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Haider | Movie Review

Haider

Vishal Bhardwaj has always made movies which stand apart from the rest. He’s already adapted two of William Shakespeare’s classics in the past (Maqbool – “Macbecth”, Omkara – “Othello”), and Haider (an adaptation of “Hamlet”) is another example of why he’s one of the finest Indian directors today.

Kashmir is considered paradise on earth, and Haider is a movie which showcases the plight of the people living in this paradise. Vishal does this by seamlessly integrating the tragedy of Hamlet into the riots of Kashmir (1995) which causes a number of civilian disappearances. Though a little slow towards the beginning, Haider kicks in beautifully thanks to some exceptional screenplay and direction. The way the entire storyline is showcased in one song is pure brilliance.

Shahid does an exceptional job in the lead role, and his performance at Lal Chowk is absolutely brilliant. Kay Kay Menon gets a meaty role, and for the fine actor that he is, performs with great ease. Sharddha Kapoor looks perfect as a Kashmiri beauty, and Irrfan shines in his brief appearance. But the real star of Haider is the mother torn between her man and son, Tabu She downplays for the most part, but does it so beautifully that you can’t help but fall in love with her character. Brilliant!

Music by Vishal Bhardwaj is another asset to this beautiful tragedy. The background score is probably the best I’ve come across for a Bollywood film – exceptional. Editing by Aarif Sheikh is perfect and cinematography by Pankaj Kumar is beautiful.

Is it worth your time and money??: As a film, Haider is exceptionally well made. But unfortunately, it isn’t a movie for everyone. So watch it only if you enjoy tragedies, or are eager to watch some amazing performances entwined into a perfect script.

Worth mention: Tabu; Shahid’s performance at Lal Chowk; background score.

Acting: 9.5/10
Story-Screenplay-Direction: 9/10
Technical Aspects: 9/10

Verdict: 9/10

Filmistaan | Movie Review

Filmistaan

So often, a movie with raving reviews disappoints you, probably because you walk in expecting too much. Thankfully, Filmistaan doesn’t.

Directed by Nitin Kakkar, this is a simple story of how we humans have created differences among ourselves because of a stupid line drawn by a Britisher, dividing us into India and Pakistan. It shows that we still share the same passion for things: cinema and cricket (they missed food), and a border cannot really divide us. Nitin was able to execute this message brilliantly, and was able to bring out the emotions from his actors to the best. He never complicates things, and I really liked the way he ended the movie. Apart from screenplay and direction, dialogues by Sharib Hashmi are a major asset; they are as filmy as possible, yet convey a lot.

Sharib Hashmi is brilliant not just with the dialogues, but also with his acting as the lead. He portrays such innocence and oozes out such charm that you can’t stop yourself from falling in love with his character. Inaamulhaq compliments Sharib in every sense and comes up with one of his best performances. Their acting in the climax is excellent. The rest of the cast, from the kidnappers to the village folk, everyone put up fine performances.

Music and background score by Arijit Datta is perfect, and editing by Sachindra Vats is crisp. Cinematography by Subhrasnsu Das is another major plus point. The arid sands of Rajasthan have been beautifully picturized. It’s sad that a such a brilliant film came into limelight two years after release, only after it won a National award.

Is it worth your time and money??: Absolutely! It conveys the message I believe in, that a border does not separate us Indians and Pakistanis, so gets a bonus yes. Go enjoy some brilliant performances by the cast, and enjoy the beauty of cinema.

Whether you’re in Hindustan or Pakistan, go watch Filmistaan!

Worth mention: The Maine Pyaar Kiya episode, film auditions, and the beautiful climax.

Acting: 9.5/10 Story-Screenplay-Direction: 9.5/10 Technical Aspects: 9/10

Verdict: 9.5/10

PS: I prayed for the survival of the lead pair during the climax. The only other film I’ve ever prayed for was Lagaan. Now that say’s a lot 🙂

Edge Of Tomorrow | Movie Review

Edge Of Tomorrow

Given that the super hero movies are done for the season, I thought we might get a break with all the action. But Edge of Tomorrow turns out to be the biggest action movie of the year thus far.

Set in the near future where aliens have invaded earth, Major William Cage is put on the front on the front line against his will. He inadvertently kills an Alpha alien, which results him reliving a day from his past, repeating everything. Adapted from a Japanese novel All You Need Is Kill, the plot needed perfect execution, and director Doug Liman makes doesn’t disappoint. The first hour of the movie is brilliantly showcased, especially Cage reliving his past over and over again. Everytime he woke up, there was a buzz in the theater. The screenplay for this kind of film needs to absolutely perfect for it is wafer thin, and one wrong move jeopardizes the entire movie. However, Christopher McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth did a wonderful job, and made sure everything is perfectly connected without unnecessarily repeating scenes. The first few relives were amazingly picturized.

Tom Cruise is awesome as William Cage. He puts up great performance as an amateur soldier initially, and builds on confidence with every life. The mild humour her creates during the most critical scenes needs a special mention. Emily Cage is good as Rita Vrataski, but I thought she could have been more expressive. The movie almost entirely relies on Tom and Emily’s characters, and they don’t disappoint.

On technical front, music by Christophe Beck is alright. With a run-time of less than 2 hours, I thought the movie was perfectly edited by James Herbert and Laura Jennings. Cinematography by Dion Beebe is good while visual effects by Nick Davis are excellent. However, the 3D effects could have been better.

Is it worth your time and money??: Absolutely. It’s by far the best movie I’ve watched this year and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The perfect screenplay and acting by Tom Cruise are major plus points. The reason the film works (at least for me) is because the director was able to keep it simple though the script is quite complicated. It’s a movie not to be missed for any movie-holic.

Worth mention: Every time Tom Cruise wakes up. As already mentioned, these episodes have been brilliantly shot.

Acting: 9/10
Story-Screenplay-Direction: 9/10
Technical Aspects: 8.5/10

Verdict: 9/10

Theobroma (Mumbai) | Restaurant Review

Place: Theobroma
Location: Colaba/Lokhandwala
Meal: Dessert

I’ve always loved cakes and pastries more than ice-creams when it came to desserts, and Theobroma serves the best pastries in Mumbai, so I had to be here. After the heavy meal at Cafe Churchill, which included a Blueberry Cheesecake, and a long walk along Gateway, me and a friend dropped in to their store at Colaba. At around 4:00 PM, the place was pretty much packed (as usual).

We walked to the counter, and while we’re deciding on what to indulge on, the elderly lady at the counter suggested we try the Vodka Chilli Cheesecake. That apart, we asked for a Devil’s Mousse Cake.

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We took a seat in a corner, and the cakes were served immediately. The Cheesecake tasted very different from what I’ve ever tasted before (probably because of the liquor) and had a strong aftertaste thanks to the chilli. Thought not my favorite, it was good nevertheless.

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On the other hand, I absolutely loved the Devil’s Mousse. This flourless cake was creamy, very light, and melt in my mouth. I wouldn’t mind travelling to Mumbai again just for a taste of this cake. Yummilicious.

The very next day, met a few college friends and we dropped in to the store at Lokhandwala. Surprisingly, this place was empty, and had fewer options compared to the store at Colaba. While others tried a sugarless Brownie and Red Velvet Cheesecake, I opted for Banana Caramel Cupcake. I had tried their Blueberry mini cupcake the last time around at Colaba, and it turned out to be the best cupcake I’ve ever tasted, so had high expectations from this one.

While it wasn’t as great as the one I remember, it was still pretty good. I don’t think it was fresh, and that is the reason it didn’t taste great.

If you love your desserts, this place is a must try in Mumbai. They have stores all over the city, but I’d suggest you try the one at Colaba. Everything is reasonably priced, the ambiance is pretty neat, and most of the cakes and pastries are excellent. I wish they opened a branch in Hyderabad. Go try their cakes now!

Food: 9/10
Service: 8.5/10
Ambiance: 9/10
Avg. Price per slice: Rs. 90/-

Verdict: 9/10

Cafe Churchill (Mumbai) | Restaurant Review

Place: Cafe Churchill
Location: Adj. Bata, Colaba, Mumbai
Cuisine: Global, Pizza
Meal: Lunch (with a friend)

Colaba happens to be my favorite part of Bombay for we used to stay around here during amma’s official tours ages ago (when I was in school). I often used to come here whenever I was bored during my stay in the city a couple of years ago, and on one such visit, I discovered a gem of a restaurant hidden behind the bustling street market. It’s a small place with less than ten tables, and has decent ambiance which actually gives you a feeling of walking down an old memory lane. Being a small joint, it’s packed most of the time, and walking in on a weekday afternoon, we initially had to share a table with an elderly couple before we were moved to a table next to the entrance.

An elderly Parsi aunty (one of the owners) handed us the menu, and after long contemplation, we ordered an Olive Pizza and King Papalina Lasagna. I had tasted their French Fries with Cheese long before, and unable to resist my temptation, I later added portion of the same to our order.

The Fries were served in about ten minutes, looked mouth-watering and tasted absolutely delicious. There was cheese all over, and the fries were perfect. A little ketchup, and yum! The best part though was not just the cheese on the top, but there was cooked cream cheese stuffed on the bottom which was out-of-the-world good. I’m so glad that I couldn’t resist my temptation. Bliss!

The pizza was served next, and this looked yum again. The thick crust pizza was covered with cheese, black and green olives and lots of oregano. While the pizza base wasn’t really great, the tomato sauce and thick layer of cheese with the oregano made this an excellent pizza.

We were full by the time King Papalina arrived, but couldn’t resist digging in. Stuffed with tons of marinated mushrooms, loads of cheese and cooked cream cheese between layers of pasta, this was as good as a lasagna could get. Again, yummilicious!

Overall, an excellent meal. But we weren’t done yet. In the past, I’d observe their pastries displayed in a refrigerator near the entrance sell like hotcakes, and today was no different. Though we were heading to Theobroma after the meal, decided to give their famous Blueberry Cheesecake a try.

Honestly, the cheesecake wasn’t as great as I expected. It was quite heavy and a little too sweet for my liking. However, it was bad by no means. I just didn’t enjoy it as much as the rest of the meal.

With friendly service, decent ambiance and prices, and most importantly, delicious food, this place is a must visit for any foodaholic. Zomato calls it a Legendary restaurant, and my meal was truly legendary. Go hog!

Food: 9.5/10
Service: 9.5/10
Ambiance: 9/10
Meal for 2: Rs. 905/-

Verdict: 9.5/10

Relish (Mumbai) | Restaurant Review

Place: Relish – International Veg Cuisine
Location: Prem Court, Tata Road, Churchgate, Mumbai
Cuisine: Global
Meal: Lunch (with a friend)

I was in Mumbai last week, and my first meal had to be at one of my favorite restaurants ever, Relish. I walked in along with a friend around 2:00 PM, and the place was packed. We were lucky have found ourselves a table in the corner, without having to wait. The ambiance, as mentioned in my previous review, is just perfect – brightly lit with great interiors. We were attended to right away after being seated.

Their Veg Kaukswe (Indonesian curry served on a bed of buttered noodles) is my all time favorite, and so was ordered. My friend never tasted anything Mexican, so we decided to give the Chimichangas a try. The service was quick, and the food was served in about ten minutes.

The Chimichangas were covered in a thick layer of molten cheese, and served with salsa and guacamole. They were very crispy and perfectly fried, such that I was able to cut into them with my fork easily. The stuffing, mostly containing red beans and onions in tomato base was super yummy, and tasted great along with the molten cheese. The salsa dip tasted alright, while the guacamole was a bit off.

The Veg Kaukswe looked and tasted exactly the same as it did about 3 years ago. The gravy was thick, had a delicate flavor, and the noodles were oozing butter. I’ve said it before and I’d say it again, this is the best noodle dish I’ve tasted so far in my life. Yummilicious!

Overall, as expected, an excellent meal. The service was good, and the best part was that the meal was actually pocket friendly for the quantity of food served. If you still haven’t tried this place out, you’re definitely missing on something good. Go hog, now!

Food: 9.5/10
Service: 9/10
Ambiance: 9/10
Meal for 2: Rs. 528/-

Verdict: 9.5/10

K&C Bakers & Confectioners | Restaurant Review

Place: K&C Bakers & Confectioners (The Original King and Cardinal Bakery)
Location: Himayat Nagar X Roads
Cuisine: Bakers, Fast Food
Meal: Dinner

There are tons of places boasting to serve the best burger in Hyderabad, but nothing beats the ones you get at the original King and Cardinal Bakery. Forget Universal, Pick and Move, Big Byte, the burgers here are, wait-for-it, legendary!

The bakery has been split into two in the last few years, with another branch located two building next to it (which is called King and Cardinal). The newer place has better ambiance, and is a tad bit expensive than K&C, and their burgers are equally good. But I’d prefer the original K&C any day, which is on a lower ground compared to the newer place on every front but for the taste.

For 50 bucks, these guys serve a sumptuous and juicy burger (I know it’s weird calling a veggie burger juicy, but this one is, trust me). The patty is yum, and their mayonnaise is finger licking good, oozing out with every bite. The bun too is super soft and fluffy. Overall, an amazing burger experience.

If your love your burgers, K&C must be on top of your list. The place, service and ambiance aren’t great, but who cares when their burgers are awesome. Their pizza’s are pretty famous too, but I’ve never tasted one so far (maybe next time). As of now, go grab their burger!!

Food: 9.5/10
Service: 7.5/10
Ambiance: 7.5/10
Meal for 1: Rs. 50 /-

Verdict: 9.5/10

Edit:

I also tried out the Veggie Burger at the newer King and Cardinal, which has better ambiance. Priced the same, this burger gives close competition to the one at K&C, but is no where close to the original’s legendary taste.

Ram Ki Bandi | Restaurant Review

Place: Ram Tiffin Center (Ram Ki Bandi)
Location: Adj. lane to Arrow, Road No. 2, Banjara Hills
Cuisine: Indian Tiffins
Meal: Lunch

Update: Ram Ki Bandi, Banjara Hills, has now upgraded to an air-conditioned joint with ample seating, and is open all day long 🙂

Read on…

I’ve been reading and hearing some raving reviews of Ram Ki Bandi at Nampally for a long time now, but never got an opportunity to visit the place as it’s open only in the mornings, and is kinda far from my place. But now that they’ve opened a new branch at Banjara Hills, I wasn’t gonna stay put. On a weekday afternoon, here I was to hog.

This place serves Idly, Vada and their speciality, dosas. On ambiance front, its put up in a small hall with standing area, nothing great. Who cares about the ambiance when the food is finger licking good? Anyways, I ordered a Butter Paneer Dosa, and was served in about five minutes.

Ram Ki Bandi Restaurant Review — Paneer Masala Dosa

Having seen how the dosa was being made, with tons of butter and paneer, my mouth wouldn’t stop watering. I gulped it down piece by piece, and realized that all the reviews I’ve heard so far weren’t exaggerating (surprisingly). This dosa was simply yum. It was crispy, and the masala rubbed across with the butter and paneer gave it an amazing taste, while the chutney served along also was delicious. I absolutely loved the dosa, but was kinda disappointed with the size for it didn’t even fill half of my tummy. So now ordered a Butter Cheese Dosa, which turned out to be even better than the Paneer Dosa. Awesome stuff!

Having tasted some amazing dosas at Khau Galli, Ghatkopar (Mumbai), I’ve always been apprehensive of the kind and variety you get in Hyderabad. Ram Ki Bandi served something on par with the dosas you get at in Mumbai. I wish and hope they would increase their menu offerings (such as Spring Roll Dosa, etc.).

Give this place a try if you haven’t yet. It’s something every Hyderabadi must taste 🙂

Food: 9.5/10
Service: 9/10
Ambiance: 7.5/10
Meal for 1: Rs. 120/- (60 bucks for each dosa)

Verdict: 9/10

Flying Spaghetti Monster | Restaurant Review

Place: Flying Spaghetti Monster
Location: Adj. Blue Cross, Road No. 35, Jubilee Hills
Cuisine: Italian
Meal: Dinner

For dinner on my birthday, I was contemplating between Little Italy and Flying Spaghetti Monster, and finally chose the latter. I’ve read quite a few good things about this place, especially about the restaurant in Vizag, so was kinda excited. It’s located right at the end of Road No. 35, right next to Blue Cross Hyderabad. Walking in, there was option of sitting in either indoor or outdoor dining sections. I sat outside, at a corner table right next to the indoor dining area. The interiors of the indoor section were well done, with high ceiling and bright lights, while the outdoor was more rustic, and had a romantic touch to it.

These guys have a long menu, and it was quite a task to choose from. I was thinking of ordering a starter and a pizza, but the chief chef and owner, Ajay, who was taking my order suggested that it might be too much, and recommended just the pizza with a drink. I ordered the Sicilia Pizza (sun-dried tomatoes, mushroom, onion, mozzarella, basil and chili oil), and a Pina Colada.

The Pina Colada was served almost right away and tasted very very good. It was creamy, just the way I like it, and not too sweet either.

In about 10-15 minutes, the pizza was served. It looked very colorful and was loaded with veggies. Taste wise, it was again very palatable. I loved the thin crust, and the onions and mushrooms, along with the tomatoes were giving it great flavor. I’ve been craving for some good pizza since I was in Singapore, and I finally got some. The size was pretty decent, and I was glad I hadn’t ordered a starter.

After a good meal so far, I was now yearning for an awesome dessert. While Ajay suggested the Chocolate Bomb, I was in no mood for chocolate, and so zeroed in on the Blueberry Cheesecake.

And boy oh boy, am glad that I did for I absolutely loved it. It was creamy, yet so light that it just melt in my mouth. Again, not too sweet, and the crust was baked perfectly. It was so good that I had an after taste for close to an hour after reaching home. Definitely the best cheesecake I’ve had in recent times (and better than the one I had at The Cheesecake Factory in Dubai a few months ago).

Overall, a perfect end to my birthday, and I walked out with a happy tummy. While the meal was heavy on the pocket, the ambiance, service and especially the food made up for it. The service was pretty neat and I loved the fact that the owner/chef himself was attending to the customers. The place was very well done, but I’m not sure if it has the appeal during day time. It would have also been nice to have some music at the outdoor dining area. Nevertheless, I’m definitely coming back to this place soon, and suggest you try it as well.

Food: 9.5/10
Service: 9/10
Ambience: 9/10
Meal for 1: Rs. 945/-

Verdict: 9.5/10

Shanbhag | Restaurant Review

Place: Shanbhag
Location: Basheerbagh, under the flyover
Cuisine: Indian
Meal: Lunch

On my birthday, I was confused on where to go for lunch. I wasn’t really hungry, so the initial plans of going for a buffet were ditched. I wanted to have something yum, and that’s when I zeroed on my first favourite restaurant in town, the food I’ve been hogging from probably my first birthday!

I didn’t even have to look at the menu for I exactly knew what I wanted: Malai Kofta, Butter Naan and the amazingly yummy Ghee Rice.

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The food was served in about 10 minutes. I thought the Malai Kofta quantity was reduced for it was served in a smaller bowl. But I didn’t care for it tasted delicious. Unlike most other places which use paneer to make the kofta, Shanbhag still goes the old way using mashed lauki and other vegetables. The gravy was thick, and a little too spicy than usual, but tasted great with the awesome Butter Naan. Their Butter Naan is the best in town!

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Apart from the Naan, these guys also serve the best Ghee Rice in town, and today was no different. With tons of cashew nuts, it was simple yet yummy. However, I was a little disappointed for the gravy served along was too thin than usual, and lacked the authentic taste.

Overall, a palatable meal. Service was quick, and the ambiance has been the same for almost 20 years now. Though the quantity served has reduced, I still had enough leftovers for another meal. Their prices have increased over time, but I think they are still worth every penny. Go hog!

Food: 9/10
Ambiance: 8/10
Service: 8.5/10
Meal for 1: Rs. 282/-

Verdict: 9/10