and enjoys stripping, she finds herself a smooth, un-boring banker. I must here admit that given the romantic cinema we've seen this year, it feels refreshing that this banker is played by some regular guy and is not a cameo by some beautiful Pakistani man.

There is, as the trailer promises, a whole lot of kissing in this film, and if you are in the mood to watch much mushing-together of mouths and to see Singh and Kapoor go at it with far too much aggression " her pre-kiss look is that of a rugby player readying for a scrimmage " then this film may, by all means, be your thing.

I must however warn you that none of this is remotely sexy. Despite Kaname Onoyama's cinematography being one of this film's few pluses " there are some fine tracking shots pulling out from the two of them into the lovely world around them " it is bewildering how unflatteringly Kapoor has been photographed, and Singh cancels out his own charm by frequently displaying the energy of an electrocuted monkey.

Singh is a fine actor but struggles with the inanity of this material, material that requires him not merely to be always-on, but to be always obnoxious. The only moment he manages to salvage is one early on where he locks eyes passionately with a statue; it's the actor's way of flexing his leading man muscles and saying he could romance anything. He manages his character by wearing his cluelessness on his sleeve, and making his Delhi boy loud and vaguely effete, and resultantly renders this weak film nearly watchable. (As an aside I must hereby request some filmmaker to cast Singh in a completely effeminate and clueless role, even that of a valley girl. The Alicia Silverstone role from Clueless, even. He'd kill.)

At a point when our mainstream cinema is beginning to grow up, Befikre is painfully childish drivel that proves to be a maddening waste of time. It starts out shrill, turns predictable, and ends up chaotic. To use the language of the youth Aditya Chopra is attempting to speak, let's call it Befi-cray-cray.

Rating: 1.5 stars

https://rajasen.com/2016/12/09/review-aditya-chopras-befikre

Befikre: Lots Of Kissing, No Chemistry & Characters Who Embody The Ugly Indian Abroad

Never have investment bankers looked as good, and never have Delhi men looked as bad as they have in Befikre. Aditya Chopra's modern day romance-cum-kissing spree starring Ranveer Singh playing Ranveer Singh a.k.a. Dharam Gulati and Vaani Kapoor as Shyra Gill released today. And as testament to Delhi's good taste in cinema, all 9am shows of the film in South Delhi were sold out.

Source: Yash Raj Films

I therefore went for a 9.30am show of the film and before seeing Ranveer Singh and Vaani Kapoor playing tonsil tennis and get hot and heavy on screen, had to show my patriotism to the national flag.

Now to the film. First off, there are no 40 kisses in the film. There are far less. And second, the level of chemistry between Kapoor and Singh is the same as that between siblings, that too of the same sex. Singh needs to stop playing the same character - the spoilt Punjabi boy who doesn't know how to express love. And Kapoor really needs to eat some food and lose this RuPaul look.

The film set entirely in Paris, is about Dharam Gulati, a stand-up comic from Delhi who comes to Paris to perform stand up at his friend's Indian-themed restaurant. Dharam doesn't speak any French. His friend's restaurant-performance space is brand new, but Dharam can afford to pay rent on a massive apartment in Paris.

Source: Yash Raj Films

He also drives around in a Fiat convertible, wears fancy clothes, parties and dines at fancy restaurants. Either stand-up comics are earning way more than they've been telling us, or Aditya Chopra, the 46-year-old director and scriptwriter of Befikre needs to step out from his mega mansion in Mumbai.

Dharam meets Kapoor/Shyra, an Indian who is partying and drinking it up at a bar in Paris. Now, we're told why Shyra is wild and carefree and has sex with lots of people - because she may be Indian, but she has been born and brought up in Paris. Ergo, she has loose morals unlike sati savitri desi girls.

The film is about Shyra and Dharam hooking up, starting to live together and daring each other to do "fun" and "wild" things like slap a Parisian cop, do a striptease in a library, vandalise a shop. Basically be the embodiment of The Ugly Indian abroad. Through it all, they promise not to get emotional or say they love each other. Soon enough they break up and after that remain friends.

Source: Yash Raj Films

But, if Hindi cinema has taught us anything it is that ek ladka aur ek ladki kabhi dost nahin ho sakte. Enter the only interesting and attractive character in the film, alongside Kapoor's parents who are so normal they seem abnormal in this crappismo, an investment banker called Aney. I swear. That's his name. He is very fun, very good looking, very rich - he's the head of Citibank, Paris - and the perfect gentleman. The film is about whether or not Shyra marries Aney, or whether Dharam realises he actually loves Shyra and vice versa and they get married.

Such suspense, really.

There's are many odes to Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. There's a dance which is supposed to prove to us the audiences that there is sizzling chemistry between Kapoor and Singh, but reminded me of the dance performance by Ross and Monica in F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

We are shown once again that however wild and untamed a woman may be, phir bhi dil hai Hindustani and all she wants is to have a man ask her to marry him.

The two characters are the most uncouth, abrasive and unattractive characters I've seen in a long while. And I wish someone would sit Chopra down and explain to him that having rampant sex and hurling abuses, doesn't qualify as being modern.

There are a few moments though, which are endearing. Especially, Kapoor's parents' confused reaction to Kapoor and Singh's breakup. And Kapoor telling her mother she needs to delete Singh's number from her phone and unfriend him on Facebook. Also, the way Singh becomes part of the family and the easy camaraderie with Kapoor's parents rings very true to what happens in today's relationships. The songs are easy on the ear and quite hummable.

But that ending! Oh that ending. Also, dear Mr Chopra, if an untrained diver and non-swimmer free falls from a clifftop, he or she will die. Or have such a bad body concussion that they will go into shock. Please don't show such rubbish to an easily influenced audience.

Source: Yash Raj Films

I'd like to end with a word to Mr Pahlaj Nihalani who recently said, "Firstly, there is a difference in the intention and purpose of the kisses in Befikre and the ones you mention in the earlier films (Tamasha, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil). Those earlier kisses were very intimate and sexual in nature , and also shot in lingering close-ups . In Befikre the kisses are used as signs of affection warmth and kinship. And they are not shot in close-ups. That makes a helluva difference in terms of impact".

Sir, please get your eye sight checked along with your analysis of what passes off as kinship. There are many closeups of them kissing, and it is very sexual in nature. But then, you made Aag Ka Gola with a horrific kissing scene which showed no signs of ending. And the wonderful song, "Khada Hai, Khada Hai". So your definition of kinship, intimacy and sexual is obviously different from most peoples.

Watch this film if you're really hard up for sex and want a glimpse of Singh's arse and to see some unattractive snogging. Don't say you weren't warned.

https://www.scoopwhoop.com/Befikre-Lots-Of-Kissing-No-Chemistry-Characters-Who-Embody-The-Ugly-Indian-Abroad

Movie Review: 'Befikre' Is An Epic Misfire

By Aniruddha Guha,Friday, 09 Dec 2016

Rating : 1_5

Director:Aditya Chopra

Cast: Ranveer Singh , Vaani Kapoor and others.

Befikre' is an Aditya Chopra film.

At no point while watching the film could I shirk off the thought that what was unfolding before my eyes had been conceptualised and executed by the man who once gave us a film that forever changed the way we looked at romance in our movies, and which spawned a deluge of similarly-themed films.

But let's forget, for a moment, that Chopra wrote and directed Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge' 21 years ago, and then followed it up with two films (Mohabbatein' and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi'), neither of which could outdo Chopra's debut, but were at least credible films, with good actors, quotable lines, and actual plots.

Befikre' is meant to be a departure for the filmmaker"an attempt at encapsulating a more "modern" romance"which unravels without the usual Chopra tropes: parental pressure, age-old restrictions and societal expectations. There's probably nothing more challenging for a filmmaker of Chopra's pedigree than to step out of his comfort zone and to turn every trick employed in past films on its head. In that regard, Chopra displays as much bravery and "boldness" as he would like to believe his two protagonists do in Befikre', and his intention to reinvent himself could even be lauded.

YRF

Comfort zones, however, exist for a reason. When audiences step in to watch a Sajid Khan film, for instance, they expect a certain brand of humour. You know what you're in for"hammy acting, slapstick comedy, an over-the-top climax; it may not be your cup of tea, but at least you aren't served guava juice. You, however, don't walk in to watch an Aditya Chopra film, and come out feeling like you got a Sajid Khan film in return. That's just barbaric, and could unsettle the best of us. And that's exactly how Befikre' leaves you"senses numbed, eardrums hurting, head spinning.

Apart from all its misplaced attempts at portraying a "young", "carefree" relationship, Befikre' left me dazed with the sheer noise generated by its never-ending dialogue, often thrown at audiences with merciless frenzy by Ranveer Singh (an actor who got his break in an Aditya Chopra production, and has since proved his mettle with fine performances in films like Dil Dhadakne Do' and Bajirao Mastani'). Singh's annoyingly hammy performance could hardly be attributed to him alone, though. Would actors working with Chopra question his storytelling? Would technicians come down hard on him for his filmmaking choices?

Would Sharat Katariya, who gave us earthy, relatable dialogues in a gem like Dum Laga Ke Haisha', not write lines that so terribly misrepresent the lingo of this generation? "Main kal hook-up nahi karne wali thi", or "Hum live-in karne waale hai" - for instance - don't make the characters seem like credible portrayals of people around us. Instead, they come across as poorly-imagined versions of what a filmmaker and his team thinks "youngsters" sound like. It's the kind of clueless posturing displayed in content created by Y-Films - the digital arm of Chopra's production company, Yash Raj Films - which tries to encapsulate the spirit of its target audience (young India) with similar broad strokes.

YRF

Befikre' is just that"a filmmaker's statement on the youth of today, who are meant to be, apparently, befikre (careless) in their approach to relationships, and constructed from scraps gathered from other films. The Paris setting seems more like a cop-out than an actual backdrop; it's as if setting a story about Indian characters in a more liberated society would give them the license to emulate what they don't even seem to fathom.

Of course, there are resources at Chopra's disposal that are maximised for effect"the locations are woven into the story to provide eye-filling frames, every scene is shot with flair by cinematographer Kaname Onoyama, and two young actors let go of inhibitions for their director's benefit. While Vaani Kapoor displays dignity and grace in portions, her character rarely displays traits that make her seem like a person we can relate to. Singh seems to overcompensate for his co-star's softness with zest and energy that drives you up the wall after a point. Towards the tail end of the film, where the drama allows him to not behave like a four-year-old kid on speed, Singh shows glimpses of restraint and maturity"not just as a character, but even as performer.

Bekifre' isn't just Aditya Chopra's most insufferable film yet, but also one of the worst movies of 2016"a year where filmmakers, incidentally, seemed to treat audiences with more respect than before. Watch it only if people jumping on each other in a church is your idea of fun. Or just wait for Housefull 4'

http://www.mensxp.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/33871-movie-review-befikre-is-an-epic-misfire.html

First let's get this out of the way: Ranveer Singh has a cute bum.

A flash of derriere on screen is no big deal in some parts of the world, but in India where the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has so far deemed the display of certain desi body parts a non-desi, un-kosher activity, here is a surprise. Singh gives us a clear look at his wonderfully firm backside as he runs into a hotel room to make love to his girlfriend in Befikre.

And the Censors have not scissored out that shot! Nine years after they sought to preserve our collective innocence by chopping out a glimpse of Ranbir Kapoor's bottom in Saawariya's towel dancing scene, mere Bharatvaasiyon, they have risked ruining our sanskaar with the sight of a man's bare behind! A moment of silence please, at this great honour bestowed on Indian adults by the CBFC. A moment to express our deep gratitude for this acknowledgement of our maturity.

Thhoda zyaada ho gaya, na? You get the point though? Okay then, I'm done with mocking the Censors. Now onward to the review.

Director Aditya Chopra's Befikre stars Singh and the girl from Shuddh Desi Romance, Vaani Kapoor, as lovers-turned-friends Dharam Gulati and Shyra Gill. He is a Delhi boy who has just moved to Paris to perform as a stand-up comedian at his brother's nightclub there. She is a Parisian of Indian origin, a tour guide who occasionally helps her parents run a restaurant.

Dharam is perennially horny and a (sometimes creepy) pile-on, Shyra is not interested in commitment but is up for a roll in the hay. They are two people perfectly suited to each other's wants and needs at the point in time when they first meet. The film takes us through the year between their hook-up and eventual break-up, and what follows.

Viewed entirely from the surface, Befikre is fun. C'mon, of course it is. Singh, as we all know, is a delightful bundle of energy and an absolute charmer. Like him, Kapoor is not a conventional pretty face, but like him she too has an arresting presence that makes her extremely attractive. She also has one of the loveliest voices I've heard on a new Hindi film heroine in a while: soft and delicate, like cotton candy.

An insensitive dare involving begging and a fleeting rape joke from Dharam require a separate - long - discussion. Set those aside, and his shenanigans are by and large amusing. The duo also play off each other well.

Combine the lead pair with Vishal-Shekhar's foot-thumping music (not counting the decidedly ordinary 'Khulke dulke / Ishq ki bungee'), an unusual blend of Hindi and French in Jaideep Sahni's breezy lyrics and Vaibhavi Merchant's infectiously lively choreography, and you have an entertaining package in place.

I scrutinised the entire end credits but could not find a mention of Kapoor's fitness instructor and dance teacher. Could someone give me their names, phone numbers and the money to afford them, please? During an extended dance sequence between Shyra and Dharam, at one point she faces him with both legs wrapped around his waist and bends her torso backwards dipping her head deep towards the ground, then raises herself up ramrod straight again, her legs still around his waist, without any assistance from him, purely on the strength of her abs. If that was not camera trickery or a product of special effects, here's an aside to salaam you for your muscle power, Ms Kapoor, and you for your imagination, Ms Merchant.

(Spoilers ahead)

The heart and soul of the film though leave much to be desired. How many times will Bollywood re-visit the story of a commitment-averse individual or couple who are buddies, find what they think is love in the arms of others and finally realise they are meant to be with each other instead? Films like Kunal Kohli's Hum Tum (2004, produced by Aditya Chopra) and Imtiaz Ali's Kal Aaj Aur Kal(2009) had novelty value and depth. Ayan Mukherji's Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) and even Ali's Tamasha (2015) added new dimensions to the discussion. Befikre is entertaining at a superficial level, but at the end of the day it is nothing but old wine in a glossy new bottle.

So yeah, the couple have lots of sex and make their own decisions unlike the sanskaari ladka-ladkiwho bowed to the girl's despotic desi Daddy in Chopra's debut film, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge(DDLJ), 21 years back, but these are significant changes only if you assess the director's filmography in a vacuum without the context of everything else that Hindi cinema has done since 1995. Besides, ultimately this film - like most Bollywood films - is designed as reassurance for conservative viewers that marriage can be the only acceptable conclusion to a relationship between a hero and heroine (especially if they have had sex).

Despite the generous dose of smooching between the leads, Chopra cannot camouflage his underlying conservatism. Note that after Shyra and Dharam break up, we see her in only one romantic relationship, and she does not sleep with that guy. Dharam, on the other hand, remains sexually obsessed, sexually active and has a long-term involvement with a French hottie.

Note too how lightly Dharam and, more important, the film take white women. They are nothing but bodies and sources of sex for him, creatures you proposition, not human beings to be taken seriously like the desi kudi he slept with.

None of this should come as a surprise if you look back at the extreme regressiveness of DDLJ. The difference between then and now is that, for the most part Befikre is not regressive. What it is is a film pretending to be subversive, revolutionary and evolved, when all it does is endorse a status quo.

That's why Aditya Chopra's fourth film as a director (his first in eight years) is watchable for its packaging alone and not for what lies beneath. Even Ranveer Singh and Vaani Kapoor's boundless verve, all that kissing, unbridled sex and tiny Western clothing cannot mask the story's traditionalist core.