Category: OTT Films & Webseries

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Songs of Paradise: An important tale of breaking social conventions

Taking inspiration from Kashmir’s first female singer director Danish Renzu tells a relevant tale of resilience and rebelling against the social norms. The fight of Saba Azad’s Zeeba Akhtar holds relevance even today. Not everything lands but Songs of Paradise is an important watch

Starcast: Saba Azad, Soni Razdan, Zain Khan Dhurrani, Sheeba Chadda, Taaruk Raina and others

Genre: Musical

Director and writer: Danish Renzu

Producers: Ritesh Sidhwani, Danish Renzu, Farhan Akhtar and Shafat Qazi

Production Companies: Excel Entertainment, Apple Tree Pictures and Renzu Films

Music: Abhay Sopori

Cinematography: Vincenzo Condorelli

Running time: 1 hour and 40 minutes

Streaming site: Amazon Prime

Raj Begum born in the year 1927 became popular as the Melody Queen of Kashmir. She was honored with Sangeet Natak Akademi award along with the Padma Shri. Raj Begum became a singer at the time of major restrictions. Danish Renzu’s Songs of Paradise is an earnest effort at celebrating her defiance.

Saba Azad as the younger version of Raj Begum

In brief the storyline traces the life of Saba Azad’s Zeeba Akhtar, a young woman blessed with an extraordinary voice. How she breaks the rigid traditions with the help of supportive men forms the basic arc of the film.

A major strength of the film are the acting performances coupled with the music. Both Saba Azad and Soni Razdan playing Zeeba at different ages are a delight to watch. As a young Zeeba Saba brings the perfect mix of vulnerability and resilience. The journey of Zeeba in navigating the world of patriarchal mindset in spite of a support system is both well written and enacted. Saba conveys the determination and the persistence often times with the slightest expressions, specifically her eyes. A standout sequence involves Zeeba’s conversation with a man, “You are a male, you look for an opportunity to showcase your talent. We women seek excuses to pursue our hobbies.” Saba Azad’s background as a singer also comes in handy during the song portions.

Soni Razdan as the older Noor Begum is also wonderful with her moving portrayal. She becomes an emotional anchor often conveying a lot through silences. Zain Khan Durrani as the oxford educated poet is charm personified. The way he supports Zeeba in spite of the open hostility makes the viewers wish that the world has more men like him. Their love track has some adorable moments.

Sheeba Chadda playing an overbearing mother is also fantastic successfully making the viewers hate her. Shishir Sharma as Zeeba’s master also pitches in a good act. Taaruk Raina as a music student is fairly good too. What also adds to the performances is the perfect local dialect. The songs is another plus for the movie. The compositions of Abhay Sopori are deeply rooted in Kashmiri Folk giving a different flavor. The songs do a fine job in echoing Zeeba’s yearning for freedom.

A major problem with Songs of Paradise is the lack of sufficient dramatic tension. The socio and political turmoil in Kashmir needed to be explored more. The challenges faced by Zeeba specifically the societal backlash and the emotional toll have a rushed nature. There is a certain surface level approach sometimes distancing the viewers.

Final word: In spite of a certain surface level approach Songs of Paradise is a relevant tale of pursuing one’s hobby without giving into the society’s narrow minded thinking.

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Arabia Kadali: Satyadev and Anandhi bolster this rehash of Thandel

The Pakistani characters in Arabia Kadali have more depth in comparison to Thandel, they are written with more nuance. However, a sense of repetitiveness specifically for those who have seen Thandel plays a major spoilsport. The series is worth watching for how it handles the socio-political aspects. Fortunately, Satyadev’s Badri never becomes a larger-than-life hero, he wins over the enemies with humanness instead of fists

Starcast: Satyadev, Anandhi, Poonam Bajwa and others

Genre: Drama

Director: V. V Surya Kumar

Screenplay: Krish Jagarlamudi and Chintakindi Srinivasa Rao

Producers: Y Rajeev Reddy and J Sai Babu

Production Company: First Frame Entertainments

Music: Nagavelli Vidyasagar

Cinematography: Sameer Reddy

No of episodes: 8

Streaming site: Amazon Prime

The story of Arabia Kadali focuses on a group of fishermen from Srikakulam. They unknowingly wander into Pakistani waters in the year 2018. Satyadev is Nurgala Badri, among his people Badri is the most educated. He dreams of a better life with Ganga (Anandhi). Anandhi lives in a nearby village of Matsyawada. There is a major animosity between the villages of Badri and Ganga. Things take a massive turn when the fishermen are imprisoned in a foreign land. The rest of the story focuses on how they return home after a long ordeal and in process the hostility giving way to mutual cooperation and respect.

A strong aspect of Arabia Kadali is the world building done by director VV Surya Kumar along with Krish Jagarlamudi. The interpersonal dynamics between the two villages with the financial struggles has been shown in an engaging manner. It takes a while for the central conflict to kick in but because of the engaging world building the viewers care for the fishermen’s plight.

The gradual process of the hostility coming down has also been shown in a layered manner. There is no overnight transformation, instead it’s a step-by-step process. The web series is also refreshing in how it doesn’t paint Pakistan’s as complete caricatures. At one point you have a judge defending Indian Fishermen in front of Pakistani officials. Amit Tiwari as warden Saleem starts off as hugely evil but he too gets a credible redemption arc.

Poonam Bajwa as Dr Fathima also has a strong voice not afraid to express her opinions. She plays her part with the right balance of warmth and authority. The web series doesn’t confine itself just to the plight of Indian prisoners it also mentions the Pakistani ones languishing in Indian jails. The need for humanity across borders comes out in a strong manner.

Mention must also be made of how Anandhi’s Ganga shapes over the web series. Much like Sai Pallavi in Thandel she is also a woman of steel not letting the cynicism get to her. Anandhi does a fine job in capturing the inner strength.

The cinematography of Sameer Reddy is also good. He captures the numerous landscapes in an effective manner. There is an earthiness to the atmospherics. As Badri Satyadev does a good job in capturing the resilient nature of the man. He makes you believe in Badri’s almost saint like nature with his earnest acting, a particular sequence worthy of mention is when he talks about not writing any letter to Ganga. The reason doesn’t make complete sense still the emotional vulnerability makes the viewers feel for the man.

Talking about the flaws the VFX department leaves something to be desired. A key sequence involving a heavy storm comes across as rather cartoonish. The beats of Thandel also weigh down Arabia Kadali. A sense of boredom creeps in certain portions due to this. The track involving Harsh Rohan as the spoilt brother hasn’t been well integrated either, it comes across as jarring to say the least.

The love story while neatly done could have done with more intensity. The web series would have benefitted immensely with more scenes featuring Satyadev and Anandhi. As a result, the required emotional pang for two lovers is missing.

Final word: Arabia Kadali is a more grounded version of Thandel. Watch it for the performances and the message of humanity.

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Mayasabha (Rise of the Titans): A gripping socio-political drama

Aadi Pinishetty and Chaitanya Rao in roles inspired from Chandrababu Naidu and late YS Rajasekhara Reddy

Prasthanam director Deva Katta does a good job in engrossing the viewers, he successfully recreates the socio-political fabric with authenticity. The web series doesn’t shy away from wearing its politics on sleeves. The dialogues carry a lot of punch specifically those related to caste disparities

Starcast: Aadi Pinishetty, Chaitanya Rao, Divya Dutt, Sai Kumar, Srikanth Iyengar and others

Genre: Political drama

Creator: Deva Katta

Screenplay and direction: Deva Katta and Kiran Jay Kumar

Producers: Vijay Krishna Lingamaneni and Sree Harsha

Production Companies: Hitmen&Proodos, Productions LLP

Cinematography: Suresh Ragutu and Gnana Shekar V. S

Music: Shaktikanth Karthick

No of episodes: 9

Streaming site: SonyLIV

Pulling off a political drama and that too on real life personalities isn’t an easy task given how easily people can get offended. However, Deva Katta does an excellent job in not just capturing the political atmosphere but he along with Kiran Jay Kumar also pack in some strong social commentary. The web series doesn’t shy away from dwelling into thorny topics like caste, the longer format of a web show also helps Mayasabha given the journey of the primary characters. Mayasabha begins with the usual disclaimer: any resemblance to real people is purely coincidental, however it doesn’t take long for the viewers to understand from whom the primary and also the secondary characters have been inspired.

In simple terms the plot of Mayasabha focuses on Karakala Krishnam Naidu (Aadi Pinisetty) and Dr MS Rami Reddy (Chaitanya Rao). How the paths of these two intertwine from former friends to political rivals forms the basic premise of Mayasabha.

A strong aspect of Mayasabha is undoubtedly the dynamics between the two principal characters. The journey of the two leads are intermingled with both of them starting off as idealists. They want to transcend the social divisions and create a new kind of society however its easier said than done. The inequalities in social systems coupled with faction violence prove to be a major deterrent.

Their differing responses to societal pressures have been written and enacted with nuance. Mention must also be made of how Deva Katta and Kiran Jay Kumar have depicted the ideological disagreements between the two. It never borders on being venomous offering a fresh take on political rivalaries.

The two directors also deserve huge credit for bringing the voice of marginalized. People often caught in a major crossfire to power hungry politicians. Ravindra Vijay as the man wanting to shield his family from violence does an excellent job in representing this.

The emergency period through the characters of Divya Dutta and others also comes out in an impactful manner. Divya Dutta has a commanding presence perfectly embodying the attitude of the role. There is an important line by an official regarding the emergency, it goes like this. “You will give birth to a line of dictators who will use your methods, impose emergency and not even call it one”. This sentence offers a scathing critique of how the present dictators have taken inspiration from this.

Sai Kumar has a late entry playing a role moddled on the legendary NT Rama Rao. The veteran actor as expected shines with his voice modulation and strong presence. Srikant Iyengar too as the power hungry and insecure politician also does a fine job delivering an entertaining performance.

Ultimately Mayasabha belongs to its two leads. Aadi Pinishetty and Chaitanya Rao get into the skin of their respective roles passing with flying colors. The talented Aadi Pinishetty finally gets a part to showcase his acting range, and he doesn’t disappoint. He does a first-rate job in portraying the different facets whether it’s the stammering part or the later stages he doesn’t miss a beat. Chaitanya Rao also provides good support in convincingly portraying the ideological shifts.

The cinematography of Suresh Ragutu and Gnana Shekhar V. S is extremely commendable. They successfully bring alive the period of 1970’s and 1990’s transporting the viewers back to those times. The musical score of Shaktikanth Karthick is also of a good order, the tunes uplift the scenes without proving to be a distraction.

Coming to the flaws the romantic portions and the college days needed better writing and also a tighter edit.

Final word: Keeping aside the minor flaws Mayasabha is a must watch for political buffs.

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Mandala Murders: An almost perfect mythical thriller undone by a weak second act

The prime cast of Mandala Murders

Mandala Murders directed by Gopi Putharan and Manan Rawat has an ambitious scale with strong women characters and effective world building, but after an engaging start the series fizzles out at the finishing line. In spite of the somewhat limp ending the series deserves a watch for its portrayal of feminist rage specifically through the roles of Vaani Kapoor and Surveen Chawla. The latter absolutely chews the scenery with her portrayal of a shrewd woman.

Starcast: Vaani Kapoor, Surveen Chawla, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Vaibhav Raj Gupta, Jammel Khan and others

Genre: Thriller/crime

Creator: Gopi Puthran

Writers: Chirag Garg, Gopi Puthran, Avinash Dwivedi etc

Directors: Gopi Puthran and Manan Rawat

Based on: The Butcher of Benaraz novel

Cinematography: Shaz Mohammed

Music: Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara

Executive Producers: Aditya Chopra, Akshaye Widhani etc

Production Company: YRF Entertainment

No of episodes: 8

Streaming site: Netflix

Mandala Murders streaming on Netflix has a Mardaani spillover in terms of the world inhabited by the women characters. For example, Vaani Kapoor’s Rea is often snubbed by her male colleagues on the account of gender, at one point a junior officer is surprised that a female officer has come to investigative a series of murders. Similarly, Surveen Chawla’s Ananya has to deal with a disloyal husband conspiring against her, this makes her calculative and a tough soul with gray areas.

Lastly there is Shriya Pilgaonkar’s Rukmini. Rukmini is a hugely ambitious leader of a secret society; through her character the two directors highlight female agency in a mystical context. To this Gopi Puthran and Manan Rawat add a whole lot of things with hits and misses in equal measure.

Without giving much away Mandala Murders is set in the town of Charandsapur. A series of brutal murders have shaken up the community. Vaani Kapoor is CBI Agent Rea Thomas. Rea carries a certain emotional baggage related to a girl whom she couldn’t save. Vaibhav Raj Gupta is a suspended cop Vikram Singh; he comes with his own motives. The two team up to uncover certain dark truths. As they dig deeper many secrets tumble out about an ancient society wiped away by the locals. This is the story in brief.

A strong aspect of Mandala Murders is the wonderful cinematography complementing the eerie atmospherics. Shaz Mohammad’s work is of a very high order. The timeline moves between 1950 and 2025; however, the switching of timelines never comes across as jarring thanks to his work. The locations of mysterious tunnels and the hazy forests come across as a character in themselves heightening the investigative portions. Ankit Balhara and Sachet Balhara’s score also jells perfectly with the show’s atmospherics.

The dynamics between Rea and Vikram Singh has also been depicted well by the two directors and the numerous writers. The emotional portions involving Vaibhav Raj Gupta specifically in the scenes of grief and anger has been both wonderfully written and enacted.

The layered characterization of the female characters is also plus particularly Surveen Chawla whose role shifts like a chameleon changing colors. She isn’t always likeable with her actions specifically in a crucial reveal of the last episode, at the same time viewers understand from where the tough personality comes. Surveen absolutely aces the part playing the different shades of Ananya Bhardwaj with ease.

Vaani Kapoor in her OTT debut is also good. She is successful in bringing both the no nonsense persona along with the required vulnerability. Shriya Pilgaonkar has a prominent part in the last episodes, and she too registers a strong impact with a fiery persona.

Jammel Khan as a man obsessed with ancient symbols is endearing as well. He brings in the required lightness to the proceedings. The rest of the cast including Manu Rishi Chadda and Raghubhir Yadav are also fine in their respective parts.

A major problem with Mandala Murders is the final episodes solving the mystery. The character of Aditi Pohankar as Moksha sticks out like a sore thumb. This is due to the stale writing with repetitive shots belonging to a different universe rather than this web series. The connection of Surveen Chawla’s role to the central mystery though a surprise feels jarring as well. The integration needed some foreshadowing rather than just a random surprise for shock value.

The multiple arcs with the numerous subplots also don’t always land, some are more effective than the others. The series could have cut down on some exposition to make the proceedings crisper.

Final word: Mandala Murders is worth watching for fans of thrillers stepped in folklore coupled with the strong women characters.

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The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case: A gripping manhunt

Amit Sial, Sahil Vaid and co

The best thing about this Nagesh Kukunoor directed web series is the multiple perspectives. This includes both the special investigative team and also the perpetrators behind the assassination of late Rajiv Gandhi. The quote of “One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter,” has been explored well

Starcast: Amit Sial, Sahil Vaid, Bhagavati Perumal, Girish Sharma, Shafeeq Mustafa and others

Genre: Crime thriller

Director: Nagesh Kukunoor

Story: Rohit G. Banawilkar, Nagesh Kukunoor and Sriram Rajan

Based on: Ninety Days: The True story of the Hunt For Rajeev Gandhi Assassins

Producers: Nagesh Kukunoor and Sameer Nair

Production Companies: Applause Entertainment and Kukunoor movies

Cinematography: Sangram Giri

No of episodes: 7

Streaming site: SonyLIV

2025 has been a fantastic year for Applause Entertainment with consecutive hit web shows starting from Black Warrant and Criminal Justice Season 4, now their latest web show The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case has opened to rave reviews. The Hunt truly deserves all the praise that has come its way. The broad storyline of this Nagesh Kukunoor directorial has shades of Shoojit Sircar’s Madras Cafe also based on the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, however the tone and also the timeline varies significantly. Madras Cafe was about the events leading up to the assassination of Rajeev Gandhi due to India’s intervention in SriLankan’s Civil War. This web series though focuses on the manhunt following the assassination. Apart from being an investigative thriller Nagesh Kukunoor and his writers have also dwelt into the political tensions.

Madras Cafe directed by Shoojit Sircar

A major strength of The Hunt web series is the depiction of numerous challenges faced by the CBI team. How the squad gradually assembles all the pieces to track down the LTTE operatives in a terrain where the LTTE has widespread sympathy has been wonderfully written and enacted. The constant game of wits between the two sides plays out in a gripping fashion keeping the viewers thoroughly engrossed about the outcome.

Nagesh Kukunoor also deserves praise for the balance of intense moments with the personal side. There is a portion of the feared Sivarasan and the aid Suba (Gouri Padamkumar) enjoying a Rajinikanth movie like any normal couple. Similarly, there is a scene of Subha painting her nail while guarding the hideout with a rifle. These moments are lovely to watch. On the other hand, you have two investigators exchanging their views on the food in North versus South, this is just before meeting an informant. This juxtaposition of the professional investigation and some carefree moments makes the show very enjoyable.

Through the track of LTTE supporters Nagesh Kukunoor along with his writer’s dwell into how the armed rebels are considered heroes by the local population. This is where the theme of one person’s hero being another person’s terrorist comes. The viewers also see the officers doing certain things that don’t align with their personal beliefs. The web series at no point takes sides leaving the viewers to make their own judgments.

Mention must also be made of Sangram Giri’s cinematography. He does a very fine job in capturing the atmospherics of 1990’s Tamil Naidu. There is in a lived-in feel. Specific mention must be made of his work in the tension filled last moments.

The mixture of characters conversing in Hindi and Tamil also doesn’t get jarring due to the fluent pronunciation. Sahil Vaid in a breakthrough act nails his Tamil dialogues, breaking out of hero’s best friend mold Sahil gives a very good account of himself. Amit Sial as DR Kartikeyan too brings in the both the required gravitas and authority as per the requirement. Bhagavati Perumal is also good however the two actors who stand out the most in the supporting roles are Shafeeq Mustafa and Gouri Padmakumar. They play their roles to absolute perfection capturing the various nuances.

Sahil Vaid in a breakthrough act

Shafeeq Mustafa and Gouri Padamkumar

While gripping for most part The Hunt could have benefitted with more contextual set up about IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force). Also, Rajiv Gandhi’s involvement for those not aware needed a little more detailing. The last episodes also somewhat drag making you wish Nagesh Kukunoor had wrapped things more crisply.

Final word: The Hunt: The Rajeev Gandhi Assassination Case is a binge worthy watch for fans of layered thrillers featuring psychological warfare

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Aap Jaisa Koi: Feminism wrapped in romance

R Madhavan and Fatima Sana Sheikh in Aap Jaise Ko

Director Vivek Soni takes the classic trope of gradual love in an arranged marriage to deliver stinging lessons on patriarchy. Men who appear to be modern on surface but actually placing themselves in authority. Vivek Soni along his writers do a fine job in calling out the double standards particularly in matters related to sexuality and desires

Starcast: R Madhavan, Fatima Sana Sheikh, Ayesha Raza, Namit Das, Manish Chaudhary and others

Genre: Romance

Director: Vivek Soni

Writers: Radhika Anand and Jehan Handa

Producers: Karan Johar, Somen Mishra, Aadar Poonawala etc

Production Company: Dharmatic Entertainment

,Music: Rochak Kohli and Justin Prabhakaran

Cinematography: Debojeet Ray

Running time: 1 hour and 55 minutes

Streaming site: Netflix

On the surface the plot of Aap Jaisa Koi feels a cross between Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani and R Madhavan’s own Tanu Weds Manu. Much like Alia Bhatt in Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani Fatima Sana Sheikh also plays a fiercely opiniated Bengali here. R Madhavan’s character of a middle aged bachelor has shades of the soft Manu. Thankfully though Aap Jaisa Koi has its own identity specifically the subplot of Ayesha Raza representing the numerous married women facing casual sexism and misogyny and how she breaks out of the conventions by following her heart.

The story of Aap Jaisa Koi primarily revolves around two people belonging to different age brackets as well as varied thought processes. R Madhavan is a 40 plus Sanskrit professor Shrinenu Tripathi. Shrinenu is painfully shy, he hasn’t even kissed till now. In short an absolute virgin becoming the butt of jokes. The friend played by Namit Das introduces him to an anonymous world of chatting with unknown women, the site is Aap Jaisa Koi. The chats in this site have sexual undertones which Shrinenu thoroughly enjoys. Fatima Sana Sheikh is Madhu Bose. a lecturer from Kolkata. Both of them meet in an arranged marriage set up and sparks fly soon. However the path is far from easy. The obstacles are societal expectations and the traditional expectations of gender roles. This is the story in brief.

A strong aspect of Aap Jaise Koi is the integration of different social issues like women’s desires along with the hypocritical attitude of men towards their choices. There is a key scene in the second half where Shrinenu and Madhu Bose have a split when everything is going right, the break up is connected to the dating site. Madhu Bose was also on the same site for a while chatting with many men. Shrinenu considers Madhu Bose a whore just because she chatted with numerous unknown males .The heated dialogues between the two exposes the double standards of men like Shrinenu who think of themselves as progressive but in actuality they are sexist.

In the beginning portions there is a heavy hangover of Manu in R Madhavan’s role but unlike that movie Shrinenu here comes with more shades. Post the bitter break up there are scenes of Shrinenu grappling with prejudices that he has never questioned so far. After a long time R Madhavan has returned back to the romantic set up and the actor is a delight to watch conveying the internal turmoil with just his body language. Fatima Sana Sheikh is confidence personified perfectly embodying the feministic attitude, additionally she looks gorgeous as well in the sarees.

Mention must also be made of Ayesha Raza’s heartfelt portrayal of a woman who hasn’t got the emotional love and often faces casual sexism from her husband. In spite of doing a job from home the husband doesn’t take her seriously, instead Manish Chaudhary’s character thinks that he is doing some favor by allowing her to work. This is where the theme of ingrained patriarchy comes in. This is cycle of inherited attitudes is very visible in Shrinenu’s view points towards Madhu being on Aap Jaisa Koi app. Manish Chaudhary is successful in making the viewers hate him, he perfectly embodies the character’s attitude making the role relatable.

The songs composed by Rochak Kohli and Justin Prabhakaran are soulful too. Jab Tu Sajan and Mila Tujhe stand out among the compositions. Both these numbers perfectly capture the blossoming romance.

Final word: Aap Jaisa Koi is a simple tale with feministic undertones. If you are in the mood for something breezy and are an R Madhavan fan do watch it.

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Criminal Justice Season 4(A Family Matter): A gripping legal procedural intermingling different threads

Director Rohan Sippy along with the writers do an excellent job in keeping up the viewers interest till the end. What makes Season 4 stand out is the exploration of issues like mental health and the grey areas in marriage. Pankaj Tripathi as lawyer Madhav Mishra slips into the part with practiced ease combining humor with empathy

Starcast: Pankaj Tripathi, Surveen Chawla, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub, Shweta Basu Prasad, Mita Vashisht and others

Genre: Drama/thriller

Director: Rohan Sippy

Writers: Sandeep Jain, Sameer Mishra and Harman Wadala

Creators: Harman Wadala and Rahul Ved Prakash

Producers: Sameer Nair, Deepak Segal and Sameer Gogate

Production Companies: Applause Entertainment and BBC Studios India

No of episodes: 8

Streaming site: Jio Hostar

Starting from 5th April 2019 The Criminal Justice web series is one of the longest running web shows next to Panchayat which has also completed four. The character of Madhav Mishra played by a delightful Pankaj Tripathi is a much admired for his wit and the way he solves cases. It is one of those rare web series where as a viewer you need not see from the starting season given that the cases aren’t interlinked, each one is a fresh chapter with a few recurring actors and actresses. For those who are not aware the base of Criminal Justice web series is a British Television series of the same name.

As the title suggests season 4 of Criminal justice is primarily about the fragile family dynamics. Raj (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub) and Anju (Surveen Chawla) were once upon a time a couple, now they stay separately but aren’t divorced. In spite of their fractured marriage Anju lives in the same apartment as Raj. The reason being the daughter Ira (Khushi Bhardwaj). Ira is suffering from Asperger’s syndrome. Asha Negi is Roshini a nurse who has been taking care of Ira and slowly becomes an important member of the family particularly for Raj. Raj’s mother and Anju have made peace with their relationship. This settled dynamics receive a jolt when Anju and the maid find Raj holding a blood-soaked Roshni. What follows is a courtroom drama shuttling backing and forth with the ever reliable Madhav Mishra

A strong aspect of Criminal Justice Season 4 is the dual narrative running simultaneously with the legal proceedings. The complex personal relationships with shades of grey coupled with the difficulties in raising a neurodivergent child has been etched well by both the director and writers. These two aspects give the series an emotional resonance making it more than just another case.

The investigation aspect with numerous layers also catches the viewers unawares on many occasions. You are always guessing on whether Raj is really the killer or there is something more to this. At one point there are seeds of doubt on Ira too, on whether she was somehow involved. Just when you think everything is solved the web series throws an expected googly leading to a brilliant revelation. The ending leaves the viewers with many thoughts on justice and sacrifice.

The angle of Asperger’s syndrome and the difficulties in raising a neurodivergent child has also been dealt with the required sensitivity. Rohan Sippy and the numerous writers have done a very fine job in starting a conversation about this condition, they show how people living with Asperger’s can also bring a fresh perspective. Khushi Bharadwaj plays her part with the right amount of authenticity, even though the screen time isn’t a lot.

As expected Pankaj Tripathi as Madhav Mishra is a delight to watch like the previous seasons. His sharp humor adds a lot to the courtroom proceedings, apart from the subtle comedy Pankaj Tripathi also brings an empathy in the scenes with Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub and Surveen Chawla. His scenes with the wife and the brother in law bring a smile to the viewers face. At one point the wife played by Khushboo Atre becomes an unexpected pillar of support as well.

Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub as Raj is also terrific in portraying the moral complexities of the role. He brings out the inner turmoil brilliantly. Surveen Chawla too is very good. She touches the viewers heart with an emotional performance specifically in the climactic portions. Mita Vashisht and Shweta Basu Prasad in the roles of opposition also bring strength to their respective parts. Their performances add a lot in making sure that the courtroom proceedings resemble a tense chess game.

Mohmammed Zeeshan Ayub and Surveen Chawla

Asha Negi as Roshini is sincere but her relationship with Raj is loosely etched making it difficult for the viewers to care.. The love track of Raj and Roshini has a rushed nature instead of an organic development.

Final word: Criminal Justice Season 4 is a binge worthy watch for fans of the previous seasons and of course the magnetic Pankaj Tripathi.

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Uppu Kappurambu: A whimsical social satire with a wonderful Suhas

Suhas and Keerty Suresh

Director Ani I. V Sasi flips the concept of the famous Telugu poem on its head by saying everyone is equally important. Keerthy Suresh trying her hand at slapstick comedy is rather annoying in the beginning portions however the national award winner comes into her own as the movie progress. Her dynamics with Suhas gives the movie some of its best moments

Starcast: Keerthy Suresh, Suhas, Babu Mohan, Talluri Rameshwari and others

Genre: Comedy

Director: Ani I.V Sasi

Screenplay: Vasanth Mariganti

Cinematography: Divakar Mani

Music: Sweekar Agasthi

Producer: Radhika Lavu

Production Company: Ellanar Private Limited

Running time: 2 hours and 15 minutes

Streaming site: Amazon Prime

In terms of tonal structure both Shubham and Uppu Kappurambu have a distinct similarity, the use of screwball humor in addressing the respective social issues. This brand of farcical humor can take a while getting used to however both the movies are successful in getting the message across.

Uppu Kappurambu begins with Rana Ragubbati’s hilarious voice over perfectly setting the stage for the following outlandish scenarios. The broad storyline of Uppu Kappurambu focuses on Keerthy Suresh’s Apoorva. A young woman thrown into a tumultuous situation following the death of her father and village head Subbaraju (Subhalekha Sudhakar). Keeping up with the village tradition Apoorva takes over her father’s position. Babu Mohan and Shatru play Bheemaya and Madhababu respectively. They openly scoff at the very thought of a woman sarpanch and that too a naive young girl. Suhas plays the graveyard caretaker Chinna taking over his father’s position. In an odd turn of events Chinna realizes that the graveyard is running out of space to bury the dead. This leads to a lot of chaotic situations.

A major strength of Uppu Kappurambu is the dynamics between Apoorva and Chinna. The growing friendship between them as the two race against time gives some wonderful moments. There is an emotional poignancy to their conversations like the portion where Suhas reminisces about their school days talking about the huge disparity in their lives. Mention must also be made of Suhas’s retort to a man ridiculing Chitti Jayapuram having a female village head. He critiques the narrow mindset by mentioning about his village having a female deity, then what is so wrong about Chitti Jayapuram having a female head. The scenes of Suhas speaking to the dead as if they are long lost friends also make an impact.

Suhas is simply top notch moving the viewers with his heartfelt act. Keerthy Suresh on the other hand feels like a fish out of water in the initial moments however the actress does a very fine job in showcasing Apoorva’s transformation. From the initial nervousness to a more confident approach Keerty makes the viewers root for Apoorva.

Another ace of Uppu Kappurambu is the political aspect specifically the upper caste men wanting to exercise control over the graveyard. Through the characters of both Mohan Babu and Shatru the director has successfully brought about the angle of caste disparities. On the surface the village may give an impression on treating the dead with equal dignity however the truth is something else. This is amply clear in the portion where a character believes that his clan deserves the utmost space in the graveyard based on the long lineage.

Apart from the caste disparities Uppu Kappurambu also dwells into the themes of communal division, misogyny and the resistance to change. All these have come out well particularly in the movie’s later half where things start to get more coherent.

Apart from Suhas and Keerthy Suresh the supporting cast comprising of Babu Mohan, Shatru and Talluri Rameshwari also do well in their respective parts. Among the technical aspects Divakar Mani does a fine job in capturing both the village atmosphere and the eccentricities through his lens.

Among the flaws the movie’s screwball tone takes a while getting used, the humor in the beginning is also a hit and miss. An elongated sequence with Keerty using dramatic gestures to whip up a frenzy doesn’t elicit much chuckles. Similarly the sequences involving a village drunkard only add to the run time instead of adding anything substantial.

Final word: Uppu Kappurambu is worth watching if you are in the mood for something whimsical with a social message.

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Rana Naidu (Season2): A competent follow up led by an excellent cast

A poster of Rana Naidu Season 2

The toned down approach of season 2 does harm than good robbing the show of its zing, nevertheless the family dynamics make up for the shortcomings. Abhishek Banerjee as Jaffa gets the best arc, a sexual abuse survivor finding his voice and the actor absolutely nails it moving the viewers. The new entrants led by Arjun Rampal and Kriti Kharbanda make their presence amply felt too

Starcast: Rana Dagubbati, Venkatesh Dagubbati, Surveen Chawla, Sushant Singjh, Abhishek Banerjee, Arjun Rampal, Kriti Kharbanda, Dino Morea and others

Genre: Action/drama

Directors: Karan Anshuman and Suparn Verma

Writers: Karan Anshuman, Karan Gour, Vaibhav Vishal etc

Producer: Sunder Aron

Production house: Locomotive Global Production

Cinematography: John Schmidt

Music: Sangeet-Siddarth

No of episodes: 8

Streaming site: Netflix

For those who haven’t seen season one of Rana Naidu the story followed the journey of a fixer Rana (Rana Dagubbati). The job of Rana is to clean up the mess of his high profile clients. Rana goes about his job with utmost seriousness successfully solving their problems, at home though its a very different matter. Naga (an uninhibited Venkatesh Dagubbati) played the estranged father. He had gone to jail for a crime he didn’t commit coming out of a prison after a huge gap of fifteen years. Naga is desperate to fix his relationship with the sons for the other mistakes he has done. Sushant Singh and Abhishek Banerjee played the other two sons. The series was based on an English web series Ray Donavan.

Rana Naidu Season 1

At ten episodes Rana Naidu did feel a little long, specifically the use of swear words, at times it felt overdone although the same no holds barreled approach was a major USP of the show. Season 1 was an gripping drama about a twisted family giving a psychological insight into the different psyches of parents. Not surprisingly the shows bold nature had its share of praise and brickbats making Season 1 one of the most watched web series. Now you have Season 2 within a gap of two years. The affect of the brickbats is clearly visible in toning down of the content, this makes the show less interesting nevertheless season 2 has its share of pluses specifically the drama involving the three brothers and also the women characters.

Season 2 of Rana Naidu begins with the protagonist wanting to quit his fixer’s life. However the dream gets shattered due to his son’s kidnap. Rajat Kapoor plays billionaire Vikram Oberoi. He helps Rana in rescuing the child however this comes with a cost. Rana aligns himself with Vikram helping the daughter Alia Oberoi (Kriti Kharbanda) to acquire her own cricket team. Enter Arjun Rampal’s Rauf Bhai, Rauf Bhai has a history with Rana. He comes out of jail with a the support of politician OB Mahajan (Rajesh Jais). Rauf Bhai is filled with Vengeance. On personal front Rana’s wife Naina (Surveen Chawla) becomes emotionally distant. This is the storyline in brief as the web series moves along multiple threads.

A strong aspect of Season 2 are the human emotions whether it is the subplot of Abhishek Banerjee’s Jaffa overcoming the trauma of sexual abuse and finding the courage to fall in love or the crumbling marriage of Rana and Naina. The subplot of Abhishek Banerjee and Aditi Shetty’s Tasneem gives the show some of its best moments. The love story and Jaffa’s path to finding courage has been wonderfully integrated. There is a brilliant scene where Abhishek Banerjee let’s out a shout of joy after a love making session. How he breaks down revealing a crucial incident of his past to Tasneem hugging her has been brilliantly written and enacted. Abhishek Banerjee continues his super run of form delivering a fantastic act, he is truly one of the best actors that we have in the current lot.

Abhishek Banerjee and Aditi Shetty

Mention must also be made of the nuanced manner in which the directors have depicted the complexities of a troubled marriage. The portions between Rana and Surveen Chawla also pack an emotional punch. The ups and downs of a long marriage has come out in an impactful manner. Just like the first season Surveen Chawla’s Naina is no push over, Naina is a strong woman who isn’t afraid of pointing out her husband’s flaws and following her heart. Surveen plays the part with a lot of grace perfectly capturing the robust nature. In fact the main women characters in the show apart from Surveen have also been written with lot of care with different shades. A good example of this is Kriti Kharbanda in the role of an ambitious girl who would go to any lengths in taking over her father’s business. Kriti pulls off a pleasant surprise with her impactful performance, she embraces the grey shades with complete conviction. Aditi Shetty as Tasneem is also very good as the woman in charge of her life. There is a key portion between Aditi Shetty and Rana just before her and Jaffa’s wedding, Tasneem clearly tells Rana on how she loves Jaffa as much as he does and how she isn’t marrying for his social background. This scene is a perfect example of Tasneem’s feisty nature and Aditi Shetty does a swell job.

Arjun Rampal and Kriti Kharbanda

Season 2 also makes an interesting case study of different types of masculinity. Rana Dagubbati’s Rana is the more macho guy, Jaffa on the other hand is more sensitive. In case of Sushant Singh’s Tej he somewhere falls in between as an elder brother. He doesn’t approve of Rana and Naga Naidu’s ways but at the same time he also takes decisions which go against the core nature of his personality. Sushant Singh plays a key emotional anchor in a solid manner.

The series also dwells into vote bank politics and power struggles, how greed and power fuel shifting alliances with nothing good coming out of it for the characters.

Coming to the titular protagonists. Rana Dagubbati as Rana reprises his role with practiced ease. There isn’t much of an upgrade and often times a predictability creeps in how Rana manages to get out of tough situations. Nevertheless the actor’s charisma keeps the viewers invested. Much like the first season he strikes the perfect balance between brooding intensity and emotional vulnerability. Venkatesh Daggubati as Naga Naidu has a lot of fun in spite of the reduced screen time and less profanities. In spite of Naga Naidu’s flawed nature Venkatesh makes you care for the character’s desperation to reconcile with the sons. There is a brilliant scene between Venkatesh and Abhishek Banerjee where Jaffa asks Naga on how to become the best father. To this Venkatesh says to not do the mistakes which he did, its a heartwarming moment. Arjun Rampal effortlessly slips into the shoes of a Mumbaiya Gangster whether its the dialect or the overall body language. The actor effortlessly switches between a supposed messiah and a merciless villain. Rajat Kapoor as Oberoi lends a suave charm to his role of a millionaire with hidden closets. Lastly Dino Morea as the undercover cop falling in love with Naina also makes his presence amply felt.

Final word: Rana Naidu Season 2 is a perfect watch for admirers of dysfunctional and twisted families. The toned down approach becomes a roadblock for fans of first season nevertheless second season is still worth watching.

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Devika &Danny: A friendly ghost with a strong message of female empowerment

Ritu Varma and Surya Vashistta

B Kishore’s Devika &Danny is an interesting mixture of supernatural elements and a young woman breaking out of her self imposed shackles. What works for the web series is the family friendly tone and simple but effective storytelling. Ritu Varma in the role of Devika gives an assured performance mixing vulnerability with inner strength

Starcast: Ritu Varma, Surya Vashistta, Subbaraju, Goparaju Ramana and others

Genre: Fantasy

Director: B Kishore

Writer: Deepak Raj

Cinematography: Venkat C Dilip

Production house: Joy Films

Producer: Changati Sudhakar

No of episodes: 7

Streaming site: Disney+ Hotstar

In the first few minutes of Devika &Danny streaming on Disney+ Hotstar Ritu Varma’s Devika Nandan talks about living her life within a 25 kilo radius. She is a woman who despite certain reservations on her father’s choice of a potential groom decides to go ahead. Her belief is that a few adjustments will make the marriage work, also Devika is someone who doesn’t want to cross the line chosen by her father. In more ways than one Devika is an anthesis to the character played in Pelli Choopulu featuring the same Ritu Varma. Devika lacks the agency Chitra had at least in the initial portions. This establishment of character trait sets the tone for the subsequent transformation. The transformation of Devika Nandan into a more determined woman isn’t unpredictable but what makes it work is the subtle nuances.

A major strength of Devika &Danny is the mix of the supernatural elements with a coming of age story. The track of Surya Vashistta who charms Devika gives a different dimension to the web series. The revelation of who Danny actually is though predictable acts as a major catalyst for Devika to rethink and step out of the conventions. The way Devika becomes a more confident person taking on different challenges is a delight to watch. Surya Vashistta as Danny is both charming and intense as the scene requires. Additionally he shares a charming chemistry with Ritu Varma making the viewers wish they had met in different circumstances.

Mention must also be made of how the web series talks about generational patriarchy through the character of Gopuraju Ramana playing Subbaraju’s father. Subbaraju as a potential groom and a complete jerk with a regressive mindset also makes his presence amply felt. He raises many chuckles with his serious expressions and a certain exasperation. Mention must also be made of senior actress Kovai Sarala as an elderly woman running an orphanage. She appears in the crucial flashback lending an emotional depth.

Subbaraju and other cast members

A major problem with Devika &Danny is an over reliance on the use of Ritu Varma’s voice over. A cut down on that would have benefited the series immensely. Also some of the writing choices in the later half feel very convenient reducing the intrigue factor. The portions featuring Harsh Chemudu also doesn’t much add to the proceedings. His comic track comes across as a major speed breaker.

Venkat C Dilip’s cinematography is of a good order specifically in the village portions. Jay Krish’s background score is also fine and the CGi is well intergrated into the narrative.

Final word: Devika & Danny is a pleasing coming of age story. The series makes for a decent weekend watch.