Producer : D. Rama Naidu
Director: Yogesh Ishwar
*ing: Sunil Shetty, Sushmita Sen, Namrata Shirodkar, Suman Ranganathan
Music: Anu Malik

Released on : October 6, 2000

Reviewed by: Anjali Abrol
dilwaliji@indolink.com

out of 
After the initial hype of a 'different' story, perhaps Aaghaaz, "The Beginning" of a new wave of original and inspiring (as it was in South India, as Sivaiah), I have to admit that this was far from the beginning of anything more than a headache. With Sunil on his way up from the action hero slump (Hera Pheri, Refugee, Jungle), he manages to sink back to the angry avenger of injustice, nothing different than the first so many years of his career. The story is indeed interesting, but the execution of the story, along with the usual mistakes the typical film consists of, makes the movie an altogether waste of time. And I must admit that knowing the story, I actually *gasp* expected to see a good entertainer....

The story goes as such: Govind (Sunil) and his sister come to Mumbai from Punjab to 'begin' a new life. Begin a new life, yes, but to escape what? What is the 'old' life? We are transported in backflash bits that fill the little gaps that we are all so curious about. The love triangle goes as such: Govind and Sudha (Sushmita Sen), a glamour doll errrr police officer are in love, but Govind, as fate has it, marries Suman Ranganathan in order to save her reputation since she is carrying some random guy's kid. He isn't exactly thrilled (Sush vs. Suman!) yet is subjected to her bhai's, Sharad Kapoor's, attitude problem, since he isn't quite aware of the circumstances surrounding their marriage. Upon learning the truth, Sharad Kapoor tries to kill Suman. Interesting thus far, I suppose...especially compared to the second half... The climax of the film is that Govind's sister is raped....*yawn again* ....Govind gets angry at the bastiwale who watch this without helping protect his sister... (that's the big twist of the usual masala(?) film....) and then we fall asleep.

Sunil Shetty does well in his role, and why wouldn't he? After playing the same role repeatedly, movie after movie, well practice does make perfect. Namrata has a small role as a girl in Sunil's "new" life and fails to impress, same as Suman. Sushmita did decently well, considering she is fighting crime, more with the terrible enemies (hair frizzies or fake eyelash glue drying up) than real crime (she is a police officer and not a fashion officer, right?). Sharad Kapoor did much better in Josh than this flick...think he got lucky or is just bored? Johnny Lever does well to keep up the light-hearted humor end of the movie.

Songs are passable, or maybe not even that. The cinematography is average as is the choreography. The action was one of the stronger points of the film (which is both good and bad, good that there was a strong point in the film, bad that it was one of the only strong points). The plot ran haywire nearing the second half of the film, starting with the unnecessary rape bakwaas.

Aaghaaz is definitely nothing more than just a time pass Hindi film, or more like just the beginning of a headache.