Jan 28, 2003 02:16 PM
5088 Views
(Updated Jan 30, 2003 12:53 PM)
It has happened to me yet again. I got swayed by swanky promos. I assumed it to be a decent slasher flick (possibly, the first in Hindi) (please don’t make me feel worse by asking me why did I ever do all this?) I also gave it a very long rope, thinking that the Hindi version of I Know What You Did Last Summer wouldn’t be as good (er..? did the original qualify as good in the first place?). But the least I was expecting is some respectable enough chills.
All to no avail. No one really minds a copy, provided it’s engaging. But, this was one mess-up.
Ekta Kapoor and her director Anil Kumar deserve hearty congratulations for making that B grade Hollywood slasher flick seem like a masterpiece in comparison to their version of it, which they choose to call Kuchh Toh Hai. Imagine, it even makes something as tedious as last year’s Raaz look bloody brilliant (at least it had the hot ghost Malini Sharma).
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Nothing in Hindi movies is ever copied. The buzz word here is ‘adapted’. I remember a TV interview, eons ago, in which a laden with gold chains and medallions, portly Bappi Lahiri vociferously denied all accusations of copying music and added, with his four chins quivering, that he only adapted. (“Haam mijuk coapee nehi, edept korta hoi.”) By the way, I recently heard Bappida wanted to sue some videshi rappers for having used strains of his original composition ‘Kaliyon ka chaman’. Look, now the rapist is calling the eve-teaser a criminal.
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Coming back, similarly, this movie is not copied. Only edepted from 'I Know....' To sprinkle some originality the plot is timed in the winter instead of summer.(Are we clever or what?) There is a good deal of Archie comic characters thrown in and an extra garnishing in the form of bits from Psycho. Also, parts of 'Scream', 'Urban Legend', 'I Still Know What You Did Last Summer' and also our very own 'Gupt'. Edept and Edept.
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In keeping with the Archie comics track, Tushhar is Archie (hereby, referred to as A) and a host of other non–mentionables play Betty (B), Veronica (V), Reggie (R ), Jughead (J) etc etc. A loves V, B loves A, V loves A, R loves V, R loves himself, R hates A. etc etc etc (u get the gist?). Added to this is a grumpy Prof (Rishi Kapoor, swollen beyond recognition).
V gets caught copying in exams by Prof Grumpy. A plans to steal her papers from Prof’s residence. But Prof has a spooky past (no one returns from his home alive…….get scared please...please...)Their plan goes haywire and as they are speeding away in their car, somehow V (at the wheel) bumps off someone in a rainy lonely highway. Who was it?? After three years, the gang is hounded by a hooded slasher. And all of them are to die one by one. Aren’t you still scared?
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In I Know Tumne Garmi Mein Kya Kiya (I’ve even forgotten the real title by now), all the suspense scenes are tooooooo stretched. Worse, they are immediately followed by Johnny Lever's irritating comedy. He has to come and piss all over the suspense everytime (at one occasion literally). Plus the usual masalas, of unecessary comedy tracks (there is this actor called Vrajesh Hirji who, frankly, grates on the nerves), long drawn romantic interludes, etc. spoil the main narrative beyond redemption.
To cut a long story short, the term acting does not apply to any activity conducted by any member of the cast. Don’t even ask what Jeetendra and Moon Moon Sen (my fav. 7th Std fantasy reduced to 2 silly scenes, sniff) are doing in guest appearances. Anu Malik’s music is okay dokay.
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To give credit where it is due, the 70s style prom night song is fun to watch, the first kill is done well. The killer (when revealed in the end) acts well too. Locales and cinematography are pretty chilling. The movie will appeal to the teeny-bopper crowd (however under 18s were not being admitted) especially those who haven't seen the various English originals.
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Ekta Kapoor's TV serials are pure horror anyway(they make me scream and shudder all right), so why did she have to venture into the full screen with this monstrosity?
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Note: I have studiedly avoided mentioning Esha Deol. I'm sure she is a nice girl in real life.
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