bollycritic Yes, it is an oxymoron. A boxing movie designed to cater to the females in the auditora is as unappetizing in thought as it is in execution. There is far too much sobbing in this depressing tale of a disgraced Indian boxer (Dharmendra) who cannot move on with his life. Dharmendra has always been a great actor, but in Anil Sharma's hands this time around, he is reduced to a weeping, willowy, little girl trapped in a man's body. What happened to the super-strong Dharam-paji of Anil Sharma's super-hit Hukumat? Heck, Dharmendra was a thousand times more engaging in the recent Anurag Basu venture, Metro. Sunny is ten years too old, and one hair piece too ugly, for his role as the misunderstood eldest son. And Bobby's transformation from a rocker to super-athlete is impossible to digest. Skip it. If you want to enjoy better Deol fare, there are a thousand other choices out there. (Try Chupke Chupke, Ghulami, Yateem, Dacait, Damini or Gupt.)

CriticRoshan This has to be the first time that I have seen the audience clap and cheer a fight scene in the UK. When Sunny Deol exacts revenge in the climax on Luca (the current Heavyweight Champion) for what he did to his brother, the entire cinema erupted. Excellent stuff.On the whole Apne isn't a brilliant film, but it has its moments, be it the emotional scenes between Dharamendra and his sons or the scenes in the boxing ring, it does leave its mark on you.It was great to see Dharamendra back on screen playing a well etched character. His bitterness and failure really came across very well. Bobby Deol was also good in probably the weakest (no pun intended) character of the three. Sunny Deol as always was brilliant. No one plays rage and anger on screen as well as he does. He really gets the audience going.To sum up Apne will leave you with moist eyes and fists. It makes a change to see a good desi film on screen, rather than the pretentious 'we're almost like Hollywood' type of films which are churned out week after week.

danzs Stars never die… the simply fade away. Once in a while they shine with brilliance, just as a reminder that they are very much around. That's Dharmendra for you as ex-boxer Baldev Singh who struggles to meet life after being banned from the sport despite winning a silver medal for India in the Olympics.Its Dharmendra's show all over as he puts up a sensitive portrayal of trying to win back his honour by coaching the first prospective heavy weight boxing champion for the country. At one end is his strained relationship with the elder son Angad (Sunny Deol) who quits boxing since the sport does not support a family and goes for greener pastures, at the other is his rockstar son Karan (Bobby) who aspires to fulfill his fathers dreams.The plot weaves a script around these family relationships which at times are tedious but do have their strong moments.The movie is a break from regular romance and love triangles. Shilpa Shetty as the Bahu plays her part OK, Kiron Kher as the wife is good as always and Katrina is subdued and around. Always good to have a Victor Banarjee there. Few of the songs are catchy but on the whole it's a Deol family show and the family bonds show on screen as it does off screen."Play Cricket or Tennis in this Country, cause boxing has no future," says Dharmendra and echoes well the pathos of this country when it comes to encouraging people who pursue sports. Its not a 'Rocky,' but Apne combines Indian family tradition to deliver a strong message about the plight of sportsmen who are struggling today with the lack of encouragement coming their way.And though it does have its moments of absurdity, on the whole it's a movie that has a feel good factor and should serve as a reminder for those in the Sporting Authority to fund more than just cricketers.

mojo8850 No two opinions about it. Anil Sharma's latest movie 'Apne' is rich in emotions. The film, marking the coming together of the three Deols on the silver screen for the first time, is the story of familial bonding and conflicts.Having seen the film, it is clear why it is the best flick to cast Dharmendra and his two sons (Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol) together. The reason is its story and the three main characters in it. There is no doubt that the three Deols drew a lot from their personal lives into their performances in the film. That is why the emotions and the kinship show on the big screen, too.Baldev Choudhary (Dharmendra) once won an Olympic silver medal in boxing. He came very close to realizing his dream of winning the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship. But he was falsely implicated in doping charges and banned from boxing.His dream shattered, a disgraced Baldev retires with humiliation and resentment. Now, he hopes that his elder son Angad (Sunny Deol) will fulfill his dream. But Angad doesn't share his father's passion for boxing.The relation between Baldev and Angad is strained. Instead of following his father's dream, Angad has his own aspirations from life.Baldev's second son Karan (Bobby Deol) is physically incapable of taking up boxing and becomes a musician.Things take a turn with Baldev's growing dejection as a boxing coach. This is when Karan, the younger son, is healed and decides to don the boxing gloves to fulfill his father's dream.What follows next is the struggle of the two sons to restore their father's lost honour by realizing his dream.'Apne' is not so much about boxing as it is about the special bonds between family members. Thankfully, the film doesn't delve into stereotypes. The leading character Baldev has some shades of grey to the extent that he wants to force his will upon his sons only to redeem himself. Then there is Sunny Deol's character that doesn't see eye to eye with his father. In fact, sequences featuring Sunny and Dharmendra are among the best in the film.The movie's story develops gradually and as it does so it sucks you in. The boxing matches in the second half are very convincingly shot. However, Sunny Deol's taking on the heavyweight champion (played by Chris Anderson) is a bit hard to digest.The film's music by Himesh Reshammiya is strictly okay. The cinematography by Kabir Lal is eye-catching. The film's editor, however, could have been more liberal in his job. The film's duration (a little less than three hours) could ideally be shortened to avoid deeper bumps on the seats of cinema halls.Dharmendra is the central force of 'Apne'. Without him the movie would lose its soul. It is both surprising and pleasing to see Dharmendra deliver a powerhouse performance after doing utterly forgettable films like 'Kis Kis Ki Kismat' and 'Hum Kaun Hai'.The septuagenarian actor breathes life and fire into his performance. His character's dream, his dejection, his resentment, his endearing charm and his anger is so very believable. Dharmendra proves yet again that he has not lost command over the craft of acting.Sunny Deol looks a little aged and worn out for his role in the film. Despite this, he delivers a notable performance. Though for the most part he stays restrained and mellowed, but when his wrath is invoked, the actor gives you goose bumps with his performance.Bobby Deol's acting is to the mark. He remains understated and doesn't have as many dialogues in the film as the other Deols.The film's heroines Katrina Kaif and Shilpa Shetty have small roles. Kiron Kher is brilliant yet again in a natural performance.Director Anil Sharma gets many things right in 'Apne'. Rather than focusing on action, he taps the emotive appeal of the film's story. The result is a film that can leave you with moist eyes.My personal opinion worth the movie NOT a typical bollywood love story.8.0 / 10.0 Regards