An overview into how Shivani has chosen interesting roles within the girl next door parts and has found success especially in the context of Telugu girls entering film industry
In the era of importing heroines from either north or southern states it isn’t easy to find local talents as leading ladies. Thankfully this has changed in the last few years with both established and new production houses. Shivani Nagaram is a good example of this refreshing change apart from Vaishnavi in Baby and Sridevi Appala in Court etc. For someone with no particular interest in acting by her own admission and a rank outsider Shivani has had a solid journey so far. Of course, the backing of Bunny Vasu and Vamsi Nandipati has a big hand too. Having said that Shivani has chosen interesting roles as well especially with Little Hearts and Hey Balwanth. There is strongness to these women in terms of the decisions they make.
For example, in Little Hearts Kathyayini quietly takes charge of the both the relationship and career. The portions of Kathyayini saying that we will make the long-distance relationship work and then convincing her parents on what she wants to pursue are solid examples of this. In Hey Balwanth too there is a good trajectory from having a perception about women in a certain kind of business and then the eventual realization. At the end the character Mithra accepts the hero with his family business.
Before getting into the three films it’s necessary to talk about the mini web series Mr Girlfriend. It’s still there in Youtube with nine episodes: as the title suggests the story is mainly anchored on Shivani Nagaram’s Madhumita. The story has a few similarities to late Uday Kiran’s Manasantha Nuvve but the web series is very much its own beast.
Shivani’s role has different shades whether it’s being an authoritative boss: emotions of jealousy when seeing her childhood sweetheart with another female, a certain anger too on how he had treated her in childhood and at the same time love. Shivani did a very fine job in pulling off the different shades. She particularly shined in the sequences of jealousy as well as well as an emotional bit explaining the tough behaviour. However, the highlight episode is when Shivani switches into a Telangana dialect with perfection. The dialogue delivery coupled with the lines makes it very entertaining.
Shivani’s first movie Ambajipetta Marriage band was an intense drama dealing with the theme of caste and the fight for self-respect among others. Shivani played the role of Lakshmi, a sister of a feudalistic man. The role comes with multiple shades whether it’s the playfulness in the saloon portions or the dramatic bits in the latter part. The breakup sequence in particular was job very well done by Shivani. In the sad version of Gumma there is a portion where she communicates with just the eyes and the young actress did an excellent job. In fact, of one of Shivani’s biggest strengths is expressing emotions through body language. This is very apparent in both Little Hearts and the latest Hey Balwanth as well.
In little Hearts there is a sequence with the on-screen father SS Kanchi taking away the phone, this is before the Kathyayini song. Mouli’s Akhil says that he has a surprise for her birthday that particular night. Shivani’s portrayal of anxiety through body gestures was absolutely solid. Mention must also be made of the sequence where Mouli’s Akhil asks are you aunty. The instant change in body language as she widens her eyebrows in anger is another perfect example of this.
In Hey Balwanth’s interval stretch Mithra goes through major shock. She takes great pride in belonging to an orthodox family. But this firm belief is challenged when her grandfather is found in lodge post an act of sex. It’s a double jolt, one the previous revelation of what her boyfriend’s father runs and now this. The emotion of shock was superbly done without any big dialogues. Even the tension of Mithra when she lands up at lodge fully knowing what happens there was wonderfully portrayed by Shivani. In both these scenes the reliance is on expressing through facial expressions rather than big dialogues.
Apart from acting Shivani has also sung songs in a couple of movies in fact she comes from a family which is musically trained. Her singing debut happened with music director and childhood friend Sinjit Yeramalli. The song name is Amaayakanga from the film Aarambham. She was also musically involved in the smash hit little hearts apart from acting.
Shivani is also a trained Kuchipudi dancer who has given stage shows too. However there hasn’t been much scope for dancing so far in the three films.
Shivani Nagaram has a vibrant and level-headed personality and that clearly reflects in the interviews. There is a clear intent to experiment with different genres in the upcoming films. Here’s hoping that the actress has a long career with good body of work. It would be nice to see the actress in a full-fledged dance film especially given her background.
A summary of Sivaji’s second innings starting from the web series 90’s Middle Class Biopic. How he is doing more solid work than before notwithstanding the recent controversy
There are some actors who peak much later in their careers than the beginning stages. Court and Dhandorra actor Sivaji is a solid example of this. It’s not that Sivaji hasn’t given good performances in the past. For example, in the Neelakanta directed Missamma he played a middle-class employee with big dreams. In the process of impressing the boss (an excellent Bhoomika) his life turns upside down. The actor’s comic timing especially in the second half is a delight to watch. Sivaji brought the house down on many occasions with just his expressions. There is also the Charmi starrer Mantra. In this film the actor played a rowdy who helps Charmi’s Mantra. The film significantly picks up pace with Sivaji’s entry. Both the above-mentioned films aren’t centered on him but still Sivaji made his presence amply felt.
Having said that the current characters starting from the web series 90’s Middle Class biopic has given Sivaji more layered roles. He has made complete use of it too. Apart from being a solid actor Sivaji has also proved himself as a dubbing artist. A special mention must be of the movie Dil starring Nithin. Sivaji dubbed for Nithin and his dubbing was one of the big reasons in the film becoming a hit.
Sivaji’s voice in the confrontation scenes with veteran actor Prakash Raj gave the movie some of the best moments. Dil is one of Nithin few hits as a leading man and a big reason for that is Sivaji’s powerful dialogue delivery.
Not surprisingly Sivaji won Nandi award for best male dubbing artist in 2003. Before the web series 90’s Middle Class biopic the versatile actor faced a slump but the last couple of years have been very fruitful with commercial success and critical acclaim. Yes Dhandorra wasn’t a hit on the Court level for different reasons. One is sandwiched between the monstrous hit Dhurandhar and also Avatar 3, this did some damage apart from Sivaji’s rather unnecessary comment on dresses worn by actresses. Still it won a lot of appreciation especially Sivaji’s nuanced performance of an upper caste bigot undergoing social consciousness.
Now let’s dive into Sivaji’s recent performances showcasing the actors brilliance.
90’s Middle Class Biopic directed by the young filmmaker Aditya Hasan was a major winner for everyone concerned. The success of this web series consolidated ETV Win as a quality production house. In this web show Sivaji was seen in the role of a respected maths teacher and a family man.
The character on the exterior comes across as a taskmaster with an iron grip. At the same there is a vulnerable side too. This especially comes out in the scene where the daughter becomes an adult person. His character Chandra Sekhar is terrified about the responsibilities that will come with this. Sivaji did a very good job in portraying the vulnerabilities of an anxious father successfully showcasing a different facet to the role.
The roles in both Court and Dhandoora have a similar core. In the hands of a lesser role it would have become mimicking but both the writing and Sivaji made sure that they don’t become an overlap. This is especially true of Dhandoora. His act in the first is reminiscent of the hit movie Court, however Sivaji’s prowess as an actor comes in the second half while showcasing the gradual change and eventually undergoing social consciousness.
The breakdown in the court accepting his mistake is very touching. The viewers empathise with his emotional outburst though the character was a caste bigot. Similarly Sivaji’s performance in the scenes with Bindu Madhavi brings out a different side.
In court movie Sivaji played a highly despicable casteist as well as a misogynist. There is no redemption arc for the character Mangapathi here, the role is deliberately one tone, but Sivaji fully embodied the caste fanaticism making the viewers despise him.
This is a brief overview into Sivaji’s second innings. Here’s hoping that the senior actor continues to shine bright with versatile roles like the upcoming Sampradayini Suppini Suddaposini. At the same time it would be nice if Sivaji doesn’t unnecessarily comment like the last time and let his craft do the talking.
An overview of how Akshaye Khanna has become one of the most sought out character artists in today’s times with a range of characters whether it’s playing the antagonist or police parts among others
Starting from the year 1997 Akshaye Khanna has featured in over 40 movies as a leading man, second lead and character artist roles. As a conventional leading man Akshaye didn’t much have success with the song and dance routine: however, Akshaye has had a great run of form with layered characters where there is no baggage of a mainstream hero as well as a star kid. There was a significant gap of four years when Akshaye took a sabbatical 2012-2016 but the comeback has been resounding to say the least.
One of Akshaye Khanna’s most iconic characters came in the movie Dil Chahta Hai directed by Farhan Akhtar. Over the years the character Sid has become a fan favourite. The role is more mature in comparison to the ones played by Aamir and Saif. There is an understated romance to his scenes with Dimple Kapadia making the viewers wish that they had a happy ending. Akshaye Khanna especially stands out in the interval block with Aamir when the latter chides him for falling in love with a much older woman.
One of Akshaye’s biggest strengths is letting his work doing the talk rather than indulging in extra pr machinery. He comes and chews the scenery, then goes underground resurfacing again at the time of his next release. The perfect example of this attitude is the latest release Dhurandhar. Akshaye has received a lot of praise and rightly so for his fantastic portrayal of Rahman Dakiat. Akshaye has been called the scene stealer overshadowing Ranveer but there have been zero interviews from Akahaye about his show stealing turn. Of course this method doesn’t work for every actor as each has a different personality. Akshaye meanwhile has quietly moved on to his Telugu debut Mahakali amidst both the mega success and also the controversial exit from Drishyam 3. Akshaye Khanna’s attitude towards acting may appear non serious but the intensity which he brings on screen is terrific.
Akshaye Khanna’s Telugu debut Mahakali
In simple terms he has constantly reinvented himself with a variety of characters and is currently in the best phase of his career. Along with Bobby Deol Akshaye Khanna is another example of how some actors peak much later in their careers.
Following are some of Akshaye Khanna’s best performances across different genres
Much before the negative roles in 2025’s Dhurandhar and Chhaava Akshaye Khanna delivered some scintillating acts in the films Race, Humraaz and Section 375. All these come under negative/grey roles. In the first Race Akshaye played a calculative and cunning man, the character Rajiv Singh alternates between brotherly affection and scheming against his own sibling. Akshaye pulled off the different shades with finesse: his work especially stands out in the scene of Rajiv pouring out his frustration regarding his half elder brother.
In Humraaz Akshaye played a conman Karan Malhotra. Karan is very good at deception, and this is revealed gradually. The best part of Akshaye’s performance is the slyness with which he plays the role particularly in the second half when the malicious side comes to the fore. Much like Race this is also a character with simmering anguish. He starts off as an ardent lover before turning into a spiteful man. Akshaye pulled off this transformation in an excellent manner.
In Ajay Behl’s Section 375 Akshaye is defence lawyer Tarun Saluja. He played a shrewd layer fighting for a filmmaker accused of rape. Tarun is a firm believer in the quote “We are not in the business of justice; we are in business of law”. In short his ideology differs significantly from Richa Chadda’s Hiral Gandhi. This difference of ideological stance gave the movie some of its best moments. Akshaye Khanna simply chewed the scenery with his fantastic act. In the hands of a lesser actor the role would have become extremely detestable but the conviction with which Akshay uncovers the botched-up police investigation with the sharp arguments is a delight to watch. One of the stand out scenes concerning Akshaye’s acting is when the character is splashed with ink by a protester: this is followed by Tarun looking at his reflection in the mirror, the anguish in those eyes is very palpable. Yes, the politics of Section 375 is a bit slippery given the timing of the then Me Too Movement. The movie looks at how men can also be falsely accused of sexual assault but for Akshaye’s acting alone Section 375 is very much worth a watch.
Apart from wonderful performances in negative roles Akshaye has also aced cop characters in the 2017’s Ittefaq a remake of the 1969 one and also Drishyam 2. In Ittefaq the actor effortlessly switched between comedy and being serious: The way Akshaye’s goes about investigating the double murder case gives the movie its best moments. Whether it’s chiding his junior officers for indulging in tea during a crime scene or straightening out a colleague with just a piercing gaze the actor was simply sublime.
In Drishyam 2 Akshaye once again stole every scene that he was a part of. The cat and mouse game between him and Ajay is where the movie gathers momentum. A stand out portion is Akshaye visiting the house of Ajay Devgan’s Vijay Salgoankar. Akshaye doesn’t even raise his voice but the overall demeanour is more than enough. The actor brought in a certain authority in his interactions with Ajay and the family. Mention must also be made of the solid one liners: yes dialogues itself are first rate but Akshaye with his portrayal enhanced them further.
Apart from the above-mentioned parts Akshaye has also proved his versatility in comedy. These include the likes of Hungama (2003), Hulchul and Tees Maar Khan. In Hungama he played the role of Jeetu. An ambitious entrepreneur caught in a web of misunderstandings. Akshaye raised ample chuckles in the scenes of banter with the ever-reliable Paresh Rawal. In Hulchul Akshaye’s character falls in love with a woman from rival family, Akshaye’s scenes with Arshad Warsi playing a friend/sidekick raised ample chuckles. Last but the not the least there is Tees Maar Khan by Farah Khan. In this movie Akshaye played a caricature of a popular Hindi actor. It’s over the top by design but the gleeful abandon with which Akshaye plays the role makes the portions interesting.
This is all about some of Akshaye Khanna’s best performances and how he has evolved over the years. Here’s hoping the actor continues to shine and entertainers the viewers with diverse roles.
This is a look-back into how Karan Johar has evolved over the years both as a producer and director encouraging new talent whether it is directors or actors. The way he is going strong with an unfazed attitude is praise worthy in spite of being trolled for different things, more so for launching star kids.
Producer, director, TV Host and occasional actor Karan Johar is one of the most polarising Bollywood personalities. On one hand he gets lots of love for backing films like Kill and Homebound, which has gone to Cannes receiving a standing ovation, on the other hand he faces trolling for producing films with star kids like Alia, Janhvi Kapoor and the recent launch pad Nadaaniyan with Ibrahim Ali Khan. There is an unabashed nature to Karan which comes out strongly in all his interviews. A good example of this is the latest interview with Baradwaj Rangan.
He had a convincing answer to every criticism. He said he goes by his inner conviction while selecting young actors and actresses irrespective of their family background. Sounds true, because in the movie Kill both the lead actors come from non filmy families, Lakshya Kapoor and Raghav Juyal. A big strength of Karan is his strong persona. Karan also has this great ability to take pot-shots at himself and his movies either directed by him or produced by him. Karan’s inherent jovial nature and the way he interacts with even younger actors and actresses, putting them at ease without the baggage of a producer is refreshing too.
Lakshya Kapoor and Raghav Juyal in Kill
Director:
Karan Johar has come a long way as a director in selection of stories, he started his directorial debut with the frothy Kuch Kuch Hota Hai but as a filmmaker his most defining moment came with Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna a major departure from the usual romantic dramas. Though not without flaws Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna showed Karan Johar’s ability in taking on more layered and risky storylines. The director successfully dwelt into the complexities of modern marriages and emotional dissatisfaction. The movie showcased how messy relationships can turn out to be with everyone getting hurt.
In more ways than one Karan completely turned the concept of the clichéd ‘happily ever after’ on its head. The movie had its share of brickbats as well due to the bold presentation. Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna featured SRK in one of his most unlikeable roles as a very bitter and arrogant Dev while Abhishek Bachchan gave one of his better performances. There is a child like nature and sweetness to the role. As viewers you sympathize with Abhishek more than SRK.
The starcast of Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna
Another movie showcasing Karan Johar’s evolution as a director is My Name Is Khan. The movie explored the burning issue of Islamophobia set in the period after 9/11 attacks. It’s a very risky topic given the political undertones but Karan did a very fine job. Apart from Islamophobia Karan also dealt with a syndrome called Aspergus with the required sensitivity. In spite of having an overblown pre climax involving a massive flood Karan delivered an important message about the need for tolerance and rising above religious hatred.
A still from My Name Is Khan
Mention must also be made of 2023’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani. Karan managed to bring in something new within the familiar terrain; he subverted some of his own themes regarding patriarchal authority. A major highlight of Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani is the recreation of ‘Dole Re Dola’. Ranveer’s Rocky dancing with his prospective father in law challenged the traditional notions of masculinity like nothing else; he broke down the gender stereotypes with this one. gesture. Through the character of Rocky Karan presented a refreshingly different protagonist, a man who is willing to change for his girlfriend.
Ranveer Singh’s Rocky doing Kathak with his prospective father in law
Apart from feature films Karan has also been part of anthology movies like Bombay Talkies, Lust Stories 1 and Ghost stories. By Karan’s own admission he was very sceptical on how he would fare among the more intellectuals Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee and Zoya Akhtar. Though he stuck to his favorite homosexuality theme starring Saqib Saleem and Randeep Hooda he effectively brought out the need to embrace one’s real self. It ended up being the most talked about segment.
Producer
As a producer too Karan has experimented with different genres. For example there is Tarun Mansukhani’s Dostana a movie about two guys pretending to be gays in order to find a house. Dostana may come across as just a frivolous fun film with humour that often borders on being outlandish, but it is not that. It is an important film as it is one of the first mainstream movies on homosexuality in an attempt to normalize it. There is an important scene in the second half where Kirron Kher is seen accepting her son’s sexual identity and relationship. Of course Abhishek Bachchan’s character is not an actual gay, still it is an important moment in the larger context of social acceptance.
Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham as pretending gays
Kapoor &Sons directed by Shakun Batra and produced by Karan is another millstone. The film was a family drama with several hidden skeletons, something which most families try to cover up with a pretense of everything is all right. Through this tale of a dysfunctional family Shakun Batra also advocated on a same sex relationship being normal
Kapoor &Sons
Raazi directed by Meghana Gulzar and produced by Karan is a nuanced war drama bringing alive a little known chapter of history. Raazi’s significance lies in how Meghna Gulzar explored the human cost of war through a wonderful Alia Bhatt. The presentation of the Pakistani characters specifically Vicky Kaushal’s Iqbal was refreshing too.
Raazi movie banner
With Nikhil Nagesh Bhatt’s Kill Karan entered into a very different territory, a movie combining raw and brutal action with societal undertones. The movie brilliance lies in how it humanized the gang of armed robbers through the themes of class divide elevating a standard one man army plot. Much like Homebound Kill also went to a film festival last year to Toronto, it received rave reviews as well as awards. Kill marked the emergence of two promising talents.
With Gauri Shinde’s Dear Zindagi Karan brought the much needed topic of mental health to the mainstream. The need to recognise mental health issues and go for professional help was well emphasised. This is necessary, particularly in today’s society where people are judged constantly. Dear Zindagi also explored the challenges, both professional and personal of a young woman cinematographer aspiring to be a director.
Alia and SRK in Dear Zindagi
Lastly Neeraj Ghawyan’s segment called Geeli Puchhi in the Karan Johar produced Ajeeb Daastaans anthology also deserves a mention for its exploration of caste, sexuality and womanhood in an impactful manner. It was the most liked segment in the anthology making a political statement.
Geeli Puchhi
Of course Dharma Productions has its share of huge misfires too, Puri Jagannadh’s Liger being the best example. The film was a cross pollination of various genres making little sense. Even Ayaan Mukherjee’s Bramhastra: Part 1 didn’t have a long run. There is no denying that Bramhastra: Part 1 was an ambitious attempt at merging western aesthetics with Indian mythology, however the plot suffered majorly on account of tonal issues like the jarring trope of quick love. In spite of these hiccups he continues to be strong backing new talent and content. Many directors who have worked in Dharma productions have talked about the freedom Karan gives.
Actor:
As an actor Karan made his debut with a small role in one of the longest running Indian movies Dilwale Dulhania le Jayenge. He played a small role, as a friend of SRK. After many years he played a full fledged part in Anurag Kashyap’s ill fated Bombay Velvet. The movie was a disaster on many levels but Karan did make an impact, specifically in the scene where his character Khambata breaks into an uncontrollable laugh.
Host:
Karan Johar’s chat show Koffee with Karan doesn’t need a particular introduction. Starting from the year 2004 the chat show has had 8 seasons so far. The show has stirred up numerous controversies due to his adult line of questioning and the intimate nature with which Karan hosts the show. The conversations on more than one occasion may come across as crass; however it presents a different side to the celebrities making it interesting.
Presenter: Of late he has started presenting and promoting movies also, like Bahubali and Lunchbox. Let us see what else he has up his sleeve. One thing is for sure -whatever he does, he makes sure the spotlight is on him and his work.
An overview into how Nani has evolved as an artist over the years with roles that have covered different spectrums. His rise from a midbudget hero to a major star actor and the various aspects that have contributed to his success both as an actor and producer
There is an interesting moment in Hit 3 when the antagonist Pratik Babbar meets Nani’s Arjun Sarkar unaware of being him a police officer in the homicide intervention team. He looks at Nani and talks about him having a soft face. To this Nani replies that the audiences also think the same but there’s a different personality to me. This serves as a self referential dialogue on how Nani began as an actor with roles like Ashta Chamma, Ala Modalaindi and Bale Bale Magadivoy among others and how he has gradually expanded his repertoire by doing a wide variety of roles, for example in 2023 there was Dasara and Hi Nanna both extremely different from each other.
Hi Nanna and Dasara two very different roles
In Dasara he played a rustic young man stealing coal for a living along with his friend. Nani’s character of Dharani starts off as more of a coward unlike the friend who is more desirable with leadership qualities. However as the movie progresses the personality of Dharani undergoes a major change with different shades. Nani completely shed his boy next door persona getting into the skin of the character, whether it was the dialect or the overall body language, Dasara was the first glimpse of Nani going more rustic with choice of roles. Hi Nanna on the other hand is a very different territory. In this movie Nani’s role goes from a young lover to a father who can do anything for his daughter, his chemistry with the brilliant Mrunal Thakur whether it is the scenes of love at first sight or the more emotionally charged ones were the biggest ace of the movie. In spite of certain similarities with the national award winning Jersey the actor made the viewers root for Viraj to have a happy ending.
Starting from his debut movie Ashta Chamma in 2008 Nani has acted in at least 37 movies so far. Apart from acting Nani has also forayed very successfully into production with Wall Poster Cinema. Under the banner Wall Poster Cinema Nani has produced 6 movies so far. Prashanti Tipirneni also plays an active part in this production house. The first movie produced under Wall Poster Cinema was Awe directed by Prashanth Varma. The movie is by no means perfect still it was a daring experiment dwelling into themes of sexual abuse, lesbianism etc. With his very first production venture Nani showed his intention of backing new voices who are off mainstream. Even in the case of Sailesh Kolanu the director of the hugely growing Hit franchise, he was neither an assistant director to someone nor coming from a filmy background. But still Nani still trusted him based on what he wrote and the rest as they say is history. The latest example of Nani’s risking taking ability is the movie Court about the misuse of POCSO. The film’s director Ram Jagadeesh is also a debutant like the above mentioned ones and he completely justified the faith of Nani. A big reason for the movie’s success were the active promotions and the confidence with which Nani backed the movie, it is easily one of the biggest hits of 2025 in terms of money invested and the returns got.
Nani from Ashta Chamma movie
Awe the first movie produced by Nani
Before making his acting debut Nani was a popular radio jockey in world space radio with his own set of fans, he hosted a show called Non-Stop Nani and true to its name it was a nonstop success. He has also worked as an assistant director under the likes of late Bapu among others. One of Nani’s major strengths is his voice modulation, the way he modulates the voice perfectly according to the scene makes him a very good actor apart from a big star.
Following are some of my most favorite Nani performances starting from Ashta Chamma across different genres.
1 Ashta Chamma: In this Indraganti Mohankrishna directorial Nani played a village head burdened by the responsibilities of delivering justice. In order to make his life more enjoyable the character Rambabu often goes to the city leading a dual life. Nani impressed everyone with a skilful performance particularly in the scenes of desperation. He raised ample chuckles in the combo scenes with Srinivas Avasarala. It was a very confident performance without any rawness of a debut actor.
2 Yevade Subramanyam: Nag Ashwin’s directorial debut was a very daring one with the themes of materialism and self discovery among others. In this movie Nani played a young man obsessed with numbers and climbing the social ladder. Nani’s character of Subramanyam resonates with many young men even today. Nani portrayed the role of Subramanyam in a very mature manner whether it is his initial attitude of success at any cost and the eventual transformation that Subramanyam goes through. Although it isn’t a crowd pleasing role still Nani made the character relatable maybe for every generation.
A still from Yevede Subramanyam
3 Jersey: In Jersey Nani played the role of an ex cricketer making a comeback after a long time. The role of Arjun comes with numerous shades and a lot of emotional turmoil, Nani did a fantastic job in bringing alive the different emotions whether it is the helplessness of a father who doesn’t have much money or inner turmoil Arjun goes through at various stages. The scenes between Nani and the child actor played by a wonderful Ronit Kamra were a major ace of the film.
Nani and child actor Ronit Kamra
4 Bhale Bhale Magadivoy: In this comic entertainer Nani was an absolute riot as a happy go lucky guy suffering from major memory loss. He brought the house down on multiple occasions like the scene where Murali Sharma character comes to the house. The way he covers the memory loss in front of the heroine was truly a laughter ride. Apart from humorous scenes Nani also shined in the emotional ones where Lucky losses the trust of the heroine. A specific emotional outburst between Nani and the mother showed the actor’s all round ability.
Nani was an absolute riot
5 Ninnu Kori: Ninnu Kori saw Nani in a grey shaded role. An hurt ex lover who firmly believes that the heroine played by Nivetha Thomas has not gotten over him. In the second half there are numerous scenes of hurt along with bitterness and Nani made the viewers feel the pain of Uma. He did a fantastic job in portraying the grey areas getting empathy from the viewers in spite of the not so likeable actions.
6 V: Indraganti Mohankrishna’s V didn’t completely satisfy the fans of action thrillers. The movie suffered from predictable character arcs, having said Nani truly had a blast with his character. It was very clear that he relished the dark shades and the freedom of not playing a hero bound by morality. Nani’s performance majorly uplifted the movie. A specific mention must be made of the scenes with the passengers. The dark humor in them and the way Nani portrayed it was a delight to watch.
Nani in V
7 Hit 3: Hit 3 saw Nani in his boldest avatar a psycho cop known for brutal violence. There is a lot of violatilness to the role and Nani simply aced it. He carried the movie on his shoulders with brilliant intensity. At the same time what makes the performance stand out is Nani’s ability to generate humour through serious dialogues. The actor’s Hindi in a scene where he interrogates a Kashmiri criminal is a very good example of this. Nani also turned the charm on in the romantic track with Srindhi Shetty, it was very smartly integrated into the main plot.
Nani as the psycho cop Arjun Sarkar known for his brutal violence
Going by his career graph so far it’s clear that Nani has long term goals in satisfying both himself and the audiences. A clear indication of this is him backing new talent and promoting diverse stories both as an actor and producer.
An overview into Vicky Kaushal’s versatile filmography and what makes him a fantastic actor and also a potential superstar.
Starting from his critically acclaimed debut in the very moving Masaan (2015) Vicky Kaushal has done a wide plethora of roles whether it is characters based on history or more contemporary roles.
Son of the well-known action director Shyam Kaushal, Vicky, before making his debut with Masaan, worked as an assistant director on the movie Gangs of Wasseypur (2012).
In fact, Masaan— Neeraj Ghaywan’s directorial— was co-produced by Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane under the banner Phantom Films.
Masaan saw Vicky in the role of a bright student from a marginalized caste. His character Deepak works in the cremation Ghats of the place Varanasi; it isn’t something he likes doing but Deepak has no other option. Vicky made a splendid debut, particularly in the portion where he expresses the centuries of discrimination that the marginalised caste people have been subjected to.
Before tasting huge commercial success with the action drama Uri in 2019, Vicky had a very good 2018 with first-rate performances in Raazi, Sanju and Manmarziyaan.
Playing to the strengths
Vicky Kaushal in ‘Raazi’. (X)
In Raazi, Vicky played a Pakistani soldier contrary to the usual stereotypes. In terms of screen time, Vicky’s role was more of a supporting one, but the actor made his presence amply felt. Vicky has an endearing persona, particularly in the scenes where he romances Alia Bhatt’s Sehmat.
There is a visible sensitivity in the way he treats her. His character Iqbal was written as a sensitive soul and Vicky with his acting made the viewers feel for Iqbal.
A major strength of Vicky is this endearing quality both on and off-screen. He comes across as a very loving person, which explains the female fan following.
Another standout strength of Vicky as an actor is his physicality. To portray a warrior king in Chhaava, having a strong build is crucial; the audience must feel that the hero has the power to cut through countless enemies and become a real threat to the antagonist. Vicky naturally fits this role with his tall stature and solid presence, making him the perfect fit for such characters.
Following are some of Vicky Kaushal’s best performances over the years. This ranges from intense to slightly more comedic parts.
Chhaava
Laxman Utekar’s Chhaava has stirred up significant attention for various reasons. While the film has been lauded for its strong performances and its grand cinematic appeal, it has also faced criticism over the accuracy of its historical events.
Vicky Kaushal in ‘Chhaava’. (X)
Regardless of these debates, one thing is undeniable: Vicky’s dedication in embodying the courageous Maratha warrior on screen. He fully embodies the fierce king, presenting a character who is a true menace to Akshay Khanna’s portrayal of Aurangzeb. Beyond his physical transformation, Vicky masterfully conveys the emotional and psychological toll of being a warrior.
Beneath his warrior exterior, there’s a profound vulnerability—whether it’s the longing for his mother’s affection or the haunting nightmares involving his father. In Chhaava, Vicky’s tenderness shines through in the romantic moments with Rashmika Mandanna.
His tender moments, like calling her “Shri Sakhi” and adoring her with such genuine affection, enrich the character, giving it a rare emotional depth.
These layers of complexity add depth to the role, and Vicky Kaushal’s performance brings them to life brilliantly.
Sardar Udham Singh
Vicky Kaushal in ‘Sardar Udham Singh’. (X)
In Shoojit Sircar’s nuanced biopic of the Punjabi revolutionary Sardar Udham Singh, Vicky Kaushal delivered a stellar performance, conveying the inner rage of a freedom fighter with nothing but his eyes.
Vicky skillfully portrayed the many emotions of Sardar Udham through subtle changes in his body language.
A special mention must be made of his performance during the Jallianwala Bagh sequence. Vicky’s portrayal of Sardar Udham’s anguish gives the audience goosebumps. He truly brought to life the various stages of Udham Singh’s journey.
Sam Bahadur
Vicky Kaushal in ‘Sam Bahadur’. (X)
Meghana Gulzar’s biopic on the dynamic Sam Manekshaw may follow a predictable path, often playing out like a highlight reel, but Vicky Kaushal’s charismatic performance makes the movie worth watching.
He perfectly embodied the fearless attitude and dynamism of Sam Manekshaw.
There’s a Dev Anand-like demeanour to his portrayal, and Vicky was simply superb. He also excelled in the vulnerable moments shared with his wife, played by Sanya Malhotra.
Sanju
Vicky Kaushal in ‘Sanju’. (X)
Although Ranbir is the main pivot of this Rajkumar Hirani directorial, Vicky Kaushal as Sanju’s best friend Kamlesh was also equally good.
In the initial portions, he brings in a lot of laughs but as the movie progresses, he also provides solid emotional depth.
He is exceptional, particularly in the scene where he encourages Sanju to not succumb to difficult circumstances and reminds him of how his father is facing an equally big battle.
In fact, Vicky Kaushal can be called the second lead of Sanju.
Bad Newz
The best way to describe Anand Tiwari’s Bad Newz is as a showreel of Vicky Kaushal. Apart from his nimble dance moves in “Tauba Tauba,” Vicky was fantastic as a typical happy-go-lucky Punjabi boy undergoing a transformation.
Vicky Kaushal in ‘Bad Newz’. (X)
Vicky Kaushal played a major role in lifting the movie’s energy whenever the proceedings started to slow down.
Not only did Vicky bring the house down with his impeccable comic timing, but he also excelled in the emotional scenes. For instance, there’s a moment when his character, Akhil Chaddha, has a breakdown during introspection, and another scene where Vicky reflects on the loss of his late father. In both of these moments, Vicky showcased his versatility and all-around capability.
This is all about Vicky Kaushal’s current filmography. His ability in seamlessly jumping genres is what makes him a potential superstar.
Here’s hoping that Vicky Kaushal continues to entertain the audiences with different roles and genres.
An overview into what makes Anil Ravipudi a very successful commercial filmmaker with both his positives and negatives
Anil Ravipudi entered the Telugu film industry as a screenplay and dialogue writer starting from the year 2009.
He co-wrote the scripts of the Dookudu sequel Aagadu (2014) and also the Bol Bachchan Bol remake Masala (2013).
Anil Ravipudi saw success as a screenplay writer with the 2011 Kandireega, directed by Santhosh Srinivas. The entertaining screenplay particularly the characterization of Sonu Sood, a typical villainous role with the comic undertones left the viewers in splits.
In fact, a major strength of Anil Ravipudi has always been his whacky storytelling. The scenarios are often outlandish, but there is a conviction that he brings to the table.
Director Anil Ravipudi
Anil Ravipudi’s debuted as a director with Patas (2015). Concept-wise the movie has similarities to Junior NTR’s Temper (2015), however, Patas is very much its own beast.
It featured Kalyan Ram as a police officer but not the usual grim cop. There is an easygoing nature to the character particularly in the first half. The viewers get to see an energetic side of Kalyan Ram.
Patas also benefited immensely from comedian Srinivasa Reddy playing Kalyan Ram’s sidekick. The scenes featuring the two were a major highlight of the movie. It went on to become a huge hit and since then there has been no looking back for Anil Ravipudi.
Raja The Great features Ravi Teja as a visually impaired man, but his character doesn’t seek sympathy. Trained by his mother, played by veteran actress Radhika, he leads a self-sufficient life and turns his disability into an advantage.
Though Raja The Great is a typical commercial entertainer with little focus on logic, it ended Ravi Teja’s flop streak in 2017. Anil Ravipudi brought back Ravi Teja’s energetic persona, which his fans had missed for a while.
He has gone on to deliver hit after hit with the likes of Sai Dharam Tej, Nandamuri Balakrishna and of course, Victory Venkatesh with whom he has done three movies including the latest Sankranthiki Vasthunnam.
Flaws in Anil’s filmmaking
Before going into some of Anil Ravipudi’s movies explaining his success it’s also necessary to look into some of the drawbacks in Anil Ravipudi’s stories. It’s a well-known fact that Anil Ravipudi’s storytelling is mostly outlandish with characters behaving in a farcical manner.
Anil Ravipudi with Venkatesh. (X)
While the director’s conviction in dealing with outlandish scenarios is a plus, at the same time his brand of humour and lack of certain political correctness also becomes a major hurdle. For example, in Sarileru Neekevvaru (2020) there is a scene where Rashmika’s Sankruti accuses of Mahesh Babu raping her.
This is used as comic fodder leaving a very bitter taste. The entire portions on the train don’t give much entertainment for the viewers, even the climax portion where the antagonist joins the army just because of one fiery speech, borders on extreme ridiculousness.
Similarly in F3 (2023), most of the principal characters, both male and female, including an honest police officer, are driven by greed for money.
This makes them do questionable things. When it comes to the actions of both Venkatesh and Varun Tej there is no judgmental tone, but when it comes to the characterizations of Tamannaah and co they are unnecessarily vilanised.
There is also a very unnecessary track of Sonal Chauhan thinking that Tamannaah is a man.
While F3 is largely entertaining and also features an important message about what greed for money can make people do and how it should be respected in the right way, at the same time these aspects could have been taken care of by Anil Ravipudi.
Now let’s get into some of Anil Ravipudi’s most successful movies explaining his commercial success.
Sankranthiki Vasthunnam
A poster of the film ‘Sankranthiki Vasthunnam’. (X)
Anil Ravipudi’s Sankranthiki Vasthunnam was an entertaining story of an ex-encounter specialist stuck between his wife and also an ex-girlfriend cum cop while handling an important mission of bringing back a reputed businessman. A strong aspect of Sankranthiki Vasthunnam was undoubtedly the characterization of Venkatesh’s YD Raju coupled with the actor’s brilliant comic timing.
Senior actor Venkatesh isn’t new to the genre of comedy; he has brought the house down on multiple occasions with his fantastic sense of humour most notably in Malliswari (2004) and Nuvvu Naaku Nachav (2001), still Anil Ravipudi brought out a different side to his comedy.
Venkatesh portrayed the multiple shades of YD Raju in a brilliant manner, aided by the hilarious writing.
Women characters
Anil Ravipudi crafted two strong women characters, Aishwarya Rajesh and Meenakshi Chaudhary. Aishwarya’s portrayal of Bhagyalakshmi, a supportive yet jealous wife afraid of her husband reconnecting with his old love, added an interesting layer to the mission. She aced the role perfectly.
Meenakshi Chaudhary, known for her traditional housewife roles in Lucky Baskhar (2024) and Matka (2024), was showcased differently in Sankranthiki Vasthunnam. She played an ex-cop still in love with YD Raju. Meenakshi stood her ground against both Venkatesh and Aishwarya, proving to be a great foil.
Apart from the leads, Bheemla Revanth Pavan, as YD Raju’s son, brought a lot of humour. His OTT-inspired curses had the audience laughing on multiple occasions.
However, a weak subplot about respecting teachers stuck out like a sore thumb. Anil Ravipudi often adds small messages to his films, like in F3, where the theme of greed worked well. But in Sankranthiki Vasthunnam, the teacher-respect theme felt forced and disconnected, more like an afterthought than an integrated part of the story.
Bhagavanth Kesari
Balakrishna and Sreeleela in ‘Bhagavanth Kesari’. (X)
Apart from his usual commercial movies, Bhagavanth Kesari starring Nandamuri Balakrishna was a pleasant surprise as Anil blended Balakrishna’s stardom with an important story of a young girl rising above a certain psychological trauma.
In a way, it was Dangal on steroids. Thankfully the troupes of the army aren’t used here for evoking patriotic feelings. It is more about Sreeleela’s Vijji overcoming her anxiety attacks and in the process becoming a resilient young woman.
In this film, general Anil Ravipudi’s comic troupes are kept to a bare minimum. The film also has powerful dialogues on good touch and bad touch delivered by the terrific Balakrishna.
The track of Kajal Aggarwal playing a supposed psychiatrist is the only occasion where we see trademark Anil Ravipudi touches.
Sreeleela as Vijji
A big strength of the movie was the powerful emotional bond between Balakrishna and Sreeleela’s Vijji. Balakrishna’s character is a foster father to Vijji.
To help Vijji become more resilient, he pushes her to join the army, something which Vijji hates. The portion of Bhagavanth pushing Vijji resulting in her hating him has a distinct hangover of Aamir Khan’s Mahavir Phogat in Dangal.
The movie’s underlying message emphasizes raising girls to be strong, like lions, and this theme comes across powerfully. A notable moment occurs in the pre-climax when, at a critical point, Anil Ravipudi shows Sreeleela fighting the baddies while Balakrishna pretends to be incapable.
There’s a clear reason for this. Both Anil Ravipudi and Balakrishna deserve credit for allowing Sreeleela to take centre stage. Her scenes, where she fights the baddies overcoming her anxiety, form the heart of Bhagavanth Kesari.
F2
F2 directed by Anil Ravipudi deals with familiar themes of frustrated men, in this case, it is Venkatesh’s Venky and Varun Tej’s Varun.
A poster of the film ‘F2’. (X)
Venky is a frustrated husband unable to cope with the system of marriage and the expectations which come with it. Varun on the other hand is a happy go lucky youngster who falls in love with Venky’s sister-in-law. Varun also ends up being frustrated unable to bear the eccentricities of his girlfriend.
The best part of F2 was the entertainment quotient specifically in the first half. Venkatesh played the “subjugated” husband to perfection raising many chuckles with his just his expressions and dialogue delivery.
A particular scene which needs to be mentioned here is when Venkay pours out his emotions about his marriage woes to a patient male dog.
This portion ends up with tears in the dog’s eye making Priyardarshi comment that you not only make families emotional but also dogs. The “juggalbandi” between Venkatesh and Varun Tej was a big plus for the movie enhanced by Anil Ravipudi’s writing.
Varun Tej with his rustic Telangana accent also got a good character and he did a fine job providing able support to Venkatesh.
The second half though went for a toss with some unnecessary characters and a climax which was both convulsed and chaotic; still, the movie was a good entertainer.
F3
F3, the sequel to F2 except for Venkatesh, Varun Tej and some other characters has no connection to F2.
The storyline here is completely different as it focuses on a bunch of men and women driven by greed. A strong aspect of F3 is its entertainment quotient even though it isn’t always politically correct.
Venkatesh and Varun Tej in ‘F3’. (X)
Venkatesh’s character suffers from night blindness; Varun Tej on the other has a specific mannerism to cover his stuttering. A lot of the humour is generated from this.
Much like F2 the “juggalbandi” between Venkatesh and Varun Tej was a major highlight. Talking about the humorous scenes, similar to the first part, there is a portion where Venkatesh talks about his problems to a raging bull, the bull subsequently has tears.
The way it is written by Anil Ravipudi coupled with Venkatesh’s acting makes it very entertaining to watch. Towards the end, there is an important moral lesson that Anil Ravipudi smartly integrates.
This is all about Anil Ravipudi’s strengths and weaknesses as a filmmaker along with what makes him a blockbuster director, here’s hoping that Anil Ravipudi grows from strength to strength and also explores new genres.
While ‘Animal’ came across as a breakthrough performance, his performances on the OTT platforms with the web series ‘Aashram’ and the two movies ‘Love Hostel’ and ‘Class of 83’, also showcased his acting finesse.
Starting with the 1995 movie Barsaat, Bobby Deol has acted in more than 50 movies, including thrillers, action movies, and love stories.
From a boy next door in the likes of Barsaat the actor has transformed into a gritty actor with a diverse portfolio of characters. He has been a leading man, a supporting actor and has now transformed into a wonderful character artiste.
In the 1990s and 2000s Bobby Deol was a popular leading man primarily known for his stylish looks. However, as the years have gone by he has also proved his acting talent. While Animal came across as a breakthrough performance, his performances on the OTT platforms with the web series Aashram and the two movies Love Hostel and Class of 83, also showcased his acting finesse.
Standout performances in late 90s
In the late 90s and early 2000s too, the actor had a slew of fine performances to his credit. Among Bobby Deol’s earlier performances, his act in Abbas Mustan’s Humraaz (2002) deserves special mention. Bobby Deol’s character in Humraaz goes through many emotions, particularly in the second half. There is a palpable sense of distraught when Bobby’s Raj Singhania finds out that his wife has double-crossed him.
Another impactful character in Bobby Deol’s early career includes the romantic thriller Gupt (1997). In this movie, Bobby plays a young man wrongfully accused of murder. He portrayed the different nuances of the role in an impactful manner. Talking about comedy roles, Bobby’s act in Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (2007) as a mama’s boy was endearing to watch.
At one point Bobby’s career saw a dead end with no solid work coming. There were sporadic appearances but nothing substantial.
However, he rose to fame with the Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal, in which he plays a non-speaking person. The film released in 2023 December, opened many avenues for the actor— he is now the most sought-after villain.
In 2024, he once again played an antagonist in Suriya’s Kanguva. While the movie didn’t work as expected, Bobby Deol’s performance earned praise.
Now let’s get into a little more detail about Bobby Deol’s reinvention by expanding on the recent films and the web series mentioned above.
Animal
Bobby Deol in ‘Animal’. (X)
In Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal, Bobby Deol makes a late entry in the second half but leaves a lasting impact. His introduction scene captures two contrasting emotions. In the song “Jamal Kudu,” he dances joyfully with an alcohol glass on his head, celebrating. This is immediately followed by a moment of intense rage upon hearing of his brother’s death.
With his chilling eyes, Bobby’s character becomes a formidable opponent to Ranbir. In the climax, his emotional intensity shines through as he battles Ranbir.
Despite having no dialogue, his fiery eyes and body language convey murderous rage, making him an intimidating and deadly presence.
Class of 83
Bobby Deol in ‘Class of 83’. (X)
Class of 83, directed by Atul Sabharwal, is based on the novel by acclaimed crime journalist Hussain Zaidi. The film follows a cop, Vijay Singh, who is demoted to the dean of a police academy as punishment. At the academy, Singh selects a group of rookies to restore justice through unethical means. His plan works for a while, but things eventually fall apart.
Bobby Deol’s portrayal of Vijay Singh is far from the traditional larger-than-life cops like Salman Khan in Dabangg or Ajay Devgn in Singham. Instead, he plays a brooding mentor, conveying much through silence and his intense eyes. Deol effectively captures Vijay Singh’s inner turmoil with a powerful, internalized performance.
Aashram (Web series)
Bobby Deol in ‘Aashram’. (X)
In his web series debut, Bobby Deol played a charismatic godman in Aashram, directed by Prakash Jha. His character, Baba Nirala, is revered as a messiah for the downtrodden, but in reality, he harbours a dark past. The three seasons of Aashram tackle various social issues, such as the caste system and reservation, in typical Prakash Jha style.
As the cunning yet charming Baba Nirala, Bobby Deol brought immense charisma to the role. He skillfully portrayed the contrast between the god-loving persona he presents to his devotees and the darker side revealed once the curtain falls. Deol perfectly balanced the revered godman with subtle hints of his evil nature.
Love Hostel
Bobby Deol in ‘Love Hostel’. (X)
In Love Hostel, Bobby Deol played a hitman named Dagar, who believes he is doing society a favour by killing young couples who try to break societal norms by marrying outside their caste or religion.
Deol portrayed the mostly emotionless Dagar with the perfect attitude, outstandingly capturing his self-righteousness. He also nailed the hinterland accent.
This is an overview of Bobby Deol’s resurgence. This list is by no means complete, as the actor’s second innings includes many more exciting projects.
These include Yash Raj Banner’s first female-led spy film, starring Alia Bhatt and promising new talent Sharvari Wagh. There is also Anurag Kashyap’s untitled thriller with Sanya Malhotra. In addition, Bobby Deol has Telugu films Daaku Maharaj and Hari Hara Veera Mallu, as well as the Tamil film Thalapathy 69. Here’s hoping Bobby continues to deliver solid work.
Nikhil Advani has aced many genres, including action thrillers like ‘Batla House’, sports dramas like ‘Patiala House’, and films on social issues like ‘Vedaa’.
Starting from the romantic dramas Kal Ho Naa Hoo (2024) and Salaam-e-Ishq (2007) Nikhil Advani has created a distinct space for himself both on the big screen and also in the OTT space.
In a career spanning from 2003 to now, Nikhil Advani has donned various hats as a director, producer, writer and also creator for web series like the two seasons of Rocket Boys (2022, 2024) and The Empire (2021).
However, over the years, Nikhil Advani has moved from light-hearted romantic films to gritty tales about society, and history.
For example, the 2013 movie D-Day is a significant milestone in his career. At the box office, it was an average grosser but the critical reviews were very good.
Although an espionage thriller with all the nationalistic elements, the movie was nevertheless gripping showcasing a different facet of Nikhil Advani. The trials and tribulations faced by the four undercover agents in capturing the late Rishi Kapoor’s character modelled on Dawood Ibrahim packed an emotional punch.
Another TV show POW Bandi Yudk Ke was also directed by Nikhil Advani. The show based on two prisoners of war was taken off the air due to low viewership despite critical acclaim.
Nikhil Advani has aced many genres, including action thrillers like Batla House, sports dramas like Patiala House, and films on social issues like Vedaa. He has also dabbled in the OTT space, giving series like the recent Freedom At Midnight, and Mumbai Diaries Season 1 and 2.
Now let’s get into a little more detail about a few other projects that have been helmed by Nikhil Advani, showcasing how much he has grown as a director.
Batla House
John Abraham in ‘Batla House’. (Instagram)
In 2019, Nikhil Advani directed the action thriller Batla House based on the real-life police officer Sanjeev Kumar Yadav. The film focused on the controversial encounter showcasing Sanjeev’s struggles in proving both the authenticity of it and also dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder.
The movie isn’t entirely objective in its approach more or less siding with Sanjeev Kumar. Still, it was a taut film keeping the viewers engaged. Also, Nikhil Advani’s depiction of PTSD deserves major appreciation.
Nikhil Advani also pushed John Abraham beyond his action star image. On numerous occasions, the viewers see John battling with his inner demons, a particular mention must be made of the portions reminiscent of William Shakespeare’s play Lady Macbeth. Much like that play, here too John’s character is often haunted giving a much-needed emotional heft.
Vedaa
Sharvari Wagh in ‘Vedaa’. (X)
Vedaa (2024) headlined by Sharvari Wagh is flawed yet a gritty social drama about caste-based violence and discrimination. The movie was based on real-life events and Nikhil Advani did a fantastic job in showcasing the struggles of Dalits in climbing up the social ladder even after so many years of independence.
Vedaa deserved to be much more at the box office given its merits but unfortunately lost the box office battle with Amar Kaushik’s mega-blockbuster Stree 2.
A very strong point of Vedaa was how Nikhil Advani developed the character of its titular protagonist portrayed by the brilliant Sharvari Wagh. The character of Vedaa starts off as a timid girl but gradually she grows in confidence becoming a strong rebel refusing to bow down. This transition was wonderfully depicted by Nikhil Advani aided by Sharvari who didn’t miss a single beat.
Apart from Sharvari’s towering act, Nikhil Advani also created a strong antagonist in the form of Abhishek Banerjee’s Jitender Pratap Singh. As the man who firmly believes that one shouldn’t toy with the established caste system, Abhishek simply knocked it out of the park showcasing his immense range.
Mumbai Diaries Season 1 and 2
The two seasons of Mumbai Diaries directed and created by Nikhil Advani focused on two highly distressing real-life incidents.
A poster of the series ‘Mumbai Diaries’. (Instagram)
The first one was about the horrors of 26/11. Nikhil Advani along with Nikhil Gonsalves focused their lens on how medical professionals like doctors and nurses were pushed to their limits in a crowded hospital which is low on resources. The web series was also a tribute to the spirit of Mumbaikars.
A strong aspect of the first season was how it never portrayed the doctors as superheroes. All of them come with their own inner demons and have their backs to the wall both professionally and personally.
Nikhil Advani also did a very fine job in not pitting one religion or nation against one another. It was more about terror versus humanity. The strong acting performances led by Mohit Raina and Konkana Sen Sharma were another highlight of both seasons.
The second season of Mumbai Diaries focused on the rage of floods which had submerged the Mumbai city. Much like the first season this time too the focus was equally on both the doctors fighting against the unfavourable weather and their personal demons along with the fighting spirit of Mumbaikars.
A strong aspect of Season 2 was how Nikhil Advani along with his writers built a palpable sense of urgency. The viewers feel an emotional connection with the characters of Mohit Raina and Konkana Sharma among others.
The flood scenes were also authentically recreated, and the production design of Priya Suhass was simply top-notch.
Freedom At Midnight
Freedom At Might co-written by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins is a very difficult novel to adopt given the sheer vastness of the political turmoil.
A still from the series ‘Freedom At Midnight’. (Instagram)
In today’s political environment numerous filmmakers are seen playing to the gallery to please the ruling party but Nikhil Advani’s adaptation of the vast novel stands out for not just the brilliant writing but also the way in which he never takes sides. He let the audiences make their own judgements by placing them amidst the powerful leaders who had fought for India’s independence.
The dynamics between Gandhi and Nehru were a treat to watch in particular. Gandhi’s unwavering idealism and Nehru’s internal struggle leading to discord were both wonderfully written and enacted. The series was also technically top-notch particularly the portions featuring the riot-torn neighbourhoods.
The show moves the viewers on many occasions like the scenes of religious discord leading to communal violence. Cannot wait to see how the second season unfolds.
Apart from the ones mentioned above a couple of other web series worth mentioning here are Rocket Boys and The Empire. Nikhil Advani didn’t direct either of them but he was still creatively involved. Both these shows further demonstrated Nikhil Advani’s versatility.
This is all about the evolution of Nikhil Advani as a filmmaker. Here’s hoping that he continues to do stellar work.
A rundown of Kartik’s journey from Pyaar Ka Punchnama to Chandu Champion
Starting with Pyaar Ka Punchnama Kartik has done 17 movies so far. He started out with lighter roles that have shades of comedy and romance but with movies like Dhamaka, Freddy and the latest Chandu Champion Kartik has proved that he has got good range. He also tried his hand at an out and out commercial movie Shehzada, a remake of Telugu smash hit Ala Vaikuntapurramulo, though the movie ended up being a disaster because of the weak direction. However to Kartik’s credit he did make for a credible all-round hero.
In Pyaar Ka Punchnama Kartik played one of the frustrated boyfriends; there is a particular scene where Kartik vents outs his anger in a lengthy monologue about issues that men face in contemporary relationships. It struck a huge chord with young boys making Kartik an instant hit. The sequel of Pyaar Ka Punchnama had an even bigger monologue that Kartik aced. For a long period Pyaar Ka Punchnama image stayed with the actor but thankfully Kartik managed to come out of those shadows.
Singing Ami Je Tomar in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2
One of Kartik’s biggest strengths has been his charming nature and an endearing goofiness. A good example of this is Anees Bazmee’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022); in this movie he played the role of Ruhan Randhawa. In the process of helping a girl he pretends to be a fake Baba convincing people that he has the ability to communicate with the spirits of dead people.
Kartik generated a lot of humor with his dialogue delivery and expressions. He brought the house down on many occasions particularly when he pretends to be an expert Baba.
At the same time he was equally intense in the song Ami Je Tomar where he pretends to be possessed by the devil. Apart from his goofiness what also makes Kartik a success is his ability to experiment and work in genres that people don’t associate him with.
Kartik Aryan as the disgrunted man in Dhamaka
Much before Chandu Champion there was Ram Madhvani’s Dhamaka released in the year 2021. In Dhamaka Kartik played the role of a former prime time anchor Arjun Pathak now demoted to a radio jockey. On the personal front too his life isn’t going well. In short he is a disgruntled man. The character is far away from the usual boy next door roles and Kartik did a wonderful job in portraying the different shades.
In the year of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 there was also Shashanka Ghosh’s Freddy a dark psychological romantic thriller about an introvert dentist who craves for companionship. Often times Kartik’s character of Dr Freddy Ginwala is mocked for his social awkwardness. In the title role Kartik aced the many aspects starting from desperation to the eventual dark turn.
kartik-aaryan Freddy showing the simmering rage within the calmness
The best part of Kartik’s performance was how he showcased the simmering rage beneath the calmness. Even in terms of body language one can see the big variation. In spite of similarities to Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker Kartik made sure that his performance has its own individuality.
Now to the latest Chandu Champion directed by Kabir Khan. The role of Muralikanth Petkar, a Paralympics champion is a tough one to portray both emotionally and physically.
Kartik in this movie also appeared as an older man for the first time in his career. Before the movie there was lot of chatter about how he went from 39 percent body fat to just 7 percent.
Kartik-Aaryan in Chandu Champion
The physical transformation was definitely extraordinary getting the perfect look to portray an athlete. But more than the physical transformation what stood out was how Kartik showcased the despair of Muralikanth after getting paralyzed waist down. There is a deep sadness including a suicide attempt. Kartik made sure that the audience’s heart went out for Muralikanth, because of which audiences feel happy for Muralikanth when he creates a world record in the sport of swimming.
Kartik Aaryan Sattu (Satyaprem Ki Katha) from a simpleton to standing up for his wife
Talking about romantic dramas Kartik’s best performance in this genre is Satyaprem Ki Katha (2023). Directed by Sameer Vidwan Satyaprem Ki Katha was an impactful romantic drama focusing on the issue of date rape. Kartik’s Sattu starts off as a goofy guy but there is a solid emotional graph too as the movie takes a serious turn. The performance is particularly good in the high emotional moments. The evolution of Sattu from a simpleton to someone who stands for his wife was very well showcased by the actor.
This is a brief rundown of Kartik’s roles that showcase his versatility. Here’s hoping that this younger star goes from strength to strength and does many more versatile roles.
