=Bollynesia opening nite special - 2 bits of chocolate=

Bitter Sweet CHOCOLATE
Main Actors: Anil Kapoor, Irfan Khan, Tanushree Dutta, Sunil Shetty, Arshad Warsi, Emraan Hashmin, Sushma Reddy
Director: Vivek Agnihotri
Music Director: Pritam
Released: Sep 16, 2005

- Starting with the good - Picturization of this crime-suspense flick is kind of slick..the London backdrop adds good flavour.

- Too bad the story is just a dumbed-down version of a Hollywood classic. Let's say now you don't have to imagine what The Usual Suspects would have been like as a musical.

- While Anil Kapoor & Irfan Khan display their acting talents, the women display their skin. Like why did Sushma Reddy's character have to rip her shirt open to prove her feminity? Maybe I just don't have the right "head" to think of the answer ;).
Its funny, I found over 6 sites with the same article on Tanushree, titled: "I want to be known as a good actress, not as a hot symbol" and Tanushree..even after reading that 6 times..I am still not convinced! I mean have you seen your movies?
Well anywho, Sunil Shetty, Arshad Warsi and Emraan Hashmi weren't given enough to do. Emraan almost looked bored in the movie, well that might have something to do with this being his only movie (I've seen) where he has no love-making scene..heh

- Speaking of Emraan..he is some sort of lucky-mascot for Bollywood OSTs (even though like this one, most aren't deserving of the O in OST ;)). All his movies seem to churn out a hit song or two (Bheege Hooth, Woh Lamhe, Aashiq Banaya..) and this is no exception. A youthful collection by Pritam of Dhoom-fame.
~Bheegha bheegha sa yeh December - fun-ish (note Sunidhi's accent;)) *"Adaptation" of Abrar ul Haq's December*
~Halka halka sa yeh nasha - made a good promo song
~Kool kool sa yeh review - hehe..ok so i got a little carried away there
~Jhuki Jhuki - the obligatory item number. Like with Tanushree Dutta in the rest of the songs..there was actually a need for a separate one.
~Khalish - good rockish feel.
~Zahreeli raatein - clubbish - my kind of poison. *"Inspired" by Jal's Aadat*
~Mummy ("Kehte hai sabhi ke badi hot hoon main. Tell you what, tequila ka ek shot hoon main. Magar khayal yeh rahe zara, mummy ko nahin hai pata. Mummy se na kehna") - Please tell me this song was just added for comic relief! I mean seriously..its seriously funny! It is very..mmm..Anu Malikish.
Well overall, Pritam offers a good package..ok that just didn't sound right :")

- What definitely wasn't music to my ears was Tanushree Dutta's voiceover..done by Antakshari-lady Pallavi Joshi. Ok so Pallavi is the director's wife and all..but really..her? I even read that she "groomed" the two leading female actors - Tanushree & Sushma Reddy for the movie...come on now..Pallavi Joshi??!!

- So a little tit-bit - This was supposed to be Tanushree Dutta's first release, but since she had no written contract with the makers of Chocolate, she signed up for Aashiq Banaya Aapne. Now that released before Chocolate and according to Chocolate director, Vivek Agnihotri, that ruined the just-sexy-not-sleazy image of Tanushree which he tried very hard to portray by even editing out kissing and seduction scenes from his own movie.

- BTW, am I just imagining it or is Bollywood doling out Ash look alikes? First there was that "Lucky" girl & now Tanushree. Dhekne main Ash hain toh cash hain...ok that was lame even for me..and I am not to critical of my own humour.

Let's say this film was like a Ferrero Rocher chocolate - attractive packaging, nutty in parts but overall pleasant to the senses.

Here are a few Chocolate related links:
The official website: http://www.chocolatethefilm.com/
Previews: http://www.indiafm.com/movies/trailers/12354/index.html
Online music album: http://www.musicindiaonline.com/l/17/s/movie_name.7971/

P.S. For those wondering why I haven't included the basic story outline..I hate knowing the story of a movie beforehand..and I am assuming there are more people like me out there. With this one, having seen Usual Suspects you know more than you need to anyway.

Rounding up today..
A first for me - I shared chocolate!