Saif Ali Khan in ‘Jewel Thief’
| Photo Credit: MANAS GODARA

With the OTT platforms investing more energy and intensity into the long form, feature films are languishing like one-day cricket. Rehan (Saif Ali Khan), a rakish thief, is hired by Rajan Aulakh (Jaideep Ahlawat), a criminal in the garb of an art collector, to steal Red Sun, the African equivalent of Kohinoor. The title ‘Jewel Thief’ unnecessarily draws comparisons with Goldie’s iconic crime caper. The makers even drop the name of Vijay Anand in one sequence, but could mine precious little out of flattery.

Saif and Jaideep have cut down on flab and look fab in crisp suits. It is hard to decipher who has a better drawl or could chew the scenery and the vowels better. While the boys jostle to steal the scene, an elegant Nikita Dutta sparkles in a glam avatar. However, the visual aspect fails to liven up the flat writing and insipid music.

There is a lot of posturing and preening, but the characterisation is skin-deep. The earnestness of the actors can’t help when the twists are unimaginative, and the dialogue writer (Sumit Arora) resorts to profane words to generate impact.

When it comes to the nuts and bolts of the heist, Kookie and Robbie rob us of surprise. In times of Money Heist, it works like a cookie-cutter con of the 1970s, where infrared rays guard a diamond, and a password is waiting to be cracked. Of course, there is a blackmail story to whitewash the criminal intent of the flawed hero. The predictable recipe can’t do without the cop who remains one step behind the con artist. Here, he seems like a mile behind, and deliberately so. Kunal Kapoor returns after a gap only to add gas to the hollow cat-and-mouse game.

In such corny cinema, the art lies in covering up the frivolity of the exercise behind a sleek facade. But here, the stealth is missing. It feels like a generic project assembled by watching a few films to generate curiosity and populate the library of the OTT platform.

Jewel Thief – The Heist Begins is currently streaming on Netflix

FILE: Bollywood actor in New Delhi, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Manvender Vashist Lav

The heinous terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir that left 26 people dead and several injured has shaken all of India, and many entertainment shows, concerts, and film events have been cancelled. Now, on Thursday (April 24), Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan skipped attending a special screening of Andaz Apna Apna, the 1994 film that is set to rerelease today, April 25.

Speaking to BollywoodHungama, Aamir said, “I was reading reports about what happened at Pahalgam in Kashmir. I have been badly affected by the senseless killing of innocents. I was in no state to go (to the preview). I will see it sometime later this week.”

At least 26 people, including two foreign tourists, were killed by a group of terrorists in one of the most deadly attacks on civilians in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday (April 22) afternoon.

Also read | Pahalgam terror attack: a tribute to the victims

Many Indian celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Mohanlal, Kamal Haasan, Chiranjeevi, Sanjay Dutt, and Vicky Kaushal among others have condemned the attack.

Andaz Apna Apna, which also stars Salman Khan in the lead, is a beloved cult comedy directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. The film, now digitally remastered to 4K resolution with Dolby 5.1 surround sound, is re-releasing in Indian cinemas this Friday.

The 1994 film enjoys an iconic status in popular Hindi cinema. Though not a major success upon release, the film grew a substantial fandom over the years, banking on its quirky cast of characters and slapstick brilliance. Raveena Tandon, Karisma Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Viju Khote and Shehzad Khan rounded out the cast, while Govinda and Juhi Chawla — both prominent actors in the 1990s — made cheery cameos.

Aamir, in his conversation with BollywoodHungama, also opened up on the initial rejection the film faced upon its release. “Raj Santoshi and I were the only two people who believed in the film. We loved it. So, when it didn’t work, we were both sad. And then it goes on to become my biggest success on home entertainment!!! Both Raj and I were finally redeemed,” he said.

Matthew Spangler. Shot on OnePlus #FramesofIndia.
| Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN

‘For you, a thousand times over.’ These words from Khaled Hosseini’s acclaimed novel The Kite Runner became symbolic of the friendship between Amir, a privileged Pashtun, and his servant Hassan, a Hazara boy. Set against the backdrop when the rise of the Taliban regime (dominated by Sunnis) in Afghanistan led to the persecution of the Hazara population (Shia Muslims). The books explores the themes of friendship, betrayal, guilt, and redemption through the protagonist Amir.

Now a celebrated stage adaption by Matthew Spangler, The Kite Runner was recently staged by Arena Theatre Productions under the direction of Tahera S. For longtime fans and newcomers, the production drew a standing ovation and left many in the audience teary-eyed by the powerful narration on stage. What made it even more special was Spangler’s presence, who was equally moved seeing his adaption on stage.

Spangler’s adaption of The Kite Runner has been in production for 20 years now being played in theatres worldwide. Spangler is also a professor of performance studies at San José State University in California, where he teaches courses on how refugees and asylum seekers and other immigrants are represented in plays.

Talking about the challenges of adapting an epic into a play, Spangler says, “With this book, the challenge is length, if you read it aloud, it takes almost 15 hours, while the pay is just over two hours. How do you condense a 15-hour long story to two hours? People who love the book come to the play and say, ‘Oh, you didn’t leave anything out,’ when I might have left 13 out of the 15 parts out.”

Even though the play was previously showcased in Mumbai few years back, this was Spangler’s first time watching it on stage in India, “The audience here listen carefully… They are emersed in the story as it unfolds, which I feel was really beautiful.”

Theatre plays an important role in cross-cultural understanding and empathy building, Spangler says. “Amir comes from a very specific background, and life experiences; growing up in Afghanistan and coming to the United States as a refugee, he comes from a Muslim culture; but he is not practicing as you can see from the play. As an adult he wants to do the right thing for the boy (Hassan’s son Sohrab). At the end, you understand him at more emotional level.”

There has always been a production of The Kite Runner, somewhere over the past 20 years, Spangler says. “I have seen this play staged in different countries including London, Canada, or Russia. It is just so unique for a writer to be able to see your play in different contexts and settings.”

Counting Samuel Beckett’s works as his greatest inspiration, Spangler says, “I did my PhD and my Master’s degree in Irish theatre, and it has been a great influence on my work.”

The Kite Runner will be staged on May 4 at 3.30pm and 7.30pm at Ranga Shankara. Tickets are available at the venue and online.