*ing Konkana Sensharma, Boman Irani, Bikram Saluja, Tara Sharma, Shandhya Mridul,Atul Kulkarni .....
	'Page 3' Preview
	'Page 3' Songs
	Director:Madhur Bhandarkar
	Producer:Bobby Pushkarna
	Music:Shamir Tandon
Year Released: Jan 2005

Madhur Bhandarkar has always believed in tackling varied themes in his films. From TRISHAKTI, his directorial debut, to AAN, his last release, his films have had something to say. Irrespective of their box-office outcome, the fact cannot be denied that Madhur is an avid storyteller. Madhur’s latest endeavour PAGE 3 also tackles an unusually realistic theme. As the title suggests, PAGE 3 delves into the lives of the rich and famous. It takes potshots at the upper strata – right from gay fashion designers, to struggling actors, to social workers, to socialites. Even the media isn’t spared!

Story
PAGE 3 is viewed from the eyes of a young journalist, Madhvi [Konkona Sen Sharma], who hails from Bangalore. Since childhood, she’d nursed a desire to take up journalism as a career.
Madhvi gets a job at Nation Today newspaper. Her job involves covering those highly-glamourised Page 3 parties and dos. Her boss, editor Deepak Suri [Boman Irani], is quite helpful, and so is the team. Madhvi is leading a content life, sharing a rented apartment with Pearl [Sandhya Mridul], an air-hostess, when she comes across Gayatri [Tara Sharma], a starlet. Gayatri moves into Madhvi’s apartment and they soon become thick buddies.
But after a point, Madhvi gets fed up of Page 3 reporting. It is actually a bomb blast coverage that serves as a real shocker. She realizes that such parties are a mere sham.
In the meantime, Pearl starts dating a tycoon and heads for the U.S. Prior to that, Gayatri is ditched by her star-boyfriend Rohit [Bikram Saluja]. Now, Madhvi is all the more resolved and determined to change the system. Along with a crime reporter Vinayak [Atul Kulkarni], Madhvi starts focusing on serious issues.
But, in the end, she is back to square one – she gets the Page 3 beat to cover yet again!


PAGE 3 is a well-intended effort. Also, very rarely do we see films being devoted to the mechanics of a newspaper. Besides, it also makes a sincere attempt at bringing to light socially relevant issues. And, of course, Madhur makes a scathing attack at the Page 3 regulars and their plastic lives in his flick.
While the film is not all that gripping in the first half, it does manage to hold your attention in the post-interval portions... Intermittently.

Performance
Konkona Sen Sharma is restrained, but it’s not a performance that you carry home. Sandhya Mridul excels in a significant role. Tara Sharma is fair. Boman Irani is outstanding yet again. Atul Kulkarni hardly gets scope. Bikram Saluja acts sincerely. Upendra Limaye [the cop] registers a strong impact. Jai Kalra makes a fair debut. Rehan Engineer impresses in a small role. Soni Razdan, Suchitra Pillai, Anju Mahendroo, Maya Alagh, Kunika and Madan Jain are adequate.

Music
Music by Shamir Tandon is average.

Verdict
Average.