I like Black Panther, but I didn't like this movie.

An action-packed slog

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

The plot is predictable, more so the end and especially if you have bothered to look up "progeria" on Wiki. It has holes, is unbelievable in parts, sheds some unwanted light on unneeded details and can be, on the whole, termed inconsistent which, under normal circumstances and also given Balki, the writer-director's past track record (he seems to have a fetish for Big B in abnormal roles - remember Cheeni Kum?), is a perfect recipe for disaster. For some odd reason, Paa isn't one. And while it isn't exactly a gem, it has just about enough going for it.So Amitabh Bachchan is too tall even when it comes to fully grown adult roles. The camera-work need to be out of the world in order to be convincing - sadly, it's not. And those of you expecting to see some tricks out of Appu Raja's book (remember Kamal Hassan's dwarf act?) will be disappointed. Then we have the unnecessary political details that are conveniently forgotten later in the film, which might be considered by some as a blessing in disguise, given that the politico-media rhetoric is not well done at all (a dynamic young MP from Uttar Pradesh who happens to be from a political family which may or may not be holier than thou - surprise!) Inclusion of some form of political commentary seems to have become a filmmaker's benchmark of sorts and Balki fails miserably on this count, since it is obvious he could not decide what he exactly wanted to portray - the rise, fall and subsequent rise of an over-idealistic Amol (Abhishek) all of which happens within a very short span of time, doubts regarding his father's wealth and thereby honesty (thus questioning the foundation of Abhishek's 'politics is not a dirty world') or a snapshot of the sleazy reality and the associated cynicism fuelled by the opportunistic media. Also, if strained personal equations take time to heal, public perception and the media's stance does not switch overnight either.Then we have Vidya Balan - now here's another actress who looks gorgeous but cannot act to save her life. Worse, she chooses to reprise a role from a film which owes its success to the humour, not to her wooden act (I'm obviously talking about Hey Babyy here) - the angry, young and unforgiving single mother who will obviously relent at the very end. End result - she reaffirms the faith reposed in her by her critics. The latter part of the second half where she is required to emote and hams every time she tries to do so is a pain and takes away the good memories of the part leading up till then.So what's good? Well, Amitabh owns! Leave alone the height issue, and what we have here is a gem of a performance - the make-up not only helped in disguising him, but also enabled him to deliver the dialogues in an almost perfect child-like accent (I say almost perfect because you just know that it is Mr. Bachchan - which is hardly surprising given that his is one of the most easily recognizable voices). Every scene with him in it, inevitably cracking a smart-Alec comment or two, or behaving only like a school-kid does is a gem, so much so that the second half seems to drag only because all the melodrama hardly ever gets Auro involved directly.His weird dance might seem repetitive after a few times, but as far as Auro's wisecracks go, while a few of them may have been a bit too mature for a 13-year-old, most of them are the kind of things a middle school-goer would say - and it's the way that they're said that seals it. Abhishek, in spite of a somewhat weakly written and insufficient role, performs adequately, as do the supporting actors Paresh Rawal and especially Arundathi Nag as "Bum" (watch it to find out why). Overall, the first half is a breeze while the second half drags - and while the music is nice, the later songs seem to have been force-fed into the scheme of things - but that's alright.Granted, that there are many chinks in the armour - and as a viewer, you should keep that in mind while you go watch this one. And go watch this one you should (exactly once, of course) if only to relive what we left behind way back on the platform of that unknown little station called 8th standard - an uncared-for piece of baggage full of silly jokes, laughter, mannerisms along, sadly, with our innocence.

'Paa' may be very loosely inspired by 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' and 'Jack' but the only resemblance is that the Benjamin character is born old (while he ages backwards) and that the Jack character also suffers from progeria. 'Paa' is very much its own film (at least I hope it's original) and it's better than Balki's previous movie 'Cheeni Kum'.What I liked about it most were the scenes that involved Auro, Vidya and Bum. They were very believable as a family. Vidya's and Bum's unconditional love for their son and grandson, respectively, shines on screen.Vidya Balan is remarkable as Auro's devoted mother. Arandathi Nag is very likable as Auro's grandmother, bum. Abhishek Bachchan is okay at best. Paresh Rawal brigns some comic relief but this time the humour that he brings is rather subtle which is a welcome change. Finally, Amitabh Bachchan steals the show as the twelve year old child struggling in the body of a seventy year old.On the flip side, the subplots regarding Amol's political career are boring and poorly handled. The sequences near the end are a little melodramatic and overdone (though it's not as bad as it was in 'Cheeni Kum'). At the same time it also a little.There are only a few songs but they are quite nice. The song that plays during the closing credits, sung by Amitabh Bachchan, is superb. The 'hichky' track and 'Uri Uri' are quite pleasant too. The execution is simplistic but good enough. The sets are decent. I liked how homely and cosy Auro's house looks.'Paa' is a decent watch and is mostly likable for the characters and Vidya Balan and Amitabh Bachchan's performance.

OMIGOSH, this one got me. I couldn't stop crying. Amitabh Bachchan is a living legend. I actually was telling my sisters that he was the one playing Auro and they didn't believe me even after his real life wife introduced him at the beginning of the film. Yes, Big B is that good in his essaying the role of a tragic little boy suffering from progeria(a rare disease that speeds up the aging process). Abhishek Bachchan(Big B's real life son) was decent in the scenes in which he didn't have to share with his real life father and Vidya Balan has proved yet again that she is the power house actress we suspected she was when we first met her in 'Parineeta', Paresh Rawal (who co-stars) is given very little to do but handles his scenes very well as Amol's(Junior Bachchan) father.

R Balki directs 'Paa', a film I was very interested to watch. At first, the promos did not impress me and I expected to see a pretentious film at best, but the positive reviews and several recommendations made me finally catch this one. The film was a pleasant surprise: nice and simple, but somehow I still expected something else. R Balki did a very good job in terms of both writing and direction. The film's story is well-written and told, the execution is steady, and the dialogues are witty and light. But at some point I did feel that something was missing there. Don't know what. Maybe something in the portrayal of Auro's relationship with his mother could have been better done, though I liked how Balki portrayed his friendship with school kids, particularly a boy named Vishnu.Bachchan's casting in the role of Auro, which created a lot of buzz and curiosity pre-release, was brave and bold, but frankly speaking, it would have been more interesting to see a child actor playing Auro. I say that while considering the many young talents in the industry who could have easily been suitable for the part. Bachchan is somewhat overly tall for the role and since all of us know Auro is played by the great Amitabh Bachchan, it reduces the level of credibility in the film's authenticity, and many may feel it was made to showcase his greatness and to evoke such reactions as "wow! He plays his son's son!"But Bachchan does not disappoint. He manages to make Auro a likable character with his under-toned line delivery, expressive eyes and simplicity. A lesser actor of his age could have played the role in an overly childish manner with exaggerated mannerisms and noticeable attempts to overdo and emphasise the character's young age and disease symptoms. But not Bachchan. Hardly recognisable under this heavy mask of make-up, he naturally transforms into a little, intelligent kid of our times and is thoroughly convincing.Abhishek Bachchan, playing his real-life father's father is strictly okay in a role that is not very deep or demanding but still contributes to the film significantly. Vidya Balan is excellent as Vidya, the caring and loving mother who is also an assertive and independent career woman. Balan acts with grace and restraint and she is natural and compelling throughout. And she is absolutely stunning in her traditional Indian looks. Arudhati Nag is fine and effective as Vidya's supportive mother. The child who plays Auro's best friend Vishnu is simply adorable. I particularly liked a scene in which Auro and Vishnu have a phone conversation, and Vishnu sharply criticises his father. That was hilarious!Coming to the music, Ilayaraja composes a lovely, classical and joyful soundtrack for the film which gives it a very light and feel-good mood. The editing and the cinematography are well-done. Towards the end, 'Paa' is a bit emotional. It neither made me shiver nor tear, but it still was efficient and moving. I recommend you to watch 'Paa' with family or friends. Do not plan to either hate or love it. If you watch the film trying to ignore this wow factor, you will definitely enjoy it and will probably be able to appreciate Balki's efforts to make a lightly dramatic episode about one young boy and his relationships rather than a socially educative film on progeria. Just enjoy this witty, interesting and refreshing piece.