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I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm a fan of the show, but I'll admit I've enjoyed reruns of Sex And The City every time I've caught one by accident. Of course what I think of the show doesn't matter here. The truth is, ladies everywhere have been waiting for this, and now it's finally here.

To be entirely honest, the Sex And The City movie doesn't actually feel like a cohesive feature at all. At two hours and twenty-five odd minutes, it feels more like a string of episodes slapped back-to-back, if you ask me. The girls are back for their big screen outing, but I'm disappointed to report, the fun's missing from this adventure.

Sex columnist-turned-author Carrie Bradshaw is planning a fancy wedding with Mr Big, but he's having second thoughts. Cynical, razor-sharp lawyer Miranda is having trouble trusting her husband again after he confesses to having had a casual sexual encounter. Nymphomaniac Samantha is missing her promiscuous lifestyle even as she's settled into a monogamous relationship with her actor boyfriend in LA. And ever the optimist Charlotte is enjoying a happy domestic life with her husband Harry and their adopted daughter Lily, but has never quite given up the hope of getting pregnant.



Now much of the show's success and popularity came from its effortless humour, the clever one-liners delivered by its characters, and their ability to laugh at themselves and at each other in the most delicate circumstances. The problem with the film is the humour's more slapstick than smart — there's a horny dog, a character who shits in her pants, and a scene involving Japanese food as a sex aid. The script fails in interweaving all the characters' storylines, and some characters simply don't get enough material to chew on.

On the upside, say hello to Jennifer Hudson who makes an inspired entry into the story as Carrie's personal assistant, adding a twenty-something perspective for female characters who're now in their forties. Also — and all you ladies , listen to this clearly — it's a mad orgy of designer brands; handbags, heels and wedding gowns, they're all there! The film doesn't cover much ground sadly, but like the show it ends up being about the bond these women share.

I'm going with two out of five and an average rating for Sex And The City: The Movie. Perhaps my opinion really doesn't count here — after all I'll never understand what all the fuss over that new Louis Vuitton handbag is all about.

Rating: 2 / 5 (Average)

Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Aman Siddique, Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla

Director: Vivek Sharma

He sings and dances, arranges the furniture, and even puts the school's lunchbox-raiding principal in place. Yes, that's Bhoothnath for you, the friendly ghost played by Amitabh Bachchan, in director Vivek Sharma's film by the same name.

After a failed attempt at scaring away little Banku and his family who have moved into his sprawling Goa bungalow, Bhoothnath becomes buddies with the precocious kid.

So far, not too many complaints. It's silly and childish yes, but also very watchable. Problems arise somewhere beyond the half-way mark of Bhoothnath when this kids-friendly entertainer turns into something of a rona-dhona heavy Baghbaan rehash. You sink into your seat and cringe with embarrassment as our teary-eyed ghost goes into flashback mode and bores us with those sad stories of his neglectful son.

Despite its fairly basic plot and predictable screenplay, for the most part Bhoothnath works just fine as a children's film. It is after all a formula that never fails when done even half right. Although it's nothing you haven't seen before, the adventures of Banku and Bhooth are enjoyable to watch largely because the chemistry between Bachchan and child actor Aman Siddique is so riveting.

So whether they're pulling a gag on the school principal, or devouring "aloo parathas" that Banku's mother is struggling to prepare, it's this unlikely friendship between boy and ghost that is the film's main draw.

And that's why it hurts as hell when writer-director Vivek Sharma steers his ship in an entirely different direction as the film enters its third act. Melodramatic and needless, the track involving Bhoothnath's back-story is a cumbersome bore. Even Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla, who play Banku's parents in the film, look embarrassed to be participating in such sentimental silliness.

For me Chhota Chetan and Mr India are the ultimate children's films, at least to come out of India . Bhoothnath, sadly doesn't compare to either. For one, both Chhota Chetan and Mr India were involving and engaging stories that had heart.

Eros International released Bhoothnath simultaneously in Pakistan along with the other international markets. It is the first film of Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan to release in Pakistan. The film opened on 9th May across all major cities in Pakistan, including Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujaranwala, Hyderabad and Gujarat, in association with Evernew Group and HKC Entertainment, who have been in the business for more than 50 years.