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Showbiz
 Director: Raju Khan
Producer: Mukesh Bhatt
Starring: Tushar Jalota, Mrinalini Sharma, Gulshan Grover
Music: Lalit Pandit
Lyrics: Sayeed Qadri
 Use, Misuse, Abuse…Breaking News!!! The booming world of upbeat media gave birth to the rise of sort of "paparazzi", known as "pepping tom" in the glamour world. There hasn't been much in print or electronic media about their misadventures. In fact, some of them have been considered like jewel of the crown by some publications, news channels, magazines and websites. 'Showbiz' is the film about "paparazzi" dealing with the "dark side of fame" as the tagline suggests. These "paparazzi" serves spice and sugar of Page 3 parties and are often authors of "hot "n" happening" gossips and scoops through their multifaceted lenses. Indeed, there is a great innovation to foray into a subject like 'Showbiz' but there seems to no positive inclination in making it happen on the big silver screen.
'Showbiz' proves to be the weakest offering by the Bhatt camp as it has arrived with zilch promotion, zero face value and below average music. Despite the fact that it has arrived during a holiday weekend, it will be finding hard to breath last with the super success of the last week's releases - 'Welcome' and 'Taare Zaamen Par'.
A film like 'Showbiz' is expected to be criticized by the media world (as the producer may predict) but innovative concepts have always been fancied both by the Bhatt camp as well as by the media world. The Bhatt camp's strong inclination towards Hollywood films takes another bow with 'Showbiz'. This meek inspirational lift from Hollywood's 'Paparazzi' (2004) is a tirade of rising superstar against the atrocities and intrusion by "paparazzi" in his life.
It lacks every good ingredient of the typical Bhatt camp thriller that takes its movies to the biggest connoisseurs of the tinsel world. Lackluster music, low hype and zero face value will go against the promising aspects of good opening at the box office. The Bhatt camp has always been pouncing on socially relevant subjects and trying to do with promising talents. This time they have chosen choreographer-turned-director Raju Khan to wield the microphone along with the responsibility of lending effective screenplay to the film. Raju Khan's slick camera work has worked instinctively with the dark feel of the film but the treatment and scripting prove amateurish.
If the filmmaker had decided to foray into the burning subject like "invasion of privacy" then there can be "n" number of relevant stories to project. The malice of yellow journalism could have more realistic treatment where everything should have looked real and natural. 'Showbiz' works on a "filmi" plot as well as "filmi" treatment where the protagonist settles the score his way. The role of political machinery or law is completely undermined by the protagonist in the film and the finale looks too amateurish.
'Showbiz' is a "rags to riches" story of "Voice of India" talent show winner Rohan Arya (Tushar Jalota), whose personal life finds the fancy of four "paparazzi", led by shrewd and cunning Sharad Rajput (Sushant Singh). The caricature of Sharad Rajput looks pretty stereotype and reminds of old style villainous characters who dare to challenge hero in first shot. Shikha (Mrinalini Sharma), the creative head of "Showbiz" channel was the mastermind behind Rohan's success and this ignites a spicy gossip in the media.
 The couple prefers to go to the media and announce their relationship to end this everyday gossip "masala" in the press. The film takes a twisting turn when another TV channel head (Gulshan Grover) entices these four "paparazzi" to give "breaking news" that might set their TRP's on fire. On one fateful day, Rohan is caught red-handed with a call girl Tara in his car. In hot pursuit to get intimate pictures of Rohan with her, the four "paparazzi" chase her and it leads to fatal accident that leads to the sudden downfall of Rohan's stardom.
The second half of 'Showbiz' brings the vengeful mindset of Rohan where he plans to settle score with these four "paparazzi". Earlier, he dreamt of beating them to pulp but finally he decides to get justice for his innocence. The real identity of call girl Tara as his real sister and nabbing of all "paparazzi" at their place looks fictional and half-baked.
Why will a cunning reporter irritate his savior (Rohan) on a cliffhanger in a ramshackle mill? Why is Rohan keeping quiet about his atrocities? How does an honest journalist Qureshi (Sachin Khedkar) help Rohan in getting justice? And, how does Rohan get to know about the secret whereabouts of his boss (Saurabh Shukla) for the final deal? The climax sounds pretty amateurish when a shrewd reporter like Sharad Rajput gets double-crossed by his teammate (Amin Hajee). The plot to entangle Sharad and corrupt TV channel heads by Rohan was expected to be more lucid in terms of narration and execution. The mind game of "invisible camera" is well conceptualized but the situations need to be more enticing and gripping.
The film marks the arrival of their reliable assistant director Tushar Jalota as a leading man of the film. Unlike hi-profile star kids, this struggling newcomer had to struggle to find the light of the day. The newcomer proves to be promising (if not prodigal) in delivering out a substantial performance. There seems to be room for improvisation but overall the actor manages to live up to his character. Mrinalini Sharma manages to deliver another good performance in Bhatt's film after the moderate success of 'Awaarapaan'. The actress looks confident and promising but does not have the glaring looks that can really set the screen on fire. Sushant Singh gets a significant role in playing the lead villainous character. Saurabh Shukla and Gulshan Grover prove to be competent performers again in depicting their realistic characters of TV channel heads. Delnaz Paul emotes brilliantly and her scenes with Mrinalini speak of her reliability as a competent performer.
Unfortunately, the musical department (composer Lalit Pandit ) seems to be a low key affair where soundtracks like "Tu Mujhse Tun Mila" and "Mera Palak Ka Tu Hi Sitara" manage to be simply mechanical than hip-shaking for the situations. The story and the screenplay (Mudassar Aziz and Raju Khan) fail to be strikingly informative or engrossing, as the subject might have demanded it to be. Debutante director Raju Khan shows great promise in inundating new concepts and talents in the marquee but the inclination and tenacity of conceptualization needs lot to be desired. In no way, the directorial effort can be undermined but it's the act of story telling that needs to be refurbished for future projects.
 Commercially speaking, the business of 'Showbiz' will largely be affected with the tremendous box office success of the last week's releases - 'Welcome' and 'Taare Zameen Par'. The film is not expected to garner major good mouth of publicity and with below average promotion. This is likely to face hard waters at the box office. The year 2007 seems to end on a dry note with average show of 'Showbiz' for the coveted Bhatt camp banner where their earlier releases like 'Awarapaan' and 'Dhokha' have already proved damp squib at the box office.
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