Call Me Bae: A breezy coming of age story

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.

Modern Masters SS Rajamouli: Self adulatory in nature, still an engaging watch

The insights of V Vijayendra Prasad, MM Keeravani, Rama Rajamouli etc. give the documentary some of its best moments

Modern Masters directed by Raghav Khanna and Tanvi Ajinkya is an absolute treat for the fans of the celebrated director. Right from the beginning it is clear that both of them are in awe of SS Rajamouli and how the documentary has been designed as a tribute. Just like his on-screen heroes the tonality is that of reverence and awe. This method does come with its drawbacks as there isn’t much of a critical analysis however there is never a dull moment

A strong aspect of Modern Masters is the narration of the family members. Through the various anecdotes the viewers understand the passionate nature of Rajamouli and his eccentricities while filming a movie. The documentary also successfully sheds light on Rajamouli’s modest beginnings. Seeing the struggles of his father and how that influenced the creative choices.

Although Rajamouli’s debut movie Student No 1 was a commercial success it is very clear that Rajamouli looks at Simhadri as his breakthrough movie. It was Simhadri that set the tone for Rajamouli’s future films. There is also an intriguing insight given by MM Keeravani about the use of a Tamil rustic song to showcase the transformation of Junior NTR. The producers weren’t very sure about its placement, but he was very clear about audiences enjoying it which turned out to be true. The courtship of SS Rajamouli and how he convinced Rama for marriage is charming. Just like his movies here too his persistent nature comes forth strikingly.

The anecdotes regarding the Baahubali films are also engaging. Initially the movie had a slow start with the talk being not so positive. One of the producers Shobu Yarlagadda went into a panic mode and there was major anxiety about Baahubali 2’s future however things changed with the movie growing on the audiences and eventually becoming a blockbuster. Karan Johar is the only one from the Hindi fraternity to appear in the documentary. The movie could have done with few more Hindi and Telugu personalities, keeping that aside Karan Johar makes an interesting analogy by comparing Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay with this. Upon its release Sholay also had a slow start with many people dismissing it but subsequently the film made a major splash and has now become a commercial benchmark.

Prominent film Journalist and reviewer Anupama Chopra is also a part of this documentary. She asks questions regarding the criticism of Bahubali and RRR being sexist and casteist. The answers aren’t completely satisfactory nevertheless there is an interesting bit where he talks about being an atheist while still being a believer of Sanatana dharma. According to him a person can be both. Talking about the controversial love scene in Bahubali 1 he says that Tamannaah’s Avanthika is much more than just a hard warrior, adding that there is also a woman looking for love beneath the tough exterior.

Rajamouli’s creation of strong villains particularly Rana Daggubati’s Bhallaladeva and how he likes Ravana more than Rama adds an interesting dimension to the documentary. To sum it up Modern Masters could have done with more depth particularly the questions about Bahubali and RRR, still it is entertaining enough.

Kill: Visceral action yet a thrilling ride

Kill movie banner

Director Nikhil Nagesh Bhatt elevates a standard action plot by bringing class divide and blurring the lines between what we consider as hero and anti hero.

  • Starcast: Lakshya, Raghav Juyal, Tanya Manikatla, Abhishek Chauhan, Ashish Vidyarti and others
  • Director and writer: Nikhil Nagesh Bhatt
  • Music: Shashwant Sachdev and Vikram Montrose
  • Cinematography: Rafey Mehmood
  • Producers: Karan Johar, Guneet Monga etc
  • Production houses: Dharma Productions and Sikhya Entertainment

On surface the plot of Kill may appear as a series of action sequences, a show reel for debutant Lakshya to establish himself as a massy hero who can vanquish villains even after facing severe blows.  But what makes Kill different from other violent movies is a strong emotional poignancy. The character graph of Lakshya’s Amrit Rathod from a commando who initially just wants to control the situation to eventually becoming a bigger monster has strong undercurrent of emotions. As the movie progresses Nikhil Nagesh Bhatt questions our notions of what we consider as hero and anti-hero. No wonder Kill got rave reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival, kudos to Karan Johar for giving a movie like this a significant platform along with Guneet Monga.

The initial minutes of Kill are devoted to the love story between Amrit Rathod and Tulika (Tanya Maniktala). Tulika is returning to Delhi after a reluctant engagement. Amrit and his fellow commando/ friend Viresh (Abhishek Chauhan) are also on the same train. Amrit is making plans on how to convince his future father in law with the help of Viresh. A romantic story soon turns into a catastrophic night thanks to a group of dacoits (armed robbers). The leader of this gang is Fani (Raghav Juyal). Ashish Vidyarthi plays Fani’s father and a fellow dacoit. The father and son don’t get along well. What should have been a simple robbery ends up in a violent bloodbath because of Fani’s thoughtless actions who is desperate to get his father’s approval and love. Nothing more can be revealed here.

The initial moments start as a love story

A strong aspect of Kill is the humanizing of the dacoits. There are portions of the second half where the armed robbers vent out their vulnerabilities and fears. They want an escape from this havoc seeing the brutal deaths of their family members. On more than one occasion they plead to Ashish Vidyarti’s Beni about deboarding the train.  Director Nikhil Nagesh Bhatt is successful in bringing out a strong sense of brotherhood. He also subtly highlights the class divide and the impoverished state that leads to these men becoming robbers and looting rich people. On the surface they appear as ordinary men but there is a deep angst within.

The scenes between Ashish Vidyarti and Raghav Juyal is another major highlight of the movie, there is a constant friction in spite of both being armed robbers. A particular scene that has to be mentioned is the one where Beni talks about how Fani has dumped his father’s values and principles. To this Fani replies sarcastically that they are dacoits and he isn’t Amitabh Bachchan’s Narayan Shankar  from Mohabbatein to talk about principles and values, this scene raises ample chuckles.

The action sequences by nature are very violent and definitely not for family audiences, however stunt directors Se- Yeong along with Parvez Sheikh deserve kudos for coming up with innovative combat sequences in the confined spaces. A particular mention must be made of how they have used the window curtains that become death traps. Cinematographer Rafey Mehmood camera work is also fantastic. He successfully captures the tense atmosphere through his lens.

Kill wouldn’t be what it is without the brilliant acting particularly lakshya and Raghav. Lakshya makes for a perfect action hero. He captures the turmoil of Amrit many times with just his eyes and overall body language. Lakshya fully convinces the audiences that Amrit has become a killing machine. Fani’s taunt at Amrit on how he isn’t a hero but a big monster feels very true. Raghav Juyal best known for his dancing skills springs a very pleasant surprise. He knocks it out of the park as a cold blooded villain who has his own vulnerabilities. Fani’s anguish at seeing the violent deaths of the family members including his own father has been well portrayed by Raghav.

Both Lakshya and Raghav deliver terrific performances

Tanya Manikatala does well in her brief yet important role. She brings in an understated strength to Tulika. Her lovey-dovey moments with Amrit that include him proposing to her in a toilet seat comes across as a respite from the breathless action. Ashish Vidyarthi also makes his presence amply felt as the frustrated father who prophesies that the reason for him dying before time would be his son. Abhishek Chauhan has a straight forward role of being Amrit’s ally in the initial phase nevertheless the actor has his moments.

True to the title Nikhil Nagesh Bhatt has killed it, this violent saga may make you apprehensive of train journeys but it is a must watch for those who like blood and gore with a solid storyline.

Ae Watan Mere Watan: A Moderately Engaging Tale Of An Unsung Hero

Kannan Iyer deserves credit for bringing to live an unheard talefrom the pages of history but sharper writing and a stronger actor would have made this movie more memorable.
21-03-2024, Biographical Drama, 2 hours and 13 minutes U/A, OTT
  • Main Cast: Sara Ali Khan, Sparsh Shrivastav, Anand Tiwari, Emraan Hashmi, Sachin Kedekar, and Abhay Verma
  • Director: Kannan Iyer
  • Producer: Karan Johar and Somen Mishra
  • Music Director: Mukund Suryawanshi, Akashdeep Sengupta, and Sashi Suman
  • Cinematography: Amalendu Choudary

India’s independence is a result of many people’s blood and sweat. These include not just the ones that we have read in history books.

There are many unsung heroes about whom we have little to no knowledge.

Kannan Iyers Ae Watan Mere Watan is about one such personality.

Synopsis

Usha Mehta (Sara Ali Khan) is a big devotee of Mahatma Gandhi.

Her father Hariprasad Mehta (Sachin Kedakar) is a judge working for the British regime. Neither he approves of his daughter’s rebellious nature nor Usha likes the ways of her father.

Things take a dramatic turn when Mahatma Gandhi and some more leaders are imprisoned during the Quit India Movement.

The British have complete control over the media. The radio, in particular, becomes a medium to divide the nation by spreading misinformation.

In retaliation, Usha and her fellow revolutionaries launch a radio channel — Congress Radio.

The Congress Radio becomes an instant hit; it catches the attention of Ram Manohar Lohia (Emraan Hashmi).

Ram Manohar Lohia was a pre-independence leader who managed not to get caught by the British.

Of course, this Congress Radio also comes under the notice of the British and they decide to track down the people behind this radio channel.

The rest of the story is about how Usha and her comrades fight to keep the radio alive and the role of Ram Manohar Lohia in this.

Back in 1942

Sara Ali Khan on the sets of ‘Ae Watan Mere Watan’. (X)

A strong aspect of Ae Watan Mere Watan is how Kannan Iyer has recreated the pre-independence era.

The production design and cinematography, in particular, deserve praise for a job well done.

The costumes along with the architecture of buildings etc are spot on.

Usha’s dynamics with her father Hariprasad give the film some of its best moments — whether it is the scenes of playful innocence in her childhood like the one where Usha is watching Serbian birds flying in the sky and talks about wanting to have wings, or the later portions where the father and daughter have heated arguments given their different ideologies.

The scene where Hariprasad writes a letter to his daughter after Usha is jailed has been wonderfully written and performed.

Another track which deserves a mention is that of Sparsh Srivastava’s Fahad. Fahad suffers from polio but this physical disability never comes in the way of his zeal.

Inconsistent writing

There are two major issues with Ae Watan Mere Watan. One is the lack of more impactful writing by Darab Farooqui and Kannan Iyer.

The ineffective writing is particularly reflected in the love story between Usha and Abhay Varma’s character Kaushik.

Kaushik is not just a comrade but loves Usha. However, this aspect never comes out strong.

Another example of weak writing comes in the portions of Usha using a transmitter and the radio for the first time. We are never shown how Usha learns to use these things.

Compare this to the scenes of Alia’s Sehmat in Raazi (2018), the difference is as clear as day and light, both in terms of staging and acting performance.

Music and background score are of great importance for a film like this. But the movie is a big letdown in that area, too. None of the songs including the title track register.

Performances

Emraan Hashmi in ‘Ae Watan Mere Watan’. (X)

Sparsh Srivastava shows that his terrific performance in Laaptaa Ladies (2024) was no fluke. He portrays the fighting spirit of Fahad in a heart-touching manner.

Emraan Hashmi, as Manohar Lohia, makes a late entry but makes a striking impact. The actor also gets some impactful dialogue which he nails. For instance, there is a scene in a dark room.

A person is trying to generate light by using matchsticks but the matchsticks are getting doused.

You have the following dialogue by Manohar Lohia. “Chahe Kitni bhi teeliyan bujh jayein, hamaare seene ki aag kabhi nahi bujheg,” (No matter how many matchsticks get doused, the fire in our hearts will always remain.)

As Usha Mehta, Sara Ali Khan is like a fish out of water. The actor is earnest but her shrill dialogue delivery annoys the viewers, big time. She is unable to bring the required conviction.

The British characters are, of course, your usual stereotypes and they leave zero impact.

Particularly irritating to watch is Alex O ‘Niel as the antagonist who is given the responsibility of apprehending Usha and co.

Final take

To conclude an unsung hero like Usha Mehta deserved a far better movie based on her life.

Love Storiyaan: Heart-Warming Tales Of Love

These stories of resilience leave the viewers with a feeling of happiness. The show works best since real-life couples narrate their stories.

These stories of resilience leave the viewers with a feeling of happiness. The show works best since real-life couples narrate their stories.
  • Main Cast: Aekta Kapoor, Ullekh NP, Nicholas Jonathan Kharnami, Rajani Karki Chhetri, Farida Saha, Sunit Kumar Saha, Rahul Banerjee, Subhadra Khaperde, Dhanya Ravindran, Homayon Khoram, Tista Das and Dipan Chakraborty.
  • Director: Hardik Mehta, Vivek Soni, Shazia Iqbal, Rahul Badwelkar, Akshay Indikar, Archana Phadke, Collin D’Cunha
  • Producers :Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, Somen Mishra
  • Music Director: Shantanu Dutta, Sangeet Haldipur, Siddharth Haldipur, Sarang Kulkarni, Anurag Saikia
  • Cinematography: Rakesh Krishna Bhilare, Linesh Desai, Harshvir Oberai, Piyush Puty, Rohin Raveendran
  • Rating: 3.5
  • Published in : Southfirst

Love stories always make for a great watch, irrespective of their format. They make your heart skip even if you are not a romantic, at heart.

The basis of Love Storiyaan are the stories featured in India Love Project, an initiative by journalists Niloufer Venkatraman, Priya Ramani, and Samar Halarnkar.

Through the six episodes, directors Hardik Mehta, Vivek Soni, and Collin D’ Cuha, among others, touch upon various social and political constructs that hinder love.

The Love Storiyaan

The first story, “An Unsuitable Girl” (an interesting spin on Karan Johar’s “An Unsuitable Boy”), focuses on a Malayali man and a 40-year-old Punjab writer who is also a divorcee.

Hardik Mehta directed it.

The second story, “Love in the Air”, is about Shillong-based radio jockeys Nicholas J Kharnami and Rajan K Chettri.

The last four stories are more political in nature.

For example, Shazia Iqbal’s “Homecoming” is about a Kolkata-based couple who fell in love at the height of the Bangladesh Liberation Movement in 1971.

The fourth is “Raah Sangharsh Ki”, directed by Akshat Indikar. The political aspect comes out even more strongly in this tale of an inter-caste marriage between Brahmin IIT graduate Rahul Banerjee and Dalit girl Subhadra Khaperde.

They meet at the demonstration of Narmada Bachao Andolan.

The fifth one is “Faasley”. Director Archana Phadke focuses on the love between a Malayali woman and an Afghan man. They meet at a college in Russia and eventually end up together.

A situation arises when the woman moves to war-torn Afghanistan. This short talks about numerous challenges; one of the difficulties involves making ends meet in a war-torn Afghanistan.

Lastly, there is “Love Beyond Labels”. It is about the first transgender couple who got married in West Bengal.

Director Collin D’Cuha showcases their journey from seeking help to creating history.

Analysis

There is a template that these six episodes follow.

We begin with the couples in the present day. From here, it is about how they met and fell in love.

At times, there are old pictures, videos, and dramatised recreations. There is nothing per se wrong with this template, but the recreations do not have the same impact as the real-life couples talking about their love and the hurdles they overcame.

Keeping aside this aspect and the shaky staging at places, the directors have done a brilliant job of capturing the emotional core. They are helped by heartfelt narrations.

All the stories have their high points. For example, the first one has an adorable Malayali man. His scenes of trying to build a connection with the kids of his partner have a lot of warmth.

Love Storiyaan docu-series is streaming on Amazon Prime Video
‘Love Storiyaan’ docu-series is streaming on Amazon Prime Video. (X)

Helping him in this relationship are two dogs who play an important role. Dog lovers are going to have a feast.

My favourite segment of this docu-series is “Raah Sangharsh Ki”.

The love story between a Brahmin man and a Dalit activist has some hard-hitting moments. The scenes of Subhadra, in particular, stand out; like the one where she talks about casteism.

There are some strong moments of sarcastic humour too that raise chuckles. The viewers clearly understand that Akshat Indikar is in awe of Subhadra’s fearlessness.

In “Faasley”, Archana Phadke does a good job of recreating the war-torn Afghanistan.

The narration of falling in love with the common interest of Bollywood movies brings a smile to the viewer’s face.

There are also some bits where the woman talks about the large Afghan family of her husband and how they jelled with her, thus making her overcome the initial awkwardness.

Collin D’ Cunha’s “Love Beyond Labels” is a fitting end to this web show.

The director intermingles the concepts of sexuality and gender with ease. This is one of my other favourite segments.

The couple coming to terms with their bodies have some impactful dialogues.

Verdict

Love Storiyaan is a treat for those who like intimate love stories. This celebration of love should be on your watchlist. The docu-series is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani: Inclusivity In Karan Johar Style

The director subverts some of his own themes from his previous films; a case in point being how fear is looked upon as respect in our culture.

Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani is everything that you expect from the filmmaker. There are larger-than-life sets and exquisite costumes among other things.

At the same time, the director subverts some of his own themes from his previous films; a case in point being how fear is looked upon as respect in our culture.

The film also makes a strong case for inclusivity through Tota Roy Chowdhury’s character who loves Kathak which is looked upon as a female dance form. It also makes a strong case for inclusivity between two vastly different cultures — Punjabi and Bengali.

Synopsis

Rocky Aur Rani ki Prem Kahaani begins with the introduction of Rocky and Rani (Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt respectively).

Rocky is introduced through a dance number where he is surrounded by many women, including Janhvi Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, and Ananya Pandey (in special appearances).

He is dancing his heart out; but as soon as his grandmother Dhanalakshmi (Jaya Bachchan) appears, he scampers away because he is afraid of her and also his father.

Dhanalakshmi is the owner of a sweet shop — Dhanalakshmi Group. Rocky is the future heir to this business venture.

After the introduction of Ranveer, we move to Alia Bhatt’s Rani Chatterjee. She is introduced as this firebrand journalist who isn’t afraid to take on the Jugular.

The viewers see her grilling a minister about the rising rape cases by uttering a powerful dialogue: “Nazare Kharab Aapki Parde Kare Hum” (You ever tease us and we have to hide behind the curtains).

This sets the base for the drama to follow.

Rocky’s grandfather Kanwal (Dharmendra) is bedridden most of the time because of paralysis. He suffers from memory loss, too.

He has half picture of a woman in one of his books and Rocky believes that this woman might be the key to his grandfather regaining his memory.

The woman turns out to be Rani Chatterjee’s grandmother Jamini Chatterjee (Shabana Azmi). She is a cultural icon known among her intellectual gatherings.

Rocky arranges a meeting between his grandfather and Jamini through Rani.

Real kahaani

Rani initially treats him in a patronising way. But after some flirtation and through some old Hindi songs, they both fall for each other.

Rani isn’t sure about getting into a relationship with Rocky, given the many differences. But she eventually gives in.

However, things are far from easy as both families are contrastingly different from each other.

While the Chatterjees are woke, the Randhawas are as rigid as you get.

Taking the Telugu film Bommarillu (2006) route, the couple decides to go for a swap. Rani starts living with the Randhawas and Rocky with the Chatterjees.

Rani initially treats him in a patronising way. But after some flirtation and through some old Hindi songs, they both fall for each other.

Rani isn’t sure about getting into a relationship with Rocky, given the many differences. But she eventually gives in.

However, things are far from easy as both families are contrastingly different from each other.

While the Chatterjees are woke, the Randhawas are as rigid as you get.

Taking the Telugu film Bommarillu (2006) route, the couple decides to go for a swap. Rani starts living with the Randhawas and Rocky with the Chatterjees.

Rani faces severe opposition from Dhanalakshmi as she doesn’t like her firebrand nature. on the other hand, Rocky faces cultural issues. In a hilarious scene, he thinks that Rabindranath Tagore is Rani’s grandfather because of his long beard.

Whiff of nostalgia

The best part of Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani is how the director uses old Hindi songs at important junctures.

For example, Dharmendra sings “Abhi Na Jao Chod Ke” for the first time when his character regains his memory.

Some of the other songs include “Yeh Shaam Mastani“, “O Saathi Chal“, and “Do Dil Mil Rahe Hai“. These old songs are a character in itself.

However, the best usage has to be “Dola Re Dola” from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas (2002). The song starts off with Tota Roy Chowdhury performing in Durga Puja.

Ranveer’s Rocky joins him much to the delight of Alia Bhatt’s Rani and to the horror of Jaya Bachchan. Here the director is clearly subverting gender stereotypes.

Alia and Ranveer hold the fort

What also works for Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani is how Ranveer and Alia play off each other’s energies. Their contrasting personalities work for the film.

Ranveer Singh as Rocky brings the house down with his faulty English and uninhibited performance. The actor equally shines in the scenes showcasing Rocky’s fragile side.

The best example is the emotional moment that he shares with Alia’s father Chandon Chatterjee (Tota Roy Chowdary).

Alia Bhatt plays the firebrand journalist with the finesse that you expect from her. She more than holds her own opposite the veteran actors. She is first-rate in the dramatic bits like the showdown that happens between her and Rocky post the “Dhindora” song.

Veterans steal the show

Another thing that works for the film is the bonding between Dharmendra and Shabana Azmi. Their scenes bring a smile to the viewer’s face.

Dharmendra doesn’t have many dialogues, but the actor is still quite good. Shabana Azmi is a picture of grace and poise. Some of her dialogues are truly wonderful.

For instance, there is a scene where Jamini opens up about why she fell in love with Kanwal and how she doesn’t regret it.

Jamini also adds that she got more love from Kanwal in just seven days than she got from her husband in their entire marriage. Further, she talks about how her grandfather wasn’t as polished as Rani thinks him to be.

Tota Roy Chowdhury is in a wonderful form as the man who loves Kathak and takes pride in being a dancer. There is a heart-touching scene where he talks about how he was the only male student in his dance class.

Jaya Bachchan as Dhanalakshmi is more or less a personification of all patriarchal characters, including her husband. She seems to have taken revenge on behalf of all the women characters who have been subjugated by them — Sweet Vengence.

Technical crafts

Pritam’s music isn’t exactly a blockbuster but still, it works on the big screen. “Dhindora Baje Re” and “Ve Kamleya” are easily the best of the lot.

Dhindora Baje Re” is further enhanced by the intense scene which precedes the song.

What Jhumka” makes for a perfect Sangeet number. Alia’s dance moves in sarees particularly stand out.

The cinematography by Manush Nandan is appropriately glossy. He captures the wide canvas of the film well through his lens. Having said that, for some, the canvas may come across as too glossy.

Final take

Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani does remind you of 2 States (2014) and Bommarillu. However, this cultural and family clash is hugely enjoyable if you buy into Karan Johar’s world.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

Gehraiyaan: It Is Turmoil All Through

It is difficult to categorize Shakun Batra’s Gehraiyaan in one particular slot. It starts off with the theme of adultery in relationships; from there we move to various alleys. There is some corporate drama, an accidental murder and finally letting go of your past. There are too many things that Shakun tries to put in and the result is a huge mess. This mess becomes more apparent towards the end. There are too many unanswered questions, the film ends with a hint of sequel but it would be honestly better if the makers don’t go ahead it.

Gehraiyaan tells the story of four individuals. Alisha (Deepika Padukone) is a yoga instructor with a troubled past. She is carrying a huge emotional baggage. She has a start- up plan to launch a yoga app. Karan ( Dhairya Karwa) is a writer boyfriend of hers who is trying to get his book published. Their relationship is in muddy waters. Alisha’s cousin Tia (Ananya Pandey) is a well- off US returned girl. She has the best of everything in terms of lifestyle and money. Tia invites Alisha and Karan for a short trip and introduces them to her fiancé Zain (Siddanth Chaturvedi). Zain is flamboyant, impressive and also flirtatious. It doesn’t take long for Zain to flirt with Alisha, sparks fly and eventually bodies meet too. What follows is a complex web of human relationships that leaves you completely puzzled.

The biggest issue with Gehraiyaan is lack of strong foundation for the intimate relationship between Zain and Alisha. It all comes across as too fast, as a result it is difficult to be invested in the characters. Also except for Karan and to an extent Tia both Zain and Alisha are difficult to sympathize with.

The drama revolving around Alisha’s pregnancy is not just old fashioned but it is also irritating. She pushes Zain to the brinks of frustration. As a result you don’t really sympathize with the problems that her character is going through.

Zain, on the other hand, becomes a complete bad person, so there is no question of sympathizing with him anyway.

Shakun uses the high waves to show the turmoil of the characters but the issue is that one problem comes after another. Therefore the loud roar of the waves seems continuous without giving us the relief.

The starcast tries its best to make the script work but it is a difficult task given the nature of the story. However there are some emotional bits which work in bits and pieces. For example, there is a conversation between Nassurudin Shah and Deepika Padukone towards the end. This bit is quite effective mainly because of Nassurudin Shah. Ananya Pandey also scores in the few emotional bits that she has, Dhairya Karwa as Karan fits the laid back attitude of the character but he hasn’t got a lot to do.

In a nutshell Shakun Batra needs to take a serious break from adultery and strained relationships; he needs to write his stories better.