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Abbas-Mustan directed recent movie Race has opened in neighboring country Pakistan. The action-packed movie has already caught the attention of Indian movie fans. Now, Pakistani movie fans can enjoy the much talked-about movie of Bollywood. The movie features stars like Anil Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna and some of the glamorous actresses of Bollywood like Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif and Sameera Reddy. Music of the movie is done by talented music composer Pritam Chakraborty.

The movie Race is fast-paced and includes all the ingredients to become an entertainer. Opened in India on Friday, the movie has already attracted the movie buffs because of its songs, romances, glitz and action scenes. So, Race is thought to be the next box office hit after Jodha Akbar in Bollywood. As the movie has also opened in Pakistan the movie is expected to earn a whopping amount in its opening week.

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It looks like Race is going to be the one of the big hits of 2008. The latest thriller made by Bollywood thriller masters Abbas-Mustan’s is an A-class entertainer. Sexy women in short clothes, handsome hunks, beautiful locations, good stunts, lots of songs with catchy rhythm and loud music (except ‘Pehli Nazar Mein’) is a good definition of a masala flick. On an average, the reviewers gave the movie a rating of 2.5/3 in 5 and 7 in 10. The major allegation against the movie makers- the story and narration is not so edgy. The good things about the movie: Allan Amin’s stunt sequences, Saif Ali and Akshaye Khanna’s acting and Bipasha and Katrina’s sex appeal (the last one works for me very well

Ok, now let us look at the reviews. What they say about the movie.

Glamsham gives it a rating of 2.5. According to the review, Race repeats the step-bro angle of Raqueeb. Moreover, the story is confusing, when did Bipasha and Saif meet to hatch a plan? What is the significance of Katrina Kaif? The directors failed to give a convincing story. However, Allan Amin is the true hero of the movie. His stunt works are fabulous. Anil is playing a Xerox copy character of Karamchand. Saif has done a great job. The movie is worth a watch.

Movie Blog gives Race 7 out of 10.

The cinematography, locations and camerawork are great and the movie has a great suspense script to make audience stick to screens but in later stages the story gets too intermingled and audience get confused of what’s happening. The music of the movie matches the script and music depiction is well shot.

The performance of Saif Ali Khan, Bipasha Basu, Anil Kapoor and Sameera Reddy is good. The movie may get good number of audience in metro and small cities where kids have completed their exams and are spending holidays.

According to Buzz 18, the promos of Race may make it look like Dhoom 2, there is not much action. Too much mind game in involved in the story. The story contains lots of twists and turns but at one point it becomes a major burden. The audience fails to connect the sub-plots stories.

The biggest plus point of Race is the fact that it is full of surprises. The screenplay packs in interesting twists and turns at regular intervals, keeping the shock value intact throughout the narrative. But beyond a point, this is the film’s biggest undoing. In the second half the proceedings tend to get too confusing for the average viewer, as you find yourself trying to connect the various subplots. A chain of events involving betrayal, murder and double crossing becomes a case of too much of a good thing. But none of the characters make predictable moves and thankfully the mystery stays within the six leads. Unlike Sunday, 36 China Town and many other thrillers there are no unnecessary character actors.

Akshaye is Abbas-Mustan’s favorite antagonist and he plays his role effortlessly. Saif also gave a solid performance. Bipasha and Katrina do not have much to do except reacting to the actors’ actions and dialogues. They actually work like spice for the movies appearing in short dresses. Anil’s character is not so strong and Sameera’s portrayal of a brainless-bimbo does not add much to the comic element of the movie. Overall, the film is lavishly shot movie with lots of twists but lacks a good narrative and it is worth watching.

MusicNmovies gave a very positive review with a rating of 4 in 5. The review claims that the story of the movie is inspired from a 1998 Hollywood movie, Goodbye Lover. The review says that Race is a movie with style and substance.

Movietalkies also gives a positive review of Race. It says,

Abbas-Mustan live up to their reputation and Race turns out to be a typical film of theirs replete with intriguing twists and turns as the web of deceit seems to encompass all. Except perhaps for its length, the film turns out to be quite enjoyable. It is made all the more so by the presence of Saif Ali Khan, who stands tall over the rest of the film’s cast.

Saif looks stunning in his rugged style. His performance throughout the movie was great. Akshaye Khanna also did a very good job but Anil does not add much to the comic element. Among the females Bipasha steals away most of the limelight. Katrina’s role neither have much presence in the movie, nor any significance.

Smashits review says,

Isn’t the dialogue archaic and dull with outdated words like `galat fehmi’ (misunderstanding) repeated throughout. Ravi Yadav’s camera handling is good and occasionally interesting. Background music is reminiscent of Dhoom, and here too, the film’s title is repeated in action sequences. Pritam’s music is good with songs like Bin Tere Sanam and Allah Duhai. However, other songs lack his usual charm. Action sequences are not eye-popping as one would expect.

Like always, Allan Amin’s action is good, but there’s nothing new to offer here, except perhaps a few races in snazzy sports cars. Bipasha and Katrina have stolen the limelight in every way. ….. ’Race’ provides it with the latest in glamour and sexy dialogue with its heroines always seen in short skirts and skintight shirts with first few buttons tantalizingly open! A critic has rightly suggested that the movie should have better been titled `Racy’.

Realbollywood dubs it a “Saif Ali Khan film” in terms of acting. It says

Directors Abbas and Mustan knew what they wanted to do with this film – give the viewers their money’s worth of thrills with an engaging plot, not a credible one.

They were not there to make a profound statement, only reiterate that Bollywood today can give audiences all the thrills that they have come to expect from Hollywood thrillers.

A stuntman from Australia who specializes in car chase and swivel was hired for the film. Not surprisingly Race is replete with car chases and crashes but we are not complaining.

However, Hindustantimes and Rediff came heavy-handed on the movie. Hindustan Times says:

Indeed, it would take super-brains — right from Aristotle and Plato to Amartya Sen — to decode Race, a crime-grime-adultery-disco-bomb-explosion thriller. Cars somersault, thud, bang and crash. A very hungry assassin, called Franco, looks as if he could do with potato mash. Meanwhile, the plot turns out to be a mega-rehash. Gnash.

So, what did you expect from conjoined directors Abbas-Mustan anyway? Their best work, alas, was their earliest, most notably Baazigar. Just compare the terrifying tumble-from-the-terrace killing there to the pure cornball skyscraper dive here. No fear, only jeers. Anything goes, explodes, whams, splatters in the name of MASS entertainment.

In the same condescending tone, Rediff writes:

Abbasbhai and Mustanbhai are veteran practitioners of the fatafat produced thriller, but this � their biggest budget effort by far � tries to be slick and stylish while actually trying to cling on to a plot. Therefore we have pointless, and constant, changes of direction to the story, at every given opportunity. There’s nothing wrong with unpredictability, but it needs to be thought through. A-M bhailog, these many twists suit jalebiwallahs better than filmmakers.

I think these are enough to give you an idea about the movie. Now, it is upto you to decide whether you should go or not. Personally, I will definitely go, Why? It is a great entertainer. Such a lavishly shot movie can best be enjoyed in the theatres where you can feel the real effect of the stunts and bangs. Finally, for Bipasha Basu and Katrina Kaif, they look very very sexy on the screen. HELL with the story man. I just want to be entertained.

This is another item song from Race, the Hindi movie. It stars Katrina Kaif and Saif Ali Khan. I could not find this song in the music album of the movie. The music is similar to that of ‘Zara Zara Touch me’. I do not know who is the singer of the song. Katrina looks great in it. The length of this clip is 1 minute 21 seconds.

This clip is only three seconds long. It shows Bipasha Basu standing in front of a door. That is all.

This the fourth part of the shooting video clip of Race, the Hindi movie in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi. This is most probably taken with a mobile phone with poor video quality. So, it is blurry but you can understand that Akshaye Khanna and Katrina Kaif are preparing for a shot. Both of them are chewing white straws. In the beginning, I thought it was cigarette but after looking at the clip two-three times, I became sure that they were chewing straws. The clip opens up showing one man removing a big board. Then it shows Akshaye Khanna talking with two guys wearing white shirts and caps. Katrina waives her hand sitting in front of a green wall. Akshaye Khanna is talking with the directors about the scene and drinking mineral water (most probably Bisleri). Then the camera shows Katrina spraying her hair and looking at the mirror. The length of this clip is 50 seconds.

The first two video clips show the shooting of a stunt sequence.This 29 second video clip shows the preparation of an action sequence. Two cars- slick looking sports cars, one blue and one yellow, are standing side by side. The director is giving necessary instructions to the driver of the yellow car. The camera then shows a long ramp through which the car will make the jump.

This is the second part. The two cars run side by side. The yellow car runs over the ramp and crashes down on the pile of packing paper box upside down. A police man is standing at the back and crews rush to the crush site and move the boxes quickly. Finally, they reach the driver and cries out that he is OK and every body claps. Thus, ends the shoot of a daring action sequence of Race, the Hindi movie. The length of the clip is 52 seconds.

This is the video clip original Korean song from which our BRILLIANT BOLLYWOOD MUSIC DIRECOR!!! Pritam has copied the song. Almost exact. TRULY!! Pritam is genius. The length of the video clip is 3 minutes 17 seconds.

If any song of Race the Hindi movie will remain with the listeners for a long time then this is the song. A soft rock romantic number sung by talented Pakistani singer Atif Aslam ‘Pehli Nazar mein’ is great to hear. It is the total opposite of the title track, ‘Race sanson ki.’ Where ‘Race sanson ki’ is a total razmataz electrifying energetic number, ‘Pehli Nazar mein’ is like a cool gentle bridge. It beautifully expresses the feeling of a person who first time has fallen in love; just like ‘Pehla Nasha’ of Jo Jita Wohi Sikandar. The guitar strumming sounds very beautiful and Atif’s voice does the rest of the magic. Many people are saying that Pritam has copied the music of this song from a Korean song. The length of this video clip is 5 minutes 15 seconds.

Now, it is time for some demo. Here I give you the youtube video clip of the title song of Race, the Hindi movie. Directed by famous director brothers Abbas-Mustan, the movie revolves around two brothers. The title song of the movie, ‘Race Sanson ki’ is a big hit. The directors tried to give a futuristic look in the song. All the major actors and actresses of the movie- Anil Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Sameera Reddy, Katrina Kaif, and Bipasha Basu.

The song gives an essence of what the movie is about. The electric guitar prelude sets the mood of excitement and energy. As the song starts the camera goes through a tunnel and then one after another the actors and actresses appear. Just like a typical action thriller movie. All the three actresses appear in black dress. To me Katrina Kaif looks attractive among the three. The music, the setting oozes a passion or enthusiasm. The length of the video clip is 2 minutes 33 seconds. Enjoy the video clip.

Some other entries about Race Movie: (Just click the title below)

Race Hindi movie : Shooting at Al Ain youtube video clips (2)

Race Hindi movie : Shooting at Al Ain youtube video clips (1)

Race Hindi movie : Atif Aslam’s Pehli Nazar original Korean song youtube video

Ok, after so much news, now it’s time for the reviews. Race’s music has already taken the top position. What is the major feature of the album? Too many remixes and not all of them are equally enjoyable. Overall, the album contains 16 songs in two cds. Except five, the rest are remixes which are done by DJ Suketu. The original five songs are recorded by TIPS.

Title: Race

Music director: Pritam Chakraborty

Lyrics: Sameer

Singers: Sunidhi Chauhan, Neeraj, KK, Shaan, Apache Indian, Taz, Atif Aslam, Monali

1) Race Saanson Ki
Singer: Sunidhi Chauhan, Neeraj Shridhar
The promotional track guaranteed to rock your world . The opening with lead guitar sets the mood of excitement and energy. If you listen carefully you will see that the music is inspired from James Bond. This is the typical copy cat style of Bollywood. The overall song is very enjoyable. Neeraj and Sunidhi mix it up beautifully. TWO THUMBS UP!!!

2) Race Saanson Ki (remix version)
I am not a big fan of remix songs but it is ideal to play in bars and pubs. Sets the mood of the customers who come to have a good time.

3) Race is on my mind
Singer: Sunidhi Chauhan
You can coin it as the semi-English version of Race Saanson Ki.

4) Race is on my mind (remix)
Another song with lots of big booms and ideal for dance clubs.

5) Race Theme (instrumental)
The slow rhythm evokes a creepy feeling inside you a critical element of Abbas-Mustan’s movies.

6) Pehli Nazar Mein
Singer: Atif Aslam
This is a soft rock and must listen to song. The soft smooth music with Atif Aslam’s rendition makes it a winner. If any song of this album is going to remain for a long time with the listeners then this is the one.

7) Pehli Nazar Mein (club Mix)
This will not definitely evoke the romantic feeling. This is made for dance clubs. If you are fan of techno-bits then you will like it. Otherwise, there is nothing remarkable about the club mix.

Pehli Nazar Mein (lounge Mix)
Starts with a quick tempo and rhythm. The sweet romantic mood is entirely absent. It is just another fast paced techno-bit remix.

9) Mujh Pe To Jadoo
Singer: Taz, Sunidhi Chauhan, Apache Indian
This song is sung by the one and only Taz, the England born Indian musician who started a new music trend. The music is in reggae style with interspersed rap from Apache Indian. Though the lyric is romantic, the music would make you feel like you are in the beach party. Sunidhi rendered her voice in the song. This song instantly became popular after release and TIPS decided to make a music video.

10) Mujh Pe To Jadoo (remix version)
It is a fast paced song with a mixture of techno- bits.

11) Zara Zara Touch Me
Singer: Monali Thakur
The only mentionable feature of this song is Monali Thakur. Her voice adds a seductive charm to the song. From my point of view, it is one of those songs you will not enjoy hearing only but requires visuals as well.

12) Zara Zara Touch Me (remix version)
Fast paced song with lots of techno beats.

13) Zara Zara Touch Me (Aslan RnB Mix)
Slow paced with techno beats used as fillers; nothing special.

14) Dekho Nashe Mein
Singer: KK, Sunidhi Chauhan, Shaan
A typical dance floor song found in many movies, for example, “Yeh Khuda” in Fight Club. The music is average.

15) Dekho Nashe Mein (remix)
The remix version is fast pace with lots techno-bits.

16) Dekho Nashe Mein (latin Feista Mix)
Honestly, I could not figure out the significant features of this one. All the remix sounds same to me.

Overall, the album is an overkill. So many remixed versions and not all of them are good to hear. However, at the end of the day, you will definitely like ‘Race Sanson ki’ both original and remix version and ‘Pehli Nazar mein’. You will end up humming the later.

Some other entries about Race Movie: (Just click the title below)

Race Hindi movie : Atif Aslam’s Pehli Nazar youtube video

Is Abbas-Mustan’s action-thriller going to create another controversy like Dhoom 2 ?

Useful links:
Realbollywood.com
Indiafm
Yahoo movies
Bollynewz
Glamsham
Bollywoodbuzz
Smashits