Khulla Panga

By Utsav Singhal

Starring: Darsheel Safary, Aamir Khan
Produced and directed by Aamir Khan

The seemingly endless wait is over. The perfectionist superstar is back with his directorial debut after a wait of 18 months since Fanaa and the real KING of the jungle has made his mark.

Ehsaan Awasthi (Darsheel) is just another kid around, caught in the puzzle of bde9pqrstuvwxyz yet shining in his own world, only to find himself isolated at the end of the day. He stands tall even as he sees his brother outrun others and others outrun him by miles. At the back of his mind, in this world, lies a canvas ready to be painted with fearless thoughts, seen by his parents as some useless crap.

Unable to withstand this crap, his parents send him off to a boarding school which only worsens the situation. Ram Shankar Nikumbh (Aamir) takes charge as the new art teacher only to notice the so far unnoticed potential of the boy and helps him in unleashing it.

Darsheel was handpicked by Aamir’s production house from amongst 5000 kids from across the nation and later by Aamir himself from the final 25 of them. Surely this masterpiece deserves 5 stars as it surely is a shining jewel in the crown of the superstar. HATS OFF……….

By Utsav Singhal 

Shiney Ahuja is an NRI who returns to India to complete a business project along with his wife (Vidya Balan). Along the shores of Banaras stays his family which has (read had) been ruling the city since long. The newly married couple decides to live in the royal Haveli which was once abandoned after it was “haunted” by spirit of a dancer which lead to a series of tragic events thereafter.

Without the knowledge of the whole family, Vidya Balan unlocks the haunted room, thereby “freeing” the spirit. A series of accidents and mishaps takes place. Acharya Yagya Prakash who stopped the spirit the last time is away and no respite is in sight. As things get out of hand, Shiney Ahuja calls for Akshay Kumar, his friend and a famous psychiatrist, to crack the code.

After Parineeta and Lage Raho Munnabhai this has been another STUNNING performance by Vidya Balan. Hats off to the dances and music (by Pritam). The film loses a bit on “sense of humor” front unlike previous Priyadarshan flicks but in no case it deserves less than 3 stars.With an edge-of-the-seat climax, this family flick is a must see for every die hard fan of Akshay Kumar - Rajpal Yadav - Paresh Rawal - Priyadarshan Masala (AKA bhagam bhag / garam Masala)