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Ganapath: A Show Reel For Tiger Shroff’s Somersaults

The film begins off as a dystopian drama with some promise but soon becomes a generic Tiger Shroff vehicle with no head or tail 

Ganapath (Hindi)             1 out of 5

Starcast: Tiger Shroff, Kriti Sanon, Amitabh Bachchan, Rahman and others

Writer and director: Vikas Bahl

Producers: Vikas Bahl, JackkyBhagnani, Vashu Bhagnani and others

Production Companies: Good Co and Pooja Entertainment

Runtime: 2 hours and 30 minutes

Genre: Action/dystopian

Vikas Bahl’s Ganapath starts off with a voice over of Dalapathi (Amitabh Bachchan with his trademark baritone). He talks about how a destructive war has led to a world divided in two parts. On the one hand you have the ‘Silver City’ where the rich and mighty are ruling the roost. Their leader is the cold hearted Dalani. On the other hand you have the ‘Garibon Ki basti’. The people living here don’t have sufficient food, water or money. However they are living in a certain hope that a saviour called Ganapath will get them out of this hell. This was prophesied by Dalapathi before he dies. Ironically their saviour Guddu aka Ganapath (Tiger Shroff) is living a super rich life in the Silver City.

Tiger Shroff’s introduction shot shows him waking up with many skimpily clad women swooning over him. This has to be one of the worst hero introduction scenes ever. Guddu works for John English (Ziad Bakari). John English is an aid of Dalani. Things take a turn when John’s girlfriend (Elli AvRam) tries to seduce Guddu and both of them are caught red handed. The rest of the story is about what Guddu’s actual identity is and how he ends up being a messiah for the ‘Garibon Ki basti’.

There is no denying that the story of Ganapath had the potential to be an impactful action drama with some social commentary. However the problem is that director Vikas Bahl had given more focus on Tiger Shroff’s physical agility rather than a well structured film.

Tiger Shroff’s action and swag is very much on point but we have seen Tiger do all these in his previous films so there is nothing new for the audiences. A primary reason why Siddarth Anand’s War remains Tiger Shroff’s best performance so far is that his action in that film was backed by a strong emotional undercurrent. Here it is mostly missing except for a heartfelt speech in the climax. But by that time audiences are well past caring for what is happening on the screen.

Further adding to the woes is the unnecessary Mumbaiya slang which doesn’t make any sense. Kriti Sanon plays an underground rebel warrior called Jassi. Her introduction scene is filled with a few  impressive stunts but soon she ends up being a mere girlfriend with little agency.

The love story between Guddu and Jassi is another sore point. Guddu’s flirting with Jassi is cringe worthy to say the least.

Amitabh Bachchan’s extended cameo is powerful and we wish that he had more screen time. Tamil actor Rahman makes a good Bollywood debut. He brings in much needed intensity to the story.

Another sore point is the shoddy graphics. They make Ganapath look like more of a video game than an actual film.

The fight sequences have been choreographed well but there is no novelty particularly for those who have seen Tiger do action before.

Characters from the ‘Garibon Ki basti’ feel like extras from the sets of Bahubali and KGF films. Their only job is to wait for the saviour to arrive.

To sum it up Ganapath is Vikas Bahl’s worst film till date. This movie makes Shaandar look like a masterpiece.

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Bhagavanth Kesari: A Fan Pleasing Entertainer With A Strong Dose Of Feminism

Anil Ravipudi moves away from his regular style of filmmaking and delivers a moving emotional drama. At certain points the film reminds you of Dangal.

Bhagavanth Kesari (Telugu)          

Starcast: Nandamuri Balakrishna, Sreeleela, Arjun Rampal, Kajal Aggarwal and others

Director and writer: Anil Ravipudi

Producers: Sahu Garapati and Harish Peddi

Production Company: Shine Screens

Music: Thaman S

Running time: 2 hours and 37 minutes

Genre: Action drama

Anil Ravipudi is a director who has been successful in making commercial potboilers that are high on entertainment. The director is known for creating characters that come with specific mannerisms resulting in slapstick humour.

However in Bhagavanth Kesari the director opts for a different route. Anil Ravipudi’s brand of humour is absent for most part except for a few scenes involving Kajal Aggarwal. Here he has written and directed a story that has elements which will both satisfy Balakrishna fans and also give a social message through the character of Sreeleela.

Bhagavanth Kesari (Nandamuri Balakrishna) an ex police officer is the foster father of Vijji (Sreeleela). After her biological father C I Srikanth (R. Sarathkumar) dies in an accident he takes on her responsibilities. As a young child Vijji meets Bhagavanth when he was a prisoner in a jail where her father worked. Bhagavanth feels an emotional connection with her right from the beginning.

Vijji’s mother wanted to join the army but she had sacrificed her dreams. Srikanth feels guilty about coming in the way of his wife’s dreams. His biggest wish was to see Vijji joining the army. Here Anil Ravipudi doesn’t use the army angle to evoke patriotic feelings: it is more for Vijji to overcome her anxiety attacks and become a resilient young woman.

Rahul Sanghvi (a Dashing Arjun Rampal) is a power hungry tycoon who firmly goes by the philosophy of Charles Darwin’s survival of the fittest. Rahul and Bhagavanth have a bitter past that resurfaces – the usual template between a hero and villain. In a nutshell the story is about how Vijji emerges as a strong woman both physically and mentally and how Bhagavanth helps her to achieve it.

The biggest USP of Bhagavanth Kesari is easily the emotional drama between Bhagavanth and Vijji. Bhagavanth is someone who firmly believes that girls need to be raised like lions and this clearly shows in how he pushes her to do certain things. Vijji’s interests lie more in marrying the love of her life. In these portions Bhagavanth’s attitude reminds the viewers of Aamir Khan’s Mahavir Singh Phogat.

There is a scene where VIjji’s boyfriend comes with his father for the marriage proposal. The prospective father-in-law has a very dismissive attitude of Bhagavanth’s aspirations regarding Vijji. He says that it’s enough that Vijji becomes a good housewife and mother. Bhagavanth gets angry and kicks him, a typical Balakrishna gesture. Naturally Vijji gets annoyed and starts treating Bhagavanth as a stranger. As viewers we empathize with both these characters.

Anil Ravipudi also makes some important points about good touch and bad touch through a rousing monologue by Balakrishna. Here again the emphasis is on how girls should be raised courageous like lions.

Arjun Rampal exudes the right amount of swag and ruthlessness

Bhagavanth Kesari benefits immensely from the performances of Balakrishna and Sreeleela. Balakrishna delivers a mature performance without going overboard in the emotional scenes. The actor’s Telangana diction is also commendable. Of course he satisfies his fans in the flashback portions where he plays to the gallery. There is an important passage in the film’s pre climax when Bhagavanth lets Vijji do all the fighting for a particular reason. Both Anil Ravipudi and Balakrishna need to be given credit for how they let Sreeleela take the center stage.

Known for her glamour roles Sreeleela springs a very pleasant surprise with her performance. The actress does a wonderful job in showcasing the transition of Vijji. She also proves to be a good action heroine convincingly taking on the baddies. Arjun Rampal as the antagonist exudes the right amount of swag and ruthlessness. It is a not a very innovative character but Arjun makes it work.

Anil Ravipudi, the director known for creating characters that come with specific mannerisms resulting in slapstick humour

One of the threads that don’t quite work is the one featuring Kajal, his love interest. She plays a supposed psychiatrist. Her track doesn’t quite jell with the narrative. Another mild issue with the film is the flashback of Bhagavanth Kesari that glorifies his brutal methods.

Bhagavanth Kesari is a welcome break from Balakrishna’s hyper masculine Akhanda and Veera Simha Reddy; A welcome sign of his transition from macho hero to father hero.

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Mansion 24: An Unimaginative Horror Flick With Clichéd Jump Scares

Mansion 24 (Telugu)

  • Cast: Varalakshmi Sarathkumar, Satya Raj, Rao Ramesh, Tulasi, Nandu, and Avika Gor
  • Director: Ohmkar
  • Producer: Ashwin Babu and Kalyan Chakravarthy
  • Music: Vikas Badisha
  • No. of episodes: 6
  • OTT platform: Disney+ Hotstar

After carving a niche for himself in television, Ohmkar made his directorial debut with the film Genius (2012) which didn’t live up to the title and ended up being a dud.

But the filmmaker found success with Raju Gari Gadhi released in 2015. It was a mix of comedy, horror, and family emotions culminating with a message.

The movie was a success at the box office and this led to two more films made with the same title.

However, the subsequent films Raju Gari Gadhi 2 (2017) and Raju Gari Gadhi 3 (2019) weren’t financially successful.

Now, the director has made his web series debut with Mansion 24 where the story is heavily reminiscent of his previous work. The only difference in Mansion 24 is that you don’t have any comedy track to ease the tension-filled atmosphere.

Synopsis

Kalidas (Satya Raj) is one of the most revered archaeologists in this country. In the middle of a particular excavation, he disappears without any trace. Not surprisingly, he is labelled as a traitor.

Amrutha (Varalakshmi Sarathkumar) is an investigative journalist and daughter of Kalidas. She takes it upon herself to trace his whereabouts and clear her father’s name.

In this quest, she heads to a mansion that is both abandoned and haunted.

Seetharam (Rao Ramesh), the supposed watchman, tells Amrutha about the various paranormal activities that have happened in the mansion.

In a nutshell, the story is about the various challenges that Amrutha faces in her journey to find out about the alleged betrayal of her father.

Mini-stories fall flat

To give credit where it is due, director Ohmkar is initially successful in creating a strong emotional foundation, the viewers do want Amrutha to succeed.

Also, through the mini-stories, Ohmkar touches upon some societal issues by talking about the ghosts within us.

However, the problem with these mini-stories is the lazy writing. Most of the characters have been poorly etched. As a result, the viewers don’t enjoy these mini-stories as much as they should.

The only segment which has some meat is the one involving Nandu and Bindu Madhavi. Nandu plays a ruthless conman with the right amount of scariness.

The viewers feel afraid of Nandu whenever he appears on the screen.

Bindu Madhavi brings an emotional gravitas to her part of a woman, who has a personal score to settle with Nandu’s character.

Another big problem with Mansion 24 is the characterisations of Satya Raj and Tulasi. Tulasi plays the mother of Amrutha. Neither of them has been fleshed out sufficiently.

Adding to the woes is a melodramatic scene where the mother suddenly recovers from a severe health issue.

Varalaxmi Sarathkumar is effective in portraying the different nuances of Amrutha. The actress manages to rise above the sketchy writing, the viewers wish that she had chosen a much better story.

Characters hear strange sounds, there is a man with a long beard who mouths Sanskrit slokas, and all the ghosts wear white clothes among others. The bankruptcy of ideas is clearly visible.

The cinematography and the production design are in tune with the show’s nature, but there is no element that particularly stands out. The tried and tested horror elements are all there.

Final take

To sum it up, it is high time that Ohmkar let go of the horror genre and did something different.

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Sultan Of Delhi: A Clichéd Gangster Saga With All Style And Little Substance

Milan Luthria’s OTT debut ‘Sultan of Delhi’ is an extension of his film ‘Once Upon A Time in Mumbai’, but not in a good way.

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No coherence!
Sultan of Delhi (Hindi)
  • Cast: Tahir Raj Bhasin, Anjumm Ssharma, Vinay Pathak, Nishant Dahiya, Anupriya Goenka, and Mouni Roy
  • Director: Milan Luthria and Suparn Verma
  • Producer: Namit Sharma
  • Music: Ammal Malik and Anu Malik
  • No. of episodes: 9
  • OTT platform: Disney+ Hotstar

There was a time when Milan Luthria was a hugely successful filmmaker.

Both The Dirty Picture (2011) and Once Upon A Time in Mumbai (2010) found acceptance by critics as well as audiences. A common feature between both these films was the dialogue-baazi that appealed to the masses.

However, in the last few years, Milan Luthria became all about style with little to no focus on the content.

The best examples of these are Baadshaho (2017) and Once Upon A Time in Mumbai Dobaara (2013).

Unfortunately, the director’s OTT debut — Sultan of Delhi — is another major misfire. It is also directed by Suparn S Varma.

Synopsis

The web series starts with the story of Arjun (Tahir Raj Bhasin).

Arjun is a descendant of a generation that migrated to the capital region after partition. His experiences at the refugee camp make him more courageous with an attitude of taking life head-on.

Arjun’s determination to overcome the scars of his past leads him to the criminal world. In the beginning, it is the arms trade.

Bangali (Anjumm Ssharma) is an accomplice-cum-friend. Soon enough, they fall under the tutelage of Jagan Seth (Vinay Pathak).

Arjun’s chief adversary is Rajendra (Nishant Dahiya), an entitled brat who constantly looks down upon Arjun. He doesn’t shy away from flaunting his privilege.

Like Arjun, Rajendra too has big dreams. Aiding Rajendra in his quest is his late father’s mistress Shankari  Devi (Anupriya Goenka).

The rest of the story moves along with different tangents. There is a bromance between Arjun and Bangali, their romantic relationships, and the equation with Jagan Seth, etc.

Bromance is the only saving grace

To give credit where it’s due, director duo Milan Luthria-Suparn Varam does a good job of establishing the bromance between Arjun and Bangali.

The scenes featuring Tahir and Anjum Sharma are easily the saving grace of this web series. The friendship feels organic and when things take a dark turn the viewers feel sorry for them.

The romantic angles fall flat though. This is a combination of poor writing coupled with uninspiring performances from most of the women characters.

The only female actress who makes an impression is Anupriya Goenka. She portrays the negative shades with absolute relish.

Mouni Roy suffers the most on account of weak characterisation.

Nishant Dahiya plays the brat with the right amount of snootiness.

Vinay Pathak also does well in his grey-shaded role.

Fails to evoke emotions

A big problem with the Sultan of Delhi is how it deals with the portions featuring the refugee camp. They are staged with indifference and feel more like a checklist that needs to be done away with.

In the web series Jubliee and also the first Gadar, there is a sense of heartbreak that the viewers feel. But here, the audience doesn’t develop the required empathy.

Sultan of Delhi also suffers on account of many outlandish sequences. For example, there is a sequence involving ammunition trade. For no rhyme or reason, you have unnecessary murders of policemen.

Milan Luthria and Suparn Varma do an equally pathetic job of showcasing the politics of that period. The best example of this is a segment involving a Bengali filmmaker by the name of Roy Babu.

There is no denying that these sequences have been stylishly mounted but there is a visible hollowness that irritates the viewers.

Final take

To sum it up, Sultan of Delhi is all about empty posturing. The genre of gangster drama seriously needs a reinvention as it has become all about style with no focus on coherence.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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Vijay Varma: A Decade Of Formidable Talent – From ‘Pink’ To ‘Jaane Jaan’

If we observe Vijay Varma’s filmography, we predominantly notice two types of roles – negative/grey roles and cop characters.

Vijay Varma started his acting career in 2008 with a short film titled Shor. But his big screen debut started with Chittagong in 2012. It was followed by late Satish Kaushik’s Gang of Ghosts (2014) and Priyadarshan’s Rangrezz (2013).

However, none of these movies gave a significant push to his career until Pink (2016) came along. Since then, as the saying goes, there is no looking back for the Bollywood actor. Vijay Varma is an FTII student, and this clearly shows how the actor has adapted to different roles. If we observe his filmography, we notice that two types of roles majorly stand out – negative/grey characters and cop roles. Let’s check them out here:

Ankit Malhotra

Pink was a breakthrough film for Vijay Varma where he played a deeply misogynistic person -Ankit Malhotra. He was the one who eggs on Rajveer Singh (Angad Bedi) to take revenge on Taapsee Pannu’s character, Minal. Ankit Malhotra just doesn’t stop there,  he also molests her in a moving jeep and throws her on the road. He really looks menacing in that scene. We hate him as much as Angad Bedi.

Moen

Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy (2019) saw Vijay Varma as a neighbourhood crook Moen who was also a friend of Ranveer Singh’s Murad. He was not a psycho but had his own grey shades. Throughout the film, viewers couldn’t make out if he was good or bad. The Bollywood actor owned the part with a brilliant performance.

Sasya

In Imtiaz Ali’s web series She (2020), Vijay Varma played a drug peddler named Sasya. In spite of not having a lot of screen time, he owned every frame that he was in. What also added to the performance was how he spoke Hyderabadi Deccani – a language spoken in Hyderabad where he grew up. Vijay also got the body language of the drug peddler spot-on.

Hamza

In Darlings (2022), Vijay Varma played an alcoholic, abusive husband named Hamza to Alia Bhatt’s Badru. He was someone who was extremely cruel and at the same time, lovey-dovey depending on the situation. Vijay looked like a truly scary psychopath. The actor received a lot of positive hate for his portrayal of Hamza. By Vijay’s own admission, it was not an easy task to be an abusive husband to the “heartthrob of the nation.” The Bollywood actor also said that he was very scared of unintentionally hurting Alia in the scenes involving physical abuse. Those scenes were so real that every time he appeared on the screen, we were as terrified as Alia. Coincidentally, their first feature films (Chittagong and Student of the Year) were released in the same month (October) in 2012.

Anand Swarnakar

Initially, the viewers have a positive impression of Vijay’s character Anand Swarnakar in Dahaad (2023). Apart from being an excellent Hindi professor, Anand also runs a mobile library for the underprivileged. But soon, this bubble breaks as the real face of Anand is revealed. Vijay Varma was absolutely terrific – both as a middle-class married man struggling to make ends meet and as a serial killer who has severe unresolved issues with his father.

Adi

Monsoon Shootout is an early film by Vijay Varma shot in 2013. It had its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, but theatrically, it was released four years later in 2017. In the movie, Vijay Varma played a cop who was deeply influenced by his father’s principles. His father told him that all life’s choices were not black and white, and there was a middle path too. In spite of sharing screen space with a heavyweight like Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Vijay Varma more than held his own. He did a swell job of showcasing the different nuances of his character.

Ravi Shankar Tripathi

In the web series Kaalkoot (2023), Vijay Varma’s Ravi Shankar Tripathi was vastly different from the mainstream cops that the audiences are used to. For example, Dabbang (2010) and Singham (2011). He was a soft-spoken cop who considered himself a misfit in the police department. There was a constant desire in him to resign. But as the show progressed, his character underwent a transformation. This show had come right after Dahaad where he played a serial killer. He made the audience forget that this was the same man who appeared as a serial killer.

Karan Anand

In Sujoy Ghosh’s Jaane Jaan (2023), an OTT film, Vijay Varma appeared as a charming cop. It was the closest he came to doing romance. The scenes where he flirts with Kareena Kapoor’s Maya D’Souza were so adorable to watch. He gave the film some much-needed lighter moments in an otherwise tense atmosphere.

Vijay Varma is now 37. He has already done 24 films, including web series. Here’s hoping that our filmmakers will tap his potential – much more in future – which goes beyond the above-mentioned characters!

Published in SouthFirst on 15.10.2023. Click on the below link for https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/vijay-varma-a-decade-of-formidable-talent-from-pink-to-jaane-jaan/

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Alia Bhatt And Her Tryst With Different Languages And Cultures

An overview of how the talented Bollywood actress covered various Indian States and different dialects through her roles.

In a career spanning over a decade, Alia Bhatt has represented women characters from different parts of India. These women are not only varied in terms of physical demographics but also their social strata.

The states that Alia Bhatt has represented so far include Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Goa, Rajasthan, Kashmir, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Bengal.

Though most of them are Hindu characters in three films, she played Muslim characters, too. They are Sehmat in Raazi (2018), Safeena in Gully Boy (2019) and Badru in Darlings (2022).

Alia Bhatt has proved her efficiency in moulding herself to suit each of them.

Let me start with the latest picture:

Rani Chatterjee

Rani Chatterjee in Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani (2003) is a Bengali journalist who settles in South Delhi.

The Bengali imprint was clear in the gorgeous sarees she wore and also in the way she spoke her mind like any educated Bengali woman would do.

This came out brilliantly in her introduction scene itself when she bashed a minister for his sexist comments about how women should dress and what they should eat. It was much more of a massy entry than Ranveer got.

Alia Bhatt’s Bengali accent wasn’t flawless, but the actress ensured that it didn’t become a distraction with her screen presence and acting capabilities. Well, Alia was bang on when she pronounced “Khela Hobe” which means “the game is on”.

Gangubai

In Gangubai Kathaiawadi (2022), which won Alia a National Award for her performance as Gangubai, the actor’s dialect had a mix of Gujarati and Marathi.

On many occasions, we see her speaking in the Kathiawadi accent. It came from the family that her character Gangubai was born in.

Alia Bhatt was not only good at showing a gamut of emotions through her eyes but she also aced the dialect.

The Gujarati touch can be particularly seen in the song “Dholida“.

Sita

In SS Rajamouli’s RRR (2022), there was one heavy scene that Alia Bhatt shared with Junior NTR’s Komaram Bheem. It came at a juncture when Ram Charan’s character Alluri Seetharama Raju was in jail and on the verge of being hanged.

She had to speak lengthy Telugu dialogues and the actress didn’t miss a beat in conveying the emotions.

Vaidehi

In Badrinath Ki Dulhania (2017), Alia played a rebellious girl from Rajasthan’s Kota who aspired to be an air hostess. Marriage was the last thing on her agenda.

Through her character Vaidehi, the Bollywood actor represented the ambitions of many small-town girls. She was also successful in pulling off the Kota accent.

Bauria

In Udta Punjab (2016), Alia Bhatt’s character Bauria is that of a Bihari migrant who goes to Punjab in search of work. For this film, the actress learnt the Bihari dialect under the guidance of the acclaimed actor Pankaj Tripathi.

There is a lengthy monologue where Bauria pours her heart out to an astonished Tommy Singh, played by Shahid Kapoor. Alia Bhatt was brilliant throughout the film, but her performance in this scene was heartbreaking.

It is not just about conveying the pain and pathos, but it is also about how she convincingly says it in the Bihari accent.

Ananya

In 2 States (2014), her very third film, Alia played a Tamilian.

In 2013’s Chennai Express, Deepika was criticised for her over-the-top portrayal of a Tamil girl. Although Deepika is a South Indian by birth, she has an exaggerated accent.

On the other hand, Alia Bhatt was much appreciated for portraying Ananya in a more nuanced way and speaking Tamil more naturally. At no point does her accent bother the viewers.

Other roles

Regarding the Muslim characters she played in Gully Boy and Darlings, both roles had a backdrop of slums in Mumbai.

In Gully Boy, there is a particular slang that the actress uses. Despite not being the central character, her dialogue became one of the highlights.

In a scene, she says, “Mere boyfriend ke saath koi gulu gulu karenga toh dhoptuingi hi na usko.”

In Darlings, Alia Bhatt’s Badru constantly spoke in odd plural phrases. These included “I loves you” and “bad lucks”.

In Raazi, the Bollywood actor played a Kashmiri Muslim named Sehmat. Naturally, there was some Kashmiri touch to her dialogues and the actress expectedly got it bang on.

What made the role of Sehmat even more interesting was that Alia is half Kashmiri and half Gujarati in real life.

Given the speculation that Alia Bhatt would play Roopmati in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming film, she might soon add another name to her cross-cultural list of characters!

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/alia-bhatt-and-her-tryst-with-different-languages-and-cultures/

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Mumbai Diaries Season 2: A Brilliant Story Of Human Triumph Against All Odds

Much like Season 1, director Nikhil Advani successfully delivers a web show that is high on both thrills and emotions.

For those who haven’t seen the first season of Mumbai Diaries (2021), the plot was about the events that took place amidst the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. At the centre of this story were the doctors in the fictional Bombay General Hospital.

In Mumbai Diaries Season 2, director and creator Nikhil Advani focuses his lens on unfortunate events that took place when Mumbai city was submerged under the floods. He skillfully recreates how the Mumbaikars survived nature’s wrath and their fighting spirit.

Once again, you have the doctors and their staff, who are struggling to save the ailing patients. This time, the challenges are related to infrastructure in the hospital and of course, their personal demons.

For example, Dr Kaushik Oberoi (Mohit Raina) is under severe media trial due to the grieving wife of an ATS chief Mrs Kelkar (Sonali Kulkarni). She blames him for the death of her husband as he couldn’t save him.

Additionally, Oberoi chooses to treat a dreaded terrorist on that fateful night.

On the other hand, there is Chitra Das (Konkana Sen Sharma) who has a traumatic past that is related to her ex-husband Dr Saurav (Parambrata Chattopadhyay).

Dr Saurav visits the hospital on the same night with a delegation comprising of London-based doctors.

Initially, the viewers are made to believe that Dr Saurav’s presence in the hospital is only a coincidence. However, as the story progresses, there is much more to this tale than what meets the eye.

In a nutshell, the story is about how these groups of doctors battle both the unfavourable weather and their personal demons.

A big plus for Mumbai Diaries Season 2 is how the screenwriters have built a sense of urgency through the writing.

The viewers feel an emotional connection towards these doctors and want them to emerge victorious both professionally and personally.

Performances

The performances across the board are brilliant with the standouts being Mohit Raina and Konkana Sen Sharma.

Mohit Raina does a brilliant job of conveying both the inner turmoil and the fighting spirit of Dr Kaushik Oberoi.

Konkana Sen Sharma is wonderful in displaying both the vulnerability and steeliness of Chitra Das. Her subplot with the junior doctor Ahaan (Satyajeet Dubey) has some wonderful moments.

Satyajeet Dubey’s character is attracted towards Chitra Das.

Amidst an intense scene with his fellow junior doctors, Ahaan bursts out about how he brought tickets to watch Love Aaj Kal (2009) with Chitra Das. This brings a smile to the viewer’s face.

A refreshing change from the first season is the character arc of Mansi (Shreya Dhanwantary). Her part was a weak link in the first part, But, this time around, Mansi has been etched out much better.

Coming to the negatives, the show could have done with crisper editing. A couple of narratives have been stretched needlessly. These include a queer character that slows down the proceedings.

Ashutosh Pathak’s background score is another major winner. His work is particularly praiseworthy in intense scenes.

The background score helps in further elevating the performances.

Another noteworthy aspect of this web series is the production design of Priya Suhass. There is an authenticity to how the flood scenes have been recreated.

Final take

To sum it up, Mumbai Diaries Season 2 makes the viewers wish that Nikhil Advani comes up with a Season 3.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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Khufiya : Vishal Bharadwaj-Tabu’s brand new release is a weak espionage drama,

The first half of ‘Khufiya’ has some good moments, but it is in the second half that the film completely nosedives.

Vishal Bhardwaj’s Khufiya is based on the espionage novel “Escape to Nowhere” written by Amar Bhushan.

It starts in Dhaka with the death of an undercover spy Hina Rehman (Azmeri Haque Badhon). Hina’s death sends shockwaves to the R&AW office in Delhi.

An investigation leads to the discovery of a mole, Ravi (Ali Fazal) who leaks sensitive information about India to other countries. Charu (Wamiqa Gabbi) is Ravi’s wife.

Tabu plays a raw agent named Krishna Mehra. KM Jeev (Ashish Vidyarthi) is her boss. He gives her the responsibility of catching Ravi.

For Krishna, this mission is not just professional but also personal because she had an intimate relationship with Hina.

The rest of the story is about whether Krishna is able to stop Ravi and what happens when Charu comes to know about the actual identity of her husband.

Second half falls flat

Before getting into the negatives of Khufiya, it is necessary to point out a few positive things.

The scenes between Tabu and Azmeri Haque Badhon are limited. But still, they give the film some of its best moments as they have so much warmth.

It also helps that Azmeri has a striking screen presence. The viewers wish that she had more screen time.

The first half of Khufiya has some good moments, but it is in the second half that the film completely nosedives.

The chief reason for that is the characterisation of Ali Fazal. The actor does a decent job in the first half. But in the second half, both the character and the actor lose the sheen.

Another issue with Khufiya is the serious hangover of both Kurbaan and Raazi. The scenes of Charu spying for Krishna Mehra are distinctly reminiscent of how Alia’s Sehmat communicates with Jaideep Ahlawat’s Khalid Mir in Raazi (2018). This déjà vu doesn’t help in any way.

The pre-climax and the climax are another sore point. Here again, the viewers are heavily reminded of Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019).

Performances

Tabu’s character has many layers. Apart from being a shrewd officer, she also deals with her own inner demons.

These include a failed marriage with Shashank (Atul Kulkarni) who has a brief appearance. She also has a troubled relationship with her son. Tabu portrays all these shades with her usual excellence.

Wamiqa Gabbi also gets a good arc. She starts off as this innocent housewife who presents a certain façade in front of her husband and mother-in-law. When neither of them is there, she is seen dancing with gay abandon and also smoking.

Once Charu gets to know about the real identity of her husband, she undergoes a transformation. The actress does a good job of showcasing those nuances.

Final take

To sum it up, the audiences have many expectations from this Netflix film, given that it was a reunion of Tabu and Vishal Bhardwaj. However, this reunion leaves the viewers with a bitter aftertaste!

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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Kumari Srimathi Season 1: A Heartwarming Tale About A Female Entrepreneur

Director Gomtesh Upadhye presents an enjoyable story with relatable characters

Kumari Srimathi web series season 1 (Telugu)          

Starcast: Nitya Menon, Gautami, Talluri Rameshwari, Prem Sagar Rajulapati and others guest appearance (Nani )

Direction: Gomtesh Upadhye

Writers: Uday Aghamarshan, Jayanth Tadinada and others

Creator and screenplay: Srinivas Avasarala

Producers: Priyanka Dutt and Swapna Dutt

Production Company: Early Monsoon Tales

Genre: Drama/comedy

No of episodes: 7

Streaming site: Amazon Prime

Contrary to the title of the web series Kumari Srimathi (Nitya Menon) is an unmarried 30 year old woman. The setting of this story is Ramarajulanka. Kumari Srimathi and her younger sister were brought up almost single handedly by their mother Devika (Gautami) and also grandmother Seshamma (Talluri Rameshwari). Keshava Rao (Prem Sagar Rajulapati) is the uncle of Srimathi. Srimathi is fighting a court case regarding an ancestral property that her uncle wants for himself.

In a turn of events the court gives Srimathi the option of buying her uncle’s share of property for 38 lakhs. But that is easier said than done. Srimathi who did hotel management course was working as a floor manager. At this point she decides to set up her own restaurant cum bar in her native village.  Devika is already vexed with her daughter’s adamant nature who refuses to get married and this decision only angers her further. The rest of the story is about the challenges that Srimathi faces in her endeavor of becoming a businesswoman and also whether she is able to win the court case.

Stories of family feud is a beaten to death genre but still Gomtesh Upadhye manages to bring a freshness. The newness comes from how he depicts the journey of Srimathi in establishing her restaurant cum bar. He makes a subtle point about how the society differentiates between man and woman while doing the same business.

The director talks about these things in a non preachy manner. Gomtesh Upadhye also deserves credit for his portrayal of Gautami’s character. She is not particularly happy with her daughter’s decisions. Still she comes around and becomes a strong pillar of support at a crucial juncture.

Kumari Srimathi also boasts of some chuckle worthy sequences. One of these include Gautami day dreaming about the consequences of her daughter’s actions. Prem Sagar playing the semi villain has some hilarious punches as well. For example there are moments where he is confused between his twin sons Mani and Phani. What also brings the house down is his understanding of the word ‘nincompoop’.

There is also a love triangle where Thiruveer’s Abhinav and Nirupam’s Sriram compete for Srimathi’s affections. But this track feels out of place in an almost perfect tale.

Nitya Menon’s character is a huge fan of Nani. Nani has a special appearance at a most unexpected juncture. Nani’s presence is only for a few seconds but as viewers we feel a touch of nostalgia on seeing the Ala Modalaindi Jodi again.

Gautami

Cinematographer Mohan Krishna does a good job of capturing Ramarajulanka through his lens. Music directors Staccato & Kamran do a fine job with both songs and background score.

Nitya Menon effortlessly gets into the skin of her character. She portrays the courage and vulnerability of Srimathi in an arresting manner. Gautami and Rameshwari also provide solid support. The three of them together are such a delight to watch.

To sum it up Kumari Srimathi is a well made feministic tale that deserves your time.

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Charlie Chopra & The Mystery Of Solang Valley: A Pulpy Thriller That Keeps You Hooked

Vishal Bhardwaj shows his mastery at creating a dramatic murder mystery, with each suspect coming with his/her secrets.

Vishal Bhardwaj’s fascination with literature is something that needs no introduction.

The acclaimed director has adapted three works of Shakespeare into movies — Maqbool (2003) from “Macbeth“, Omkara (2006) from “Othello“, and Haider (2014) from “Hamlet“.

All these three movies won a lot of critical acclaim along with box office success.

The director has also tried his hand at adapting Ruskin Bond stories— The Blue Umbrella (2005) and Saat Khoon Maaf (2011).

Now, he is back with Charlie Chopra & The Mystery of Solang Valley based on The Sittaford Mystery, one of the crime novels written by Agatha Christie.

The mystery thriller is set in Solang Valley and Manali in Himachal Pradesh.

Synopsis

Right from the first scene, Vishal Bhardwaj shows his mastery at creating a dramatic murder mystery, with each suspect coming with his secrets. Wamiqa Gabbi is the determined Punjabi detective Charlie Chopra.

Brigadier Meherbaan Rawat (Gulshan Grover) is an esteemed member of the Rockford Estate community. Towards the end of the first episode, his shocking death is revealed. It sends huge shockwaves through the community.

Charlie Chopra takes up this case as her fiancé Jimmy (Vivaan Shah) becomes the major suspect. As Charlie Chopra digs deeper and deeper into the case, many secrets tumble out.

The rest of the story is about who the actual culprit is and whether there is something more to the mysterious death of Meherbaan Rawat.

Technical brilliance

For any suspense thriller, it is necessary that the viewers are intrigued throughout. Vishal and his two co-writers successfully manage to keep them hooked till the end.

The setting of the Solang Valley also ends up being a major character in itself, thanks to the cinematographer Tassaduq Hussain. He does a brilliant job in not just showcasing the picturesque setting but is also equally good at imbuing it with an air of enigma.

Vishal Bhardwaj also dwells on social commentary through the supporting cast. He talks about refugees, unrequited love, oppression, and killed aspirations. This gives the story a certain emotional heft.

Vishal Bhardwaj’s music blends perfectly into the atmospherics. Special mention must be made of the two Ghazals sung by Rekha Bhardwaj.

Performances

The ensemble cast is also mostly on point with a particular mention to Wamiqa Gabbi. After this year’s Jubilee (2023), the actress once again shows her versatility with her portrayal of Charlie Chopra.

A scene which particularly stands out is when she breaks down during an imaginary phone call to a character. There are also scenes where Wamiqa breaks the fourth wall with aplomb.

Priyanshu Painyuli also makes a huge impression in his role as a small-time news reporter. Their partnership is quite reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. Priyanshu brings in some much-needed comic relief.

Among the suspects, Lara Dutta and Ratna Pathak Shah have better etched-out roles.

Lara Dutta plays Wilayat Hussain, a Ghazal singer from Lucknow. As the series progresses, it is revealed that she was once Colonel Rawat’s love interest.

Now, Wilayat and her daughter Waseema are leading a life of indignity. Wassema suffers from schizophrenia. Lara Dutta effortlessly portrays both the protective mother and the Ghazal singer.

Ratna Pathak Shah’s character, on the other hand, is someone who fakes disability in order to claim insurance money. The veteran actress pulls off the grey shades with the finesse that you expect from her.

Final take

To sum it up, Vishal Bhardwaj delivers another winner. Here’s hoping that the director continues to take inspiration from literature.

(Views expressed here are personal.)