'Monica' depicts the dark side of 'woman power'

Beating other Bollywood productions to the gun, and braving the ongoing ICC World Cup, Kush Bhargava's and Anup Jalota's 'Monica' is ready to hit screens next Friday with a mix of suspense, woman power and more than a good dose of back stabbing.

What sets the film -- a political thriller directed by Sushen Bhatnagar -- apart is the woman-centric role and the realistic and contemporary feel that depicts the world of scams, kickbacks, bribes and power brokering.

Monica, played by the talented Divya Dutta, is an ambitious journalist who gets ensnarled in the murky world of power, money and consequences.

With a strong cast of Ashutosh Rana, Rajit Kapur, Yashpal Sharma and Kitu Kidwani, the film has an edgy and 'life like' feel that sucks in the audience in a world that they only read and see in news and tabloids.

''There are lots of shades to Monica's character -- she is complicated, vulnerable and ambitious -- and playing the role of a journalist is difficult. But my role is more about the attitude and transformation of the girl from 16 to 35 years of age. I do not think anyone has a better role,'' Divya said.

Co-star, Yashpal Sharma, is confident about the film despite its dark subject and the fact that it only has one song, by Rekha Bhardawaj, played in the background.

''Realistic films are more attractive to audiences now, especially in smaller centres, and judging by the latest trends, realistic and women-centric films are doing well at the box office,'' Yashpal said.

For producers, Jalota and Bhargava, the subject of the film -- ambitious women and the risks they are willing to face and the people they encounter -- was enough to hook them. The script also impressed Jalota, who insisted to his childhood friend, Bhargava to get on board the project.

''I was not into making films when I was presented the script by (director) Bhatnagar. But I was drawn into to it the moment I read it. The script was ready, and all we did was tackle the potential legal aspects,'' said Bhargava.

Audiences can make connections with real life characters like Nira Radia to Madhumita Shukla, though none of the characters are based on them, promise the producers.

''The film is a warning against people who can spoil your future and highlights the dangers of being overambitious. Here is a girl who is ready to do anything, and the people who are there to misguide her along the way,'' Jalota added.

For director Bhatnagar, having a good script and a solid cast, is enough to give him confidence on the success of the film.

''My story will be told through the characters. The cast has brought the characters to life, and Divya's role will surpass her other works,'' he added.

World Cup: India-England thriller ends in a tie

BANGALORE: This was a game both India and England deserved to lose but in the end it was a tie. If the Indians seemed listless while defending a more than healthy 338, the English after being in a position to spoil the Indian party on a pitch on which the expected demons did not surface, suddenly seemed to have invoked the devil himself. In the end what transpired was the fourth ever tie in the history of the World Cup.

The match swayed like a pendulum. The Indian total of 338, set up by a record fifth World Cup ton from Sachin Tendulkar, looked good enough at the break, more so as the hosts had gone in with two spinners. England captain Andrew Strauss had different ideas as he set about all but obfuscating Tendulkar's knock with his maiden World Cup ton.

Then came the batting Powerplay. Suddenly from an impregnable 280/2 from 43 overs, when Strauss (158, 145b, 18x4, 1x6) and Bell (69, 71b, 4x4, 1x6) were going strong with a 170-run stand off 156 balls, things turned upside down. Zaheer Khan, hit around in his first two spells and held back by Mahendra Singh Dhoni for the Powerplay, got two in two, sending back Bell and Strauss to open up the game again.

Suddenly the Indians were pumped up, as the English middle and late order collapsed. But then two sixes, one each by Graeme Swann and Tim Bresnan, both off Piyush Chawla's final over, the penultimate one of the innings, again changed the game. Fifteen had come from that over leaving 14 required from the last to be bowled by Munaf Patel. With number 10 Ajmal Shazad on strike, the match looked to be in India's grasp, but the drama wasn't over by any means. A solid six and some hurriedly run singles brought the equation to two runs off the ball. They got one and the Bangalore crowd, some of whom had left early seeing India's chances all but gone, got what they expected least. A tie!

Before that, the Indians had got most things right. Having decided to play with two spinners in Harbhajan Singh and Chawla, it was important that Dhoni won the toss and allowed his spinners the second use of the pitch. That part went along the script as did the batting, with the top-order firing for the second match in succession. It was even better that the middle-order too got a chance to show their wares and they didn't do too badly either.

Only Tim Bresnan stood up and got noticed among English bowlers. Having dismissed the fortuitous as well as dangerous-looking Sehwag off his fifth ball, Bresnan came back at the death, to keep the Indians from running away to a total in excess of 350. His final analysis of 10-1-48-5 was true reflection of his showing on the afternoon.

No other English bowler went under five an over, with James Anderson in real danger of going for twice that. Every Indian batsman got stuck into him. Tendulkar and Gambhir used his wayward line and length to full effect. That Tendulkar (120, 115b, 10x4, 5x6) picked boundaries even off his better deliveries, ensured that it was not to be Anderson's day.

Once Sehwag (35, 26b, 6x4) had gone, poking at Bresnan for wicketkeeper Matt Prior to bring off a fine one-handed catch diving to his right, the right-left pair of Tendulkar and Gambhir (51, 61b, 5x4) took charge. Without looking in any sort of hurry, the master-blaster milked the bowlers before assaulting them.

The innings wasn't just about Tendulkar and Gambhir though, even if their 134-run second wicket stand set it up. There was also Yuvraj Singh, rightly promoted ahead of Kohli seeing that it was the 30th over, and Dhoni, whose 25-ball 31 went almost unnoticed. Yuvraj (58, 50b, 9x4) wasn't at his fluent best but who knows this knock could well be the launching pad for more to come.

Pakistan team not bothered by Shiv Sena's World Cup threats: Waqar Younis

Colombo, Feb 21 : Pakistan coach Waqar Younis has said that the World Cup team is not worried by the threats issued by right-wing Indian political party Shiv Sena.

Shiv Sena had last week said that if Pakistan reaches the World Cup final, scheduled to be played in Mumbai on April 2, the party’s chief Bal Thackery will ‘decide’ whether they will be allowed to play the match.

“The players are fit and ready to perform with great spirit and that is where our attention lies,” the Dawn quoted Waqar, as saying.

Pakistan will begin their World Cup campaign against Kenya on Wednesday.