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

Shaitaan movie image

Munjya movie image

Stree 2 movie image

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

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

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

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 directed by Anees Bazmee

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

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

R Madhavan in a delightfully deranged performance

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

Both Munjya and Stree 2 feature grotesque demons

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mr and Mrs Mahi: Rajkumar Rao and the music are the only redeeming features of this underwhelming romantic/sports drama

Director Sharan Sharma disappoints after a promising debut in Gunjan Saxena. Janhvi Kapoor needs to get out of her stock expressions
  • Starcast: Rajkumar Rao, Janhvi Kapoor, Kumud Mishra, Zarina Wahab and others
    special appearance (Arjit Taneja)
  • Director and writer: Sharan Sharma
  • Additional writer: Nikhil Mehrotra
  • Production Company: Dharma Productions and Zee Studios
  • Music directors: Vishal Mishra, Tanishk Bagchi and others
  • Cinematography: Anay Goswami
  • Running time: 2 hours and 18 minutes

Sharan Sharma’s first movie Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl was much appreciated for its strong storytelling particularly the father and daughter relationship. The movie also packed a powerful punch in showing how Gunjan broke through the mostly male stronghold to make a place for herself. For Janhvi Kapoor the movie was a resurgence after the mixed reviews to Dhadak.

Sharan Sharma’s second venture Mr and Mrs Mahi had all the potential to be a solid feel-good movie, but this time the director has disappointed the emotions land rarely and the cricketing portions are a dampener. It also doesn’t help that Janhvi seems to have stepped straight out of Baawal sets in a different universe. Sure, the character sketch leaves a lot to be desired, but Janhvi’s monotonous expressions doesn’t really help. She really needs to up her game significantly particularly in the times of talented young actresses like Nitanshi Goel and Pratibha Ranta from Laapaata Ladies. Or even Mrunal Thakur who has delivered some impactful performances.

Mr and Mrs. Mahi tells the story of a failed cricketer Mahendra Agarwal (Rajkummar Rao) and his doctor wife Mahima Agarwal (Janhvi Kapoor). Mahendra toils away in his father’s sport shop. Mahendra’s dream was to play for the national team however that didn’t transpire for many reasons. There is a constant undercurrent of tension, the father Hardayal Aggarwal (Kumud Mishra) considers Mahendra as a defective piece. The son on the other hand looks at himself as a complete zero. Adding to Mahendra’s woes is the elder brother Sikander Aggarwal (a caricaturist Arjit Taneja). Sikander is a big television actor whose face is seen on billboards; fans throng after him. This adds to Mahendra’s insecurity. Things take a turn when Mahendra comes upon his wife’s cricketing abilities. He manipulates Mahima into believing that she is made for cricket. Mahendra is successful in making Mahi a star, but their marriage takes a beating as Mahendra’s desire for fame has not been quenched.

One of the few redeeming features of Mr and Mrs Mahi is the top notch Rajkummar Rao. Yes, Mahendra is not a likeable person. On more than one occasion he comes across as very selfish and also insensitive but at the same time it is impossible to hate Mahendra completely thanks to the layered character and Rajkummar Rao’s portrayal. The way Rajkummar showcases the psyche of a broken man is a testament of his immense talent. The actor also raises some chuckles in the scenes where Mahendra records videos promoting himself on how Mahma has reached this far because of him.

The music composed by the various composers does make for a good listen and watch. A particular mention must be made of Vishal Mishra’s “Roya Jab Tu”. This song takes place when Mahendra and Mahi have a spilt and her game has taken a severe beating. Anay Goswami’s cinematography is suitably glossy and does make the movie visually appealing.

Director Sharan Sharma does make some important points on how the need for fame can drive a person insane and also the aftereffects of suppressing childhood dreams. However, these scenes are far and few in between.

A major problem with Mr and Mrs Mahi is the lack of depth in both the characterization and the acting performance of Janhvi. For most part the viewers see the film from the perspective of Mahendra and this leaves little room for Mahima. Often times she comes across as a pushover whether it is the father making her choose a doctor career or the husband manipulating her to become a cricketer. There is little agency here and by the time Mahima gives it back to Mahendra it becomes too late.

As mentioned in the beginning Janhvi needs to get out of her stock expressions. The emotions of fear and vulnerability are the same as we have already seen in the likes of Baawal and Mili. Sure, she has worked on the cricket aspect but other than that there is nothing new. Also, the cricketing aspect feels superficial given that Mahima is never seen fielding on the ground.

Mr and Mrs Mahi is strictly an average watch only elevated somewhat by Rajkummar Rao.

Srikanth: Rajkummar Rao leads a gripping tale of self-determination that feels like a warm hug

Director Tushar Hiranandani deserves huge appreciation for not using the blindness of Srikanth Bolla as a tool of self-pity.
Srikanth (Hindi), 10-05-2024, Biography , Drama, 2 hours 14 minutes, U, Theatre
  • Main Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Alaya F, Jyothika and Sharad Kelkar
  • Director: Tushar Hiranandani
  • Producer: Bhushan Kumar and Krishan Kumar
  • Music Director: Anand Milind, Tanishk Bagchi, Sachet Parampara, Ved Sharma
  • Cinematography: Pratham Mehta
  • Rating: 3.5/5
  • Published in: Southfirst

There was a time when biopics on different personalities used to sell like hotcakes. Cases in point are Farhan Akhtar’s Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013), Vidya Balan’s The Dirty Picture (2012), and Sonam Kapoor’s Neerja  (2015).

These movies raked up both critical acclaim and commercial success.

However, the genre has somewhere lost its sheen in the last few years, particularly the ones related to sports like Taapsee Pannu’s Shabhaash Mithu (2023) or even this year Maidaan (2024). The box office numbers of the Ajay Devgn-starrer are still far away from the producer’s investment.

A major reason for Indian biopics losing its sheen is the overt melodrama along with the predictable beats.

Nevertheless, director Tushar Hiranandani’s Srikanth, based on the visually impaired businessman named Srikanth Bolla, is a welcome change in more ways than one.

Sure, there is a fairytale-like structure in how Srikanth overcomes his obstacles. But, at the same time, the movie does throw light on some important things.

How we should not view differently-abled persons through the lens of pity, instead we should engage with him or her as equals.

Synopsis

‘Srikanth’ is a biography. (X)

The movie begins with the birth of a boy. The father is initially ecstatic about a son being born and rushes home.

He names him Srikanth after the famous batsman Krishnama Chari Srikanth. However, all this changes once the fact of his son being blind comes out.

In the beginning, both parents have a hard time worrying constantly about the child. Things are further compounded by neighbours and relatives who think that Srikanth has no future.

At one point, the father almost buries him alive. But better sense prevails with the wife stopping him.

The rest of the plot looks at the journey of Srikanth from just another village boy to an inspiration for many people like him.

Analysis

Generally, Indian biopics do shy away from showcasing the grey areas of their protagonists. Here too, Tushar Hiranandi surprises big time.

In the second half of the movie, Srikanth has a downfall in business because of his overconfidence and also a bitter attitude towards his business partner-cum-friend Ravi (Sharad Kelkar).

There is a scene where a media person talks about how Srikanth wouldn’t be successful if Ravi hadn’t backed him up.

This does not go down too well with Srikanth; he believes he is wholly and solely responsible for his victory.

Writers Jagadeep Siddhu and Sumit Purohit have written some crackling dialogues that stay with the viewers long after the movie has ended.

A good example of this is the sequence where Srikanth is not allowed to board the plane on account of being visually challenged. The officials insist on someone accompanying him.

How Srikanth turns the situation around with some crackling dialogues not only brings a wide smile but the lines also provide a reality check on how persons with disabilities are not treated as equals.

The monologue at the end also deserves a big thumbs up.

There are scathing remarks on how some people think that the best way to help the blind is only by making them cross the road.

Takeaways

Jyothika at ‘Srikanth’ press meet. (X)

A strong aspect of Srikanth is how the director has projected the stark contrast between India and the West regarding the education facilities for the differently abled.

There are scenes where Srikanth faces rejection for wanting to choose science, though he tops the 12th board exams. The challenges of the protagonist with the Indian educational system have been presented poignantly.

Tushar Hiranandani also does a wonderful job of showcasing the bond between Rajkummar Rao’s Srikanth and Jyothika’s Devika.

Devika was a teacher of businessman Srikanth when he studied at a special school for the visually impaired in Hyderabad.

However, her association with Srikanth goes much beyond school. She is his friend, philosopher and guide.

Devika supports him in every step that he takes but at the same time, she also gives him a reality check when needed.

The best example of this is the portion where she lambasts him for becoming insecure and bitter in the second half.

A speedbump

Rajkummar Rao in ‘Srikanth’. (X)

The love story between Rajkummar and Alaya F though comes across as a major speedbump.

Alaya F has a charming presence but her character of Swathi appears and disappears at the whim of the writers.

The blossoming of love between the two feels rather hurried. Also, there are times when the all-round abilities of Srikanth become a little difficult to digest; like the scenes where he plays basketball and cricket without any hiccups.

The romantic songs of Sachet Parampara “Tu Mil Gaya” and “Tumhe Hi Apna Maana Hai” are soothing in nature. However, the recreation of “Papa Kehte Hain” from Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak  (1988) is the major highlight of the soundtrack.

Rajkummar and Jyothika excel

In the title role, Rajkummar Rao delivers an exceptional performance. The actor just disappears into the role starting from the mannerisms.

He particularly shines in the scenes of Srikanth grappling with insecurities. There is also a goofiness to Srikanth which Rajkummar brings out expertly.

Jyothika also makes a big impact bringing the right mixture of warmth and fierceness.

Sharad Kelkar plays the business partner-cum-friend with a lot of empathy.

Final take

Srikanth makes you think about how differently-abled persons should be treated as mainstream and deserve equal opportunities, just like anyone.

Guns & Gulaabs: A Blend Of ‘Gangs Of Wasseypur’ And ‘Mirzapur’

Another story on drugs but worth a watch for the ensemble cast and the eccentric characters created by the director duo — Raj & DK.

Not as brilliant as Raj & DK’s previous ventures.
Guns & Gulaabs (Hindi)
  • Cast: Dulquer Salmaan, Rajkummar Rao, Adarsh Gourav, and Gulshan Devaiah
  • Director: Raj & DK
  • Producer: Raj & DK
  • Music: Aman Pant
  • No. of episodes: 7
  • OTT platform: Netflix

Raj & DK carved a niche for themselves in the web series zone with the two seasons of The Family Man (2019, 2021) and Farzi (2023).

In both the web shows, the director duo took up global issues and portrayed them through a humanistic lens.

But with their latest outing — Guns & Gulaabs, they seem to have entered more into the space of Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) and Mirzapur (2018, 2020). However, what remains the same is their trademark humour.

Synopsis

The story of Guns & Gulaabs is set in the fictional town of Gulaabgunj during the 1990s.

Ganchi (late Satish Kaushik) is a drug dealer who signs a big deal with a Kolkata-based businessman named Sukanto Chatterjee (Rajatava Datta). As per the deal, Ganchi needs to deliver a big quantity of opium to this businessman in just a month.

Paana Tipu (Rajkummar Rao) is the son of the late Bablu Tiger (Arijit Dutta), a key member of the Ganchi Gang. Tipu is a mechanic with zero interest in entering his father’s profession. He is head over heels in love with a school teacher named Chandralekha (T J Bhanu).

However, Tipu’s life takes an unexpected turn when he kills two people, in a fit of rage, who work for a contract killer named “Chaar Cut” Atmaram (Gulshan Devaiah). This gang is responsible for the death of his father Bablu Tiger.

Jugnu (Adarsh Gourav) is the son of Ganchi who is both effeminate and also savage. He is desperate to win the approval of his father. He gets an opportunity to fulfil his dreams when Ganchi meets with an unexpected accident.

Arjun (Dulqer Salmaan) is the seemingly honest cop and the perfect family man. He was a deputy commissioner of police in Delhi during the time of the Bofors scam. Now, he is transferred to Gulaabgunj with a simple brief of cleaning up the place.

Running parallel to these characters are a bunch of schoolchildren. Among the kids, the most important one is Tanishq Chaudhary playing the troublemaker Gangaram.

Raj & DK smartly integrate this track into the main plot of gang violence and the opium trade.

Eccentric characters

What also makes Guns & Gulaabs worth a watch are the eccentric characters that Raj & DK created. Most of them come in shades of both black and white.

For example, Rajkummar Rao starts as a reluctant son whose only aim is to become a famous mechanic and marry the school teacher Chandralekha. His scenes with TJ Bhanu bring a smile to the viewer’s face.

The actor also leaves you in splits with his fantastic comic timing. There is certain likeability to Tipu even after he becomes a part of the Ganchi’s Gang.

Rajkummar Rao portrays all these shades with his usual finesse.

The combination of scenes between Rajkummar and Dulqer, though few in number, is still good to watch.

Through the character of Jugnu, Raj & DK explore the journey of a young man who is stuck between effeminateness and living up to his father’s expectations. There is a chilling scene at the end where Jugnu pours out his frustration to his dad.

It gives goosebumps to viewers, thanks to the performance of Adarsh Gaurav.

Tipu and Jugnu have a striking commonality — both are burdened by the legacy of their respective fathers.

As mentioned in the beginning Dulqer Salmaan’s Arjun is initially presented as the perfect cop and the ideal family man. But as the show progresses past skeletons keep coming out.

One of these includes a past affair with Yamini (Shreya Dhanwanthary). The duality of Arjun is portrayed well. Dulqer delivers the cuss words with conviction.

The track of the school children is effectively used to address how students are usually slotted under a particular category and the consequences it has on their personalities.

An important track that needs to be mentioned here is the student’s (Gangaram) infatuation with Chandralekha.

Flaws

Nevertheless, one big problem with Guns & Gulaabs is the tying up of the various subplots.

The last few episodes feel cluttered. You get the feeling that Raj & DK were in a hurry to wrap up the web series. The last episode, in particular, even with an interval in between feels much laboured.

The female characters, except TJ Bhanu, don’t make any impression.

Shreya Dhanwanthary, in particular, is criminally underused. This is sad because the women in both The Family Man and Farzi — be it Samantha, Priyamani, or Rashi Khanna — were featured in full-length roles as strong and powerful ladies.

Technical crafts

One of the things that stand out in Guns & Gulaabs is the technical department.

Pankaj Kumar does a beautiful job of taking back the audiences to those times with his lens.

In this, he is aided by a solid art direction department.

Aman Pant’s background score complements the period perfectly. It has the right retro feel. Both the background score and the cinematography enhance the show in a significant way.

Verdict

In all, Guns & Gulaabs do not entirely match up to the brilliance of the director duo’s previous works. But still, it is worth watching, particularly if you like crime thrillers.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

Bheed: The Plight Of Migrant Workers Deserved A Better Film

The muddled treatment fails it!

Bheed (Hindi)

  • Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Bhumi Pednekar, Dia Mirza, Pankaj Kapoor, Kritika Kamra, and Ashtoush Rana
  • Writer-Director: Anubav Sinha
  • Producer: Beneras Media works
  • Music: Anurag Saikia
  • Runtime: 1 hour 54 minutes

Starting from 2018’s Mulk (Region or Country), Anubhav Sinha has repeatedly chosen issues that are important to society.

In Mulk, he successfully addressed the prejudices that Muslims are facing in our society, through the character of a respected Muslim patriarch played by the late Rishi Kapoor.

In Article 15 (2019), the topic was the horrors of caste discrimination. Ayushmann Khurrana played Ayan Ranjan, a police officer from society’s upper crust. He had no idea about the various caste divisions.

Article 15 was followed by an equally powerful Thappad (Slap) in 2020 which looked at the consequences of a slap by the husband in a momentary fit of anger.

Thappad made a powerful statement on how it isn’t okay for a husband to slap his wife.

All the above-mentioned films positioned Anubhav Sinha as a director with a strong progressive voice.

However, the director saw a downfall with Anek where he focused his lens on the strained relationship between the government and the separatist groups in the North East.

Despite the powerful subject, he floundered big time. Unfortunately, the same has happened with his latest – Bheed (Crowd).

There are passages in the film that keep the audiences completely hooked particularly the ones featuring Rajkummar Rao and Pankaj Kapoor. But the film tries to address too many things at the same time. As a result, it never comes across as a comprehensive whole.

India’s pandemic exodus

Bheed begins with the shocking scene of the real-life incident of 16 migrant workers who were run over by a train. This sets the mood for the drama that follows. The film has been shot in black and white by cinematographer Soumik Mukherjee.

After the horrific death scene, we move to Surya Kumar Singh Tikas (Rajkummar Rao). Surya, a young cop, is appointed as in in-charge of a check-post at one of the state borders. This check-post has been closed due to Covid.

Surya’s girlfriend is an upper-class girl Renu Sharma (Bhumi Pednekar). She is a doctor who treats patients who are stranded at the check-post.

Aditya Shrivastava plays Surya’s subordinate who doesn’t like the latter much but has no other option other than to take orders from him.

On the other side of the barricade, you have the characters played by Dia Mirza and Pankaj Kapoor, among others.

Dia Mirza comes from a privileged class. She is a desperate mother who wants to cross the border to take her daughter back home. Her need is such that she doesn’t mind offering money to the in-charge officer.

Pankaj Kapoor plays watchman Balram Trivedi who also wants to return home from the city, much like his fellow friends and workers.

They arrive at the Tejpur border which is 1200 km from Delhi. However, the border has been sealed now.

There is also a young girl carrying her alcoholic father on a bicycle. Amidst all this, Kritika Kamra plays a TV journalist named Vidhi Tripati. She is an idealistic journalist with a lot of passion.

Revealing anything more wouldn’t be right as this is a story that has many layers to it.

The caste angle

Before getting into the shortcomings, it is necessary to highlight what works well for the movie.

It is successful in highlighting the plight of migrant workers. The scenes of families walking barefoot for miles, hungry kids crying for food and the inability of the mothers leaves a lump in your throat.

There are several other issues that the director tackles; chief among them is the issue of caste through Rajkummar Rao’s Surya Kumar Singh Tikas.

Surya is someone who hides his caste under the surname Singh because it is something that his father had done as well.

Surya Kumar feels happy to be the in-charge. But, at the same time, there is also a deep insecurity about his caste identity amidst the Sharmas and Tridevis.

Anubhav Sinha does a good job of fleshing out this character. Once again, Rajkummar Rao proves his versatility with his exceptional performance.

He is particularly good in a scene when he expresses his anguish and decides that he also wants to be a hero and not remain as part of the crowd (Bheed).

The prejudices related to Muslims

Another track worth mentioning in Bheed is that of Pankaj Kapoor’s Balram Trivedi. Though the character of Balram, Anubhav Sinha exposes the prejudices related to Muslims.

There is an important scene when Balram doesn’t allow his hungry companions to eat the food served by a Muslim man.

Balram is someone who is filled with bigotry. But fortunately, the character is not one-dimensional.

Pankaj Kapoor is a vastly experienced actor who has given many terrific performances. Here too, he packs a punch whenever he is on screen. His confrontation scenes with Rajkummar Rao deserve a particular mention.

The shortcomings

There are many issues that Anubhav Sinha tackles through Bheed. The intentions are worth applauding but the film tries to address/ highlight too many things at the same time. As a result, it feels cluttered.

The love track, for example, doesn’t make any sense. It feels more suited for a romantic drama than an issue-based film like this. It would have been far better if Surya and Renu Sharma were portrayed as strangers who meet in this difficult period.

There is also a forcefully inserted intimate scene between the duo. The conversations between Surya and Renu mostly don’t align with the genre of Bheed.

Bhumi is her usual feisty self but nothing is outstanding about her performance.

Kritika Kamra as an honest journalist has an impressive beginning. But, after a point, it is clear that the director has no idea about where to take the character.

The paradigm shift of journalism in those times is hardly touched upon.

Dia Mirza gets the most baked character in the ensemble. Her desperation to reach her daughter is painted in a rather insensitive manner.

A more nuanced characterisation was needed. Still, Dia does the best that she can do with this one-dimensional character.

Soumik Chatterjee’s black-and-white cinematography takes some time to get used to but it is an interesting experiment. There is no scope for songs in a film like Bheed but the composition of “Herali Ba” is quite powerful.

Verdict

Bheed is a perfect example of how good intentions don’t always translate into powerful films.

Bhediya: A Strong Cautionary Tale On The Importance Of Environment

Varun is brilliant, while Kriti gets relegated to the background!

Bhediya (Hindi)

  • Cast: Varun Dhawan, Abhishek Benarjee, Deepak Dobriyal, Paalin Kabak, and Kriti Sanon
  • Director: Aamir Kaushik
  • Producer: Dinesh Vijan
  • Music: Sachin-Jigar
  • Runtime: 2 hours and 36 minutes

Aamir Kaushik is known for his wacky sense of storytelling: his previous films Stree and Bala are examples.

Stree was based on the folk tale, “Oh Woman Come Tomorrow”. He gave it a feminist touch, elevating the film from the usual horror-comedy genre.

In Bala, Kaushik used humour to convey an important message on baldness and societal standards of beauty.

With Bhediya, Kaushik once again scripts a folk tale with a strong message. This time, the setting is Arunachal Pradesh.

In Bhediya, he focuses his lens on how progress should not be at the cost of the environment. There is also a commentary on how the northeast people are alienated.

These are heavy themes but Kaushik makes them non-preachy through his storytelling.

The plot of Bhediya is centred on a small-time contractor Bhaskar (Varun Dhawan). He gets the opportunity of a lifetime when he is given a road-construction contract inside the dense forests of Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh.

This is his biggest project. But he is aware that this project will destroy the environment.

He also knows that the project would not benefit the local population. Still, he wants to continue the work for the benefits it brings.

His cousin Janardan (Abhishek Banerjee) accompanies him. He has a local friend, Jomin (Paalin Kabak).

Deepak Dobriyal plays sub-contractor Panda. One night, Bhaskar is stranded in the jungle and is bitten by a bhediya (wolf).

Veterinary doctor Anki (Kriti Sanon with a weird hairstyle) provides him first-aid.

However, things start getting worse for Bhaskar because he was bitten by a supernatural wolf. As a result, he too gets some supernatural powers now.

On the other hand, certain people associated with this controversial project are getting killed due to a particular animal.

The rest of the story is about how this mystery is solved and how Bhaskar manages to overcome his inner conflict. This is the synopsis of Bhediya.

Terrific visual effects

The best thing about the movie is how the director balances horror and comedy.

The scenes of Varun transforming into a werewolf at night will give goosebumps to the audience, more so if you are watching it in 3D.

The background music by Sachin-Jigar coupled with the cinematography of Jishnu Bhattacharjee heightens the impact of these scenes.

The computer-generated ‘wolf effects’ are in perfect sync with the nature of the film. The hard work that has gone behind the scenes is evident.

Comedy is a mixed bag

Abhishek Benerjee mostly handles the comedy part. He is a real hoot and often leaves the audience in splits.

Varun’s camaraderie with both Abhishek Benerjee and Paalin Kabak gives the film some of its best moments.

Paalin Kabak also stands on his own, particularly in the scene where he expresses his frustration about the stereotypes associated with northeastern people.

Deepak Dobriyal is fun to watch.

But some of the jokes are rather in bad taste. A case in point is the scene where Varun’s bum becomes a point of discussion; there is also some unnecessary toilet humour which dragged quite a bit.

There are also some avoidable racist jokes.

Varun is brilliant, Kriti is underused

Another major win for the film is how the character of Varun has been designed coupled with the actor’s terrific performance.

Bhaskar is someone who starts with an indifferent attitude towards nature. Becoming rich is his only ambition. However, all these changes after he gets bitten by the supernatural wolf.

The audiences get to see him going through a lot of internal conflicts and eventually changing for the better.

Varun captures all these shades meticulously. He also deserves huge credit for the physical transformation that he goes through when the wolf takes over.

Kriti Sanon has a mysterious presence much like Shraddha Kapoor in Stree. And just like Shraddha, Kriti is largely relegated to the background except for the pre-climax twist.

It has a good emotional touch. However, the impact would have been more if Kriti was better used it from the beginning. Her romance with Varun is rather half-baked.

Sachin-Jigar’s music was better in Stree than in this film but they more than make it up with their background score.

Rajkumar Rao and Aparshakti Khuranna make a surprise appearance, in the end, leaving the audiences curious about a possible crossover film between Bhediya and Stree in future.

Monica O My Darling: A Noir Thriller That Keeps You On Your Toes

Vasan Bala is one of those directors who are known for a distinctive style of storytelling. For example in Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota you had a protagonist who has a rare condition named Congenital insensitivity to pain. It was a whimsical ride that combined new age tropes with some old Bollywood elements. In the anthology segment Spotlight (the Satyajit Ray anthology) he made a social satire that combined religion and movies. His latest Monica O My Darling is a wonderful addition to the director’s repertoire. The film is based on the 1989 Japanese novel Burutasu No Shinzou.

Monica O My Darling follows the life of Jayant Arkhedkar (Rajkumar Rao). Jayant is a robotics genius who gets an opportunity to climb the social ladder after doing lot of hard work. A series of murders follow in the ‘Unicorn Group’, the workplace of Jayant. Huma Qureshi plays the titular character Monica. Monica is the secretary who serves the robotics company with great deal of zeal. Monica and Jayant are in secret relationship. But Jayant has no intention of marrying her as he is dating his boss’s daughter (Akansha Ranjan). ACP Naidu (Radhika Apte) is a quirky cop who is assigned to solve the case. There are a host of others too with special mention to Sikander Kher playing the entitled son of the boss. He is not very happy with the special attention that Jayant is getting. The film mainly talks about how being at the top of the social ladder isn’t always a great place to be.

The storytelling in Monica O My Darling will remind you of Sriram Raghavan’s thrillers at a few places in terms of how it explores the dark nature of human beings. Much like Sriram Raghavan films here too none of the characters are pure white, each of them come with their own shades of grey. However Vasan Bala gives his own touches to this tale of an ambitious outsider.

Every time Jayant considers himself as a winner or hero life cuts him to size as no wins are absolute.

Both Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota and the short segment Spotlight had plenty of pop culture references which added to the story.  And Monica O Darlings is no exception to that. The film’s title itself is taken from the iconic song sung by RD Burman. The title song keeps playing in the background at important junctures which adds to the immersive experience.

Monica O My Darling is filled with multiple characters and each of them are important, even the side characters. Vasan Bala does complete justice to each of them.

The dialogues co-written by Bala and Yogesh Chandekar have a lot of wit particularly those spoken by Radhika Apte. More importantly the film is an allegory to class struggle.  

In this galaxy of actors Huma Qureshi stands out in the title role. She has to switch her mood from being frustrated, sad and maniac in a matter of minutes. And the actress does it splendidly. Huma does a commendable job of keeping Monica humane in spite of her grey areas.

Rajkumar Rao proves once again why he is one of the best actors that we have. The character of Jayant requires him to showcase a range of emotions and the actor nails it. Radhika Apte has a late entry but the actress is fun to watch with her cool demeanor. Sikandar Kher has a limited part but the actor is nevertheless good.

The film’s music and cinematography are also perfectly in sync with the film.

Final word: Monica O My Darling is a delicious watch particularly if you like Sriram Raghavan’s brand of cinema. The talented ensemble is the cherry on the cake.

White Tiger: A Piercing Take On The Underbelly Of The Rich

It is not often that a director does justice to a novel. But Director Ramin Bharani does more than enough justice to the written material. Apart from capturing the spirit of the novel it also raises many pertinent questions. The film dwells deep into the caste mechanisms and how the rich put the poor in their place. The best way to describe it would be as an anti slumdog Millionaire. In this case it is a compliment to the film White Tiger. 

The movie begins off with establishing the character of Adarsh Gaurav’s Balaram. We see Balaram narrating his story starting from the rural village of Laxmangarh. From Laxmangarh we go to Delhi where Balaram works as a servant to his master Ashok and Madam Pinky. The couple is played by Rajkumar Rao and Priyanka Chopra respectively. Balaram is fascinated by Ashok but that soon turns into bitterness because of a particular incident. Ashok and Pinky believe that their goodwill changes the class structure of the society. However they come with their shades of grey particularly Rajkumar Rao’s Ashok. Whenever Pinky speaks about education and equality her in-laws think that she is speaking too much. This is the synopsis. 

The best part of White Tiger is how director Ramin Bharani manages to handle the heavy duty themes of caste, corruption and globalization. It never feels heavy handed and yet the message comes across perfectly. Ramin Bharani also  deserves kudos for avoiding the clichés of the exotic India. He adopts a dark satirical tone while laying bare the hypocrisies of modern India.  On one side of the coin you have the outright brutality of Ashok’s father and brother. On the other side there is the well meaning but ineffectual kindness of Ashok and his wife. 

One major change when compared to the book is Priyanka Chopra’s character. Unlike the book here Pinky is better written and has an arc. Not surprisingly Priyanka fares far better with her American accent than Rajkumar Rao. Priyanka shines in her extended cameo and works well as a catalyst for the change in Gaurav. 

The director also deserves appreciation for he builds up the character of Balaram. Initially we get the feeling of Balaram romanticizing his master. At one point he even calls Ashok as his ex. From there the transformation of the character has been done in an effective manner. In fact, no feeling of sadness for Ashok comes when he is killed by Balaram. There is a feeling that Ashok deserves it. 

The cinematography Paolo Carnera also plays a significant part in building up this universe. He captures the two distinctly different words with flair. In short, the cinematographer is successful in capturing the texture of the novel on to the screen.

The lines written for Adarsh Gaurav deserve a special mention. His observation of his master results in dialogues which hit the right spot. 

The only point where White Tiger feels like a letdown is the casting of Rajkumar Rao as Ashok. The actor gets a clumsily written part and the American accent that Rajkumar Rao puts on becomes bothersome. 

Not surprisingly the film belongs to Adarsh Gaurav. The actor sinks his teeth into the role and comes up trumps. This film should open doors for the actor. 

On the whole White Tiger is a film which deserves your attention and time. It is must watch particularly for the many masters who take their servants for granted.