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Hi Nanna: A Heart Touching Tale Of A Father’s Love For His Daughter

Hi Nanna works a perfect balm for those who had a tough time with the violent father and son dynamics in Animal. Nani pulls of his role with the expected panache but it is Mrunal Thakur who steals the show

Rating 3.5 out of 5
Starcast: Nani, Mrunal Thakur, Baby Kiara, Priyadarshini, Jayaram, Angad Bedi and others
Story, direction and screenplay: Shouryuv
Additional screenplay: Bhanu Deeraj, Rayudu, Vasanth Sameer and Pinnamaraju
Dialogues: Vamshi Bommena and Nagendra Kasi
Producers: Mohan Cherukuri, Murthy K.S and others
Production Company: Vyra Entertainments
Genre: Romantic drama
Running time: 2 hours and 35 minutes

There has been a heavy dose of father oriented stories this year. Whether it is Shah Rukh Khan’s double act of a father and son in Jawan , or Pankaj Tripati’s turn in OMG 2 as a disgruntled parent who slowly becomes a revoluntary for his son. Even Vijay Thalapathy who is generally known for his mass characters delivered an affecting performance in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Leo as a family man with a dark past.

Baby Kiara and Nanni in a song sequence

Hi Nanna directed by debutant director Shouryuv is an emotional rollercoaster that makes the viewers feel many things. Sure the pacing is slow and the story does take a little time to get going however the end results are mostly satisfying. But it has to be said that the movie isn’t for fans of high octane entertainers.

Viraj (Nani) is a professional photographer and a single father. Mahi (Baby Kiara) is the 6 year old daughter. Viraj has always kept the story of Mahi’s mother in the dark. Whenever she asks about where her mother is Viraj simply skips the matter. Things take a turn when Viraj promises Mahi that he would tell about her mother provided she scores first rank. Mahi does score first rank but Viraj doesn’t adhere to his promise. Expectedly Mahi gets very angry and leaves the home. She almost faces an accident but is saved in the nick of time by Yashna (Mrunal Thakur). The rest of the story is about what had happened between Viraj and his wife along with how Yashna changes the lives of Viraj and Mahi.

Nani and Mrunal Thakur

As mentioned above the pacing of Hi Nanna is slow. Director Shouryuv takes his own sweet time in setting up the plot. The initial minutes are devoted to the bond of Viraj and Mahi. The story gathers momentum with the entry of Yashna. Viraj narrates his past in a fairy tale format. In these flashback portions Mahi imagines Yashna as her mother. Viraj’s love at first sight is slightly clichéd but it doesn’t get too bothersome thanks to the chemistry between Nani and Mrunal Thakur. The characters of Viraj and the wife are contrastingly different from each other. Viraj is someone who is eternally hopeful irrespective of what the situation is. The wife on the other hand has anxiety issues that primarily stem from growing up in a broken home.

She is someone who is very clear about not getting into the complications of a marriage having seen her parents constantly argue with each other. However she does end up marrying Viraj much to the annoyance of her mother. There is a lovely scene between Viraj and his prospective mother- in- law where the economical differences are highlighted. What makes this scene special is how he deals with the situation in the most empathetic way. The viewers instantly root for Viraj. Viraj initially says that they need not have children but that changes later on. There is a huge argument between Viraj and the wife followed by a heartwarming moment. This scene is a major highlight of the film and a perfect example of the sizzling chemistry between Nani and Mrunal.

Angad Bedi makes his debut with Hi Nanna

Towards the end of the first half director Shouryuv gives a major twist to the character of Yashna. The second half is heavier. In spite of some predictable scenarios the viewers are still invested in how the tale will end. This is majorly because of the strong emotional cord. A drunken banter between Nani and Mrunal Thakur does come across as a respite from the otherwise heavy drama.

What doesn’t work though is a party song featuring Shruti Haasan. It looks completely out of sync with the overall tone of the film. The extended special appearance of Sruthi Haasan could have been easily scrapped. Angad Bedi plays a character modeled on Salman Khan’s Amar in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. He is pretty good but lacks the charm of what Salman Khan brought to the table as the third wheel.

Priyadarshi plays the friend cum colleague part with his usual effervescence. His comic timing is spot on as always and his camaraderie with Nani is fun to watch. Another member who stands out in the supporting cast is Jayaram. The actor delivers a nuanced performance as Mahi’s grandfather. He particularly shines in an emotionally charged sequence at a critical juncture.

Debutant director Shouryuv makes the viewers feel many things

Apart from Nani and Mrunal’s sizzling chemistry another strong point of Hi Nanna are the father and daughter scenes between Nani and Baby Kiara. They simply melt your heart on many occasions. Baby Kiara performs like an absolute pro with the right amount of innocence and vulnerability.

Hesham Abdul Wahab’s music and background score another big strength of Hi Nanna. Except for the Sruthi Haasan number the rest are a delight to watch and listen. My favorite numbers are Gaaju Bomma, Ammaadi and Samayama.

Priyadarshi’s comic timing is spot on as always and his camaraderie with Nani is fun to watch.

The cinematography of Sanu John Varghese is a visual delight particularly the flashback portions in Connor.

For Nani the role of Viraj is a cake in the park but nevertheless the actor is a delight to watch. He does a splendid job in portraying the different shades of Viraj whether it is the boyishness of a young lover or as a father later on who will do anything for his daughter. However it is Mrunal Thakur who steals the show with an outstanding performance. She plays a complicated character with ease. Mrunal conveys the various feelings with just her expressive eyes showing once again the bundle of talent she is. It is a performance that is a step ahead of last year’s Sita Ramam in many ways. Chinmayi’s dubbing adds to the impact.

Hi Nanna is a heartwarming story of a father and daughter along with a mother battling her own inner demons, a definite breadth of fresh air which needs to be seen.

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Archies: A Hollow Teenage Drama Led By Three Disappointing Star Kids

Zoya Akhtar’s launch pad for Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor, and Agastya Nanda is a major misfire. The musical format only adds to the woes.

Zoya Akhtar’s weakest work to date!

Archies (Hindi)

  • Cast: Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor, Agastya Nanda, Vedang Raina, Yuvraj Menda, and Aditi “Dot” Saigal
  • Director: Zoya Akhtar
  • Producer: Tiger Baby Productions
  • Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
  • Runtime: 2 hours 21 minutes
  • OTT Platform: Netflix

Archies is one of those movies that has created a significant buzz from its inception.

There are many reasons for this. One is the popularity of its source material Archie Comics. The characters in Archie Comics have appeared in numerous films and television programs among others.

Secondly, this movie is also a launch pad for three-star kids hailing from illustrious families. Agastya Nanda is the grandson of Bollywood Shahenshah Amitabh Bachchan, Khushi Kapoor is the younger daughter of the late Sridevi, and lastly, Suhana Khan is the daughter of Bollywood’s Badshah Shah Rukh Khan.

There is a general fascination that viewers have with star kids as much as we may hate nepotism.

Zoya Akhtar has created her own identity as a storyteller — be it is movies or the digital platform. This also has contributed to Archies being much anticipated.

Archies falls flat

However, this time, Zoya Akhtar falls flat in her attempt at combining a coming-of-age drama with social issues like development versus environmental good.

Archies directed by Zoya Akhtar
‘Archies’ directed by Zoya Akhtar. (X)

Among the cast, it is the non-star kids who fare much better, particularly Vedang Raina.

Karan Johar did a far superior job with his young cast in Student of The Year (2013).

For those who are not familiar with the Archie comics, the story is set in a picturesque hill station called Riverdale.

Riverdale is home to many Anglo-Indians who chose to stay in India after independence. The viewers are first introduced to the constantly flirting Andrews aka Archie (Agastya Nanda). Andrews has a small band which he proclaims will soon become the best in the world after the Beatles.

After this, we are introduced to the other important characters. Some of these are Betty (Khushi Kapoor) and Veronica (Suhana Khan). Veronica is a rich kid who constantly keeps pouting and generally comes across as annoying.

In simple terms, the story of Archies is about how Andrews and his seven friends navigate friendship, romance, and social responsibility.

Riverdale has a Green Park which holds a significant place in the local community.

Just like any other masala film you have Veronica’s businessman father who is hell-bent on destroying the park and wants to build a posh hostel in that place.

Performances

Before getting into the dissection of the movie, it is necessary to get done with the performances of the new cast.

Suhana Khan in Archies
Suhana Khan in ‘Archies’. (NetflixIndia/ X)

As mentioned above Suhana Khan was disappointing in her debut performance.

In places, Suhana tries to channel her father, particularly in the portions where Veronica has to show arrogance. But it comes across as too off-putting and doesn’t endear her to the audience in any way.

Alia Bhatt also played a rich girl (Shanaya Singhania) in Student of The Year but that was written far better despite the less screen time.

In Student of The Year, too, there were occasions where Shanaya came across as arrogant but director Karan Johar and Alia were successful in humanising her as well.

Unfortunately, nothing of that sort happens here. Suhana Khan overplays the snootiness and falters badly in the few emotional bits.

Khushi Kapoor is also very bland in her debut. In fact, Janhvi Kapoor was much better in her first film Dhadak (2018) despite the raw edges.

Agastya Nanda is suitably charming in the beginning but soon enough, his performance also becomes wooden.

It is the non-star kids who save the film from completely sinking. A particular mention must be made of Vedang Raina. He brings in the right amount of swag as the Rakish Reggie.

A special mention must be made of the scene between him and Dilton (Yuvraj Menda). It has the right mix of tenderness and vulnerability.

Flaws

Agatsya Nanda in Archies
Agatsya Nanda in ‘Archies’. (X)

Coming to the flaws, a big problem with Archies is the overdose of songs. Agree that the film is a musical but still, Zoya Akhtar overdoes the songs.

All the characters express their feelings through songs. This becomes too much after a point.

A good example of this is the scene where Andrew realises that politics is personal and that some causes are worth fighting for. This huge transformation happens through an incoherently staged “Everything is Political” song.

There is no denying that Archies looks visually colourful, thanks to Nikos Anaritsaksi’s cinematography and Suzanne Caplan Merwanji’s production design. However, soon enough, a sense of artificiality creeps in. This is because of the hollowness beneath the gloss.

The character of Suhana’s father (Ally Khan) is another big joke. The character has been poorly written and the way he praises his daughter after the Green Park has been saved comes across as a big joke.

The scenes between Varun Dhawan and his rich father in Student of The Year (Ram Kapoor) had much more of an impact despite the clichés.

Both Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) and Dil Dhadakne Do (2015), despite being about rich people, had genuine emotions and characters that viewers invested in.

However, the characters in Archies are cardboard cuts and the weak performances, particularly from Suhana, Khushi, and Agastya don’t help the cause either.

Final take

Archies is Zoya Akhtar’s weakest work to date. The acclaimed director has put more focus on how to present the star kids rather than making an impactful film.

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Ranbir Kapoor And His On-Screen Universe Of Daddy Issues

From ‘Wake Up Sid’ to ‘Animal’, an overview of the different kinds of daddy issues that Ranbir Kapoor’s films have covered so far.

One of the most depicted relationships in cinema is that of a parent and child. Irrespective of the number of times we have seen it — whether it is father and son or mother and daughter, there is something universal about these relationships.

For example, a reason for the success of Jawan (2023) is the double role played by Shah Rukh Khan. The scenes featuring the Bollywood Badshah as father and son were an absolute treat for his fans and movie buffs.

The interval bang when the father saves the son and the subsequent dialogue drew cheers in the cinema halls.

Another example of the father-son bond this year is OMG 2. In the movie, Pankaj Tripathi plays a diehard devotee of Shiva who also runs a pooja shop. Things take a turn when his son gets admitted to a hospital due to exhaustion caused by excessive masturbation.

Things get even more problematic when the youngster’s video of masturbation in the toilet is secretly filmed and circulated on the internet.

For the sake of his son, Pankaj Tripathi’s character slowly changes from a distraught father to a revolutionary.

Coming to Ranbir Kapoor’s relationships with his on-screen fathers, there has always been certain unease in his movies — be it in Animal (2023), Sanju (2018), Yeh Jaawani Hai Deewani (2013), Tamasha (2015), or Wake Up Sid (2009), they all have daddy issues.

It is a well-known fact that Ranbir’s real-life relationship with his father, the late Rishi Kapoor, was not smooth. This might be a factor for the directors to choose him for the roles or Ranbir Kapoor getting attracted to such characters.

Well, let us take a quick look at some of Ranbir’s on-screen father-son problematic relationships:

Animal

In Animal, Ranbir Kapoor’s Ranvijay is the son of a successful industrialist Balbir Singh (Anil Kapoor). Balbir Singh is a typical old-time patriarch obsessed with his factory and has little time for anything else, including his children.

The relationship between Ranvijay and Balbir is strained and goes into a toxic territory as life goes on. The parody here is that Ranvijay loves his father too much but makes him angry at every step.

When a murder attempt is made on his father, Ranvijay gets so obsessed about finding his father’s enemies that he soon becomes a wild animal himself. He doesn’t listen to anyone, including his father.

The most engaging part of Animal is easily these twisted dynamics coupled with how Ranbir throws himself into this dark territory. There is no denying that in most households, there is a certain distance between the father and the son.

However, in this case, director Sandeep Reddy Vanga takes it to an extreme level with little or no care for social repercussions.

Sanju

In Sanju — a biopic on Sanjay Dutt, Ranbir Kapoor played a son who feels immense pressure to live up to the lineage of his illustrious parents — Paresh Rawal (Sunil Dutt) and Manisha Koirala (Nargis). This pressure leads Sanjay to take drugs, among other things.

There is no denying that Rajkumar Hirani did go soft on the transgressions of Sanjay Dutt. But having said that, the emotional upheaval of Sanjay Dutt cannot be denied.

One of the best moments in Sanju is when Ranbir Kapoor writes an apology letter and plans to surprise his dad by reading it publicly.

However, things don’t go according to the plan, and that very night, Paresh Rawal’s Sunil Dutt dies. Ranbir’s Sanjay Dutt ends up reading the letter to his dead body.

In this letter, he talks about how bad a son he has been and the troubles he has caused.

Tamasha

In Tamasha, Ranbir Kapoor plays a son who feels suffocated due to his demanding father. His character (Ved) gets stuck in a typical corporate job while his passion lies somewhere.

There is a certain bipolar nature to Ved, and there are scenes in the second half that focus on the issues of mental health.

In pre-climax, there is a powerful scene between Ranbir’s Ved and Javed Sheikh, who plays the father. It is a confrontation scene that most Indian sons can identify with.

Ranbir Kapoor and Anil Kapoor in ‘Animal’. (X)

In Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Ranbir Kapoor played a free-spirited youngster who constantly seeks thrill.

Late Farooq Sheikh played the father.

Ranbir’s Bunny has an awkward relationship with his father. There are two main reasons for this; one is personality differences between them, and the other is his father’s second marriage.

There are only a few scenes of the father-son relationship, but still, they are impactful.

Wake Up Sid

In Wake Up Sid, Ranbir Kapoor plays a carefree young man who lacks clarity about what he wants to become. There is a laid-back nature to Sid.

Like most fathers, this does not go down well with his father, played by Anupam Kher. Naturally, this leads to a certain amount of friction. These moments are few but still very powerful.

A special mention must be made of the showdown scene that leads to Sid leaving the house and staying for some time with Konkana Sen Sharma’s Aisha Banerjee.

There, he discovers his passion for photography and goes back to his family.

Ranbir Kapoor and Farooq Sheikh in ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’. (X)

Apart from these films, in Ajab Prem ki Ghazab Kahani (2009), the discord between the son and father was used to generate moments of slapstick comedy.

Well, these are some shades of Ranbir Kapoor’s relationships with on-screen fathers. Maybe it is time for the Bollywood actor to take a break from these daddy issues and move on to other subjects!

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Dhootha: This Riveting Paranormal Saga Makes Compelling Points About Politics And Journalism

‘Dhootha’ focuses on how Sagar (Naga Chaitanya) is related to the invisible forces and races against time to connect the dots.

An intriguing web show!

Dhootha (Telugu)

  • Cast: Naga Chaitanya, Priya Bhavani Shankar, and Parvathy Thiruthovu
  • Director: Vikram K Kumar
  • Producer: Sharrath Marar
  • Music: Ishaan Chhabra
  • No. of episodes: 8
  • OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video

Filmmaker Vikram K Kumar is not new to the genre of paranormal thrillers.

For example, the director made a horror film in Tamil titled Yavarum Nalam (2009). The same was dubbed into Telugu as 13 B.

13 B was a gritty thriller where a TV set becomes a character in the story.

After making a series of romantic and science fiction movies, the filmmaker is back with a paranormal thriller and this time, the focus is on journalism and politics.

Synopsis

Naga Chaitanya Vikram K Kumar
Actor Naga Chaitanya and director Vikram K Kumar on the sets of ‘Dhootha’. (X)

Sagar (Naga Chaitanya) and Priya (Priya Bhavani Shankar) are successful investigative journalists. They both are in a happy space, professionally and personally.

Priya is on maternity leave. But thankfully, director Vikram K Kumar doesn’t regulate her to just a one-note character.

Sagar is promoted as the chief editor of a newspaper called “Samachar“.

But the happiness doesn’t last long. A tragic accident claims the life of Sagar’s pet dog. Right before the tragedy, Sagar comes across a newspaper clipping which foretells what would happen.

The incident marks the beginning of many ominous messages foretelling future events and an external force targeting corrupt journalists.

Parvathy Thiruvothu plays an investigating officer named Kranti Shenoy.

In a nutshell, Dhootha focuses on how Sagar is related to these invisible forces and how he races against time to connect the dots.

Analysis

Naga Chaitanya in a still from Dhootha
Naga Chaitanya in a still from ‘Dhootha’. (X)

Vikram Kumar engrosses the viewers from the first frame. He does a brilliant job of balancing the suspense and supernatural elements.

A major strength of the Dhootha web series is how the director designs the character of Sagar.

Initially, the viewers see Sagar as an ideal husband and a righteous media person. He is an inspiration to many aspiring journalists.

But soon enough, layers upon layers come out. Sagar is a departure from the on-screen characters that Naga Chaitanya has portrayed thus far, and the actor more than rises to the occasion.

He does a splendid job, particularly when Sagar has mental and emotional breakdowns.

Backstory shines

Working still from Dhootha
A working still from ‘Dhootha’. (X)

The backstory of the newspaper involving Pasupathy and Tharun Bhascker also gives the web show some of its best moments.

There is a lot of impactful socio-political commentary.

For example, there are hard-hitting dialogues about how intersecting politics and journalism are dangerous for society. The web series also predicts that nothing good will come out of politicians running newspapers.

Apart from Pasupathy and Tharun Bhascker, Dhootha has many small characters. For example, Prachi Desai is Sagar’s PA, and Rohini is the mother. These characters have been neatly integrated into the main storyline by Vikram K Kumar.

For any thriller, it is necessary that the dots are connected, and the director has done a great job of connecting all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle.

Like the television set in 13 B, the newspaper cuttings play a pivotal role in the web series. As soon as a newspaper cutting appears, the viewers feel tense about what will happen next.

Performances

Parvathy Thiruvothu doesn’t need an introduction. She has always been a solid actor. Here too, she makes a huge impact as the no-nonsense police officer.

Priya Bhavani Shankar Sagar, as spouse, is in good form. Her character comes with its grey shades.

Technically, the Dhootha web series is a solid product with top-notch cinematography and special effects.

However, one slight problem is the middle part where the parallel investigation of Kranthi feels a bit bloated.

Also, the closing episode could have been more impactful. However, these are just minor quibbles in an otherwise gripping show.

Verdict

In a nutshell, the Dhootha web series is a gripping paranormal saga that makes some pertinent points about politics and journalism.

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Animal: A Chilling Psychological Portrait Of A Man Who Is Desperate To Get Love And Affection From His Father

Ranbir Kapoor and Anil Kapoor bring their A game but the conundrum of Sandeep Reddy Vanga persist

Rating: 2.5
Starcast: Ranbir Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Rashmika Mandana, Bobby Deol and others
Direction, Screenplay and editing: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Additional screenplay: Pranay Reddy Vanga and Saurabh Gupta
Producers: Bhushan Kumar, Krishna Kumar, Murad Khetani and Pranay Reddy Vanga
Music composers: Pritam, Manan Bhardwaj and others
Production Companies: Bhadrakali Pictures, T- Series Films and Cine 1 studios.

Sandeep Reddy Vanga is one of the few directors who became a big sensation with his very first film. Arjun Reddy (Kabir Singh in Hindi) was not just a box office success but it was also intensely scrutinized given the extreme raw nature with which he had depicted the love story of his protagonist.

Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna and Bobby Deol

With Animal the director dwells into another dark tale. This time it is about a father and son; Ranvijay Singh (Ranbir Kapoor) is the son of a successful industrialist Balbir Singh (Anil Kapoor). Ranvijay considers Balbir as the best father in the world, this in spite of having many issues with him. He is sent out of the house twice by his father; first when he went with a gun to threaten his sister’s classmates for ragging her and the second time for a huge argument with his brother-in-law on the occasion of his father’s 60th birthday.  

After a brief love story, marriage and two kids in US Ranvijay returns to India when he comes to know his father was attacked and grievously injured. He decides to find out who his father’s enemies are. In this process his path crosses with that of Bobby Deol who turns out to be his stepbrother thirsting for revenge. Rashmika Mandanna is the disgruntled wife of Ranvijay. She bears the brunt of her husband’s violent actions and his obsessive love for his parent. Soon enough there are no traces of the man that she fell in love with.

A big strength of Animal is easily the twisted father and son dynamics. Sandeep Reddy Vanga doesn’t waste any time in establishing how much Ranvijay craves for his father’s affection along with the workaholic nature of the father. There is a wild streak in Ranvijay from a young age itself.

Anil Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor, Parineeti Chopra and Bobby Deol

As mentioned above there is a scene where Ranvijay’s sister comes home crying after a ragging incident. She calls up her father multiple times but Balbir doesn’t lift the phone. Later she pours out her frustration to Ranvijay who immediately goes to her college with a gun. Not surprisingly Balbir gets pissed with his son and ends up slapping him.

This scene successfully sets the base for the friction between father and son. The gradual progression of Ranvijay into an ‘Animal’ has been well staged and does send a chill down the audience’s spine.

The emotional bits between father and son in the later stages are also directed well. There is a scene in the pre-climax where Ranvijay does a role reversal with his father, that is, Ranvijay acting as the dad and Balbir acting as the son. The long years of inner frustration and Anil Kapoor’s repentance packs a big punch.

Ranbir Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna

Bobby Deol appears only in the second half. His scenes are few but Bobby makes a solid impression just with his eyes and overall physical demeanor. The climatic fight between him and Ranbir has lot of raw action and is definitely a delight for those who like this kind of action.

But the overdose of blood and violence is a definite put off. The scenes of Ranbir hacking and killing several men gets nauseating after a point.

Another major flaw with Animal is the depiction of its female characters. They are mostly there only to bear the brunt of men. The best example of this is Rashmika’s Geetanjali. There is an important scene in the second half when Geetanjali has a severe argument in a high pitched tone with her husband. This is because of an affair that Ranvijay had behind her back.

Sandeep Reddy Vanga, director

Ideally the viewers should have rooted for Geetanjali but Rashmika’s screaming makes it difficult to empathize. Another example of a badly written female character is that of the one played by Tripti Dimri. She is a moll who is sent to seduce Ranvijay by Bobby Deol. Ranvijay knows that she is a moll but still ends up having a physical relationship and also makes her lick his shoes to prove her love. This is, to say the least is in very bad taste. 

The music composed by Pritam, Harshavardhan Rameshwar and others make for a good listen. The songs that stand out are Satranga and Pappa Meri Jaan.

Not surprisingly it is Ranbir and Anil Kapoor who lead the acting department. Both the actors get into the zone of Sandeep Reddy Vanga with zero inhibitions.

Animal is not a film that can be slotted as either good or bad. Still there is enough to enjoy if you are a fan of Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s style of filmmaking or if you like Ranbir and Anil Kapoor’s acting. But it is clear that Sandeep Reddy Vanga hasn’t learnt anything from the criticism of Arjun Reddy.

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The Village: Lot Of Gore, But Little Substance

Misses the mark.

The Village (Tamil)

  • Cast: Arya, Divya Pillai, and Baby Aazhiya
  • Director: Milind Rau
  • Producer: BS Radhakrishnan
  • Music: Girishh Gopalakrishnan
  • No. of episodes: 6
  • OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video

The genre of horror thrillers has become as overused as romantic films, and stories about villages haunted by a horrific past have also become old as hills.

In his OTT debut The Village, director Milind Rau takes this familiar premise while attempting to do social commentary on nature conservation and superstitions.

However, the acclaimed filmmaker fails miserably to make the audience either scared or make them root for the central protagonist.

Interestingly, the web series is based on a graphic horror novel of the same name written by Asvin Srivatsangam, Vivek Rangachari, and Shamik Dasgupta.

Synopsis

Milind Rau directorial The Village
Milind Rau’s directorial ‘The Village’. (X)

Gautham (Arya) is a doctor by profession. His wife is Neha (Divya Pillai).

They are on a road trip with their daughter Maya (Baby Aazhiya) and a dog called Hectic. During the road trip from Chennai to Thoothukudi, the car breaks down in a deserted village called Kattiyal.

Gautham goes to a nearby town to seek help. While Gautham is away, both Neha and Maya are mysteriously abducted.

Three locals, for their own personal reasons, agree to help Gautham. They are Peter (George Maryan), Karunagam (Muthu Kumar), and Sakthi (Aadukalam Naren).

Running parallel to this, Prakash (Arjun Chidambaram) is a despicable villain and is wheelchair-bound. He sends a group of mercenaries headed by Farhan (John Kokken). He is aided by some scientists.

John’s task is to retrieve a chemical called Lantanite, which may help Prakash to walk again.

What follows is a hotchpotch of different timelines and various themes that test the viewers’ patience.

Analysis

Arya in The Village
Arya in ‘The Village’. (X)

The biggest flaw of The Village is the weakly written flashback portions.

Here, Milind Rau touches upon the issues of oppression, the corporates taking over villages, and health hazards caused by pollution. These are undoubtedly relevant, but the execution falls flat.

Technically too, The Village is a disaster.

The forest where Farhan and others try to find the Lantanite looks like a poor cousin of the forest shown in the Avatar films.

There is an ample dose of bodies being cut in halves, intestines lying on the floor, and gory-looking men who should have ideally made the audience feel anger and fear. But nothing of that sort happens.

This is because of the cartoonish way that those scenes have been written.

Another major problem with The Village is that we don’t feel any sympathy for the plight of Gautham. This is because the web series doesn’t have strongly written scenes depicting Gautham’s love for his wife and daughter.

Performances

Most of the performances only add to the lethargic quality.

Aadukalam Naren and Muthukumar are the only actors who rise above the torrid story.

Aarya, on the other hand, struggles big time in portraying the panic and the desperation required. He labours on many occasions.

The characterisations of Farhan and the mercenaries, too, are written haphazardly.

Arjun Chidambaram does a decent job as a man with severe daddy issues. However, both the character and the performance need more bite.

Final take

The Village web series tries hard to bring a shiver down the audience’s spine but misses the mile by many miles.

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Farrey: An Engrossing Film About A Genius Student Who Goes Wayward

A must-watch!

Farrey (Hindi)

  • Cast: Alizeh Agnihotri, Juhi Babbar, Ronit Roy, and Sahil Mehta
  • Director: Soumendra Padhi
  • Producer: Atul Agnihotri, Alvira Khan
  • Music: Sachin-Jigar
  • Runtime: 1 hour 54 minutes

The Thai film Bad Genius (2017) was about an A+ student who devises innovative methods to cheat in exams.

It was based on a real-life incident and focused on themes of class inequality and some general issues that teenagers go through. It is a subject that can fit in any language.

Therefore, it is not surprising that Salman Khan has chosen this film as a launch for his niece Alizeh.

Soumendra Padhi’s first feature film was the critically acclaimed Budhia Singh-Born to Run (2016). It was based on the life of Budhia Singh, who ran 48 marathons and was the world’s youngest marathon runner.

Surprisingly, the buzz around Farrey (Slip that students use for cheating in exams) has been on the lower side despite the film opening to positive reviews in the International Film Festival of India, Goa.

Whatever the box office outcome of Farrey is, there is no denying that Salman Khan has produced a quality film and a star is born.

Synopsis

Farrey is based on the Thai film Bad Genius
‘Farrey’ is based on the Thai film ‘Bad Genius’. (X)

For those who have not watched the Thai movie, Farrey focuses on two students from an underprivileged class.

Niyati (Alizeh Agnihotri) is one of them. She is brought up in an orphanage under the loving care of a warden-cum-father figure (Ronit Roy) and his wife (Juhi Babbar Soni).

Niyati is always a top student. She passes her 10th-class exams with distinction marks and gets admission for Plus-Two in a popular institution. Here, too, Niyati becomes a top student.

The principal (Shilpa Shukla) grants her a full scholarship.

Her nearest competitor in studies is Aakash (Sahil Mehta). He is Niyati’s friend and comes from the same social strata as she does. He, too, is granted the same scholarship.

On the other side of the spectrum, you have the super-rich Chhavi (Prasanna Bisht) and Prateek (Zeyn Shaw). Niyati and Chhavi become good friends.

Chhavi’s father (Arbaaz Khan in a two-scene cameo) wants his daughter to follow in the footsteps of her brother and secure a seat at Stanford. She constantly faces the pressure of being pitted against her brother.

Chhavi lures Niyati to help her and a few others. After some agonising, Niyati agrees to earn some quick money because she wants to help the orphanage.

What starts as a one-time help ends up as a serious affair.

Farrey is essentially a coming-of-age story of a girl who realises her mistakes and undergoes a transformation.

Class divide

Director Soumendra Padhi does a good job of presenting the class divide and the two vastly different worlds of Niyati and Chhavi. This comes out particularly well in the scenes where Niyati goes to Chhavi’s house. She feels like an “Alice” lost in some strange land.

Another aspect that stands out is the character of Chhavi. There is no denying that Chhavi is manipulative and not likeable. But at the same time, the viewers also understand why she does what she does.

Chhavi wants to become an interior designer and is not interested in taking over her father’s business. However, the pressure of living up to the expectations of her father’s desires gets to her.

Prasanna Bisht does a swell job of portraying the grey shades of Chhavi.

The second half of Farrey is more about the cheating methods that Niyati employs along with her friend Aakash. The drama becomes more heightened, and soon, the film turns into a morality play where the viewers feel tense about the plight of these two students. Of course, all ends well.

Alizeh Agnihotri and Sahil Mehta stand out

Alizeh Agnihotri in Farrey
Alizeh Agnihotri stands out in ‘Farrey’. (X)

The scenes featuring Alizeh and Ronit Roy are filled with warmth. For example, there is a scene in the pre-climax where Niyati confesses about her wrongdoings.

It has been solidly directed and acted. It is nice to see Ronit Roy in a character like this for a change, as he mostly played a stern father. The actor plays his part with a lot of warmth.

However, the same thing cannot be said about the two-scene cameo of Arbaaz Khan. It doesn’t add any significance to the film.

More scenes between Prasanna and Arbaaz would have enhanced the drama.

The scenes of Niyati helping her rich friends have the right amount of thrill, but they are also stretched in some places.

The character arcs of the rich kids needed to be tied up in a more uncliched manner.

Alizeh Agnihotri makes a truly sparkling debut. She has a difficult character to play, given the moral ambiguities. But the young actress pulls it off like a pro. She pulls off the various transitions in Niyati’s life admirably.

Sahil Mehta, as Aakash, is solid. Just like Alizeh, he also does a swell job of depicting the grey shades of his role.

Verdict

To sum it up, Farrey is a film that should be on your weekend list — whether you have watched Bad Genius or not.

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The Railway Men: Aditya Chopra Hits A Sixer With This Gripping Saga Of Unsung Heroes

Presents a realistic picture.

The Railway Men (Hindi)

  • Cast: Kay Kay Menon, Babil Khan, R Madhavan, Divyenndu Sharma, and Juhi Chawla
  • Director: Shiv Rawail
  • Producer: Aditya Chopra
  • Music: Sam Slater
  • No. of episodes: 4
  • OTT platform: Netflix

The Bhopal Gas tragedy of 1984 is one of the darkest chapters in Indian history. Thousands lost their lives, and thousands are still suffering from the severe aftereffects.

As the title suggests, The Railway Men limited web series focuses the lens on the little-known heroes of the Indian Railways and how they had put their lives at stake to save as many lives as possible on that fateful night.

There are four main characters in the web show. Iftekaar Siddiqui (Kay Kay Menon) is the station master of Bhopal Junction. Imaad Riaz (Babil Khan) is the newly joined locomotive pilot.

R Madhavan plays the Central Railways GM. Divyenndu is a thug who wants to take advantage of the chaos around them but contributes to the rescue mission.

Meanwhile, Journalist Jagmohan Kumawat (Sunny Hinduja) runs a crusade against the American company Union Carbide — even before the gas leak — and warns the locals against the impending danger. This, he does, in spite of the attempts to silence him.

Synopsis

Babil Khan in The Railway Men
Babil Khan in ‘The Railway Men’. (NetflixIndia/ X)

Through the four episodes, director-cum-co-writer Shiv Rawail presents a horrifying picture of the tragedy.

The Railway Men web series hits the ground running for the first time. The director doesn’t mince any words in throwing light on the moral corruption within the political landscape, including how the chief of the Union Carbide factory got away without any punishment. This he does successfully through the character of Sunny Hinduja.

What also works for The Railway Men is the strong emotional connection that Shiv Rawail builds through his characters.

The subject of the Bhopal Gas tragedy is a difficult subject to handle for any director, let alone a debutant, but the newbie more than lives up to the challenge.

The limited web series has quite a lot of close-up shots of poison emanating from people’s mouths. These scenes are difficult to watch, but they leave a solid impact on the viewers’ minds.

A realistic portrayal

Kay Kay Menon in The Railway Men
Kay Kay Menon in ‘The Railway Men’. (NetflixIndia/ X)

The web series also presents a realistic picture of the aftereffects of the gas leak.

Of course, as viewers, you do feel happy when the four men together save some lives. But the series is also a reminder of how things are still bleak for those who survived that night.

The production design of Rajat Poddar is another plus for the series. He does a splendid job of creating an authentic atmosphere.

The Railway Men also briefly touches upon the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, along with another brief subplot about a group of women who were going to participate in a swimming competition.

The angle involving the anti-Sikh riots has been well integrated, but the other one doesn’t really work.

Performances

R Madhavan in The Railway Men
R Madhavan in ‘The Railway Men’. (NetflixIndia/ X)

The performances of all the actors are top-notch, starting with the excellent Kay Kay Menon. The actor is at his usual best, portraying the determination and courage of Iftekaar.

Divyenndu Sharma portrays the dual-shaded personality of his character well. He delivers some punchy one-liners.

Babil Khan is also flawless. He perfectly adopts the Bhopali dialect. He is one of the men who dies on that tragic night.

R Madhavan has a late entry, but the actor is authoritative in all his scenes. There is a solid monologue involving Madhavan, where he delivers with his usual panache.

Juhi Chawla plays the solo woman representative of the government. She is good in her brief role.

Here, it has to be said that the women characters could have been more impactful.

Final take

The Railway Men is the first web series that YRF has produced. Let’s hope that Aditya Chopra continues to bankroll more web shows on various subjects.

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Aditya Chopra and his penchant for giving second chances

One of the major characteristics of Yash Raj Films (YRF) is how it nurtures talent and gives several chances to directors and artistes in spite of their initial failures.

For example, Kabir Khan’s directorial debut Kabul Express (2006) wasn’t a commercial success but the director still got an opportunity to direct two more major Yash Raj Films — New York (2009) and Ek Tha Tiger (2012).

Both did well at the box office, especially Ek Tha Tiger, which laid the foundation for the flourishing spy universe.

Here’s the list of Bollywood celebrities who won multiple opportunities from the YRF chief Aditya Chopra despite their failures:

Maneesh Sharma

Maneesh Sharma has directed five films — all for YRF.

The first is the romantic comedy Band Baaja Baaraat (2010) starring Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma. The movie had low expectations, but Maneesh and Ranveer surprised the audiences.

A poster of the film Tiger 3

A poster of the film ‘Tiger 3’. (X)

Maneesh’s second film too was a Ranveer-starrer: Ladies vs Ricky Bahl (2011). Though it didn’t replicate the success of his debut, the Bollywood movie didn’t break Aditya Chopra’s trust in the director.

A third film, Shuddh Desi Romance (2013), was offered to him again. It was an engaging romantic comedy dealing with how the younger generation looked at marriage commitment in small-town India. The movie also dwelt on live-in relationships.

Its success led to Maneesh Sharma getting his fourth opportunity with the YRF — to direct Shah Rukh Khan in a double role. As the title Fan (2016) suggested, the film was about an obsessive fan who gets heartbroken with his idol.

Maneesh Sharma did a decent job in the first half, but the young director lost his grip in the second half, and everything went topsy-turvy.

In spite of the failure of Fan, Maneesh got yet another opportunity to direct a large-scale action film — Tiger 3 (2023).

Maneesh Sharma aimed to make a geo-political film with a lot of action. However, his inability to handle big scale once again came to the fore.

The hand-to-hand combats, Emraan Hashmi’s characterisation, and Shah Rukh’s extended cameo were all brilliant in Tiger 3. But the film never rose above the sum of its parts.

There is no denying that Tiger 3 is doing good business, but having said that, it is also a setback for the spy universe, particularly in comparison to the previous two films War (2019) and Pathaan (2023).

Vijay Krishna Acharya

Vijay Krishna Acharya made his directorial debut with the action drama Tashan (2008). The film had a galaxy of stars — Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Akshay Kumar, and Anil Kapoor.

It was an old-fashioned revenge drama in Hollywood style. True to the title, the film had plenty of style, particularly the characterisation of Akshay Kumar’s Bachchan Pandey.

A still from the film Thugs of Hindostan

A still from the film ‘Thugs of Hindostan’. (X)

But, just gloss can never substitute for a gripping story. And, that was what happened with Tashan too.

Kareena definitely found her soul mate in Saif Ali Khan and vice-versa, but for Aditya Chopra, the movie was a big loss.

However, Tashan‘s failure did not stop the producer from trusting Vijay Krishna Acharya again with the third instalment of the Dhoom franchise.

Vijay Krishna Acharya was only a story writer for the first two Dhoom films (2004, 2006) but for Dhoom 3 (2013), he was both writer and director.

Dhoom 3 did bring in profits for its producers, but at the same time, it was a step back as it paled in comparison to the fun and thrills provided by Dhoom 2.

Only Aamir Khan’s star power coupled with a more engaging second half made Dhoom 3 a hit at the box office.

Aditya Chopra was even more generous when he allowed Vijay Krishna Acharya to direct Bollywood “Shahenshah” Amitabh Bachchan and Mr Perfectionist Aamir Khan together in Thugs of Hindostan (2018).

Unfortunately, for the fans and the production house, the experience was far from memorable. The film brought huge losses to everyone concerned.

Vijay Krishna Acharya’s last directorial is a religious comedy/drama titled The Great Indian Family (2023) also produced by YRF.

Despite being a much better product than Thugs of Hindostan, The Great Indian Family didn’t do much at the box office. Now, we have to wait and see if Aditya Chopra will give him another chance.

Shaad Ali

Shaad Ali was an assistant director to Mani Ratnam for Dil Se (1998).

Later on, he helmed seven films as a director. Of these seven projects, four were produced by YRF.

A poster of the film Kill Dil

A poster of the film ‘Kill Dil’. (X)

The first is the romantic comedy/drama Saathiya (2002), a remake of Mani Ratnam’s Tamil blockbuster hit Alaipayuthey (2000). Saathiya was a moderate success and was well-received by the critics.

Before Saathiya, Rani Mukherjee had only seen limited success. With the film, her career saw a resurgence. For Vivek Oberoi, it was the third success of that year.

Shaad Ali’s second outing, Bunty Aur Babli (2005), also did well at the box office.

It gave Abhishek Bachchan a much-needed hit as the leading man. His sizzling chemistry with Rani Mukherjee also helped the movie become a blockbuster.

Later, Shaad Ali faced massive roadblocks in the form of Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (2007) and Kill Dil (2014).

Jhoom Barabar Jhoom was an expensive musical that brought no profits. It had a hit soundtrack composed by Shankar Ehsaan Loy. But good music and glossy cinematography couldn’t compensate for the lacklustre direction.

Shaad Ali was clearly not comfortable dealing with a story of this scale.

Despite Jhoom Barabar Jhoom‘s failure, the director helmed another YRF film — Ranveer Singh’s Kill Dil (2014). It was an action comedy film about two assassins raised by a local gangster. Here too, there was ample style but little substance.

Shaad Ali’s journey with YRF has come to a stop for now.

Siddarth P Malhotra

Siddarth P Malhotra’s debut directorial was We Are Family (2010). It is an official adaption of Stepmom (English, 1998).

Rani Mukherjee in Hichki

Rani Mukherjee in ‘Hichki’.(X)

The film was produced by Karan Johar and had the likes of Kajol and Kareena Kapoor.

It had all the elements required to be a solid emotional drama, but Siddarth P Malhotra couldn’t do complete justice to it.

Despite We Are Family’s failure, the young director got an opportunity to helm a YRF film starring Aditya Chopra’s life partner, Rani Mukherjee.

Hichki (2018) was about a teacher with a passion for teaching in spite of suffering from Tourette syndrome and the impact she has on students of class 9F.

These students come from a nearby slum and are not interested in studies. Rani Mukherjee, as Naina Mathur, transforms their lives with patience and perseverance. Hichki was a classic underdog story that resonated well with the audience.

Siddarth P Malhotra showed that Aditya Chopra’s trust in him wasn’t misplaced.

Karan Malhotra

Just like Siddarth P Malhotra, Karan Malhotra, too, started his career with Dharma Productions.

He directed the action drama Agneepath (2012), a remake of the 1990 film of the same name.

A poster of the film Shamshera

A poster of the film ‘Shamshera’. (X)

While the original film had Amitabh Bachchan in the lead role, the remake had Hrithik Roshan and two terrifying villains, Rishi Kapoor’s Rauf Lala and Sanjay Dutt’s Kancha Cheena

Agneepath was a well-made masala film that registered good numbers at the box office.

Later, Karan Malhotra directed Brothers (2015), also a remake. However, the source material this time was an English film titled Warrior (2011). He tried to replicate the success of Agneepath with the same treatment, but this time, the results were far from satisfying.

The failure of Brothers led to Karan Malhotra stepping out of Dharma Productions.

After a gap of seven years, Karan Malhotra directed Shamshera (2022) produced by Aditya Chopra.

The film was a period-action drama about an oppressed tribe with a double dose of Ranbir Kapoor. Ranbir gave it his all, but the movie ended up being a poor clone of the Baahubali (2015 and 2017) films.

Unlike the other Malhotra, this Malhotra couldn’t live up to the expectations of the YRF Chairman.

Pradeep Sarkar

Late Pradeep Sarkar directed five films. Of them, three were produced by YRF.

These include Laaga Chunari Mein Daag (2007), Lafangey Parindey (2010) and Mardaani (2014). Among these, only Mardaani did good business.

Not many would have trusted the Parineeta (2005) director with a subject like Mardaani, but the late Pradeep Sarkar ensured that Aditya Chopra’s trust in him was not misplaced.

Mardaani is a significant film in the career of Rani Mukherjee. 

Rani Mukherjee in ‘Mardaani’. (X)

Vani Kapoor

Vani Kapoor has acted in seven films so far. Out of seven, five were produced by YRF.

The Bollywood diva started her career promisingly with Shuddh Desi Romance. But her next outing, Aaha Kalyanam (2014), a Tamil-telugu remake of Band Baaja Baaraat produced by YRF (the only South film bankrolled by YRF) was a dud.

Despite Aaha Kalyanam’s failure, Vani Kapoor was paired opposite Ranveer Singh in Befikre (2016). Unfortunately, neither the film nor Vani could create any impact.

Still, she was cast in another YRF film – War (2019). But there wasn’t much heavy lifting for her, as the focus was primarily on Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff.

The actress was last seen in another YRF dud Shamshera (2022).

Vani Kapoor will next be seen in the web show Mandala Murders, co-produced by Aditya Chopra.

Here’s hoping that the actress will finally be able to repay the trust of her mentor.

Manushi Chillar

Manushi Chhillar has acted in two movies so far. Both were bankrolled by Aditya Chopra.

In spite of the failure of Samrat Prithviraj (2022), YRF gave her another chance in The Great Indian Family, which again was a failure.

The actress is a good looker, but she hasn’t proved her acting credentials until now!

She will be next seen in Operation Valentine alongside Varun Tej. The Telugu actor is making his debut in Bollywood with this Telugu-Hindi bilingual. It is hitting the screens on 8 December.

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Apurva : Tara Sutaria Delivers A Knockout Punch In This Predictable Yet Gritty Survival Drama

Keeps you hooked.

Apurva (Hindi)

  • Cast: Tara Sutaria, Abhishek Banerjee, Rajpal Yadav, and Dhairya Karwa
  • Director: Nikhil Nagesh Bhat
  • Producer: Murad Khetani
  • Music: Vishal Mishra
  • Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes
  • OTT platform: Disney+ Hotstar

Nikhil Nagesh Bhat’s Apurva is based on an extraordinary real-life story of a girl named Apurva who was kidnapped by some goons in the Chambal area.

With no substantial help, Apurva fought them all alone and emerged as a victor.

The film begins by establishing the extreme cruelty of the four bad guys.

The main antagonists among these are Abhishek Banerjee and Rajpal Yadav. From there, we see how Apurva’s (Tara Sutaria) path crosses with these four local dacoits.

Excellent characterisation

Tara Sutaria in Apurva
Tara Sutaria in ‘Apurva’. (X)

To put it briefly, the story of Apurva is about how a city girl transforms herself into goddess Durga and kills the bad guys, of course, not literally.

The big area where Apurva scores is the gritty atmosphere that pulls the viewers into the story.

Despite tonal similarities with NH10 (2015), director Nikhil Nagesh Bhat and his technical team stage the Chambal area with authenticity. There is no artificiality whatsoever.

What also works for the film is a sense of dread that the director creates among the viewers with the help of the background score.

The characterisations of the dacoits are another major plus for the film.

Abhishek Banerjee and Co are truly scary as psychopaths. As a result, the viewers anxiously wait for Tara Sutaria’s Apurva to come out safe.

The characterisation of Apurva from a city girl to finding herself in a life-threatening situation has been written well. Her love story with Sid (Dhairya Karwa) gives some much-needed light moments. Both actors share good chemistry.

A brilliant Tara Sutaria

Tara Sutaria debuted with the sequel of Student of The Year 2 in 2019. Since then, she faltered in the selection of roles.

But here, the actress has an author-backed part, and Tara delivers a commendable performance. It is a juicy role with different shades, and Tara doesn’t miss a single beat.

Dhairya Karwa also does well as the supportive fiancée. He succeeds in portraying the love and desperation of Sid.

Coming to the local dacoits, Rajpal Yadav and Abhishek Banerjee successfully make the audiences hate them, particularly Abhishek, who plays an unhinged man with a lot of glee.

The major problem with Apurva is the excessive bloodshed and cuss words that won’t go down well with all. The serious hangover of NH10 also acts as a deterrent in some parts.

The police characters feel cardboard, more like an add-on, and don’t serve any purpose.

Same case with Apurva’s parents. They are hardly there.

Final take

To sum it up, watch Apurva if you are a fan of gritty dramas and real-life stories.