SCARILY YOURS, TRULY

DARR @THEMALL

STARRING: Jimmy Shergi ll, Nushrat

Bharucha, Arif Zakaria

DIRECTOR: Pawan Kripalani tis easy to dismiss all films of the horror genre as surplus spook, more amusing and annoying than scary. Once in a while there comes a clutterbreaker among the harvest of scare fests that descend on us annually in batches of boo-startle.

Darr@The Mall is done with less stress on savagery than the genre favours. Though the head count does multiply alarmingly as the story progresses, we are pulled into the supernatu r al mayhem more by intelligent forces than grisly gimmicks. The characters get into the bloody mess without swimming in a tide of hysterical terror.

The film is set in an eerily emptied-out mall where various supernatural shapes come and go at will leaving behind a harvest of unfinished business from a past trespass, to be dealt with in the present. In a sense, this film is more about guilt and the conscience than horror in the highlands.

The narrative moves at an even pace, quickly eliminating characters so that we zero in on the evi l core of the malai se w ithout losing time or momentum. woes. Even when the film loses a lightness of touch, it nonetheless remains even-pitched, preferring understatement to hysteria, thanks to the two principal actors.

There are some smartly done setpieces of terror in the narrative meant to get the audiences riveted to the edge of their seats. A death in a skating rink is shot with austere anxiety Director Pawan Kripalani who earlier made the excessively gruesome horror film Ragini MMS goes easy on the gore, focus ing rather on building the story up to a rather moving finale where the mystery of the mauling the mall is unravelled. Admirably Kripalani's direction seldom sinks into excessive gimmickry. The sound design harnesses incidental sounds of startled screams, muffled cries and distant childish laughter mingling to create a feeling of fatal foreboding.

The cast shares the plot's fear factor without using the panic element to aggravate the terror. Most of the sequences are scary without visual props. This is unusual for the horror genre and enough reason to pay a visit. The performances move fluently through the horrific hinterland. And the large spaces and swanky interiors afforded by the mall are used effectively to generate a sense of heightened anxiety.

The ever-competent Jimmy Shergill holds the proceedings together in ways that become apparent as the plot progresses. The rest of the cast is not bad either.

Vidya looks great, radiant and expectant as a pregnant woman in the initial scenes; she glides into the zone of paranoid motherhood with plenty of panache.

Farhan is every inch the harried husband here, partly man and partly boy, he's looking for a boys' night out without feeling guilty about leaving the wife home with the baby.

Shaadi Ke Side Effects is a cute nugget of a film that tries to be wispy and witty, without getting unnecessarily polemica l on the subject of urban marriages. A warm, funny, thought-provoking take on the man-woman equation, director Saket Chaudhary gets it bang on. The chemistry between Farhan and Vidya crackles and hisses with tantalising tension. Brittle and yet supple, the lead pair 's chemistry irons out the film's uneven edges. I w i sh the peripheral characters were written and played better.

Purab Kohi as the nosy nei ghbour and

Vir Das as the boorish manifestati on of Farhan's character's bache l or fantasies, offer interesting possibilities but stop short of being a support system i n this drama of marital discontent. Nope. You can't take your eyes off Farhan and Vidya. They look evenly matched and entirely yummy in their yin and yang yearnings.

You do wonder why the script takes them to Australia. But then marriage does make people do strange things, right?

SUBHAS H KJHA

Darr@The Mallis one of the more polished products of the much-abused horror genre. This one tends to hold itself back from the excesses associated with the genre. No over -saturated soundtrack, no creaking doors, and most surprising of all - no busty women running down long dark corridors.

When was the last time we saw terror pumped without cleavage?

The moaning glory is held up without cheap props. And that in itself is reason enough to applaud this fi l m.

SU BHA SH KJHA

CELEBRITY RIGI-ITS!

Actor-filmmaker Aamir Khan, who is geared up for the new season of his social issues-related TV show Satyamev Jayate 2, says he wants to continue to take the right advantages of being a celebrity, who is so loved by his fans "If a celebrity does some work, there is more attention. But the audience is very sharp, they understand everything. Whatever goodwill I have earned over the years, I'll (always) take the right advantage of it. I hope many more celebrities do it the more the better'; said Aamir recently.

The actor clearly didn't want to reveal much on the topics that he will touch upon in the second season of the immensely popular TV show, saying, "All I can say is that all our topics are very important and all the topics are such that which you will feel that this is important and timely, and it is important to think about this''.

And typically, Aamir did deliver with the very first episode in Satyamev Jayate 2

'Heart stirring' and a 'real hero'was how viewers lauded the episode that focused upon the issue of rape in the country. The much-awaited talk show, with the tagline 'Jin he desh ki fikr hai' (those who care for the country), recently aired and host Aamir once again struck the right chord The show received around 12 lakh missed c alls in two hours from people who want to join the fight against rape.

Titled Fighting rape, the first episode began with the narration of the December 16 Delhi gang rape case, in which a 23-year-old physiotherapy intern was brutally gang raped i n a bus

With some more cases of acid attack, rape and molestation, Aamir then shared the statistics of rape cases in India and on changes to legislation involving rape

Aamir al so i nterviewed Urmila Singh Bharti, a Dal it from Madhya Pradesh, as well as Suzette Jordan, who discarded the anonymity of being known as the 'Park Street rape victim' to fight for justice. The two rape survivors narrated their respective horrifying ta les and fight for justice

Its heartening that a Bollywood celebrity like Aamir Khan should take up social issues and try to make a difference. So if he wants to use his celebrity 'rights ' for a ood cause, go right ahead, Aamir!

Films, friendships and Nargis Fakhri

US-born actress Nargis Fakhri is still learning the ropes of making it big i n Bollywood, where she observes that people are "best friends" with a person t ill they have work

"I've learnt a lot about the ways of Mumbai's entertainment industry. But not enough yet The one thing that I've sadly realized is when people are working with you, they are your best friends Once a film is over the friendship is also over This is a painful process for someone who thinks friendships are for a lifetime'; she rued So does she truly feel at home after three years in Bollywood? "I am still a fish out of water I don't understand a l ot of things here. I am sti ll trying to find my way around this place, trying to 'belong'. Like I am told that if you are working in Boll ywood, you have to use accessories l ike wigs, false eyelashes and lots of make-up So I do that although I am totally anti-accessory'; said Nargis candidly

But does she rea ll y need to do what everyone else does? " You do! If you don't, everyone will accuse you of being difficult'; stated the actress vehemently "It's ver y tough to create a balance between what I am comfortable with and what people expect from me If I have to survive, I've to try to be a conformist'; she added.

There are still lots ofthings that the young actress doesn't understand "What hurts the most is that people here are so friendly when they are working with you and then they become like strangers'; she reiterates "For someone like me who is very picky about fri ends, that's very painful. But a friend told me, 'You got schooled, not foo l ed! ' You feel stupid when yo u are conned by people. But eventually you come out wiser. I never want to get bitter about experiences, no matter how bad '; said Nargis.

The actress had a brief respite from a hectic schedu l e when her mother visited in January, for the fi r st time since Nargis moved to Mumbai. So did she have to hide the boyfriends and beer bottles?

"Not at all. I ta lk about everything under the sun with my mom. I am a lot like my mom. We're very close. I take care of her financially and emotionally She is my best friend. We tal k about drugs, alcohol, and sex'; laughed the actress And peopl e even wrote that Nargis was li ving in with Shahid Kapoor, she claimed, enjoying the joke!

So is Nargis still partying hard and fast?

"I am not doing much of anything else either right now except working. So it's a depressing life fo r me'; she retorted tartly.

The Rocks tar actress has been appreciated for her role in Madras Cafe wh i ch got good reviews, and Nargis now looking forward to the release of Main Tera Hero She got along famously with co-stars Ileana D'Cruz and Varun Dhawan, so let's hope that they don't become strangers once the film releases Now Nargis looks forward to Shaukeen, wh i ch is in the pipeline.

Here's wishing the young actress a promising career and lots of'real ' friends in Bollywood

Suneil's a sensitive son

No films, no comm itments, and not even the excitement of his daughter Aathiya's film debut - Suniel Shetty has put asi de his work and priorities for the sake of his father, who is unwel l.

To make su re his dad is comfortable, Suniel has even converted an entire wing of h i s home in South Mumbai into an ICU.

"I haven't had a proper night's sl eep for three months now It's a very m ixed kind of feeling for me. On the one hand my daughter Aathiya is getting ready for her film career. On the other hand my father is very unwell'; said Suniel. Aathiya has left to shoot for her debut fi l m Hero with Sooraj Pancholi in Mana li.

"The excitement of Aathiya's debut is sadly diminished At the moment we're all focusing on looking after my father'; he added

His father's frail health is the reason why Suniel was away from the Celebrity Cricket League matches The actor is also aghast about the stories that he had an on-field fracas with Ahab Shivdasani.

"How can I 'come to blows' wit h anyone, least of all a guy as sweet and gentl e as Aftab? It is very embarrassing to read such stori es, specially at a t i me when I am going through a personal crisis Right now nothing i s mor e important to me than my father's health'; he said

Suniel has been turning down movie offers as wel l. "There will be many opportunities for work later. The time spent with my father now is much more vital and va l uable;' he said.

He is not the least perturbed about his daughter's shooting schedules outside Mumbai. "I know she's in compl etely safe hands Salman Khan's production crew is l ike family to us. They look after both Aathiya and Sooraj like their own children,"he sai d

Kudos to Suneil for being such a caring son!

Rajnikanth

Sona m's bikini doesn't faze daddy

Anil Kapoor doesn't cease to surprise, and the latest is his reaction to his daughter Sonam appearing in a bikini for the film Bewakoofiyaan Because he didn't react! While many eyebrows were raised at the daring biki ni shot, Anil Kapoor was unfazed "He knew about that (the bikini shot)! My dad is an artist and he is very open-minded actually he was the one who encouraged me to become an actress He didn't say anything, he just said the film will get a good opening", said Son am recently The tall actress, who was once on the heavier side on the weighing scale, says she didn't have to go through much stress and strain to look fit enough for a bikini scene. "I didn't have to work hard because I am playing a regular girl in the film'; she said

While there has been a lot of talk on whether Sonam has been able to pull off the two- piece garment, she says she always knew about the scene and she was comfortable with it. "When I signed the film, it was my idea I was briefed that there is a pool and I have to wear

suNIEL sHETTY

swimsuit. I said my body is lean, and it is thin on the waist...so let's just show that If you see the shot. unlike the shots in fi l ms like Dhoom or Race, the cameras are not panned on the body. It's a normal shot where I am wearing a swimsuit and jump into the poo l '; she added Directed by Nupur Asthana, Bewakoofiyaan also features Ayushmann Khurrana You can bet Sonam in swimwear should be a sight worth seeing!

Rajnikanth an awkward romantic!

Southern superstar Rajnikanth has decimated vi ll ians, shaken his booty and romanced lasses on the big screen for decades. But for some reason, his daughter Soundarya Rajnikanth, who has directed him in the forthcoming Tamil period-drama Kochadaiiyaan, said that he was not at ease whi l e shooting romantic scenes with his co-star Deepika Padukone

"I guess it was because I was around and calling action and cut, dad felt very awkward to shoot some romantic scenes,"said Soundarya who would love to direct her father again "God willing if I get an opportunity, I would love to direct

WORE IT BETTER?

dad again. I feel blessed to have directed him. I would be really happy to work with him agai n;'Soundarya said recently. Also starring Jackie Shroff, Aadi Pinisetty, Shobana and R. Sarath Kumar, Kochadaiiyaan has music by double Oscar-winning composer A R Rahman and i s due for release in Apri l.

But the task of having his daughter direct him in romancing a heroine young enough to be his daughter is one that even the stalwart Rajnikanth would find daunting. Frankly, it boggles my mind! So Soundarya, don't keep your hopes up

Lucky Madhuri

Artists often talk about the hardships they have had to face in finding their first big break in filmdom, but 1990s diva Madhuri Dixit says she never had to strugg l e and the offer came to her doorstep in 1984 with Abodh "I have never struggled for anything in my life because I never thought I wil l be an actress The film just walked up to my house w ith Abodh We met them (the makers), then my family decided that I will do just one fi lm'; reminisced Madhuri, added that her family used to run away from movies

But destiny had stardom i n store for the young actress and she continued to grace the big screen; however it was the 1998 release of Tezaab that catapulted her into the big league and there was no looking back for her afterwards

"The struggle was to prove myse lf, to do my best. I am thankful to whatever I have got in my life, but one thing which is always at the back of my m ind, is my dance academy which I wou l d l ove to see growing'; said the actress whose comeback after a decade of motherhood has been an exhilarating one as she won plaudits for her performance in Dedh /shqiya

Much awaited i s Madhuri's next release Gulaab Gang, which will see the actress acting alongside contemporary actress Juhi Chawla Set to release soon, the film draws its inspiration from the real life vigi lante group 'Gulabi Gang; which operates in the Bundelkhand area of Uttar Pradesh under the tutelage of Sampat Pal.

Not a dhak- dhak role for Madhuri, but there's no doubt that she will do it full justice