'Mausam' outruns 'Speedy Singhs' at box office

Shahid Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor’s romantic movie Mausam has scored over the other release of the week, Speedy Singhs, at box office.

Mausam, directed by Pankaj Kapur had already generated enough curiosity and controversy prior to its release. On Friday, the film got a decent opening, ranging between 75 percent to 50 percent at theatres. The response was particularly good in the northern belt, particularly in Punjab, Delhi, UP and even in Rajasthan. The average occupancy of the film could come to around 50 to 60 percent at multiplexes. The response was equally good at single screen theatres.

Check out: Mausam - Movie Review

The film has, however, got mixed reviews from the critics, though it hasn’t got rave review from anyone. The film’s collection is likely to rise on Saturday and Sunday, but it remains to be seen if it can hold steady over the coming week.

Mausam easily overtook the other release of the Friday, Speedy Singhs, which saw a meagre response of 10 to 15 percent at box office.

Check out: Speedy Singhs - Movie Review

Produced by Akshay Kumar, Speedy Singhs is being described as a Xerox of Akshay’s own flopped Patiala House with the only difference that instead of cricket, ice hockey is the game central to the plot. The film is headed for a flop tag.

The coming week would see multiple releases: Hum Tum Shabana, Force, Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster, Chargesheet and Tere Mere Phere.

Movie Review : Speedy Singhs is a Bend it like Beckham on the ice rink!

Film: Speedy SinghsDirector: Robert Lieberman
Cast: Vinay Virmani, Anupam Kher, Camilla Belle, Russell Peters and Rob Lowe
Rating: ***

The film evokes a strong sense of déjà vu right from the word go. It’s Bend it Like Beckham meets Patiala House. So you have a typical Punjabi family settled in an Indian community abroad, a dictator-like-dad maha-unhappy with their daughter/son’s choice to pursue their passion for sports, a wedding in the family and a predictable climax in the stadium. But once you overlook all this, Speedy Singhs takes you on an entertaining ride.

So there’s Rajveer Singh (Vinay) whose heart beats for ice-hockey, while dad Darvesh Singh (Anupam) wants him to join his brother’s transport business. 

Though settled in Canada, the family is seeped in Indian culture and that includes considering every sport other than cricket a waste of time. To add to this woes, there’s Sam (Peters) his cousin sister’s fiancé, who considers Rajveer competition in their family business.

When the chances of Rajveer making it to the top team, Hammerheads, seems impossible thanks to his Indian roots, Harry forms his own team Speedy Singhs with fellow Sikhs under coach Dan Winters (Lowe). Dan’s sister (Camilla) is Rajveer’s love interest. How the Singhs take on the Hammerheads forms the rest of the story. 

The highlights of the film are definitely the super-crisp dialogues topped with an impeccable comic timing, that’s maintained consistently on a high tempo all through and the film’s fast pace. 

The audience is spared of the technicalities of the sport, but is kept aware of what’s going on in the game. The music is tappy enough to enjoy and the beats stay in tandem with the highs and lows of the film. 

The only chink in the armour is the story that could’ve been worked on, but on the upside the film is minus the melodrama that happens in the wake of the protagonist ditching his father’s dreams to fulfill his own. 

Also refreshingly, Harry is unapologetic about his passion and takes on all obstacles with his smarty-pants attitude, so you don’t feel sorry for him, but are with him all through hoping that he succeeds.

The director handles all the relationship angles between the hero and his father, mother, brother, cousin, her fiancé, the opponent, uncle, girlfriend, coach, his team rather well and there’s no beating about the bush as far as emotions are concerned. 

All actors give convincing performances and a thumbs up to the high-on-energy-new-kid-on-the-block Vinay, who looks promising. Camilla and Lowe do good jobs too.

Overall, it’s a fun two-hour watch with friends or family over a bucket of popcorn.

'Speedy Singhs' star Camilla Belle and many actresses (Zarine Khan, Nargis Fakhri, Grace Bears ) is a lookalike of Katrina Kaif !

Katrina and Camilla Belle

People may not know her by face, Camilla Belle, who recently visited the Golden Temple in Amritsar with Akshay Kumar, is the main actress of the cross-cultural sports drama Speedy Singhs which is releasing this Friday. But this American actress is often compared to Katrina Kaif when it comes to looks.

No doubt, both the ladies are blessed with delicate looks, and Camilla Belle’s skin tone, her eyes and even her smile resembles Katrina Kaif’s. If anyone has misgivings, check Camilla’s images where she is sporting fringes and you would be surprised to see how they look like identical twins.

However, unlike Katrina, Camila is into acting since childhood. She made her professional debut in a print ad when she was nine months old. At the age of five she was cast as a lead in her first film, NBC’s thriller, ‘Trapped Beneath the Earth’. She is seen in the films like Poison Ivy II, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, 10,000 BC, The Patriot, and has done several TV shows even. In ‘Speedy Singhs’, she is romancing the main lead Vinay Virmani.

Along with Camilla Belle, there are other beauties who are a spitting image of Katrina Kaif. You are aware of Zarine Khan. Read on to find, who are the other two:

Katrina and Zarine

She still has to shed that plump version of Katrina Kaif image. The comparison between Zarine Khan and Katrina Kaif is inevitable. No matter how much Zarine keeps downplaying the similarity, there’s no denying her startling resemblance to Kat in certain facial features - the rosy lips, the jawline and the nose.

Katrina-Nargis Fakhri

It's kind of creepy, she looks so much like another Katrina in the making. Nargis was selected to romance Ranbir in 'Rockstar' after many fresh faces auditioned for the role. Director Imtiaz Ali was convinced about Nargis being the right gal for the film.

Katrina-Grace

Katrina also has a connection with Vivek Oberoi. His ex girlfriend Grace bears a very close resemblance to Katrina Kaif. Here is she.

Camilla in fringes 

Camilla Belle looks as cute as Katrina in fringes.