Lesson # 1 – Follow Your Passion Irrespective Of Failures
Although his first venture in the camera business failed miserably, Dadasaheb Phalke realised that it was due to people spreading false rumours that taking photos sucks the life out of you and not because of any lack of opportunity in the business. Seeing an English feature film for the first time, he was bewildered by seeing pictures in motion and instantaneously decided that this is what he wants to do. While he did not have the resources or the knowledge to make a film, he had the passion to make motion pictures. Being passionate about what you intend to do is most crucial to setting up your venture. Knowledge and resources can be acquired, but passion has to be ignited from within.

Lesson # 2 – Have Confidence In Your Dreams
While the movie portrays the struggles of a first time film maker, ironically Paresh Mokashi (the director of the film) had to face his share of struggles in making Harishchandrachi Factory. But his confidence in his dream made him overcome all problems. When no producer was ready to produce the film in Marathi, Paresh mortgaged his home and decided to make the film on his own money. This bears resemblance to Dadasaheb mortgaging his wife’s jewels to make his first film. When you have confidence in your dreams, problems are nothing but milestones in your journey.

Lesson # 3 – A Desire For Continuous Learning
Dadasaheb sat for hours watching English cinema on screens in his town to try and learn the art of making films. However he realised that watching films alone is not enough and if he had to learn the art of making films, he would have to go and learn it at London. Without having any contacts or acquaintances in London, but with the burning desire to learn, he left for London to study cinema. It was this quest for knowledge which gave him the confidence to walk into a Motion Pictures office in London and say, “I am Dadasaheb Phalke and I want to make a motion picture. Will you help me?”. As entrepreneurs you need to have this constant quest for learning everything related to your business. As long as this desire is present within you, success would not be very far. When you think you have learnt everything, then it is time to move on to something new.

Entrepreneurship lessons from Harishchandrachi Factory 

Lesson # 4 – Gaining Investor Confidence Through Demonstration Of Your Ability
While you may be passionate and confident about your dream venture, investors will look at your venture with scepticism. Is he actually capable of doing this? Is it even possible to do this? Are some questions that will be thriving in their minds. As Dadasaheb says in the movie – “Chamtkaara Shivay Namaskar Nahin” (if you do not perform miracles no one will salute you). To gain confidence of investors and friends he produces a short film that shows the growth of a bean seed to a plant. Seeing that Dadasaheb in fact had the capability to make a motion film, he managed to win the support of his friends and investors were ready to give him money to make the film. So while you may have a mountainous project in mind, it is important you at least develop a mole hill first to show that you actually have the capability to build a mountain.

Lesson # 5 – Be Ready To Get Your Hand Dirty
Midway through the shooting when the camera stops working, Dadasaheb says to his friend – its time to open up the instruction manual. As entrepreneurs, it is extremely important to get your hands dirty, learn things the hard way and make things work. You will not have enough money in the startup phase to get specialist help, so be ready to learn, be ready to fail and be ready to get your hands dirty.

Second part coming in a while In the meanwhile do catch the movie.

Here is a theatrical trailer of the film Harishchandrachi Factory 

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While R. Madhvan seems perfect in the role as a hopeless sacrificing lover, Kangana seems to be terribly miscast. I believe Anushka Sharma who gave a wonderful core Delhite performance in Band Baaja Baarat should have been the female lead. While the story does look cliched and predictable, what seems to be the strength of the movie is its lovable and memorable characters. Looking forward to watching this flick. Hopefully it will not disappoint.

On another note, Punjabi music rocks, while the Maar De Sitiya, or as it is called Saadi Galli is very very addictive and will make people jump into a jig instantly. Believe such music would e the soul of the film, Tanu Weds Manu.

Check out the full version of the Sadi Galli song on youtube.

Below is another of my favorite Punjabi track, Tu Mera Amplifier…. Punjabi music simply rocks.

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So whats your favorite Punjabi track?

Armed with a lot of insider knowledge about the film industry, Zoya does a superb job of providing a glimpse into it. Most importantly Zoya has managed to create wonderful set of  characters, the successful manipulative producer Romi Rolly ( Rishi Kapoor) , a struggling actress (Konkona Sharma) and Farhan Akthar’s struggling actor friend are the ones that stand apart. The characters are full of life and blood and not just mere caricatures.

The dialogues by Javed Akthar are surely the backbone for the film and perhaps Luck By Chance would not have worked that well had it not been for those wonderful lines.

Present in just a few scenes, Hrithik Roshan gives a stunning performance as the superstar Zafar Khan. Farhan Akthar gives a sincere performance. Isha Shravani impresses for once playing the dumbwit starlet daughter. Konkona Sen Sharma is reliable as always. It’s always  a joy to watch her on screen.

But it is Dimple Kapadia and Rishi Kapoor who you yearn to see for. Rishi Kapoor who plays the successful good at heart producer and Dimple Kapadia who plays the yesteryear’s starlet are simply superb. And once again credit has to be given to Zoya for the wonderful characters she has developed.
Do look out for the several joyful special appearances in Luck by Chance, each actor very sportingly ridiculing himself, and it is not just that these stars are added to increase the celebrity quotient of the film, it simply is the script’s requirement. Luck By Chance surely could not have done with these appearances. Aamir Khan, Anurag Kashyap and Abhishek Bachchan stand out here.

Shankar Ehsaan Loy, do a good job in the music department, but surely they could have done better. Sapnon Se Bhare Naina is surely the best of the lot.

All said and done, Luck By Chance charms. It may not be totally hatke but it is far better than most of the mediocre cinema that is dished out every Friday.

Luck By Chance Movie Rating : 3/5

Five minutes into Shaurya : “Ok, another of those patriotic army movies. Get ready for some preaching, Amit”

Ten minutes into Shaurya : ” Oh! So they are aping A Few Good Men, this time round. Time to find some sleep.”

Fifteen minutes into Shaurya : “Is it really getting interesting? Or am I hallucinating”

Twenty Minutes Into Shaurya : “The movie has me hooked.”

Shaurya Movie Story

Officer Javed Khan has been accused of killing his senior officer, Major Rathore. The lethargic fun loving officer Major Siddhant(Rahul Bose) has been entrusted with defending Javed. What Siddhant thought would just be a sight seeing and para gliding experience in the valleys of Srinagar turns out to be a life changing experience.

Shaurya Movie Poster

Shaurya Movie Review

If you have seen, A Few Good Men, then you will find scenes constantly been ripped off from the original. Ignore that and you will love the movie. To ape a classic, can be a difficult task, see what happened to RGV Ki Aag. But Samar Khan does a great job, one never expected the director who gave us a dismal movie like “Kuch Meetha Ho Jaaye“, to turn out with a flick as interesting as Shaurya.

The screenplay of Shaurya is what makes a predictable film captivating. The way the movie is going to end is anybody’s guess, but the way the pieces fall in place to complete the final picture is what makes Shaurya so watchable. But one thing that Shaurya could have easily done without was the love track between Minisha Lambha and Rahul Bose which seemed entirely forced into the script. If anything, the romance just slackened the pace of the movie.

Of the cast, Rahul Bose as the main protagonist, gives a competent performance. The humor, the passion, the hunger to win, are all perfectly portrayed with ease by Rahul . Minisha Lambha as the fiery journalist is a revelation. We definitely need to see more of this petite beauty in Bollywood.

But Shaurya belongs to Kay Kay Menon. Kay Kay who just gets around five scenes in the movie has you all impressed with his hair raising performance of Major Pratap. He has you glued to the screen with his magnetic screen presence and demeanour . If Hollywood has Jack Nicholson, then we do have Kay Kay Menon.

The cinematography of the film is below average. With Srinagar as the epicenter of the film, we expected some better work here. The music of Shaurya too, is a major let down , a movie like Shaurya deserved a better background score for the impact to be more resonating. But alas it disappoints on that front.

Finally, Shaurya isn’t boring, grave, didactic and preachy like most military movies tend to be. In fact it is one of the better movies to come out from Bollywood this year. Surely give it a try.

Shaurya Movie Rating : 7/10

Three Men And A Baby Movie Story

Jack, Michael and Peter are three happy go lucky friends. Every thing’s going nice and jolly until one day, two unexpected parcels arrive at their doorstep. One is a cradle with a baby in it and the other parcel has a drugs in it. Suddenly their lives take a full 360 degree turn. With the responsibility of a baby ( who they are clueless how to manage) and with the police and goons after them for the drugs, what you can expect is one comic journey.

The movie is so appropriately tagged : ” They changed her diapers, she changed their lives”

Poster : Three Men And A Baby

Three Men and a Baby is a perfect example how you can make a good movie on a shoe-string budget. The movie belongs to the 80′s genre of comic films. No sex jokes, no gross scenes , no stupid one-liners : Three Men and A Baby makes you laugh with it’s simple situational humor. And believe me nothing is funnier than situational humor.

Tom Selleck, Peter Guttenberg and Ted Danson play the part of three clueless men who have to get to terms with taking care of a baby. From changing her diapers to understanding why she is crying and putting her to sleep. The way the baby becomes a part of their life rather than a responsibility is wonderfully portrayed.

But the angel of the film is Mary ( the little baby) , who has you into peals of laughter’s with her cute actions. Surely the director and his team need credit for handling the baby so well.

The music of the film is also wonderful, so pleasant and soothing to the ears. My favorite track being Daddy’s girl. Oooo the music of the 80′s , leaves you really cheered up.

It’s been a long time I laughed real hard watching a comedy on the computer. I recommend this one for a nice family viewing. With a runtime of around 100 minutes, Three Men and a Baby is like quick chocolate that will melt soon but it’s sweet taste you shall savor for a real long time.

Final Verdict : A Simple Story That Will Leave You Smiling In The End. This is what they call a “feel good film”

Movie Rating : 8/10

P.S. : The success of Three Men And A Baby prompted the makers to make a sequel to it, titled, Three Men And A Little Lady. Cann’t wait to catch that one now….