In its run time of 22 minutes director Adam J Graves subtly touches upon the issue of child labor, however the movie never becomes depressing as the focus is on hope for a better future
Sometimes a short film become a very powerful medium for a director to talk about important subjects. A short movie by nature needs a concise narrative and this can be very helpful for certain directors who aren’t comfortable with the long format of movies and web shows. Anuja directed by Adam J Graves and backed by Guneet Monga, Priyanka Chopra etc has made international waves. Its one of the five movies that has been nominated for the Oscar in the Best Live Action Short Film Category and deservedly so.
The storyline of Anuja streaming on Netflix focuses on two sisters Anuja (Sajda Pathan) and Palak (Ananya Shanbag). Both work in a government factory of Delhi. Things take a dramatic turn when Anuja is given an opportunity of life time due to her strong mathematical skills. It sheds light on the dilemmas faced by Anuja of wanting to break out of the social hierarchy while making sure that she is also able to survive. Through this tale of two sisters the movie gives a glimpse into the dark underbelly of child labor. The movie also takes digs on the nature of matrimonial ads where the focus is always on fair skinned brides.
The best part of Anuja is how it highlights the struggles of marginalized children. Their desires of going to school clashing with the necessity of earning livelihood. This has come out well in the dilemmas faced by both the sisters particularly Sajda Pathan.
The characterization of the government factory supervisor as the calculative villain may across as too predictable but it mirrors the harsh reality. Another striking aspect of Anuja is how it looks at the idea of stealing from the perspective of the downtrodden.
The idea of stealing is generally termed to be bad but sometimes the downtrodden are left with no other option. The exploration of the morality concept in today’s world has come out strongly through this angle. A particular mention must be made of the scene where Palak steals a left over cloth for a reason. She questions the supervisor on why her thieving of left over garments is such a crime.
Both the child actors Sajda and Ananya Shanbag deliver very good performances making the viewers believe in the deep love that the sisters have for each other.
Creator and director Vikramaditya Motwane presents a very gritty picture of the deeply horrifying situations where it is very difficult for a prisoner to reform.
Black Warrant (Hindi), 10-01-2025, Action, Drama, 7 episodes16+, OTT
Main Cast: Zahan Kapoor, Rahul Bhat, Paramvir Singh Cheema, and Anurag Thakur
Producer: Andolan Films, Applause Entertainment, and Confluence Media
Music Director: Ajay Jayanthi
Cinematography: Saumyananda Sahi
Rating: 4/5
For those who are not aware Vikramaditya Motwane’s latest work is based on the novel of the same name Black Warrant.
It was written by a jailer about the notorious functioning of the Tihar Jail set in the 80’s.
The novel explores the intricate power structure and the various hierarchies based on both caste and religion.
Synopsis
In this web series adaption of the novel Zahan Kapoor plays Sunil Gupta, a shy and confused man starting off as a meek person who eventually grows in confidence and becomes a determined jailer wanting to bring reform. And he eventually does succeed as well.
Sunil Gupta is credited with starting Tihar’s first legal aid cell. The series showcases the various experiences of Sunil starting from his meeting with the enigmatic Charles Sobharaj (a charming Siddhant Gupta).
Then you have also got the killers of PM Indira Gandhi among many others. Rahul Bhatt plays the morally grey deputy jailer Tomar. The other important characters are played by Paramveer Cheema and Anurag Thakur.
Strengths of the series
Zahan Kapoor in ‘Black Warrant’. (X)
A strong aspect of Black Warrant is the authentic depiction of the prison world with no artificiality. The division of the prisoners based on their caste, religion and money has come out strongly in numerous scenes.
The operation of the numerous gangs within the prison makes the viewers think about the flawed system where there isn’t much scope for reform. The web series also touches upon the plight of innocent prisoners, the category who are a victim of some malicious police officers.
Black Warrant also dwells on how the prisoners are often viewed as inhuman by the jail authorities. There is a brilliant scene involving a research scholar. This person comes to Tihar jail to get a psychological insight into the minds of prisoners. As a response an inmate says “Why do you want to do research on people like us struck in a cage are we animals?”
To this, the character says, “I am researching to prove you people are not animals.” This perfectly sums up the general attitude of the jail authorities. There is a deeply disturbing portion when Sunil along with his colleagues finds out about a senior jailor making money by depriving the prisoners of their basic needs.
Strong characterisation
Another big strength of Black Warrant is the characterization of Zahan Kapoor. The character of Sunil starts off as a vulnerable young man who in no way looks like a tough jailor capable of controlling the prison inmates but as the series progresses we see Sunil getting more confident.
‘Black Warrant’ is a jail drama. (X)
There is a palpable determination in the way he wants to bring out prison reforms. Zahan does a very good job of bringing out these nuances. The young actor proves that he is truly worthy of the illustrious Kapoor lineage.
The web series also dwells on how the lives of Jailers aren’t very glamorous at least back in the 80’s. There is an important scene where Sunil’s father tells his son to not reveal his profession while seeing a prospective bride, however, Sunil doesn’t follow his father’s advice, instead, he talks about his profession with absolute honesty.
Black Warrant also works due to the way the other important characters have been written with utmost care. Both Anurag Thakur and Paramveer Cheema also have solid graphs. The camaraderie shared between the characters isn’t hammered in; still, it works strong when required.
Many of the subplots in the web series are inspired by real-life incidents from the times of Indira Gandhi’s government. Certain capital punishments reflect deeply entranced class and casteist biases.
Then you also have the prisoners belonging to a more affluent part of the prison. A serial killer is seen roaming free; there is also an instigator of murder getting plenty of time to have romantic meetings. Apart from these you also have the arrest of JNU Students. There is a hilarious scene exposing the incompetent nature of jail staff.
Technical aspects and performances
Saumyananda Sahi’s cinematography is another major plus. He does a very good in recreating both the 80’s atmosphere and also the grittiness of the prison portions.
Apart from Zahan Kapoor’s breakthrough performance the show also benefits from Rahul Bhatt’s stellar turn. As a mostly self-serving boss with moments of genuine empathy for his fellow men Rahul Bhatt is simply fantastic.
Sidhant Gupta in the role of Charles Sobhraj has brief screen time but the young actor makes his presence amply felt. He perfectly captures the body language starting from the accented dialogue delivery.
The women characters in Black Warrant are mostly relegated to the background except for Rajshri Deshpande— as the firebrand reporter. This is only the slight flaw of the web series.
Final take
Overall Black Warrant is a must-watch for those who like gritty stories based on real-life incidents.
(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha)
Directors Akarsh Khurana and Nipun Dharmadhikari dig deeper than the previous two instalments looking the dangers of the online personas that we create.
Mismatched Season 3 (Hindi), 13-12-2024, Romance, Comedy, Drama, 8 episodes, A, OTT
Main Cast: Rohit Saraf, Prajakta Koli, Muskkaan Jaferi, Taaruk Raina, Laurena Robinson and Rannvijay Singha
Director: Akarsh Khurana and Nipun Dharmadhikari
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
Music Director: Jasleen Royal and Anurag Saikia
Cinematography: Sudip Sengupta
Rating: 3.5/5
For those who haven’t seen the first two seasons of Mismatched, the plot revolves around two diametrically different personalities.
Rohit Saraf’s Rishi is a young man with traditional notions of romance. Prajakta Koli’s Dimple is a tech-savvy girl with contrastingly different views on love and marriage. The series is based on the book titled When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
Her perception regarding marriage has zero similarities with Rishi’s filmy ideas. The two have a disastrous first meeting but a summer program brings them together despite the contrasting personalities.
The first two seasons primarily explored the themes of love, coming of age and societal expectations. All this resonated well with the younger audiences making it a popular show.
What also made the first two seasons popular was its supporting cast led by Taaruk Raina and Muskkaan Jafferi.
Taaruk Raina’s character Ammol represents the struggles of disabled people in finding normalcy. To cover up his emotional vulnerabilities he behaves like a bully pretending to be a tough guy. Muskkaan Jafferi’s Celina on the other hand is also someone who pretends to be brave but has secrets of her own.
Synopsis
Rohit Saraf and Prajakta Koli. (X)
Coming to Mismatched Season 3 the plot shifts from Jaipur to Hyderabad. The beginning episodes focus on their long-distance relationship.
Rishi is doing very well in NNIT run by Nandini Nahata (Dipannita Sharma). Dimple on the other hand is grappling with a lack of self-confidence, the reason being she couldn’t secure a place for herself in NNIT.
Their long-distance relationship soon starts cracking leading to a major strain. Dimple eventually makes an important decision to join Siddarth, Nandini’s rival’s (Rannvijay Singha) new institute which is conveniently located right next to NNIT. This move of Dimple isn’t just about beginning her career afresh but it’s also about staying close to Rishi.
The rest of the story focuses on the complexities of career ambitions and relationships coupled with the evolving dynamics of a fresh batch.
Strong points
Akarsh Khurana’s directorial ‘Mismatched Season 3’. (X)
A strong aspect of Mismatched Season 3 is the exploration of digital paradox through a project called Betterverse. This Betterverse, also called metaverse is a virtual reality space where the users can live out all their wildest fantasies, has been created by Rishi and Co. The central conflict of Mismatched Season 3 is this digital utopia.
On paper, this project looks very exciting as the players can live out their hidden fantasies but as the story progresses the characters find difficulty in drawing a much-needed line between the real and the virtual world.
Directors Akarsh Khurana and Nipun Dharmadikiri have done a terrific job in exploring this theme. Many youngsters and also extremely tech-savvy people would definitely relate to this.
Among the flaws, the characterization of Dipannita Sharma’s Miss Nandini could have been done with more nuances. She is mostly seen shouting at the top of her voice. This gets jarring after a point.
Also, the students aren’t seen attending much of theory and practical classes, also the atmosphere of the college often comes across as more of a corporate world than a tech college.
Strong characterisation
A still from the series ‘Mismatched Season 3’. (X)
Mismatched Season 3 deals with the new challenges faced by Dimple and Rishi. Before starting this project Betterverse Rishi was introspective and slightly insecure but post becoming the leader his personality undergoes a significant change.
He somewhat drifts away from his original persona leading to some cracks in the relationship with Dimple. He finds a lot of success in Betterverse but this success comes with a certain cost too.
Dimple on the other hand is facing the dual pressure of wanting to carve a space for herself in the world of coding and technology and having a solid love life. The colliding worlds of real and virtual have been wonderfully written and enacted.
The complexities here go beyond navigating romantic feelings; they also involve figuring out your true self and staying true to it. This is a difficult task, given the challenges of the digital age. All of this has been presented in a raw and unfiltered manner, without beating around the bush or trying to sugarcoat it.
Supporting characters
Ahsaas Channa and Taaruk Raina in ‘Mismatched Season 3’. (X)
What also adds to the impact of the third season are its supporting characters both the older ones and the fresh entrants. A particular mention must be made of the track involving Lauren Robinson’s Rith.
Rith is assigned female at birth and wants to transition and come out of the closet. The romantic track between Rith and Muskkann Jaferi is wonderful to watch. Through the track of Rith, the directors have touched upon the difficulties faced by the transgender community in embracing their real identity.
Talking about the older characters both Muskkann and Taaruk Raina successfully take off from the previous ones providing solid support to Rohit Saraf and Prajakta Koli.
Performances
Talking about the leads, both Rohit Saraf and Prajakta are in wonderful form perfectly imbibing the fresh nuances. The chemistry between them in both the light and emotional scenes is a delight to watch.
The self-discovery of Muskkann’s character runs parallel to that of Dimple and the actress does a fantastic job in showcasing the different nuances. Taaruk Raina is also equally good bringing in both humour and solid emotions.
Special mention must also be made of Laurena Robinson. Laurena is first-rate in portraying the identity struggle of Rith.
The music much like the first two seasons plays an important role in enhancing the story. Tracks like “Ishq Hai”, “Do Din Ke Bad” and “Pyaar Hai” perfectly capture the joys and the internal struggles faced by the characters at different junctures.
Final take
Keeping aside these niggles Mismatched Season 3 streaming on Netflix makes for a good watch, particularly for those who like soothing love stories with a dash of technology.
(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha)
Ya Kaali Kaali Aankhein Season 2 web series banner
A famous quote of Shakespeare on how “The course of true love never did run smooth” perfectly describes this twisted love story. Director Sidharth Sengupta along with his co-writers maintain a palpable tension about what would be the fate of Tahir Raj Bhasin’s Vikrant
For those who aren’t familiar with Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein season 1 it was a twisted love story with a gender twist. Instead of a male obsessive lover there was a possessive female in the form of Anchal Singh’s Purva. She makes life hell for Tahir Raj Bhasin’s Vikrant. What made the show click in spite of a familiar love triangle was its treatment. Director Sidharth Sengupta kept the viewers guessing about what turn the story would take. The performances of Tahir Raj Bhasin and Anchal Singh in particular also made the show engrossing. Season 2 of Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein is for most part a worthy follow up to Season 1. There are enough tension filled moments to keep the viewers hooked and the characterizations of Tahir Raj Bhasin and Anchal Singh are like an icing on the cake.
Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein Season 1
Season 2 of Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein begins with the kidnap of Aanchal Singh’s Purva. The kidnapper is Arunoday Singh’s Jalan but the one who orchestrated the entire situation is Vikrant. Vikrant had actually hired Jalan to get rid of Purva forever but now Jalan has double crossed Vikrant. The reason for Jalan’s double crossing is he wants more money. Adding to Vikrant’s woes is his lover Shikha (Swetha Tripathi) getting married to another man. Additional problems pile up for Vikrant with the entry of Guru (Gurmeet Choudhary). He is a tech savvy agent along with being Purva’s close friend. At one point Guru and Shikha had spent considerable time together and he had confessed his feelings of love to Purva too. But Purva had made it very clear that she doesn’t love him. Guru is determined to bring Purva back at any cost, it is both professional and personal for him. He gets suspicious of Vikrant having a hand in the kidnap leading to an exciting cat and mouse game.
A strong aspect of Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein season 2 like the first season is the layered characterization of Tahir Raj Bhasin. Towards the end of season 1 Vikrant had transformed from a normal small-town boy to a man on mission. The characterization had undergone a significant change with Vikrant becoming a morally ambivalent person. In this season the grey shades are more pronounced. Much like Sushmita Sen’s Aarya Vikrant too is forced to bring out the inner demon in him. He was just a normal guy wanting to lead a happy life with his sweetheart Shikha and stay away from both Purva and her politician father Akheraj Awasthi (Saurabh Shukla) but due to certain circumstances his life had taken a very different route.
Tahir Raj Bhasin does a splendid job in pulling off Vikrant’s emotional turmoil. For example, there is a scene where Vikrant visits Shikha a day after her wedding to cover up an important matter. He is absolutely devasted on discovering that Shikha is no longer his and blames her for giving up. Shikha retorts by saying that he too had married Purva surrendering to the circumstances. The way Tahir portrays the breakdown of Vikrant’s ego in that particular moment is exemplary.
Tahir Raj Bhasin does a splendid job in pulling off Vikrant’s emotional turmoil
Some of Vikrant’s actions are indeed questionable but at the same time there is a strong vulnerability too making it hard for the viewers to dislike him completely. Apart from Tahir Anchal Singh’s Purva too successfully takes off from where she left from the previous season. The character of Purva in comparison to the first season is more layered. The viewers get a physiological insight into how she has grown into this extremely possessive person. Anchal does a very fine job in humanizing the role of an obsessive lover. The dynamics between Vikrant and Purva continue to be the major backbone of the web show.
Anchal Singh does a very fine job in humanizing the role of an obsessive lover
Special mention must also be made of Saurabh Shukla’s Akheraj Awasthi. His role of a powerful politician acquires new shades in season 2. There is a scene where Akheraj confesses on how he should have brought up his daughter better apologizing to Vikrant. Brijender Kala much like the first season raises many chuckles with his comic timing. A standout scene between Tahir and Brijender Kala is when Vikrant questions the father about his unwavering loyalty to Akheraj, how he is willing to sacrifice the entire family in name of devotion. In fact, both the fathers function as a major catalyst for how Vikrant and Purva have shaped up.
Gurmeet Choudhary as the new entrant proves to be a worthy opponent for Vikrant. He does a fine job in showcasing Guru’s determination along with the emotions of love. Anant Vijay Joshi of 12th Fail fame is only used to give a humorous touch to an otherwise tense narrative. His portions come as a welcome relief amidst the chaos although the writing could have been better. The show at times also suffers on the account of a few cinematic liberties like Guru’s omnipotent surveillance technology.
Murli Krishna’s cinematography is of a very high standard whether it is the snowcapped mountains or how he captures the brilliant action set pieces. The stunts designed by Amar Shetty are on par with any big screen action movie. The iconic title track of Baazigar ‘Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein’ has been recreated wonderfully. The recreated track enhances the tension at many places.
Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein is definitely worth watching for those who like dark thrillers.
The details presented in the documentary often come across as curated, still Amit Krishnan does a fine job in exploring her rise to the top while breaking barriers along the way. What comes out strikingly through the documentary is Nayanthara’s mental strength in dealing with heavy trolling, letting the work do the talking
The number of female actresses who have done glamorous roles and have also created a strong image for themselves breaking the usual stereotypes aren’t many in number. Lady superstar Nayanthara is an exception. She has acted with many big heroes like Rajnikanth, Ajith and co but at the same time the actress has broken barriers with strong female centric films. Her market base is as strong as any big male actor. She has earned the tag of a female superstar. Even in big commercial movies like Viswasam Nayanthara’s character comes across as a strong woman.
Nayanthara Beyond the Fairy tale has been in the making for a long period finally releasing on Netflix. This 1 hour and 20 minutes documentary begins with event managers discussing with Nayanthara and Vignesh about the numerous options for their wedding venue. This includes the possibility of Tirupati. From here we go to a flashback of Nayanthara talking about her journey of 18+years. There are also Nagarjuna, Rana, Atlee etc. discussing her qualities.
The beginning portions of ‘Nayanthara Beyond the Fairy tale’ feel a bit flimsy. There is something off with the staging particularly the scenes of the event managers discussing the possible avenues of marriage. But soon the show finds its groove where the narrative shifts to her journey in showbiz.
A particular mention must be made of the part where Nayanthara talks about Ghajini. She reads out a particular sentence from the review of the movie. “An annoying and overweight, whose rolls of fat appear to be doing a Mexican wave across her waist in a song sequence. Ouch!” There is a palpable pain in the way Nayanthara talks about being body shamed and how it affected her mentally.
Right after this part the focus shifts to the bikini scene and her bold avatar in Ajith’s Billa. Director Vishnu Vardhan talks about how Nayanthara built a strong image for herself through this role. Another portion worth mentioning here is the part where Bhardwaj Rangan talks about Nayanthara’s role in the thriller/comedy Kolamaavu Kokila. Again, the importance of this role in breaking the general barriers associated with women characters and Nayanthara’s breakthrough performance makes it one of the best segments in the documentary.
Apart from the likes of Nagarjuna, Rana, Atlee and co you also have Radhika Sarathkumar, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Tammanna Bhatia etc. speaking about the relevancy of Nayanthara in breaking the notions of how a female actor’s star status is always linked to a male actor. The following statement of Parvathy Thiruvothu deserves a particular mention. Nayanthara made moves to assert herself in the movie industry at a time when “being a powerful woman was akin to witchcraft”.
The documentary would have had a larger impact if it had focused somewhat more on the ups and downs of her professional journey. Her love story with Vignesh Shivan is beautifully narrated but somewhat dominates the professional journey which the documentary needed to have more.
As already mentioned, ‘Nayanthara Beyond the Fairy Tale’ feels heavily curated on what information to give and what to hide. As a result, it lacks a wholesome quality which an actress of Nayanthara’s stature deserved.
Director Akshay Roy delivers a strong message on how it is never too late to chase your dreams. The core point of ‘Vijay 69’ is age is just a number and it should never come in the way of achieving your ambitions
Main Cast: Anupam Kher, Chunkey Pandey, and Mihir Ahuja
Director: Akshay Roy
Producer: Maneesh Sharma
Music Director:Gaurav Chatterji
Cinematography: Sahil Bhardwaj
Rating: 3/5
Akshay Roy’s Vijay 69 perfectly fits the genre of a slice-of-life film, something which has become rare in the increasing pan-Indian cinema. The film released on Netflix, does drag in some portions, particularly the starting scenes but after the initial stumbles, the movie grows on you. The central plot of Vijay 69 plot focuses on Anupam Kher’s Vijay Mathew. Vijay Mathew is a former athlete apart from being a swimming coach. He sacrifices his once-promising athletic career to take care of his terminally ill wife.
Synopsis
The movie begins with Vijay Mathew presumed to be dead. His best friend Fali (caricaturish yet entertaining Chunkey Pandey) mentions Vijay only as a garba king and a rummy champion.
This leads Vijay to reflect on his life, he decides to participate in a triathlon despite little support from his daughter and the general society.
A strong aspect of Vijay 69 is the strong friendship between Vijay and Fali. The witty banter between them is thoroughly entertaining. Their scenes together have the perfect blend of humour and also some heart-touching moments.
Another track worth mentioning here is the unexpected friendship between Anupam Kher’s Vijay and a rival athlete Aditya Jaiswal played by Mihir Ahuja. It lends an interesting angle to the story. The light scenes between them in spite of the significant age gap are a delight to watch.
Through this subplot, director Akshay Roy also emphasises how the age gap is not a barrier to friendship. It only becomes a barrier if you let it be.
As already mentioned, the movie begins on a tacky note. The production design in the initial bits makes it look more like a TV Serial and some of the forced humour does irritate the viewers, however, the movie soon becomes gripping when Vijay decides to start life afresh.
Performances
Anupam Kher in ‘Vijay 69’. (X)
Anupam Kher in the titular role is simply fantastic. He does a terrific job of portraying the emotional turmoil and never-say-die attitude.
Special mention must be made of his acting in the triathlon sequences. The way he conveys determination despite obvious tiredness is a master class in acting. He is the movie’s main stay making the viewers root for Vijay even though the plot meanders in some places.
Chunkey Pandey’s accent does border on far on being farcical, still, the actor delivers a charismatic performance.
Sahil Bhardwaj’s cinematography in the triathlon sequences deserves distinction marks. The way he captures the excitement and the tension through his lens is wonderful to watch. The finale does border on being overdramatic; still, it leaves you with a happy feeling.
There isn’t much place for music in this kind of narrative nevertheless the song “Aage bhii Jaane na tuu” from the 1965 movie Waqt works as a poignant number on seizing the day.
Among the other supporting cast, Vrajesh Hirjee makes his presence amply felt as Vijay’s initially reluctant coach.
Final take
In conclusion, Vijay 69 has a relevant message at its core making it a heart-warming watch in spite of the flaws.
(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha Kandula)
Director Mudassar Aziz successfully dwells into the themes of how much we really know our friends and partners. The game of surrendering phones leads to a major chaos, unexpected secrets tumble out leading to major conflicts
Producers: Ashwin Varde, Bhushan Kumar, Vipul D. Shah and others
Music: Tanishk Bagchi, Rochak Kohli, Guru Randhawa and Raj Ranjodh
Cinematography: Manoj Kumar Khatoi
Production house: T- Series Films and Wakaoo Films and White World Productions
Running time: 2 hours and 21 minutes
Streaming site: Netflix
Mudassar Aziz’s Khel Khel Mein based on the Italian movie Perfetti Sconoscuit (Perfect Strangers) has been remade in several languages including the Malayalam movie 12th Man. 12th Man was directed by Jeethu Joseph reuniting him with Mohanlal. What makes the subject of Perfect Strangers so relatable is the exploration of how smartphones create havoc in a what appears to be a perfect marriage. Jeetu Joseph’s 12th Man was more of a mystery/thriller with his signature touches. Khel Khel Mein on the other hand is more of a matrimonial comedy. Every time the movie switches into a tense mode a comic scene follows soon.
The Italian movie Perfect Strangers has been remade into several languages including the Malayalam movie 12th Man
The plot of Khel Khel Mein is set against the backdrop of a big Indian wedding. You have three couples along with a bachelor friend. The night before the wedding Vani Kapoor’s Vartika suggests a game of surrendering their mobiles. Everyone has the license to read or listen to whatever message or video call that will come. What starts off as fun soon goes into a very murky territory. This is the story in brief.
A strong aspect of Khel Khel Mein is Mudassar Aziz’s portrayal of sensitive issues without getting preachy. The movie dwells on teenage sex, infertility and homosexuality among others. All this is backed with strong humor particularly from Akshay Kumar.
Akshay Kumar plays Dr Rishabh. He is an expert at telling white lies. It is refreshing to see Akshay back in the humor zone, a genre which he has aced previously. The actor generates many chuckles with his perfect comic timing. Apart from the humor scenes Akshay also shines in the portion where he gives advice to the teenage daughter about taking things to the next level with her boyfriend. The scene is treated with a lot of maturity giving the movie some depth. Another scene that needs to be mentioned here is the one where Akshay gives a speech on how marriage is not an ownership but a partnership. It is very poignant.
Akshay Kumar as Dr Rishabh. He generates many chuckles with his perfect comic timing
Apart from marital problems the movie also briefly touches upon homosexuality through the character of Fardeen Khan’s Kabir. Initially the actor doesn’t seem to have much to do but he makes a striking impact in the scene where Kabir opens up on his sexual preferences and being removed as a cricket coach in an all-boys school. The management had feared that a gay coach is not good for the students.
Fardeen Khan makes a striking impact in the scene where Kabir opens up on his sexual preferencesTaapsee Pannu shines the best among the female leads
Taapsee Pannu shines the best among the female leads. The Punjabi twang is reminiscent of what the viewers have already seen in last year’s Dunki but still the actress shines bright as a homemaker desperate to have babies. Without her husband’s knowledge she is looking to have children through an infertility clinic. A particular mention must be made of the scene when she lambasts her husband on hiding an important report. Ammy Vik as a hotheaded Sardar also makes a strong impact. He is especially good in the scene where he reminisces about a past love and an inability to keep people happy.
Among the rest Aditya Seal and Pragya Jaiswal also get their moments to shine. Just like the characters of Taapsee and Ammy’s these two also have some dark secrets, Vani Kapoor as the writer though suffers from a sketchy characterization. Her track is half-baked. Her idea of the phone game comes across as scheming than fun, as a result the taunt of Akshay Kumar at one point makes the viewers side with him. Also, the scene where she tries to be a cool mom to Akshay Kumar’s daughter doesn’t have the desired impact.
Another slight issue with Khel Khel Mein is the gag involving an attempted suicide. The punch lines are hilarious, and the absurdity of the situation does make the viewers laugh but in the overall scheme of things the makers could have done away with this.
Keeping aside these small niggles Khel Khel Mein is easily one of the most enjoyable Akshay Kumar movie of the recent past. The film would have fared much better with a solo release date instead of getting sandwiched with Stree 2.
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.
The decision of releasing the three terrorists is something that is debated even to this day. Refreshingly Director Anubhav Sinha doesn’t take any sides and neither does he resort to the current over the top nationalism
Starcast: Vijay Varma, Manoj Pahwa, Aravind Swamy, Pankaj Kapoor, Naseeruddin Shah, Dia Mirza, Rajiv Thakur and others
Based on the book: Flight Into Fear – The Captain’s story by Devi Sharan and Srinjoy Chowdhury
Director: Anubhav Sinha
Writers: Adrian Levy and Trishant Srivastava
Production houses: Matchbox Shots and Banaras Mediaworks
Streaming site: Netflix
No of episodes: 6
Cinematography: Ewan Mulligan and Ravi Kiran Ayyagari
In simple terms the story of ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ focuses on a flight hijacked by three Pakistani terrorists. The flight was going from Delhi to Katmandu. After being taken hostage the airplane lands at three different locations before the final destination of Kandahar which was then under the control of Talibans. These terrorists want the release of their imprisoned Kashmiri comrades along with a dead body of a militant. Director Anubhav Sinha and the other two writers recreate the eight harrowing days in a gripping manner. The continuous negotiations between the Indian agents and the Pakistani terrorists and the efforts of the passengers for survival is depicted authentically.
Passengers in the hijacked plane
Before going forward, I will slightly touch upon the unnecessary controversy that the show has found itself in. A section of people has raised objection to some of the hijackers having Hindu codenames, this objection feels very redundant. Assuming false names is a very common practice when you don’t want the real identity to come out. When the terrorists used certain code names how can a director change it, specially as this is based on a true story.
Now moving on to the show, earlier too we have seen stories of this genre where a larger-than-life hero saves the day. Here that has been subverted in a refreshing manner. Vijay Varma’s Captain Sharan Dev is the major pivot of this story as he is the head pilot. But the character never comes across as larger than life. He is as vulnerable as the other passengers and the fellow staff; Sharan Dev simply wants to survive through this ordeal so that he can meet his daughters again. At the same time, he shows determination too. This mix of fear and determination has been wonderfully portrayed by the actor. With this web show Vijay Varma once again proves his capability in adapting to different roles.
A mix of fear and determination
This web series follows a pattern of blending real life situations with dramatized events. A voice over runs alongside the archival footage. The merging of archival footage and the re-created scenes is not easy to blend but director Anubhav Sinha does a very good job in intermingling both.
IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack is also refreshing in its portrayal of the terrorists. Thanks to the nuanced writing they never come across as one note characters. There is a scene of them participating in Antyakshari with passengers. In another scene one of the terrorists comforts an air hostess who vomits as she is unable to bear the stench. There is also a moment where a terrorist expresses his admiration for Sharan Dev.
The series also does a wonderful job in portraying the sheer hopelessness of the situation. In a particularly impactful scene, a helpless flight attendant is trying to clean out an over flowering toilet. It is a very disturbing image.
There isn’t much space in a show like this for lighthearted moments, but Manoj Pahwa raises many chuckles with his sarcastic humor. He plays an aggressive official and the senior actor as expected delivers a solid act. Whether it is the scenes of negotiation with the hijackers or his conversations with the suave Aravind Swamy in the role of an MEA official. In spite of a bulky physicality the actor commands your attention. Aravind Swamy as the smooth-talking officer with a different approach is charm personified.
Manoj Pahwa commands your attention Aravind Swamy as the smooth-talking officer is charm personified
Like other hostage dramas this too comes with certain backstories. Anubhav Sinha does not explore them in detail but there is enough to chew on. For example, you have an orthopedician shrugging off his responsibility in saving a heavily wounded passenger. The same attitude can be seen later when he is stranded with a differently abled son. The Director links this behavior to a larger picture concerning the politicians and bureaucrats. Hijackers get into the aircraft with guns and bombs in a very convenient manner. These scenes show how a security lapse can result in deadly consequences.
The crux of ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ is more about the emotional battles, and less about combat. This has come out well. The role of Afghanistan in rescuing the passengers also gives the show some of its most heart warming moments.
Rajiv Thakur, a comedian earlier does a good job in the role of a menacing hijacker. Yes, the actor does fall short on certain occasions particularly in the scenes with Manoj Pahwa but still it is a commendable effort. Among others Dia Mirza and Amrita Puri also do a fine job. As a member of Press Dia portrays both the tenderness and intensity in an effective manner. Through the track of her and Amrita Puri Anubhav Sinha brought the conflict between newspapers and television into the story.
Rajiv Thakur cast against type
A special mention must be made about Pankaj Kapoor and Naseeruddin Shah playing senior officials. They are actors par excellence with a huge body of work behind them. It is a pleasure to watch the two veteran actors in one frame. Their interactions are laced with conflicting ideologies but underlined with mutual respect.
The cinematography of Ewan Mulligan and Ravi Kiran Ayyagari is also first rate. Both do a splendid job in capturing the high tension through their lens.
One aspect of the show which feels slightly underwhelming is the structure. The cuts between the episodes feel abrupt giving the impression that this was originally planned as a movie, but this doesn’t hamper the proceedings in a significant manner.
The final moments leave the viewers with a lot of thoughts on how the hijack happened so easily in the first place. But I suppose there is always scope for security lapses.
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.