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September 3, 2024October 18, 2024

IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack: An immersive web show revisiting a hugely agonizing period

The decision of releasing the three terrorists is something that is debated even to this day. Refreshingly Director Anubhav Sinha doesn’t take any sides and neither does he resort to the current over the top nationalism

Starcast: Vijay Varma, Manoj Pahwa, Aravind Swamy, Pankaj Kapoor, Naseeruddin Shah, Dia Mirza, Rajiv Thakur and others
Based on the book: Flight Into Fear – The Captain’s story by Devi Sharan and Srinjoy Chowdhury
Director: Anubhav Sinha
Writers: Adrian Levy and Trishant Srivastava
Production houses: Matchbox Shots and Banaras Mediaworks
Streaming site: Netflix
No of episodes: 6
Cinematography: Ewan Mulligan and Ravi Kiran Ayyagari

In simple terms the story of ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ focuses on a flight hijacked by three Pakistani terrorists. The flight was going from Delhi to Katmandu. After being taken hostage the airplane lands at three different locations before the final destination of Kandahar which was then under the control of Talibans. These terrorists want the release of their imprisoned Kashmiri comrades along with a dead body of a militant. Director Anubhav Sinha and the other two writers recreate the eight harrowing days in a gripping manner. The continuous negotiations between the Indian agents and the Pakistani terrorists and the efforts of the passengers for survival is depicted authentically.

Before going forward, I will slightly touch upon the unnecessary controversy that the show has found itself in. A section of people has raised objection to some of the hijackers having Hindu codenames, this objection feels very redundant. Assuming false names is a very common practice when you don’t want the real identity to come out. When the terrorists used certain code names how can a director change it, specially as this is based on a true story.

Now moving on to the show, earlier too we have seen stories of this genre where a larger-than-life hero saves the day. Here that has been subverted in a refreshing manner. Vijay Varma’s Captain Sharan Dev is the major pivot of this story as he is the head pilot. But the character never comes across as larger than life. He is as vulnerable as the other passengers and the fellow staff; Sharan Dev simply wants to survive through this ordeal so that he can meet his daughters again. At the same time, he shows determination too. This mix of fear and determination has been wonderfully portrayed by the actor. With this web show Vijay Varma once again proves his capability in adapting to different roles.

This web series follows a pattern of blending real life situations with dramatized events. A voice over runs alongside the archival footage. The merging of archival footage and the re-created scenes is not easy to blend but director Anubhav Sinha does a very good job in intermingling both.

IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack is also refreshing in its portrayal of the terrorists. Thanks to the nuanced writing they never come across as one note characters. There is a scene of them participating in Antyakshari with passengers. In another scene one of the terrorists comforts an air hostess who vomits as she is unable to bear the stench. There is also a moment where a terrorist expresses his admiration for Sharan Dev.

The series also does a wonderful job in portraying the sheer hopelessness of the situation. In a particularly impactful scene, a helpless flight attendant is trying to clean out an over flowering toilet. It is a very disturbing image.

There isn’t much space in a show like this for lighthearted moments, but Manoj Pahwa raises many chuckles with his sarcastic humor. He plays an aggressive official and the senior actor as expected delivers a solid act. Whether it is the scenes of negotiation with the hijackers or his conversations with the suave Aravind Swamy in the role of an MEA official. In spite of a bulky physicality the actor commands your attention. Aravind Swamy as the smooth-talking officer with a different approach is charm personified.

*Aravind Swamy as the smooth-talking officer is charm personified*

Like other hostage dramas this too comes with certain backstories. Anubhav Sinha does not explore them in detail but there is enough to chew on. For example, you have an orthopedician shrugging off his responsibility in saving a heavily wounded passenger. The same attitude can be seen later when he is stranded with a differently abled son. The Director links this behavior to a larger picture concerning the politicians and bureaucrats. Hijackers get into the aircraft with guns and bombs in a very convenient manner. These scenes show how a security lapse can result in deadly consequences.

The crux of ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ is more about the emotional battles, and less about combat. This has come out well. The role of Afghanistan in rescuing the passengers also gives the show some of its most heart warming moments.

Rajiv Thakur, a comedian earlier does a good job in the role of a menacing hijacker. Yes, the actor does fall short on certain occasions particularly in the scenes with Manoj Pahwa but still it is a commendable effort. Among others Dia Mirza and Amrita Puri also do a fine job. As a member of Press Dia portrays both the tenderness and intensity in an effective manner. Through the track of her and Amrita Puri Anubhav Sinha brought the conflict between newspapers and television into the story.

A special mention must be made about Pankaj Kapoor and Naseeruddin Shah playing senior officials. They are actors par excellence with a huge body of work behind them. It is a pleasure to watch the two veteran actors in one frame. Their interactions are laced with conflicting ideologies but underlined with mutual respect.

The cinematography of Ewan Mulligan and Ravi Kiran Ayyagari is also first rate. Both do a splendid job in capturing the high tension through their lens.

One aspect of the show which feels slightly underwhelming is the structure. The cuts between the episodes feel abrupt giving the impression that this was originally planned as a movie, but this doesn’t hamper the proceedings in a significant manner.

The final moments leave the viewers with a lot of thoughts on how the hijack happened so easily in the first place. But I suppose there is always scope for security lapses.

August 30, 2024October 18, 2024

Saripodhaa Sanivaaram: A whacky tale of hot-headed men in a commercial format

Director Vivek Athreya talks about channeling anger in the right direction and not using it for futile reasons. The director brings his trademark quirks to a regular plot of good versus evil

Starcast: Nani, SJ Suryah, Sai Kumar, Priyanka Mohan, Aditi Balan, Abhirami and others
Director and writer: Vivek Athreya
Music and background score: Jakes Bejoy
Producer: D VV Dannaya
Production house: DVV Entertainment
Running time: 2 hours and 46 minutes

Vivek Athreya’s last Ante Sundaraniki was a simple rom peppered with a lot of situational humor, through the jokes he did a fine job in addressing our religious biases. In spite of a long winding screenplay the film has built a solid fan base over the years. Saripodhaa Sanivaaram is less indulgent, but the trademark Vivek Athreya’s touches are aplenty. On the surface Saripodhaa Sanivaaram is a regular vigilante story with a nod to Salim Javed’s angry young man. What makes the difference here though is the world building, a solid base for the hero villain conflict. The film also has interesting touches particularly the characterization of Sai Kumar, Sai Kumar’s character of an angry cop in police story doesn’t need a particular introduction, in a refreshing reversal Sai Kumar is seen as a peace-loving father constantly worrying about the consequences of his son’s anger. He is also seen cooking and cleaning, but Vivek Athreya doesn’t reduce him to a whimp giving the senior actor his own mass moment.

Building a solid base for the hero villain conflict

The broad storyline of Saripodhaa Sanivaaram is about an insurance agent Surya (Nani). Surya leads an ordinary life from Monday to Friday but on Saturday he unleashes his anger. The reason for the Saturday fixation is connected to the mother played by Abhirami, she was also aggressive in nature. The beginning portions establish how Surya’s sense of social justice comes from his mother. Even the sister played by Aditi Balan has her own temper and isn’t someone who cows down easily. On certain occasions Sai Kumar’s Sankaram feels like an odd one out trying to maintain balance. S. J Suryah ironically named Dayanand Daya also has anger issues, he shares a thorny relationship with the brother Kurmanand (a hilarious Murali Sharma). Since Kurmanand is an MLA Dayanand channels his frustration on the locality of Sokulapalem this colony is inspired from the famous Stuartpuram, their ancestors were thieves, and the present Sokulapalem people are the victims of a certain stigma. Whenever Dayanand wants to vent his anger, he comes to that place and inflicts torture on whomever he wants. It is just a matter of time before the worlds of Surya and Dayanand collide, this happens due to Priyanka Mohan’s Charulatha a newly appointed constable. The movie is divided into various chapters like the prologue, turn and knot among others.

A strong aspect of Saripodhaa Sanivaaram is the strong characterizations that Vivek Athreya gives to both the hero and villain. Both of them come across as two powerful entities. The director has also designed some interesting character traits. For example, S J Suryah’s character comes with shades of sarcastic humor, there are times where he goes from serious to jovial within a flash of second. These nuances add a lot to the role and the actor simply chews the scenery. His scenes with Nani though few in number are power packed. On certain occasions he even overshadows Nani with his powerful presence.

Nani’s Surya on the other hand is someone who suppresses his anger until Saturday and takes it out only when he feels the frustration is justified. For the father he is a tickling time bomb, and this leads to numerous laugh out loud moments. A certain warmth can also be seen at a crucial juncture when the father gives him an important advice. Nani as always does a fine job both in portraying both the boy next door and also the angry young man.

The romantic scenes with Priyanka Mohan are also filled with some fun moments. Particularly the meta references to Eega. Their love has been treated in a dignified matter. Priyanka Mohan’s Charulatha is someone who doesn’t like violence and stays away from confrontation. This trait comes across as an ode to Mani Ratnam’s classic movie Thalapathy.

The romance has been treated in a dignified manner

Mention must also be the portions involving S J Suryah and Murali Sharma. Their scenes again have undertones of humor, at the same time the viewers understand the origin of Dayanand’s skewed personality.Saripodhaa Sanivaaram also comes with a mythological reference to Krishna and Satyabhama ending Narakasura’s terror. There is an important message on how one shouldn’t rely on divine intervention, instead people must stand up for themselves. This has come out beautifully. The movie tries its best to not showcase Nani as the ultimate savior even though the climatic battle prominently features Nani and S J Suryah’s face off. At the same time, it has to be said that the people of Sokulapalem could have done with more fleshed out characters. At certain points they resemble a cliched helpless lot waiting for someone to change their lives. Similarly, no higher authorities keeping a check on Dayanand’s activities is hard to digest.

Jakes Bejoy’s background score elevates the drama on numerous occasions particularly the tense moments. Saripodhaa Sanivaaram is a good attempt a bringing some freshness within the good versus evil genre in spite of a few setbacks.

August 27, 2024October 18, 2024

Munjya: A worthy addition to Maddock horror universe

Director Aditya Sarpotdar does a fine job in weaving a social message like the previous Maddock productions, Stree films and Bhediya. Here it is about consent in love.

Munjya streaming on Disney+ Hotstar is set in the backdrop of a Konkan folklore, year 1952. A young Brahmin boy Gotya is adamant on marrying a girl named Munni. He mistakes obsession for love, Munni’s marriage is fixed to another man leaving Gotya enraged. He makes an unsuccessful attempt to poison Munni’s fiancé in a fit of anger. The mother scolds him but Gotya is no mood to pay heed. He resorts to black magic in order to win Munni’s heart, this includes an attempt to sacrifice the life of his sister Gita (Khushi Hajare plays the young version). However, this only leads to self-destruction. Gotya turns into a restless spirit Munjya haunting the tree; he had died within 10 days of thread ceremony. Fast forward to the present Gotya aka Munjya latches on to the family’s descendent Bittu (Abhay Verma), using him as a facilitator to fulfil the wishes of marrying Munni. In a strange turn of events Munjya becomes bestowed with Bittu’s love Bela (Sharvari Wagh). Bela considers Bittu her best friend, she is already in relationship with an English man Cuba (Richard Lovatt) but isn’t very sure on marrying him. Bela has major career aspirations regarding Zumba dance. Bittu deeply loves Bela, but he doesn’t confess. This is the story in brief.

Munjya latches on to his family descendent Bittu (Abhay Verma)

A strong aspect of Munjya is the characterization of Bittu. Bittu starts off as an underconfident guy, he hardly comes across a hero who would defeat the wicked Munjya but as the movie progresses, we seem him gradually overcoming inner fears. Bittu desires to be a hairdresser adding an interesting layer. Additionally, Bittu respects Bella’s professional aspirations and never makes a move on Bela in spite of their close proximity.

There is a scene in the pre- climax where Bittu finally reveals his feelings. Bella replies that too much is going on in her life and she has no intentions of getting into a committed relationship at this point. Bittu replies that it is fine adding that he is not a Munjya who is going to make her life hell. The stark difference in behaviors in spite of the same lineage is the essence of this Aditya Sarpotdar’s directorial.

Munjya also benefits from the strong characterizations of Mona Singh and Suhas Joshi playing the mother and grandmother respectively. Mona Singh plays a fiery single mother never backing down from taking a stand for herself and the son. Suhas Joshi on the other hand is the sweet and adorable grandmother. She is an important source of motivation for Bittu in the battle with Munjya. Both the women are a delight to watch. Sharvari Wagh as Bella is also good particularly in the scenes where Munjya enters her body. She has a bubbly presence that goes with the role. Her dance moves in the end credit song Taras are quite fluid and she looks hot as well.

Bahubali actor S Sathyaraj plays a baba known for getting rid of spirits thankfully the characterization doesn’t follow the usual intense route. There is an absurdity to the character which Sathyaraj pulls off well. As Bittu Abhay Varma does a fine job in bringing out both the fearful nature and also the eventual transformation. His chemistry with the CGI generated Munjya has a good mix of scares and funny moments.

Special mention must be also made of the cinematography department. Saurabh Goswami does an excellent job of capturing the dread amidst the lush greenery. The VFX artists have also done a fine job in creating a scary villain however it has to be said that Munjya’s thick voice does get irritating at some points. Also, the styling of both Munjya and Bittu has a Harry Potter hangover which the movie could have done away with. The film pretty much follows the standard template of a horror movie and there is nothing unpredictable particularly for those who have grown on this genre. But all said and done Munjya is a worthy addition to this growing horror universe.

August 24, 2024August 24, 2024

Thangalaan: Pa Ranjith’s movie feels like an arthouse subject force fitted into a pan India cinema

Pa Ranjith continues his repertoire of politically charged storytelling, but overdose of magic realism coupled with many symbolisms make it a very tedious watch

Starcast: Vikram, Parvathy Thirovuthu, Malavika Mohanan, Pasupathy, Daniel Caltagorine and others
Direction story and screenplay: Pa Ranjith
Additional screenplay and story: Azhagiya Periyavan and Tamil Prabha
Music: GV Prakash Kumar
Production Companies: Studio Green and Neelam Productions
Running time: 2 hours and 15 minutes

Pa Ranjith’s Thangalaan feels like a prequel to Prashant Neel’s massive hits KGF 1 and 2. Through this movie Pa Ranjith has showcased the origin of gold mining in the Kolar Gold Fields. Pa Ranjith is known for depicting socially relevant issues using big stars as a medium – case in point are the two movies made with Rajnikanth Kabali and Kaala. The latter in particular was an impactful movie. In this film too Pa Ranjith talks about the lower caste people deprived of their lands first by the landlords and then by the British who promise to give them dignity. Thangalaan would have been a good addition to Pa Ranjith’s repertoire if he had struck to the core plot, but unnecessary addition of magic realism coupled with a confusing screenplay make it an extremely boring movie. The film has its moments like the scene where the women wear blouses for the first time. Malavika Mohanan springs a pleasant surprise with her intense portrayal of a warrior woman, Parvathy Thirovuthu as Gangamma also delivers a praiseworthy act, but these aren’t enough to save this overstuffed movie.

Malavika Mohanan springs a very pleasant surprise

The story of Thangalaan focuses on a tribe of people making a living from agriculture. Vikram plays the central character. Thangalaan is haunted by certain visions of a warrior goddess Aarthi (Malavika Mohanan). Parvathy plays Thangalaan’s wife Gangamma. Pasupathy is another key member of the tribe. His role has a major aspiration of reaching Vaikuntam through Ramanuja’s teachings. His character is often used for generating humor. Things take an interesting turn when an Englishman Lord Clement (Daniel Caltagorine) asks the villagers to help him in locating the gold mines. Thangalaan firmly believes that gold will bring a positive transformation in their lives. Additionally, Lord Clement also promises a share in the gold along with a better standard of living, Thangalaan foolishly believes this. Locating the gold is easier said than done as a warrior woman was supposed to protect the area. This is the story in brief.

The positives in Thangalaan can be counted on the tip of one’s fingers. Malavika Mohanan as Aarthi is definitely one of them. Malavika is mostly known for her hot image but here the actress sheds all vanity getting into the skin of the role. There is a palpable anger in her eyes. Throughout the movie Aarthi makes more sense than the central character. Along with anger a certain concern is also there for Thangalaan. She constantly reminds him that he is not doing right. Malavika does an extremely good job in portraying these facets. Parvathy Thirovuthu is the feisty wife who doesn’t back down from confronting her husband when needed. Parvathy’s acting skills doesn’t need any specific introduction and here too she makes the viewers feel the emotional turmoil of Gangamma.

One of the few memorable scenes in Thangalaan is the scene where the women wear blouses for the first time. There is a certain wonder in their eyes that is fun to watch. The song and dance sequence that follows makes for a good moment, a much-needed relief from the heavy bloodshed.

A major issue with Thangalaan is the characterization of Vikram. As an actor Vikram gave his usual hundred percent, but the characterization lets Vikram down. Thangalaan’s belief in Lord Clement having genuine empathy towards them feels terribly misplaced. He becomes the major reason for the tribe’s suffering, putting their life at stake ignoring Aarthi’s warnings. It is hard to think of Thangalaan as a leader, more so when he doesn’t listen to his own kin in spite of people dying around him. This sketchy characterization hampers the movie in a major way. The best example of this is the pre- climax where Thangalaan finally shows repentance but by then the damage has already been done.

As an actor Vikram gives his usual hundred percent

Thangalaan also suffers from way too much abstractness. There is a constant crosscut between Thangalaan’s visions of his ancestors and the present day. This juggling act adds to the viewers impatience. It becomes hard to follow the storyline because of it. Additionally, GV Prakash’s background music threatens to break audience’s ears. It is too loud and jarring.

To sum it up Thangalaan is Pa Ranjith’s Raavan (Mani Ratnam movie) moment. It is a massive downfall for a respected filmmaker who gave Rajinikanth one of his best movies Kaala. Watch it only if you are a die-hard Pa Ranjith or Vikram fan.

August 21, 2024November 27, 2024

Angry Young Men (docu series): Rides high on nostalgia but low on professional insights

Ironically for a duo known for their powerful screenplays Namrata Rao’s narration is quite lackluster

August 21, 2024

The duo of Salim- Javed have revolutionized mainstream Hindi Cinema with the likes of Sholay, Deewar, Zanjeer and Don among others. The plots are simple but their ability in capturing the angst of the common man and representing the anger through their writings have made the movies hugely memorable. The docu series of Angry Young men streaming on Amazon Prime is a series of interviews that merge the professional and personal lives of this powerhouse duo. Except for one tiny shot in the final episode both Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan aren’t seen together.

As mentioned in the headline Angry Young Men rides high on nostalgia. A lot of discussion is centered around Sholay, Zanjeer and Deewar. These parts of the documentary needed some serious editing. Nothing new emerges about these movies particularly for hard core movie buffs. However, there is one interesting bit where Javed Akhtar talks about the popularity of Gabbar Singh played by Amjad Khan. Although Sholay had many stars Amjad Khan was the actor who made the biggest impact as a merciless dacoit with no backstory.

One reason Javed Akhtar gives for Gabbar Singh’s popularity is the lack of moral compass. The viewers found it fresh to see an unapologetically bad villain. The centrality of mother figures in their movies also offers interesting anecdotes. Both of them lost their respective mothers at a young age. The female characters of Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan has also been touched upon. Except for Seeta Aur Geeta the writers had never written female oriented movies but still most of their heroines had substantial roles. Lastly it is also great to hear from the master director Shyam Benegal dissecting their popularity. He talks about how the 70’s needed a hero who would clean up the system on behalf of people and the likes of Zanjeer perfectly tapped into this.

One major problem with the Angry Young Men docu series is the overdose of stars. From Kareena Kapoor Khan, Abhishek Bachchan to Karan Johar the frames are filled with way too many people. Half of them don’t add much significance and this includes Amitabh Bachchan too. Amitabh Bachchan owes a lot of his stardom to them but that doesn’t come through. Lastly their writing process has been hardly explored, there is one mention of Salim Khan coming up with the storylines and Javed Akhtar doing the dialogue writing, but even that is superficial.

August 19, 2024August 23, 2024

Ullozhukku: A gripping drama about human frailties

The torrential rains become a metaphor for the buried secrets resurfacing amidst the grief. Both Parvathy Thiruvothu and Urvasi are exemplary in their respective parts

Ullozhukku written and directed by Christo Tomy has all the characteristics of a plot set against a funeral background. The movie is now streaming on Amazon Prime. Anju (Parvathy Thirovutu) is married to Thomaskutty (Prasant Murali). Although married she is still in touch with her lover Rajeev (Arjun Radhakrishnan). They are having an affair behind the back of Anju’s mother- in law Leelamma (Urvasi). Things take a drastic turn with the death of Thomaskutty. He was suffering from a major disease that eventually took his life. On top of this Anju finds out she is carrying Rajeev’s child few days before Thomaskutty’s death. This is the story in brief.

A strong aspect of Ullozhukku are the flawed characters, through the various flawed humans the director has touched upon grief, desire, honor, freedom etc. For traditionalists it would be tough to digest Anju’s serious relationship with the boyfriend while being a married woman, however the director has fleshed out Anju’s love in a wonderful manner. At one point she even decides to elope with Rajeev while Leelamma’s family are still grieving. Again, on surface Anju’s actions may across as selfish but as viewers you understand her desperation.

Similarly, even Leelamma has her own weaknesses too. Leelamma has an abundance of love towards Anju but at the same time she is not able to see her daughter- in laws struggles. There are also some casual dialogues regarding class divide flunked by Leelamma in her anger.

Leelamma has an abundance of love towards Anju but at the same time she is not able to see her daughter in laws sufferings

The portions of Parvathy and Uravasi are easily a major highlight of this movie. There is no heavy melodrama yet the scenes featuring them are a treat to watch.

Another character worth mentioning here is Anju’s father played by Alencier. Alencier pretends to be noble but at the same time he cannot stand the thought of his daughter marrying a Hindu.

Shehnad Jala’s cinematography is of a very fine standard too. Through his lens he affectively the tension within the house and also the frames of flood. The music and background score of Sushin Shyam also enhances the movie.

The one minor issue with the movie is that of Arjun Radhakrishnan. His character of Rajeev starts off as an honest lover willing to wait for Anju but there is a sudden shift which feels convoluted. Yes the viewers understand that Rajeev lacks financial security but still the character change comes across as rather odd.

Both Parvathy Thiruvothu and Urvasi are exemplary in their respective parts. Anju is someone who wants to live life on her own terms but still seeks validation from parents. Parvarthy portrays Anju’s vulnerabilities and determination with her trademark intensity. On the other hand, Uravasi effortlessly switches between a loving mother-in-law and also a possessive mother. No wonder both the actresses have won best actor awards at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne and the Kerala State Awards respectively.

August 17, 2024August 23, 2024

Barzakh: A gripping concoction of magic realism and arresting storytelling

The flowery language and the slow screenplay aren’t for all but this comeback vehicle of Fawad A Khan is very much worth a watch

Starcast: Fawad A Khan, Muhammad Fawad Khan, Sanam Saeed, Salman Shahid and others
Writer, director and creator: Asim Abbasi
Producers: Shailija Kejriwal and Waqas Hassan
Streaming site: Zee 5
No of episodes: 6

Barzakh is an Arabic word denoting a bridge separating the living from hereafter. Here hereafter refer to a life beyond the earthly existence. Barzakh is the perfect title for this web series written and directed by Asim Abbasi. Barzakh has been a much-anticipated web show given that it has been a while that Indian audiences have seen the dashing Fawad A Khan. Also, Sanam Seed has teamed up with Fawad post their acclaimed romantic show Zindagi Gulzar Hai. Here the actors share a different kind of chemistry which is a far cry from their previous association. However, the powerhouse performers are a treat to watch in every scene of theirs.

Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed share a different a kind of chemistry which is a far cry from their previous association

The story of Barzakh is set in the mystic valley of Hunza. The valley has a mysterious feel that draws the viewers in even before the main characters are introduced. Jafar Khanzada (Salman Rashid) runs a tourist resort named Mahtab Mahal. Jafar Khanzada suffers from dementia; he is pretty much a loner. Additionally, he doesn’t have much connect with the sons. Jafar is twice married and also divorced. In his twilight years Jafar plans to reunite with his first love Mahtab. The twist here is that Mahtab doesn’t exist in reality. Fawad M Khan and Fawad A Khan play the estranged sons Saifullah and Shehryar respectively. Shehryar has a tough time in understanding the afterlife complexities and theories narrated to him. Sanam Saeed plays the mysterious assistant Scheherazade. Scheherazade is from the mountains and has some secrets. Meanwhile there is the subplot of locals rebelling against Jafar for building a mansion on their land not respecting their ancestors. Jafar pays no heed to these protests determined to reunite with his first love by climbing the mountains leading to land of nowhere. This is the story in a nutshell.

First things first Barzakh moves at a very leisure pace. Unlike series that are in a tearing hurry this one takes its own sweet time to establish the character’s motivations and conflicts. There are no startling cliff hangers. For those who prefer unhurried storytelling they will definitely enjoy it. As far as the rest chances are that you would fidget hands.

Through the story of this dysfunctional family director Asim Abbasi focuses on the consequences of generational trauma along with the tricky topic of mental health. For example, Saifullah had always yearned for his mother’s affection, being a queer kid, he never got that. He is haunted by her ghost till date. The portrayal of queer desire and his never-ending search for validation is heart stirring. Like his namesake Fawad A Khan Fawad M Khan is also fantastic in his portrayal of man who had to deal with everything that he has suppressed over the years.

Fawad A Khan plays a single father. He is dealing with his own inner demons and wants to save his son from the cycle of generational trauma. Fawad A Khan looks dapper as always but apart from the dashing looks the actor does a swell job in portraying the desperation and bewilderment of Shehryar. His scenes with the father are underlined with sarcastic humor raising many chuckles.

Apart from the portrayal of generational trauma Bazrakh is filled with other striking nuances too. For example, in the ‘Land of Nowhere’ women seem to vanish into thin air. The assumption is that they’re called by ‘mountains. The men’s voice is filled with a lot of rage while talking about the mountain spirit. The women on the hand speak with reverence. The children meanwhile ask questions and raise theories about the connection between real and magical. All this adds to the show.

Special mention must also be made of Sanam Saeed. She is a woman of secrets and is constantly struck between her duty to Khanzada and the mountain land. Sanam Saeed does an excellent job. Salman Shahid nails Khanzada’s eccentric nature.

The cinematography of Mo Azmi is also first rate. On one hand he captures Hunza valley in all its glory, at the same time emptiness of night is used to give a spooky touch. The viewers go through a feel of unease. The VFX while smooth for most part could have been better in certain scenes.

August 16, 2024August 23, 2024

Vedaa: A flawed yet a gritty social drama that touches upon caste-based violence and discrimination

In spite of a bloated second half director Nikhil Advani delivers a hard-hitting tale based on real events. Sharvari Wagh has delivered her career best performance.

Starcast: Sharvari Wagh, John Abraham, Abhishek Banerjee, Ashish Vidyarthi and others special appearances (Tammanna Bhatia and Mouni Roy)
Director: Nikhil Advani
Writer: Assem Arora
Producers: John Abraham, Monisha Advani and others
Production Companies: Zee Studios, Emmay Entertainment and JA Entertainment
Music: Ammal Malik and Manan Bhardwaj
Cinematography: Malay Prakash
Running time: 2 hours and 36 minutes

Nikhil Advani has had a very interesting filmography starting from the romantic dramas Kal Ho Na Ho and Salaam e Ishq. He shifted gears successfully with the film D-Day a well-made action thriller. Nikhil further proved his versatility on OTT with the two seasons of Mumbai Diaries. Of course, the director has also fallen flat on his face with certain movies but there is no denying that Nikhil is a fascinating filmmaker. His latest directorial is based on some real-life incidents dwelling into the oppression of lower caste. Vedaa alternates between a social drama and a high-octane action thriller with dollops of blood. This mix doesn’t always work particularly the long-drawn climax however there is no denying that Nikhil Advani makes an important statement.

Vedaa alternates between a social drama and a high-octane action thriller

The story of Vedaa deals with an ambitious Dalit girl played by Sharvari Wagh. Vedaa aspires to be a boxer breaking the boundary of social stigma. However, that is easier said than done given her family background and the upper caste bigots. Abhishek Banerjee in his second release of the week plays an unhinged antagonist who firmly believes that one cannot toy with the firmly established caste system. The actor is simply phenomenal which I will elaborate on later. John Abaraham on the other hand is a typical hot headed solider who faces court martial for his rebellious streak. His character Abhimanyu comes to the village of Sharvari, his father-in-law stays here. Abhimanyu tries to lead a normal civilian life but an honor killing incident changes everything. Vedaa’s brother falls in love with an upper caste girl, she also reciprocates but expectedly there is no happy ending. Abhimanyu becomes the guiding force of Vedaa echoing Mahabharata.

Sharvari Wagh’s Vedaa aspires to be a boxer breaking free from social stigma

A strong aspect of Vedaa is how Nikhil Advani has showcased the humiliation that Dalits go through. Even after so many years of independence the social and economic conditions of Dalits leave a lot to be desired. There are some hugely disturbing scenes like the one where Vedaa is assaulted by upper caste hooligans, but she is not a position to fight back. There is also a scene where lower caste men rub their noses on the ground. Of course, the treatment is more in your in your face unlike Article 15 that was more nuanced but still these moments leave a strong impact.

Vedaa also benefits from the strong characterization of the central role. Sharvari Wagh starts off as a timid girl but gradually the character grows in confidence becoming a strong rebel. A scene which deserves a particular mention is Vedaa’s confrontation scene with the younger brother of Abhishek Banerjee’s character. A very violent fight ensues with Vedaa taking out all of her pent-up frustration. Sharvari proves to be a worthy action heroine, on a side note cannot wait to see her kick some serious ass with Alia Bhatt in Alpha.

Abhishek Banerjee proves himself as a supremely talented artist with his portrayal of Jitender Pratap Singh. The actor does a wonderful job in portraying an intimidating villain. He gives John Abaraham more than a tough fight in the hand-to-hand combat sequences. It is hard to believe that this is the same man who played the role of Jana in Stree 2. He is that good.

Abhishek Banerjee proves himself to be a supremely talented artist

The second half of Vedaa has numerous car chases and action sequences. These sequences offer a thrilling ride for the viewers. There is constant tension about how Vedaa is going to emerge victorious from all this. However, it has to be said that the fights become too elongated as well and the climax in particular becomes a never-ending saga. John Abraham’s Abhimanyu Kanwar is pumped with numerous bullets but still he stands up. The gritty texture of the first half is in complete odds with these scenes. Similarly, Abhishek Banerjee is seen walking normally even after being shot in the stomach.

Talking about John Abraham the actors hulk like presence goes completely with the role. Abhimanyu is a man of few words letting his fists doing the talk. However, John’s performance feels like a letdown in comparison to his character of Jim in Pathaan.

Vedaa’s music also leaves something to be desired. The only song that makes an impression is Arjit Singh’s ‘Zaroorat Se Zyada’. Malay Prakash’s cinematography coupled with Manoj Sikka’s sound design deserves a major appreciation. The hinterland of Rajasthan has a lived-in feel.

Vedaa in spite of some flaws is thought provoking making the viewers root for the titular character.

August 15, 2024August 16, 2024

Stree 2 Sarkate Ka Aatank: A rollicking sequel with the right mixture of scares and humor

Apart from the horror and scares director Aamir Kaushik also does a fine job in blending impactful social commentary

Starcast: Rajkummar Rao, Abhishek Banerjee, Aparshakti Khurana, Pankaj Tripathi, Shraddha Kapoor and others special appearances (Varun Dhawan, Akshay Kumar and Tamanna Bhatia)
Director: Aamir Kaushik
Writer: Niren Bhatt
Producers: Dinesh Vijan and Jyothi Deshpande
Production Companies: Maddock Films and Jio Studios
Music: Sachin Jigar and Justin Varghese
Cinematography: Jishnu Bhattacharjee
Running time: 2 hours and 27 minutes

Aamir Kaushik’s Stree 2 is one of those few sequels that matches up to its first part. For those who haven’t seen Stree 1 the plot revolved around a female spirit wreaking havoc in the small town of Chanderi. This female ghost by the name of Stree attacked men at night that too during a particular festival period. She only kidnaps those men who turn around when she calls. Apparently looking into her eyes confirms permission to abduct. There is an underlying satire about how consent doesn’t matter for men. Women even in their non-human form are more evolved. Stree 1 had the right doses of suspense and humor along with a touching origin story. The film also benefitted from the fantastic male cast led by an adorable Rajkummar Rao. Not surprisingly Stree 1 was a major hit.

Stree 2 is one of these few sequels that matches up to the first part

Now you have Stree 2 again set in Chanderi. At the end of Stree 1 the female ghost had left the town, fear has been replaced by respect which was denied to her when alive. Instead of O’ Stree Kal Anna (O Stree, come tomorrow) the new instruction is O Stree Raksha Karna (O Stree, protect us) The mindset of Chanderi people has also undergone a significant change, they have become more liberal with woman marrying outside their caste and having big dreams. However, the peace is short lived thanks to a new demon who abducts girls with modern outlook. His name is Sarkate, a hugely grotesque creature with no head. This Sarkate had burned Stree and her lover alive. Once again, the responsibility of saving Chanderi falls on the shoulders of Vicky (Rajkummar Rao continuing his splendid form). Shraddha Kapoor returns back as the mysterious figure with whom Vicky deeply fell in love. Thankfully the viewers get to know more about her character this time around. Apart from Shraddha Kapoor Vicky gets help from his usual trusted allies Abhishek Banerjee as Jana and Pankaj Tripathi as Rudra. Aparshakti Khurrana as Bittu has as an interesting arc which I will get to later.

Shraddha Kapoor returns back as the mysterious with whom Vicky had fallen in love with

A strong aspect of Stree 2 is how Aamir Kaushik has used the character of Sarkate to explore the patriarchal mindset. Very often we see leaders blaming a women’s mindset for the crimes happening on them. The way Sarkate chooses only those girls who think beyond the traditional boundaries reminds the viewers of the numerous sexist leaders.

There is a hugely poignant moment in Stree 2 when all the Chanderi women break out in unison late into the night, fully aware of the dangers lurking. Stree 2 also touches upon women empowerment briefly while talking about the kidnapped girls. Aamir Kaushik doesn’t go very deep but still these moments are mighty effective.

The humor quotient of Stree 2 is also very strong. Niren Bhatt’s dialogues are filled with punches and often leave the viewers in splits. Abhishek Banerjee as the gullible friend often manipulated by his friends raises many laughs particularly in his interactions with Pankaj Tripathi’s Rudra. The way both of them feed on each other is wonderful to watch. Pankaj Tripathi as the ghost expert continues his great form delivering many laughs. He has also gets a charming romantic subplot with Tamanna Bhatia, it doesn’t last for long but makes for a fun watch.

Aparshakti Khurana as Bittu gets more to do this time around and he does a fantastic job. He is charming as the lover singing a lullaby to his girlfriend. His portrayal of anguish upon his girlfriend being taken away by Sarkate is palpable. At the same time there is a different shade too when Bittu becomes an alpha male as a result of Sarkate’s strong spell. The actor brings out both these shades in a wonderful manner.

Rajkummar Rao as Vicky is spot on in acing the different aspects of his role. Whether it is his lover boy act, or scenes of physical comedy. With this movie he once again proves his ability in jumping genres successfully.

The cameos of Tamanna Bhatia, Varun Dhawan and Akshay Kumar have been smartly integrated. Akshay Kumar plays a lunatic who thinks of himself as Shah Jahan. Akshay’s character is the one who sends a warning letter to Rudra in the beginning. The ending shot suggests that he might be an important part of Stree 3. Tamanna Bhatia sizzles in the special song “Aaj Ki Raat. She adds a lot of glamour with her sexy belly moves. Talking about the songs apart from “Aaj Ki Raat the other two “Aayi nai ” and “Tumhare Hi Rahenga Hum” also make for a good listen and watch. Varun Dhawan as Bhediya gets a dashing entry at a critical juncture. His scene with Abhishek Banerjee deserves a particular mention. Varun’s Bhediya gets attracted to Shraddha and asks him on how to impress her. In response Abhishek Banerjee says that you are Bhediya remain like that and don’t become an animal.

What drags down Stree 2 much like the first part is Shraddha Kapoor’s character. She has the same set of expressions from Stree 1. The romance between her and Rajkummar feels largely one sided with him doing most of the heavy lifting. The sequences of Sarkate meeting his end also needed to be crisper. The viewers get a feeling of eternity before Sarkate gets defeated.

Keeping aside these small niggles Stree 2 is truly a blockbuster sequel.

August 15, 2024August 15, 2024

Mr. Bachchan: A Masala Treat For Ravi Teja Fans

Harish Shankar does a fine job in molding the central character, but a palpable sense of danger is missing

Starcast: Ravi Teja, Bhagyashri Borse, Jagapathi Babu and others special appearance (Siddhu Jonnalagadda)
Director and writer: Harish Shankar
Original story: Ritesh Shah
Based on: Hindi movie Raid (2018)
Producer: T. G Vishwa Prasad
Production house: People Media Factory Banner
Music: Mickey J. Meyer
Cinematography: Ayananka Bose
Running time: 2 hours and 35 minutes

Harish Shankar is one of those few directors with a good track record in making successful remakes. Gabbar Singh the remake of Dabbang gave a much-needed commercial hit for Pawan Kalyan. A major reason for Gabbar Singh success was how he integrated the trademark Pawan Kalyan quirks and eccentrics. Similarly, Jigarthanda was remade as Gaddalakonda Ganesh. For Varun Tej Gaddalakonda Ganesh was a breakthrough movie. On the other hand, Harish Shankar hasn’t found much success while directing original stories. After a hiatus the director is back with the Hindi remake of Raid Mr. Bachchan. Raid was an intense thriller taken from a real-life income tax raid. It was the longest ever raid to have happened. Director Raj Kumar Gupta made sure that the proceedings were taunt with no unnecessary commercial elements. Sure, the film had a few romantic numbers and also some romance between Ileana D’Cruz and Ajay Devgan but that didn’t hamper the film’s flow. Mr. Bachchan on the other hand is more commercial in sync with Ravi Teja’s mass image. This remake has ample doses of action sequences, mass numbers where Ravi Teja shakes a leg with a much younger heroine etc.

Mr Bachchan begins off with establishing the honesty of Indukuri Anand who is also called as Mr. Bachchan. He has done many raids earning a good reputation. However, a particular raid leads to his suspension. Indukuri Anand comes back to his hometown. There is a specific reason behind Indukuri also being called Bachchan. The father played by Tanikella Bharani is a huge fan of Shahenshah Amitabh Bachchan, it goes without saying that Ravi Teja too is a big fan of Amitabh Bachchan in real life. Coming back, the father decides to keep the name of Bachchan as a nickname for his son. There is an entire sequence where Ravi Teja enacts scenes from Deewar and Shahenshah among others. In his hometown Bachchan falls in love with Jikki (Bhagyashri Borse). While the love story is going on Mr. Bachchan path crosses with that of a powerful politician Mutyam Jaggaya (Jagapati Babu). Later on, Anand’s suspension is revoked, as part of duty Indukuri lands in Mutyam Jaggaya’s house to unearth all the black money and gold. How his personal and professional life gets entwined with Mutyam Jaggaya is the core of Mr. Bachchan.

Ravi Teja enacting scenes from Deewar and Shahenshah among others

Not surprisingly the soul of Mr. Bachchan is Ravi Teja’s energetic performance. He does well as a determined IT officer and is also charming in the romantic scenes. The confrontation scenes with Jagapathi Babu have some nice punches particularly the dialogues about honesty and how he will shower the power of an honest Income tax officer.

The romance between Ravi Teja and Bhagyashri Bose is developed through old songs and her visits to the place of cassette recording. These portions have a certain oldworld charm. Bhagyashri Borse lends the necessary glam quotient and is also fairly effective in the intense scenes.

Bhagyashri Borse adds to the glam quotient

Jagapathi Babu seems to have stepped straight out of Aravinda Samatha sets. The senior actor doesn’t match up to Saurabh Shukla’s towering act, nevertheless Jagapati Babu does make for a formidable adversary and does a fine job in showcasing Mutyam Jaggaya’s frustration. However, in terms of characterization Saurabh Shukla’s Tauji was more layered. The actor coupled with the writing brought a certain humanity. There are scenes in Raid where there is a palpable anguish in Tauji’s eyes about his own family’s incompetence. This is absolutely missing in the remake.

Jagapathi Babu makes for a formidable adversary

Another problem with Mr Bachchan is the characterizations of the team members. Amit Sial in Raid had a very important role. He goes from being Tauji’s mole to developing a conscious. Here they have been written in extreme broad strokes. Coming to Siddhu Jonnalagadda’s cameo the young actor impresses with his charismatic style and trademark dialogue delivery.

Micky. J Myers music is suitably massy with some energetic dancing from Ravi Teja and Bhagyashri Borse. Ayananka Bose’s cinematography is lavish,

Mr. Bachchan is best watched without comparisons to Raid. For hard core Ravi Teja fans there is enough to enjoy.