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Ullozhukku: A gripping drama about human frailties

The torrential rains become a metaphor for the buried secrets resurfacing amidst the grief. Both Parvathy Thiruvothu and Urvasi are exemplary in their respective parts

Ullozhukku written and directed by Christo Tomy has all the characteristics of a plot set against a funeral background. The movie is now streaming on Amazon Prime. Anju (Parvathy Thirovutu) is married to Thomaskutty (Prasant Murali). Although married she is still in touch with her lover Rajeev (Arjun Radhakrishnan). They are having an affair behind the back of Anju’s mother- in law Leelamma (Urvasi). Things take a drastic turn with the death of Thomaskutty. He was suffering from a major disease that eventually took his life. On top of this Anju finds out she is carrying Rajeev’s child few days before Thomaskutty’s death. This is the story in brief.

Anju married to Thomaskutty

A strong aspect of Ullozhukku are the flawed characters, through the various flawed humans the director has touched upon grief, desire, honor, freedom etc. For traditionalists it would be tough to digest Anju’s serious relationship with the boyfriend while being a married woman, however the director has fleshed out Anju’s love in a wonderful manner. At one point she even decides to elope with Rajeev while Leelamma’s family are still grieving. Again, on surface Anju’s actions may across as selfish but as viewers you understand her desperation.

Similarly, even Leelamma has her own weaknesses too. Leelamma has an abundance of love towards Anju but at the same time she is not able to see her daughter- in laws struggles. There are also some casual dialogues regarding class divide flunked by Leelamma in her anger.

Leelamma has an abundance of love towards Anju but at the same time she is not able to see her daughter in laws sufferings

The portions of Parvathy and Uravasi are easily a major highlight of this movie. There is no heavy melodrama yet the scenes featuring them are a treat to watch.

Another character worth mentioning here is Anju’s father played by Alencier. Alencier pretends to be noble but at the same time he cannot stand the thought of his daughter marrying a Hindu.

Shehnad Jala’s cinematography is of a very fine standard too. Through his lens he affectively the tension within the house and also the frames of flood. The music and background score of Sushin Shyam also enhances the movie.

The one minor issue with the movie is that of Arjun Radhakrishnan. His character of Rajeev starts off as an honest lover willing to wait for Anju but there is a sudden shift which feels convoluted. Yes the viewers understand that Rajeev lacks financial security but still the character change comes across as rather odd.

Both Parvathy Thiruvothu and Urvasi are exemplary in their respective parts. Anju is someone who wants to live life on her own terms but still seeks validation from parents. Parvarthy portrays Anju’s vulnerabilities and determination with her trademark intensity. On the other hand, Uravasi effortlessly switches between a loving mother-in-law and also a possessive mother. No wonder both the actresses have won best actor awards at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne and the Kerala State Awards respectively.

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Barzakh: A gripping concoction of magic realism and arresting storytelling

The flowery language and the slow screenplay aren’t for all but this comeback vehicle of Fawad A Khan is very much worth a watch

  • Starcast: Fawad A Khan, Muhammad Fawad Khan, Sanam Saeed, Salman Shahid and others
  • Writer, director and creator: Asim Abbasi
  • Producers: Shailija Kejriwal and Waqas Hassan
  • Streaming site: Zee 5
  • No of episodes: 6

Barzakh is an Arabic word denoting a bridge separating the living from hereafter. Here hereafter refer to a life beyond the earthly existence. Barzakh is the perfect title for this web series written and directed by Asim Abbasi. Barzakh has been a much-anticipated web show given that it has been a while that Indian audiences have seen the dashing Fawad A Khan. Also, Sanam Seed has teamed up with Fawad post their acclaimed romantic show Zindagi Gulzar Hai. Here the actors share a different kind of chemistry which is a far cry from their previous association. However, the powerhouse performers are a treat to watch in every scene of theirs.

Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed share a different a kind of chemistry which is a far cry from their previous association
Bazrakh explores generational trauma

The story of Barzakh is set in the mystic valley of Hunza. The valley has a mysterious feel that draws the viewers in even before the main characters are introduced. Jafar Khanzada (Salman Rashid) runs a tourist resort named Mahtab Mahal. Jafar Khanzada suffers from dementia; he is pretty much a loner. Additionally, he doesn’t have much connect with the sons. Jafar is twice married and also divorced. In his twilight years Jafar plans to reunite with his first love Mahtab. The twist here is that Mahtab doesn’t exist in reality. Fawad M Khan and Fawad A Khan play the estranged sons Saifullah and Shehryar respectively. Shehryar has a tough time in understanding the afterlife complexities and theories narrated to him. Sanam Saeed plays the mysterious assistant Scheherazade. Scheherazade is from the mountains and has some secrets. Meanwhile there is the subplot of locals rebelling against Jafar for building a mansion on their land not respecting their ancestors. Jafar pays no heed to these protests determined to reunite with his first love by climbing the mountains leading to land of nowhere. This is the story in a nutshell.

First things first Barzakh moves at a very leisure pace. Unlike series that are in a tearing hurry this one takes its own sweet time to establish the character’s motivations and conflicts. There are no startling cliff hangers. For those who prefer unhurried storytelling they will definitely enjoy it. As far as the rest chances are that you would fidget hands.

Through the story of this dysfunctional family director Asim Abbasi focuses on the consequences of generational trauma along with the tricky topic of mental health. For example, Saifullah had always yearned for his mother’s affection, being a queer kid, he never got that. He is haunted by her ghost till date. The portrayal of queer desire and his never-ending search for validation is heart stirring. Like his namesake Fawad A Khan Fawad M Khan is also fantastic in his portrayal of man who had to deal with everything that he has suppressed over the years.

Barzakh web series queer love

Fawad A Khan plays a single father. He is dealing with his own inner demons and wants to save his son from the cycle of generational trauma. Fawad A Khan looks dapper as always but apart from the dashing looks the actor does a swell job in portraying the desperation and bewilderment of Shehryar. His scenes with the father are underlined with sarcastic humor raising many chuckles.

Fawad A Khan plays a single father

Apart from the portrayal of generational trauma Bazrakh is filled with other striking nuances too. For example, in the ‘Land of Nowhere’ women seem to vanish into thin air. The assumption is that they’re called by ‘mountains. The men’s voice is filled with a lot of rage while talking about the mountain spirit. The women on the hand speak with reverence. The children meanwhile ask questions and raise theories about the connection between real and magical. All this adds to the show.

Special mention must also be made of Sanam Saeed. She is a woman of secrets and is constantly struck between her duty to Khanzada and the mountain land. Sanam Saeed does an excellent job. Salman Shahid nails Khanzada’s eccentric nature.

The cinematography of Mo Azmi is also first rate. On one hand he captures Hunza valley in all its glory, at the same time emptiness of night is used to give a spooky touch. The viewers go through a feel of unease. The VFX while smooth for most part could have been better in certain scenes.

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Vedaa: A flawed yet a gritty social drama that touches upon caste-based violence and discrimination

In spite of a bloated second half director Nikhil Advani delivers a hard-hitting tale based on real events. Sharvari Wagh has delivered her career best performance.

  • Starcast: Sharvari Wagh, John Abraham, Abhishek Banerjee, Ashish Vidyarthi and others special appearances (Tammanna Bhatia and Mouni Roy)
  • Director: Nikhil Advani
  • Writer: Assem Arora
  • Producers: John Abraham, Monisha Advani and others
  • Production Companies: Zee Studios, Emmay Entertainment and JA Entertainment
  • Music: Ammal Malik and Manan Bhardwaj
  • Cinematography: Malay Prakash
  • Running time: 2 hours and 36 minutes

Nikhil Advani has had a very interesting filmography starting from the romantic dramas Kal Ho Na Ho and Salaam e Ishq. He shifted gears successfully with the film D-Day a well-made action thriller. Nikhil further proved his versatility on OTT with the two seasons of Mumbai Diaries. Of course, the director has also fallen flat on his face with certain movies but there is no denying that Nikhil is a fascinating filmmaker. His latest directorial is based on some real-life incidents dwelling into the oppression of lower caste. Vedaa alternates between a social drama and a high-octane action thriller with dollops of blood. This mix doesn’t always work particularly the long-drawn climax however there is no denying that Nikhil Advani makes an important statement.

Vedaa alternates between a social drama and a high-octane action thriller

The story of Vedaa deals with an ambitious Dalit girl played by Sharvari Wagh. Vedaa aspires to be a boxer breaking the boundary of social stigma. However, that is easier said than done given her family background and the upper caste bigots. Abhishek Banerjee in his second release of the week plays an unhinged antagonist who firmly believes that one cannot toy with the firmly established caste system. The actor is simply phenomenal which I will elaborate on later. John Abaraham on the other hand is a typical hot headed solider who faces court martial for his rebellious streak. His character Abhimanyu comes to the village of Sharvari, his father-in-law stays here. Abhimanyu tries to lead a normal civilian life but an honor killing incident changes everything. Vedaa’s brother falls in love with an upper caste girl, she also reciprocates but expectedly there is no happy ending. Abhimanyu becomes the guiding force of Vedaa echoing Mahabharata.

Sharvari Wagh’s Vedaa aspires to be a boxer breaking free from social stigma

A strong aspect of Vedaa is how Nikhil Advani has showcased the humiliation that Dalits go through. Even after so many years of independence the social and economic conditions of Dalits leave a lot to be desired. There are some hugely disturbing scenes like the one where Vedaa is assaulted by upper caste hooligans, but she is not a position to fight back. There is also a scene where lower caste men rub their noses on the ground. Of course, the treatment is more in your in your face unlike Article 15 that was more nuanced but still these moments leave a strong impact.

Vedaa also benefits from the strong characterization of the central role. Sharvari Wagh starts off as a timid girl but gradually the character grows in confidence becoming a strong rebel. A scene which deserves a particular mention is Vedaa’s confrontation scene with the younger brother of Abhishek Banerjee’s character. A very violent fight ensues with Vedaa taking out all of her pent-up frustration. Sharvari proves to be a worthy action heroine, on a side note cannot wait to see her kick some serious ass with Alia Bhatt in Alpha.

Abhishek Banerjee proves himself as a supremely talented artist with his portrayal of Jitender Pratap Singh. The actor does a wonderful job in portraying an intimidating villain. He gives John Abaraham more than a tough fight in the hand-to-hand combat sequences. It is hard to believe that this is the same man who played the role of Jana in Stree 2. He is that good.

Abhishek Banerjee proves himself to be a supremely talented artist

The second half of Vedaa has numerous car chases and action sequences. These sequences offer a thrilling ride for the viewers. There is constant tension about how Vedaa is going to emerge victorious from all this. However, it has to be said that the fights become too elongated as well and the climax in particular becomes a never-ending saga. John Abraham’s Abhimanyu Kanwar is pumped with numerous bullets but still he stands up. The gritty texture of the first half is in complete odds with these scenes. Similarly, Abhishek Banerjee is seen walking normally even after being shot in the stomach.

Talking about John Abraham the actors hulk like presence goes completely with the role. Abhimanyu is a man of few words letting his fists doing the talk. However, John’s performance feels like a letdown in comparison to his character of Jim in Pathaan.

Vedaa’s music also leaves something to be desired. The only song that makes an impression is Arjit Singh’s ‘Zaroorat Se Zyada’. Malay Prakash’s cinematography coupled with Manoj Sikka’s sound design deserves a major appreciation. The hinterland of Rajasthan has a lived-in feel.

Vedaa in spite of some flaws is thought provoking making the viewers root for the titular character.

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Stree 2 Sarkate Ka Aatank: A rollicking sequel with the right mixture of scares and humor

Apart from the horror and scares director Aamir Kaushik also does a fine job in blending impactful social commentary

  • Starcast: Rajkummar Rao, Abhishek Banerjee, Aparshakti Khurana, Pankaj Tripathi, Shraddha Kapoor and others special appearances (Varun Dhawan, Akshay Kumar and Tamanna Bhatia)
  • Director: Aamir Kaushik
  • Writer: Niren Bhatt
  • Producers: Dinesh Vijan and Jyothi Deshpande
  • Production Companies: Maddock Films and Jio Studios
  • Music: Sachin Jigar and Justin Varghese
  • Cinematography: Jishnu Bhattacharjee
  • Running time: 2 hours and 27 minutes

Aamir Kaushik’s Stree 2 is one of those few sequels that matches up to its first part. For those who haven’t seen Stree 1 the plot revolved around a female spirit wreaking havoc in the small town of Chanderi. This female ghost by the name of Stree attacked men at night that too during a particular festival period. She only kidnaps those men who turn around when she calls. Apparently looking into her eyes confirms permission to abduct. There is an underlying satire about how consent doesn’t matter for men. Women even in their non-human form are more evolved. Stree 1 had the right doses of suspense and humor along with a touching origin story. The film also benefitted from the fantastic male cast led by an adorable Rajkummar Rao. Not surprisingly Stree 1 was a major hit.

Stree 2 is one of these few sequels that matches up to the first part

Now you have Stree 2 again set in Chanderi. At the end of Stree 1 the female ghost had left the town, fear has been replaced by respect which was denied to her when alive. Instead of O’ Stree Kal Anna (O Stree, come tomorrow) the new instruction is O Stree Raksha Karna (O Stree, protect us) The mindset of Chanderi people has also undergone a significant change, they have become more liberal with woman marrying outside their caste and having big dreams. However, the peace is short lived thanks to a new demon who abducts girls with modern outlook. His name is Sarkate, a hugely grotesque creature with no head. This Sarkate had burned Stree and her lover alive. Once again, the responsibility of saving Chanderi falls on the shoulders of Vicky (Rajkummar Rao continuing his splendid form). Shraddha Kapoor returns back as the mysterious figure with whom Vicky deeply fell in love. Thankfully the viewers get to know more about her character this time around. Apart from Shraddha Kapoor Vicky gets help from his usual trusted allies Abhishek Banerjee as Jana and Pankaj Tripathi as Rudra. Aparshakti Khurrana as Bittu has as an interesting arc which I will get to later.

Shraddha Kapoor returns back as the mysterious with whom Vicky had fallen in love with

A strong aspect of Stree 2 is how Aamir Kaushik has used the character of Sarkate to explore the patriarchal mindset. Very often we see leaders blaming a women’s mindset for the crimes happening on them. The way Sarkate chooses only those girls who think beyond the traditional boundaries reminds the viewers of the numerous sexist leaders.

There is a hugely poignant moment in Stree 2 when all the Chanderi women break out in unison late into the night, fully aware of the dangers lurking. Stree 2 also touches upon women empowerment briefly while talking about the kidnapped girls. Aamir Kaushik doesn’t go very deep but still these moments are mighty effective.

The humor quotient of Stree 2 is also very strong. Niren Bhatt’s dialogues are filled with punches and often leave the viewers in splits. Abhishek Banerjee as the gullible friend often manipulated by his friends raises many laughs particularly in his interactions with Pankaj Tripathi’s Rudra. The way both of them feed on each other is wonderful to watch. Pankaj Tripathi as the ghost expert continues his great form delivering many laughs. He has also gets a charming romantic subplot with Tamanna Bhatia, it doesn’t last for long but makes for a fun watch.

Aparshakti Khurana as Bittu gets more to do this time around and he does a fantastic job. He is charming as the lover singing a lullaby to his girlfriend. His portrayal of anguish upon his girlfriend being taken away by Sarkate is palpable. At the same time there is a different shade too when Bittu becomes an alpha male as a result of Sarkate’s strong spell. The actor brings out both these shades in a wonderful manner.

Rajkummar Rao as Vicky is spot on in acing the different aspects of his role. Whether it is his lover boy act, or scenes of physical comedy. With this movie he once again proves his ability in jumping genres successfully.

The cameos of Tamanna Bhatia, Varun Dhawan and Akshay Kumar have been smartly integrated. Akshay Kumar plays a lunatic who thinks of himself as Shah Jahan. Akshay’s character is the one who sends a warning letter to Rudra in the beginning. The ending shot suggests that he might be an important part of Stree 3. Tamanna Bhatia sizzles in the special song “Aaj Ki Raat. She adds a lot of glamour with her sexy belly moves. Talking about the songs apart from “Aaj Ki Raat the other two “Aayi nai ” and “Tumhare Hi Rahenga Hum” also make for a good listen and watch. Varun Dhawan as Bhediya gets a dashing entry at a critical juncture. His scene with Abhishek Banerjee deserves a particular mention. Varun’s Bhediya gets attracted to Shraddha and asks him on how to impress her. In response Abhishek Banerjee says that you are Bhediya remain like that and don’t become an animal.

Tamanna Bhatia in Aaj Ki Raat

What drags down Stree 2 much like the first part is Shraddha Kapoor’s character. She has the same set of expressions from Stree 1. The romance between her and Rajkummar feels largely one sided with him doing most of the heavy lifting. The sequences of Sarkate meeting his end also needed to be crisper. The viewers get a feeling of eternity before Sarkate gets defeated.

Keeping aside these small niggles Stree 2 is truly a blockbuster sequel.

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Mr. Bachchan: A Masala Treat For Ravi Teja Fans

Harish Shankar does a fine job in molding the central character, but a palpable sense of danger is missing

  • Starcast: Ravi Teja, Bhagyashri Borse, Jagapathi Babu and others special appearance (Siddhu Jonnalagadda)
  • Director and writer: Harish Shankar
  • Original story: Ritesh Shah
  • Based on: Hindi movie Raid (2018)
  • Producer: T. G Vishwa Prasad
  • Production house: People Media Factory Banner
  • Music: Mickey J. Meyer
  • Cinematography: Ayananka Bose
  • Running time: 2 hours and 35 minutes

Harish Shankar is one of those few directors with a good track record in making successful remakes. Gabbar Singh the remake of Dabbang gave a much-needed commercial hit for Pawan Kalyan. A major reason for Gabbar Singh success was how he integrated the trademark Pawan Kalyan quirks and eccentrics. Similarly, Jigarthanda was remade as Gaddalakonda Ganesh. For Varun Tej Gaddalakonda Ganesh was a breakthrough movie. On the other hand, Harish Shankar hasn’t found much success while directing original stories. After a hiatus the director is back with the Hindi remake of Raid Mr. Bachchan. Raid was an intense thriller taken from a real-life income tax raid. It was the longest ever raid to have happened. Director Raj Kumar Gupta made sure that the proceedings were taunt with no unnecessary commercial elements. Sure, the film had a few romantic numbers and also some romance between Ileana D’Cruz and Ajay Devgan but that didn’t hamper the film’s flow. Mr. Bachchan on the other hand is more commercial in sync with Ravi Teja’s mass image. This remake has ample doses of action sequences, mass numbers where Ravi Teja shakes a leg with a much younger heroine etc.

Mr Bachchan and Raid

Mr Bachchan begins off with establishing the honesty of Indukuri Anand who is also called as Mr. Bachchan. He has done many raids earning a good reputation. However, a particular raid leads to his suspension. Indukuri Anand comes back to his hometown. There is a specific reason behind Indukuri also being called Bachchan. The father played by Tanikella Bharani is a huge fan of Shahenshah Amitabh Bachchan, it goes without saying that Ravi Teja too is a big fan of Amitabh Bachchan in real life. Coming back, the father decides to keep the name of Bachchan as a nickname for his son. There is an entire sequence where Ravi Teja enacts scenes from Deewar and Shahenshah among others. In his hometown Bachchan falls in love with Jikki (Bhagyashri Borse). While the love story is going on Mr. Bachchan path crosses with that of a powerful politician Mutyam Jaggaya (Jagapati Babu). Later on, Anand’s suspension is revoked, as part of duty Indukuri lands in Mutyam Jaggaya’s house to unearth all the black money and gold. How his personal and professional life gets entwined with Mutyam Jaggaya is the core of Mr. Bachchan.

Ravi Teja enacting scenes from Deewar and Shahenshah among others
Ravi Teja and Bhagyashri Borse

Not surprisingly the soul of Mr. Bachchan is Ravi Teja’s energetic performance. He does well as a determined IT officer and is also charming in the romantic scenes. The confrontation scenes with Jagapathi Babu have some nice punches particularly the dialogues about honesty and how he will shower the power of an honest Income tax officer.

The romance between Ravi Teja and Bhagyashri Bose is developed through old songs and her visits to the place of cassette recording. These portions have a certain oldworld charm. Bhagyashri Borse lends the necessary glam quotient and is also fairly effective in the intense scenes.

Bhagyashri Borse adds to the glam quotient

Jagapathi Babu seems to have stepped straight out of Aravinda Samatha sets. The senior actor doesn’t match up to Saurabh Shukla’s towering act, nevertheless Jagapati Babu does make for a formidable adversary and does a fine job in showcasing Mutyam Jaggaya’s frustration. However, in terms of characterization Saurabh Shukla’s Tauji was more layered. The actor coupled with the writing brought a certain humanity. There are scenes in Raid where there is a palpable anguish in Tauji’s eyes about his own family’s incompetence. This is absolutely missing in the remake.

Jagapathi Babu makes for a formidable adversary

Another problem with Mr Bachchan is the characterizations of the team members. Amit Sial in Raid had a very important role. He goes from being Tauji’s mole to developing a conscious. Here they have been written in extreme broad strokes. Coming to Siddhu Jonnalagadda’s cameo the young actor impresses with his charismatic style and trademark dialogue delivery.

Micky. J Myers music is suitably massy with some energetic dancing from Ravi Teja and Bhagyashri Borse. Ayananka Bose’s cinematography is lavish,

Mr. Bachchan is best watched without comparisons to Raid. For hard core Ravi Teja fans there is enough to enjoy.

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Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba: The central performances coupled with the first half makes the movie watchable

A convoluted second half makes the movie a not so Hasseen sequel

  • Starcast: Taapsee Pannu, Vikrant Massey, Sunny Kaushal, Jimmy Shergill and others
  • Director: Jayprad Desai
  • Writer: Kanika Dhillon
  • Producers: Anand L Rai, Himanshu Sharma and others
  • Production Companies: Color Yellow Productions and T- Series Films
  • Music: Sachet- Parampara and Anurag Saikia
  • Cinematography: Vishal Sinha
  • Running time: 2 hours and 12 minutes
  • Streaming site: Netflix

The first part of Haseen Dilruba was a well-made exploration of love and marriage under the guise of a thriller. Director Vinil Mathews did an excellent job in showcasing the various stages of Rishabh Saxena (Vikrant Massey) and Rani Kashyap (Tapsee Pannu’s) marriage. The way the relationship swings between intense dislike and intense love kept the viewers hooked. Haseen Dilruba also worked as an investigative thriller with the viewers constantly guessing about a supposed murder along with the disappearance of Rishabh’s cousin Neel (Harshvardhan Rane). The sequel naturally comes with a certain baggage. Director Jayprad Desai does a good job in carrying forward the craziness of Risabh and Rani. This time around Sunny Kaushal plays the third wheel, and his character is also equally twisted. However, after a promising start the movie starts stagnating for two reasons. One is the unnecessary subplots and two overdose of twists in the second half.

In Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba Rani and Rishi have relocated to Agra. However, they live separately. Sometimes they do meet but give the impression of being strangers. Rishi pays a big amount to a travel agent who promises to make fake passports so that the couple can leave India. On the other hand, there is the compounder (Abhimanyu) who falls in deep love with Rani. Monty (Jimmy Shergill) is the uncle of Neel; he wants to see Rani behind the bars for a certain crime, he is also absolutely certain about Rishi being alive. He keeps track of everything Rani does, in the process the travel agent is also arrested. Rani decides to marry Abhimanyu to convince the cops about Rishi’s death. The plan is to escape with Rishi at the right time leaving Abhimanyu stranded but things go awry. This is the story in brief.

The story of Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba dwells into the familiar territory of love, obsession and betrayal. But to the credit of Jayprad desai he does keep the viewers tensed about what will happen next more so in the first half. The scenes of Rani and Rishi meeting as strangers is fun to watch. The conversations are filled with some quirky dialogues.

Initially the viewers feel that Abhimanyu is too meek, and things would be very easy for Rani and Rishi however the twist regarding Abhimanyu’s character takes the viewers by complete surprise.

Rani and Rishi give the impression of being strangers
Initially the viewers get the impression of Abhimanyu being too meek

The actions of Jimmy Shergill and his desperation in catching Rani keeps the viewers guessing about her eventual fate. Special must also be made of Dinesh Pandit’s pulp fiction novels. Both Rani and Rishabh quote lines from his works and this adds to the drama on numerous occasions. Here it has to be mentioned that Dinesh Pandit is not based on any real-life author. Writer Kanika Dhillon has just used a fictional name to pay homage to all the pulp fiction writers.

Coming back to the movie the plot becomes very messy in the second half. A major stumbling block is how Monty and his men are not able to catch Rani and Rishi when it is very clear on how they are taking help from these pulp fiction books. There is no denying that some of the second half developments are thoroughly unexpected but at the same time it makes the viewers scratch their heads. The changing dynamics also leaves the viewers bewildered because of the rushed storytelling.

The trio of Taapsee Pannu, Vikrant Massey and Sunny Kaushal leave a strong impact with their performances. As Rani Taapsee looks like a million bucks. The way she seduces Abhimanyu into marriage and sexual undertones have been wonderfully portrayed. She particularly stands out in the movie’s climax while showcasing the emotional turmoil.

As Rani Taapsee looks like a million bucks

Vikrant Massey is also a treat to watch with his striking portrayal of a man torn between love and madness. Sunny Kaushal proves to be a valuable addition in how he handles the different shades of Abhimanyu. He goes from meek to aggressive without any hitch.

As Monty Jimmy Shergill has a commanding presence delivering an impressive act. The character starts off with promise but after a point he becomes a mere pawn. Aditya Srivastava gets even less prominence

Sachet- Parampara and Anurag Saikia’s music goes well with the mood of the movie. Haaste Haaste in particular makes for a good number. This takes place during the marriage of Rani and Abhimanyu. Vishal Sinha’s cinematography is also of a fine standard.

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Brinda: A gripping police procedural which examines the side effects of extremism both religious and otherwise

Writer and director Surya Manoj Vangala does an effective job in exploring multiple societal aspects

  • Starcast: Trisha, Ravindra Vijay, Aamani, Indrajith Sukumaran, Anand Sami and others
  • Writer and director: Surya Manoj Vangala
  • Screenplay: Jay Krishna and Padmavathi Malladi
  • Producer: Kolla Ashish
  • Production Company: Adding Advertising LLP
  • Cinematography: Dinesh K Babu
  • Music: Shakti Kanth Karthik
  • No of episodes: 8
  • Streaming site: Sony LIV

Tense investigative dramas are always a treat to watch provided audiences are on tenterhooks. Trisha’s OTT debut not only ticks the required boxes of a suspense thriller/drama, but it also ventures into topics that are tricky in nature. Thankfully Suraj Manoj Vangala along with the screenplay writers do a good job.

Brinda begins with a prologue that is hugely disturbing. A young girl in mid-1990’s becomes a scapegoat in satisfying a goddess, the goddess is said to be very angry with the villagers. This girl wails loudly seeking for help but they fall on deaf ears. No one in the village including the mother and brother question this ritual murder. Brinda web series is peppered with numerous scenes showcasing how even in contemporary society these acts continue in the name of god.

The main plot of Brinda focuses on a newly appointed sub inspector. Trisha’s character is mostly confined to desk related work, she is a victim of casual sexism. Fellow cop Sarathi (Ravindra Vijay) is the only one who treats her with some respect. Later on, they form an unlikely bond that develops into a strong friendship. Brinda is a brooding police officer suffering from anxiety issues, constantly taking pills. Things take a turn when Brinda goes against her superiors when they try to close a murder case as suicide. She starts digging deeper with some help from Sarathi. Soon multiple murders start taking place. The rest of the story is about who is behind these murders while blending the personal and professional lives of Brinda and Sarathi.

Trisha as a newly appointed sub inspector
Ravindra Vijay as Sarathi

A strong aspect of Brinda is its world building. Although Trisha is the central pivot most of the other characters too have been written with lot of care. A very good example of this is the roles played by Anandasami and Ravindra Vijay. Sarathi is someone who is desperately waiting for a better turn in both his professional and personal life. In spite of a brewing inner turmoil Sarathi never loses his humanness. A scene deserving particular mention is Ravindra Vijay’s breakdown, this happens when Sarathi’s personal life takes a crucial turn. The writing coupled with the actor’s performance is simply terrific. Anand Sami as Thakur also chews the scenery with a spine-chilling act. His back story is very touching and in spite of him being an evil person the viewers feel sympathy. In the title role Trisha successfully sheds her glamorous image delivering a nuanced performance. She is successful in portraying both the vulnerabilities and resilience of Brinda.

Indrajith Sukumaran also excels in portraying the charming and calculative nature Dr. Satya/prof. Kabir Anand. The track of sibling’s rivalry though sticks out like a sore thumb. The teenage rebellion of Brinda’s sister Chutki feels like more of an unnecessary add on. Also, the process of an important character stealing someone else’s identity is not so convincing. However, these are just minor blips.

Indrajith Sukumaran excels in portraying the charming and calculative nature

As mentioned previously Brinda is a web series that tackles multiple societal aspects. For example, there is the track of gender discrimination. How Brinda is looked upon in a condescending manner is touched upon in a subtle yet impactful way. The series also highlights the importance of child care in juvenile prisons.

The power of religion in shaping lives and the dangers of blind faith is also an integral aspect of Brinda. These are just some of the numerous themes that the series examines. Surya Manoj Vangala along with the screenplay writers deserve distinction marks for the treatment.

There isn’t much scope for music in a story like Brinda, but Shakthi Kanth Karthick delivers a powerful opening song.

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Paruvu: An engrossing social thriller encompassing different elements

Siddarth Naidu and Rajasekhar Vadlapati do a wonderful job in merging the various tracks keeping the viewers thoroughly intrigued

  • Starcast: Naresh Agastya, Nivetha Pethuraj, Naga Babu, Praneetha Patnaik and others
  • Directors: Siddarth Naidu and Rajasekhar Vadlapati
  • Writer: Siddarth Naidu
  • Music: Shravan Bhardwaj
  • Cinematography: Vidya Sagar Chinta
  • Producers: L.S Vishnu Prasad and Sushmita Konidela
  • Production Company: Gold Box Entertainment
  • Streaming site: Zee5
  • No of episodes: 8

The topic of honor killing is something that has seen many onscreen depictions. But it never gets old, the hierarchy between upper and lower caste will always remain in some form or other however much the society evolves. The core of Paruvu is honor killing but what makes the show gripping is the intermingling of caste, greed and communal harmony in a thriller format. The world of Paruvu takes a little while getting used to but soon enough the audiences become engrossed.

The world of Paruvu takes a little while getting used to but soon enough the audiences become engrossed

Paruvu begins off with Dolly aka Pallavi (Nivetha Pethuraj) and her husband Sudheer (Naresh Agastya). Dolly had married Sudheer against her family wishes, they still haven’t forgiven her. Dolly and Sudheer are headed to Guntur to pay last respects for the dead uncle. Driving them home is Dolly’s cousin Chandrasekhar aka Chandu (Sunil Komisetty). There is an exchange of heated words. Dolly is pregnant but that in no way softens Chandu. As the journey progresses Dolly becomes extremely suspicious and firmly believes that Chandu has come to bump them off. Things take a huge turn with an unexpected death; further complications arise upon reaching Guntur. Naga Babu plays Ramayya; he represents the caste-based politics. This is the story in brief

Naga babu as Ramayya; He represents the caste-based politics

A major plus of Paruvu are the strongly written characters. All of them come with shades of grey. For example, there is a scene where a major character laments about coming up the hard way but at the same time, he is responsible for another man’s death. In her fight for survival a woman resorts to kidnapping. On certain occasions both Sudheer and Pallavi come across as opportunists who would do anything to save their skin.

What also makes Paruvu engrossing is the funeral background. Key characters are introduced, there is an underlying tension keeping the viewers hooked. The scenes at the funeral also work as a social satire. For example, relatives insult each other in the process of settling old scores. The viewers have the impression of nobody caring for the departed soul.

Among the supporting characters Naga Babu and Praneetha Patnaik deserve a special mention. Naga Babu’s Ramayya wants to become a major politician and uses others as pawns. Praneetha Patnaik’s Swathi on the other hand is the fiancé of a dead man. Swathi is desperate to find where her fiancé has disappeared. She does her own investigation irking Ramayya with her stubbornness. These two subplots give the show some of its best moments.

The role of caste-based politics and how they impact the intertiors of Andhra has also been showcased in a gripping manner. The political set up and the various mechanisams involved have an earthy feel.

Shravan Bardhwaj’s background music is impactful enhancing the drama. Chinta Vidya Sagar’s cinematography is also of a good standard particularly in the scenes which have tension.

Paruvu also benefits from its super talented cast headed by Nivetha Thomas and Naresh Agastya. Nivetha Pethuraj as the pregnant woman is simply splendid. She does a wonderful job in portraying the various moods of Dolly. Naresh Agastya delivers a performance which is subtle yet very impactful. Naga Babu as MLA Ramayya surprises big time with his wonderful performance. He portrays the negative shades with finesse never resorting to over-the-top theatrics. Praneetha Patnaik nails the desperation of Swathi delivering an intense act.

Paruvu is a binge worthy web show for fans of multi layered storytelling. The first-rate performances are an icing on the cake.

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The Girl with the Seven Lives: Vikas Swarup delivers another engrossing page turner

The concoction of thrills and emotions make it a riveting read

Former Indian diplomat Vikas Swarup has had a fantastic start to his writing career. Both of his novels, Q&A, which was adapted into the movie Slumdog Millionaire, and Six Suspects, have been showered with praise. Six Suspects was made into a web series by Paan Singh Tomar director Tigmanshu Dhulia. A major reason for Vikas Swarup’s success is his ability in choosing plots that reflect different aspects of Indian society. The stories are thoroughly rooted in the Indian milieu making it relatable for the readers. 

With his latest The Girl With the Seven Lives the writer has again picked up a subject that effortlessly blends edge of seat thrills with a solid emotional graph. The central character of this novel Devi is a morally complex protagonist. She isn’t always likeable, some of her actions don’t fit the traditional compass of morality. However, we do not completely despise her because Vikas Swarup gives a psychological insight into her wretched past. The novel begins with a young woman Devi being held hostage by a dangerous man. He threatens to shoot her if she doesn’t talk about the 25 years of her life so far. Adding to Devi’s horror is an online auction, in this auction the person who bids the highest will determine her fate. Thus begins a long odyssey taking the readers on a rollercoaster ride. There are some shocking revelations keeping the readers thoroughly engrossed.

The Girl With the Seven Lives wastes no time in setting up the story. The very first chapter begins with the gruesome kidnap. The readers go through a lot of tension on the reasons behind the kidnap and  her eventual fate.

The plot thickens further with various attention-grabbing developments. Vikas Swarup’s writing of the various cities like Mumbai and Goa became a character in themselves. The dark underbelly beneath the shining glitter covers some important societal aspects. Whether it is the horrendous treatment of girls in observation homes, racket of fake degrees etc.

The bond between Devi and her dog Sheru also adds an emotional touch even if you aren’t a pet lover. As mentioned above Devi doesn’t fit into the traditional compass of morality but the readers also understand where she is coming from. Her childhood and teenage years are anything but happy. For example, her younger brother Sonu faces a brutal death due to a speedy BMW. A private hospital refused to treat him and a crooked cop showed zero empathy. Additionally, the elder brother is also unlawfully detained and the readers are given the impression of him being dead too. At one point a wealthy woman Devika takes an interest in Devi for her own selfish needs. She offers the comforts of a home pretending to be a kind person, but in actuality Devika just wants to use Devi as a subject to write an authentic novel about the poor. All these experiences shape up the person Devi grows up to be.

The readers root for Devi to come out safe from this ordeal. her journey through multiple identities and overcoming many obstacles give an important message on resilience.

(PS: Recently Vikas Swarup has talked about wanting Alia Bhatt to play central role of Devi if the book was made into a movie. Here’s hoping that his wish comes true.)

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Bollywood actors through the lens of South Indian directors

A rundown into some of the Telugu and Tamil directors who have successfully presented Bollywood actors in a different light and gave major hits       

As the wave of pan India has caught in a huge way, the crossover between Hindi film actors and South Indian directors, particularly those belonging to Telugu and Tamil cinema (also known as Tollywood and Kollywood) has resulted in some successful collaborations. One of the earlier examples is Aamir Khan’s Ghajini (2008). Director AR Murugadoss made a significant impact with this Tamil remake.

Ghajini

Ghajini opened the 100-crore club in Bollywood; it was a major money spinner in those times. For Aamir Khan Ghajini was altogether a different film from what he was doing till then, it presented him in a massy avatar. In spite of the obvious comparisons to Suriya’s stellar acting, Aamir also left his own imprint particularly the physical part of it. He looked like a wounded tiger out on an avenging spree.

In spite of the obvious comparisons to Suriya’s stellar acting Aamir also left his own imprint particularly the physical part of it.

Kabir Singh

Before Kabir Singh, again a remake of a south (Telugu) movie Arjun Singh, Shahid Kapoor did not have a major solo hit. The likes of Jab We Met, Udta Punjab and Haider were hit movies no doubt but not commercial blockbusters. Though Padmaavat did more than 300 crores Ranveer Singh walked away with all the accolades and rightly so. But Sandeep Reddy Vanga gave Shahid a big spectrum to play with in Kabir Singh and the actor didn’t disappoint. Whether it is portraying the highly toxic and passionate love of Kabir or in the breakdown scenes Shahid did his best. Although the movie was pretty much a carbon copy of the original Shahid brought his own intensity to the role. Much like Ghajini this remake also did far bigger numbers than the original. It is a separate matter that Shahid could not capitalize on this blockbuster success later in his career.  

Kabir Singh gave Shahid Kapoor a big spectrum to play with and the actor didn’t disappoint

Jawan

It is a well-known fact that Shah Rukh Khan was going through a very rough patch both professionally and personally before the release of Siddarth Anand’s Pathaan and Atlee’s Jawan. For Atlee Jawan was a huge leap given that he had mostly collaborated with Vijay Thalapathy till then. For someone like him directing a megastar like Shah Rukh Khan is not a piece of cake.

But Atlee more than rose up to the challenge, he passed with flying colours. Atlee’s presentation of SRK particularly the father character of Vikram Rathore erupted huge cheers among the moviegoers. Shah Rukh also effortlessly slipped into the universe of Atlee having a lot of fun in a movie that has essentially 50 shades of SRK.

For SRK too it was a very profitable film both in terms of expanding his fan base and box office numbers. It was almost like a king size comeback with more than 700 crores.

Shah Rukh Khan also effortlessly slipped into the universe of Atlee

Animal

Animal directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga is easily the most polarizing movie of Ranbir’s career, more than even Sanju. Ranbir’s previous movies have also featured strained father and son relationships, but Animal took it to a whole new level. Animal showcased Ranbir in his darkest avatar till date, as Ranbir himself confessed that he was scared when he heard the script and had severe doubts about doing the role. However, to Ranbir’s credit he went full throttle and delivered a power packed performance though the story itself was highly controversial.   

Ranbir Kapoor’s darkest avatar till date

Kalki

Lastly there is this year’s Kalki directed by Nag Ashwin, a Telugu language epic science fiction film. The last few outings of Amitabh Bachchan have varied from just average to good. While he had solid roles in Jhund and Uunchai, in Bramhastra and Ganapath he didn’t have much to do. He was particularly wasted in Bramhastra as just a mere guru. But his fans and neutral audiences got the opportunity to see vintage Amitabh Bachchan with Kalki 2989 AD.

Bachchan had the best written role by a long margin and the senior actor just chewed the scenery with a stellar performance. The way he takes on the character of Prabhas was a sheer delight to watch. On many occasions he overshadowed the other cast members with just his towering screen presence. With his performance of Ashwatthama Bachchan showed that he can give any young actor a run for their money even at the age of 81.

For someone like Nag Ashwin too handling a film of this scale and directing someone like Amitabh Bachchan is a major achievement.

The fans and neutral audiences got the opportunity to see vintage Amitabh Bachchan in Kalki 2989 AD

Not so lucky ones

At the same time, it has to be said that working with south directors or in remakes of south films hasn’t proved to be so lucky for other Bollywood actors. Case in point is Akshay Kumar’s Sarfira, a remake of the Tamil hit Soorarai Pottru directed by Sudha Kongara. She also helmed the remake. Soorarai Pottru got both rave reviews and major awards. Suriya got the best actor award in the prestigious national awards; the movie also won an award for best film. Later Soorarai Pottru was also dubbed into Hindi with the name of Uddan. Hence it makes no business sense to remake it and not surprisingly Sarfira got added to the long list of commercial failures of Akshay post pandemic. Before Sarfira there was Bachchan Pandey, a remake of Jigarthanda. That was also a major commercial failure. Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan’s Vikram Vedha also turned out to be a box office turkey. Though Hrithik Roshan got good reviews for bringing his own touch to the role of Vedha, but it wasn’t enough for the movie to sail through.