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Rangamarthanda: This High-Pitch Emotional Tale Is More For Those Interested In The Bygone Era

Brahmanandam is awe-inspiring!

Rangamarthanda (Telugu)

  • Cast: Prakash Raj, Ramya Krishna, Brahmanandam, Anasuya Bharadwaj, Shivathmika Rajashekar, Adarsh Balakrishna, Rahul Sipligunj, and Ali Reza
  • Director: Krishna Vamsi
  • Producers: Kalipu Madhu and S Venkat Reddy
  • Music: Ilaiyaraaja
  • Runtime: 2 hours 30 minutes

There are certain tropes associated with films related to old-age parents. These clichés seem to be a must, irrespective of whatever language the film is. The younger generation is always the villain and the root cause of all their problems.

The audience is meant to sympathise with the parents even if they are in the wrong. The daughter-in-law who cannot adjust to a joint family and her need to have an individual space is looked down upon as something bad.

Director Krishna Vamsi’s Rangamarthanda (a title conferred on a skilled theatre artist) pretty much follows this blueprint. But what makes the movie slightly different is how he integrates the life of a stage artist into this familiar tale.

Through the characters of Prakash Raj and Brahmanandam, the film talks about how performing on stage is different from living a real-life role.

The retirement life of a stage artist

Rangamarthanda is a remake of the 2016 Marathi film Natsamrat starring Nana Patekar. For those who did not watch the original, the Telugu remake is the story of a celebrated theatre artist Raghava Rao (Prakash Raj).

He rules the stage for decades. He takes retirement to spend more time with his family. Though his intentions are pure, Raghava Rao is too straightforward to adjust to the changing landscape.

His unfiltered attitude often becomes a problem when he stays with his daughter-in-law and then his daughter.

Ramya Krishna is a dutiful wife who adores and walks in the footsteps of her husband.

Anasuya Bharadwaj’s Geetha is the supposedly shrewd daughter-in-law.

Shivathmika Rajashekar plays the daughter who later turns out to be a villain because of a misunderstanding.

Siddu (Ali Reza) plays a spoilt brat and an upcoming actor who has a connection to Raghava Rao in the past. He spends most of his screen time listening to the flashback story of Raghava Rao.

After Prakash Raj, Brahmanandam gets the next big part to play. He plays Raghava Rao’s best friend and a fellow stage artist.

Unlike most of Brahmanandam’s previous films, the senior actor doesn’t do any comedy here.

Brahmanandam & Prakash Raj complement each other

The best parts of Rangamarthanda are easily the portions involving Prakash Raj and Brahmanandam. Their scenes have both wit and emotional resonance.

On more than one occasion, they move audiences with their emotional acting.

For example, there is a scene where the onscreen wife of Brahmanandam dies. Sitting next to the pyre, he wonders why he can’t shed tears unlike in similar situations on stage.

Also, there is a scene in the hospital room where Brahmanandam and Raghava Rao enact a part of the “Karna-Duryodhana” play in dialogues. This scene is a treat to watch even if you are not so much into stage plays.

Prakash Raj and Brahmanandam do most of the heavy lifting as far as acting is concerned.

Brahmanandam deserves extra points for his exceptional performance because he has never done this kind of role before.

With Rangamarthanda, the veteran actor shows that he is more than capable of doing heavy roles, too.

Shivathmika Rajashekar & Rahul Sipligunj excel

The portions involving Shivathmika Rajashekar and Rahul Sipligunj are good to watch.

Rahul Sipligunj brings a certain freshness to the table with his Telangana slang. The singer-turned-actor brings a much-needed liveliness to this otherwise depressing story.

Shivathmika Rajashekar springs a pleasant surprise by more than holding her own opposite both Prakash Raj and Ramya Krishna. She does quite well as a caring daughter.

The viewers feel bad when a small misunderstanding involving her snowballs into a big issue later on.

Ilaiyaraaja’s music goes perfectly well with the mood of the film. His songs have a certain weight and add depth to the woes of Raghava Rao.

The dialogues are a bit of a mixed bag. Some turn out to be extremely preachy but there are also some gems. Not surprisingly, most of these are delivered by Prakash Raj and Brahmanandam.

Cliched and overdramatic

What considerably pulls Rangamarthanda down is the pile of clichés.

The concerns about Anasuya Bharadwaj’s character are genuinely valid but the treatment is extremely one-sided.

Another example is regarding Telugu — how speaking Telugu is looked down upon in schools.

There is no denying that everything has become an English medium but the point should have been made subtly. The school principal’s role comes across as more of an NRI villain.

Another problem with Rangamarthanda is how it looks at the inability of Raghava Rao to adjust to his new life. We are meant to sympathise with him even when he is clearly in the wrong.

Simple problems unnecessarily snowball into bigger issues. Some problems have also been added for the sake of it.

The biggest example of this is the death sequence featuring Ramya Krishna. As viewers, we don’t feel sad as it is overdramatic.

Even the end message about looking after your parents are more hammered in rather than coming as organic.

The irony of the situation is that Raghava Rao was very successful in portraying different roles on stage. But, in real life, he is unable to perform the one role that is expected of him.

Above all, at the beginning of the film, there is a monologue in the voice of actor Chiranjeevi dedicated to the senior male Telugu Cinema actors. The photos of these Telugu actors are shown as part of the commentary.

I wonder why the makers went for screen actors instead of stage actors as the film is all about a stage artist!

Final take

In a nutshell, Rangamarthanda is for a thin section of the audience. Watch it if you are a fan of Prakash Raj or Brahmanandam or if you are an avid follower of stage plays.

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Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway: A Real-Life Saga Marred By Flawed Execution

Deserves better on-screen adaptation!

Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway (Hindi)

  • Cast: Rani Mukherjee, Anirban Bhattacharya, Jim Sarbh, Balaji Gauri, and Neena Gupta (cameo)
  • Writer-Director: Ashima Chibber
  • Producers: Monisha Advani, Madhu Bhojwani, and Nikhil Advani
  • Music: Amit Trivedi
  • Runtime: 2 hours and 14 minutes

Stories based on real life have an inherent potential of moving the audience, particularly, the mother and the children’s sagas. For those who are not aware, Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway is inspired by a real-life legal drama.

The children of Sagarika Chakraborty were taken away from her by the Norwegian government as they considered her to be an unfit mother. Sagarika fought relentlessly for her children’s custody and eventually won the battle.

At one point, the whole issue almost led to a diplomatic row between India and Norway.

Sagarika Chakraborty wrote about her entire ordeal in a book titled “The Journey of A Mother”. By its very nature, this is a story that has all the potential of a heart-wrenching saga.

But director Ashima Chibber lacks the nuances that are needed to depict this subject.

However, Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway isn’t a complete washout either, thanks to a more engaging second half and Jim Sarbh who elevates the proceedings.

Synopsis

In the onscreen adaption, Sagarika’s name has been changed to Debika (Rani Mukherjee). Debika is a young Bengali housewife grappling with motherhood and a new way of life in Norway.

Though her husband (Anirudh Chatterjee) adapts to the ways of the Norwegian language and norms, she prefers to retain her Indian roots and often wears them on her sleeve.

Her refusal to let go of her Indianness draws the attention of some officers in the Norwegian childcare services.

Common Indian practices like eating with hands and hand-feeding your children among others are seen as bad parenting. The officers feel these reasons are enough to separate the kids from their parents.

Debika decides to fight for her children’s custody at any cost. But her impulsive behaviour becomes her worst enemy and things start spiralling downwards.

It also doesn’t help that the husband’s character is more bothered about securing his Norwegian citizenship rather than helping his wife in this emotional and legal battle.

The rest of the story of Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway chronicles the long journey of Debika in getting back her children.

First half falters

The first half of Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway is a mixed bag, to be honest. It begins on a dramatic note and you are instantly invested in the pain of Debika. But things go downhill post that.

Debika’s constant screeching does get on the nerves of the audience. The tone is constantly high pitch, as a result, some of the emotional scenes don’t completely land. Also, most of the characterisations leave a lot to be desired.

The Norwegian officials come across more like the Bollywood villains of the 80s than actual human beings.

The husband and co have zero redeeming features. They are more cardboard cutouts meant to increase the audience’s sympathy for Debika.

There is no explanation for why Debika’s In-laws aren’t on her side. There is also a small subplot about domestic violence but that also is dumped midway.

Engaging second half

Things take a turn for the better with the entry of Jim Sarbh as Daniel Singh Ciupek, a lawyer of Indian descent practising in Norway.

He brings certain poise to the proceedings. His scenes with Rani Mukherjee are particularly good.

Neena Gupta plays a character based on Sushma Swaraj. She has a small but pivotal cameo in the second half. She gives a new direction to Debika’s fight.

Rani Mukherjee’s performance also gets better in the second half where the strain doesn’t show.

She shines particularly in the quieter bits. Her emoting through the eyes leaves a lot more impact than the melodramatic moments.

The courtroom drama in the second half is when the film finally comes together.

The face-off between Jim Sarbh and Debika’s counsel played by Balaji Gauri is exceptionally good. The arguments between them are laced with strong dialogue.

Balaji Gauri also brings a touch of humour to the proceedings. Both Jim Sarbh and Balaji Gauri leave the biggest impact despite their limited time.

Through Jim Sarbh’s character, Ashima Chibber raises questions about the stereotypes regarding adoptive parents.

Amit Trivedi’s music isn’t of the popular variety but the music composer is successful in embodying the spirit of a fearless mother. “Shubho Shubho”, in particular, is a worthy number in Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway.

Verdict

In a nutshell, the spirit of Mrs Chatterjee does deserve kudos. But her battle deserved a better on-screen representation.

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Rana Naidu: A Gripping Father-Son Saga Bolstered By Real-Life Chacha-Nephew Combo

Venkatesh is the icing on the cake!

Rana Naidu (Hindi)

  • Cast: Rana Daggubati, Venkatesh, Surveen Chawla, Sushant Singh, Abhishek Benarjee, Gaurav Chopra, and Aditya Menon
  • Directors: Suparn Verma and Karan Anshuman
  • OTT platform: Netflix
  • Number of episodes: 10

Over the years, web shows have not just opened doors for newer stories but also given mainstream actors an opportunity to explore a different facet of their acting skills — something which doesn’t always happen on the big screen.

Rana Naidu directed by Karan Anshuman and Suparn Verma feels a little long with its duration of 10 episodes. The use of swear words and also an overdose of sex scenes get bothersome at times.

But still, there is a lot to enjoy here: particularly, the confrontation scenes between Rana Daggubati and Venkatesh.

I must say, Venkatesh has the guts to play a role that is quite different from his onscreen image.

For those who are not aware, Rana Naidu is based on the English web drama Ray Donavan. Since I have not seen the original, this will be a standalone review.

Synopsis

Rana Daggubati plays a fixer called Rana Naidu whose profession is cleaning up the mess of his high-profile clients. He takes his job seriously and successfully solves the problems of his clients.

But, at home, it is an altogether different story. His relationship with his family — wife and two children — is on tense ground. Adding to his woes is Rana Naidu’s estranged father Naga Naidu (Venkatesh).

Naga Naidu comes out of prison after 15 years for a crime that he did not commit. He has two more sons — played by Abhishek Banerjee and Sushant Singh.

Naga wants to fix his relationship with his sons. This is the story in brief.

A gripping drama

The best part of the Rana Naidu web series is how the undercurrent of the drama is maintained throughout.

As the layers peel off, audiences become more and more excited about what will happen next. There are ample twists and turns that shock you.

Another major highlight of Rana Naidu is the drama generated by the protagonist’s profession.

Gaurav Chopra as the Bollywood superstar may come across as a tad dramatic but the character is deliberately designed in that manner. And it works in the favour of the web series.

The directors also dwell on the different psyches of parents through the characters of Rana Naidu and Naga Naidu. They present some fascinating insights into exploring this aspect.

The confrontation scenes between Rana Dagubbati and Venkatesh, though less in number, still pack a punch.

The face-off between this real-life mama and nephew gives the show some of its best solid moments.

Rana and Venkatesh are top-notch

Rana Daggubati is supremely effective in essaying a protagonist who is torn between his high-profile job and his crumbling family.

He is top notch in not just portraying the menace and the intensity required but also shines in the vulnerable moments — whether it is with his wife and children or with his two brothers.

Venkatesh Dagubbati is equally solid as the wronged father who is at loggerheads with his son. The actor brings a certain warmth to his part beneath all the roughness.

The senior actor also brings much-needed humour to this otherwise serious show.

His Hyderabadi Hindi gives the show some of its most amusing moments. He successfully oscillates between being a chilled-out guy, who is desperate to reunite with his family and someone who is thirsting for vengeance.

Abhishek Banerjee nails it

Although the primary focus is on Rana and Venkatesh, the directors give ample space to others as well. Particular mention must be made of Abhishek Banerjee and Sushant Singh.

Abhishek Benarjee’s Jaffa, a recovering alcoholic, gets abused by a swamiji during his childhood. He is severely affected by those scars.

Sushant Singh’s Tej Naidu is a stuntman with Parkinson’s disease.

Suparn Verma and Karan Anshuman handle the complicated back story of Jaffa with the right amount of sensitivity.

Abhishek Banerjee is someone who is known more for his comic roles. But here, he successfully presents a different facet of himself.

The scenes between the three brothers are filled with a lot of warmth. As audiences, we earnestly want them to come out of their childhood scars.

Surveen Chawla and Ashish Vidyarthi stand out

The supporting cast is equally solid in their parts but the ones who stand out are Surveen Chawla and Ashish Vidyarthi.

As the fierce wife, Surveen Chawla more than holds her own opposite — both Rana and Venkatesh. The refreshing aspect of her character is that she is no pushover at any point.

Ashish Vidyarthi makes a surprise entry towards the end and sends chills down the audience’s spine. The coolness with which he goes about things makes him even scarier.

Too much adult content

The technical department starting from the cinematography and the background score also deserves equal credit for creating the right atmospherics.

What pulls down Rana Naidu is the length of the series. Instead of 10 episodes, the makers should have restrained it to seven. This would have made the web show crisper.

Also, there is an overdose of cuss words and uninhibited sex scenes. This becomes a tad too much to digest.

Final take

In a nutshell, Rana Naidu isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, But, if you are in the mood to watch a twisted family drama, then this one is definitely for you.

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Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar: Luv Ranjan’s Rom-Com Entertains Till It Lasts

Revives the rom-com genre.

Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar (Hindi)

  • Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Anubhav Singh Bassi, Dimple Kapadia, Boney Kapoor and Hasleen Kaur; special appearances by Karthik Aryan and Nushrratt Bharuccha
  • Writer-director: Luv Ranjan
  • Producers: Luv Ranjan and Ankur Garg
  • Music: Pritam
  • Runtime: 2 hours 39 minutes

Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar comes at a time when there is a severe drought of quintessential romantic films. Its success is necessary for the revival of this genre.

Its director Luv Ranjan started his career with a small film titled Pyaar Ka Punchnama. Not much was expected of it but the movie ended up being a moderate hit. Since then, Luv created a brand for himself.

Except for Akaash Vani (2013), his filmography largely consisted of projects where friends come before love. Girlfriends are always the conniving type!

In Akaash Vani though, Luv Ranjan did address an important topic of martial abuse where the woman finally walks out of an abusive marriage. But the film didn’t find many takers.

But this time, Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar has enough crowd-pleasing moments to help it to sail through.

Synopsis

The film is about the second-generation Delhi-based businessman Mickey (Ranbir Kapoor).

He also has a side business of helping people break up relationships. Except for his niece, no one else in the family knows about Mickey’s side business.

Anubhav Singh Bassi plays Mickey’s best friend-cum-business partner. Mickey believes that what he does is an art. All this is established wonderfully in the first fifteen minutes.

During a vacation, Mickey sees Nisha Malhotra (Shraddha Kapoor). Sparks fly immediately and in no time, they are head over heels for each other. Now, this part of the story has problems which I will talk about later.

Things take an unexpected turn before the interval when Micky’s expertise works in reverse to hurt him.

Nisha wants to break up with Mickey and she contacts him for help, without knowing that he is the very same person with whom she is trying to part with.

The rest of the story is about why Nisha wants to break up with Mickey and what eventually happens.

Routine love track

Luv Ranjan wastes no time in establishing the world of Mickey, his boisterous joint family headed by Dimple Kapadia and also his side business.

Dimple Kapadia plays this loud yet caring mother.

The niece (Inayat Verma) is the youngest of the family. Her scenes with Ranbir are particularly a laugh riot.

The bro-romance between Ranbir and Anubhav Singh Bassi has certain warmth. We instantly connect with their friendship.

The proceedings start stagnating when the scene shifts to Spain. The boy-meets-girl scenes have a distinct hangover of Imtiaz Ali’s Tamasha but not in a good way.

The love story is very haphazardly written with no head or tail to it. It is high time that writers think of better ways to establish a love story with proper nuances.

However, Ranbir’s infectious energy coupled with Pritam’s chart-busting soundtrack does make you tide over these portions.

An engaging second half

The twist at the interval point sets the base for a more engaging second half and the film gets better.

The cameos of Karthik Aryan and Nushrratt Bharuchha have been smartly integrated into the narrative.

The meta references to the Pyar Ka Punchnama along with Sonu Ki Titu Ki Sweety do bring a smile to your face.

Luv Ranjan cleverly incorporates references to both Alia Bhatt and some of Sooraj Barjatya’s films. These dialogues also bring some amusing moments.

The second half works more because of the relatable conflict point.

Shraddha fails to pull it off

Shraddha’s character of a career-oriented girl who needs her own space in life is something that many girls can identify with. Her fears about adjusting to a joint family have some heft.

But it also has to be said that her insecurities could have been dealt with in a better manner without her coming across as selfish.

It also doesn’t help that Shraddha hasn’t got the acting chops to pull off the high-octane scenes.

The pre-climax and the climax have the perfect mix of both hilarious and emotional moments. A particular mention must be made of the airport scene which has ample chaos but, this time, in a good way.

Pritam is back

For any love story to work, music is an important ingredient. After an average soundtrack in Shehzada, Pritam is back in form with Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar.

Except for Shraddha’s forgettable introductory number, the rest of the work is big time.

On one hand, there are the groovy “Tere Pyaar Mein” and “Pyaar Hota Kayi Baar Hai” songs.

On the other hand, “O Bedardeya” is a soulful romantic number where the pain and vulnerability of Mickey are beautifully conveyed by Ranbir.

The performances

After a hiatus, Ranbir returns to the romantic genre. As expected, he makes for a charming Mickey. The actor also pulls off lengthy dialogues with a certain panache.

Anubhav Singh Bassi as Mickey’s buddy is another major highlight of Tu Jhoothi Main Makkkar. His jokes and camaraderie with Ranbir are both spots on.

Dimple Kapadia has a commanding presence whenever she appears on the screen. Despite the high pitch, the senior actress is still adorable.

Boney Kapoor making his acting debut hasn’t got a lot to do. But still, he is reasonably good for a newcomer.

Hasleen Kaur is also impressive as Mickey’s sister.

Final take

In a nutshell, Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar does succeed in reviving the romantic comedy genre. Despite some hiccups in the first half, there is quite a lot to enjoy here.

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Gulmohar: A Tale Of A Dysfunctional Family Propelled By The Presence Of Veterans

Sharmila, Manoj & Simran’s show!

Gulmohar (Hindi)

  • Cast: Sharmila Tagore, Manoj Bajpai, Simran, and Amol Palekar
  • Writer-Director: Rahul V Chittella
  • Producers: Vikesh Bhutani, Rahul Chittella, and Shujaat Saudagar
  • Music: Siddarth Kosala and Alan Demoss
  • OTT platform: Disney+ Hotstar
  • Runtime: 2 hours 12 minutes

There was a time when the portrayal of families was largely sugar-coated on the big screen. Everything used to be hunky dory until an outsider comes along and creates a rift.

For a long time, the majority of family dramas followed this template. However, this has changed in recent times thanks to directors like Zoya Akhtar and Shakun Batra.

Dil Dhadakne Do and Kapoor & Sons are examples of families where interpersonal relationships were shown on shaky grounds.

Gulmohar directed by Rahul V Chittella pretty much falls under the same space. There is also a semblance of Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding.

The big charm of watching the film lies in seeing veterans like Sharmila Tagore and Manoj Bajpai sharing screen space. Their parts are easily the best thing about the film.

However, the movie would have come out better if the director hadn’t tried to cram too many things.

Synopsis

Gulmohar begins with a get-together of the Batras. Kusum (Sharmila Tagore) is the matriarch of the Batra family. She leaves everyone baffled with the announcement that she bought a house for herself in Pondicherry.

She also declares that she won’t be moving in with her son Arun (Manoj Bajpai) into his new apartment. Kusum feels that she has done enough for her family and now wants to follow her heart.

Arun is quite rattled by her decision. But, being an obedient son, he doesn’t let his displeasure show.

Suraj Sharma plays Arun’s son Aditya who also wants to live separately from his wife. This leads to a strained relationship between father and son.

Arun’s biggest solace is his wife Indu (Simran). The twist in the tale here is that Arun is adopted. As a result, he always needs an affirmation that he belongs to the Batra family.

Amidst all this chaos, some dark secrets tumble out which threaten to shake the entire foundation of the family.

Explores interpersonal relationships

The best thing about Gulmohar is how Rahul V Chittella explores interpersonal relationships. Two tracks, in particular, stand out. One being Manoj and Sharmila Tagore, and the other Manoj and Simran.

The character of Kusum is someone that many modern women would identify with. Through Kusum, the director also touches upon the hidden desires of women.

The scene where Kusum talks to her granddaughter about her early days, marriage and motherhood is so endearing to watch.

The scenes between Manoj and Sharmila are also filled with a lot of warmth. We wish to see more of them.

A scene that particularly stands out is when mother and son go through the family photos together. The portions of Arun and Indu are another major highlight of Gulmohar.

There is an authenticity to their portrayal as a mature couple who have gone through many ups and downs. The scenes of Indu imitating her mother-in-law behind her back lead to some amusing moments.

Indu is the pillar who is holding everything together when the family seems to be falling apart. Simran as Indu is a treat to watch and she more than holds her own opposite both Sharmila and Manoj Bajpai.

The performances

Among the extended family, Amol Palaker is brilliant as the brother-in-law of Kusum. It is a role that is in complete contrast to Farzi. It is a delight to watch the senior actor embracing the grey shades of his role.

Not surprisingly, it is Manoj Bajpai and Sharmila Tagore who hold the proceedings.

Manoj Bajpai’s Arun is a complex part. But, as expected, he does full justice to his role. He makes the struggles of Arun so relatable.

Sharmila Tagore is elegantly personified as the progressive matriarch. She effortlessly charms her way through to the audience’s heart. She is brilliant in both the lighter and emotional bits.

Suraj Sharma as Aditya is one big minus. He comes across as mostly wooden and his passion to become an App developer hasn’t got the required fire.

The music composed by Siddarth Khosla and Alan Demoss is soothing. The ghazal number by Talat Aziz, in particular, stands out.

The drawbacks

However, Gulmohar is not just about the family dynamics of the Batras.

The director also looks into the lives of the staff employed at the villa along with an extended family.

A good example of this is the romantic relationship between the cook (Reshma) and the watchman (Jitender).

Their romance is very reminiscent of Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding. Initially, these portions have a certain charm. But, after a point, it hampers the proceedings.

There is also an attempt at advocating same-sex relationships. But this track hasn’t been intricately woven.

Verdict

Gulmohar is a treat for the fans of Manoj Bajpai and Sharmila Tagore.

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Selfiee: Clash Between A Superstar And His Fan Keeps You Engrossed

Akshay & Emraan are a treat to watch!

Selfiee (Hindi)

  • Cast: Akshay Kumar, Emraan Hashmi, Diana Penty, and Nushrratt Bharuccha; Mrunal Thakur and Yo Yo Honey Singh (special appearances)
  • Writer-Director: Raj Mehta
  • Producers: Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, Listin Stephen, Supriya Menon and Prithviraj Sukumaran
  • Music: Anu Malik, Tanishk Bagchi, and Yo Yo Honey Singh
  • Runtime: 2 hours 25 minutes

There is something magical about the bond that a fan shares with his\her favourite actor. Driving Licence, the 2021-released Malayalam film written by the late Sachy and directed by Lal Jr, was both entertaining and insightful on what happens if the fan takes on his favourite actor due to a misunderstanding.

It was also a brilliant take on the psyche of human nature. Akshay Kumar and Emraan Hashmi’s Selfiee is an official remake of the Malayalam movie.

Interestingly, both Driving Licence and Selfiee have a lot of similarities with Shah Rukh Khan’s Fan. But in Fan, SRK’s Gaurav becomes a psycho who harms himself and also his idol. The war between the superstar and the fan was stretched endlessly with extreme violence.

However, in both Driving Licence and Selfiee, the treatment of the directors is far more mature with an amicable resolution at the end.

The story

Selfiee narrates the story of superstar Vijay Kumar (Akshay Kumar) who visits Bhopal for a shoot.

The film’s climax needs certain permissions which can only be granted if he has a valid driving licence. But Vijay Kumar loses his license and the new licence is yet to arrive.

A local politician, Vimala Tiwari (Meghana Malik) promises to get the new licence in two days. At the RTO office, she meets up with RTO inspector Om Prakash Aggarwal (Emraan Hashmi) who along with his son is a huge fan of Vijay Kumar. Indeed, their biggest dream is to click a selfie with their favourite actor.

As Vijay Kumar visits the RTO office at 7 AM the next day, the news gets leaked to the media. The superstar, who is already on an emotional edge due to personal issues, believes that Om Prakash alerted the media and he berates the latter in front of his colleagues and son.

Soon the news of Vijay Kumar not having a driving licence snowballs into a national issue. To make things worse, Om Prakash’s son gets hurt after a stone-throwing incident.

The RTO inspector assumes that it was all orchestrated by his idol Vijay Kumar. This leads to a huge battle between the superstar and his fan.

The rest of the story tells how this battle affects Vijay Kumar and how eventually things get reconciled.

The highlights

Director Raj Mehta and additional writer Rishabh Sharma retain the core of the original. But, at the same time, they make certain changes that help Selifee in a major way, particularly in the first half.

There are many potshots that Akshay sportingly takes on himself. For example, there is a scene where Vijay Kumar’s wife, played by Diana Penty, makes fun of her husband’s masoode-wali smile.

Similarly, a doctor advises him to do more classy films. The cherry on the cake though is the bit where Akshay Kumar takes a self-jibe at the number of films and brand advertisements that he has to do every year.

Raj Mehta also slips in a meta-reference to Vijay Kumar being a producer’s actor.

What adds even more to the fun factor is the presence of Abhimanyu Singh who plays Vijay Kumar’s contemporary. His character starts off his career at the same time as Vijay Kumar but there is a big difference in their statures now.

It is fun to watch Abhimanyu Singh trying his hand at physical comedy, given his general image. He lets his hair down and simply has a blast playing the jealous rival.

The interactions between Akshay and the local politician are another major highlight of the film.

Meghana Malik stands out with her impeccable comic timing. Her hunger for fame is relatable, given the political circus that we see in everyday life.

Emraan & Akshay are eye candies

Emraan Hashmi as Om Prakash finally gets a solid part after a long time. His transformation from a super fan to a nemesis, among other things, has been well etched out by both the director and writer.

In the beginning, Emraan doesn’t seem comfortable but he gets better as the film progresses. He shines particularly in the emotional bits.

The best thing about Akshay’s Vijay Kumar is the vulnerability beneath the entire swagger.

The actor does a good job of displaying not just the flamboyance of a superstar but also an equally good job of conveying the humanness beneath the stardom. This is easily the actor’s best performance in years.

Of the two leading ladies, Diana Penty lends a certain elegance to her part of a supportive wife who is a friend first and a spouse later. Her scenes with Akshay are filled with warmth.

Other technical crafts

The trouble with Selfiee starts midway through the second half.

The superstar versus fan moments could have done with more meat. The portions of Vijay Kumar taking the driving test feel a bit stretched.

The movie also takes a jibe at the phenomena of media trials. There is also a reference to the #BoycottBollywood movement. These are interesting scenes but they also get repetitive beyond a point.

Among the technicians, cinematographer Rajeev Ravi deserves appreciation for capturing the larger-than-life lifestyle of Vijay Kumar.

The music composed by Anu Malik and Co is not great but goes with the flow of the film. A special mention must be made of the opening song “Kudiyee Ni Teri” though.

Mrunal Thakur springs a pleasant surprise with her glamorous and hot avatar.

Verdict

In a nutshell, this Selfiee is worth a ride, particularly if you have ever been a fan of any actor.

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The Night Manager Season 1: A Thrilling Espionage Drama That Leaves You Wanting For More

Anil Kapoor & Aditya Roy Kapoor at their best!

The Night Manager (Hindi)

  • Cast: Aditya Roy Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Tilottama Shone, Saswata Chatterjee, and Sobhita Dhulipala
  • Directors: Priyanka Ghosh, Rukh Nabeel, and Sandeep Modi
  • Music: Sam CS
  • Episodes: 4
  • OTT platform: Disney+ Hotstar

Espionage dramas if executed well can make for an exciting watch whether it is a movie or a web show.

For those who are not aware, The Night Manager directed by Sandeep Modi, Priyanka Ghose, and Rukh Nabeel is an official adaption of the highly acclaimed English web series which also had the same title.

Since I haven’t seen the English one, this will be a standalone review.

The web series begins with a prisoner escaping from a police van amidst rugged and snowy terrain. From here, we move to the Oriental Pearl Hotel in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Violent protests, connected to the Rohingya migration, happen outside the hotel.

The audience is then introduced to the handsome night manager, Shaan Sengupta (Aditya Roy Kapoor). There is a mysterious aura about him beneath all his suaveness.

A series of tension-filled moments precede the introduction of Shaan. One of them is a tormented teenager who is trying to escape from the clutches of her husband — a criminal who is much older than her.

The girl seeks help from the night manager. Though Shaan tries his best not to get involved, he is nevertheless drawn in.

The criminal husband is an associate of a businessman, Shelly (Anil Kapoor). Shaan takes the help of Lipika Saikia Rao (Tilottama Shome) who works for Indian intelligence.

Despite his best efforts, he cannot save the teenager and this leaves him shattered. Years later, he gets an opportunity to redeem himself. But, this time, the risk is higher.

An engaging & gripping tale

The first season of The Night Manager primarily focuses on how Shaan manages to impress Shelly and gets access to his inner circle along with the events that follow.

The very opening scene of the web series leaves the viewers excited about what will happen next. You are immediately hooked onto the world of Shaan.

The track of a tormented teenager has been well integrated by the directors. As viewers, you want her to come out safe and are constantly rooting for Shaan to succeed.

Brownie points to directors

In a scene, Shaan witnesses the death of a person whom he promises to protect. A clear sense of helplessness is visible on his face. He just stands there in shock as grief slowly takes him over. The scene stands out for both its direction and acting.

The series becomes even better with the introduction of Tilottama Shome. She is a pregnant woman on the job. Thankfully, the directors don’t make her pregnancy the central point of discussion.

Her interactions with Aditya Roy Kapoor’s Shaan are easily one of the biggest highlights of the series. There are scenes of understated humour involving her that leaves the viewers in splits.

The makers also deserve credit for how they connect this fictional story to the unfortunate Rohingya genocide which, in turn, led to unrest in Bangladesh.

The forced migration of the Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar isn’t the central theme of the series but there is a certain sensitivity with which this aspect has been portrayed.

It brings a certain local connection that adds a different dimension to this Hindi adaption.

The interactions between Aditya Roy Kapoor and Anil Kapoor are peppered with some interesting moments. They make for a worthy antagonist-protagonist pair.

Noteworthy performances

There are a couple of things that could have been better though. One of them is the characterisation of Shobita Dhulipala. She comes across as more of an eye candy. Maybe more would be revealed about her in the second season.

Saswata Chatterjee as gay has an interesting character but some of the stereotypical behaviour could have been avoided. To his Saswata, he still makes his presence amply felt.

Aditya Roy Kapoor as Shaan makes for a charming Night Manager who is battling with his inner demons. His persona works well in building up the character. He is particularly good at showcasing the vulnerability of Shaan.

Anil Kapoor as Shelly continues his golden form. The character is not shown as an all-out evil person, which adds more intrigue to the subsequent second season.

The senior actor has been ageing like fine wine. This is one more feather in the cap of this immensely talented veteran.

Tilottama Shome displays her brilliance, once again. She nails both the intense and quirky bits.

Verdict

On the whole, The Night Manager is absolutely binge-worthy.

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Shehzada: Kartik Aaryan Tries Hard But This ‘Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo’ Remake Lacks Commercial Grip

Shehzada (Hindi)

Director: Rohit Dhawan

Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Paresh Rawal, Kriti Sanon, Ronit Roy, Sachin Kundalkar, Manisha Koirala, Rajpal Yadav, and others.

Producers: Bhushan Kumar, Allu Aravind, Kartik Aaryan, Aman Gill, and S Radha Krishna

Original story and screenplay: Trivikram

Music: Pritam

Duration: 2 hours 26 minutes

Trivikram’s Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo isn’t an example of great cinema. It is a commercial template film with all the elements of the 1980s and 1990s.

The storyline of Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, which raked in somewhere between $260-280 crore at the Box Office, was also hugely problematic.

However, what worked for it was its packaging. Director Trivikram Srinivas understands the pulse of the mass and as a result, he delivered an entertaining cocktail of romance, comedy, action, and drama.

The story

For those who haven’t seen Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, it is necessary to narrate the story in brief.

Shehzada starts with Valmiki (Paresh Rawal) in the midst of child swapping. He is extremely jealous of multi-millionaire Randeep Jindal (Ronit Roy).

Both of them had started their journey on the same scooter, but Randeep’s life took a turn for the better when the boss made him his son-in-law. The daughter is Yashu (Manisha Koirala).

There is a lot of inner resentment at this sudden change of fortune in Valmiki, resulting in the swapping of his baby with Randeep’s baby.

Randeep’s real son grows up as Valmiki’s son in a middle-class neighbourhood, while Valmiki’s son leads a luxurious life.

…And it continues

Cut to the present, Bantu (Kartik Aaryan) cannot understand why his father has more affection for Randeep’s son Raj (Ankur Rathee).

Mid way, Bantu learns of his true identity, which serves as the ideal time for an intermission.

As a true blue-blooded hero, he decides to solve the various problems of the Jindal household and also save them from a villainous gang led by Sarang (Sunny Hinduja).

Kriti Sanon plays the lawyer-cum-girlfriend (Samara). Sachin Kundalkar reprises his role from the original as the lovable grandfather.

It was Allu Arjun’s magic

Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo success was also hugely aided by the sheer screen presence of Allu Arjun, who made the audiences look past the many problematic elements.

The equation between Allu Arjun’s Bantu and Murali Sharma’s Valmiki was a major highlight. In fact, Murali Sharma can be called the second hero of the film.

S Thaman also contributed majorly by giving blockbuster music.

Director Rohit Dhawan tries to replicate the same energy with the remake. However, Shehzada turns out to be a dull cousin that makes the original look like a masterpiece.

Shehzada also has a few moments with Kartik Aaryan and Paresh Rawal trying their darnedest best but, unfortunately, their efforts aren’t enough to salvage this wreck.

But Kartik does his best

Before diving into the negatives, let’s cover some positives. Allu Arjun’s shoes are difficult to fill, let’s accept that first. He has a distinct swag that is tough to replicate.

Kartik Aaryan has done comedy and romance in the past too, but this one requires him to be an all-round hero.

To Kartik’s credit, he does embrace the film’s many absurdities with conviction. He brings a certain charm to the lighter moments. He is also good in the emotional scenes.

Paresh Rawal is a vastly experienced actor whose skills need no particular introduction. As Valmiki, the actor brings his usual gravitas. His scenes with Kartik are some of the redeeming parts of the film.

Music not on par with the original

Pritam’s music is no match for what S Thaman had created, but it’s not completely terrible either.

The title track sung by Sonu Nigam is quite groovy and does make you tap your feet. The romantic number Mera Sawaal ka, featuring Kartik and Kriti, is also quite enjoyable to watch and hear.

Some of the one-liners written by Hussain Dalal do bring a smile to the audience’s face. A mention here must be made of the scene between Rajpal Yadav and Kartik Aaryan.

Rajpal Yadav plays a police officer who comes to investigate the murder attempt on Randeep. The scene of Bantu explaining what is happening in the Jindal household leaves the audience in splits.

Lack of conviction

The biggest problem with Shehzada is the lack of conviction in the storytelling.

Rohit Dhawan’s style is clearly influenced by his dad David Dhawan, but Shehzada lacks the energy and wittiness of the best of David Dhawan films.

Stories like Shehzada primarily work based on how successful the director is in building a make-believe world, and Rohit falters here.

To Rohit’s credit, however, he does remove many of the unnecessary characters from the original, but it doesn’t help the film in any way as it mostly turns out to be a showreel for Kartik Aaryan.

Fleeting appearances

Characters appear and disappear at the fancy of the director. One example of this is the actor who plays Bantu’s sister. She sporadically appears in the first half and, in the later half, she is never seen again.

The portrayal of the rich kid in the original was also filled with lazy stereotypes, but here the director dumbs down the character to a whole new level.

Ankur Rathee as Raj comes across as more annoying than lazy. His emotional outburst leads to unintentional comedy rather than help the audience feel for the character.

Kriti Sanon is less objectified than Pooja, but her role as a feisty lawyer is absolutely dispensable. Ronit Roy and Manisha Koirala are sincere, but they deserved much more.

Verdict

In a nutshell, Shehzada is a poor replica that the Hindi film industry could have done away with.

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Amigos: A Tale Of Lookalikes Bolstered By Kalyanram’s Histrionics

An interesting experiment on doppelgangers.

Amigos (Telugu)

  • Cast: Nandamuri Kalyanram, Ashika Ranganath, Bramhaji, and Saptagari
  • Writer-Director: Rajendra Reddy
  • Producer: Mythri Movie Makers
  • Music: Ghibran
  • Runtime: 2 hours 19 minutes

Stories revolving around lookalikes usually end up being about identical twins lost at birth. But Rajendra Reddy’s Amigos is not that kind of clichéd tale of two lookalikes.

The three characters played by Kalyan Ram have nothing in common with how they have been brought up and what they do.

Additionally, one of Kalyan Ram’s characters has a mysterious aura about him. Kalyan Ram showed his penchant for choosing interesting stories with his last one Bimbisara.

In spite of the Rajamouli hangover, Bimbisara still had its own identity in how it dealt with the concept of time travel. There is a cruel and selfish king who ends up straddling two timelines.

Amigos is another different attempt by Kalyanram. Much like Bimbisara, this also lacks perfect storytelling. But still, it is worth your time.

The plot

Siddharth is a young man who runs a family business. One day, he is astonished to come across a website about doppelgangers.

On that website, he comes across two of his lookalikes — Manjunath and Michael. They meet up.

After a fun holiday in Goa, they come down to Hyderabad to help Siddharth with his love life.

The love interest here is Ishika (Ashika Ranganath), a girl who wants her husband to have superman qualities.

But things take a drastic turn with the entry of NIA. They are after one of the lookalikes. The rest of the story is about why NIA is hell-bent on catching this guy and how this affects the other two.

What works out and what doesn’t?

Amigos begins off on a slow note. The initial portions feel more like a setup and certain restlessness creeps up.

But things take a turn for the better when Siddharth meets his lookalikes.

The scenes in Goa are fun to watch. Scenes where Manjunath and Michael help Siddharth have their share of amusing moments.

The interval bang when the NIA catches up with one of Kalyanram’s lookalikes raises the stakes for a pulsating second half.

The second half is much better as there is an engrossing cat-and-mouse game between Siddharth and the antagonist. The antagonist is also played by Kalyanram.

Some tension-filled moments make the audience root for Siddharth.

The climax involving the doppelgangers is the biggest highlight of this enterprise. There is a certain joy that the audiences get when Siddharth gets rid of the bad guy.

The big issue with Amigos though is their formulaic nature in terms of the treatment. This is best reflected in the portrayal of NIA.

The NIA comes across as rather incapable on many occasions. On more than one occasion they look like buffoons. A stronger portrayal of NIA would have elevated the antagonist more.

The commercial elements of comedy, romance and action are a hit and a miss; particularly, the romance aspect.

More than the music, it is the background score that elevates the film. Ghibran provides a rousing BGM that adds to the characters, particularly in the scenes of Michael.

The remix of “Enno Ratrulostayi” deserves a mention here as it provides some relief.

The performances

Ashika Ranganath is pleasant but her character Ishika’s dreams of wanting a superman husband also come across as rather clichéd.

Amigos is mostly a Kalyanram film as the actor is present in almost all the frames. He is successful in showcasing the variations between the three characters.

He is most effective as the villain who would go to any lengths in his mission.

The actor also deserves appreciation for the distinct voice modulation in this part. His portrayal of Manjunath’s innocence also deserves appreciation.

Bramhaji is the only other actor who stands out. He has a lengthy part and the senior actor does well as expected.

Verdict

In a nutshell, this tale of doppelgangers will make you curious about finding your lookalikes even though it comes with its own set of dangers.

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Writer Padmabhushan: A Simple Story With A Lot Of Heart

Do not miss!

Writer Padmabhushan (Telugu)

  • Cast: Suhas, Tina Shilparaj, Rohini, Ashish Vidyarthi, Gouri Priya, Goparaju, and Ashok Kumar
  • Writer-director: Shanmukha Prasanth
  • Producers: Anurag Reddy and Sharat Chandra
  • Music: Shekar Chandra and Kalyan Nayak
  • Runtime: 2 hours 23 minutes

A well-made underdog story is always good to watch irrespective of which field it is set in. On the surface, Shanmukha Prasanth’s Writer Padmabhushan may appear to be just another tale of an underdog.

But it packs in some major surprises along the way, particularly the climax which the audiences don’t see coming.

The plot focuses on a middle-class family in Vijayawada. Padmabhushan (Suhas) is an assistant librarian with a huge dream of becoming a famous writer. He has already written and published his first book Tholi Adugu (First Step).

There are scenes where he often daydreams of fans squabbling to get his autograph. However, the reality is different. He gives free copies to those visiting his friend’s salon in the hope that someone will read it.

Padmabhushan’s parents – Madhusudan (Ashish Vidyarthi) and Saraswati (Rohini) – have a firm belief in their son’s abilities. Madhusudan is a clerk in a registrar’s office while his mother is a housewife.

In a turn of events, Padmabhushan suddenly becomes famous with a new book coming out in his name which, apparently, is written by an anonymous person. The person also runs a blog in his name.

Padmabhushan is initially uncomfortable but soon starts revelling in his newfound success. His personal life also undergoes a huge change with his marriage getting fixed.

But then, all these changes suddenly when the blog becomes stagnant and questions are raised about why he stopped writing.

The rest of the story covers multiple aspects. The most important among them is the anonymous person’s actual identity and why he/she is using Padmabhushan’s name.

Relatable & hilarious

Writer Padmabhushan is relatable even for those who are not aspiring writers. At the very outset, the director makes the viewers identify with the protagonist’s love for books.

Whether it is the scenes of him imagining that his book is a massive success or the scenes where he slips in his book to members of the library along with other library books making it look accidental.

The middle-class lifestyle has an authenticity to it. The family portions between Suhas, Ashish Vidyarthi and Rohini have plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.

A good example of this is the scene where the entire family switches from auto to cab just to make their presence felt at a wedding.

The romantic angle between Padmabhushan and Sarika (Tina Shilparaj) begins off on an awkward note but becomes better as the story goes along.

A particular mention must be made of the scene where the two visit an almost empty theatre. There is a hilarious bit that raises some chuckles.

However, it has to be said that the love story could have been done with more plausibility in terms of how Sarika agrees to marry Padmabhushan.

The second half becomes even better with the introduction of a new character played by Gouri Priya. There is a different angle that the director brings in with this track.

The best part of Writer Padmabhushan is the climax where an important revelation is made regarding a key character. This revelation is intermixed with the film’s opening scene which takes in a government school.

The performances

Director Shanmukha Prasanth is supremely effective in conveying an important message without making it heavy-handed or preachy.

The climax cannot be revealed here for obvious reasons but it definitely adds more depth to the proceedings.

Suhas essays Padmabhushan with a lot of sincerity and is successful in carrying the film on his shoulders.

The surprise package, though, is Ashish Vidyarthi. He is someone who is generally known for his negative roles. But here, the actor plays an adorable dad which has a good mix of fun and emotions. He makes the character even more adorable with his performance.

Rohini brings a lot of warmth to her part and her performance in the final portions is particularly heartwarming.

Verdict

Despite minor blips, Writer Padmabhushan is worth your time, particularly if you want to take a break from the mega action films which, of late, have become a norm.

It is a simple movie with emotions everyone can relate to.