Alag: He Is Different.... He Is Alone...

What I am struck by the tremendous amount of creativity among Indians in all spheres - whether in Music or Movies or in Technology but apparently the Indian masses are stuck in their Masala traditions. Even the Indian movie critics - who are supposed to promote the experimental or innovative efforts at movie making - seem to judge movies by their marketability rather than genuineness of spirit. It is indeed heartening to find that young movie makers are undeterred by these and continue to create art close to their soul rather than based on public approval. I am an unabashed admirer of Indian creativity in this context.

Take the case of movies like 'Alag' or 'Benares' or 'Encounter, the Killing'. What is notable about these movies is that every frame of these movies is pulsating with action, the makers of these movies grip your attention from the word go and keep you enthralled for the entire duration of the movies and yet Indian movie goers as well as critics give them lukewarm reception. On the other movies like 'Fanaa', 'Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham' or 'Ham Aapke Hain Kyon' take such a long time to make a point that one can go for a game of tennis while watching the movie and come back and you would not missed any of the action except for a few songs. Such movies receive raves from the Box-Office as well as accolades from critics as well - as if what matters most in the final analysis is that every movie shall be a chick flick.

It just goes to prove a point that market success and genuine creativity in most cases reside on different planets. But I am thankful India is producing as many Orson Welles or Prakash Dwivedis as they are producing Karan Johars and Kunal Kohlis.

This is not so much of a spoiler as an agreement to the reviewer from the UAE (where I have come back from a holiday), but both in story and style, this movie is an almost direct copy of 1995's POWDER. You could almost have dubbed the original in Hindi for the same effect! Perhaps the only difference is the Bollywood "dance" scene in the middle of it, so aptly parodied in the Simpson's episode when Homer rents the Bolly version of PAINT YOUR WAGON and is shocked when the characters break into a dance halfway through a tense moment.

Anyway, I think it's fairly well known that whenever a movie is made in the USA, Bollywood will copy it later (I hear there is a Bollywood version of THE MATRIX floating around).

But as an enjoyable movie for a long haul flight from Melbourne and Dubai, this one ate up a couple of sudsy, tragi-comic hours.

+'ve::

One must appreciate the courage of the new lot on being experimental. Take the case of "Alag", which attempts to strays away from the regular Bollywood ishtyle. The story is novel, screenplay is great and performances okay. The story-telling format keeps you glued especially in the initial 30-minutes. The CGI have been used appropriately and is of good quality. Screenplay is good.

Akshay Kapoor gives his best shot to get into the skin of "Tejas/Alag" and fares remarkably well, considering he is next to a new-comer. Diya Mirza carries herself very well and delivers her lines at ease. Tom Alter does a good job of a obsessed scientist.

-'ve::

To begin with, I am sure the project looked indeed different at the conceptualisation stages,- but amidst execution it succumbed into the trap of regular Bollywood fare.

The movie resembles a comic-book as the basic premise is about super-powers. The concept should go down well with the kids, however two things work against it - a few scary moments in the movie and the romantic track.

The romantic angle lacks depth and hence it should have either been given more depth or avoided completely. The songs which I am sure have been suggested by God-knows-who is a bad idea.

Also the idea of keeping son locked in the house for 18-years by the father is slightly illogical. Tejas character gets etchy at times - saviour, punisher, dancer, lover, singer, scared, avenger, magician, compassionate!!!! As mentioned earlier the first 30-minutes are good and then the story loses momentum.

Jayanth Kriplani is loud. Beena is wasted.

Overall - the positioning is wrong neither appealing to kids nor adults.

PS: And if the movie is a copy of "Powder" as a few claim, then Mr. Director you should change the title aptly "Alag Hollywood Copy"

A very good movie called Powder is copied and completely ripped of by bollywood people and made into a popcorn fest rather than the movie it should av bin. this is what happens if u give a goat your money it'll just eat it.

performance was could have been better and whats always with this Big bad guy trying to do bad things, can't bollywood make a movie without the badguy and flashback story telling , it ruins the whole experience.

Very poor rip off of a good movie. but they will take the credit for the movie as their original script.

At the end where poor acting and a good script is taken and completely badly rewritten bollywood style.

ALAG - A specially gifted child spent 18 yrs of his life in the basement of his home. Sheltered from sunlight and the rest of the world. His father believed that he will be safe there and the world will also be safer from him. The boy's supernatural power will always make him different. When his father died, his life begins. Forced to live in the real world where life is a masala of good and evil, of truth and lies, of suffering and pain with a dash of greed, a handful of sickness and a good serving of love. Everything he knows are direct extracts from pages of books. He knows himself, he knows the truth about his powers but the world is not ready for it. Alone in the basement, books are his only link to the outside world. Then he discovers love...... this changed the equation quite a bit. This new comer Akshay Kapoor will give Hritik Roshan a run for his money. Give him a few more material to work with and he will grow into a better actor given time. He looks good, he's got the body, he's got moves and to top it all off....... The guy can act!!! Hritik will have competition at last. There is a certain Vin Diesel effect to this guy !!