Category: Recent Posts

Posted on

Jigra: A perfect mixture of an emotional drama and prison break

Jigra movie banner

Director Vasan Bala does a good job in showcasing how sometimes anarchy is the best solution to fight against the system. Alia Bhatt perfectly embodies the tigress nature of Satya. Her actions aren’t always ethically right but the movie never judges her.

  • Starcast: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Rahul Ravindran, Vivek Gomber and others
  • Writer and director: Vasan Bala
  • Additional writer: Debashish Irengbam
  • Producers: Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, Alia Bhatt, Shaheen Bhatt and Soumen Mishra
  • Cinematography: Swanpil S. Sonawane
  • Music and background score: Achint Thakkar
  • Production Companies: Dharma Productions and Eternal Sunshine Productions
  • Running time: 2 hours and 35 minutes

Stories about sibling love are pretty much a genre in itself. But stories from the perspective of a sister are few. Vasan Bala’s Jigra is one such tale combining two different genres. On one hand it is about an extremely protective sister who from childhood has taken it upon herself to look after her younger brother. Jigra begins with a little boy Ankur complaining of bullying by some of his classmates to his sister Satya. She assures him that the situation won’t repeat. This is followed by the scene of the father jumping off the roof. Satya covers her brother’s eyes so that he need not face the trauma. This moment best describes their relationship. The movie is also a social commentary on the delayed justice system forcing innocent prisoners to take things into their own hands. Vasan Bala has combined these two elements wonderfully despite an over stretched climax.

In simple terms the story of Jigra focuses on the wrongful imprisonment of Vedang Raina’s Ankur in a foreign prison. The place is Hanshi Dao a fictional country reminiscent of North Korea. Ankur along with his cousin goes there to meet an investor but unknown to Ankur the cousin is in possession of drugs. They are caught by the police while driving speedily. Both of them are immediately jailed leading to a harrowing situation for Ankur. Punishment for possessing drugs in that country is death by electric execution. The cousin manages to get away in spite of being a habitual offender, but Ankur is sentenced to death. There are other people too who have been wrongfully accused. Alia Bhatt’s Satya takes it upon herself to free her brother, facing innumerable hardships along the way. In a way she is like a female Amitabh Bachchan standing tall against all odds.

Alia Bhatt as Satya who would go to any lengths to protect her brother

One of the strong aspects of Jigra is Vasan Bala’s seamless handling of emotional drama with high-octane action moments. The first half is mostly devoted to the world of Satya and Ankur. He establishes their bond in an impactful manner without wasting much time. Satya may come across as too dominant, but the movie reflects real life situations where protective sisters are a reality. Satya’s personality is shaped by the traumatic incident of seeing her father’s death.

The first half also has some light moments that makes viewers chuckle. For example, there is a scene where Satya stuffs lot of food out of stress. The quizzical look of the air hostess played by Akansha Ranjan adds to the humor.

Alia Bhatt eating scene in Jigra

The second half shifts gears by focusing on the big escape plan. Aiding Satya in this jail breakout are a former gangster and a former cop Manoj Pahwa and Rahul Ravindran respectively. Manoj Pahwa’s son is also in prison. The senior actor effortlessly combines humor with pathos making a strong impact. Rahul Ravindran in his Bollywood debut portrays an ex-cop battling his own scars. His character Muthu initially wants to stay away from Satya’s audacious plan but soon joins in due to certain events. Unknown to Satya Ankur and his inmates are also designing their own escape plan making the second half more thrilling. Yes, the scenarios do get complicated but there is no denying the thrill quotient. There is even a dialogue by Manoj Pahwa’s Bhatia that the escape plan is getting complicated, so let’s make it easy. Mithu replies that this isn’t a masala movie to simplify things leading to some chuckles.

The second half also benefits immensely from fantastic cinematography and well shot action sequences. A particular mention must be made of the scene where Alia Bhatt and Rahul Ravindran battle it out in a jungle. Before this fight an incident happens creating rift between them making it hard for the viewers whom to side with. The fight ends with a hugely poignant moment. The jailbreak scene at the end feels like a real-life prison riot. Swapnil S Sonawane’s cinematography is impressive especially in these two sequences. Mention must also be made of Achint Thakkar’s immersive background score; it enhances the scenes of Alia battling it out. The music is well placed with special mention of the two songs sung by Vedang: The Jigra title track and the recreated version of Phooloon Ka Taaron Ka…

What also makes Jigra a big winner is how the director has written Alia’s character and her towering performance. There is an emotional intensity to Satya which the actress pulls off. Satya doesn’t claim to be virtuous; an argument between her and Rahul Ravindran perfectly captures the grey shades of Satya. She is just a determined sister who wants to get her brother out whatever the method and Alia is successful in bringing out those nuances, The good thing here is that Vasan Bala never takes a stand on Satya’s morality leaving the viewers to interpret her actions in their own way.

There is an emotional intensity to Satya which the actress pulls off

As far Rahul Ravindran’s Bollywood debut he has a solid role, and he does a fine job in portraying Muthu’s moral dilemmas. The scenes between him and Alia are easily one of the best parts of Jigra. Lastly Vedang Raina is pitch perfect as a naive young man caught in a complex web. His portrayal of anguish in the torture scenes deserves a major kudos. The actor also shares a wonderful chemistry with Alia.

Rahul Ravindran does a fine job in portraying Mithu’s moral dilemmas
Vedang Raina is pitch perfect as the naive young man caught in a complex web

A slight issue with Jigra is the overstretched climax which takes place on international waters. It doesn’t add much other than extending the proceedings.

Posted on

Vettaiyan: The triumph of stardom over storytelling

At its core director TJ Gnanvel has an important story to say, the dangers of hurried justice resulting from external pressure and sufferings of the poor but the struggle to balance the societal aspects with the demands of Rajinikanth fans make it an uneven film at best

  • Starcast: Rajinikanth, Amitabh Bachchan, Fahadh Faasil, Rana Daggubati, Manju Warrier, Ritika Singh and others
  • Director and writer: TJ Gnanvel
  • Additional writer: B Kiruthika
  • Producer: Subaskaran Allirajah
  • Music: Anirudh Ravichander
  • Cinematography: SR Kathir
  • Production Company: Lyca Productions
  • Running time: 2 hours and 45 minutes

T J Gnanvel’s last movie Jai Bhim was a hard-hitting tale on the horrors of custodial torture. It was by no means an easy watch particularly the portions involving police atrocities, but still the relevancy of those scenes shook the viewers conscience. Jai Bhim rightfully won many awards along with garnering excellent ratings. What also made Jai Bhim a major winner was the use of Suriya’s stardom. The actors star power at no point overpowered the narrative, Suriya also blended in perfectly delivering his lines with absolute conviction. Vettaiyan directed by the same TJ Gnanvel’s also focuses on the sufferings of poor people showcasing the transformation of an encounter specialist while merging the topic of educational scams. But unlike Jai Bhim here the director’s handling of the subject leaves a lot to be desired. Vettaiyan isn’t a complete washout particularly if you are a diehard Rajinikanth fan, but the movie leaves you with the feeling that it could have been so much more given the names associated.

Vettaiyan isn’t a complete washout particularly if you are a diehard Rajnikanth fan

Vettaiyan primarily focuses on the vastly different ideologies of SP Athiyan (Rajinikanth) and a prominent lawyer cum human rights activist Sathyaraj (Amitabh Bachchan). SP Athiyan is popularly known as an encounter specialist. He is a no- nonsense police officer who prefers the method of extrajudicial killings in order to deliver speedy justice. Sathyaraj is a vocal critic of SP Athiyan’s methods. Sathyaraj firmly believes that speedy justice is not the way to go about things. For him it is as bad as delaying cases for years in court. Fahadh Faasil is Patrick. He is a thief turned police informer with a lot of technical knowledge. His knowledge regarding the technical aspects makes him a very valuable addition. SP Athiyan’s firm belief on speedy justice takes a major hit when an innocent person dies. He is forced to reconsider his ideals marking a significant change in the thought process. This is the story in brief.

Vettaiyan primarily focuses on the vastly different ideologies of SP Athiyan (Rajinikanth) and a prominent lawyer cum human rights activist Sathyaraj (Amitabh Bachchan)

Through Vettaiyan director TJ Gnanvel has focused on multiple social issues whether it is encounter killings to satisfy a mob or the business of education, particularly exams like NEET. All of this while trying to merge Rajinikanth’s stardom. This khichdi doesn’t come across satisfactorily and a major reason for that it is the confused tone.

The first half is filled with numerous scenes of Rajinikanth carrying out his own form of justice against the backdrop of Anirudh Ravichander’s stylized background score. These are very repetitive in nature tiring the audiences quickly. What also makes the proceedings silly is the reason behind SP Athiyan’s wife played by Manju Warrier to not have children. There is a scene where Athiyan talks about the wife not wanting children as she believes it is a form of sacrifice for her husband killings. It is a very flimsily written scene leaving no impact whatsoever.

Yes, the inevitable transformation in SP Athiyan does take place in the second half. There are few scenes exploring the guilt that SP Athiyan faces, but TJ Gnanvel doesn’t let those moments linger. From the middle of second half the movie gets into the usual zone of good versus evil. Rana Daggubati plays a typical corporate villain who feeds on the poor. The actor has a towering presence but suffers majorly on the account of a sketchy characterization. It looks he had directly entered from Baahubali sets to this.

Amitabh Bachchan as Sathyaraj though makes his presence amply felt. Sure, the characterization lacks the meat of what Nag Ashwin pulled off with the Shahenshah in Kalki 2989 AD. But still the senior actor brings in a much-needed gravitas in the scenes where he talks about unequal society and the poor generally being the causalities of encounter killings. Rajinikanth as SP Athiyan is mostly required to be a star which the actor pulls off with consummate ease but there isn’t much in the role for the actor Rajini to shine.

Fahadh Faasil as Patrick raises many chuckles with his antics. He brings in a certain energy perfectly embodying the required street smartness. There is also a slight emotional touch in a crucial scene with Rajinikanth making the viewers feel for Patrick.

Fahadh Faasil as Patrick raises many chuckles with his antics. He perfectly embodies the street-smart nature

Anirudh’s music once again after Devara is a major misfire. Working on too many projects is clearly affecting the quality of this young talented musician. The background score though slightly better becomes monotonous after a point.

A major problem of Vettaiyan are also the investigative portions of the second half. The pattern of investigation and the eventual reveal of Rana being the big villain becomes easy to guess leaving little to no surprises. The hero and villain clash also becomes heavily one sided.

To sum it up Vettaiyan wants to be both a commercial entertainer and also a serious movie, but it eventually ends up in the zone of nowhere. A major letdown from the director of Jai Bhim.

Posted on

The Naipauls of Nepaul Street: A moving memoir on a family of achievers

Savi Naipaul Akal does a wonderful job in documenting the hard beginnings of the Naipauls as second-generation indentured laborers in Trinidad.

The surname of Naipaul has become tantamount with Sir V.S. Naipaul easily the most famous member of Naipaul family. However, through this memoir Savi Naipaul Akal, the sister of V.S.Naipaul brings lot of new information. Apart from V.S. Naipaul there are two others in the family, brothers of V.S. Naipaul, Vidia and Shiva who are also writers. In fact, the love for writing can be traced to the father Seepersad Naipaul. Seepersad Naipaul wrote numerous journalistic pieces for the Trinidad Guardian along with a collection of short stories.

Savi Naipaul Akal the sister of V.S Naipaul brings lot of new information

These short stories successfully captured the various shades of Indian life in Trinidad. At that point Trinadad was a colony of the British crown. Seepersad Naipaul was very well known for his humor while addressing local problems. There is a deeply disturbing incident in the novel where Savi Naipaul talks about a rabies epidemic.

Seepersad Naipaul wrote numerous journalistic pieces for the Trinidad Guardian

Seepersad Naipaul received a letter telling him to sacrifice a goat for Kali Matha if he doesn’t want his family to become victim of the deadly curse. Naipaul was initially unfazed and responded in his usual humorous style, but soon was persuaded to perform the sacrifice. This led to a major mental breakdown as this was against his principles and he was never the same person after that. The portions about Seepersad Naipaul are easily one of the best chapters making readers feel the pain of the man.

The chapters focusing on the early life of Seepersad and his wife Droapatie are engrossing. Both of them were indentured laborers doing odd jobs; how they eventually got out of bonded labor building a better life for themselves and the children is very touching. Through this memoir Savi Naipaul also makes some sharp points about the cultural changes in Trinidad from a colony to an independent nation.

In fact, Trinidad becomes a major protagonist in the way Savi Naipaul describes the place and its inhabitants. The readers have a lived-in feel while reading the novel.

Savi Naipaul also comes as a strong individual no less than her brothers. The progressive outlook of Seepersad Naipaul and Droapatie in making sure that their daughters Savi and Kamala also get the same education and importance as their brothers is laudable. She also talks about the role of her mother in managing both the family finances and how V. S Naipaul used his mother as a source of information to better his writings. The word she uses here is ‘via savage interrogations’.

It is interesting to know that the home of Seepersad, Droapatie, V.S and Shiva Naipaul is now a heritage building with a plaque ‘The Naipaul House’.

Posted on

CTRL: Ananya Pandey leads a gripping thriller/drama on the side effects of AL which includes deep fakes and breach of personal data

Vikramaditya Motwane delivers a racy movie keeping things crisp for the most part. He does a fantastic job in showcasing how Gen Z rely more on an internet bot for seeking genuine advice rather than a living person.

  • Starcast: Ananya Pandey, Vihaan Samrat, Aparshakti Khurana (as the AL voice) and others
  • Director and writer: Vikramaditya Motwane
  • Additional writers: Avinash Sampat and Sumukhi Suresh
  • Producers: Nikhil Dwivedi and Arya Menon
  • Production companies: Saffron Magicworks and Andolan Films
  • Music: Sneha Khanwalkar
  • Cinematography: Pratik Shah
  • Running time: 1 hour and 39 minutes
  • Streaming site: Netflix

In certain ways Vikramaditya Motwane’s CTRL feels like an extension to last year’s Kho Gaye Hum Kahan which also dealt with the younger generation. Kho Gaye Hum Kahan skillfully explored the aspect of loneliness in digital age, the need of validification from complete strangers. Easily one of Ananya Pandey’s better performances in her short career so far. Vikramaditya Motwane in CTRL also explores the side effects of social media, but this is darker in tonality. CTRL is more of a cyber thriller leaving the viewers disturbed

In certain ways CTRL feels like an extension to last year’s Kho Gaye Hum Kahan

CTRL focuses on two social influencers Nella (Ananya Pandey) and Joe (Vihaan Samraat). They run a YouTube channel called NJoy. Their seemingly perfect relationship goes totally downhill when Nella catches Joe with another woman. Her plan was to surprise Joe by celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary in a live stream unfortunately for Nella things go completely downhill. A lot of chaos happens leaving Nella’s professional and personal life in shatters. In an attempt to resurrect her social media presence Nella comes across an AL platform featuring a digital bot, Allen. Allen becomes a big help for Nella in erasing Joe completely from her digital life and also planning her big comeback. Slowly this AL platform becomes a major influence behind every decision of Nella. He starts taking over her personal chats along with manipulating her into signing more brand deals. Things take a very dark turn when Joe goes inexplicably missing. Soon Nella finds herself in a lethal web of manipulation as she starts investigating the misuse of AL. This is the story in brief.

As already mentioned, CTRL is a racy thriller, Vikramaditya Motwane doesn’t waste any time in immersing the viewers into the world of Nella and Joe. The viewers see them curate every moment of their personal lives giving their followers the impression of them being the perfect couple. Motwane has used the technique of alternating between the real world and the digital landscape. This mood shift doesn’t come across as jarring thanks to the director’s handling of the subject and also Pratik Shah’s fantastic cinematography. Yashika Gor’s production design also adds to this seamlessness. Sneha Khanwalkar’s experimental score adds to the movie’s edgy atmosphere.

Nella and Joe give the impression of them being the perfect couple

A strong aspect of CTRL is how Vikramaditya Motwane makes the viewers ponder on certain things without becoming preachy. For example, whether sharing a glimpse of our personal life is more about seeking validation and in process gaining more followers and how much sharing on social media becomes too much sharing. There is no preachiness in the way these questions are asked but still the impact is hammer strong. There is an important scene when Joe questions Nella about whether her reasons for wanting to surprise him came from genuine love or the need to make a statement on social media. This scene perfectly captures the essence of the movie.

The movie is also successful in creating a sense of personal connect particularly for those who are heavily into AL. The personal harm that AL apps are capable of doing leave the viewers disturbed. Having said that the thriller aspect of CTRL could have done more exploration. The underlying conspiracies of AL in controlling our lives feel a little rushed as the movie focuses more on Nella’s personal struggles in regaining control of her life.

It goes without saying that CTRL is primarily an Ananya Pandey showcase, and the young actress doesn’t disappoint. She delivers a first-rate performance perfectly capturing the journey of Nella from a happy college student to a social media star and ultimately a broken soul. As a social media influencer, she goes over the top on occasions, but it goes perfectly with the tonality of those portions. Apart from Ananya’s performance the character sketch is also a big winner.

Ananya Pandey delivers a first-rate performance perfectly capturing the journey of Nella from a happy college student to a social media star and ultimately a broken soul

Vihaan Samrat as Joe also makes his presence felt more so in the monologue scenes at a critical juncture. Aparshakti Khurrana as the AL voice is also efficient in bringing a certain amount of eeriness.

To sum it up CTRL holds a perfect mirror to the Genz’s obsession over social media. The thriller aspects needed sharper writing but still there is a lot to enjoy.

Posted on

Satyam Sundaram (Meiyazhagan in Tamil): A heartwarming emotional drama about self-discovery and moving on

Much like C Prem Kumar’s last Jaanu a remake of his own movie 96 this movie also explores the theme of nostalgia in a different setting. The core plot of Satyam Sundaram is about a character’s inability to remember the name of the other. This results in numerous laugh loud out moments and also a hugely poignant moment towards the end

  • Starcast: Aravind Swamy, Karthi, Devadarshini, Jayaprakash, Rajkiran, Saran Shakthi and others
  • Writer and director: C Premkumar
  • Music: Govind Vasantha
  • Cinematography: Mahendiran Jayaraju
  • Producers: Jyothika and Suriya
  • Production banner: 2d Entertainment
  • Running time: 2 hours and 57 minutes

C Premkumar’s Satyam Sundaram is a definite breadth of fresh air from the larger than life pan India movies that the Indian viewers have been subjected to. This isn’t a film for those wanting elaborate action sequences, or romantic scenes with the heroines. The main plotline of Satyam Sundaram is paper thin but what makes it work is the depiction of human emotions. It also helps that both Aravind Swamy and Karthi are in perfect sync with each other. Both the actors are a delight to watch sharing a wonderful camaraderie.

Both Aravind Swamy and Karthi are in perfect sync with each other

Satyam Sundaram begins in the year 1996. A young Satyam is forced to leave both his house and hometown due to a family dispute. The first five to ten minutes establish Satyam’s deep attachment with the house. Fast forward to many years later Satyam has a settled life in Vizag. He has zero intentions of revisiting the past due to the painful nostalgia. But a situation comes when Satyam has to attend an important family wedding, with a lot of reluctance he returns to the native village of Uddandarayunipalem set in Guntur. His plan is to give the gift and quickly get away from there, but things don’t go according to plan. Satyam bumps into Karthi’s Sundaram. Satyam doesn’t recognize who Sundaram is but puts up an act of remembering him. Sundaram treats Satyam with a lot of affection further adding to Satyam’s predicament. That night Satyam misses the bus to Vizag, but his life undergoes a drastic change.

As already mentioned, the core plot of Satyam Sundaram is the protagonist inability to remember the other person’s name. Aravind Swamy’s Satyam recognizes Karthi’s character’s name and how they are related only in the pre- climax. This could have turned out very silly in the hands of an inefficient director, but C Premkumar makes these scenarios believable. The first ten to fifteen minutes have a very sobor tone, but the movie picks up huge momentum with the entry of Karthi.

Karthi’s Sundaram has shades of what he has already done in Vamshi Paidipally’s Oopiri. Just like that film here too he is the catalyst. Still Karthi shines big time with his vibrant presence. The dubbing done for Karthi does take a while getting used to, but the actor raises many chuckles with his witty dialogues and situational humor. He perfectly embodies the idealistic and selfless nature of Sundaram. Apart from the humorous scenes Karthi also makes a striking impact in the emotional scenes too.

Aravind Swamy’s Satyam is more of an introvert with a brooding nature and this works as a perfect contrast to Karthi’s energetic persona. Aravind Swamy does a splendid job in portraying Satyam’s trauma making the viewers feel the pain. He particularly shines in the scenes of Satyam trying to remember why Sundaram is being so affectionate towards him.

Their on-screen chemistry is what drives the movie majorly. The supporting cast comprising of Devadarshini as Satyam’s wife and Rajkiran as Sathyam’s uncle have brief yet memorable characters. Rajkiran in particular is extremely affective, he would remind the viewers a lot of their own uncles.

Rajkiran as Sathyam’s uncle would remind the viewers a lot of their own uncles

The film’s music by Govind Vasantha is striking too. The translation of the Tamil lyrics doesn’t feel jarring. The song Pothoo Nee Pothoo is especially memorable. Mahendiran Jayaraju’s cinematography is also of the highest order. The atmospherics of a rural life has been skillfully captured through his lens.

Satyam Sundaram doesn’t dwell much into the characters of greedy relatives. They are strictly cardboard cutouts meant to make the viewers empathize with Satyam. However, through this subplot the director does seem to be giving a message about forgiving people and in the process overcoming bitterness leading to a happier life.

Satyam Sundaram is a must watch for those like emotionally driven narratives.

Posted on

Devara Part 1: Junior NTR and the action on high seas make it just about watchable

Devara Part 1 movie banner

Koratala Siva’s pan India debut has majestic visuals and thrilling action set pieces but suffers on the account of an overstretched plot with no attention-grabbing twists. The ending has a Baahubali like twist but lacks the required impact

Starcast: Junior NTR, Saif Ali Khan, Janhvi Kapoor, Prakash Raj, Srikanth, Murali Sharma, Ajay, Tom Shine Chasko and others

Director and writer: Koratala Siva

Music and background score: Anirudh Ravichander

Producers: Nandamuri Kalyan Ram, Kosaraju Harikrishna and Sudhakar Mikkilineni

Production companies: NTR Arts and Yuvasudha Arts

Cinematography: R Rathnavelu

Running time: 2 hours and 57 minutes

The storyline of Koratala Siva’s Devara Part 1 focuses primarily on heads of two villages turning against one another. The story takes place on the border of Andhra and Telangana in an area called of Ratnagiri, also called as Erra Samudram (Red Sea), notorious for pirate operations targeting cargo ships. Junior NTR plays double role of both Devara and his son Vara. Saif Ali Khan on the other hand is the antagonist Bhaira. The ancestors of Devara and Bhaira had fought together against the British but now the situation is very different. Things take a drastic turn when Devara realizes that they have been smuggling dangerous weapons. These weapons are used by powerful people to wreak havoc. Devara takes it upon himself to put an end to these illicit operations going against his longtime ally Bhaira. He suggests an alternate method to earn income. Obviously, this doesn’t go well with Bhaira leading to a major rift. Most of the story is told from the perspective of Prakash Raj’s Singappa. After KGF 2 the senior actor once again plays the narrator.

Saif Ali Khan as Bhaira, nemesis of Devara

It goes without saying that Devara Part 1 relies heavily on the star power and the acting chops of Junior NTR. To the actor’s credit he pulls off both Devara and Vara in his charismatic style. As Devara he exudes both humility and destructive nature in equal measure. The character of Vara has a certain innocence and timidity unlike the father. Junior NTR showcases the variations in a wonderful manner. In the numerous interviews leading up to the movie Koratala Siva has emphasized on how Devara’s core is the concept of fear, and the negative things people are capable of doing in absence of fear. It has to be said that he has done justice to this.

Junior NTR in double role

Apart from Junior NTR what makes the film somewhat engaging is the vastly different moral compass of Devara and Bhaira. For example, there are scenes where Devara tries to make the people around him understand and differentiate between the courage required to live an honest life as opposed to the brute courage that can kill. The gradual rift between Devara and Bhaira has been brought out well.

Saif Ali Khan also delivers a powerful performance as the man who cannot see beyond greed. Yes, the characterization doesn’t have the hammer strong impact of Omkara but still the actor once again proves his capability in portraying negative roles.

The coastal setting has also been done well. Among the technicians R. Rathnavelu’s work deserves a specific mention. His cinematography is visually striking enhancing the movie’s large scale. Through his lens he does an effective job in capturing the various moods and emotions that both Devara and Vara go through.

Anirudh Ravichander’s background music elevates the action sequences particularly those of the father. The music except for Chuttamalle song comes across as major speed bump.

Coming to the flaws the big problem with Devara Part 1 is its overstretched plot. Since the mega success of SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali movies numerous directors have taken the path of splitting their movies into two parts. The first part being more of a buildup to the sequel. Devara Part 1 also suffers on account of this. Dividing the storyline into two parts feels very unnecessary as there isn’t that much meat in the story. The introduction of Devara itself takes 15 to 20 minutes after the movie starts by which time we lose patience. Those 15 minutes are taken up by Prakash raj and Ajay having a laborious conversation.

The plot is simplistic, tiring the audiences particularly towards the end. As viewers you know that Vara is not going to remain timid till the end and has his own hidden agendas. As a result, Singappa’s big reveal produces more yawns than claps. Like most pan India movies these days the movie is filled with many known supporting actors but there is little for them to do.

Janhvi Kapoor’s Tollywood debut is very disappointing to say the least. Her character Thangam is only seen fawning over Junior NTR’s Vara and pining for a strong husband. Thangam comes with a certain chirpiness that is meant to be a contrast to the film’s otherwise dark tone. But neither the characterization nor the performance lands. Janhvi Kapoor’s sensuous dance moves in Chuttamalle is the only noteworthy aspect of her rather insipid debut.

Janhvi Kapoor’s sensuous dance moves in Chuttamalle song

Devara part 1 is definitely a better outing for Koratala Siva in comparison to Acharya and chances are that die hard Junior NTR fans would definitely enjoy it. But in totality the film doesn’t come across as a memorable big event movie.

Posted on

2024 the domination of horror: An overview into how the likes of Shaitaan, Munjya and Stree 2 have successfully spooked the audiences bringing in solid numbers

Shaitaan movie image

Munjya movie image

Stree 2 movie image

Unlike 2023 predominantly dominated by action movies with larger-than-life heroes this year has seen the horror genre ruling the roost. Horror stories of different kinds have entertained the viewers proving to be very profitable for the producers. The genre of horror isn’t something new. The banner of Vishesh films at their prime had made movies involving ghosts, the cast always used to be relatively new. Case in point being the first Raaz featuring Bipasha Basu. Noted filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma too has made impactful horror movies like Urmila Matondkar’s Bhoot. Bhoot is rightly considered to be one of Urmila’s most impactful performances till date. The movie even now sends a chill down the viewers spine.

Bhoot is rightly considered to be one of Urmila’s best performances till date

The likes of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and Golmaal Again too have elements of spookiness particularly the first one directed by Anees Bazmee. However, the spooky elements here are mixed with slapstick or situational humor. Then you have Rahi Anil Barve’s gripping psychological horror thriller Tumbbad. The horror in this movie comes more from the director’s portrayal of human greed rather than the supernatural entity.

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 directed by Anees Bazmee

The horror in Tumbbad comes more from the director’s portrayal of human greed rather than the supernatural entity

Coming to this year’s horror films the first one Shaitaan uses elements of a home invasion thriller where the protagonists in this case the father and mother have to save the children from a highly dangerous tormentor. R Madhavan in a delightfully deranged performance is the expert hypnotist with knowledge of black magic. The daughter Jahnavi played a brilliant Janki Bodiwala is under absolute control, doing everything he says. The storyline of Shaitaan is paper thin but the way Vikas Bahl build an effective atmosphere of dread engrossed the audiences thoroughly. Amit Trivedi’s background music coupled with Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti’s cinematography also made the movie gripping. Unlike most horror movies here thankfully the typical cliches of creaking doors are absent, instead the terror comes from R Madhavan’s sinister plans of wanting to control young women.

R Madhavan in a delightfully deranged performance

Next in the list are Munjya and Stree 2 both from the same production house Maddock. Both these movies feature grotesque demons. In the case of Stree 2 you have a headless creature whose target are young girls with modern outlook. In the case of Munjya the antagonist is a young Brahmin boy, he resorts to black magic to win over a girl named Munni. He also tries to sacrifice the life of his sister, but this only results in self-destruction. He becomes a restless spirit haunting the tree. Both movies have a folklore touch apart from impactful social commentary. Stree 2 like the first one is also set in the small town of Chanderi. Munjya on the other hand is set in the backdrop of a Konkan folklore.

Both Munjya and Stree 2 feature grotesque demons

A strong aspect of Munjya was the characterization of the leading man Bittu played by Abhay Varma. Bittu starts off as someone who is majorly underconfident and definitely not the type who would defeat the evil Munjya. However, we slowly seen him overcoming the inner fears. The profession of Bittu being a hairdresser also added an interesting layer. Sharvari Wagh played Bittu’s friend Bella. Bittu deeply loves Bella, but he never confesses. She is already in a relationship with an English man but isn’t very sure on marrying him. She has major career aspirations regarding Zumba dance.

Bittu starts off as someone who is majorly underconfident and definitely not the type who would defeat the evil Munjya

The interesting aspect here is that though Munjya and Bittu come from the same lineage their attitudes are as different as chalk and cheese. Bittu respects Bella’s career aspirations and never tries to force himself on her in spite of having a close proximity. This particular aspect stood out in the movie. The humor in this movie apart from the interactions between Bittu and Munjya also comes from Baahubali actor S. Sathyaraj he played a baba, but it isn’t the usual intense one. There is a whacky nature to the role which the actor pulled off successfully.

Finally, there is the mega hit Stree 2 which has broken quite a lot of records. Squeals are always a very tricky territory but Aamir Kaushik’s Stree 2 more than lived up to its prerelease buzz. It was a rollicking sequel generating both laughs and scares in equal measure. The movie also had a good blend of social commentary through the characterization of the headless Sarkate. He represents your every sexist leader who are uncomfortable with the thought process of a modern woman.

All these elements came across in a satisfying manner making it a monstrous hit. The trio of Rajkummar Rao, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee and Pankaj Tripathi were in splendid form shouldering the acting department with utmost ease. One of the most hilarious scenes in Stree 2 is the one involving Varun Dhawan’s Bhediya and Abhishek Banerjee as Bhediya aka Bhaskar’s cousin. Varun’s character gets attracted to Shraddha and asks Abhishek how to impress her. In response Abhishek says that you are a Bhediya remain like that and don’t become an animal.

This list is by no means complete as the genre of horror will continue to be explored with different backgrounds. This Diwali there is Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 which will further explore the journey of Kartik Aryan’s Rooh Baba/ Ruhaan Randhawa. Tumbbad 2 has also been announced by Sohum Shah who was both the leading man and also producer for the first part.

Posted on

Thalaivettiyaan Paalayam: An engrossing remake even for those who have watched the original

Thalaivettiyaan Paalayam remake of Panchayat web series

Director Naga does a good job in retaining the soul of Panchayat while affectively transporting the viewers into rural Tamil Nadu. The best thing about the show is that director Naga and writer Bala Kumaran don’t create a photocopy.

Starcast: Abishek Kumar, Chetan Kadambi, Devadarshini, Anand Sami, Paul Raj, Niyathi Kadambi and others

Director: Naga

Writer: Bala Kumaran

Production house: The Viral Fever (TVF)

Cinematography: Karthik Gopal

No of episodes: 8

Streaming site: Amazon Prime

Deepak Kumar Mishra’s Panchayat is one of the most acclaimed web shows that has come out in the recent past. The portrayal of rural life in the remote village of Pulera thoroughly engaged the audiences. The struggles of Jitendra Kumar’s Abhishek Tripathi in acclimatizing himself and the eventual bond with locals particularly the ones essayed by Raghubir Yadav, Neena Gupta, Faisal Malik and Chandan Roy was wonderfully written and enacted. The three seasons of Panchayat also addressed important social issues like superstitions with no melodrama. The earthy humor left many viewers in splits. To remake a show like this already watched and appreciated by many people isn’t an easy task, but director Naga does a very efficient job. Sure, the starting episodes take a while to warm up, nevertheless Thalaivettiyaan Paalayam finds its grove soon.

The starting episodes take a while to warm up nevertheless Thalaivettiyaan Paalayam finds its grove soon.

For those who aren’t aware of the Panchayat web series the plot of this remake focuses on Siddarth (Abhisek Kumar). The series begins with his arrival, immediately the viewers feel Siddarth’s unease in coming to a village. His anxiety and suspicions are in complete odds with the villagers easy going nature. Siddarth has been posted as the village panchayat’s secretary. For the frustrated Siddarth this is a temporary job till he passes the CAT exam and enters into IIM successfully. Season 1 focuses on how Siddarth navigates village life while dealing with the people’s idiosyncrasies. He encounters peculiar problems that vary from silly to sensitive.

Much like the original a big strength of the remake is also the situational humor. Siddarth’s interactions with the villagers are often filled with exasperation. There is an equal measure of humor and pathos. Special mention must be made of the scenes where Siddarth is forced to attend family gatherings and also give away his favorite chair in a particular situation to a random groom. Siddarth’s struggles in adjusting with no social life as such give the show some of its best moments. Abhishek Kumar stepping into Jitendra Kumar’s shoes does a very fine job. He particularly stands out in the scenes where Siddarth has to show confusion and frustration.

The supporting cast also elevate the show with their powerful acts. Chetan Kadambi and Devadarshini replacing Raghubir Yadav and Neena Gupta do complete justice to their respective parts. They have a charming chemistry; their scenes together also benefit from being a real-life couple. Unlike Neena Gupta’s Manju Devi Devadarshini’s Meenakshi Devi can read and write along with putting her signature on documents. This acts as an important change from the original. What remains the same though is the unwillingness to participate in public life. However, by the end of season 1 she does become more assertive.

Chetan Kadambi and Devadarshini share a warm chemistry.

Another significant change from the original is the aspect of caste. In Panchayat the caste of Abhishek Tripathi is very evident. Him being a Tripathi becomes a major reason for Raghubir Yadav’s character to consider him as a potential groom for the daughter. But here the dynamics play out differently. Siddarth’s surname is hardly focused on. Even when someone asks him Siddarth shows a certain indifference. As a result, Chetan’s character doesn’t see him as a potential match in spite of warming up to him.

These changes aren’t just cosmetic they enhance the show in many ways. Paul Raj and Anand Sami are also competent. Paul Raj in particular shines as Siddarth’s guide, helping him in navigating the village life. Their scenes together are filled with a lot of warmth.

Paul Raj and Anand Sami are also competent

Talking about the social issues here too Naga does a fine job in subverting the original ones and making it more rooted to the specific cultural milieu. For example, in one of the episodes you have the campaign of menstruation awareness. This portion works as a tribute to Arunachalam Muruganantham popularly known as Padman.

One of the minor issues with the series is the hype build around the village head’s daughter. The eventual pay off to this in the final sequence is quite underwhelming. The conversation between Abhishek Kumar and Niyathi Kadambi falls flat. Some of the jokes also could have done with better writing. In the first episode there is a fair amount of toilet humor which could have been avoided.

To conclude Thalaivettiyaan Paalayam is a fitting remake in spite of the minor niggles.

Posted on

The Buckingham Murders: A well-crafted whodunit focusing on unresolved grief and repressed anger

The Buckingham Murders movie banner

Hansal Mehta raises many pertinent issues through this police procedural like the plight of immigrants, communal hatred, the queer community etc. The treatment of these topics does feel rushed, nevertheless he delivers an engrossing movie aided by the brilliant Kareena Kapoor Khan

Starcast: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Ranveer Brar, Keith Allen and others

Story and screenplay: Assem Arora

Additional screenplay: Raghav Raj Kakker and Kashyap Kapoor

Director: Hansal Mehta

Producers: Shobha Kapoor, Ekta Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan

Music: Ketan Sodha

Cinematography: Emma Dalesman

Production Companies: Balaji Motion Pictures and Mahana Films

Running time: 1 hour and 50 minutes

The Buckingham Murders directed by Hansal Mehta and co-produced by Kareena Kapoor Khan perfectly fits the genre of a slow burn investigative drama. The story is set in the town of High Wycombe. High Wycombe is situated in Buckinghamshire just northwest of London. Beneath the town’s charming nature there are many secrets waiting to be unraveled. The film tapes into the underlying racial tensions echoing real life situations. In simple terms the story of The Buckingham Murders focuses on the emotional turmoil of detective Jasmeet Bhamra akka Jas (Kareena Kapoor Khan in a knockout performance). She is a witness to her son’s tragic death due to a reckless open firing incident in a foreign country. An attempt to escape from her scars results in a demotion to D S shortcut for Detective Seargent. Detective Seargent is a police rank in the UK. On her very first day of work, she reluctantly takes up the case of a missing Indian Child. It starts off as a straightforward investigation but soon a cane of secrets tumbles out. Jasmeet has huge doubts regarding the honesty of Diljeet (Ranveer Brar). Diljeet is the father of the missing child. As the plot progresses many questions crop up like why the boy is missing and who is responsible for it, running parallel to the investigation is the track of immigrants and the issue of communal violence.

Kareena Kapoor Khan in a knockout performance

A strong aspect of The Buckingham Murders is director’s exploration of unresolved grief and repressed anger. The struggles of Jass in dealing with her psychological state and how she emerges as a fighter has been well depicted. The professional and personal struggles of Jass run alongside the investigation, this enhances the drama at many places. There are occasions where we see the seniors being dismissive off her on the grounds of getting overtly involved, she is also treated in a condescending manner at work.

Stories of cops battling personal tragedies while investigating isn’t new but what makes this movie different is how the director has added the angles of Islamophobia and Homophobia among others. The communal tension between Sikhs and Muslim who form an important chunk of immigrants has been well explored too.

The movie also explores the trauma of a closeted Queer through an important character. There is an important conversation regarding this at a crucial juncture, it makes the viewers think about the plight of these people. The movie also dwells into the faulty idea of marriage where a woman is just treated as a servant with no salary.

Additionally, the movie also examines the changes brought by the pandemic. How it has influenced many aspects of our life both positively and negatively. Thankfully all these social aspects flow seamlessly rather than being force fitted. However, there are times where the viewers feel that these topics would have better off in a web series rather than a feature movie.

Just like Hansal Mehta’s previous movies here too there is ample psychological insight into the shortcomings of society. Emma Dalesman’s cinematography is top notch as well. His framers perfectly capture the eerie atmospherics.

As mentioned, in beginning the Buckingham Murders belongs to the genre of slow burn investigative dramas. This is not a thriller with twists and turns at every corner. Hansal Mehta takes his own sweet time to establish the various perspectives. At times the angle of immigrants even overpowers the mystery part of it but the conclusion more than makes up for it. It makes the viewers sit up about how this person turned out to be the real villain.

The Buckingham Murders has an equal mix of Hindi and English dialogues. This is doesn’t become jarring at any point. The English dialogues are equally poignant as the Hindi ones. Mention must also be made of Jasmeet’s wardrobe. Hansal uses the wardrobe in a smart manner to showcase the protagonist’s emotional journey. For most part of the movie Kareena is seen wearing black and dark purples. The only time the viewers see Jasmeet wearing a bright color is when she finally decides to stop running from the haunting past.

Performance wise it goes without saying that Kareena is an absolute treat to watch with her nuanced act. The actress has been aging like fine wine and this movie is the perfect testimony to it. The way she expresses emotions through subtle expressions is a treat to watch. A scene which deserves a particular mention is the one where Jass understands grief from her father’s perspective. It is highly emotional.

A scene which deserves a particular mention is the one where Jass understands grief from her father’s perspective.

The supporting cast also make their presence amply felt. Ranveer Brar deserves a special mention for the way he brings out the different nuances. Whether it is the frustration of a father whose child is missing, the false bravado of someone who is failing in business and finally a misogynist husband taking his wife for granted. Prabhleen Sandhu as the unassuming Preeti Kohli is also a delight to watch. The foreign actors like Keith Allen and Charles Craddock are also efficient in their respective parts.

The supporting cast also make their presence amply felt.

The Buckingham Murders is a skillful exploration of the complex human relationships under the guise of a police procedural. How certain social structures suffocate human beings, for fans of layered stories and Kareena Kapoor Khan this is a must watch.

Posted on

Call Me Bae: A breezy coming of age story

Call Me Bae web series banner

Director Collin D’Cunha manages to create a strong sense of sisterhood, the journey of Ananya Pandey’s Bae in carving her own identity comes across as sanitized but still the show has enough spunk

Starcast: Ananya Pandey, Muskkaan Jaferi, Gurfateh Pirzada, Varun Sood, Vihaan Samrat, Vir Das and others

Story: Ishita Moitra, Samina Motlekar and Rohit Nair

Director: Collin D’ Cunha

Producers: Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta and Somen Mishra

Production Company: Dharmatic Entertainment

No of episodes: 8

Streaming site: Amazon Prime

Music: Rochak Kohli

Collin D’Cunha’s Call Me Bae focuses on the transformation of a rich housewife Bella aka Bae (Ananya Pandey). The show begins with Bae getting ousted from her sasural when she is caught getting cozy with the gym trainer played by Varun Sood. From here we go to a brief flashback establishing her rich lifestyle. Mini Mathur plays Bae’s mother Gayatri. She takes it upon herself to set the daughter’s marriage with an equally rich guy Agastya (Vihaan Samrat). Their relationship starts off a great note, but soon the marriage takes a big hit because of Agastya’s detachment. It is during this time that Bae falls for Varun Sood’s Prince Bhasin. What adds to Bae’s woes is the attitude of her mother who distances herself. Now Bae has to fend for herself and in this process her path crosses with that of Satyajit Sen (a delightful Vir Das). Satyajit Sen is a news anchor modeled on the likes of Arunav Goswami. Aiding Bae in the growth is Muskkaan Jaferi’s Saira Ali.

Call Me Bae focuses on the transformation of a rich housewife Bella aka Bae

Bae’s path crosses with Satyajit Sen (Vir Das)

First and foremost, the tonality of Call Me Bae is not of the typical riches to rags storylines. Ananya Pandey’s Bae doesn’t sleep on a footpath and nor do we see her hustle in local trains. The process of finding a place and job doesn’t become a big hassle. There is a lot of tongue in cheek humor in the way the writers have written Bella. Once the viewers get adjusted to this tonality there is quite a bit to enjoy.

What makes the series work in spite of the sanitized situations is the characterization of Bella coupled with Ananya Pandey’s winsome act. Some of Bella’s quirks jell perfectly with the personality of Ananya and the actress raises many chuckles in portraying Bella’s cluelessness. One of the humorous bits include a scene where Bella sprays hand sanitizer on a beach bench. At the same time, she also aces the emotional scenes like the one where Bella sees her husband Agastya being close to another girl. The process of Bella becoming a more layered person has been wonderfully portrayed by the actress. Also, to the credit of Ishita Moitra and co Bella doesn’t drastically transform into a down to earth person. Her quirky nature is very much there but at the same time there is a subtle growth.

What also works for the series is the camaraderie between Ananya Pandey and Muskkaan Jaferi. Muskkaan Jaferi’s character enters at a crucial point and soon becomes an important ally. Muskkaan Jaferi’s comic timing is simply wonderful, her one liners add a lot to the show. Through her performance Muskkaan Jaferi makes you wish that you also had a strong friend like her.

Vir Das’s act of an arrogant and oversmart journalist is clearly reminiscent of Arunav Goswami’s antics. The character is more of a caricature but still Vir Das does a splendid job in making the viewers detest him. There is a devilish glee in the way Vir portrays him. The confrontation scenes between Ananya and Vir spice up the show in a major way.

Vir Das as Satyajit Sen

Ananya Pandey and Vir Das confrontation scene

Mention must be also made of the equation between the characters of Ananya Pandey and Gurfateh Pirzada. Gurfateh Pirzada plays Bella’s colleague Neel. Neel also contributes significantly to Bella’s progress, there is also a cute love story. Gurfateh Pirzada pitches in a fine performance making his presence amply felt. Varun Sood as the lovable gym trainer also has his moments.

As mentioned in the beginning director Collin D’ Cunha brings a strong sense of sisterhood. This sisterhood is reflected through not just the track of Muskkaan Jaferi. There is also Niharika Lyra Dutt as Tammarrah Lisa Mishra as Harleen. These two women also become an important part of Bella’s life.

Towards the end the series gets into a serious territory of Me Too and also data privacy. These important themes needed stronger writing, also the cinematic liberties taken by Colllin D’Cunha here becomes hard to digest. Thankfully though the series doesn’t get into a preachy zone. The costumes of Ananya go perfectly well with the pitch of the series. initially they are very glitzy and over the top but in the later episodes they are more subdued.

Rochak Kohli’s music has a good mix of fun and emotional songs particular mention must be made of Churaaiyaan.

Ananya Pandey in Churaaiyaan

Call Me Bae is a perfect watch for those like frothy entertainment without going very deep.