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Operation Safed Sagar: Mission successful

Director Omi Sen strikes a good balance between politics and human emotions. What gives the show a certain novelty is the portrayal of Kargil War through the eyes of Indian Air Force. Yes, it follows the format of a tearjerker to the t and some of it is carefully curated to make the viewers hate Pakistan. Having said that the show is largely gripping even if you aren’t into war dramas. The sprawling cast headed by Siddarth, Jimmy Shergill, Abhay Verma and Mihir Ahuja also makes OSS gripping

Starcast: Siddarth, Jimmy Shergill, Abhay Verma, Mihir Ahuja, Vinay Pathak, Manu Rishi Chadda, Dia Mirza, Amrita Bagchi, Prajakta Kohli and others

Genre: War drama

Creators: Kushal Srivastava and Abhijeet Singh Parmar

Director: Omi Sen

Writers: Sandeep Jain, Nikhil Ravi and Barun Kashyap

Music: Amit Trivedi, Anurag Saikia etc

Cinematography: Satyajit Pande

Producers: Sanjay Routray, Sarita Patil etc

Production Companies: Feel Good films and Matchbox Shots

No of episodes: 6

Streaming site: Netflix

Patriotic dramas follow a certain template focusing on the themes of bravery and sacrifice. This has been explored umpteen times but when done right this can make for an engaging watch. Operation Safed Sagar is a good illustration of the above point. The director along his writers spend considerable time on building the interpersonal relationships before getting into action. This approach works for the series as the viewers are invested in the characters when the series takes a dramatic turn. OSS in brief highlights the courage of a squadron by the name of Golden Arrows and the high-altitude Airel mission. Of course, we know that India wins in the end, but the strength lies in the intimate details of the operation.

The strong aspect of OSS is its gradual building of drama. A large part of the initial episodes is spent on developing the characters and the interpersonal relationships. The character arcs have been well established. For example, Abhay Verma’s RS Dhaliwal starts off as an overconfident pilot gradually evolving into a dependable officer. He eventually understands the importance of teamwork. Mihir Ahuja as Baldy is going through his own inner conflict, this is connected to a delicate juggling act between professional and personal life. Prajakta Kohli plays Baldy’s love interest Madhavi, she has run away from home to be with him. these individual arcs give the show depth engaging the viewers.

Mention must also be made of the Pakistani characters especially Manu Rishi Chadda and Vinay Pathak. Manu Rishi Chadda plays General Parvez Musharaf, while Vinay Pathak is Nawaz Sharif. Manu Rishi Chadda portrays the ambitious nature of Parvez well making for a formidable antagonist, Vinay Pathak on the other hand is portrayed as a man stuck between peace rhetoric and military reality. The actor aces the moral conundrum making sure that the character doesn’t become a caricature, of course the layered writing helps too.

The family scenes though predictable have a lot of warmth, a special mention must be of the portions between Siddarth and Amrita Bagchi. There are some lovely moments of understated romance and as viewers you wish that Siddarth’s character didn’t die.

OSS also benefits from strong cinematography and poignant music. The scenes of aerial combat are visually stunning as well as giving thrills. The songs especially “Woh Aega” and “Aazma Le” create a strong impact.

OSS has a large cast with an interesting mix of seniors with upcoming talents, and the actors make their presence amply felt irrespective of screen time. Siddarth as squadron leader Ajay Ahuja brings in the required warmth and dignity as a mentor who understands his young pilots. Jimmy Shergill is equally effective bringing in the required authority as well as a reassuring presence.

Among the women Amrita Bagchi makes the biggest impact followed by Dia Mirza. The roles aren’t novel in any way, but the actresses do a fine job in portraying the required inner strength.

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Batwara 1947: A strong tale of resilience and humanity’s triumph

Batwara 1947 on some occasions feels like a spiritual sequel to Imtiaz Ali’s resounding success Main Vaapas Aunga. Shabana Azmi effectively channels her inner Naseeruddin Shah but the film belongs to Sunny Deol. As a conflicted family man who takes a stand for humanity the actor nails both vulnerability and ferociousness. Much like MVA this one too speaks to today’s divisive times. You have a Pakistani Mulla warning the antagonist not to mix religion and politics. There is also an important dialogue by Sunny on the dangers of hatred and its eventual consequences.

Starcast: Sunny Deol, Shabana Azmi, Priety Zinta, Karan Deol, Ali Fazal, Abhimanyu Singh and others

Genre: Drama/action

Direction, screenplay and dialogues: Rajkumar Santhoshi

Additional dialogues: Asghar Wajahat

Based on: “Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya, O Jamya E Nai” play

Music: A R Rahman

Cinematography: Santhosh Sivan

Producers: Aamir Khan and Aparna Purohit

Production Company: Aamir Khan Productions

Running time: 2 hours and 25 minutes

Currently a major trend is happening in Bollywood and that is two types of socio-political movies. On one hand you have the likes of Dhurandhar operating as a PR of the current ruling party. On the other hand, you have filmmakers using the backdrop of partition to tell humanistic tales. Earlier this year you had Sriram Raghavan’s Ikkis, a film about second lieutenant Arjun Kheterpal played by Agastya Nanda. Through a subplot featuring late Dharmendra and Jaideep Ahlawat the film looked at the scars of war and the aftermath of violence. Batwara has echoes of that Sriram Raghavan directorial apart from MVA. What makes this movie even more special is the solid presence of Sunny Deol, an actor who is known for the jingoistic drama Gadar.

For those not aware, Batwara 1947 is based on an acclaimed Urdu/Hindi play “Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya, O Jamya E Nai” written by Asghar Wajahat. The story in brief follows the tribulations of Sunny Deol’s Sikander Mirza, a businessman forced to flee India during the tumultuous period of partition. Priety Zinta plays his wife Hamida. Sunny Deol’s real life son Karan plays the onscreen son too (Javed). After staying in the relief camp for some time the family is given a supposed vacant haveli but Shabana Azmi playing Durgavati/Mai is still living inside. How Sikander and his family develop a deep bond with Mai and the troubles they face due to an extremist man Yaqoob (a hammy Abhimanyu Singh) forms the main plot of Batwara 1947.

The strong aspect of Batwara 1947 is the changing dynamics between Sikander and Mai. Initially both him and his family have a certain distaste for Shabana Azmi’s character. They look at her as an intruder who needs to be vacated. The meanness with which Sikander and Hamida talk and behave with her is very palpable. But slowly the relationship changes first it is Hamida when she and Durgavati are having a candid chat, Sikander enters and gets terribly upset, scolds his wife for building a camaraderie.

At one-point Sikander thinks of taking Yaqoob’s help also, not caring about the consequences. Hamida puts some sense into her husband leading to an eventual change. All this has been wonderfully captured both in terms of writing and performances. Sunny’s character has been etched well by Rajkumar Santhoshi and Asghar Wajahat. From almost getting swayed away in hate to recognizing its dangers Sunny nails the different shades of Sikander.

Having said that, a few action sequences feel force fitted pandering to the actor’s larger than life image. As far as the dialogues there are many impactful ones. A few examples;

“Koi mazhab bura nahi hoti hai, acha bura aadmi hota hai (no religion is inherently bad, it’s the people who can be good or bad).

“Maa ko Hindu Musalman Mein na baatiye, maa apne hi aap mazhab hai… har insaan ka pehla mazhab maa hai, … har bache ke munh se nikla pehla labz maa hai (Don’t divide a mother into Hindu or Muslim … a mother herself is a religion … every person’s first religion is their mother … the first word a child ever says is mom).

Finally, “Darr raha hai insaan … marr raha hai insaan … aur main jeetey jee marna nahi chahta … main zinda hoon, aur zinda hone ka saboot doonga (People are living in fear … people are dying … but I refuse to die while I’m still alive … I am alive, and I will prove it).

Apart from Sunny Deol and Shabana Preity Zinta and Ali Fazal also make their presence amply felt. Preity much like Sunny does a fine job in showcasing the character’s evolution. She brings in an understated strength especially in the scenes of supporting her husband. Ali Fazal as the poet is also mighty effective in an extended special appearance. His scenes with both Sunny and Shabana give the movie some of its best moments. He particularly excels in the scene of narrating a crucial flashback. Karan Deol is competent too managing to hold his own opposite Sunny.

A R Rahman’s music doesn’t match up to MVA. Nevertheless, a solid bhajan number and the penultimate song leave an impact. The cinematography of Santhosh Sivan captures the period setting of Lahore authentically. There is a lived-in feel to the movie adding to an immersive experience.

Final word: Batwara 1947 in the final analysis is a movie late Dharmendra would have been proud of.

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DC: The most audacious interpretation of “Devdas” novel

Arun Matheswaran does a solid job in humanizing the so called fallen women/sex workers. In 2026 its the third time that you have had a movie or a web series depicting sex workers. Hey Balwanth, Objection My Lord and now this, it’s good to see this surge. Wamiqa Gabbi as Chandra nails the vulnerability as well as the strong determination. Director Lokesh Kanagaraj makes an assured acting debut bringing in the required ruthlessness, at the same time a tender side too has been well portrayed. DC juggles with various social themes in an efficient manner.

Starcast: Lokesh Kanagaraj, Wamiqa Gabbi, Sanjana Krishnamoorthy, Thalaivasal Vijay and others

Direction, screenplay and dialogues: Arun Matheswaran

Additional dialogues: Franklin Jacob

Based on: “Devdas” by Sarath Chandra Chattopadhyay

Music: Anirudh Ravichander

Cinematography: Mukesh G

Producer: Kalanithi Maran

Production Company: Sun Pictures

Sarath Chandra Chattopadhyay’s Devdas is one of the most on screen depicted novels. Both Hindi and Telugu directors have taken the premise of a heartbroken lover reinterpreting it on their way. Anurag Kashyap’s take for example showed Abbay Deol’s character moving on with his life. Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas on the other hand gave more agency to both Paro and Chandramukhi. There is a brilliant scene of Madhuri Dixit confronting male entitlement when a zamindar like figure insults her. Arun Mathewaran’s interpretation of Devdas has to be the most audacious though, his character is moddled on a gangster/robin hood figure and through him the director explores the themes of police atrocities and corruption.

DC follows the journey of a rebel/gangster Devdas (a suitably rugged Lokesh Kanagaraj). An excellent Wamiqa Gabbi plays Chandra a sex worker scarred by abuse and exploitation. Sanjana Krishnamoorthy is Parvathy a bar singer and Devdas first love. The plot primarily focuses on how Devdas and Chandra come together, in the directors’ words its madness meeting madness. The two damaged souls finding solace in each other with the backdrop of a volatile world forms the basic core of DC.

A strong aspect of DC is the tender love story amidst the bombastic action. Whether its Chandra opening up about her scarred past or finding a sense of freedom in the company of Devdas, the scenes tug at your heartstrings making you root for them. Chandra also brings out a different side of Devdas a soft exterior underneath the hardened soul. The scenes featuring the two gives DC some of its best moments.

Arun Matheswaran dialogues have some hard-hitting lines on women forced into prostitution and how they are brutalized by various men. There are scenes of Chandra behaving like a lifeless skeleton going from one customer to another. Even the brief track of Sanjana Krishnamoorthy has its moments too. There is a sense of understated romance and as viewers you wish that Parvathy hadn’t died. Here too there are some solid lines about systematic exploitation.

The theme of police brutality like many Tamil movies has an extremely brutal nature to it. The scenes make for a tough watch, still how the vulnerable are preyed upon holds huge social relevance.

The metaphor of Lokesh Kanagaraj as a robin hood figure isn’t used for just surface level, the way Devdas and his men operate outside law with the legal system failing to provide justice does justice to the idea of a Robinhood figure.

This massy interpretation won’t work for all but kudos to the director for placing Devdas in this kind of social context. Anriudh Ravichander’s score both the songs and background music act as the films parrelel lead.

Anriudh absolutely reinvents himself whether it’s the songs set in the bar or the bombastic yet highly effectively theme score. The pre interval portion of Devdas freeing sex workers by slashing the men around him makes for a perfect mass masala moment. The badass attitude of lokesh coupled with Anriudh’s work gives a big high.

Mukesh G cinematography is also of a high standard. His frames whether it’s the bloodbath or the portions of Devdas and Chandra falling in love have some striking imagery. The action choreography of Franklin Jacob and PC Stunts is deliberately gruesome but excellently choreographed.

DC also benefits from a first-rate cast. Lokesh Kanagaraj as already mentioned makes for a solid mass hero. At times there is a significant hangover of the director’s own protagonist especially Karthi’s Kaithi, still he makes a solid impression. Wamiqa Gabbi once again shows her versatility with an exceptional act. Whether it’s the bottled-up rage unleashed or the few lighter moments the young actress nails it. The rest do a fine job too especially Sharath Ravi as Chunnilal. He is very effective as a creepy middleman.

A couple of issues with DC is a slightly dated template of robbers versus police. Telugu movie Dacoit earlier this year also had a similar formula with different circumstances. Also, the excessive bloodshed will act as a major put off for some.

Final word: DC is a treat for fans of rugged action dramas and also those who are curious to see how Lokesh would fare as an actor.

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Korean Kanakaraju: Outlandish but a fun concoction of horror with comedy

Director Merlapaka Gandhi sticks to the usual horror template with bizarre scenarios. This won’t work for all, still the film is largely entertaining. Varun Tej and Satya’s comic timing brings the house down on numerous occasions. Muralidhar Goud as the ghostbuster also leaves the viewers in splits. A video call involving Satya and him is a sheer laugh riot. The emotions though are rather undercooked especially the track of Srinivas Avasarala as Varun Tej’s on screen brother. In the final tally Korean Kanakaraju makes for a good stressbuster

Starcast: Varun Tej, Satya, Muralidhar Goud, Ritika Nayar and others

Writer and director: Merlapaka Gandhi

Genre: Horror/comedy

Music: Thaman S

Cinematography: Manoj Reddy

Producers: Rajeev Reddy Yeduguru and Sai Babu Jagarlamudi etc

Production Companies: First Frame Entertainment, UV

Running time: 2 hours and 45 minutes

Merlapaka Gandhi has created a strong niche for himself with the likes of Venkatadri Express and Express Raja. Both these movies are high on entertainment quotient with plenty of laughs. The last few years though has been a rough ride with Like Share &Subscribe etc. Korean Kanakaraju is an important film for both the director and Varun Tej. The movie is a good return to form especially for fans of horror comedy template.

The story of Korean Kanakaraju follows the tumultuous journey of Varun Tej’s Kanakaraju. He runs a traditional bhajan trope and is known for having temper. Ritika Nayar plays Chaitra, she is Kankaraju’s love interest. Chaitra is hugely obsessed with K dramas and has dreams of marrying a Korean guy. Kanakarju’s life turns upside down with a vessel carrying the remains of a deceased old man. One particular night during a brawl Kanakaraju drinks alcohol mixed with those ashes. The already temperamental Kankaraju becomes even more fierce with the entry of a Korean Gangster inside his body. This is the plot in brief.

A major strength of Korean Kanakaraju are the scenes between Varun Tej and Satya as Kankaraju’s friend/photographer. A special mention must be of the portions post Varun getting possessed. Satya’s bewilderment on how to cope with this strange scenario leads to ample chuckles. In fact, Satya has some of the funniest dialogues and the talented comedian nails it. For example, there are scenes of Varun slashing body parts as a Korean gangster, on both the occasions the slain part falls into the hands of Satya’s Kishtappa. This is followed by a hilarious punchline with Kishtappa saying does he think I am Virat Kohli, why is he sending these into my hands.

Another scene worthy of mentoining is a video call with Muralidhar Goud. Kishtappa is trying to do an occult ritual with Chaitra accompanying him. Muralidhar’s character is seen giving instructions but there is a constant buffering issue. This entire portion is filled with hilarious moments. Muralidhar Goud is another big strength of the movie. Yes, the screen time is limited but the actor makes his presence amply felt.

Varun Tej also gets into the skin of his dual shaded role; he brings out the variations in a solid manner. His performance as a Korean gangster deserves a special mention. The badas s attitude coupled with Thaman’s background score makes for an excellent watch. Additionally, Varun also shares a good chemistry with Satya.

Ritika Nayar as Chaitra does a competent job within the character confines. Yes the love track isn’t fleshed out that well, having said that Chaitra forms an important part of saving Kanakaraju from the ghost of a Korean Gangster.

Thaman’s songs don’t make much of an impression but the background score more than makes up for it. The portions set in Korea establishing the ruthless nature of the Korean spirit is solid in particular.

As already mentioned the emotions are severely undercooked. Kanakaraju’s family issues with an estranged older son feels like more of an add on. Srinivas Avasarala’s track and his connection to the ghost is narrated in a rather flat manner. The climatic portions high on visual effects isn’t seamless either. Also, the portrayal of Koreans does come across as problematic.

Final word: Korean Kanakaraju isn’t high art, nevertheless it does give a good time provided you are in the mood for some fun

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Objection My Lord: A competent courtroom drama

Srikant Meka’s portrayal of a vulnerable yet determined lawyer largely anchors the show. The senior actor gets solid support from Ananya Sharma. As the female co-counsel Ananya pulls off the feisty nature well. Their dynamics bear a striking resemblance to Kesari 2, still the portions featuring the two gives the show some of its best moments. Objection My Lord isn’t groundbreaking relying on familiar tropes like the politician son being a spoilt brat. Keeping the cliches aside the show gives an important message on consent and how sex workers are also humans with feelings

Starcast: Srikant Meka, Ananya Sharma, Mukesh Rishi, Sameer and others

Genre: Courtroom drama

Based on: Sattamum Needhiyum

Director: Santhosh Ayyapaan

Writers: Raj Kumar Akella, Suryaa etc

Music: Arun Chiluveru

Cinematography: Suryaa

Producer: Raj Kumar Akella

Production house: Dream House

No of episodes: 7

Streaming site: Zee 5

Objection My Lord streaming on Zee 5 is a mishmash of numerous Indian courtroom dramas. Of course, the base of this series is the Tamil one Sattamum Needhiyum. But even those who haven’t seen the Tamil web show would be reminded of past movies exploring similar themes of social apathy and fight for justice. In spite of knowing how the story would unfold there is a certain thrill in seeing the underdog lawyer win. Objection My Lord major strength is the characterization of Srikant coupled with his act. But this is something which I will expand on later. First the story in brief. The series begins with a man called Narayana setting himself on fire. The reason for the suicide is the judicial system indifference. Srikant Meka is Parashuram, a former lawyer who has quit practice and now doing the job of a notary. There is a tragic professional flashback associated with Parashuram, however certain events lead to Parshuram putting on the black coat again. Ananya Sharma is Vedha, she is Parshuram’s protégée/co-counsel. Mukesh Rishi plays the opposition lawyer on excepted lines.

A bring strength of Objection My Lord is its gradual unravelling of different layers. The backstory story of late Narayana and the estranged daughter Sameera runs simultaneously as Parashuram and Vedha are connecting the dots. As a viewer you are engrossed on what led to Narayana to take such an extreme step and whether Sameera is alive or not.

At one point the viewers feel that Narayana cannot be trusted wholly when his backstory of a mental hospital is revealed. Of course, for those who have seen the Tamil show this holds lesser surprises. Still the engaging screenplay coupled with the performances keep you hooked.

The web series takes a solid turn when Parashuram and Vedha finally trace Sameera. Here we get the angle of sex workers through the eyes of Sameera. She is cheated by her ex-boyfriend and sold off to a brothel.

The physical and mental assault she goes because of a politician’s son and his friends has been written in a poignant manner. The importance of consent even if it’s a sex worker has come out in an impactful manner in the concluding portions.

Srikant Meka as already said is one of the shows main pillars. His Parshuram is a far cry from a typical flamboyant and larger than life lawyer. He is often ridiculed; it also doesn’t help that the man suffers from low self-esteem. But certain circumstances lead him to become a lawyer again. Srikant Meka aces the transformation of Parashuram making the viewers root for the protagonist’s win. Whether its the portion of nervous breakdown or the strong fighting spirit the senior actor doesn’t miss a single beat.

Ananya Sharma as Vedha is confidence personified, the young actress more than holds her own opposite Srikant. The best aspect of Vedha is that she isn’t afraid to speak her mind acting as an important catalyst. A specific mention must be made of the scene where Vedha saves herself from the bad guys with pepper spray. Ananya in short pulls off Ananya’s feisty nature well. Mukesh Rishi’s role falls under the category of a stereotypical opposition lawyer. Still, he has a commanding presence making the courtroom battle engaging. The rest of the cast have their moments too especially Snehal Kamat as Sameera. Her breakdown scene in the show’s final episode is touching.

The production design of Bramha Kadali is solid, the courtroom settings have an authentic nature. Arun Chiluveru’s songs contribute effectively to the emotional core.

Objection My Lord suffers from two major issues. One is the cliched portrayal of a politician son and his friends. Its high time that filmmakers move away from portraying ministers’ sons as spoilt brats, it’s becoming highly caricaturist. Another big flaw is the severely underwritten family dynamics. Parashuram’s strained relationship with the son comes across as a filler contributing nothing to the story

Final word: Objection My Lord is worth watching for its societal undertones provided you are in the mood for a serious subject

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Musafir Cafe: A tender tale of romance and finding oneself

Based on a book by the same name director Ruchir Arun does a good job in portraying the complexities of modern love. Musafir Cafe paints an interesting picture on the pressures of conventional society, certain expectations related to marriage and career plans. The web series also looks at how love can happen at different stages in life. The journey of Vikrant Massey’s Chander compliments the theme perfectly. In spite of some lag the web series remains largely watchable thanks to the solid cast and two well written love stories. A special mention must be made of Mahima Makwana as the third wheel. Both the writing and the actress make sure that the character doesn’t become a stereotypical rival.

Starcast: Vikrant Massey, Vedika Pinto, Mahima Makwana, Adil Hussain and others

Genre: Romance

Director: Ruchir Arun

Writer and creator: Sharanya Rajgopal

Based on: Musafir Cafe by Divya Prakash Dubey

Music: Raghav Kaushik. Neel Adhikari and Garvit Priyansh

Cinematography: Anirudha

Producers: Vikrant Massey and Anuj Gosalia

Production houses: Homemade stories and Terribly Tiny Tales Production

No of episodes: 8

Streaming site: Netflix

Before dissecting Musafir Cafe its necessary to appreciate Vikrant for venturing into production with this kind of story. A full-fledged romantic story in an Ott space is an anomaly and kudos to Vikrant for backing a show like this. Musafir Cafe primarily focuses on two love stories and three individuals. Vikrant Massey’s Chander starts off as software engineer, later though he follows his passion of opening an intimate mountain cafe. In one way the man is an Imtiaz Ali protagonist from something like Tamasha bored of conventional routine. Vedika Pinto is Sudha, she is a fiercely independent woman with clear cut career plans. Marriage doesn’t fit anywhere in her menu, without giving much away Chander and Sudha share a turbulent past. Last but not the least Mahima Makwana is Preeti, Preeti is Chander’s present partner both in the cafe as well as personal life. This is the basic synopsis

A strong aspect of Musafir Cafe is the intertwining of Chander’s past with his present life. The meet up of Chander and Sudha and their subsequent falling in love has an excellent mix of lighthearted and intense moments. How Sudha shapes up Chander’s eventual dream is straight out of an Imitiaz Ali movie still the writing coupled with the performances make it work.

Talking about the intense scenes a mention must be of the portions in which the two find themselves at crossroads. As already mentioned marriage isn’t in the menu of Sudha though she loves Chander. For her professional dreams and looking after mother is more important. There is a point of Chander deciding to move to Mumbai and settling down with her. There are a series of heated arguments with Sudha leaving Chander.

These portions are emotionally poignant making the viewers feel sad for Chander, at the same time it’s hard to dislike Sudha completely. The present portions of Chander with Preeti are also engaging in their own way. Yes, the writing in these portions isn’t fully developed still there is a palpable warmth in the scenes between Vikrant and Mahima. Some of their conversations like the portion of Preeti egging Chander to find a closure is solidly written and enacted. The Chander that we see in the present and the past varies significantly in terms of the mental space and Vikrant brings that out beautifully.

Mahima makes her presence amply felt too, she plays Preeti with grace and emotional maturity. There is a dialogue in the web series where a character describes Preeti as a life partner you shouldn’t miss, and Mahima does a very fine job in portraying those qualities while at the same time not being a complete saint. Vedika Pinto as Sudha has a strong screen presence, she too does an excellent job in portraying Sudha’s feisty nature as well as the more vulnerable moments. The supporting cast led by the ever-effective Adil Hussain are good too, but these characters could have done with better depth. Adil’s scenes with Vikrant have some solid dialogues especially an important scene of advice.

Musafir Cafe also benefits from soulful music and wonderful cinematography. The songs composed by multiple musicians perfectly compliment Chander’s journey. Among the songs Tera Hua, Kaafi Hain Na and Darmiyaan stand out. Anirudha’s cinematography especially the mountain shots and Musafir Cafe brimming with people makes for a good visual viewing.

Final word: Musafir Cafe is definitely worth binging for fans of romance and those who are interested in stories dwelling into relationships.

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Chennai Love Story: Suffers from second half syndrome

Ravi Namburii takes an interesting hook line of a female Devdas and healing from heartbreak. The first half more or less does justice to the central core, post interval though things change significantly. An interesting supernatural twist on paper doesn’t completely land because of the uneven writing. The closing portions get too melodramatic for its own good and the culmination involving a reunion feels rather forced. Kiran Abbavaram and Sri Gouri Priya manage to rise above the sketchy writing giving heart felt performances. Mani Sharma’s soulful music also helps

Starcast: Kiran Abbavaram, Sri Gouri Priya, Trigun and others

Genre: Romantic drama

Screenplay and direction: Ravi Namburii

Writer: Sai Rajesh

Music: Mani Sharma

Cinematography: Viswas Daniel

Producers: Sai Rajesh Neelam, Vishal Datla etc

Production houses: Mass Movie Makers and Amrutha Productions

Running time: 2 hours and 59 minutes

Certain films give you the impression of watching two different movies for the price of one ticket. Ravi Namburii’s Chennai Love Story perfectly fits this category; the first half has an earthy nature perfectly establishing the characters and the conflict points. But in trying to be a sweeping romance the film gets into a very convoluted territory especially a melodramatic stretch involving the heroine’s on-screen mother. By the end the viewers feel a sense of exhaustion with the umpteen crying and dragged scenes. This is not to say that Chennai Love Story is unbearable. It has certain things going for it primarily the acting and the music. But you get the feeling of how the film could have been much better.

Chennai Love Story without giving much spoilers focuses on Sri Gouri Priya’s Nivedita and Kiran Abbavaram’s aspiring filmmaker Steven Shankar. The film begins with Nivedita dumped on the marriage alter leading to a severe heartbreak. Trigun plays Ajay the man responsible for Nivedita becoming a female Devdas. She relocates to Chennai with her friends, but the pain caused by Ajay is burning her deep leading to major alcoholism. At this point Steven Shankar enters in as a young man desperate to make a place for himself. How the worlds of Nivedita and Steven collide forms an important core of Chennai Love Story.

It goes without saying that Chennai Love Story largely depends on its leads, thankfully Kiran Abbavaram as well as Gouri Priya deliver commendable performances even when the writing fails them. Kiran nails the desperation of an aspiring director as well as the emotions of insecurity, helplessness etc. The portions where Steven talks about the role of cinema in his life and why he wants to see his name on the big screen is quite relatable for any aspirants entering into movies in different capacities.

A mention must also be made of a crucial moment with Nivedita getting molested and Steven desperately thinking on how to save his love. The combination of helplessness with strong determination has been excellently portrayed by the actor. Gouri Priya is also wonderful in spite of the emotional scenes feeling too heavy handed. Whether it’s her act of a female Devadas or gradually coming out of the heartbreak Gouri Priya does a very good job.

The chemistry between Kiran and Gouri also elevate the bumpy writing. Whether its the conversational type or the dramatic tones the two look together with perfect synergy. By the movie ends the viewers feel that story writer Sai Rajesh and director Ram Namburii should have ended the interval point in a different manner and probably avoided the supernatural route compeletly.

Among the conversational scenes a mention must be made of the portion where Nivedita encourages Steven to write stories having his own soul, rather than mixing styles like his name Steven Shankar. Talking about the movies dialogues the film comes with its share of poignant lines. There is a scene of Steven mocking Nivedita in jest about her constant heartbreak face, he goes on by saying that failure in first love isn’t the end of the world and is merely a prelude to finding the best love.

For a romantic drama of this nature music is a very part, Mani Sharma delivers some soulful songs along impactful background score. Whether its Vadalene, Nammichi Chesava Mosam or Jigithara the tunes have a melodious feel, the film definitely marks the comeback of a music composer who has been struggling for some time.

The most glaring flaw of Chennai Love Story is its integration of Ajay return; the movie doesn’t spend sufficient time in developing his regret. Trigun’s character comeback feels haphazard in more ways than one, it feels like a manipulative device. Cannot reveal much details here but those who have seen the movie will understand.

Another problem with Chennai Love Story is Nivedita’s mother character suddenly developing a serious health issue. The mentality of Steven when he questions Nivedita about hiding certain things related to Ajay leaves a bitter after taste.

The final nail in the coffin is the hospital scene with the mother emotionally manipulating Nivedita to not remain single, its like putting a sword on someone’s neck at gun point. The melodrama post this in spite of some good acting makes the closing portions a slog to sit through.

Final word: Chennai Love Story works for fans of weepy melodramas, for the rest it will leave a bitter aftertaste especially after a good foundation.

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Jana Nayagan: A rousing swan song with a charismatic Vijay Thalapathy

Director H Vinoth takes the core of Bhagvanth Kesari but does some interesting changes. Unlike Arjun Rampal’s greedy capitalist Bobby’s John Himler is more psychologically twisted. The man doesn’t start off bad but eventually ends up in a Hitler mode. Pooja Hedge unlike Kajal Aggarwal too serves a better purpose with the character’s background of journalism. The second half does lag with its election manifesto approach still the movie turns out to be a fine celebration of the star with an important message of women empowerment

Starcast: Vijay Thalapathy, Mamitha Bajju, Bobby Deol, Pooja Hedge, Prakash Raj and others

Genre: Action/drama

Direction and screenplay: H Vinoth

Original story: Anil Ravipudi

Music: Anriudh Ravichander

Cinematography: Sathyan Sooryan

Producer: Venkat K Narayana

Production Company: KVN studios

Running time: 3 hours

Bhagvanth Kesari occupies a significant place in Anil Ravipudi’s filmography. With Bhagvanth Kesari Anil proved his capability in doing an emotional story too. He presented Nandamuri Balakrishna in a different way within the mass template. The film had an important theme of a young girl overcoming her psychological trauma with Balakrishna as a guardian/father figure. One of the most impactful scenes in Bhagavanth Kesari was Balakrishna’s character taking a back seat for a while and letting Sreeleela do all the fighting. H Vinod’s take on the same subject is similar and different at the same time. The crux of a girl overcoming the psychological trauma remains the films strongest suit here too. The changes made though are a hit and miss, the backstory of Bobby Deol with him losing faith in democracy adds an interesting angle. But the sheer density of social themes makes the second half a drag. Also, many actors in the overpopulated cast become mere bystanders. But as a Thalapathy celebration it is a good package. Even if you aren’t a Vijay Thalapathy fan its not hard to feel a little nostalgic.

For those who haven’t seen Bhagavanth Kesari Jana Nayagan focuses on the bond between Vijay Thalapathy’s Vetri Kondan and Mamitha Baiju’s Vijji. We first meet Vetri Kondan as a prisoner, Gautam Vasudev Menon in a brief appearance plays a jailer called Srikant. A dramatic turn leads to Vetri Kondan becoming a guardian/father figure for Vijji. In her childhood Vijji talks about wanting to join the army, but a certain psychological trauma makes her rethink about the army dreams. However, Vetri is adamant on her joining the army and doing something substantial in her life overall. How Vetri Kondan’s past catches up with his present and the journey of Vijji overcoming her inner demons forms the core of Jana Nayagan.

It goes without saying that Jana Nayagan is a mass showreel for Vijay Thalapathy and the actor/chief minister doesn’t disappoint. Whether it’s the mass punchlines or the serious dialogues Vijay does complete justice. Vijay carries the massiness in his own style making it an enjoyable experience particularly for those who are watching the original Tamil version. A specific mention must be made of the portions with Mamitha, just like the original the emotional moments of Vetri’s breakdown and his desperation to make Vijji a stronger individual creates a strong impact.

A crucial second half portion with Bobby Deol is also solid both in terms of writing and acting. The ideological differences between the two with Vijay talking on how change is a process and politics cannot change overnight gives a different flavor to the hero and villain clash. Bobby Deol as earlier mentioned gets a different arc to Arjun Rampal’s familiar capitalist. The man doesn’t start bad; we see him as a determined police officer wanting to bring change but a scene of humiliation with him being stripped changes everything.

Yes Bobby’s lip sync is often distracting but the actors committed performance along with an imposing physical presence makes up for it. Bobby is especially good in two portions; one is grappling with his inner demons where we see the dark side gradually taking over. The other is a long monologue on how elections generally function on the basis of religion, caste and symbol.

Mamitha Bajju pulls off Vijji’s transformation well like Sreeleela in the original. Whether it’s the scenes of panic attack or the smooth action moves she more than holds her own opposite Vijay. Mamitha gets her share of solid punchlines too in the pre climax. There is a scene of Vijji mocking Vetri in jest about letting the villain overpower him temporarily. You also have the dialogue “Oru Pere Varalaaru Avanthaaney Jananayagan” This works as a meta reference to mass leadership and power. Pooja Hedge as Kayal lends grace. In comparison to Kajal she plays a more active part, the characters background of journalism comes in handy on more than one occasion.

One of Jananayagan’s major issues is its election manifesto approach and wanting to cram as many things as possible. By the end of the movie a sheer exhaustion sets in on how the film stretches itself too thin. You have biological warfare, corruption in politics on various levels, sexual abuse, the ideological battle between the hero and villain with each having firm belief on their respective ideologies among others. All these make for interesting subplots in itself but as a viewer you get the feeling of the screenplay doing too many juggling acts.

Also there are numerous underdeveloped characters among the supporting cast. Prakash Raj as the local goon/politician makes some impact in his characteristic style but the likes of Nassar, Priyamani etc exist mostly on the periphery. An abrupt twist of Priyamani being John Himler’s girlfriend and how she helps him makes the viewers scratch their heads.

Anirudh Ravichander’s music has an interesting mix of songs. On one hand there is the peppy Thalapathy Kacheri. The fluid dance moves of Vijay Thalapathy makes for a perfect celebration number. At the same time there is also the poignant Chelle Magle. Overall, Jana Nayagan makes for a good rousing swansong in spite of an overstuffed second half.

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Broadway Meets Telugu Cinema: How Sing Geetham and Rao Bahadur Reimagined Social Storytelling

Among the Telugu films released in 2026, Sing Geetham and Rao Bahadur occupy a unique place for their distinctive storytelling. Both films embrace a Broadway-inspired, whimsical style of staging while tackling weighty social issues. Sing Geetham explores themes such as environmental destruction and the exploitation caused by mining, while Rao Bahadur delves into the pressures of lineage, colorism, casteism, and patriarchy. Despite these serious subjects, both films present their narratives through a whimsical lens, allowing their social commentary to emerge organically, particularly for the discerning viewers.

In Sing Geetham, nearly seventy to eighty percent of the narrative unfolds through songs, with characters expressing their emotions musically—whether it is their initial bewilderment, moments of despair, or personal revelations. Several key developments take place within these musical sequences. One such example is the portion where every character speaks their mind without any filters, leading to both humorous and revealing moments. Shalini Kondepudi’s Reenu inadvertently exposes her true intentions to the mining workers, while the male protagonist, played by Ayaan, openly reveals that he has recently come out of jail and discloses the deal he has struck with her, further shocking the villagers.

At the same time, the musical format is also used to create emotionally poignant moments. One of the film’s most moving sequence is a heartfelt plea to the god Kubera, where the villagers acknowledge their mistakes and pray not to be punished any further. The song combines emotional vulnerability with the film’s Broadway style, making the moment especially affecting.

Venkatesh Maha’s Rao Bahadur, on the other hand, is not a full-fledged musical like Sing Geetham. However, its Broadway influence is evident in the staging of several key sequences. The song “Desa Sanchari,” for instance, captures the protagonist’s free-spirited nature before he eventually succumbs to the weight of lineage. Both its melody and visual presentation evoke the feel of a Broadway production.

One of the film’s most crucial sequences is the imaginatively staged song “Conditioning.” Here, Venkatesh Maha employs magical realism to powerful effect and even appears on screen as one of the ancestors of Satyadev’s Bhuvana Ramappa Rao Bahadur.

On the night before Ramappa is expected to return, leaving the family lineage without a heir, the spirits of his ancestors gather to devise a plan. Through this surreal musical sequence, they attempt to indoctrinate him into their belief system, ensuring that he carries forward their rigid values.

The song unfolds in a whimsical manner, supported by inventive choreography and striking visual staging. Beneath its playful exterior, however, lies a sharp critique of patriarchal traditions and restrictive gender roles. The sequence perfectly encapsulates the core of Rao Bahadur, using music and fantasy to communicate its social commentary with remarkable effectiveness.

Taken together, Sing Geetham and Rao Bahadur demonstrate the power of unconventional storytelling. Both films use Broadway-inspired staging not merely as a stylistic flourish but as a meaningful narrative device deepening their exploration of social issues. Beneath the whimsical surfaces lie incisive observations on society, proving that fantasy, music, and social critique can coexist seamlessly. The results are two cinematic experiences both thoroughly entertaining and thought-provoking.

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The Odyssey: A visually stunning epic exploring the psychological trauma of war

Christopher Nolan’s retelling of Homer’s famous epic Odyssey does justice to the theme of hero’s existential crisis. The movie and the epic have its similarities and differences particularly the characterization of Penelope. Yes, the unwavering devotion is similar, but in the film, Penelope comes across as a much stronger individual. The moral complexities of a war hero is well connected to today’s times.

Starcast: Matt Damon, Anne Hathway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson and others

Genre: Epic

Direction, screenplay and producer: Christopher Nolan

Based on: Homer’s Odyssey

Music: Ludwing Gorranson

Cinematography: Hoyte Van Hoyetema

Production Companies: Universal Pictures

Running time: 2 hours and 52 minutes

Homer’s Odyssey is a major epic in Greek literature; it’s one of the oldest surviving works with immense appeal to the modern generation. Much like our Indian epics this too comes with an immense potential for a solid drama. Different versions of Odyssey before Christopher Nolan’s one has been there as well. Whether its book, movies or television. Since I haven’t seen or read any of those my review of the 2026 Odyssey would be a standalone one.

For those not familiar with Homer’s epic the plot focuses on the events following the Trojan War. Odyssey has spent ten years away from home and is desperate to meet his wife and son. In brief the story focuses on the different battles of our hero along with the various struggles faced by the family back home.

A solid aspect of The Odyssey is the detailed psychological insight given into our hero’s emotional baggage. Odysses’s guilt at numerous points coupled with some mistakes has been solidly written and enacted. The movie also dwells into the war causalities left behind. This is explored at different junctures, in particular there is a scene involving the ghosts of the dead who question Matt Damon’s Odysses.

The exchange between Matt Damon and the spirits explore the morally complex themes of duty, survival and honor. In connection to this a dialogue of our protagonist needs to be mentioned. ” We honor our dead by escaping”.

The loss of humanity especially the violence faced by woman has also come out in a striking manner. There is a crucial passage involving Samantha Morton’s Circe, Circe is a witch who turns Odysseu’s men into pigs. In a conversation with him, she opens up about a bitter past involving her sister referring to men as bastards.

As already mentioned the character of Penelope varies significantly in the movie. Penelope has some strong dialogues whether it’s the confrontation with the son or asserting her authority as Odysseus’s equal. Both the writing and Anne Hathway make sure that Penelope isn’t reduced to just a weeping woman. The way she holds things together in Odyssey’s absence making the suitors wait is a perfect example of this.

Talking about the movie’s dialogues there are many impactful ones at different junctures. For example, there is a scene of Matt Damon saying to Tom Holland’s Telemachus on how to not look for God in a man, you would be disappointed. Similarly, the sharp exchanges featuring Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson as one of Penelope’s suitors has some clap worthy dialogues, yes, these portions might feel too modern for purists. Still it gives the movie some of its best moments.

Robert Pattinson in a negative role fully embraces the character’s despisable nature making Odyssey’s eventual win all the more satisfying. Tom Holland as Telemachus is successful in bringing the required vulnerability as well as determination.

Matt Damon brings both physicality and an emotional weariness in equal proportion. He particularly shines in the scenes of Odysseus introspecting about his past and getting over inner demons. In smaller but important parts Charlie Theron, Zendya and Samantha Morton leave a solid impression too.

The cinematography of Hoyte Van Hoyetema is successful in capturing the vast landscape as well as the scenes of dangers. As viewers you feel that you are travelling with these men and hope that they make it safe.

As far as flaws are concerned Tom Holland’s characterization could have done with better etching. In the big fighting scene, he comes across as mostly a bystander with Odysseus doing most of the heavy lifting. Another problem is the tonal issue; from an antiwar movie it gets into a typical terrority of an Indian masala movie.

Odyssey is a rare combination of spectacle with a solid soul. In one way the movie feels like a continuation of Imitiaz Ali’s Main Vaapus Aaunga with its themes of humanity loss and the cycle of violence. Whether its war times in this case and border issues in that.