Tag: Neena Gupta

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1000 Babies: A well-crafted atmospheric thriller with a brilliant Neena Gupta

1000 Babies web series a well-crafted atmospheric thriller

The show suffers somewhat on the account of few unnecessary diversions along with some stagnation in the middle episodes nevertheless there is enough fodder for those who like mystery stories

Starcast: Sanju Sivaram, Neena Gupta, Rahman and others

Writer and director: Najeem Koya

Additional writer: Arouz Irfan

Music director: Sankar Sharma

Producers: Arya and Shaji Nadesan

Production Company: August Cinema

Cinematography: Faiz Siddik

No of episodes: 7

Streaming site: Disney+Hotstar

1000 Babies written and directed by Najeem Koya starts in the year 2010. Neena Gupta is Sarah Ouseph an eccentric older woman living with her son Bibin Ouseph (Sanju Sivram). Bibin is stuck in the job of a lab technician in spite of having a brilliant mind. Sarah as already mentioned is an eccentric woman, she spends a lot of time scribbling on the walls with the markers given by the son. For Bibin there is nothing wrong with his mother. He showers her with lots of love in spite of her strange behavior. Sarah has a mysterious past which the son isn’t aware of. One day she discloses everything leading to a dangerous chain of events. Fast forward to 2022 inspector Aji Kurian (Rahman) is investigating the murder of a well-known actress. Initially it looks a simple case, but Aji soon realizes that there is much more than what meets the eye. Everything is linked to Sarah’s secret.

Neena Gupta as the eccentric old woman Sarah Ouseph

A strong aspect of 1000 Babies is how Najeem Koya along with Arouz Irfan explore the psychology behind the perpetrator’s actions. The direction and the writing are mostly focused without trying to unnecessary mislead the audiences. The web series also deserves credit for not getting into the typical cliches used to depict the mental processes behind the actions of these men.

The flashback episodes of Neena Gupta add a lot of depth to the series. The past portions elevate Sarah Ouseph from just a crazy old woman. The portions of Sarah as the mother to Bipin and also a nurse in a hospital situated in Alappuzha show a different side to Sarah. As expected Neena Gupta tugs at the viewers heart with a moving performance.

Sanju Sivaram’s Bipin is another multi-faceted character. He starts off as a sweet caring man eventually transforming into a very different personality as the series progresses. Sanju Sivaram nails the various shades of Bipin.

Sanju Sivaram’s Bipin is also a multifaceted character. The actor nails the various shades of Bipin

The cinematography of Faiz Siddik adds to the eeriness of the show. His camerawork enhances the eerie portions significantly. His work deserves major appreciation in the tension filled interrogation scenes and also Sarah and Bipin’s house in the beginning episode.

Rahman as the headstrong investigator also comes up with a strong act. The situations that he has to put up with are stereotypical but still the actor comes up with a good performance.

Rehman as the headstrong investigator also comes up with a strong act

As already said the middle episodes of 1000 Babies does stagnate a bit and the running time does make the viewers impatient. Also, there are a couple of plot conveniences which the show could have done away with. For example, there is a portion where Aji Kurian hits a dead end, but he quickly gets a clue without any effort from his side. Still all things considered 1000 Babies is an engaging thriller.

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Panchayat Season 3: A joyous return to the village of Phulera

Director Deepak Kumar Mishra does a wonderful job in mixing humor with emotions. The rural politics add a new dimension to the show

Starcast: Jitendra Kumar, Neena Gupta, Raghubir Yadav, Faisal Malik, Chandan Roy and others
Director: Deepak Kumar Mishra
Writer: Chandan Kumar
Producer: Arunab Kumar
Production Company: The Viral Fever
Music: Anurag Saikia
No of episodes: 8
Streaming site: Amazon Prime

For those who haven’t seen the two seasons of Panchayat the plot is about a young man Abhishek Tripati (Jitendra Kumar). Abhishek takes up the position of a panchayat secretary for lack of better options. In the first two seasons the viewers saw Abhishek getting himself acclimatized to the ways of a remote district situated in Ballia (Utter Pradesh). He forms a bond with the locals particularly the ones played by Raghubir Yadav, Neena Gupta, Faisal Malik and Chandan Roy.

Season 3 begins with Abhishek back in the city. At the end of the second season, he was axed from his job. A new secretary comes to the village to take his place but in a sudden twist of events Abhishek gets reinstated. His friendship with the village head /Pradhan Manju Devi (Neena Gupta) and the husband (Raghubir Yadav) has reached a strong level. There is also the pronounced romance between him and Pradhan’s daughter Rinky (Sanvika). Sure, there is no confession but for viewers it is apparent that they have grown fond of each other. Faisal Malik’s Prahalad is the depressed father who is still grappling with the death of his son. Chandan Roy’s Vikas is juggling between multiple duties job, married life and also being a pillar of support for Prahalad. Things take a turn when the arch army of Pradhan Bhushan (Durgesh Kumar) and co plan to settle old scores with the help of a local MLA. This leads to a major upheaval in the village ahead of the Panchayat elections, Abhishek finds himself in a tangle, he is sandwiched between village politics and aspirations of a higher job.

A strong aspect of Panchayat Season 3 is the director’s integration of the grassroot politics. There is a palpable intensity in the political rivalry that reflects the current times. Director Deepak Kumar Mishra deserves an appreciation for how he has dwelled into village politics and corruption at the grassroot level while maintaining the humor.

The love angle between Abhishek and Rinky is also fun to watch. On certain occasions she is the one who takes the lead. The light scenes between them work as a perfect contrast to the intense politics playing out. Sanvikaa does well in her limited role.

Neena Gupta’s character has come a long way, she has finally come out of her husband’s shadow. in this season Manju Devi participates actively in the council meetings and also voices her opinions without any fear showing a refreshingly different side. But just like the second season this time too the show could have done with more of Neena Gupta.

Apart from the political aspect the director also deserves appreciation for how he has dealt with the themes of mental health, loneliness, financial independence etc. through multiple characters. Both Chandan Roy and Faisal Malik continue to be an important pillar for the show. The character arcs of both is another plus. Jitender Kumar is good as always particularly in the moments of intensity.

Although gripping for most part some of the writing could have been better. For example, the role of MLA’s daughter doesn’t serve much purpose. Also, you have a person who joins a strike out of blue with hardly any build up.

These small niggles aside Panchayat Season 3 is a good follow up to the first two seasons particularly for those who like village-based stories.

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Charlie Chopra & The Mystery Of Solang Valley: A Pulpy Thriller That Keeps You Hooked

Vishal Bhardwaj shows his mastery at creating a dramatic murder mystery, with each suspect coming with his/her secrets.

Vishal Bhardwaj’s fascination with literature is something that needs no introduction.

The acclaimed director has adapted three works of Shakespeare into movies — Maqbool (2003) from “Macbeth“, Omkara (2006) from “Othello“, and Haider (2014) from “Hamlet“.

All these three movies won a lot of critical acclaim along with box office success.

The director has also tried his hand at adapting Ruskin Bond stories— The Blue Umbrella (2005) and Saat Khoon Maaf (2011).

Now, he is back with Charlie Chopra & The Mystery of Solang Valley based on The Sittaford Mystery, one of the crime novels written by Agatha Christie.

The mystery thriller is set in Solang Valley and Manali in Himachal Pradesh.

Synopsis

Right from the first scene, Vishal Bhardwaj shows his mastery at creating a dramatic murder mystery, with each suspect coming with his secrets. Wamiqa Gabbi is the determined Punjabi detective Charlie Chopra.

Brigadier Meherbaan Rawat (Gulshan Grover) is an esteemed member of the Rockford Estate community. Towards the end of the first episode, his shocking death is revealed. It sends huge shockwaves through the community.

Charlie Chopra takes up this case as her fiancé Jimmy (Vivaan Shah) becomes the major suspect. As Charlie Chopra digs deeper and deeper into the case, many secrets tumble out.

The rest of the story is about who the actual culprit is and whether there is something more to the mysterious death of Meherbaan Rawat.

Technical brilliance

For any suspense thriller, it is necessary that the viewers are intrigued throughout. Vishal and his two co-writers successfully manage to keep them hooked till the end.

The setting of the Solang Valley also ends up being a major character in itself, thanks to the cinematographer Tassaduq Hussain. He does a brilliant job in not just showcasing the picturesque setting but is also equally good at imbuing it with an air of enigma.

Vishal Bhardwaj also dwells on social commentary through the supporting cast. He talks about refugees, unrequited love, oppression, and killed aspirations. This gives the story a certain emotional heft.

Vishal Bhardwaj’s music blends perfectly into the atmospherics. Special mention must be made of the two Ghazals sung by Rekha Bhardwaj.

Performances

The ensemble cast is also mostly on point with a particular mention to Wamiqa Gabbi. After this year’s Jubilee (2023), the actress once again shows her versatility with her portrayal of Charlie Chopra.

A scene which particularly stands out is when she breaks down during an imaginary phone call to a character. There are also scenes where Wamiqa breaks the fourth wall with aplomb.

Priyanshu Painyuli also makes a huge impression in his role as a small-time news reporter. Their partnership is quite reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. Priyanshu brings in some much-needed comic relief.

Among the suspects, Lara Dutta and Ratna Pathak Shah have better etched-out roles.

Lara Dutta plays Wilayat Hussain, a Ghazal singer from Lucknow. As the series progresses, it is revealed that she was once Colonel Rawat’s love interest.

Now, Wilayat and her daughter Waseema are leading a life of indignity. Wassema suffers from schizophrenia. Lara Dutta effortlessly portrays both the protective mother and the Ghazal singer.

Ratna Pathak Shah’s character, on the other hand, is someone who fakes disability in order to claim insurance money. The veteran actress pulls off the grey shades with the finesse that you expect from her.

Final take

To sum it up, Vishal Bhardwaj delivers another winner. Here’s hoping that the director continues to take inspiration from literature.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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Lust Stories 2: An Engrossing Anthology About Love, Sex, And Desire

Much like its predecessor ‘Lust Stories’ (released in 2018), ‘Lust Stories 2’ also offers a fresh perspective on female desires.

Lust Stories (2018) — directed by Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee, Anurag Kashyap, and Karan Johar — was a well-made anthology about female desire.

The protagonists in these segments belong to different generations, socio-economic statuses, and upbringings. But the common aspect that bound them was sex and lust.

The standout story in Lust Stories was the short directed by Zoya Akhtar. Her story was about a domestic worker and her boss. Zoya expertly tackled the issue of a class divide through the lens of lust.

Now, after a gap of five years, you have Lust Stories 2. Much like its predecessor, this also offers a fresh perspective on female desire.

Made For Each Other

Lust Stories 2 begins with R Balki short Made For Each Other. This short primarily looks at checking sexual compatibility before marriage. It opens with Veda (Mrunal Thakur) and Arjun (Angad Bedi).

You have both families discussing when their marriage should take place. At that exact moment, Veda’s  daadi (grandmother, played by Neena Gupta) asks Veda whether she and Arjun had pre-marital sex.

As expected, this leads to a complete silence in the room. Daadi also adds that checking sexual compatibility before marriage is as important as doing a test drive before buying a car.

In the hands of a lesser actor, daadi’s dialogue may have sounded awkward. However, Neena Gupta makes the cool daadi work with her natural performance. Her scenes with Mrunal in particular are very good to watch.

Mrunal Thakur and Angad Bedi don’t have a lot to work with. Nevertheless, they make for a good lovey-dovey couple.

The Mirror

The Mirror, directed by Konkana Sen Sharma, is more intense than Balki’s short.

Isheeta (Tillotama Shome) is an individual leading a mundane life. She has repressed sexual desires.

But one day, things take a significant turn when she accidentally sees her domestic help (Amruta Subhash) engaging in a sexual act with her husband in her house (Isheeta’s).

Instead of confronting the domestic help, Isheeta gets drawn to the scene. She gets a lot of pleasure from watching them.

This segment primarily looks at the inner desires of Isheeta and the complexities that arise from her voyeurism. This short also shows that lust knows no caste, colour or gender.

Both Tillotama and Amruta Subhash are in wonderful form with their uninhibited performances. Though it reminds you of Zoya Akhtar’s short in Lust Stories, Konkana adds many more layers.

Sex With Ex

Sujoy Ghosh’s Sex With Ex is a thriller in typical Sujoy Ghosh’s style. This segment of Lust Stories 2 doesn’t completely draw you in, but it isn’t a complete waste either.

David Chauhan (Vijay Varma) is involved in an accident on the outskirts of a town. While searching for a mechanic he visits a hamlet where he runs into his ex-wife Shanti (Tamannaah Bhatia).

Shanti was assumed to be dead for a long time. Expectedly, this reunion brings a flood of memories.

The best part of this segment is the real-life sensuality that Tamannaah and Vijay Varma bring to the table. The twist at the end also takes you by surprise.

Tilchatta

The last chapter of Lust Stories 2 is Tilchatta (Cockroach) directed by Amit Ravindernath Sharma.

It deals with two issues mainly — firstly, it is about an upper-caste man who still feels that he is living in the age of kings; secondly, it is about a woman trying to find her agency in an abusive marriage.

The patriarch here is Kumud Mishra and the married woman is Kajol.

Tilchatta takes place in a sprawling haveli. Amit Ravindernath Sharma does a wonderful job of bringing out the toxicity and suffocation that Chanda (Kajol) and her son are going through in that large space.

There is an affecting subplot concerning sex workers since Chanda was a sex worker before getting into this haveli. This subplot adds more heft to the drama.

Both Kajol and Kumud Mishra bring their A-game. Kumud Mishra shows once again why he is considered a brilliant actor. He is absolutely terrific as the torchbearer of patriarchy. The way he unabashedly gazes at the bodies of women with so much lust makes the viewers hate him.

Kajol, as the woman trying to find her agency, conveys a lot with just her body language. As viewers, you want her to take the bold step which she eventually does, although things don’t go exactly according to the plan.

Verdict

Much like Lust Stories, Lust Stories 2 also makes a bold attempt at bringing taboo topics to the forefront through the digital space.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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Uunchai: Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara For The Older Generation

A delightful trek that is high on visuals and emotions

Uunchai (Hindi)            3.5 out of 5

Starcast: Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher, Boman Irani, Danny Denzongpa, Sarika and others

Director: Sooraj R. Barjatya

Story: Sunil Gandhi

Producers: Kamal Kumar Barjatya, Mahaveer Jain and others

Production Company: Rajashri Productions

Music: Amit Trivedi

Genre: Adventure/drama

Running time: 2 hours and 53 minutes

Sooraj Barjatya is one of the most successful commercial directors of the 90’s. He made Salman Khan into an overnight star with Maine Pyar Kiya. For a long time Salman’s off screen persona was synonymous with his onscreen image of Prem, thanks to the way the director presented him in multiple films. Often times the director repeated himself with simplistic plots. It was mostly set around large families and half way through an unfortunate incident happened resulting in a deep divide. Inevitably the protagonist would set things right with his basic goodness. Even his last film Prem Rathan Dhan Payo ticked all the boxes of 90’s family dramas; the only difference being that PPDP was set in a princely state where monarchy still exists.

However with Uunchai the director attempts something different, and for most part manages to pull it off. Barjatya not only takes a few elements from Farhan and Zoya Akhtar’s mode of storytelling but also takes inspiration from Nag Ashwin’s directorial debut ‘Yevade Subramanyam’. The inspiration can be clearly seen in the mountain scenes in the second half.

The film opens with a group of three friends- Amit Srivastava (Amitabh Bachchan), Om (Anupam Kher) and Javed (Boman Irani). There is also Mala (Sarika). These four are on a trek to reach the EBC (Everest base camp). The tour guide is Shraddha Gupta (A grumpy Parineeti Chopra). From there we move to a flashback from two months ago. This flashback involves the trio’s close friend Bhupen (A delightful Danny Denzonpa). It is refreshing to see Danny in this small but important part. His presence is felt throughout the film. Bhupen’s biggest desire is to go on a trek to the base camp of Everest with his three friends. However the friends are reluctant and they don’t take it too seriously. But things take a turn for bad after the birthday of Bhupen. The next morning he dies of cardiac arrest, this in spite of Bhupen being the fittest among the four. Amit decides to fulfill Bhupen’s last wish.

Both Om and Javed feel that Amit is being mad. But Amit manages to convince them about the importance of fulfilling their friend’s wish. However it is a trek that comes with many hurdles, the chief one being the age bracket that this trio comes under. Also Javed’s wife Shabina (Neena Gupta) is a controlling woman who doesn’t let him go outside the city and Mount Everest is a far off thing.

The rest of the story is about whether the trio is able to fulfill the last wish of their friend or not. Along the way the film also gives some important life lessons. These include how parents aren’t always in the right and children are not always in the wrong. How marriage partners sometimes need a certain distance, and lastly how love often can succumb to worldly comforts. The last one is brought out through the character of Mala. She has an important connection to Bhupen.

For any friendship film to work, the most essential aspect is that no character should end up overshadowing the others. A major reason why a Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara or a Dil Chahta Hai works is due to the way the characters were written. As an audience you root for all the three protagonists.

Here too Sooraj Barjatya gives equal space to all of them and makes you empathize with all. All the three have their own inner battles and the director does a splendid job in portraying them. Uunchai also dwells into the importance of solitude and successfully showcases how certain battles are best fought alone.

The individual back stories have also been smartly used by Sooraj Barjatya. They come in when you least expect it. Case in point being how Mala is connected to Bhupen, or even Amit’s past with a woman called Abhilasha (Nafisa Ali in a graceful special appearance). These stories add to the impact of the film.

The dialogues written by Abhishek Dixit are mostly heartwarming, both in the situations involving the friends and also the husband and wife scenes between Boman Irani and Neena Gupta.

The cinematography by Manoj Kumar Khatoi is simply splendid. He deserves distinction marks for how he captures the mountains through his lens. The trekking scenes of Amit, Om and Javed give us lot of thrills. This thrill is further enhanced by the cinematographer.

Anupam Kher, Amitabh Bachchan and Boman Irani, none of the three veteran actors disappoints

The action and stunts by Sham Kaushal are filled with the right amount of tension. For example there is a scene in the second half where all of them have to cross a bridge with the weather at its worst. The audiences get the feeling that something tragic will happen to Amit in particular. However no damage happens and the weather does settle down.

Also read: Thank God: A fantasy ride that you won’t mind hopping on

Music by Amit Trivedi is also good. My favorite is the Keti Ko song which leaves you with a smile on your face.

Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher and Bomal Irani in a jovial dance sequence

Coming to the flaws the length of the film could have been easily trimmed down. The first half feels indulgent at certain places. The trek could have begun much earlier rather than leaving it to the second half.

Another issue with the film is the way the character of Parineeti has been written and performed. She spends most of her time either being exasperated or being angry with the senior citizens. There is an attempt at humanizing her but it comes across as rather labored.

Uunchai boasts of fantastic veteran actors and none of the seniors disappoint. Amitabh Bachchan is marvellous as Amit Srivastava. He captures all the nuances without missing a single beat. Amitabh’s brilliance can be particularly seen at a crucial juncture in the second half; in this important scene his character is revealed to have Alzheimers. Om and Javed scold Amit for hiding his condition and decide to go back. This is followed by Amit’s long dialogue where he talks about the purpose of this trip and how he is not backing down now. Amitabh Bachchan does a swell job in bringing out the emotions of Amit.

Sarika leaves solid impression in her part

Anupam Kher has been on a roll this year with a knockout performance in Kashmir Files. The actor also made a huge impression with his small role in the Telugu film Karthikeya 2. With Uunchai Anupam continues his golden form. He excels in both the lighter and emotional bits. It is a delight to see Anupam getting one meaty role after another. Boman Irani compliments Amitabh and Anupam wonderfully. He conveys a lot with his body language. Sarika and Neena Gupta are also very good. They leave a solid impression in their respective parts.

Final word: Uunchai is rich in both visuals and also emotions. A tighter edit would have made it even better. But still this is a delightful trek with the smashing veterans leading it.

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Masaba Masaba Season 2: Neena And Masaba Score Once Again

Sonam Nair’s Masaba Masaba Season 1 was one of those loved web series when it released in the year 2020. Neena Gupta was expectedly brilliant, the surprise package though was daughter Masaba also playing herself. She stood her own and the scenes featuring Neena and Masaba were very good to watch. The plotline was basically Neena and Masaba playing a fictionalized version of themselves. The web series covered the professional and personal lives of the mother and daughter duo. There were also some important issues that season 1 covered like ageism in the industry, and how it is not so easy for senior actors particularly for the women to get solid parts. Director Sonam Nair smartly intergrated the film Badhai Ho into one of the episodes, for those not aware Badhai Ho was a huge gamechanger for Neena Gupta. The series also took several potshots at the fashion industry. At the end of season 1 you were eager to know how the story would go forward.

The tonality of Season 2 which has seven episodes is more or less the same, but director Sonam Nair is successful in bringing different dimensions to the same story. Season 2 begins off with Masaba’s pregnancy scare, and this unfortunately leads to Neena going all guns blazing on her. Masaba’s professional life isn’t exactly going well either. She puts all her energy into the fashion show but things don’t turn the way she expects, the reason for that is a young designer who steals the limelight. Neena, on the other hand, doesn’t want to confine herself to the backseat and is on her way to challenge the expected norms. In a way the problems addressed are similar to the first season, but the handling of it is more intense.

Director Sonam Nair dwells deep into the burden that successful women have to carry on their shoulders. She does a good job in capturing both the public scrutiny and also the unrelenting social media. In spite of being a fashion designer for a decade and learning the craft, Masaba still has to justify her talent time and again. Masaba even ends up hiring a publicist for her professional life to get better.

This publicist makes Masaba do things that she isn’t comfortable with. A segment that stands out is when Masaba is invited on a reality show as a judge. Masaba is made to go against her nature.

Another segment worth mentioning is the involving Neena Gupta.  Neena Gupta wants to revive her hit show Fursat but her script has been turned into a ridiculous joke by the producers and also a young-know-it all director. The reason for changing the script is that no one is apparently interested in watching older people romance on screen. It doesn’t take long for the director’s sexism to come out.

Sonam Nair also brings a certain sensitivity in handling the scenes between Masaba and Niel Bhooplam’s Dhairya Rana. Dhairya is Masaba’s investor. He has feelings for Masaba but there is a past incident involving her personal life and things get complicated. Niel Bhooplam plays his part with lot of understatedness.

As expected both Neena and Masaba knock it out of the park both together and also individually. Their scenes together have a real life warmth that makes you root for them.

Through the mother and daughter duo director Sonam Nair tells a heartwarming story of women standing up for each other, and how this changes each other’s lives.

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Panchayat Season 2: A Worthy Follow Up To Season 1

Sequels are always a tricky business whether it is movies or web shows. The audiences have a certain set of expectations which are not easy to meet. But director Deepak Kumar Mishra does a very good job in exceeding those expectations with Panchayat season 2. Panchayat season 2 not only delivers laughs, but it also makes you introspect. Tight writing combined with solid performances makes this web series one of the better shows of this year.

For those who don’t know Panchayat season 1 followed the journey of Abhishek Tripati (Jitendra Kumar). Abhishek Tripati unwillingly accepts the job of a Panchayat secretary in Phulera. Phulera is a remote village in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh. The first season was essentially about how he acclimatizes himself to the village. An important part of the show was his bond with the locals, particularly Pradhan (Raghubir Yadav), his wife and the actual Pradhan (Neena Gupta) and finally the two office bearers played by Faisal Malik and Chandan Roy, Season 1 also covered some important issues, but without any melodrama.

Season 2 takes off from where season 1 ended. Abhishek Tripati’s bond with the Pradhan and the others has become strong. There is also a hint of romance between Abhishek and the daughter of Pradhan. This season covers local politics, rivalries and also relatable issues like standing up for your friends.

 It is easy to get repetitive with a premise like Panchayat. But director Deepak shows growth both in the characters and the story. We see new dimensions to the village of Phulera and also the residents living in it. The director smartly avoids the typical tropes of films set in rural India. He presents Phulera as a real place with real people. Most of the humor comes from the situations that people find themselves in. The director also nicely sets up Season 3 with a smart twist at the end.

Apart from delivering laughs, the series is also successful in dwelling into issues with simplicity. There are no lengthy monologues here. But Deepak Kumar Mishra gets the point across successfully.

The subtlety of the show also extends to the performances. Jitender Kumar shows once again why he is perfect actor to play Abhishek Tripati. Jitender has grown leaps and bounds; this is evident in the way he holds his own against the likes of Raghubir Yadav and Neena Gupta. Raghubir Yadav and Neena Gupta are actors who don’t need any particular validation. Both of them are in terrific form as always.

Faisal Malik and Chandan roy are more than just comic reliefs in Season 2. Towards the end there is a scene where Faisal Malik will get you close to tears.

One minor complaint about the series is the track of the foul-mouthed politician. It doesn’t serve any major purpose. Also you wish there was a little more of Neena Gupta.

In a nutshell, Panchayat Season 2 is going to make the audience impatient for Season 3.

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Sach Kahoon Toh: An Insightful Account Of Neena Gupta’s Life

Released on 14th June 2021

Neena Gupta’s Sach Kahoon Toh is an autobiography which makes for an interesting read at many levels. Most of all it is a book which is filled with honesty. This honesty is visible from the foreword itself. The foreword begins with her saying that “I know many readers are waiting to get the juicy bits of my life. Don’t lie. I know there’s a part of you that only picked up the book to read about my relationships and controversies that have been part of my media image for decades now.” Through the book Neena Gupta challenges the assumptions that people have about her.

Sach Kahoon Toh is divided into five parts. The five parts are her growing years in Delhi, life in Bombay, giving birth to Masaba, the downside of her career and the eventual resurgence starting with the superhit Badhaai Ho which was a major turning point in her career. In the last section she writes about her family members and these include mother, father, brother, daughter and her husband Vivek. There is also the chapter on Vivian Richards and her affair with him which resulted in the birth of Masaba, however the details are kept to a bare minimum. But that chapter has also got interesting anecdotes as she gives the background of how their paths met in Jaipur.

For any autobiography to work it is important that you bare your soul out which includes talking about your flaws and Neena does that for most part. There are times in the book where she comes across as someone who lacked faith in herself and her talent apart from being easy to manipulate at times. This comes out particularly when she talks about her early boyfriend who cheats her multiple times but she still gives him chances. Candid confessions like these make the book an interesting read.

Her friendships with Soni Razdan and Satish Kaushik comes across vividly and these portions are very heart-warming. An interesting detail has to be mentioned here regarding Satish Kaushik. He once told Neena to tell people that he is the father of Masaba if people ask who the father is. The reason being the color of Masaba and Satish matches. It is a small incident but it tells you a lot about the friendship between him and Neena Gupta.

Neena Gupta, daughter Masaba

Another good thing about the book is Neena Gupta doesn’t go overboard with details about Vivian Richards. She treats that phase of her life with respect and never sensationalizes it. You also get a peep into the personality of Vivian Richards.