Yesterday watched a Malayalam movie Bramayugam on Sonyliv directed by Rahul Sadhasivan. Without giving much away Bramayugam is set in 17th century of Kerala. A Dalit singer Thevan (Arjun Ashokan) loses his way in the forest and ends up finding a dilapidated mansion where only two men stay Kodumon Poti (Mammootty) and the cook played by Sidharth Bharathan. Keeping in the tradition of the horror movie genre this is a mansion with many secrets. Initially Thevan’s stay is pleasant but things start going tipsy turvy soon.
One of the aspects that I liked about Bramayugam was how Rahul Sadhasivan mixed elements of folklore and religion. The movie also gets into a political zone about dialogues regarding oppression of lower caste and how the desire for power corrupts anyone whether you are rich or poor.
Technically Bramayugam is a solid product. The cinematography and sound design in particular deserve praise. Shehnad Jalal’s black and white cinematography is a treat to watch and the sound design enhances the horror.
Lastly the performances are also fine. Mammootty has shown the passion to constantly reinvent himself and Bramayugam is another fine example of that. The actor chews the scenery and terrifies the viewers with just his body language. Arjun Ashokan and Siddharth Bharatan are also fine in their respective parts.
A major problem with the movie are its post interval portions after the big reveal. The screenplay starts stagnating without much to look forward to. Rahul Sadhasivan’s Bhoothakaalam kept the viewers thoroughly engaged till the end but this doesn’t. Another issue with the film are the logical loopholes particularly regarding the character of the cook. This cook uses Thevan for his own purpose. Why he waits for such a long time is not clear.
Also we are shown that Kodumon Poti is someone who knows everything but when it comes to the cook’s background Kodumon Poti is shown to be surprised when his lineage is revealed. At the beginning of the film we have a Yakshi played by Amalda Liz but her purpose of seducing and killing men is an absolute blur
To sum it up Bramayugam has some strong points but it leaves it with you more questions than answers.
A tighter edit and deletion of some parallel stories concerning the adults would make ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’ more cohesive.
Big Girls Don’t Cry (Hindi), 14-03-2024, Drama, 7 episodes, 16+. OTT
Main Cast: Pooja Bhatt, Raima Sen, Loveleen Misra, and Afrah Sayed
Director: Nitya Mehra, Karan Kapadia, Kopal Naithani and Sudhansu Saria
Producer: Ashi Dua Sara and Karan Kapadia
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
Cinematography: Cherin Paul and Kabir Tejpal
Rating: 3/5
Adolescence is a significant part of everyone’s life. Big Girls Don’t Cry, created by Nitya Mehra, primarily focuses on a group of girls from a fictionalised boarding school.
These include Kavya Yadav (Vidushi), Leah Joseph aka Ludo (Avantika Vadanapu), and Noor Hassan (Afrah Sayed), among others.
Pooja Bhatt plays the stern school principal reminiscent of Amitabh Bachchan’s role in Mohabbatein (2000).
There is also Zoya Hussain as the drama teacher.
In simple terms, the story of Big Girls Don’t Cry is about teenage girls grappling with academics, sexuality, classism, equality, etc.
Analysis
‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’ web series is streaming on Amazon Prime Video. (X)
A strong aspect of Big Girls Don’t Cry is the distinct personalities of the seven girls. The writers have penned interesting parts for them all. This makes the show engaging.
The four directors have also succeeded in evoking a sense of nostalgia. Many teenage girls will identify with the characters in more than one way.
Among this group of girls, my favourite track is that of Vidushi’s Kavya Yadav. She plays a scholarship student who is trying hard to fit in with the popular gang of girls. Vidushi delivers a solid performance.
My other favourite character is Dia Mallik played by Akshita Sood. Dia is a rebel who finds defiance and solace in poetry.
She has little interest in conventions and norms. Akshita Sood also deserves brownie points for her wonderful performance.
However, a major problem with Big Girls Don’t Cry is the dragged narrative in the middle portions, particularly after the third episode. The length of the episodes could have been easily trimmed.
Also, a few adult characters have been terribly wasted and don’t add any value to the narrative. The likes of Raima Sen, and Suchitra Pillai feel force-fitted.
The same applies to Dolly Ahluwalia in an unnecessary cameo.
Performances
Overall, the performances of the girls are good. There is required rawness and sincerity.
Among the adults, Pooja Bhatt makes a striking impact as the stern principal, who also has a vulnerable side. She exudes a fierce nature without any hiccups.
Zoya Hussain as a drama teacher comes across as a much-needed respite. Some of her conversations with the students make a solid impact.
The musical pieces are another strength of the show. For example, there is the peppy title track by Amit Trivedi. The songs blend well into the narrative.
Verdict
Big Girls Don’t Cry can be watched, provided you like coming-of-age teen content. It is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Director Teja Kakumanu’s web series Save The Tigers (2023) was a hilarious show about three frustrated married men — Ghanta Ravi (Priyadarshi), Rahul (Abhinav Gomatam), and Vikram (Krishna Chaitanya).
There is nothing common among them in terms of backgrounds. But still, there is a connecting factor that binds them.
In spite of the obvious similarities with Anil Ravipudi’s F2 (2019), the first season was very much its own beast. The director was successful in creating conflicts that have substance.
For example, Vikram’s wife is an activist-cum-lawyer. Their daughter is the emotional anchor just like many other children.
The first season also subtly touched upon important topics like workplace harassment. Not surprisingly, Save The Tigers become a huge success. It was easily one of the most loved shows of last year.
Save The Tigers2
A still from the Telugu web series ‘Save The Tigers 2’. (X)
Now, we have Save The Tigers2 with a new director Arun Kothapally. Coming to Season 2, Arun Kothapally adds new flavours by going deeper into marital problems but at the same time maintaining the entertainment quotient.
Season 1 ended up with Ghanta Ravi, Rahul, and Vikram being detained by the police on the suspicion of having a hand in the disappearance of actress Hamsalekha (Seerat Kapoor).
The trio indeed meet Hamsalekha, though unintentionally, on the particular drunken night. But the fact is they had nothing to do with her disappearance.
Fortunately, for the trio, Hamsalekha comes to their aid and the three are released from jail. Hamsalekha also ends up forming a bond with them, particularly Ghanta Ravi. This doesn’t go well with Ghanta Ravi’s wife Hymavathi (Jordar Sujatha).
The wives are fed up with the antics of their respective husbands and seek help from a psychiatrist (Sathya Krishnan). The rest of the story is about the three men navigating marriage while facing new problems.
Additionally, you also have individual journeys. For example, Ghanta Ravi has ambitions of becoming a corporator.
On the other hand, Rahul is penning a script for Hamsalekha.
An underlying theme of Season 2 is how people easily believe the gossip spread by news channels, particularly news about actresses and come to a negative judgment about them. This comes out strongly in the track of Priyadarshi and Seerat Kapoor.
There is gossip about Ghanta Ravi and Hamsalekha having an affair even though there is not an ounce of reality in it.
Analysis
Pavani Gangi Reddy, Jordar Sujatha, and Deviyani Sharma in ‘Save The Tigers 2’. (Screengrab)
The web series makes some strong points on how people are easily influenced by rumours and come to a conclusion without having the patience to verify.
Among the marital problems explored, there are the themes of “seven-year itch” and “seeking the easy way out”. For instance, Vikram is working on a new project with Harika (Darshna Banik).
It starts as a purely professional one but they end up getting attracted to each other. Fortunately, better sense prevails as Vikram realises the need to understand his wife better.
Director Arun Kothpally also takes some jibes at the advertisement industry on how they sell lies beautifully.
Talking about the comic sequences, the portions of Abhinav Gomatam and the house help played by Rohini are a major highlight. Their scenes bring the house down much like the first season.
A special mention must be made of the conversation where Rohini’s character talks about her business aspirations with Rahul. She asks him about what captions can be written on an autorickshaw, it is simply hilarious.
There are a couple of things which bog down Save The Tigers 2. One of them is an episode involving how the system of marriage came about. There is nothing wrong with the humour per se in these portions but the brief subplot comes across as an unwanted guest breaking the flow.
Also, the portions involving the allowance of pets in an apartment feel patchy.
Performances
Chaitanya Krishna, Priyadarshi, and Abhinav Gomatam in ‘Save The Tigers 2’. (X)
Talking about the performances, Priyadarshi leads from the front once again. His character has an arc that showcases both his comic and dramatic skills.
The emotional sequences of Ghanta Ravi with the daughter have come out brilliantly. There is a heart-touching scene when the daughter opens up about how she was earlier ashamed about her father being a dairy farm owner, but now that has changed.
Abhinav Gomatam continues to leave the viewers in splits with his comic timing. His delivery of the liners in particular deserves a special mention.
Krishna Chaitanya provides able support although he doesn’t have as much scope as the other two.
Among the female leads, Jordar Sujatha leaves the biggest impact with her strong act. There are occasions when she may come across as too loud for some but still her no-holds-barred manner is a delight to watch.
Additionally, she also shares a good chemistry with Priyadarshi. Her emotional scenes with Priyadarshi give the show some of its best moments.
Deviyani Sharma’s role is softer in comparison to the first season. But still, the actress has done a fairly decent job.
Pavani Gangi Reddy as the doctor-wife does her part well.
Final take
Keeping aside the small niggles, Save The Tigers 2 is very much bingeworthy.
Director Homi Adajania tries to mix humour with suspense but fails spectacularly. Also, too many characters add to the fatigue.
Main Cast: Sara Ali Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Vijay Varma, Dimple Kapadia, Tisca Chopra, Pankaj Tripathi, and Sanjay Kapoor
Director: Homi Adajania
Producer: Maddock Films
Music Director: Sachin-Jigar
Cinematography: Linesh Desai
Genre: Murder Mystery-Comedy
Rating: 2/5
Run Time: 2 Hours 21 minutes
Published in: Southfirst
Anuja Chauhan’s 2021 novel “Club You To Death” was much more than just a murder mystery. It was a book that looked at discrimination based on class. The novel was a social satire in many ways.
For those who haven’t read Anuja Chauhan’s work, the setting of the movie is the Royal Delhi Club, known for its lavish parties and high-profile guests.
A murder is committed on its premises and ACP Bhavani Singh (Pankaj Tripathi) is given the responsibility of unravelling the mystery.
Bhavani Singh’s character is modelled on British writer Agatha Christie’s hugely popular fictional detective Hercule Poirot.
Also, there is Karisma Kapoor as superstar Shehnaz Noorani.
The lives of these rich people are juxtaposed with the working class.
For example, there is a caretaker with dementia Guppie Ram (Brijendra Kala).
In simple terms, the story is about what led to the death of the Zumba instructor Leo Mathews (Ashim Gulati) along with the various secrets of the suspects.
Analysis
A still from ‘Murder Mubarak’. (X)
What makes Murder Mubarak somewhat tolerable is the basic storyline.
Sure, the narrative style is tedious but the suspense of who the murderer is keeps the viewers going.
Here, director Homi Adjania and the writers must be given credit.
The last 20 minutes of Bhavani Singh solving the case is interesting.
Among the sprawling cast, Pankaj Tripathi has the most fun. The dependable actor brings his charismatic charm and also gets some good lines.
For instance, in a scene, he says “Aaj kal anti-national banne ke liye zyada patishram nahi karna padta hai (These days, it is quite easy to be labelled anti-national).
A big problem with Murder Mubarak is the overindulgence of Homi Adajania. This can be seen in how the director overstretches the narrative.
Most characters have also been poorly etched; a case in point is Vijay Varma and Dimple Kapadia.
In the second half, there is a badly placed love story between Sara Ali Khan and Vijay Varma while they are doing their parallel investigation.
The writing and the chemistry between the actors are weak.
Sara Ali Khan has one important scene in a crucial flashback towards the end. But the actor messes that scene up with her overacting. As a result, the viewers do not feel the emotional turmoil of her role.
Final take
Despite its engaging subject and an interesting set of actors, Murder Mubarak is a major misfire.
Dushyant Kathikeni’s Ambajipeta Marriage band has a heavy hangover of Tamil rustic dramas reminiscent of PA Ranjith and Vetrimaaran films but still this movie makes for an impressive social drama. Suhas once again plays to his strength as a young man from lower caste. He is a barber by profession but also works as a drummer on certain occasions. The sister Padmavathi (Sharanya Pradeep) is a government school teacher who is fierce in nature and doesn’t take things lying down. Things take a dramatic turn when Padmavathi is humiliated by the landlord Venkat (Nithin Prasanna) leading to a chain of events where the siblings fight back. Newcomer Shivani Nagaram plays the villains sister and hero’s love interest.
The storyline of Ambajipeta Marriage band is as old as hills but what it makes it gripping is the narration particularly in the second half. The love story has its moments as well especially a scene in the barber shop. The chemistry between Suhas and Shivani works well. Shivani has a confidence presence about her. She does a fine job in the cute moments as well as the intense emotional scene with Suhas in the latter half. the film though becomes more engaging in the second half. The director Dushyant has done a good job in exploring themes of self-respect and honor.
Wajid Baig’s cinematography is another plus for the movie. He captures the rustic surroundings well through his lens. Both Sharanya and Suhas also power the film with their performances. Suhas’s role has two shades. One is the lover boy act already seen in Colour Photo and Writer Padmabhushan. But Suhas scores most when he has to show agression. The anger is palpable. Sharanya Pradeep also leaves a lasting impact successfully showcasing the different shades of her role. Nithin Prasanna makes the viewers hate him thoroughly which is the need of the role
Ambajipeta Marriage band can be watched for those who love movies tackling social issues
Just like the previous two seasons, the web show shines the brightest when it focuses on the politics of Bihar.
Main Cast: Huma Qureshi, Sohum Shah, Amit Sial, and Dibyendu Bhattacharya
Director: Saurabh Bhave
Producer: Naren Kumar and Dimple Kharbanda
Music Director: Rohit Sharma
Cinematography: Anup Singh
Genre: Political Drama
Episodes: 8
Rating: 3.5/5
Published in: Southfirst
For those who haven’t seen the first two seasons, Maharani—created and written by Subhash Kapoor, is loosely inspired by the incidents in the 1990s Bihar.
It was when seasoned politician Lalu Prasad Yadav declared and made his homemaker-wife Rabri Devi his successor.
Season 1
The first season of Maharani was set from 1995 to 1999 and had characters inspired by Naxal and left-wing militants.
Rani Bharati (Huma Quereshi) is the wife of Bihar CM Bheema Bharti (Sohum Shah). In unforeseen circumstances, Bheema Bharti gets severely wounded and appoints his wife Rani as a technical CM until he recovers.
Rani Bharti is a simple woman who is happy with her domestic life. But now, she has to deal with government files, corruption and the caste massacres happening within the state.
In addition, she is not a literate woman.
Initially, Rani Bharti feels like a fish out of the water and wants to return to her simple life. But, eventually, she becomes a firm administrator and wins admirers.
As she grows more confident the inevitable clashes with her husband happen. Season 1 ended with Bheema Bharti going to jail on charges of corruption.
Season 2
In Season 2, Bheema runs a proxy government from jail. Bharti is facing opposition from her husband and the rival politician Naveen Kumar (Amit Sial).
Naveen and Bheema used to be friends. But now, they are big-time foes.
The issues dealt with this backdrop were the demand for a separate Jharkhand state along with the chilling death of Shilpi Jain and Gautam Singh that sent shock waves for both Rani and the state of Bihar.
In this scenario, some of Rani’s decisions don’t go well with her party members. Season 2 ended with Rani Bharti going to jail for a crime she did not commit, and the death of her husband Bheema.
Season 3
Now, you have Season 3, after a gap of one and a half years.
Maharani Season 3 begins with the life of Rani Bharti in prison. She utilises her time in jail to complete her education, which she left midway because of her father.
Rani Bharti also makes moves to strike back against her opponents. In simple terms, Season 3 focuses on how Rani Bharti proves her innocence and comes out of the complex web orchestrated by the cunning Navin Kumar.
The series plays out like an intense game of chess after a point.
Analysis
Huma Qureshi in ‘Maharani Season 3’. (X)
A strong point of Maharani Season 3 is the socio-political commentary.
Director Saurabh Bhave touches upon the illegal sale of liquor despite an alcohol ban in the state. He presents an authentic picture of how this illegal sale leads to the flourishing of illicit crimes.
Apart from the illegal sale of liquor the show also dwells on unauthorized dealings and the brutal electoral tactics.
Saurabh Bhave has also done a good job of showcasing the effect of power struggles and how nasty the political landscape can be. The cutthroat world of politics keeps the viewers thoroughly engaged even when the proceedings become predictable and slightly tedious.
The clinical way Rani Bharati goes about her revenge and completes her education has been well presented.
On the flipside, some twists suffer from weak writing and the middle portions could have done with more thrills.
Huma Quereshi steals the show
Huma Quereshi successfully takes off from where she left off in the first two seasons. She nails the accent and portrays the inner strength of a woman who has come a long way from being called a misfit.
Amit Sial continues to be wickedly charming showcasing the shrewd demeanour of Naveen Kumar perfectly.
The other supporting characters played by Vineet Kumar and Dibyendu Bhattacharya are also in fine form.
Rohit Sharma’s music and Mangesh Dhadke’s background score add another layer to the show.
The song “Kaun Bola Ban Hai” particularly deserves a mention for its satirical tone about the supposed alcohol ban.
Verdict
Maharani Season 3 is a must-watch for those who like political thrillers.
Emraan Hashmi has always worked best when playing characters with grey areas and ‘Showtime’ is one more example of that.
Main Cast: Emraan Hashmi, Mahima Makwana, Rajeev Khandewal, Mouni Roy, Shriya Saran, and Naseerudin Shah
Director: Mihar Desai and Archit Kumar
Producer: Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, Somen Mishra, and Mihir Desai
Music Director: Anand Bhaskar
Cinematography: Vivek Shah
Genre: Drama
Episodes: 4
Published in: Southfirst
The story of Showtime has an outlandish but interesting premise.
Raghu Khanna (Emraan Hashmi) is the heir apparent of a studio named Viktory, started by his father Viktor Khanna (Naseeruddin Shah).
The son and father have very different approaches towards filmmaking and the movie business. As a result, they are constantly at loggerheads.
Raghu’s latest production is Pyaar Dangerous. Raghu tries to bribe critics to give good reviews.
A critic of the news samachar is unwell therefore he asks the junior Mahika Nandy (Mahima Makwana) to review the film and say only positive stuff.
Emraan Hashmi in ‘Showtime’. (X)
Raghu’s aide Ziko (Gurpreet Saini) even gifts her the latest smartphone. But on TV, Mahika brutally blasts the film adding that she was given a bribe for a positive review. The review and Mahika’s confession go viral and she loses her job.
But that very night, Viktor Khanna invites Mahika to his home, where they have a heart-to-heart conversation. Mahika expresses her wish for Viktory Studios to return to the heartfelt films they used to make.
After a few hours, Viktor passes away and things take a ludicrous turn when it is revealed that Mahika is Viktor’s granddaughter.
Naturally, Raghu gets the shock of his life but things don’t end there.
The lawyers read out Viktor’s will, which says that the ownership of Viktory Studios has been handed over to the granddaughter.
This changes the lives of Raghu and Mahika forever. Nothing more can be revealed as numerous parallel subplots are integrated into the main story.
Analysis
Showtime works best when it focuses on the characters of Emraan Hashmi and Mahima Makwana.
The interpersonal dynamics and how Mahika takes on the big challenges after the initial shock give the show some of its best moments.
Emraan Hashmi has always worked best when playing characters with grey areas and Showtime is one more example of that.
His Raghu Khanna is supremely brash, hurting people close to him like his love interest Mouni Roy who also plays an item dancer with aspirations of becoming a heroine.
But beneath the brashness, there is also a vulnerability to him that comes through strongly.
Performances
Mahima Makwana in ‘Showtime’. (X)
Emraan Hashmi does a brilliant job of portraying the different shades.
Mahima Makwana also does well in showcasing the switch of a Mahika Nandy from a regular girl to an assertive boss lady.
Among the supporting characters, Rajeev Khandelwal makes the biggest impact. He plays an obnoxious superstar who outlives his stardom but continues to throw tantrums. The actor has a blast in portraying the eccentricities.
Showtime also tackles some important questions regarding South Cinema Vs Bollywood and what should be prioritised more — script or superstars.
What doesn’t work for Showtime is the overtop and formulaic approach taken by the directors.
Directors Mihir Desai and Archit Kumar try to merge real with reel ageing superstars losing touch with reality, and sexy item girls struggling to make a mark as actresses. But this showcase of Bollywood’s dark side offers nothing particularly new.
Also, many actors have been woefully underutilised. These include Naseerudin Shah and Mouni Roy.
Final take
Showtime can be watched if you like some harmless fun and Emraan Hashmi’s acting.
Despite some hiccups in the second half, ‘Shaitaan’ is a welcome return to form for Vikas Bahl after the atrocious ‘Ganapath’.
Main Cast: Ajay Devgn, R Madhavan, Jyothika Saravanan, Jangki Bodiwala, and Anngad Raaj
Director: Vikas Bahl
Producer: Ajay Devgn, Jyoti Deshpande, and Abhishek Pathak
Music Director: Amit Trivedi
Cinematography: Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti
Run time: 2 hours 12 minutes
Genre: Horror-Thriller
Rating: 3.5/5
Published in: Southfirst
Vikas Bahl has had a roller coaster of a journey starting with Chillar Party (2011), which he directed along with Nitesh Tiwari.
His second film Queen (2013) was much acclaimed for its progressive story along with getting good box office numbers.
Shaandaar (2015) was unfortunately a massive flop, but Vikas struck back with Super 30 (2019). It was a moving drama about the mathematics teacher-educator Anand Kumar (played by Hrithik Roshan). Despite some flaws, Super 30 was a well-made inspirational drama that talked about how education should be a level playing field.
Later, though Vikas Bahl went through a rough patch with Goodbye (2022) and Ganapath (2023), Ganapath ended up being a tough one to endure for both critics and audiences.
But with his latest Shaitaan, the filmmaker has made a good comeback.
Shaitaan is based on the Gujarati film Vash (2023). Since I have not seen that, this will be a standalone review.
Combining horror with suspense is not an easy task given the clichés of the Indian horror genre. But thankfully here there are no creaking doors. The scares mostly come from the sinister plans of the antagonist.
Synopsis
Ajay Devgn in ‘Shaitaan’. (X)
Shaitaan begins with the introduction of Kabir (Ajay Devgn). His family consists of Jyothi (Jyothika), their teenage daughter Jahnavi (Janki Bodiwala) and their son Dhruv (Anngad Raaj).
The first 10 to 15 minutes are devoted to the family moments.
Soon, everything becomes topsy-turvy with the arrival of Vanraj Kshyap (R Madhavan), an expert hypnotist who puts Jahnavi completely under his spell. She obeys every command he gives.
Soon, the commands of Vanraj become increasingly dangerous to both Jahnavi and the rest of her family.
Kabir and Jyothi are helpless in front of this demonic man.
The rest of the story unravels the mystery behind what makes Vanraj so powerful and what are his motives in wreaking havoc. But the most important question is whether Kabir and his wife can save their children from this highly dangerous tormentor.
Analysis
For a film of this nature, building an effective atmosphere of dread is of utmost importance. Director Vikas Bahl scores big time in creating a sense of unease with the help of his cinematographer Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti.
Amit Trivedi’s background music also helps big time, particularly in the portions where Vanaraj talks about his sinister plans.
Vanraj wants to control young women and make sure that they do not become rebels with a combination of black magic and science.
On occasions, the viewers are reminded of the Pied Piper story—a man who lures all the children to seek revenge on the mayor for not giving him gold as promised.
Coming back to the movie, the second half of Shaaitaan does lose its grip with some monotonous moments.
The plot is paper thin and this also contributes to some of the dogginess. Also, the psyche behind Vanraj doing these things could have been explored with more heft. But still, they do not become a major problem.
Brilliant cast
Madhavan in ‘Shaitaan’. (X)
What also makes Shaitaan work is its brilliant cast.
Ajay Devgn, as Kabir, is back in the Drishyam mode playing a determined father wanting to save his family. In spite of the obvious similarities, the actor does a terrific job of showcasing both the vulnerability and determination of Kabir.
There are many occasions where Kabir comes across as helpless and it is in these portions that Ajay particularly shines.
Jyothika is also in fine form. She plays her part with utmost honesty. A particular mention must be made of her combat scene with R Madhavan.
Janki Bodiwala is also pitch-perfect. She laughs, cries, and dances as required with absolute finesse.
Anngad Raaj is cute and his scenes with Ajay are quite adorable.
Last but not least, Madhavan is simply outstanding. As Vanaraj, the actor showcases a vastly different facet of his that audiences haven’t seen before.
Sure, he did play a grey character in Mani Ratnam’s Yuva (2004), but this performance is something else. He does a first-class job of portraying the sadistic and sinister nature of Vanraj.
The actor has had a blast in exploring the mean streak of his role.
Final take
Shaitaan is a good watch for those who are interested in stories that combine horror with suspense. The movie is also a treat for Madhavan’s fans.
At times the series feels like an OTT version of Subhash Kapoor’s ‘Jolly LLB’. But still, this Rahul Pandey’s directorial is very much its own best.
Main Cast: Ravi Kishan, Nidhi Bist, Yashpal Sharma, and Naila Grewal
Director: Rahul Pandey
Producer: Amit Golani and Biswapati Sarkar
Music Director: Nilotpal Bora
Cinematography: Milind Jog
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rating: 3.5/5
Episodes:8
Published in: Southfirst
Subjects revolving around courtrooms and lawyers always make for an interesting subject. Reason: They represent a form of hope for a common man as Saurabh Shukla’s judge Sunderlal Tripathi says at an important juncture in Jolly LLB 2 (2017).
Subhash Kapoor’s Jolly LLB films engaged the audience thoroughly with witty dialogues and touched upon different social topics.
For example, Jolly LLB (2013) was about a hit-and-run case. It was about the death of some labourers who were run over by a land cruiser while sleeping on the footpath.
Jolly LLB 2 was related to a fake encounter. To begin with, in both films, the protagonists are not very likeable advocates. But they grow a conscience as the plot moves along.
Synopsis
Now, you have Maamla Legal Hai set in the district court of Patparganj. The eight episodes portray a variety of eccentric cases inspired by real-life stories.
VD Tyagi (Ravi Kishan) is a street-smart advocate who aspires to become the bar association president. Tyagi excels at finding loopholes in the legal system to win cases.
He has two assistants who are hilariously nicknamed as law and order.
Sujatha (Nidhi Bhist) dreams of having her chamber one day.
Ravi Kishan in ‘Maamla Legal Hai’. (X)
Vishwas Pandey (Anant V Joshi) is the court manager.
Ananya Shroff (Naila Grewal) is a Harvard-returned advocate with dreams of providing legal aid to the underserved. However, she faces a harsh reality in Patparganj.
In simple terms, the story deals with the wacky nature of the district court and some small-town problems.
Director Rahul Randey deserves distinction marks for how he packages serious issues while maintaining the entertainment quotient.
He touches upon how the strikes of lawyers affect the cases, the connubial rights of prisoners, etc.
Among the many bizarre cases, my favourite one is that of a husband who wants a divorce because his wife does not feel shy during their wedding night.
This may be as unbelievable but at the end of the episode, you have a newspaper clipping showing how this had really happened.
The web series also makes a strong statement on how law and justice are two very different beasts; they should be the same in the ideal world though. This comes out firmly in an episode where Naila Grewal’s character faces a moral predicament while tackling a case.
Well-written characters
Naila Grewal in ‘Maamla Legal Hai’. (X)
The characters have been written with a lot of care. A good example of nuanced writing is Ananya’s constant dilemma regarding her idealism that clashes with pragmatism.
Though she is well-versed in law, there are junctures where the reality sets in and Ananya‘s desire to deliver justice takes a step back.
Similarly, Ravi Kishan’s VD Tyagi may come across as very cunning but he has his humanity, which comes out strongly in a particular episode.
About the performances, Ravi Kishan leads the ensemble with his brilliant performance. The actor does a swell job of portraying the transformation that his character goes through, from being shrewd he comes to understand the power bestowed on him.
However, the complicated relationship of Tyagi with his father needed to be better explored.
At times, the show gets into a melodramatic zone, which doesn’t gel with the overall tonality.
Among the other actors, Nidhi Bisht also makes a big impact with her comic timing and matches up to Ravi Kishan.
Naila Grewal, as an outsider to this bizarre world, also fares well in portraying the existential crisis.
Anant V Joshi’s character is pretty similar to the one in 12th Fail(2023), but he is still fine in what he does.
Verdict
Maamla Legal Hai is a hilarious satire that needs to be watched for its social commentary and striking performances.
After making a respectable debut with ‘Dhobhi Ghat’, Kiran Rao goes a step ahead with this ‘Laapataa Ladies’— a perfect example of feel-good storytelling with solid content.
Main Cast: Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastava, Ravi Kishan, and Chhaya Kadam
Director: Kiran Rao
Producer: Kiran Rao and Aamir Khan
Music Director: Ram Sampath
Cinematography: Vikash Nowlakha
Genre: Comedy – Drama
Rating: 4/5
Published in: Southfirst
There are two ways of making a feminist movie. One is the heavy drama mode where everything is amped-up and the other is feel-good storytelling where the focus lies on subtlety without compromising on the core.
Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies belongs to the second category.
On more than one occasion, the film feels like a warm hug.
Synopsis
The story of Laapataa Ladies is about two newlywed brides — Phool Kumari (Nitanshi Goel) and Pushpa Rani/Jaya (Pratibha Ranta).
Sparsh Shrivastava plays Deepak Kumar, the husband of Phool Kumari. On the way back from marriage, Deepak and Phool go through multiple modes of transportation — from a scooter and bus to a train.
A still from the film ‘Laapataa Ladies’. (X)
His friends and family eagerly wait to welcome the new bride. Things take a drastic turn as soon as the bride is unveiled. It turns out that Deepak mistakingly brings another man’s bride instead of his.
This is all because of the multiple newly-married women onboard the train in the same costume.
Naturally, Deepak’s world turns upside down with his dreams of married life crashing.
After the initial shock, Deepak decides to look for his bride along with finding the whereabouts of Pushpa Rani’s family.
Adding to this already chaotic situation is the dubious local cop (Ravi Kishan knocking it out of the park again with his second release of the week).
Director Kiran Rao and her writers have touched upon heavy topics like the importance of education, self-reliance, and the unnecessary practices and diktats women are subjected to.
But at no point does the film feel heavy-handed, this is because of Kiran Rao’s treatment apart from the sharp writing.
Best parts
‘Laapataa Ladies’ is a comedy-drama. (X)
My favourite portions in the film are those involving Phool and her interactions with a street vendor, a beggar, and a chai wali.
There is a unique bond that Phool forms with an elderly lady named Manju Maai (a delightful Chhaya Kadam).
Manju Maai was a victim of domestic abuse. Her husband used to drink alcohol and physically abuse her. His justification is that violence should be allowed in love as it is a way of showing affection, this seems to be an indirect attack on Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Arjun Reddy (2016) and the recent Animal(2023), although it could be unintentional.
Back to Laapaata Ladies, Phool learns important things from Manju Maai and in the process, she becomes self-reliant. There is so much warmth in the way Phool forms a bond with the three, it is a delight to watch.
My other favourite portions of the film are the ones involving Pushpa Rani/Jaya. There is a certain mystery involving her character, she is more than happy to stay away from the person she is married to.
Pushpa Rani develops a strong friendship with Deepak’s Bhabhi and encourages the women to find their voice.
She also plays an important role in Deepak eventually finding Phool.
Performances
Laapaata Ladies has many scenes of rib-tickling humour from the fantastic Ravi Kishan. His comic timing coupled with the dialect is top-notch.
At no point, did his performance come across as hammy. In simple terms, Ravi Kishan has an absolute blast as a cop who loves taking bribes but still has a conscience.
Both Nitanshi Goel and Pratibha Ranta are wonderful in their respective roles.
Sparsh Srivastava as Deepak also sparkles in his well-written role. He brings out the sensitivity of Deepak in a pitch-perfect manner.
Ram Sampath’s music is in perfect sync with the film’s nature. Sajni sung by Arjit Singh is a soothing number as is “Dheeme Dheeme” sung by Shreya Ghoshal
The one slight flaw of Laapataa Ladies is a minor subplot involving a crooked politician. It has been patchily written.
Final take
Laapataa Ladies is a small movie with a big heart, highly recommended.
