Review: Lincoln is a deserving Oscar frontrunner

Steven Spielberg's [ Images ] Lincoln boasts of a stellar cast led by two-time Academy Award winner Daniel Day Lewis [ Images ] in the titular character, writes Vipin Vijayan.

Steven Spielberg never ceases to amaze. To pick up a decisive moment in American history and portray it on screen with compelling narration is something that only a certain pedigree of directors can do.

Adapted from Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, Spielberg’s offering is not a biopic.

Lincoln is set around the 16th President’s tumultuous final months in office during which he pursues a course of action designed to end the bloody civil war, unite the country and abolish slavery.

Spielberg joins with his long-trusted team behind the camera -- director of photography Janusz Kaminski, production designer Rick Carter, costume designer Joanna Johnston, ditor Michael Kahn and composer John Williams -- to make a war-torn world that Lincoln irrevocably changed in 1865 a contemporary experience.

Two-time Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis, who plays the titular character, truly gets under the skin of his character and impresses as the 6 foot 4 inch-tall US president at odds with his family and representatives of the Democratic Party.

The Lincoln who emerges is a man of raw paradoxes, funny and solemn, a playful storyteller and fierce power broker, a shrewd commander and a vulnerable father.

To bring to life the major role that the First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln played in her husband’s political and personal life, Spielberg turned to two-time Oscar winner Sally Field.

Figure this: Lincoln was 10 years older than his wife Mary Todd. But in real life, Sally is 10 years older than Day-Lewis.

Yet, Sally delivers with grace as the slightly loony First Lady.

Spielberg backs up Day-Lewis with a strong cast led by Tommy Lee Jones, who plays firebrand Radical Republican Thaddeus Stevens agitating for emancipation, black fighting units, and black suffrage.

Thaddeus Stevens’ rhetorics in the House of Representatives during the debate on the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery, the aggressive lobbying for votes, Lincoln admonishing his son Robert Todd Lincoln (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) for thinking of enlisting himself in the Union army… Spielberg peppers the 149-minute narration with moments that are hitherto unknown to many.

No wonder, Lincoln is the front-runner for the coveted Oscar awards. Go watch this one for Spielberg’s charm and a slice of American history.

PIX: Akshay, Vidya, Big B at Style Awards

Bollywood stars put on their finest designer wear for an evening of glamorous appearances and lively conversations at the Hindustan Times Style Awards at ITC in Lower Parel, South Mumbai.

Vidya Balan, who worked with Special Chabbis leading man Akshay Kumar in Bhool Bhulaiya and Heyy Babyy, caught up with her former costar at the do.

Image: Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan
Photographs: Pradeep Bandekar 

'Ranbir was quiet and sat by himself in one corner'

Rajul Hegde in Mumbai

Uma and Gaiti, ace choreographers with 12 years of combined dance and choreography experience, most notably in television commercials and music videos, have choreographed for Remo D'Souza's ABCD that released today. 

Experts in contemporary dance, they have participated in shows such as Channel [V] Footloose, Dance Premiere League, and Jhalak Dikhla Jaa. They conduct dance workshops in Dubai. 

They are personal trainers for Bollywood celebrities Imran Khan, Emraan Hashmi, Dia Mirza, Abhay Deol, Mrinalini Sharma, and Celina Jaitely.

Uma and Gaiti have been working together for almost nine years in Mumbai. The first break came through a music video for Shaan directed by Vikramaditya Motwani. The song was called Na Kehna Nahi Ata. 

Abhay Deol, who was a part of the project, recommended them to Vikram. 

The first film song that they shot was for Ram Gopal Varma's Darna Zaroori Hai. 

 

"We have choreographed one big song called Duhai hai and all the dance school sequences in the film. It was a great experience being a part of this feature with Remo, Prabhu Deva, K K Menon and all of the dancing stars. It was a choreographer's delight."

Uma and Gaiti share some interesting behind-the-scenes details of the stars they have interacted with.

Ranbir Kapoor

We were thrilled when Imtiaz Ali called us for Rockstar. To choreograph Ranbir on A R Rahman's music was an extremely stimulating idea. Nevertheless the song (Phir Se Ud Chala) didn't have scope for dancing as it was real and situational. 

Ranbir was quiet and sat by himself in one corner between takes and that's what stood out for us in the whole shoot: that you wouldn't realise that a huge star like Ranbir was on the set. 

He would be taking guitar lessons whenever he got time.

PIX: Stars attend the Mirchi Music Awards

The Mirchi Music awards, honouring the best musical works of 2012, were held at the Yashraj Studio in Andheri, a wetsern Mumbai suburb, on February 7.

Amitabh Bachchan, who was felicitated with the Contribution To 100 Years of Cinema at the do, presented the Best Lyricist trophy to Javed Akhtar for the hit song Jee le zara from Talaash.

Image: From L to R: Alka Yagnik, Sonu Nigam, Amitabh Bachchan, Ramesh Sippy, Javed Akhtar and Sajid-Wajid
Photographs: Pradeep Bandekar 

VOTE: Is the spanking new Naino Mein Sapna better?

Legendary playback singer Kishore Kumar's son Amit has sung the iconic Naino Mein Sapna in the remake of Jeetendra-Sridevi starrer Himmatwala. 

Director Sajid Khan got Amit to re-record the chartbuster track in the new version of the film that was originally sung by his father alongside Lata Mangeshkar.

Choreographer Farah Khan and music directors Sajid-Wajid have recreated the 80s magic with Ajay Devgn and Tamannaah.

The song showcases a colorful kaleidoscope of pots, larger than life swans and dhols with many dancers in the background quite like the original. 

"We wanted to recreate the magic of Naino Mein Sapna song. The original was sung by a legend for the male version..so we wanted someone who can do justice to the iconic song," Sajid told PTI. 

"Amit's voice is too good. I feel no one except Amit could have sung 'Naino Mein Sapna'. He has sung exactly like Kishore Kumarji," he added.

Shreya Ghoshal was chosen for the female voice. As the makers already had the rights to the song, they have retained first few lines from the original. Sajid-Wajid have given the music. 

Himmatwala is the remake of the yesteryear's superhit film of the same name, starring Sridevi and Jeetendra. The new one stars southern star Tamanna Bhatia and Ajay Devgn.

Here is the new version of the classic song that many of us grew up with. Tell us which one's better! Vote here!