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Posted: 18 years ago
#1
Here are all the RGV Ki Aag movie reviews.

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Posted: 18 years ago
#2


Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag: Review
31st Aug 2007 22.13 IST
By Nikhil Kumar


Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag doesn't come anywhere close to the real thing, Ramesh Sippy 's Sholay .

Unlike the original film, 'RGV Ki Aag' has nothing that leaves a lasting impression on a viewer. The movie is a mere assorted collection of Varma's own interpretation of scenes from the original. There is no cohesive linear flow in the story. The dialogues, with frequent references to America, Iraq and Al Qaeda, are horribly amateurish. Nowhere close to the mastery of Salim and Javed in the original.

Varma was seemingly very obsessed with the idea of remaking 'Sholay'. But he did not realize the mammoth task of recreating the same magic. And in his blind zeal and obsession, Varma has floundered big time.

Firstly, he cast wrong actors in the roles of Heero and Raj. Ajay Devgan (as Heero) doesn't have the flair to tickle the funny bone. And newcomer Prashant Raj (as brooding Raj) simply doesn't know how to act. With these two pivotal roles going to inappropriate actors, the movie is already half sunk. Only Mohanlal and Sushmita Sen look convincing in their respective roles.

Ramu has given a very different interpretation to the character of Babban Singh (originally Gabbar). His Babban looks menacing, repulsive and fatigued. He is a bit psychotic with a slight caricaturish streak. And yet you don't dread this character half as much as you did Gabbar Singh. Unlike the latter, there is not a single dialogue of Babban Singh that you would carry home with you.

'RGV Ki Aag' stays loyal to 'Sholay' as far as the basic plot of the story is concerned. Two small-time crooks, Heero (Ajay Devgan) and Raj (Prashant Raj) catch the eye of honest police inspector Narsimha (Mohanlal) because of their bravery. Later, Narsimha hires them to catch the dreaded and notorious gangster Babban Singh Amitabh Bachchan ) who killed Narsimha's family and cut off his fingers.

Heero and Raj arrive in Kaliganj where Heero falls for the charm of a beautiful auto-rickshaw driver Ghungroo Nisha Kothari ) while Raj develops feelings for the grim widow Durga (Sushmita Sen).

As Heero and Raj begin cracking down on Babban Singh and his men, battle lines are drawn. Babban, along with his henchman Thambi Sushant Singh ), will fight to the bitter end to eliminate the two brave recruits of Narsimha.

Ram Gopal Varma gives his own twist to the story and characters of the original movie. But he does incorporate some scenes from 'Sholay'. Like the scene when Heero threatens to commit suicide if Ghungroo's mother does not agree to marry her with him. Or Heero teaching shooting to Ghungroo. Or Durga nursing a wounded Raj.

What Ramu fails to do is to create a right chemistry between the characters. For instance, you don't see and feel any camaraderie between Heero and Raj. Even the muted love between Raj and Durga is bland. To cut to the chase, Ramu fails big time as a director.

The cinematography by Amit Roy is brilliant, but Amar Mohile's background score is terrible. Even the film's songs are just mediocre compositions and the much talked-about Mehbooba Mehbooba (with special appearance by Urmila Matondkar and Abhishek Bachchan ) is not a patch on RD Burman's composition.

The movie could have been salvaged only through performances, but there too one meets with disappointment only. Ajay Devgan is just average. Prashant Raj can't act. Nisha Kothari hams. Mohanlal is good and Sushmita Sen is very expressive. Amitabh Bachchan does his best to enact Ramu's interpretation of Babban Singh.

All in all, 'RGV Ki Aag' is a letdown. The movie only reminds you how great and matchless the real 'Sholay' was and is.

Rating: *

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Posted: 18 years ago
#3
Ram Gopal Varma ki.. Aargh!

It's kinda fitting that Gabbar is now called Babban.

Because Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, ladies and gentlemen, as its title suggests, is a B-movie. It's like one of those TLV Prasad films of the 1990s that revels in its mediocrity, the kind of film that wouldn't normally get a theatrical release in Mumbai except for the stray morning show in a ramshackle single screen theatre.

Except that this time it's a Ram Gopal Varma movie, a mega-hyped vehicle of gimmick and bluster, and thanks to the casting decision of Amitabh Bachchan [Images] as the film's villain, occasionally elevated to, well, a Big-B-movie.

A B-movie, of course, can still be a work of art. As a filmmaker, you can choose to embrace the unreal, overdone style of (seemingly) slipshod filmmaking for its very lack of boundaries and aesthetics rather than against, directing inside the tacky box and painting everything super-bad with a delicious layer of postmodern irony -- in short, something so bad it's good.

This is how I chose to watch the new film, deciding that it's about the glory of unashamed hamming and the joy of the larger-than-life. I sat back, winced in the uber-badness of it all, and managed to actually survive through the first half. I can't say I liked it -- I doubt anybody can, really -- but it left me with some hopes of exciting action setpieces or interesting confrontation moments.

Post-interval, I failed. I really, really wanted to like Aag, to enjoy it for its sheer, (hopefully) contrived badness, but this was a dismal battle. This film is horrid beyond belief. Or redemption.

It's not that Ramu doesn't try. Varma's always been among the most excellent framers of a shot in the business, and here he goes funky and classic at the same time. Making cinematographer Amit Roy constantly tilt his lens at our actors, going from Sushmita Sen's [Images] dupatta to Mohanlal's beard in one fell, overemotional swoop aided by great angles and a constant movement. Even Ramu's ever-intriguing camera has never seemed this dynamic, often idiosyncratic here as he whimsically follows the trajectory of an apple here, a corpse there.

It's just that he doesn't really have anything to shoot. A lazily written half-baked script is overcompensated by the one man most responsible for single-handedly crippling a large part of RGV's oeuvre, Amar Mohile. The background-score man is in characteristically painful form, hitting constant ear-splitting melodrama as a bunch of non-actors are given a heavy load, while those sharing a half-dozen National Awards between themselves (Mohanlal 4, Ajay Devgan [Images] 2) are trapped by caricatures. Which aren't even remotely inventive.

And then there's Amitabh Bachchan. His Babban Singh (it's really hard not to giggle at all of the character names) is a uniquely twisted individual, with onebrown-onegreen eyes like an erstwhile Bausch & Lomb model, limping menacingly in combat boots and a military jacket. He's initially engaging, turning the cliche around to paraphrase immortal lines with brevity, and putting himself on the line during a compelling game of Russian roulette. Bachchan gamely gets into the character, slithering and hissing as he readies to strike fear in the hearts of faraway crying kids and policeman's wives.

While Amitabh does indeed provide commendable steam to the sinking ship, Babban is so over-written it hurts. He does superbly with a one-liner and a piece of fruit, but the frantic anxiety to make him Bollywood's greatest ever villain is all too visible as the character is loaded with bizarre lines about America and Al Qaeda [Images]. And let's not forget the Osama nod, with Babban suddenly cloaked in black a la Skeletor. Add to this a snaky tongue, a laugh that can't choose between ominous shudders and raspy hisses, and a Castor/Pollux complex that obviously stems more from Face/Off than Greek mythology.

Amitabh conjures up some great moments, but he was a better villain in Aks [Images].

Mohanlal is the film's protagonist, Narsimha, an improbably overweight encounter cop with a justifiable vendetta against Babban. He's a fine, restrained actor but despite a Hindi accent to rival Inspector Cousteau, is made to speak entirely in farcical, formulaic tripe. The best of performers would struggle, and this man -- certainly among the finest Indian living actors -- seems to give up the chase for greatness halfway through. I would, however, like to know how to throw a steak knife without using your fingers.

The rest of the characters, well, the lesser said the better. Surprisingly, newbie Prashant Raj [Images] emerges as the most tolerable of the bunch, but then again his role simply requires him to look, well, tall. Sen dresses in black and pretends to be stoic but constantly cries, looking like she's auditioning for Vaastu Shastra [Images] 2. Rajpal Yadav pipes up with a comic act limited to squeakily plugging Varma's next release. Sushant Singh plays a valiant Tambhe. Abhishek Bachchan [Images] chubbily comes on in a one-song cameo, with Urmila Matondkar [Images], the latter forcing Babban to utter the most gimmicky line ever.

Special criticism must be reserved for Devgan and Nisha Kothari [Images], who play Heero and Ghungroo. In one of current cinema's worst leading pairs, Ajay unfathomably plumbs new depths of idiocy with this follow-up to Cash. Kothari can't act -- or look remotely good -- but has acres of script-space, and has to explore everything from comic timing to hysterical weeping, which isn't a smart script choice. As Devgan pulls a pistol to his head to make suicide threats, we sorely wish he'd pull the trigger.

Ram Gopal Varma might have started out -- I see no better explanation -- to make a so-bad-it's-good kinda B-movie, but tragically hurtled past the stop-signs and ended up with, quite simply, a so-so-bad film. It's the director's most depressingly disappointing work.

Ramu is a maverick, a director usually given to laughing at critics and scathing reviews, which is as it should be. The scary thing is that he might just truly believe Aag is a good movie. I pray not.

Rediff Rating:

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Posted: 18 years ago
#4

Review - Ram Gopal Varma ki Aag

posted in Reviews |
Rating: Switch channels if it's on cable! (Rating Scale)
Official Website: Ram Gopal Varma ki Aag
Duration: 2:35 hrs (approx.)
Genre: Drama
Director: Ram Gopal Varma
Lead Actors: Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgan, Prashant Raj, Mohanlal, Nisha Kothari, Sushmita Sen
Supporting Cast: Sushant Singh
Dialogues: Farhad, Sajid
Screenplay: Rahil Qazi
Music Director: Amar Mohile, Ganesh Hegde, Prasana Shekhar, Nitin Raikwar
Lyrics: Shabbir Ahmed, Sajid, Nitin Raikwar, Sarim Momin, Farhad

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction: 1.0 Story: 2.0
Lead Actors: 1.0 Supporting Cast: 2.0
Dialogues: 1.0 Screenplay: .5
Music: 1.0 Lyrics: 1.0

Sholay mercilessly butchered


You have an inkling of the director's self-indulgence as soon as you have heard of the title. And frame after frame you are just sitting there confirming that this man is just obsessed with himself, and of course his camera. Or the camera has possessed him.

I was keen on sticking to a promise I made to myself a few months ago - control your urge to compare, and just enjoy the remake. But I was forced to give up when avoiding the parallels required way too much focus and started giving me a headache. Instead of narrating the story Ram Gopal Varma seemed to be solely concerned with changing the nitty-gritty of the original. You cut off hands, I think the story is better told if just fingers are chopped!?…You had a dialogue that is remembered 30 years later, I think a silence works better…You had a silence here, I think long-drawn dialogues over three scenes work better. Where's the creativity? Where's the much talked about interpretation?

None of the characters are fleshed out. All come across as superficial and their motivations unclear. The actors are plainly regurgitating their utterly uninteresting dialogues. Most of the characters are dull and plain. Even Amitabh Bachchan is more Amitabh Bachchan than Babban (his character). In fact, Heero (Ajay Devgan) and Raj (Prshant Raj) have almost identical characters except that they fall in love with different types of girls. It's sad when "style" is shown through use of the word in the lyrics instead of oozing out of the character.

Oh wait! What am I talking about!? There is one strong character in the movie who wants to make sure you notice its personality - the camera. It is just all over the place, trying its best to steal the show. This behavior is getting progressively worse with every RGV product. And it is so even in the simplest of scenes. So, imagine what a treat they gave themselves in the action sequences. I hope the choreographer wasn't paid too much, because the camera was doing all the dancing. Amit Roy (cinematographer) must be such a tired person. He seriously needs a break - a long one. And he might as well take Amar Mohile with him, for he must be worn out cranking up the volume of his background score too.

It also looks like there were huge date problems with the cast. There are hardly any scenes with more than two people in the frame together (way too many over the shoulder shots and close-ups). This gives very little room for the chemistry, if any, between the characters to reach the audience. Okay, before I go on and on about the cameraman and the director…let's call it quits here (Huge hint to Ramu & his factory workers!)

Sholay? Nope, it is NOT Sholay. Sholay had detailed characters played by unforgettable actors, dialogues to die for, brilliant sense of humor, good music, a kick-ass background score, etc, etc, etc. Just shifting location from Ramgadh to Mumbai and festivals from "Holi" to "Diwali" with a full-of-life cameraman ain't going to help no one.

Edited by umi82990 - 18 years ago
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Posted: 18 years ago
#5

Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag Movie Review

Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag Movie Review - Sholay Remake

Sholay is evergreen. It takes a lot of courage for a director to remake Indian Cinema's most memorable movie ever. Ram Gopal Varma took up the challenge, but does he deliver?

Babban Singh (Amitabh Bachchan) a psychotic gangster has killed the entire family of Police officer Narsimha (Mohan Lal). Narsimha takes help from two small time crooks Heero (Ajay Devgan) and Raj (Prashanth Raj) to kill Babban Singh. The childhood friends arent aware that they are fencing themselves into such a deadly war that had just two options, win or die!. Their life of hardship finds peace in love. While Heero falls for tom-boyish Ghunghroo (Nisha Kothari), Durga (Sushmitha Sen) after facing a massive tragedy felt her life blossom in an unspoken bond developed between her and Raj.

The battle which involved revenge, anger and fire had just one way of winning, and that is the death of the other….

The name of the characters has changed. Amitabh Bachchan portraying the legendary character of Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan) is now Babban Singh. Thakur Baldev Singh (Sanjeev Kumar) is now Narsimha. Veeru (Dharmendra) is Heero, Jaidev a.k.a Jay (Amitabh Bachchan) is Raj, Basanti (Hema Malini) is Ghunghroo and Radha (Jaya Bachchan) is Durga.

Comparisons with the original are inevitable. So here we go..

  • The chemistry and friendship shared between Heero and Raj (Jay and Veeru in the original) is completely non existent.
  • RGV has messed up big time with the casting of the legendary characters. Except for Amitabh and Mohan Lal, the others disappoint.
  • The emotions, drama and thrill is missing.
  • Aag isnt a scene to scene rip off of the original. The story is the same, the scenes are completely different. But the Aag script leaves a lot to be desired.
  • The scene that I was looking forward to most, was the suicide scene. Ajay devgan is so bad that you feel like burying your head deep into the pop corn tub. The direction and writing is worse!
  • The choreography is pathetic.
  • The songs are way below average.
  • Ram Gopal Varma has got it all wrong, his execution is horrible to say the least.

The best thing about the movie is without doubt Amitabh Bachchan. He is brilliant as Babban Singh. Mohan Lal as always is top notch. Ajay Devgan is a mis-cast. Sushmitha Sen is good. Sushanth Singh deserved a meatier role. Prasanth Raj is expressionless throughout. Nisha Kothari cannot act! Urmila Matondkar is extremely hot. Abhishek Bachchan appears breifly for the song Mehbooba. The rest of the cast is strictly okay.

Overall, Ram Gopal Varma Ke Aag / Sholay is a below average product that desevers to be rejected by the audience. Take my advice, buy yourself a DVD of the original Sholay. Trust me, although you have already watched it several times, your gonna enjoy it a 1000 times more!

Sorry RGV, your upgraded version of Sholay is unbearable.

Rating: ?



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Posted: 18 years ago
#6
I knew RGV,this joker would surely succeed in butchering this classic.I'm not surprised,reading the reviews!
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Posted: 18 years ago
#7
hai rabaaa....This one really seems SUCH TRASH!!!! I am not gonna wath it coz I am a fan of RGV movies n seems he rea;lly made a disaster this time round.... 😆
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Posted: 18 years ago
#8
It's not a good movie excluding AB and Mohanlal!!A definete miss is really good if u r not interesting in coming out the cinema with a sleepy head!!It's not about comparisons..if he cud want he cud get inspiration..wht's this copying?!!=S
Really pathetic movie..their dosti has no chemistry=/
I loved Ab and mohanlal's performance!!=D..otherwise:l
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Posted: 18 years ago
#9

Ram Gopal Varma ki Aag
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Mohanlal, Prashant Raj, Ajay Devgan, Nisha Kothari
Direction: Ram Gopal Varma
Rating: 1/2 *

And so dear ladies and gentlemen, this Lifetime's Worst Ever Movie Award goes to Ram Gopal Varma ki Aag, widely reported to be a remake of Sholay Jo Bhadke. The jury was unanimous in awarding it all its topis.. trophies.. whatever.

So imagine, it is my privilege to call upon G P, Sasha, Ramesh and Kiran Sippy to hand over the topi to the producer-director who has literally opened up a can of Varmas. The Worst Film topi has been bagged hands and legs down by RGV who has made a mockery of a classic. May we request all the Misters Sippy to refrain from violence please?

Varma receives his topi and states, "In my very original film, the drunken scene, the propose-to-the-mother-in-law comedy business, heroes called Heero and Zeero, a widow and a chatterbox chulbulli are merely coincidental. I pay tributes to Coppolaji also. If Heero and all have irritated you, I promise to irritate you much more next time. Thanks."

And the Worst Actor as well as the Worst Actor in a Negative Role Awards goes out to Amitabh Bachchan for the hammiest, over-the-top, yucky delineation of Babban Gabban SinghWait, do say something about your Worst Director Award. Varma reads from a dialogue chit, "Direction – what, where, when? I was just making ten other movies at the same time. Thanks."

Huh? And the Worst Actor as well as the Worst Actor in a Negative Role Awards (so much confusion nowadays) goes out to Amitabh Bachchan for the hammiest, over-the-top, yucky delineation of Babban Gabban Singh. May I request my ENT specialist to hand over the topi? Doctor could you please inspect Mr Bachchan's nose before you hand over the award?

ENT specialist does. The Worst Actor and Negative Role winner laughs, "Ha ha! That was just a Himesh Reshammiya touch. If I dug into my nostrils, it's because I'm a director's actor. He also told me to flick my tongue around when a rape scene was in progress. He told me to yell, sit as if all my limbs were in a kathak pose and behave like Jack Nicholson meets Johnny Lever. He also made me wear a potato gunny sack.. very hot it was.. prevented me from a haircut for 100 days.. and painted this little worm on my nose. I dedicate both these topis to him and Kaizaad Gustaad who got me going downhill with Boom.. or was it Jhoom Jhoom?"

Clap clap. The Worst Actress Award have been jointly grabbed by Sushmita Sen who wore hundred kilos of make-up for a suffering, widow's look.. and to Nasha Kothari for wearing denim fig leaves for skirts. May they please hand over the Worst Awards to each other? Oh, only Miss Sen is here. Wonderful!
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Posted: 18 years ago
#10
A fire without embers: this "Aag" is no "Sholay"…. ZIYA US SALAM


BAD TO BETTER: "Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag" is a huge disappointment while the understated "Dhokha" and "Victoria No. 203" make up with their substance and style.

RAM GOPAL VARMA KI AAG

(At Regal and other theatres in Delhi and elsewhere)

The most intrepid of ventures in recent times turns out to be the most reckless too. Said to be a tribute to G. P. Sippy's much talked about "Sholay", this "Aag" actually is nothing more than an ordinary, real ordinary, parody -- the kind kids indulge in when the teacher fails to turn up for a class in school. Ram Gopal Varma's "Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag" – a first of sorts in the annals of Hindi cinema where the director& #8217;s name is part of the title – is likely to end up as one of the biggest follies of the seasoned filmmaker's career. It is slipshod, even deceitful, as the director falls between two stools: does he actually want to replay the glory of the original and base his film in the extraordinary 1970s? Or does he want to give it a contemporary touch, make a film that would appeal to today's multiplex-hopping Gen Next?

Apparently, he was not sure. So we end up with those formula shots of the ravines with Mohanlal doing a poor copy of Sanjeev Kumar's celebrated role in "Sholay". And also those sensuous takes on Nisha Kothari's curls and curves in the tiniest of minis. Throw in Ajay Devgan and Prashant 'Who?' Raj as Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan and the cup of misery is full to the brim. It just flows over once you have Nisha Kothari stepping into the niche of Hema Malini's widely popular Basanti. Each of these stars in this multi-starrer here is a misfit and appears consistently disinterested in the role.

However, the worst comes from the most unexpected quarters: Amitabh Bachchan, after serenading grey for years, goes completely black here now with Gabbar, oops, Babban. Ram Gopal Varma's idea of making him look menacing is to have a cut across his nose bridge! His idea of having a villain rooted in the hinterlands is to have the guy dig his nose! Babban's looks vary from the menacing to the most ordinary to the ridiculous.

Bachchan compounds the agony with one of the most ordinary portrayals of his long, illustrious career. He never evokes fear; never commands respect either.

The reason Amjad Khan clicked in "Sholay" as Gabbar was he appeared as Gabbar, not Amjad.

Here, despite the rather bizarre tag of "introducing Amitabh Bachchan", Big B appears as just Big B in just another role, never Babban.

Saving grace, any? Well, Urmila Matondkar, quite lithe and sensuous in her take on good old Helen, and Sushmita Sen, predictably bearable as Durga, Varma's take on Jaya Bhaduri's role in "Sholay".

Any way you look at it, RGV's "Aag" is a pale imitation of an evergreen classic.

Go for the original any day. The copy fails to pass muster.

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