Vel - Audio Review ( Tamil )

Indha ooril has some juvenile lyrics and an assortment of sounds which will put Kothavaalsaavadi to shame. Kovakkaara kiliye is terribly routine with the same ‘ol chords and hooks, barring that disjoint sound that plays occasionally in the background while Aayiram jannal is even more bland and stereotyped, extolling the virtues of a laaaarge family, in the most boring manner. Thoppul kodi is a prescription for insomnia and Onnappola is too corny and hackneyed to comment on. The lilting Otraikannaala is perhaps the only noteworthy track. Director Hari perhaps had a set agenda for music, but Vel is maha-stale.

Johnny Gaddar - Cool Movie

With a truckload of interesting references, Johnny Gaddaar proves that audiences need not be treated as dumb asses looking for juvenile fun and that they do not mind getting sucked into the vortex of an intelligently crafted thriller, provided the screenplay is appropriately coherent. Dharmendra’s Sheshadri is mature and nuanced with some ace dialogues while Vinay Pathak and Zakir Hussain make for a zingy cat and mouse combo. Debutant Neil Nitin Mukesh is the only sore point, with two expressions - one completely blank, and the other, a half smirk which perhaps refers to his amusement that he has been chosen for this project. Ashwini Kalsekar as Vinay’s wife is fantastic even in that limited role. The other highlight is the way music is blended without being an irritant and the fact that every scene is constructed in such a way that there’s a second layer to it that makes us go, ‘Hey, this director is smart’, a lot of times. The ending is both punchy and convincing, bringing together all the threads with a complete bang – literally. Johnny Gaddaar is one of the best films to have hit Bollywood in a long time! Don’t miss it, and spread the word!

No Smoking - Audio Review ( Hindi )

Adnan Sami’s effortless rendition of the jazz-toned Jab bhi ciggaret (!) is mesmerizing. The trance version pumps up the pace to manic speeds, sacrificing the nuances, but Sunidhi steps in to add a terrific new dimension. Rekha Bhardwaj gets a Telugu-styled chartbuster in Phoonk de’s club mix, complete with an addictive, non-stop rhythm and techno-styled interlude intrusions. This one’s predictably catchy with Rekha’s always trusted vocals. In comparison, Sukhwinder’s original version is shorn of the desi-mass style and plays it in serious, underground mode, taking it to an almost ominous level. Deva Sen Gupta’s Ash tray starts off rather strange, with that English word not able to fit itself into a otherwise chaste Hindi number, but Vishal’s tune flow and fab backgrounds makes it a compelling listen. After Paanch’s Tamas, what’s with Deva and poignant, philosophical numbers…though he has far superior material here to work on. Kash laga is the sure-shot pick of the album - an joyous, earthy folk tune expertly weaved between Sukhwinder, Daler and a mildly effeminate voice, most probably the composer himself, as credited! With Vishal Bhardwaj and Gulzar, the results can only be daringly different and supremely entertaining. As usual!

my old XBOX - awaiting a silent death

After the successful launch of Xbox 360 in India, the sale of not so popular Xbox dropped further. Xbox owners always lamented about the unavailability of games for Xbox in Chennai and the introduction of Xbox 360 worsened the issue. I always used to adore my Xbox, but off late I rather feel incomplete with my Xbox. I don't find any use for my Xbox, because it is completely outmoded. Xbox 360 is the craze these days and disloyal people like me fall into the trap to get a new 360 console. We don't think our old days when old Xbox made us happy in gloomy times, made us a hero in RPG games, gave us fame when we beat our friends through online; but now it is awaiting its silent death from its successor.