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‘Teen Paheliyan’ disappoints three times over (Review)
By Subhash K. Jha
“Teen Paheliyan”, an omnibus of three short films available on Hotstar; Starring Vikant Massey, Surveen Chawla, Kunaal Roy Kapur, Tina Desai, Paoli Dam, Akshay Oberoi, Shraddha Das and Rukhsar Rehman; Rating: **
There is so much hope hanging on to this seemingly promising omnibus of three stories, each of approximately 45-minute duration with an attractive cast and fairly decent production values. The presentation is outwardly inviting. There are moments when one is lured into an aura of gorgeousness, only to be sharply steered back into the presentation’s prevalent mediocrity.
Such is the dual life that this triple-layered lair of lies lingers in. The stories are brave and imaginative to begin with. But they falter when they try too hard for that corkscrew twist at the end.
And to think that a time-tested producer, Sujoy Ghosh and three capable directors are at the helm… What went wrong?
The first story and the one that I thought pulled off its act with less failure than others, was the Sujoy Ghosh-directed “Good Luck”, about a down-in-the-dumps salesman (and who better for the loser’s act than Kunaal Roy Kapur?) who sells ‘good luck’ to some characters who really need it.
Sadly, it turns out the film needs it even more. The cafe setting is warm, cosy and believable and the relationship of mutual affection that grows between the salesman and a cafe owner, a single mother (played by Tina Desai who seems to be a Priyanka Chopra fan), is well mapped.
But then as the incidental characters begin to drop dead, the story too goes towards a rapid degeneration. A pity since we expect so much more from Sujoy Ghosh. If only the plot didn’t do bone-breaking cartwheels that feel like Satyajit Ray’s stories on a writer’s-block day.
The second story “Copy” is directed by Arindam Sil, who did last year’s brutal and dark real-life crime thriller “Dhananjay”. In this short film, he opts for a half-baked cloning story that seems inspired by everything from “The Prince and The Pauper” to Prakash Mehra’s “Haseena Maan Jayegi”.
The talented duo Vikrant Massey and Surveen Chawla try hard to inject credibility as truant Man and cheated Wife into a laughably addled plot. Vikrant tries to enjoy playing his double role. He is definitely more convincing as a clone than Nawazuddin Siddiqui was in a ridiculous short film titled “Carbon”, but still not convincing enough to be considered an honourable failure.
The most disappointing of the three stories is “Mirchi Malini”. Directed by journalist-filmmaker Pratim D Gupta, it promises the most among the trio of stories, and delivers the least, as Paoli Dam (remember her in “Hate Story 2”?) presides over an all-women’s dinner party where some startling skeletons tumble out of the women’s closets.
Again, the narrative trips over its own cleverness after a promising start. The women players, especially Rukhsar (who looks stunning as a fading film star) and Neha Chauhan (cast her, please) are interesting. But to believe that the affable Akshay Oberoi bedded all these women is a bit of a mind-bender.
The three stories aim to titillate, shock and seduce us. They set off on the right path but finally seem to have bitten more than they can chew. More than anything, I felt sorry for the gallery of appealing actors who have so much to give. Here they end up investing in what turns out to be a losing venture.
–IANS
skj/rb/bg
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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