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March 6, 2025March 7, 2025

Black Warrant (Confessions of a Tihar Jailer novel): A brilliant insider account

Co written by Sunil Gupta who worked as a jailer in Tihar the novel is both a crisp read and at the same time draws the readers into the notorious world

Black Warrant streaming on Netflix is easily one of the best shows in Hindi language. Vikramaditya Motwane along with Satyanshu Singh and others presented a very gritty picture of the deeply horrifying situations where it’s very difficult for a prisoner to reform. After reading the novel on which the web series is based it must be said that the directors have done absolute justice to the novel’s theme.

For those who haven’t read the book or seen the web series the novel is a memoir of Sunil Gupta who worked in the Tihar jail for a very long time. Sunil Gupta is known for his fantastic work in the field of prison reforms and overall administration. One of Sunil Gupta’s major achievements is starting Tihar’s first legal aid cell. Sunil Gupta is a recipient of India vision award for his contribution in the field of prison reforms. Sunil Gupta actually got a stable job in Indian Railways but he left the safety of that, instead he pursued his dream of donning the khaki uniform. In this process he became a jailer in the notorious place of Tihar.

A strong aspect of the book is how Sunil Gupta along with Sunetra Choudhary presents the world of Tihar in a raw and gritty manner. There is no sense of artificially in the way Sunil Gupta has written about his encounters with controversial prisoners of various kinds. This includes Charles Sobhraj, Afzal Guru, Manu Sharma and some more.

A special mention must be made of how he describes the charisma and the power of Charles Sobharaj. The big reason for Sunil Gupta getting the job of a jailer was the recommendation of Charles Sobhraj. The huge influence that Charles Sobhraj wielded comes across strongly through the writings of both the authors.

Sunil Gupta’s description of both Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhatt is also very engaging. Talking about Maqbool Bhatt Mr Gupta says that he was highly educated and also pious. In fact Sunil Gupta used to practice English language skills with him. Following is a passage from the novel on Maqbool Bhatt.

“It was very clear that Maqbool was a political prisoner and he was treated as one. Unlike others who would spend their time gossiping or trying to make trouble, all he did was read,” Mr Gupta writes in a chapter “The anatomy of hanging” (p.72). He described Bhatt as a victim of circumstances.

About Afzal Guru Sunil Gupta talks about how his attitude was different from the other prisoners regarding how they took execution. He writes that Afzal Guru began singing a Bollywood song while being informed about his execution. The song is ‘ Apne liye Jiye Toh Kya jiye, tu ji ae dil zamane ke liye’ (if you lived for yourself, you’ve hardly lived, live for the world). Afzal Guru claimed that he wasn’t a terrorist but had been labeled one. He added, ‘If I were a terrorist, I wouldn’t have ensured my child became a doctor.’

Both the writers have presented the prisoners from a humanistic point of view. This is very visible in Sunil Gupta’s interactions with them. Another aspect of the novel is the message Sunil Gupta gives to jailers. He says they have a very important responsibility in bringing reforms and for that it’s important to have an empathetic attitude towards prisoners.

How the economic status of a prisoner plays a pivotal role in the jail has also come out well. If the prisoners are wealthy and have strong connections he can buy most things and these include air conditioners, food from hotels, women and more.

How the corruption is deep rooted across all levels of the prison has come out starkly. A good example of this is the case involving Kohli and his employer Pandher. They both were found guilty of rape and murder of a 14 year old girl. While Pandher was acquitted because of his rich background. Kohli a poor housekeeper on the other hand was hanged. This gives a very stark picture on how the rich can get away.

Final word: Black Warrant (Confessions of a Tihar Jailer Novel) is a must read just like the web series.

February 27, 2025February 28, 2025

The many faces of Vicky Kaushal: A look at his iconic roles

An overview into Vicky Kaushal’s versatile filmography and what makes him a fantastic actor and also a potential superstar.

Starting from his critically acclaimed debut in the very moving Masaan (2015) Vicky Kaushal has done a wide plethora of roles whether it is characters based on history or more contemporary roles.

Son of the well-known action director Shyam Kaushal, Vicky, before making his debut with Masaan, worked as an assistant director on the movie Gangs of Wasseypur (2012).

In fact, Masaan— Neeraj Ghaywan’s directorial— was co-produced by Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane under the banner Phantom Films.

Masaan saw Vicky in the role of a bright student from a marginalized caste. His character Deepak works in the cremation Ghats of the place Varanasi; it isn’t something he likes doing but Deepak has no other option. Vicky made a splendid debut, particularly in the portion where he expresses the centuries of discrimination that the marginalised caste people have been subjected to.

Before tasting huge commercial success with the action drama Uri in 2019, Vicky had a very good 2018 with first-rate performances in Raazi, Sanju and Manmarziyaan.

Playing to the strengths

Vicky Kaushal in Raazi — Vicky Kaushal in ‘Raazi’. (X)

In Raazi, Vicky played a Pakistani soldier contrary to the usual stereotypes. In terms of screen time, Vicky’s role was more of a supporting one, but the actor made his presence amply felt. Vicky has an endearing persona, particularly in the scenes where he romances Alia Bhatt’s Sehmat.

There is a visible sensitivity in the way he treats her. His character Iqbal was written as a sensitive soul and Vicky with his acting made the viewers feel for Iqbal.

A major strength of Vicky is this endearing quality both on and off-screen. He comes across as a very loving person, which explains the female fan following.

Another standout strength of Vicky as an actor is his physicality. To portray a warrior king in Chhaava, having a strong build is crucial; the audience must feel that the hero has the power to cut through countless enemies and become a real threat to the antagonist. Vicky naturally fits this role with his tall stature and solid presence, making him the perfect fit for such characters.

Following are some of Vicky Kaushal’s best performances over the years. This ranges from intense to slightly more comedic parts.

Chhaava

Laxman Utekar’s Chhaava has stirred up significant attention for various reasons. While the film has been lauded for its strong performances and its grand cinematic appeal, it has also faced criticism over the accuracy of its historical events.

Regardless of these debates, one thing is undeniable: Vicky’s dedication in embodying the courageous Maratha warrior on screen. He fully embodies the fierce king, presenting a character who is a true menace to Akshay Khanna’s portrayal of Aurangzeb. Beyond his physical transformation, Vicky masterfully conveys the emotional and psychological toll of being a warrior.

Beneath his warrior exterior, there’s a profound vulnerability—whether it’s the longing for his mother’s affection or the haunting nightmares involving his father. In Chhaava, Vicky’s tenderness shines through in the romantic moments with Rashmika Mandanna.

His tender moments, like calling her “Shri Sakhi” and adoring her with such genuine affection, enrich the character, giving it a rare emotional depth.

These layers of complexity add depth to the role, and Vicky Kaushal’s performance brings them to life brilliantly.

Sardar Udham Singh

In Shoojit Sircar’s nuanced biopic of the Punjabi revolutionary Sardar Udham Singh, Vicky Kaushal delivered a stellar performance, conveying the inner rage of a freedom fighter with nothing but his eyes.

Vicky skillfully portrayed the many emotions of Sardar Udham through subtle changes in his body language.

A special mention must be made of his performance during the Jallianwala Bagh sequence. Vicky’s portrayal of Sardar Udham’s anguish gives the audience goosebumps. He truly brought to life the various stages of Udham Singh’s journey.

Sam Bahadur

Meghana Gulzar’s biopic on the dynamic Sam Manekshaw may follow a predictable path, often playing out like a highlight reel, but Vicky Kaushal’s charismatic performance makes the movie worth watching.

He perfectly embodied the fearless attitude and dynamism of Sam Manekshaw.

There’s a Dev Anand-like demeanour to his portrayal, and Vicky was simply superb. He also excelled in the vulnerable moments shared with his wife, played by Sanya Malhotra.

Sanju

Although Ranbir is the main pivot of this Rajkumar Hirani directorial, Vicky Kaushal as Sanju’s best friend Kamlesh was also equally good.

In the initial portions, he brings in a lot of laughs but as the movie progresses, he also provides solid emotional depth.

He is exceptional, particularly in the scene where he encourages Sanju to not succumb to difficult circumstances and reminds him of how his father is facing an equally big battle.

In fact, Vicky Kaushal can be called the second lead of Sanju.

Bad Newz

The best way to describe Anand Tiwari’s Bad Newz is as a showreel of Vicky Kaushal. Apart from his nimble dance moves in “Tauba Tauba,” Vicky was fantastic as a typical happy-go-lucky Punjabi boy undergoing a transformation.

Vicky Kaushal played a major role in lifting the movie’s energy whenever the proceedings started to slow down.

Not only did Vicky bring the house down with his impeccable comic timing, but he also excelled in the emotional scenes. For instance, there’s a moment when his character, Akhil Chaddha, has a breakdown during introspection, and another scene where Vicky reflects on the loss of his late father. In both of these moments, Vicky showcased his versatility and all-around capability.

This is all about Vicky Kaushal’s current filmography. His ability in seamlessly jumping genres is what makes him a potential superstar.

Here’s hoping that Vicky Kaushal continues to entertain the audiences with different roles and genres.

(Edited by Sumavarsha)

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/the-many-faces-of-vicky-kaushal-a-look-at-his-iconic-roles/

February 27, 2025February 28, 2025

Crime Beat: A competent investigative drama

‘Crime Beat’ streaming on Zee 5 does a fine job in showcasing the cut throat world of journalism. The integration of the Commonwealth Scam and the characterization of Rahul Bhatt as a gangster/ Robin Hood figure gives the show some of its best moments.

Crime Beat directed by Sudhir Mishra and Sanjeev Kaul is the latest addition to the trend of novels being adopted as web series.

For those who are not aware the core plot of Crime Beat is based on The Price You Pay written by Somnath Batabayl.

Somnath Batabyl is both a journalist and a writer. He worked as a special correspondent for NDTV in Calcutta for two years. He is also a recipient of The Dhiren Bhagat Award for investigative journalism.

His novel focuses on the journey of a rookie reporter Abhishek wanting to make it big in the world of investigative journalism. Apart from the protagonist another very important character in the book was that of Babloo Shankar a wanted gangster who targets the rich operating as an outlaw on the lines of Robin Hood.

Synopsis

In Sudhir Mishra and Sanjeev Kaul’s adaptation of the novel Saqib Saleem plays the role of Abhishek Sinha, a very determined reporter from Banaras wanting to make it big.

In the process of establishing his identity, he comes across a major scoop involving a wanted fugitive Binny Chaudhary (a charismatic Rahul Bhatt). As Abhishek dives deeper into the case he unravels some shocking secrets about a huge financial scam involving the Commonwealth Games.

Saba Azad plays Maya, a colleague and a love interest of Abhishek. Maya too has her own ambitions of making it big as an investigative journalist. Sai Tamhankar plays the mole of Binny Chaudhary— Archana Pandey.

Archana is not your stereotypical mole; she is a very capable woman with an agency of her own. Revealing further would be a giveaway to the many twists and turns the show offers.

Strengths

Crime Beat is a thriller drama — ‘Crime Beat’ is a thriller drama. (X)

A strong aspect of Crime Beat is how the two directors have depicted the power struggle among the journalists. At numerous junctures, we see a constant battle for the supremacy of getting front-page exclusives.

The cutthroat rivalry among the journalistic group is very much palpable. This has come out strongly in the dynamics between Abhishek Sinha and Maya.

Initially there is a feeling of them being a lovey-dovey couple but all this changes at a critical juncture when Maya steals Abhishek’s story on Binni Chaudhary after they make love.

Strong characterisation

The background of Saqib Saleem’s character also gives an interesting dimension. Abhishek Sinha unlike Maya doesn’t come from a very rich background. He is a small-town boy whose ambitions are bigger than his financial status. This adds a certain authenticity to the struggles of Abhishek.

Another strong aspect of the web series is that most of the characters come with shades of grey whether it is Saqib Saleem Abhishek or Rahul Bhatt’s Binni Chaudhary. Few very characters in the show are completely black and white.

Talking about Rahul Bhatt’s Binni Chaudhary, there is a lot of enigma in the way the role has been written. Binni Chaudhary isn’t your typical trigger-happy gangster. There is a sense of vigilantism about him. At no point, you can call him a good or bad person. This adds a lot of depth to the show.

The integration of the Commonwealth Games scam and how Binni Chaudhary helps Abhishek in unearthing the huge financial scams has been both well written and enacted.

Performances

Saqib Saleem in Crime Beat — Saqib Saleem in ‘Crime Beat’. (X)

Rahul Bhatt brings in a lot of charisma perfectly capturing the grey shades. After his stellar turn in Black Warrant, this is another noteworthy performance from the actor.

Mention must also be made of Danish Hussain as Editor Aamir Akhtar. He delivers a nuanced performance as a seasoned editor. Aamir Akhtar is someone who can go to any lengths for a good story and Danish is successful in bringing out the nuances.

Sai Tamhankar as Binny Chaudhary’s accomplice adds an extra layer of intrigue with her solid act. She brings in the right amount of oomph, intrigue and menace. She looks every inch the badass woman that Archana Pandey is supposed to be.

Lastly, Saqib Saleem in the role of Abhishek Sinha also delivers a compelling act. He does a first-rate job of portraying both the ambitions of Abhishek and also the internal conflicts of a journalist caught between truth and survival.

Flaws

One major problem with Crime Beat is the undercooked love story. The professional rivalry between Maya and Abhishek is a lot more compelling to watch than their romantic moments.

Saba Azad’s characterization could have done with more meat although the young actress does do a fine job with whatever she has been offered. Also, the jump to the love scenes comes across as rather abrupt. The tonal shift is very jarring, to say the least.

Final take

To sum it up Crime Beat is worth watching for fans of investigative dramas, but don’t expect the quality of Hansal Mehta’s Scoop.

(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha)

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/crime-beat-web-series-review-a-competent-investigative-drama/

February 24, 2025April 16, 2025

Dragon: An entertaining morality tale

Director Ashwath Marimuthu delivers a roller-coaster ride which is in equal parts emotional and also a laugh riot. Through the titular protagonist played by a terrific Pradeep Ranganathan Ashwath breaks the troupe of a rowdy boy being cool. The movie also addresses some serious issues like the consequences of taking short cuts without being overtly melodramatic.

Starcast: Pradeep Ranganathan, Anupama Parameswaran, Mysskin, Kayadu Lohar, George Maryan and others
Story, screenplay and direction: Ashwath Marimuthu
Additional story: Pradeep Ranganathan
Producers: Kalpathi S Aghoram, Kalpathi S Ganesh etc
Music: Leon James
Cinematography: Niketh Bommireddy
Running time: 2 hours and 16 minutes
Genre: Comedy/drama

Mainstream cinema often has the habit of fetishizing rowdy boys. They are often looked as cool with girls drooling over them. They are presented in a very flamboyant manner making it look aspirational. The consequences of this kind of behavior isn’t explored much in commercial cinema. The initial portions of Dragon may appear to be a typical fetishizing of a bad boy with a not so likeable protagonist but as the movie progresses the plot switches seamlessly into a morality tale.

The core plot of Dragon is about D Raghavan/ dragon (Pradeep Ranganatham). The movie begins with him getting 96 percent in the 12th board exams. Over the moon Raghavan expresses his love to a girl but she rejects him saying that she only likes rowdy/bad boys. Ranganathan feels depressed leading to a huge change in his behavior. He transforms into a rowdy guy with many backlogs. Anupam Parameswaran as Keerthi plays one of Raghavan’s love interests. Keerthi is seen hugely bestowed with Raghavan’s behavior during college days, they enter into a very serious relationship but the dynamics soon undergo a significant change. Raghavan continuing to be non serious about his career and living of his friends soon gets to her. She agrees to an arranged marriage leaving Raghavan distraught. Consumed by hatred towards Keerthi Raghavan makes a serious decision of doing a high paying job but the path that he takes makes his life hugely chaotic. This is the brief summary of the story.

Pradeep Ranganathan and Anupama Parameswaran from Dragon

A strong aspect of Dragon is the layered characterization of D Raghavan coupled with Pradeep’s stellar act. For a majority of the first half Raghavan comes across as an absolute jerk whether it is fooling the parents by pretending to do a job or living on his friend’s money. Even his reaction when Keerthi decides to marry a more stable guy makes him an obnoxious personality.

In order to get back at Keerthi Raghavan takes a very dangerous shortcut, he climbs up the social ladder by getting a fake degree certificate. Personally too he is on the verge of marrying a rich girl. Everything is going picture perfect but the screenplay takes a huge turn with a fantastic pre interval block.

At this point you have the re entry of Raghavan’s principal Mayilvahan (an excellent Mysskin). Mayilvahan isn’t your usual caricaturist principal. Yes Mayilvahan is a righteous man but at the same time he believes in giving second chances too. Mysskin brings in a lot of warmth to the part. He is someone who is outwardly stern at the same time there is a strong undercurrent of kindness too in how he pushes Raghavan in making him realize the mistakes he had done.

The dynamics between Raghavan and Mayilvahan takes the graph of the second half to an whole new level. The second half also features some important dialogues on how heroism is about doing the right thing. There is a crucial message about redefining heroism as nobility rather than just as success. A key emotional outburst towards the end elevates Dragon to a higher moral plane, something which we don’t generally see in the mass template.

Talking about the comic portions a particular mention must be made of the scenes involving Raghavan’s interview with the boss of a major company Lateral view played by Gautham Vasudeva Menon. Raghavan is just lip syncing to the answers given by a man who is in the same room. The way the entire scenario pan outs is an absolute riot. There is another portion the second half when Pradeep Rangnathan is seen juggling multiple phone calls. On one level it works as a very good tip off to Pradeep Rangnathan’s super hit movie Love Today, at the same time it also works as situational comedy bringing in many chuckles.

Pradeep Ranganathan as already mentioned delivers a stellar act. It is a performance which is many notches above Love Today. He is very successful in making the viewers despise Raghavan, at the same time he also shines in the emotionally charged sequences where Raghavan talks about his numerous wrong doings. Anupama Parameswaran too does well giving good support. She particularly shines in the second half portions. Kayadu Lohar also does a fair job as Raghavan’s prospective bride.

Leon James music and background score also elevate the movie significantly. The one slight drawback of Dragon is the unnecessary guilt of Keerthi in leaving Raghavan. It doesn’t make much sense as she had every reason to leave Raghavan given how obnoxious he was. It feels absurd that Keerthi apologizes to Raghavan. Still this aspect can be ignored as Dragon for most part is both entertaining and has a good message.

February 23, 2025February 23, 2025

Zeba (An accidental Superhero): An engaging fantasy

Actress turned writer Huma Quereshi successfully breaks the stereotypes by creating a hijab wearing superhero. The novel has some nice feminist touches along with some social themes

Recently I read a novel called Zeba (An accidental Superhero). When we hear the word superhero what automatically comes to the reader’s word is a superman or batman or even a Krrish. The term superhero is generally associated with male characters, however with Zeba Huma Quereshi has successfully broken the mould. She has created an unusual superhero with strong feminist touches.

Yes the plot troupes aren’t particularly novel especially for those who have grown on western comics but Huma’s seamless integration of serious issues like PTSD, immigration and women empowerment give the novel its own flavor.

The storyline of Zeba focuses on a protagonist who is both rich and spoiled. It is set between 1992 and 2019. Zeba is living a very fancy life in America. As the story progresses Zeba stumbles upon many secrets, one of them is loosing her parents. The second one is she possesses many superpowers and has to save a fictional kingdom called Khudir. This place of Khudir is ruled by her father, he is a big tyrant. This is the story in brief.

A strong aspect of Zeba is undoubtedly the setting of the royal harem. Through the characters of the many royal women Huma Quereshi has broken the numerous stereotypes attached with Muslim women. Here it isn’t just about Zeba fighting against the bad. But the women in harem also play a significant part. They rise above the perception of being meek victims.

One of the most special characters in the novel is that of a royal hijra called Kherun. Through this character Huma Quereshi talks about the pivotal role played by this section of people in the royal kingdoms. Huma Quereshi has written the character in a strong way empowering the role with a strong voice of her own.

Although the novel is called Zeba Huma Quereshi gives equal importance to other woman too making it a wholesome novel.

The characterization of the main protagonist is another big plus. How Zeba goes from being a spoilt woman to finding about her past and the subsequent changes have been interestingly written. A particular mention must be made of her interactions with the tyrannical father.

Through this novel Huma Quereshi also talks about religious teachings being used as a tool to spread hate. The villain called Great Khan perfectly symbolizes this theme.

The ending of Zeba is also pretty interesting. After saving the world from destruction Zeba exclaims that “I’m so tired, man. I hope this is it. This s**t is exhausting,”. Through this dialogue Huma Quereshi brings up the theme of PTSD as Zeba is now looking for therapy.

To sum it up Zeba makes for a good read particularly if you are in the mood for a female superhero.

February 16, 2025December 6, 2025

Chhaava review: A strong ode to Maratha valour

This Laxman Utekar’s directorial is a delight for admirers of Maratha warriors. Just like the recent historicals, ‘Chhaava’ too has a strong undercurrent of saffronisation. Still the solid technical work coupled with the towering performances makes this a worthy big screen spectacle.

Chhaava (Hindi), 14-02-2025, Historical drama , 2 hours 41 minutes, U/A, Theatre

Main Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Rashmika Mandanna, and Akshaye Khanna
Director: Laxman Utekar
Producer: Dinesh Vijan
Music Director: AR Rahman
Cinematography: Saurabh Goswami
Rating: 3.5/5

In the last few years, Hindi cinema has seen a huge increase in the Hindutva influx, this doesn’t just pertain to the numerous war dramas, but this list also includes historical fiction based on the wars involving the Hindu kings, particularly the Rajput and Maratha warriors.

Very good examples of these are Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavaat (2018) and Om Raut’s Tanhaji (2020). In these films, the Muslim rulers are presented as merciless invaders from whom the Hindu nation should be saved.

Laxman Utekar’s first attempt at historical fiction also treads on the same path. After directing a slew of feel-good movies like Luka Chuppi (2019) and Zara Hatke Zara Bachke (2023) the cinematographer turned director takes an extremely different path from his previous works.