Bombay Velvet

Set in Bombay of the 1960s, this Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma starrer is one of the more eagerly awaited films this season. In fact, there is already some buzz that the film is tipped to be part of the Cannes Film Festival. Based on historian Gyan Prakash’s book, Mumbai Fables, the film tells the story of  a boxer, Johnny Balraj, and an aspiring jazz singer, Rosie and charts the highs and lows of their professional and personal lives. There is already some buzz that the film is tipped to be part of the Cannes Film Festival.

Getting the period sets, costumes and hair and make-up just right has been one of the more talked about aspects of the film. Anushka Sharma, for one, was  reportedly determined to get her look just right and underwent upto four-hour make-up sessions. And if the stills from the movie area nothing to go by, the effort was worth it.

There was also some talk about the film being renamed “Mumbai Velvet”, which doesn’t quite have the same ring,  by the Indian Censor Board. But thankfully, the original name was retained in the end.

Director turned talk-show host turned actor Karan Johar also plays a supporting role in the film while former screen siren, Raveena Tandon, puts in a cameo appearance as well.

Director Anurag Kashyap  seems to have modelled his film on the Hollywood gangster movies a la the Al Capone days but hopefully there will be enough of nineteen sixties Bombay in this film to give it an authentic Indian mood.

Mad Max: Fury Road

Director, producer and co-writer, George Miller comes up with the fourth sequel to his Mad Max saga. It has been 30 years since the last Mad Max film was made and Fury Road is already receiving the thumbs up from fans of the franchise.

Thirty years on, not surprisingly , Mel Gibson, the original Mad Max Rockatansky, has been replaced by actor Tom Hardy who has some pretty big shoes to fill. The film also stars Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa, a female warrior-type who teams up with our hero in the post apocalyptic world of the Mad Max films.

Pursued by  demons from his past, Mad Max is found roaming an expansive desert when he comes across Furiosa who is leading a small band of women, escaping from an evil gang-leader. Replete with high octane explosions, car chases and enough grotesque villains, spouting profanities as can be expected in a world with no social order, Fury Road promises a thrilling ride to fans of the genre.

The film will have its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May but it is an out of competition screening.

Piku

Starring the gorgeous Deepika Padrone, the charismatic Amitabh Bachchan and the extremely talented Irfan Khan, Piku certainly boasts a winning combination. Directed by Soojit Sircar, this romantic comedy centres around the relationship between Deepika, who is the Piku, of the title, and her hypochondriac father, played by Amitabh Bachchan. Piku is a Bengali architect living in New Delhi. Although educated and beautiful, any would-be suitors for the daughter are kept at bay by the fact that they will have to assume responsibility for the father as well.

Piku finds herself taking a road-trip to Kolkata with her cantankerous parent along with Irfan Khan, who runs a taxi service, and who plays her love interest in the film.

Deepika  is said to have learned Bengali to make herself more convincing in the role, Mr Bachchan of course speaks the language fluently. The film also showcases the city of Kolkata, and those familiar with it will be able to spot some well loved landmarks.