Day: January 27, 2025

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Sky Force : A competent and refreshing war drama avoiding the usual bombastic-ness

‘Sky Force’ directed by Sandeep Kelwani and Abhishek Anil Kapur is set during the tumulus war of 1965. The movie follows India’s daring and successful airstrike on Pakistani’s heavily protected Sargodha airbase.
Sky Force (Hindi), 24-01-2025, Action, Drama, 2 hours 30 minutes, U/A, Theatre
  • Main Cast: Akshay Kumar, Veer Pahariya, Sharad Kelkar, Sara Ali Khan, and Nimrat Kaur
  • Director: Sandeep Kelwani and Abhishek Anil Kapur
  • Producer: Dinesh Vijan, Jyothi Desphande
  • Music Director: Tanishk Bagchi
  • Cinematography: Santhana Krishnan Ravichandran
  • Rating: 3/5

Subjects involving our beloved neighbour Pakistan have been one of Bollywood’s pet themes over many years, whether it is the likes of Kabir Khan’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) or Aditya Dhar’s Uri (2019).

The love and hate-relationship between India and Pakistan has been the emotional fodder for numerous movies. When it comes to war movies portraying Pakistan there has been an increasing trend of playing to the gallery with zero nuances, of course, exceptions are also there like the Meghana Gulzar-directed Raazi (2018), a movie which looked at the human cost of war.

Synopsis

Sky Force directed by Sandeep Kelwani and Abhishek Anil Kapur is set during the tumulus war of 1965. The movie follows India’s daring and successful airstrike on Pakistani’s heavily protected Sargodha airbase.

In this very successful mission, the rebellious squadron leader TK Tabby (a promising Veer Pahariya) goes missing. He has a major disregard for protocols, which leads to him flying solo into the enemy territory during a sky-force mission.

TK Tabby goes missing and the higher authorities in the military have zero interest in knowing his whereabouts given his rebellious nature. It is left to Akshay Kumar’s KO Tiger Ahuja to uncover the mystery.

KO Ahuja is both a wing commander and also a fatherly figure to Tabby. The movie follows KO Ahuja’s relentless quest.

Sharad Kelkar in an extended special appearance plays Pakistani squadron leader Ahmed Hussain. He turns out to be a major link for Tiger Ahuja in unravelling the mystery.

What works and what doesn’t 

There is no denying that Sky Force has a bumpy start. The initial sequences of camaraderie and the air training portions have a distinct hangover from Siddarth Anand’s Fighter a movie which also featured many air combat sequences.

But the movie soon settles down as the intensity of the 1965 War takes centre stage.

The movie also taps into the bureaucratic frustrations and political red tape. These issues are briefly touched upon effectively. The pre-interval sequence leading to the successful airstrike and then the subsequent disappearance of Tabby is wonderfully staged thoroughly involving the viewers.

The second half focuses on KO Ahuja’s relentless quest and from here on the movie engages the viewers emotionally.

How KO Ahuja finds the first lead thanks to Ahmed Hussain and his determination to uncover bringing closure and also justice to Sarah Ali Khan’s Geeta Vijaya —Tabby’s wife packs in an emotional punch.

The ultimate revelation and how Tabby gets his much-deserved due for his bravery has both been wonderfully written and enacted.

Dynamics between the leads

A major plus for the movie apart from the strong emotional resonance, are the dynamics between Tabby and KO Ahuja.

The on-screen camaraderie between the two characters has been wonderfully established. KO Ahuja sees his lost son in Tabby— there is visible warmth in the light-hearted scenes.

KO Ahuja is a father-like figure to Tabby, someone he respects deeply. Ahuja treats Tabby with warmth but maintains an authoritative stance. In one scene, Tabby is kept on standby and not allowed to take part in any action. When Tabby asks for an explanation, saying he has always looked up to Ahuja as a father, Ahuja responds firmly, “I don’t owe you any explanations.”

Sky Force is also refreshing in the sense that there are no in-your-face celebrations after India defeats Pakistan, no over-the-top dialogues looking down at Pakistan.

The animosity between the two nations isn’t going to last forever. There is a mutual sense of respect for men in uniform in both India and Pakistan. The scenes featuring Sharad Kelker as the Pakistani squadron leader is a very good example of this.

Technical aspects and performances

The action sequences designed by Parvez Shaikh and Craig MacRae are a delight to watch particularly for fans of air combat sequences.

Santhana Krishnan Ravichandrana’s cinematography is also stunning. He perfectly captures the intense action like an action-packed sequence between Veer Pahariya and Sharad Kelkar.

Tanishk Bagchi’s music is of a good standard barring one rather unnecessary party number. Among his compositions, the standout number not surprisingly goes to B Praak’s “O Maaye Teri Mitti Bulaye”. The composition along with B Praak’s soulful voice will move the audiences.

Talking about the main leads Akshay Kumar as KO Ahuja plays a senior officer and a concerned mentor with absolute finesse. He brings in a lot of gravitas making the viewers root for his character.

Veer Pahariya makes a confident debut; he plays the determined soldier with conviction effortlessly embodying a rebellious nature. Sharad Kelkar also leaves a significant impact in his brief role with a restraint act.

Nimrat Kaur and Sara Ali Khan play the typical army men-wife characters. They are good in their limited portions but the characterizations of both leave a lot to be desired.

Final take

To sum it up Sky Force is worth boarding on despite a familiar territory.

(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha)

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/sky-force-movie-review/

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Hisaab Barabar: Uneven screenplay ails Madhavan’s well intentioned fight against corruption

The performances of the central players is impactful but ‘Hisaab Barabar’ lacks the seriousness required.
Hisaab Barabar (Hindi), 24-01-2025, Comedy, Drama, 1 hour 51 minutes, 16+, OTT
  • Main Cast: R Madhavan, Niel Nitin Mukesh, and Kriti Kulhari
  • Director: Ashwini Dhar
  • Producer: KT Kunjumon
  • Music Director: Aman Pant
  • Cinematography: Santhosh Thundiyil
  • Rating: 2.5/5

Ashwini Dhar’s Hisaab Barabar has its heart in the right place. The movie wants to educate the viewers about financial scams which common men often tend to overlook.

Through the central character played by R Madhavan, the movie wants to make the viewers more aware of the snowballing effect of corruption and how we should be extra vigilant.

These themes are indeed thought-provoking but Ashwini Dhar’s treatment leaves a lot to be desired.

Synopsis

The story of Hisaab Barbar focuses on an extremely righteous railway ticket examiner Radhe Mohan Sharma (a sincere R Madhavan). Radhe Mohan Sharma is an expert at accounts, his maths never goes wrong.

One day he notices a small discrepancy of ₹27.50 in his bank account. Upon further investigation, Sharma comes across a major financial scam worth ₹2, 400 crores. This financial scam has been orchestrated by a greedy banker Micky Mehta (an over-the-top but fun Neil Nitin Mukesh).

As Radhe navigates the various layers of corruption and bureaucracy he is confronted with various hurdles both professional and personal.

The other important character is played by Kriti Kulhari, the character Poonam Joshi starts as a love interest but as the plot progresses her real identity turns out to be something else.

On the shoulders of Madhavan

Neil Nitin Mukesh in Hisaab Barabar
Neil Nitin Mukesh in ‘Hisaab Barabar’. (X)

What saves Hisaab Barabar from completely falling off is undoubtedly the sincerity of R Madhavan. As the humble ticket collector facing off corrupt businessman R Madhavan does a very good job of portraying both vulnerability and determination.

He brings an emotional heft to the role, particularly in the portions where both his professional and personal life come to a standstill.

Niel Nitin Mukesh as the over-the-top antagonist often borders on being a caricature still it is clear that the actor has had a blast.

He chews the scenery with gleeful abandon perfectly oscillating between being menacing and also raising chuckles. His performance and characterization work as a perfect contrast to R Madhavan’s grounded act. The interplay between the two characters is undoubtedly a major plus for the movie.

Kriti Kulhari as Poonam Joshi has various shades, starting off as a love interest and then to her real identity. Kriti Kulhari does a very fine job although the romantic track between her and Madhavan comes across as a major speedbreaker.

The movie’s ultimate message about a common man’s strength and how with great determination one can overcome numerous challenges is indeed admirable. It leaves the viewers with a good feeling.

Flaws

Kriti Kulhari in Hisaab Barabar
Kriti Kulhari in ‘Hisaab Barabar’. (x)

As far as the flaws go, the biggest minus of Hisaab Barbar is the tonal inconsistencies, the balance between light-hearted humour and the seriousness required leaves a lot to be desired.

The attempt to inject humour in some of the crucial scenes leaves a very bad taste, a good example of this is a major scuffle between R Madhavan and a bank employee.

Instead of being taut and intense, the entire portion is reduced to a silly gag. The film also suffers from certain filminess, the resolution to the tussle between R Madhavan’s Radhe Mohan and Niel Nitin Mukesh’s Mickey cultivates in an overtly simplistic mode.

The operation of financial crimes also lacks the necessary depth, particularly for the more discerning audience, the production values are of a very low standard. The movie’s low budget is clearly visible in the tacky cinematography of Santhosh Thundiyil.

Final take

To sum it up Hisaab Barabar is a decent watch if you are looking for a time pass movie and are an R Madhavan admirer.

(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha)

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/hisaab-barabar-movie-review/

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Paatal Lok Season 2 : Fantastic deep dive into Nagaland’s socio-political landscape

Director Avinash Arun Dhaware and creator Sudip Sharma push the envelope further giving a new perspective. The absence of the chilling Abhishek Banerjee from the first season is definitely felt, still there is a lot to admire in the way the duo construct a social drama in the guise of a police procedural.
Paatal Lok Season 2 (Hindi), 17-01-2025, Crime, Thriller, 8 episodes, 16+, Web series
  • Main Cast: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Tillotama Shome, Gul Panang, Nagesh Kukunoor, and Merenla Bose
  • Director: Avinash Arun Dhaware
  • Producer: Karnesh Ssharma and Babita Ashiwal
  • Music Director: Naren Chandavarkar and Benedict Taylor
  • Cinematography: Avinash Arun Dhaware
  • Rating: 4/5

For those who haven’t seen the first season of Paatal Lok, it was loosely inspired by Tarun Tejpal’s Novel The Story of My Assassins.

Acclaimed actor Neeraj Kabhi played the role of the journalist-novelist Tarun Tejpal. The show revolved around an assassination attempt gone wrong. Jaideep Ahlawat played a low-ranking officer called Hathiram Chaudhary.

Hathiram is suddenly assigned a high-profile case changing his life forever. The series also took inspiration from the traditional concepts of heaven, earth and hell.

These served as metaphors to explore the different classes of India along with other aspects. Through a police procedure, various burning topics like caste atrocities, media biases and Islamophobia among others were explored in an impactful manner.

Apart from Jaideep Ahlawat’s stellar act, the first season is also remembered for Abhishek Banerjee’s deadly Vishal Hathoda, a notorious hitman with a love for dogs.

The role of Vishal Hathoda showcased a different facet of him; Abhishek got rave reviews for his excellent act. After a gap of five years, Paatal Lok Season 2 has arrived amidst high expectations.

Bingeworthy season 2

Jaideep Ahlawat in Paatal Lok Season
Jaideep Ahlawat in ‘Paatal Lok Season 2’. (X)

Thankfully the second season turns out to be even more bingeworthy. What sets apart the second season is the setting of Nagaland, giving the viewers a new perspective on the socio-political situation of the state.

Just like the first season the second one also starts as a police procedural. The plot begins with the brutal murder of Jonathom Thom, a prominent personality of Nagaland.

Jonathom Thom was deeply involved in the peace process of the state involving 20, 000 crore investment. On the surface, this may appear as a simple peace process but there is a lot at stake for the local government.

Running parallel to this is the case of a missing daily wage labourer and a nightclub dancer. Hathiram Chaudhary is investigating this. On the other hand, Ishwak Singh who played Constable Ansari in the first season is now an IPS officer.

Ansari has deep respect for Hathiram’s honesty and investigation skills in spite of being in a higher place. As the plot progresses these threads become intertwined.

The eight-episode saga covers a vast range of topics like the socio-political turmoil of the North East, and the struggles of orphans who fall into the trap of crime.

Nagaland politics

Ishwak Singh in Paatal Lok Season 2
Ishwak Singh in ‘Paatal Lok Season 2’. (X)

A major USP of Paatal Lok Season 2 is undoubtedly its depiction of Nagaland politics. The contrast between the beautiful landscapes with the immense turmoil of the local population has been wonderfully depicted.

The writing team of the second season which also includes Abhishek Banerjee does a terrific job of bringing alive the ethnic clashes between the different groups.

One of the major themes in Paatal Lok season 2 is the insider versus outsider topic. There is a section of people who have come from outside creating their own identity. Despite being Nagaland residents for a long time, they have to pay a certain amount of money to a local group in the hope of ensuring their safety.

But sometimes even that doesn’t work. This comes out strikingly in a conversation between Haitharam and a local business family.

The character of Haitharam serves as a medium to make the viewers more aware of the major conflicts involving the North East.

Women stuck in oppressive system

The series also does a terrific job of exploring the plight of the numerous women stuck in an oppressive system. Director Avinash Arun Dhaware along with the writers presents this in a hard-hitting manner through the characters of Rose Lizo and Aslena Thom.

One is a young woman battling addiction; the other is a conflicted widow. Through these subplots, a strong statement is made about the numerous trials and tribulations faced by those living on the fringes of society.

The supporting cast has numerous actors from the Northeast. All of them do a very good job in their respective roles adding a certain authenticity. Avinash Arun Dhaware deserves a major appreciation for casting northeastern actors in supporting parts as this adds to the immersive experience giving it a rooted feel.

Characterisation

Apart from the political aspects, the interpersonal relationships particularly the one between Hathiram and Ansari have been brilliantly written and enacted. Both Haithram and Ansari are unsure of how to behave with each other given the shift in power dynamics.

This aspect also gives the show some of its best moments; an underlying thread of friendship despite the awkward scenarios has come out wonderfully.

Paatal Lok Season 2 is a crime thriller
‘Paatal Lok Season 2’ is a crime thriller. (X)

Special mention must also be made of Tillotama Shome’s SP Meghana Barua. A mother of a six-year-old son and a local police officer who has established her space in what is generally considered as a male bastion.

Meghana’s knowledge of local politics adds a fresh dimension. Tillotama does a fantastic job of portraying the different nuances although the character could have been more developed.

Gul Panag reprising her role of Hathiram’s wife doesn’t get a lot to do just like in the first season, still, she shines bright in the emotional scenes. Director Nagesh Kukunoor as the shrewd businessman with several skeletons in his closet also makes a strong impact.

As Haithram Jaideep immerses himself coming with a superlative act again, the way he portrays the strong determination while battling both professional and personal issues is a sheer delight to watch.

Ishwak Singh is also terrific giving solid support as a young police officer dealing with the complexities of his new role.

Final take

To sum it up Paatal Lok Season 2 is absolutely binge-worthy, and a must-watch for fans of Paatal Lok Season One, and Jaideep Ahalwat admirers.

(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha)

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/paatal-lok-season-2-web-series-review/

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Animal’s People: A haunting account of Bhopal gas tragedy aftereffects through a fictional story and setting

The novel Animal’s People deals with many significant themes like abuse of human rights whether it is the people coming from the lower sections of society or the differently abled ones, the huge impact of environmental degradation and lastly resilience of human spirit enabling people to fight all odds among others. Indra Sinha truly deserves all the appreciation the book has got. Though first published in 2007 the novel still feels very relevant

Animal’s People Novel

The Bhopal gas Leak is one of the biggest tragedies in the history of mankind. Apart from the huge death toll the leak also led to survivors having major health problems like respiratory issues, blindness and other maladies resulting from exposure to toxic gas. Although many years have passed since then the horrors of that period can never be forgotten particularly for the residents of that area. The Bhopal Gas tragedy also had a major impact on both environment and economy of our country.

In 2023 Yash Raj Banners Produced a show called The Railway Men focusing on a few unsung heroes who put their lives at stake saving as many lives as they could on that fateful night. First time director Shiv Rawail did a terrific job in exploring the moral corruption within the political landscape like the chief of the union carbide factory getting away with his sins. The series also presented a realistic picture of the terrible aftereffects.

The Railway Men directed by Shiv Rawail

Indra Sinha’s 2007 novel on the other hand is set in the fictional city of Khaufpura, this place is home to a devasting gas explosion. It goes without saying the place of Khaufpura and the events there resemble the immense tragedy of the Bhopal Gas leak. Coming back to this novel the story focuses on a young man of 19 years. He was born just a few days before the explosion of chemical factory. This young man calling himself Animal walks on all fours with a twisted back. Although born with a terrible condition he never looks for sympathy, in fact he rejects all kinds of sympathy sprouting profanities for most part and obsessing about sex. His life undergoes a significant change with the entry of an American doctor called Elli. Elli wants to open a free clinic for the still suffering townsfolk. This is the brief outline of the very disturbing Indra Sinha novel.

A strong aspect of Animal’s people is how Indra Sinha has written the main character. There is an infectious energy with a never say attitude about this 19-year-old boy. He often becomes a narrator giving the readers an insight into the major divide between the have and have nots in the area of Khaufpura, this young man also represents the lives of many individuals whose life have undergone extreme changes because of the devastating catastrophes like this.

In spite of his language bordering on profanities on numerous occasions there is also a certain endearing quality to him. A lot of dark humor is generated with his character often leaving the viewers in splits. Good examples of the dark humor are the following lines

“Is it kind to remind a blind man that he could once, see? The priests who whisper magic in the ears of the corpses, they’re not saying, “Cheer up, you used to be alive.’ The juxtaposition of the devasting atmospherics and the dark humor has been wonderfully done by Indra Sinha.

Apart from his spunky nature the novel also does a very good in job in exploring how at times he is haunted by the ghosts of the past and a hidden desire to be loved.

As already mentioned, Indra Sinha’s Animal’s people also dwells into numerous socio-political themes. A very good example of this is about the difficulty in achieving social justice, how the government’s need to protect corporate companies makes things very complicated.

The environmental degradation and its terrible consequences also comes out very strong in Indra Sinha’s writings. The novel often feels like a wakeup call for the common man.

Another important part of the novel is the theme of identity. There are some occasions in the novel where our protagonist is seen struggling internally concerning his appearance as an animal however towards the end, he finally does make peace with it. This acceptance of his new identity comes out strongly in the line “Stay four- foot, “I’m the one and only Animal.”

For those who haven’t still read this excellent novel please do read it, Animal’s People is a must read for serious readers.