ROBOT (ENDHIRAN) Movie Review From Bollywood Hungama

Two things...
One, it's difficult to conceptualize and execute a film like ROBOT.
Two, when Rajinikant's name comes in the credits, one cannot hear anything for the next two minutes. His name is greeted with a thunderous applause, whistles yells and cheers. Such is the charisma of this superstar. Rajnikant is the Boss. The real Badshaah.

ROBOT, directed by Shankar, is a Rajnikant Express that transports you to a world you can't envision. Rajnikant's feats are legendary by now. In ROBOT, he goes a step further. The Robot in ROBOT not only follows orders of his creator, but also cooks, fights, romances and wonder of wonders, has a lengthy conversation with a mosquito and scan loads of books/magazines and an entire telephone directory in a second. Yes, you read it right!  

 

That's not all, this Robot is Superman + Spiderman + Terminator + Godzilla, all rolled into one. There's more to this Robot. It can replicate itself, wage a vicious battle, turn into an Anaconda or a monster ball and wipe off an entire army. Whew! Known for larger than life canvas, ROBOT is Shankar's most expensive and if I may say so, his most imaginative film thus far. And who better than Rajnikant for the pivotal role!  

 

Final word? A Rajnikant film is an event and this combo's [Shankar - Rajnikant] new outing ROBOT is sure to strike like Tsunami. Let me make it short-n-sweet. If you miss ROBOT, it's YOUR loss!

Location: Chennai 2010. Mission: Creating a robot Chitti. Purpose: To help the society. Development time: 10 years. Special Features: A human who is not born, but is created. He can dance, sing, fight, is water and fire resistant. He can do all that a human can and more. He feeds on electricity. He takes instructions literally. Where a human can lie to save himself, this robot cannot lie.

Where he has a razor sharp memory and can memorize an entire telephone directory by just running through the pages, he cannot understand human emotions. Dr. Vasi upgrades Chitti's processor and simulates human emotions without realizing the repercussions. Chitti gets transformed. He can now feel and the first feeling that he discovers is Love. Will this love come in the way of Dr. Vasi's purpose of creating Chitti? Will Dr. Vasi's own creation destroy him?

A title like ROBOT automatically puts tremendous responsibility and pressure on the director's shoulders. And ROBOT is not merely a display of VFX, but it also has soul, a story to tell. At first, ROBOT comes across as a clash between the virtuous [Rajnikant] and wicked [Danny Denzongpa]. But ROBOT changes gears in its post-interval portions as the focus shifts to the creator [Rajnikant] and his creation [Rajnikant].

It's a Rajnikant film and it would be incomplete if his loyal fans don't get to watch his stylish actions and feats. Thankfully, ROBOT showcases it all. He can glide on the railway tracks, run horizontally on a moving train, transform into an Anaconda, can swallow helicopters and even fire at people with his fingers, without using a pistol. These are truly clap-trap moments!

Even otherwise, the screenplay is really well penned and absorbing. While the film is a super ride from start to end, it's the penultimate 25 minutes that leaves you awe-struck and speechless. You can't imagine a Hindi film having such an out of the world climax. There will be pandemonium inside theatres when the climax unfolds, I am sure. Let me confess, it's the mother of all climaxes!

Only thing, Shankar could've controlled the length of the film. It could've been shorter by at least 10 to 15 minutes, which includes doing away with a song or two. Of course, like all Shankar movies, the songs are filmed most imaginatively on exotic locales, but what's the point of having songs if they act as speed breakers?

That Shankar ranks amongst India's best directors is well known by now and ROBOT only cements the fact. His vision and execution of the difficult subject deserves the highest praise, in fact distinction marks. He not only dreams big, but the outcome is incredible too. A.R. Rahman's music doesn't compliment the content of the film, but like I pointed out earlier, every song has been filmed exquisitely. The action and chase sequences are outstanding [Yuen Woo Ping, action choreographer in the MATRIX and KILL BILL sequels, was the stunt coordinator]. Visual effects are spectacular [Stan Winston Studio, the studio behind JURASSIC PARK, PREDATOR, TERMINATOR, IRON MAN, AVATAR, provided the animatronics technology]. Cinematography captures the grand production values with precision. The locations of Austria, Machu Picchu in Peru, U.S.A. and Brazil only enhance the visual appeal of the film. The sets are mind-blowing. Dubbing is near-perfect.

ROBOT is a Rajnikant show from start to end. And no other actor, not from Bollywood at least, would be able to do what he does with such amazing ease. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan looks stunning and acts most convincingly. Danny Denzongpa is efficient, as always. The remaining actors enact their parts well.

On the whole, ROBOT is a crowd-pleasing and hugely mass appealing tale of android revolution with a thrilling plot, rich and imaginative screenplay, super action, astounding effects and most importantly, Rajnikant, who is the soul of the film. It's the Big Daddy of all entertainers. Miss it at your own risk!

US apologises to Praful Patel for quizzing him at Chicago airport

The US Homeland Security has apologised to Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel who was questioned by the immigration authorities in Chicago as his name and date of birth happened to match with that of a person on America's watch-list. Patel, who was in Chicago on a private visit and flew to

Montreal for attending an official engagement, was stopped
and quizzed at the O'Hare airport.

The Minister was asked why he was visiting the US and whether he had stayed in the country earlier.

US Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, later apologised to Patel over the issue.

She also gave an assurance that the US will do whatever required to make necessary amends to prevent any such
incidents in the future, Civil Aviation Ministry officials said.

Patel has earlier sought to downplay the episode and said nothing serious had happened.

"I am in Montreal and nothing serious has happened...there is a person with similar name and birth date. That's why
they just double checked," he said.

Patel was questioned by the immigration officials after his name matched with that of another Praful Patel, who
is reportedly on US' watch list.

Brian Bell, the Public Affairs Liaison for Customs and Border Protection at O'Hare International Airport told PTI:
"There are 17,000 passengers per day through the O'Hare Airport and it is not uncommon to deal with people whose names are on the US Watch List. Even if If the person is on the US Watch List, he is let off if he is not a person of interest," he said.

"We deal with such people quickly and efficiently and we release people who do not match," Bell added.

Anti-outsourcing bill fails in Senate

The latest jobs bill from Senate Democrats - a plan to punish firms that ship jobs overseas - failed to clear a key procedural hurdle Tuesday after some Democrats complained that the measure would hamper the ability of U.S. companies to compete in foreign markets.

Four Democrats and Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) voted with a united Republican caucus to block the bill, which was crafted to address the 9.6 percent unemployment rate in the run-up to November's midterm elections. On a vote of 53 to 45, the measure failed to garner the 60 votes needed to overcome a GOP filibuster.

Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) defended the bill as a "simple, common-sense" effort to "keep American jobs here in America" and to "stop forcing taxpayers in Nevada and across the nation to pay for giveaways that reward companies for sending American jobs overseas."

But Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) dismissed the bill as "a purely political exercise" that never had a chance of becoming law.

"With just three days left in the Democrats' two-year experiment in expanded government, they want to make a good last impression with a bill that they know has no chance of passing and which they have no interest in passing," McConnell said. "In my view, it's an insult to the millions of Americans who want us to focus on jobs."

Senate Democrats cobbled the measure together last week as it became clear that they would have to abandon plans to extend Bush administration tax cuts for the middle class before the election. While some Democrats wanted to stage a pre-election battle over taxes, the 59-member caucus was deeply divided, with some conservatives echoing GOP arguments that tax cuts should also be preserved for the nation's wealthiest families, at least until the economy fully recovers.
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Republicans want to extend all the cuts, which are due to expire in January, while President Obama wants to eliminate the cuts on income over $250,000 a year for families and $200,000 a year for individuals. Democrats hope to address the issue during a lame-duck session that will begin in mid-November.

Once the decision was made to delay the tax vote, Senate Democrats turned to the outsourcing issue, which they also viewed as politically potent, especially in devastated manufacturing communities in Midwest and East Coast industrial states.

The bill under consideration Tuesday would have ended tax deductions for expenses incurred when companies shutter U.S. operations and shift the work abroad; imposed a new tax on products once made in the United States but now manufactured by foreign workers; and offered employers a two-year payroll tax holiday on jobs repatriated from overseas.

The payroll tax break would have let employers keep about $1 billion over the next decade, according to the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation, while the tax increases would have taken back about $300 billion over the same period.

Business groups strongly opposed the measure, and Republicans said the tax break would have been miniscule compared with the benefit of extending the Bush-era tax breaks.

"The best thing Congress can do for Americans right now is lower - not raise - the cost of creating good jobs," said Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.). "This bill would raise taxes on the very job creators that we hope will hire out-of-work Americans, which makes no sense, especially in the middle of a recession."

Democrats voting to block the bill were Ben Nelson (Neb.), Jon Tester (Mont.), Mark Warner (Va.) and Max Baucus (Mont.). Baucus, chairman of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, complained last week that the measure would put the nation "at a competitive disadvantage."

Ayodhya:Security beefed up at Allahabad High Court

Lucknow, Sep 29: As India is wrapped in unprecedented security ahead of the Ayodhya verdict on Sep 30, detailed security measures to thwart any untoward incident in the court premises has been prescribed for the Allahabad High Court.


Security has been be beefed up at the Allahabad High Court as the Lucknow Bench is scheduled to deliver its verdict in the 60-year Ram Temple-Babri Masjid dispute at 3:30 pm on Thursday, Sep 30.


Security personnel would be deployed at the entrance of the court, the Registrar said in a press statement detailing the security arrangements for the day.

All lawyers have been requested to follow the directions of the security agencies and carry with them the identity card issued by the Oudh Bar Association, while other lawyers are advised to bring any other suitable mode of identification, the statement added.

Lawyers, who have no listed matters on that date, have also been asked not to come to the court premises.

Only those litigants whose maters are listed on that date, will be allowed to enter the court premises on collecting a pass. The court has also requested litigants to avoid coming to court on the day.

The entry into the court room, where the judgment will be pronounced, will be restricted only to the parties and their lawyers, who will be given special passes on that date.

Mobile phones will not be allowed inside the court room.

Special arrangements have been made for the assistance of the media in the Collector's Compound by the District Administration, the press release informed.

Officers and staff members of the court have been requested not to bring their vehicles inside the court premises. The only exception would be judges' cars and official cars.

There will be no parking in the parking lot of the court. The parking arrangements are being rearranged and the District Administration will notify the arrangements separately, the statement added.

1150 international athletes, officials to land in Delhi

NEW DELHI: Sporting powerhouses Australia and England will have their second batch of athletes and officials checking in among the 1150 who are set to land here on Wednesday for the October 3 to 14 Commonwealth Games.

The Australian contingent is the largest one to arrive today with their 146 member team comprising swimmers, table tennis, athletics, tennis and badminton players.

England's contingent is the second largest with 97 athletes followed by Singapore with 75.

Pakistan's squad of 58 athletes will have participants for hockey, squash, tennis, weightlifting, wrestling and boxing.

Among the other large contingents arriving today are those of Barbados (57), New Zealand (49), Maldives (43), Scotland (42), Seychelles (37) and Zambia (28), the CWG Organising Committee said in a statement.

Apart from these, officials and athletes from Gibraltar, Jamaica, Wales, Jersey, Malaysia, Namibia, Bermuda, Canada, St. Vincent and The Grenadines and Lesotho are also arriving today.

Jamaica's contingent will have participants comprising of boxers, swimmers, table tennis players and para-athletes.

While hockey players from Malaysia and cycling and shooting teams from Barbados are also arriving today.

The Chefs-de-Mission of Canada, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda and Cayman Islands will arrive today along with an international media contingent.

US Senate bars anti outsourcing bill

Washington, Sep 29: Indian IT industries can can breathe a sigh of relief as United States' Republican Senates on Sep 28 blocked the anti outsourcing
bill, which would have restricted jobs within the boundary of the country.


As per the bill, there will be a ban on government contractors from using American taxpayers' money to move jobs offshore.


Minimum 60 votes were needed to overcome the opposition's obstruction but Republicans in a 53-45 vote prevented the bill from overcoming a filibuster.

US Democrat legislator said, "The bill we tried to pass today (Sep 28) is based on simple common sense to keep American jobs here in America."

His statement also added, "but Republicans continued their job-killing agenda today by protecting these tax breaks for CEOs who offshore American jobs."

Terming the bill as an election trick, Republican senator slammed the Democrats for their "height of irresponsibility" that would put the US economy at "greater risk."