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TCS Sample Questions 2012
11 years ago
Wednesday 28 March 2012
Tuesday 27 March 2012
Abar Bomkesh | Movie Review
10:33:00 am
AMY
Saradindu Bandopadhyay's Byomkesh Bakshi is, arguably, the most complete fictional character in the world of Bengali detective literature. While most other celebrated detectives right from Sherlock Holmes to our very own Feluda have been content with solving intricate crimes, Byomkesh is the only master sleuth to have a proper family life too.
Indeed, the multiple dimensions that Byomkesh Bakshi's character possesses have, over the years, made it rather tricky for filmmakers to bring his stories to life on the silver screen. Even Satyajit Ray tried his hand only once to make a cinematic adaptation of a Byomkesh Bakshi story with the moderately successful Chiriakhana. With the original books being immensely popular among readers of all ages, it indeed came as a welcome relief for all movie buffs and countless Byomkesh fans in particular when acclaimed director Anjan Dutta announced his first Byomkesh movie in 2010 based on the story Adim Ripu. The flick went on to become a huge hit, thanks to Dutta's fantastic directorial vision and the sheer acting prowess of a young star on the horizon, Abir Chatterjee. Anjan Dutta now returns with the second movie of the franchise – Abar Byomkesh, inspired from the story Chitrachor.
With Abir getting increasingly better with each of his movies and Dutta himself winning a National Award for Ranjana Ami Aar Ashbo Na recently, one expected nothing but pure excellence from the new movie. The film delivers on all counts too, and how!
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Abar Byomkesh picks up proceedings from a few months after the point where the first film had ended. Byomkesh Bakshi (Abir Chatterjee) had fallen critically ill sometime back and is being nursed back to health by his wife Satyabati (Ushashie Chakraborty) and dear friend Ajit (Saswata Chatterjee). On medical advice, Byomkesh goes to Dooars to recuperate with his two caring companions.Thankfully, the health condition of Byomkesh takes a decided turn for the better with the change in climate, much to the relief of Satyabati and Ajit!. Just when the audience (those who are not familiar with the story that is!) would start to think that the sleuth is in for a much-deserved rest, mystery arrives, as it invariably does to detectives on vacation, on a plate to Byomkesh!
At Dooars, Byomkesh makes his acquaintance with several Bengali inhabitants from the local community. Among them are Dr. Ashwini Ghatak (Sujan Mukherjee), Prof. Adinath Shome (Pijush Ganguly), Mahidhar Chaudhury (Biswajit Chakrabarty), photographer Nakuleshwar (Arindol Bagchi), police officer Purander Pandey (Kunal Padhy), deputy magistrate Umanath Ghosh (Chandan Sen) and banker Amaresh Raha (Kaushik Sen). The motley group of Bengalis meet at a get-together at the residence of the wealthy Mahidhar, where everybody is regaled by the singing of Mahidhar's young daughter Rajani (Swastika Mukherjee).
The flow of the party is somewhat interrupted by the sudden arrival of Falguni Pal, a poor artist, who has the rare talent of painting anyones portrait after seeing his subject for only a few minutes. In passing, Mahidhar also reports that a robbery had taken place at his house a couple of days back. The thief, however, had rather strangely ignored all of Mahidhars riches and stolen only a group photograph of Mahidhar with all the other local Bengali neighbours. Adding to the odd nature of the situation is the fact that, all the others who had a copy of that photograph seem to have misplaced or lost the same. The issue is apparently trivial, but, nonetheless, intrigues the ever-alert Byomkesh.
Matters, however, take a more serious turn when there is yet another attempted robbery, this time, at the house of the deputy magistrate. Falguni Pal is also murdered in cold blood by an unknown killer.
In yet another twist of proceedings, Byomkesh finds out that both Adinath Shome and Ashwini Ghatak are romantically inclined towards the beautiful Rajani.
The strange disappearance of that one particular photograph leads our protagonist to believe that someone is trying to remove all evidence of his presence in the locality. But who committed the murder of Falguni? Does the romantic involvement of Ashwini and Rajani, with the jealous Adinath in the background, have anything to do with the thefts and the killing? You will simply love to see the mystery unravelled on the big screen!
Abar Byomkesh is boosted by charmed performances that it's cast members by and large come up with. Ushashie Chakraborty, as Satyabati, looks delightful as the caring wife of Byomkesh Bakshi. The actress brings to life Satyabati's general eagerness to know about the case that her husband is handling and the playful fights that she and Byomkesh have in the film are fantastically portrayed onscreen. Satyabati is never shy of expressing her own opinion regarding the ongoing proceedings, even if that, at times, evokes the displeasure of her husband, and Ushashie looks every bit the feisty yet loving wife of the master detective.
Saswata Chatterjee, who has been coming up with stellar performances in practically all of his recent releases, stands out yet again in Abar Byomkesh. The actor showcases the slight irritation (or is it jealousy?!) of Ajit at Byomkesh devoting more of his time to Satyabati rather than with him in a nuanced, humorous and entirely believable manner. His expertly portrayed helpless expressions when caught in the squabbles of Byomkesh and Satyabati bring the house down too. In a tense suspense flick, Saswatas performance truly comes as a breath of fresh air.
Most of the other actors in Abar Byomkesh deliver decent performances too. Sujan Mukherjee, as Dr. Ashwini Ghatak, is more than adequate in his role. While his act leaves no scope for complaint for viewers, Mukherjee would do well to get rid of his rather evident under eye-bags. Kaushik Sen, as Amaresh Raha, is excellent. There is a certain spontaneity about Sen's acting that makes his character all the more interesting to watch. Pijush Ganguli, as Prof. Adinath Shome also does a competent job in the movie. The actor essays the character of a henpecked husband who has a distinct defensive trait in his nature in a nice manner indeed. Chandan Sen, as Umanath Ghosh, is, however, rather disappointing and over-the-top in Abar Byomkesh. Kunal Padhy, as Purandar Pandey looks good in his tough cop act and has a fantastic voice to back up his performance. Swastika Mukherjee looks glamorous in an extended cameo. Everyone else do a fine job in relatively small roles.
Abar Byomkesh, at the end of the day, however, totally belongs to Abir Chatterjee. Reprising his role as the celebrated crime-solver - or Satyanweshi, as he likes to call himself - Abir delivers a commendable performance, easily the finest of his rather short film career so far, in this movie. Sporting a leaner, fitter frame than in the first film of the series, the actor simply oozes intelligence through his expressions and his sharp, unflinching eyes. Abir looks smart in his bespectacled dhoti-kurta get-up and his evident relish at having a shot at playing the role of one of the most famous fictional characters in Bengali literature comes across quite mesmerizingly in the film. He also shows a fine sense of comic timing, with his relentless hankering for a cigarette from the unyielding Satyabati and Ajit. Abir Chatterjee proves yet again that he is one of the best young actors in contemporary Bengali cinema, and easily the ideal man to play Byomkesh Bakshi. We look forward to many more additions to this film franchise, with the fantastic Abir at the helm!
Anjan Dutta enhances his reputation as an expert storyteller with the beautifully detailed Abar Byomkesh. Generally speaking, the director remains loyal to Saradindu Bandopadhyay's story and ensures that the movie never seems too one-paced at any point. In fact, the judicious intermixing of suspense and fun moments make Abar Byomkesh all the more enjoyable to watch. The screenplay, by Dutta himself, is tight and crisp, keeping the viewers hooked to every reel of the movie. Arghyakamal Mitra's editing is smart and stylish too, lending the movie a nice, edgy feel. Cinematographer Indranil Mukherjee also deserves a special mention for his top-notch camerawork in Abar Byomkesh. Mukherjee adeptly captures the look and feel of an earlier era in the film. In particular, during one scene, the poster of Marutirtha Hinglaj (1959) is shown in the background, lending a greater air of credibility to the sets. Kudos to both Anjan Dutt and Indranil Mukherjee for this little, yet beautifully conceived, sequence.
The well-detailed costumes of the characters of Abar Byomkesh' make them look all the more believable in the movie (Swastika Mukherjee's dresses, however, appear just a tad garish!). The climax of the movie is well-planned and expertly executed too - and yes, Abir looks smashing in his suit and hat avatar too. In a nice touch, Dutt makes Ajit the onscreen narrator in Abar Byomkesh, so that the continuity in story progression remains uniform at all times.
Abar Byomkesh also witnesses the birth of a theme tune for the Byomkesh Bakshi film franchise. Music director Neel Dutt does well to come up with a catchy and deliberately retro musical score for the movie. While it would be unfair to start comparing Satyajit Ray's Feluda theme music with that of Byomkesh so soon, it can easily be said that Neel Dutta's music for this movie franchise is here to stay for a long time. The film has just the one song (the rabindrasngeet Shokhi Bhabona Kahare Bole), which is magically rendered by singer Srabani Sen. There is a certain old-world feel in the entire movie and that works in favour of the film too.
Abar Byomkesh is one of the best works of director Anjan Dutta till date. The film is uniformly racy and taut, and is presented in a thoroughly enjoyable manner by the celebrated filmmaker. The basic storyline is sound and Abar Byomkesh is further buoyed by the fantastic performances from the members of its cast, smartly paced narrative, imaginative cinematography and fine editing. This film indeed has all the makings of becoming a modern classic!
Anjan Dutta's first Byomkesh Bakshi movie made everyone sit up and take notice, with its slick plot-treatment and powerhouse performances. Abar Byomkesh goes one step further and adds that extra dash of grandeur and panache to one of the best-known fictional detective characters. This ones a definite winner all the way!
Saturday 24 March 2012
Agent Vinod | Movie Review
11:40:00 am
AMY
The tradition of espionage sagas in Hindi film industry dates back to Jeetendra’s Farz (1967), Dev Kumar’s Spy In Rome (1968), Dharmendra’s Yakeen (1969), Mithun Chakraborty’s Surakksha (1979), Jeetendra’s Bond 303 (1985), Akshay Kumar’s Mr. Bond (1992), Shahrukh Khan’s Baadshah (1999), Sunny Deol’s The Hero (2003). But the effort to find out an Indian spy agent equivalent to Bond and Bourne remained unsuccessful. Now with Agent Vinod, the industry seems to have given birth to one.
Sriram Raghavan has retained the title from 1977’s hit movie Agent Vinod, starring Mahendra Sandhu, but he has evolved a brand new plotline of his own. It is an ultra slick and stylish desi Bond movie that takes you on a whirlwind tour across continents. Its elegant narration keeps you tongue-tied throughout the movie. It is really a well packaged secret agent movie.Saif Ali Khan’s wonderful performance is the major highlight of the film. Sriram Raghavan’s story and narrations are its USP. Pritam Chakraborty’s music, CK Muraleedharan’s cinematography, Peter Heins-Parvez Khan’s stunts, Pooja Ladha Surti’s razor-sharp editing and panoramic locales are the other attraction of the film.
The story begins with a series of seemingly unconnected events, all over the globe. In Uzbekistan, an ex KGB officer is tortured and murdered. In Cape Town, a group of International business tycoons discuss a rumor that the dead KGB officer had a nuclear suitcase bomb hidden away. In Moscow, an Indian secret agent is exposed. The agent is shot dead while trying to send a code red message to India. In India, the head of the raw sees the incomplete message. All it contains is a number 242.
Vinod (Saif Ali Khan) is the kind of agent who first kicks the door open and then finds out what's behind it. His unconventional approach puts him in dangerous situations, but he manages to get the crucial leads. Vinod is sent to Moscow to investigate why his colleague was killed. Vinod finds out that a Russian money launderer Abu Nazar (Ram Kapoor) has sent 50 million dollars to contact in Morocco, for an operation against India.
Vinod leaves for Morocco, where he meets an elderly Mafiosi Kazan (Prem Chopra) and the beautiful but mysterious Dr. Ruby (Kareena Kapoor). A series of twists and turns take agent Vinod across the globe from Marakkesh to Riga, Karachi to Delhi and finally London where he discovers the ultimate conspiracy.
Saif Ali Khan, who has taken long time after Aarakshan to get into the skin of a spy, has delivered flawless performance. He has a distinct style of dialogue delivery and he is a treat to watch on screen all through. Kareena Kapoor has a completely different and important role here and she has absolutely lived upto it. But they might surprise the movie goers as they were eager to see their off-screen chemistry in the film.
The baddie of 70 and 80, Prem Chopra makes sure to rock you again as a villain. Dhritiman Chatterjee, Adil Hussain, Gulshan Grover, Zakir Hussain, Shahbaaz Khan, Ram Kapoor, Ravi Kishen have delivered superb performances that really suit a Hollywood spy movie.
In technical front, Pritam Chakraborty’s music is the major highlight. He has composed six wonderful tracks for the film, out of which 'Pyaar Ki Pungi' is a runaway hit. 'Raabta' and mujra 'Dil Mera Muft Ka' are equally catchy. But the placement of the songs seems to be a problem. CK Muraleedharan's camera work is surely a feast to eyes. Peter Heins and Parvez Khan’s stunts, chase and action scenes are truly enticing. Pooja Ladha Surti’s editing is also commendable, but it could have been better if she has trimmed certain sequences.
In a nut shell, Agent Vinod is purely a desi Bond movie made with Hollywood standards. It is truly a Saif and Sriram’s festival treat for the audience. It has the capacity to enthrall even Hollywood audience.
Producer: Saif Ali Khan, Dinesh Vijan
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Prem Chopra, Dhritiman Chatterjee, Adil Hussain, Gulshan Grover, Zakir Hussain, Shahbaaz Khan, Ram Kapoor and Ravi Kishen
Music: Pritam Chakraborty
Release Date: March 23, 2012
Wednesday 21 March 2012
Tuesday 20 March 2012
Monday 19 March 2012
Thursday 15 March 2012
Paan Singh Tomar | Movie Review
11:39:00 am
AMY
Paan Singh Tomar is the angst of an athlete who did the right thing and tried his best to work within the system to get justice for himself and his family. But then he was pushed. Pushed beyond his limits. And then he turned into a revolutionary, what we call a dacoit. The irony, that he got more recognition as a dacoit than a sportsperson representing his country in international events, never stopped to boggle him. Does it bother us though? Then, why hasn't the situation changed in the last 40-50 years?
Mahie Gill provides wonderful support by showing us why she is Paan Singh's vulnerability. And this must be that rare film when a character who plays a prominent part in the first half of the film disappears later and the disappearance seems justified. Paan Singh had to forgo his family life including his wife, after all.
Paan Singh Tomar invokes your curiosity by exposing the rebel Paan Singh before telling us about how he was as a sportsperson. That created just the right amount intrigue because as the flashback progressed you wanted to know how this simple, straightforward person took to becoming a dacoit.
Paan Singh's achievements as an athlete is shown in good detail and so is his transformation into a person who had to take the law in his hands. The part where he becomes feared and successful as a dacoit is sorely missing. And that according to me is the film's biggest letdown. The meek and largely submissive Paan Singh suddenly becomes a dreaded outlaw and we are asked to take that as a given.
And despite this major gap in the writing, Paan Singh Tomar is commendable and recommended watch because of the issue it tries to address. If there is one thing about sports in our nation that needs dire attention, it is the condition of and apathy towards our non-cricketing sportspeople.
Star cast: Irrfan Khan, Mahie Gill, Zakir Hussain, Vipin Sharma, Rajendra Gupta, Khan Jahangir Khan, Brijendra Kala.
What’s Good: The first half; the performances.
What’s Bad: The second half which is a routine revenge drama; the difficulty which the lay viewer will face while trying to understand the Bundelkhandi dialect in which the dialogues are spoken.
Verdict: Paan Singh Tomar does not make too much of a mark, thanks to the dull second half.
Loo break: A couple after interval.
Watch or Not?: Watch it for Irrfan Khan’s performance and also for the other actors.
Released On : March 02,2012
Wednesday 14 March 2012
Tuesday 13 March 2012
Saturday 10 March 2012
Kahaani | Movie Review
10:12:00 am
AMY
This is a great time to be a movie buff. Within a week of Paan Singh Tomar, which should incontestably win Irrfan Khan the National Award for best actor, comes Kahaani in which Vidya Balan is so flawlessly resplendent that one suspects the next year's National Award too is already reserved for her. Dirty deeds forgotten.
Playing Vidya Bagchi, a non-resident Indian (NRI) who lands in Kolkata heavily pregnant and immeasurably distressed by the disappearance of her husband, Vidya Balan doesn't hit a single false note in the entire graph of her character's fascinating journey.
Kahaani is not an ordinary thrill-a-minute film about a search for a missing person. It's a lot more. Bringing a virgin vitality to the suspense drama, the film strikes a captivating balance between realism in art and the art of courting realism, without losing the entertainment quotient.
Sujoy Ghosh, whose earlier films gave us no clue of the ingenuity that he displays here with such ostensible casualness, cuts the footage with razor sharp economy, leaving no sign of the surgery involved in leaving behind scenes and putting together a tale that pays homage to Hitchcock even while it tilts its topi to the detective films of Satyajit Ray.
The complexities of metropolitan life emerge in a kind of bridled flurry. Within a few minutes of Vidya's landing in Kolkata we know her search for her missing husband is not going to be a cake-walk. Yes, we will see this spirited woman's pursuit of the truth to the end.
Ghosh crafts a tale of devious dynamics that do not make a song and dance of their cloak-and-dagger intentions. The narrative doesn't whip up a lather of anxieties. Stock devices of the suspense genre are here thrown meaningfully into the Hooghly. The relevance and resonance of Vidya's journey into the dark unrevealed bowel of India's secret service emerge in illuminating details created in Vidya's character which add up finally to a jigsaw where not a single piece is out of place.
The end-game, shot in an exquisite eruption of Durga Puja's compelling colours, is so unexpected, it is bound to leave even the most diehard cynics with a sense of satiated suspense.
Indeed so clever is the writing and so stunning yet convincing the denouement that one was persuaded into wondering whether Sujoy Ghosh filched the material from some unidentifiable source.
While it would be criminal to give away any of the plot details it would be in the scope of permissible praise to say the writing is clearly not meant to strew red herrings in our way. As we go back to the film, at the end we see every detail, every twist and turn in the plot was meant to be a coherent pointer to the complete picture.
Ghosh's masterful story-telling leaves no room to doubt the existence of a rather unforgiving God who charts a seemingly cruel destiny for the unsuspecting individual.
Vidya's portrayal of grace under pressure is so measured and skilled, one at times wonders if she was actually watching herself perform from a distance to make sure she didn't take her character's distress into the kingdom of melodrama.
Vidya Balan has splendid support from actors who merge into the Kolkatan conundrum with the seamless inevitability of people who accept extraordinary circumstances as part of life's ordinary patterns.
Impressive in his own right is Parambrata Chattopadhyay as Vidya's pillar of support from within an establishment that insists on throwing her off the track.
Parambrata plays his gentle character with such tender affection that you begin to believe goodness is not an extinct commodity.
Nawazuddin Sidiqqui, that brilliant actor from Kabir Khan's New York and last week's Paan Singh Tomar, brings a steely-sharp ruthlessness to his investigative officer's role.
In one of Vidya's best sequences where she quietly tells him to keep his menacing advice to himself, Nawazuddin steps back to let the lady have her moment of glory, unhampered.
Vidya Balan takes centrestage with great skill and restrained pride. Her laughter of joy when she bonds with the chai-wallah kid (Ritobroto Mukherjee) and her final breakdown sequence bring her close to the cathartic emotions that Shabana Azmi displays.
Vidya displays a rare understanding of her character's exacerbated emotional and physical state. Luckily for her, her co-actors display no outward or inward signs of insecurity in playing roles that are designed to be supremely supportive.
Veteran Bengali actors unknown to Bollywood, such as Saswata Mukherjee as a hired assassin and Kharaj Mukherjee as a kindly podgy cop, fill up the edges of the comprehensive lucid portrait of a woman with a mission, without crowding the canvas.
Kahaani is one of those rare films that can easily lay claim to being a game-changer. And yet the narrative makes no claims. The destiny of the protagonist is charted in a breathless sweep of urgently persuasive episodes that tumble out as though God wrote Vidya Bagchi's screenplay.
Enthralling, absorbing and engaging the narrative never resorts to italicized emotions to get our attention. We are hooked unconditionally from scene one. We surrender to Vidya's journey. She gives us no choice.
Released On : March 9,2012
Saturday 3 March 2012
Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya | Movie Review
7:59:00 pm
AMY
Follow three simple rules while attempting a rom-com...
One, the romance should be livewire. Ditto for the chemistry between the on-screen pair.
Two, the movie ought to make the viewer chuckle.
Three, it shouldn't fall prey to predictability.
If you get the above-mentioned characteristics right, chances are you may be smiling from ear to ear on the decisive Friday. Okay, does TERE NAAL LOVE HO GAYA, directed by Mandeep Kumar, live up to the set standards? Oh yes, you do exit the auditorium with a smile on your face.
Love stories with real-life couples don't spell magic at the turnstiles, opined an industry insider, to which my instant retort was if the film works, everything works. Actors, chemistry, songs, technical aspects et al are only as good as the film. After making their big screen debut with TUJHE MERI KASAM, Riteish and Genelia were paired in MASTI. TERE NAAL LOVE HO GAYA is the third film that teams the two talents. This one ought to be their best, right? Well, Riteish and Genelia look great together, no two opinions on that, and the real-life husband-wife team get ample opportunity to sparkle in their third outing. There are hiccups too -- the film dips in the middle of the second hour -- but, thankfully, it comes alive towards the pre-climax moments, which leads to a winning finale. The credit, to a large extent, goes to Riteish and Genelia for rising beyond a commonplace screenplay.
Bhatti [Tinnu Anand] is keen to get his daughter Mini [Genelia Deshmukh] married. He even chooses a guy who, he thinks, will keep his daughter happy thanks to his riches. In the meantime, Viren [Riteish Deshmukh] feels Bhatti has swindled him of his hard-earned money and confronts Bhatti in an intoxicated state. Seizing the opportunity of escaping from the situation [of marrying a guy she barely knows], Mini flees with Viren, making the episode look as if Viren has kidnapped Mini. Gradually, a romance develops between the unlikely couple.
I've frequently said that humor is serious business. Though the humor in TERE NAAL LOVE HO GAYA borders on illogicality, like AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI, you can't deny that it keeps you hooked nonetheless. Sure, there're times when you feel that the humor is forced, but you don't grudge and grumble since the intention to entertain and amuse the viewer endlessly are crystal clear from the very inception.
I'd like to add that TERE NAAL LOVE HO GAYA is not 'inspired' or 'adapted' from Danny Boyle's A LIFE LESS ORDINARY, as being widely said. Following a graph of making an easy-on-your-senses film, the director reserves the best for the penultimate 25 odd minutes. Prior to that, the film vacillates between engrossing to passable to humdrum stuff. Agree, specifics are irrelevant in this case because the director or the writer isn't aiming for realism or practicality here. This is a synthetic world, let's not disregard this fact.
The one issue I hold against the writer is that the goings-on cannot maintain the energy consistently. I mean, the writer had the opportunity to make a real rib-tickling comic fare, but what appears on screen is only moderately amusing. You aren't amused at every juvenile gag, nor do you submit to the insanity entirely. But, like I stated earlier, the concluding reels are dramatic and thoroughly enjoyable. Especially the final moments.
Sachin-Jigar's musical score is pleasant. The songs are in tandem with the mood of the movie. It's peppy and energetic, catering to a young audience. I'd like to make a special note of the cinematography [and the lush-green locales, of course], which is eye-catching.
TERE NAAL LOVE HO GAYA would've crumbled in the hands of lesser talent. Riteish is earnest, delivering a subdued performance. He underplays his part beautifully, not going overboard one bit. Genelia is a livewire who adds to the insanity. She looks fresh, has a great comic timing and handles her part magnificently. Together, Riteish and Genelia elevate the film a few notches above the ordinary. Om Puri is remarkable, especially in the sequence when Genelia is asked to return to her father. Tinnu Anand is excellent. Smita Jaykar is wonderful. Veena Malik's item number is strictly okay.
On the whole, TERE NAAL LOVE HO GAYA is refreshing and succeeds in its endeavor of amusing and entertaining, more particularly in its second hour. In addition, the sparkling performances by Riteish and Genelia is the mainstay of the film.
Released on : February 24,2012
