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Guns & Gulaabs: A Blend Of ‘Gangs Of Wasseypur’ And ‘Mirzapur’

Another story on drugs but worth a watch for the ensemble cast and the eccentric characters created by the director duo — Raj & DK.

Not as brilliant as Raj & DK’s previous ventures.
Guns & Gulaabs (Hindi)
  • Cast: Dulquer Salmaan, Rajkummar Rao, Adarsh Gourav, and Gulshan Devaiah
  • Director: Raj & DK
  • Producer: Raj & DK
  • Music: Aman Pant
  • No. of episodes: 7
  • OTT platform: Netflix

Raj & DK carved a niche for themselves in the web series zone with the two seasons of The Family Man (2019, 2021) and Farzi (2023).

In both the web shows, the director duo took up global issues and portrayed them through a humanistic lens.

But with their latest outing — Guns & Gulaabs, they seem to have entered more into the space of Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) and Mirzapur (2018, 2020). However, what remains the same is their trademark humour.

Synopsis

The story of Guns & Gulaabs is set in the fictional town of Gulaabgunj during the 1990s.

Ganchi (late Satish Kaushik) is a drug dealer who signs a big deal with a Kolkata-based businessman named Sukanto Chatterjee (Rajatava Datta). As per the deal, Ganchi needs to deliver a big quantity of opium to this businessman in just a month.

Paana Tipu (Rajkummar Rao) is the son of the late Bablu Tiger (Arijit Dutta), a key member of the Ganchi Gang. Tipu is a mechanic with zero interest in entering his father’s profession. He is head over heels in love with a school teacher named Chandralekha (T J Bhanu).

However, Tipu’s life takes an unexpected turn when he kills two people, in a fit of rage, who work for a contract killer named “Chaar Cut” Atmaram (Gulshan Devaiah). This gang is responsible for the death of his father Bablu Tiger.

Jugnu (Adarsh Gourav) is the son of Ganchi who is both effeminate and also savage. He is desperate to win the approval of his father. He gets an opportunity to fulfil his dreams when Ganchi meets with an unexpected accident.

Arjun (Dulqer Salmaan) is the seemingly honest cop and the perfect family man. He was a deputy commissioner of police in Delhi during the time of the Bofors scam. Now, he is transferred to Gulaabgunj with a simple brief of cleaning up the place.

Running parallel to these characters are a bunch of schoolchildren. Among the kids, the most important one is Tanishq Chaudhary playing the troublemaker Gangaram.

Raj & DK smartly integrate this track into the main plot of gang violence and the opium trade.

Eccentric characters

What also makes Guns & Gulaabs worth a watch are the eccentric characters that Raj & DK created. Most of them come in shades of both black and white.

For example, Rajkummar Rao starts as a reluctant son whose only aim is to become a famous mechanic and marry the school teacher Chandralekha. His scenes with TJ Bhanu bring a smile to the viewer’s face.

The actor also leaves you in splits with his fantastic comic timing. There is certain likeability to Tipu even after he becomes a part of the Ganchi’s Gang.

Rajkummar Rao portrays all these shades with his usual finesse.

The combination of scenes between Rajkummar and Dulqer, though few in number, is still good to watch.

Through the character of Jugnu, Raj & DK explore the journey of a young man who is stuck between effeminateness and living up to his father’s expectations. There is a chilling scene at the end where Jugnu pours out his frustration to his dad.

It gives goosebumps to viewers, thanks to the performance of Adarsh Gaurav.

Tipu and Jugnu have a striking commonality — both are burdened by the legacy of their respective fathers.

As mentioned in the beginning Dulqer Salmaan’s Arjun is initially presented as the perfect cop and the ideal family man. But as the show progresses past skeletons keep coming out.

One of these includes a past affair with Yamini (Shreya Dhanwanthary). The duality of Arjun is portrayed well. Dulqer delivers the cuss words with conviction.

The track of the school children is effectively used to address how students are usually slotted under a particular category and the consequences it has on their personalities.

An important track that needs to be mentioned here is the student’s (Gangaram) infatuation with Chandralekha.

Flaws

Nevertheless, one big problem with Guns & Gulaabs is the tying up of the various subplots.

The last few episodes feel cluttered. You get the feeling that Raj & DK were in a hurry to wrap up the web series. The last episode, in particular, even with an interval in between feels much laboured.

The female characters, except TJ Bhanu, don’t make any impression.

Shreya Dhanwanthary, in particular, is criminally underused. This is sad because the women in both The Family Man and Farzi — be it Samantha, Priyamani, or Rashi Khanna — were featured in full-length roles as strong and powerful ladies.

Technical crafts

One of the things that stand out in Guns & Gulaabs is the technical department.

Pankaj Kumar does a beautiful job of taking back the audiences to those times with his lens.

In this, he is aided by a solid art direction department.

Aman Pant’s background score complements the period perfectly. It has the right retro feel. Both the background score and the cinematography enhance the show in a significant way.

Verdict

In all, Guns & Gulaabs do not entirely match up to the brilliance of the director duo’s previous works. But still, it is worth watching, particularly if you like crime thrillers.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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Made In Heaven Season 2: A Gripping Critique On Social Issues

Despite a few editing lapses, the directors explore different topics and deliver a solid show, once again.

A worthy follow-up!
Made In Heaven Season 2 (Hindi)
  • Cast: Sobhita Dhulipala, Arjun Mathur, Vijay Raaz, Mona Singh, Shashank Arora, Mrunal Thakur, Pulkit Samrat, Radhika Apte, and Anurag Kashyap
  • Directors: Zoya Akhtar, Alankrita Srivastava, Neeraj Ghaywan, and Nitya Mehra
  • Producers: Excel Media & Entertainment and Tiger Baby
  • Music: Sagar Desai, Dub Sharma, Balkrishan Sharma, and Sherry Mathews
  • No. of episodes: 9
  • OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video

The first season of Made in Heaven created by Zoya Akhtar, Nitya Mehra, Reema Kagti, Prashant Nair, Alankrita Shrivastava, and Neeraj Ghaywan was a gripping take on the affluent society of South Delhi.

In the web series, the directors looked at the hypocrisies beneath all the glitter and glamour.

At the heart of Made in Heaven are the two wedding planners Tara Khanna (Sobhita Dhulipala) and Karan (Arjun Mathur). Tara was born into a typical middle-class family but her luck changes when she gets married into a rich South Delhi family.

Karan, on the other hand, is a gay who has unattached hookups.

Through each wedding, the directors explore different topics along with the upheavals that Tara and Karan face, both professionally and personally.

Synopsis

The second season of the web show, Made in Heaven Season 2, starts with Tara and Arjun trying to reconstruct their business which is facing financial issues.

As a result, they set up their office in an old dilapidated house with a new business partner Jauharji (Vijay Raaz) reprising his role from the first part.

In order to have tight control over the financés he brings in his wife Bulbal Jauhar (Mona Singh).

Apart from her, another new addition to the team is Meher (Trinetra Haldar).

Shashank Arora and Shivani Raghuvanshi continue their parts of Kabir and Jaspreet respectively.

Much like the first season, this time too, the creators push the envelope in exposing the double standards and hypocrisies that dwell in our society through different weddings.

For example, one of the episodes is about a successful author and Professor Pallavi Menke (Radhika Apte) who asserts her Dalit identity at every step. She insists on having a Dalit Buddhist wedding in addition to a traditional ceremony.

What is also similar is the various complexities playing out in the individual lives of Tara and Arjun.

The best part of Made in Heaven Season 2 is how the directors integrated the different social aspects of our society in an engaging manner.

Yes, there are times when the viewers feel the length of the episodes could have been trimmed. However, the impact doesn’t diminish.

Each episode ends with Shashank Arora’s social commentary. He raises uncomfortable yet important questions.

The Dalit episode definitely packs a bigger punch, thanks to Neeraj Ghaywan’s direction in addition to Radhika’s fiery performance.

Other episodes also make a strong impact.

A good example of this is the one centred on Kriti Malhotra and Gulshan Raina (Neelam Kothari and Samir Soni respectively).

This episode has also been directed by Neeraj Ghaywan. Kriti and Gulshan were lovers once upon a time in college. Now in their 50s, they are having an extra-martial affair behind the backs of their respective spouses.

The episode ends with Kriti taking a bold decision that doesn’t go down well with her children.

Effortless performances

Made in Heaven Season 2 also does a good job in the way it portrays a transgender character. There is certain sensitivity both in the writing and execution of the transgender person (Trinetra Haldar) who delivers a confident performance.

Special mention must also be made of Mona Singh. Her character Bulbal comes across as a tough woman in the office. But at the same time, there is also a vulnerability in the scenes with her rebellious teenage son.

Mona Singh does a fantastic job of portraying these shades.

One of my favourite characters apart from Radhika Apte is the one played by Mrunal Thakur. She plays a beauty queen struggling in an abusive relationship. The actress does a wonderful job, particularly in the emotional bits.

Sobhita and Arjun Mathur take off effortlessly from where they left in the first season.

In the second season, Sobhita as Tara has to literally restart her life after the separation from her husband Adil (Jim Sarbh).

Tara is someone who is both vulnerable and manipulative. The actress does a good job of bringing out these shades.

Arjun Mathur is in impressive form with his arresting performance.

Final Take

To sum it up, the title “Made in Heaven” actually feels like a paradox because of the way most of the marriages in this series end up. However, it’s a worthy follow-up to the first season.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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These Bollywood heroes and heroines made our jaws drop as onscreen baddies too!

Unlike many top actors who did negative roles later in their careers, Shah Rukh Khan started off his film career as an anti-hero.

It is hugely liberating for any actor who is relatively comfortable in one’s career doing roles that fall outside the conventional zone. It gives the artiste a certain abandon where he or she doesn’t have to pander to a certain image.

Following is a list of some Bollywood actors and actresses who have tried their hand at grey/negative roles and found varying degrees of success.

Let us start with “Bollywood Baadshah” Shah Rukh Khan.

Shah Rukh Khan

Unlike many top actors who did these kinds of roles later in their careers, Shah Rukh Khan started off his film career with a spat of anti-hero roles.

Both Baazigar (1993) and Darr (1993) made him a household name much before Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995).

The impact of Shah Rukh in Darr was so much that the audiences hardly remember Sunny Deol. Not surprisingly, the “Bollywood Baadshah” was the obvious choice for the remake of Amitabh Bachchan’s Don (1978).

In spite of comparisons with Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh made the character of Don his own with his stylish performance in the 2006 release. The actor effortlessly played the negative shades.

Aamir Khan

Among the other Khans, Aamir Khan played a character with grey shades to great success in Deepa Mehta’s directorial 1947: Earth (1999).

Here, he played an ice candy man named Dil Navaz who falls in love with Shanta (Nandita Das), a Hindu woman.

Shanta works as a nanny for a wealthy Parsi Family. However, she loves a Muslim man named Hassan (Rahul Khanna).

This is something that Aamir’s character cannot digest. Partition and the ensuing family tragedy change him completely.

As a person who gets swayed by the hate around him, Aamir delivered a brilliant performance. He did a wonderful job of bringing out the many nuances of his character.

Saif Ali Khan

Saif Ali Khan also made a huge impression with his negative roles in Omkara (2006), Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior (2020), and Adipurush (2023).

With Omkara, the actor successfully broke his urban image under the skilful direction of Vishal Bhardwaj.

Even in Adipurush, the actor brought certain energy whenever he appeared on the screen.

Interestingly, Salman Khan is the only Khan who did not play a negative role yet.

John Abraham

Before Pathaan (2023), John did several roles mainly consisting of chest-thumping patriotism and slapstick comedies. Nevertheless, most of these films didn’t click.

But the actor made a strong comeback in Siddharth Anand’s globetrotting entertainer Pathaan.

In Pathaan John’s Jim was not the regular clichéd villain. He is someone who is always a step ahead of Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan, which adds to the victory of the protagonist at the end.

The action scenes choreographed between Shah Rukh and John had a lot of grit.

Jim also had a solid back story explaining why he does what he does.

After a series of sub-par outings, John Abraham was finally in form. The best part of his performance was how he expressed his angst in the more dramatic bits.

Tabu

In Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022), Tabu played a double role — one of a dutiful daughter-in-law Anjulika and the other of her twin sister Manjulika who wreaks havoc in Anjulika’s life.

As Manjulika, Tabu let her hair down with a delightfully devilish performance. It was clear that the actress was having a blast.

Apart from Kartik Aryan’s comic timing, Tabu’s double act was another major reason why the film worked.

In Andhadhun (2018), the actress played the wife of a yesteryear movie star. Her character had many layers. She was erratic, vulnerable and deceitful all at the same time. She was simply brilliant in portraying these shades.

Tabu also made a huge impact with Maqbool (2003) and Haider (2014). Both these were adaptations of William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and “Macbeth” respectively.

Ranveer Singh

There is no denying that Ranveer Singh’s Alauddin Khilji was more of a caricature meant to glorify the Rajputs in Padmaavat (2018).  But at the same time, his Khilji was easily the biggest backbone of the film.

Ranveer gave an electrifying performance which easily overshadowed both Shahid Kapoor and Deepika Padukone. As viewers, we wanted to see more of him on the screen.

Ranveer’s scenes with Jim Sarbh as Malik Kafur were way more enjoyable than the poetic romance of Shahid and Deepika.

Priyanka Chopra

In Aitraaz (2004), Priyanka Chopra played an ambitious woman for whom fame and glamour are more important than anything else. In this quest, Priyanka’s Sonia marries a much older man (late Amrish Puri). Her desire for fame and success is fulfilled, but she doesn’t get sexual satisfaction from her husband.

In order to fulfil her desires, she tries to seduce her ex-boyfriend Raj Malhotra (Akshay Kumar). However, Raj rejects her advances as he is a happily married man. Sonia gets upset by his rejection and falsely accuses Raj of sexually harassing her.

Priyanka played this role very early on in her career. It was a bold move that could have easily backfired, but Priyanka made a huge impact. In fact, she shined more than Kareena Kapoor, who was playing the conventional heroine.

Alia Bhatt

Alia Bhatt‘s Hollywood debut is not exactly a smashing one, particularly for those who have seen her work in Hindi films. But the actress needs to be credited for taking up a grey character in her very first Hollywood venture — Heart of Stone (2023).

She tries to procure it for the villain without knowing his actual purpose. In the process, she is pitted against Gal Godot, the main protagonist.

In the initial portions, we see Alia’s harsh demeanour towards Gal. There is a visible arrogance in the way she speaks to her.

However, there comes a point when Keya goes through an existential crisis. All this was well portrayed by Alia. There is also a tough fight scene between them in mid-air.

Ajay Devgn

In Khakee (2004), Ajay Devgn played a formidable opponent who creates havoc for the police officers, played by Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar among others.

The actor brought a lot of quirks to his character. The subtle humour that he brought with his dialogues won the hearts of audiences.

His confrontation scenes with Amitabh Bachchan were easily one of the best parts of Khakee. With Khakee, Ajay Devgn showed that he can do a variety of roles.

Amitabh Bachchan

Amjad Khan’s Gabbar Singh in Sholay (1975) is easily one of the most iconic villains that Indian cinema has seen. It is not an easy task to recreate that villainy given how firmly the character has been etched in the minds of the Indian viewers.

But Amitabh managed to play the new-age Gabbar Singh in his trademark style in Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag (2007). If we keep the comparisons aside, the veteran actor was also quite menacing as a villain.

Apart from the above-mentioned actors and actresses, others too did roles that fell outside the convention of hero and heroine.

For example, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan played a character with a lot of vengeance on her mind in both the Ponniyin Selvan films (2022, 2023).

Akshay Khanna in Race 1 (2008) was superb in his role as a scheming younger brother.

In Race 3 (2018), Anil Kapoor played an illegal arms dealer named Shamsher Singh. Of late, he has been doing more negative/grey roles, and the actor seems to be enjoying them also.

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OMG 2: A Compelling Social Drama That Makes You Laugh And Think

Amit Rai’s directorial is another noteworthy addition to the list of mainstream movies that discuss taboo subjects.

A good follow-up!
OMG 2 (Hindi)
  • Cast: Akshay Kumar, Pankaj Tripathi, Yami Gautam, and Pavan Malhotra
  • Writer-Director: Amit Rai
  • Producer: Vipul D Shah, and Ashwin Varde
  • Music: Sandesh Shandilya and Vikram Montrose
  • Runtime: 2 hours 36 minutes

Director Amit Rai’s OMG 2 is not only a good follow-up to the first part but also works as a standalone film.

In OMG-Oh My God (2012), writer-director Umesh Shukla took several digs at the so-called religious men who feed upon the fears of common folk across religions. There was a sharp commentary on all types of religious hypocrisies.

OMG 2 features a different protagonist this time — a Shiv Bhakt. But what remains the same is how it touches upon an important social topic.

Nevertheless, the sequel is a step ahead in many ways.

Synopsis

Kanti Sharan Mudgal (Pankaj Tripathi) runs a pooja shop near a temple. he is a diehard devotee of Lord Shiva and enjoys respect in his area.

His life turns upside down when his son Vivek (Aarush Sharma) gets admitted to the hospital due to exhaustion caused by excessive masturbation (the word used here is a “selfie”).

Things get more problematic when Vivek’s fellow students secretly shoot a video of him doing the act in the toilet and the video gets circulated.  This results in a lot of humiliation for both Vivek and the family.

So, Kanti Sharan decides to flee with his family. It is at this point that Akshay Kumar enters as God’s messenger in human form.

Much like the first film, here too, Akshay guides his protagonist. This time, it is about fighting for his son and not running away from problems.

Kanti Sharan realises that his son has been a victim of misinformation and misguidance. He drags the school authorities and a chemist among others to the court. Here he is pitted against a high-profile lawyer Kamini (Yami Gautam).

Pavan Malhotra plays the judge.

The rest of the story is about how Kanti Sharan brings out the importance of sex education through his arguments and whether Vivek becomes his normal self again.

Highlights sex education

The best part about OMG 2 is how Amit Rai normalises the importance of sex education without making it come across as awkward.

For example, there are scenes where Tripathi shows how the body parts of males and females should be taught in school. He uses the words penis and vagina as normal words. All this comes across as natural.

The film also does a good job of normalising discussions about physical intimacy. There is a progressive outlook that can be felt throughout.

Further, it smartly integrates ancient Indian texts which have references to homosexuality.

There is also a reference to the Kamasutra which Kanti Sharan uses at an important juncture to remind us how progressive the Hindu religion was in the past.

However, the bashing of Macaulay towards the end could have been avoided. It comes as too simplistic.

Commendable performances

What also works for the film are the scenes between Akshay Kumar and Pankaj Tripathi.

The scenes where Akshay imparts wisdom to Pankaj Tripathi bring a smile to your face.

Akshay Kumar plays his part with the right amount of divinity. He also does a Shiv Tandav with admirable ease.

Pankaj Tripathi as Kanti Sharan does complete justice to the arc of the protagonist. His character has several shades from a distraught father to becoming a revolutionary and the actor pulls it off with the finesse that you expect from him.

Yami Gautam as the menacing opponent is also in fine form. She brings in the required aggressiveness and holds her ground.

Pavan Malhotra as the judge has his moments, particularly in his reaction shots.

Verdict

In all, OMG 2 is another noteworthy addition to the list of mainstream movies that discuss taboo subjects.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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Jailer: A Well Packaged Entertainer

There are enough Rajini moments to keep the fans satisfied
Jailor ( Tamil). 3 out of 5
Starcast: Rajinikanth, Vinayakan, Ramya Krishna, Yogi Babu and others special appearances ( Shiv Rajkumar, Mohanlal and Jackie Shroff)
Director and writer: Nelson Dilipkumar
Producer: Kalanithi Maran
Production Company: Sun Pictures
Music: Anirudh Ravichander
Genre: Action/comedy
Running time: 2 hours and 48 minutes

Jailer, directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, is a commercial potboiler with a mix of everything. There is the father and son emotion with a climax that is reminiscent of Kamal Haasan’s Bharateeyudu. There is also lot of dark humour generated through Yogi Babu’s character. The film takes the viewers back to Baasha times. Like in Baasha the protagonist in this film also has a violent past.

The film begins with the introduction of a gang who smuggles temple sculptures. The head of gang is Varman (Vinayakan). The opening scene establishes the brutality of the antagonist. From here we move to Tiger Muthuvel Pandian (Rajinikanth). Pandian is a retired jailor who now spends most of his time making YouTube videos with his grandson. His son Arjun (Vasanth Ravi) is an assistant commissioner of police who is on the trail of Varman’s gang. Arjun is warned by many not to dig too deep into this case but he refuses to stop the investigation. One day Arjun goes missing and the viewers are led to believe that he is dead. But things are not as simple as they appear to be. In brief Jailor is about what happened to Arjun and how Muthuvel Pandian nullifies the baddies with the help of some delightful cameos.

For any masala potboiler it is necessary that the villain is on par with the hero. Jailor doesn’t disappoint you there. Nelson has created a terrific antagonist with the character of Vinayakan. Vinayakan makes a huge impression with just his body language. Even in the lighter moments the actor does a very good job. A special mention must be made of Harshath playing one of the henchmen. In spite of limited screen time he makes a good impact.

Rajinikanth and others in celebration mood

The family moments particularly those between Rajinikanth and his on-screen grandson leave a smile on the viewers face. There is palpable warmth between them.  

The dark humour in the film mostly lands thanks to Yogi babu’s comic timing and the banter that both he and Rajinikanth share. Even the action scenes have a certain element of fun.

Coming to Rajinikanth’s Muthuvel Pandian Nelson has done a good job in designing the character. Initially we see Rajinikanth underplaying but later the character transforms into a menacing force. This has been showcased well. The emotional bits are also done well. There are scenes where there are no dialogues but the emotion is still very much felt.

Vinayakan, the perfect villain

Anirudh’s music and background score is another strong pillar for the film. It elevates the scenes in a major way. My favorite song in the film is Rathamaarey which showcases the family bond.

Finally the cameos have also been integrated well. It is a treat to watch Rajinikanth sharing screen space with Mohanlal and Shiv Rajkumar.

What doesn’t work for Jailor is the subplot of Sunil and Tamannah. It only adds to the length of the second half. Ramya Krishna as a typical housewife plays her part well but some of Rajinikanth’s scenes with her come across as too misogynistic.

Keeping the flaws aside it is good to see Rajinikanth playing his age like Amitabh Bachchan. Hope more good stories are written for him.

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Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani: Inclusivity In Karan Johar Style

The director subverts some of his own themes from his previous films; a case in point being how fear is looked upon as respect in our culture.

Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani is everything that you expect from the filmmaker. There are larger-than-life sets and exquisite costumes among other things.

At the same time, the director subverts some of his own themes from his previous films; a case in point being how fear is looked upon as respect in our culture.

The film also makes a strong case for inclusivity through Tota Roy Chowdhury’s character who loves Kathak which is looked upon as a female dance form. It also makes a strong case for inclusivity between two vastly different cultures — Punjabi and Bengali.

Synopsis

Rocky Aur Rani ki Prem Kahaani begins with the introduction of Rocky and Rani (Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt respectively).

Rocky is introduced through a dance number where he is surrounded by many women, including Janhvi Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, and Ananya Pandey (in special appearances).

He is dancing his heart out; but as soon as his grandmother Dhanalakshmi (Jaya Bachchan) appears, he scampers away because he is afraid of her and also his father.

Dhanalakshmi is the owner of a sweet shop — Dhanalakshmi Group. Rocky is the future heir to this business venture.

After the introduction of Ranveer, we move to Alia Bhatt’s Rani Chatterjee. She is introduced as this firebrand journalist who isn’t afraid to take on the Jugular.

The viewers see her grilling a minister about the rising rape cases by uttering a powerful dialogue: “Nazare Kharab Aapki Parde Kare Hum” (You ever tease us and we have to hide behind the curtains).

This sets the base for the drama to follow.

Rocky’s grandfather Kanwal (Dharmendra) is bedridden most of the time because of paralysis. He suffers from memory loss, too.

He has half picture of a woman in one of his books and Rocky believes that this woman might be the key to his grandfather regaining his memory.

The woman turns out to be Rani Chatterjee’s grandmother Jamini Chatterjee (Shabana Azmi). She is a cultural icon known among her intellectual gatherings.

Rocky arranges a meeting between his grandfather and Jamini through Rani.

Real kahaani

Rani initially treats him in a patronising way. But after some flirtation and through some old Hindi songs, they both fall for each other.

Rani isn’t sure about getting into a relationship with Rocky, given the many differences. But she eventually gives in.

However, things are far from easy as both families are contrastingly different from each other.

While the Chatterjees are woke, the Randhawas are as rigid as you get.

Taking the Telugu film Bommarillu (2006) route, the couple decides to go for a swap. Rani starts living with the Randhawas and Rocky with the Chatterjees.

Rani initially treats him in a patronising way. But after some flirtation and through some old Hindi songs, they both fall for each other.

Rani isn’t sure about getting into a relationship with Rocky, given the many differences. But she eventually gives in.

However, things are far from easy as both families are contrastingly different from each other.

While the Chatterjees are woke, the Randhawas are as rigid as you get.

Taking the Telugu film Bommarillu (2006) route, the couple decides to go for a swap. Rani starts living with the Randhawas and Rocky with the Chatterjees.

Rani faces severe opposition from Dhanalakshmi as she doesn’t like her firebrand nature. on the other hand, Rocky faces cultural issues. In a hilarious scene, he thinks that Rabindranath Tagore is Rani’s grandfather because of his long beard.

Whiff of nostalgia

The best part of Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani is how the director uses old Hindi songs at important junctures.

For example, Dharmendra sings “Abhi Na Jao Chod Ke” for the first time when his character regains his memory.

Some of the other songs include “Yeh Shaam Mastani“, “O Saathi Chal“, and “Do Dil Mil Rahe Hai“. These old songs are a character in itself.

However, the best usage has to be “Dola Re Dola” from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas (2002). The song starts off with Tota Roy Chowdhury performing in Durga Puja.

Ranveer’s Rocky joins him much to the delight of Alia Bhatt’s Rani and to the horror of Jaya Bachchan. Here the director is clearly subverting gender stereotypes.

Alia and Ranveer hold the fort

What also works for Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani is how Ranveer and Alia play off each other’s energies. Their contrasting personalities work for the film.

Ranveer Singh as Rocky brings the house down with his faulty English and uninhibited performance. The actor equally shines in the scenes showcasing Rocky’s fragile side.

The best example is the emotional moment that he shares with Alia’s father Chandon Chatterjee (Tota Roy Chowdary).

Alia Bhatt plays the firebrand journalist with the finesse that you expect from her. She more than holds her own opposite the veteran actors. She is first-rate in the dramatic bits like the showdown that happens between her and Rocky post the “Dhindora” song.

Veterans steal the show

Another thing that works for the film is the bonding between Dharmendra and Shabana Azmi. Their scenes bring a smile to the viewer’s face.

Dharmendra doesn’t have many dialogues, but the actor is still quite good. Shabana Azmi is a picture of grace and poise. Some of her dialogues are truly wonderful.

For instance, there is a scene where Jamini opens up about why she fell in love with Kanwal and how she doesn’t regret it.

Jamini also adds that she got more love from Kanwal in just seven days than she got from her husband in their entire marriage. Further, she talks about how her grandfather wasn’t as polished as Rani thinks him to be.

Tota Roy Chowdhury is in a wonderful form as the man who loves Kathak and takes pride in being a dancer. There is a heart-touching scene where he talks about how he was the only male student in his dance class.

Jaya Bachchan as Dhanalakshmi is more or less a personification of all patriarchal characters, including her husband. She seems to have taken revenge on behalf of all the women characters who have been subjugated by them — Sweet Vengence.

Technical crafts

Pritam’s music isn’t exactly a blockbuster but still, it works on the big screen. “Dhindora Baje Re” and “Ve Kamleya” are easily the best of the lot.

“Dhindora Baje Re” is further enhanced by the intense scene which precedes the song.

“What Jhumka” makes for a perfect Sangeet number. Alia’s dance moves in sarees particularly stand out.

The cinematography by Manush Nandan is appropriately glossy. He captures the wide canvas of the film well through his lens. Having said that, for some, the canvas may come across as too glossy.

Final take

Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani does remind you of 2 States (2014) and Bommarillu. However, this cultural and family clash is hugely enjoyable if you buy into Karan Johar’s world.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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Barbie: Not just a doll

It is an entertaining film with perfect mix of style and substance. Greta Gerwing gives a feministic touch to the good old Barbie

Barbie (English)                    

Starcast: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Ariana Greenlatt and others

Director and writer: Greta Gerwig

Additional writer: Noah Baumbach

Based on: Barbie by Mattel

Producers: Robbie Greener, Tom Ackerley and others

 Music directors: Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt

Production companies: Mattel films, Heyday films and others

Genre: Fantasy comedy/drama

Running time: 1 hour and 54 minutes

Greta Gerwing created a strong niche for herself with the film Little Women (2019). This novel was adopted by several filmmakers but Greta brought her own distinct stamp. While staying true to the original she managed to bring a contemporary touch.

Ryan Gosling as the most important ken

Now she is back with the film Barbie based on the Barbie fashion dolls. Barbie is set in a fantasy land where everything is utopian. Greta uses this fantasy set up to explore different themes like patriarchy, capitalism, consumerism etc. Earlier also there were television films about Barbie fashion dolls but this one is very different from those.

Some of the Barbies in the Barbie land are just beautiful beings while others are writers, scientists etc. Though it is a matriarchal society there are kens (men) also in this world. Among them the most important ken is played by Ryan Gosling. Among the Barbies the central Barbie is played by Margot Robbie. She falls under the beautiful category. Ryan Gosling’s character aspires to be her boyfriend but she prefers only female friendships.

Things take a turn when Margot Robbie’s Barbie starts thinking about philosophical things like mortality. This leads to many thoughts and she is unable to go about her routine. The magic is gone. She goes to an elderly Barbie who tells her that she must travel to the real world to cure her affliction. Initially she is reluctant to go but later she decides to go. Ryan Gosling follows her without her knowledge. Later she comes to know and accepts him after some hesitation.

What follows is a journey of self discovery and how this trip to the real world turns out to be a life changing experience. For the first time she realises that she is being hated by the human world for her beauty specifications.

One of the best things about the film Barbie is how Greta Gerwing sets up this tale. She immerses the viewers into this fantasy land with brilliant support from costumes, art and set design along with cinematography. The viewers truly feel transported into the Barbie world.

Margot Robbie effortlessly switches from a beautiful doll to a woman of substance

Another aspect that stands out in Barbie is how Greta strikes the perfect balance between entertainment and message. There are many comic moments that leave you in splits. Most of these come from Ryan Gosling. His character goes through a wide arc from comic to emotional and the actor doesn’t miss a single beat. The best part of his performance is his absolute lack of vanity.

Among the characters in the real world the ones that stand out are America Ferrera as Gloria and the teenage daughter (Ariana Greenblatt). Mother and daughter have a strained relationship which changes at different stages. The scenes between them are poignantly written. They become a huge pillar of support for Barbie at a critical juncture. America Ferrera has some impactful dialogues. For example there is a scene where she gives a passionate speech about the contradictory nature of our society. She takes several digs at patriarchy where women are expected to do everything perfectly.

Will Ferrel as ///gloria’s boss

The aspect of consumerism has also come out well through the character of Will Ferrel who plays Gloria’s boss and the head of Mattel Company. It is the company that manufactures Barbies.

Margot Robbie is the perfect choice for the central character as she effortlessly switches from a beautiful doll to a woman of substance. She prefers to be a complete human being with all the imperfections rather than just being a beautiful doll.

The musical numbers of Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyaat are a delight to watch because of their unique staging.

Barbie is worth a watch for not just the kids but to all age groups.

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Bawaal: This Mix Of World War II And Relationship Drama Has Its Moments And Flaws

Weak writing, morose tone of storytelling, and Janhvi Kapoor’s ineffective performance make things worse for the movie.

A downfall for Nitesh Tiwari!
Bawaal (Hindi)
  • Cast: Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor, Mukesh Tiwari, Manoj Pahwa, and Anjuman Saxena
  • Director: Nitesh Tiwari
  • Producers: Sajid Nadiadwala and Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
  • Music: Mithoon, Tanishk Bagchi, and Akashdeep Sengupta
  • Runtime: 2 hours 2 minutes
  • OTT platform: Amazon Prime

Nitesh Tiwari is a director who created a strong niche for himself with the likes of Dangal (2016) and Chhichhore (2019). Both films were not only box office hits but also got rave reviews. As a result, a lot was expected from Bawaal.

Unfortunately, his latest directorial doesn’t quite reach expectations in spite of a solid set-up.

Synopsis

The film begins in Lucknow with the heroic entry of the protagonist Ajay Dixit fondly called Ajju (Varun Dhawan). Looking at his swag and the adoration of the locals, viewers think that Ajju is doing a high-profile job.

But actually, he is a history teacher. However, it is quite a mystery how he got the job, given his ignorance of the subject and his lack of interest.

Ajay Dixit has a fake aura that he himself builds over a period of time. For him, image is everything.

In reality, Ajju is just a man-child and also a big liar. He marries Nisha (Janhvi Kapoor) but keeps away from her.

Nisha was a strong independent woman before the rushed marriage. She is now patiently waiting for her husband to accept her even after nine months of marriage.

Ajju never accepts Nisha as a wife because of her epileptic fits.

The self-made image of Ajju comes crashing down when he slaps a student in the class for asking a question about World War II. The student turns out to be the son of an MLA (Mukesh Tiwari).

Expectedly, all hell breaks loose and Ajju is temporarily suspended.

He comes up with a plan of travelling to the various locations in Europe which were ravaged by World War II and teach the students about the tragedy live.

In order to convince his father (Manoj Pahwa), Ajju plans to take Nisha along and paints a picture of wanting to repair his relationship.

His parents fall for this and give him the required money. The rest of Bawaal is about how Ajju undergoes a transformation and learns some important life lessons.

Positives

Before getting into the negatives, Nitesh Tiwari needs to be appreciated for how he uses World War II as a narrative tool.

He uses the horrors to make some important points. For example, in a scene, there is a clear message about the futility of war.

Similarly, in another scene, Nisha talks about the greed of Hitler and explains how not being content with oneself leads to disastrous consequences. 

The scene depicting the gas chamber incident is also quite poignant.

Mitesh Mirchandani’s cinematography in the World War II portions is successful in bringing alive the horrors of those times.

Performances

Of the two leads, Varun Dhawan is the clear winner. His character Ajju shares more than one similarity with Badri in Badrinath Ki Dulhania (2017).

In spite of the similarities, Varun does a terrific job of portraying the different shades. In fact, on many occasions, he seems to be acting on behalf of Janhvi Kapoor as well.

Janhvi Kapoor seems to have walked straight out of the sets of Mili (2022) and Good Luck Jerry (2022). It is puzzling how a supposedly strong woman would stay with a husband for nine months who insults her on every occasion.

Alia’s Vaidehi in Badrinath Ki Dulhania had far more spine, though she eventually ends up with Badri. But that was only after he changes, and becomes a better person.

Janhvi’s expressions hardly change. It looks as if she is forced to act.

Flaws

The biggest issue with Bawaal is the lack of a strong foundation for the love story between Nisha and Ajju.

The combination of weak writing coupled with Janhvi Kapoor’s ineffective performance makes things worse for the movie.

Bawaal also suffers from a morose tone of storytelling. There aren’t many light moments that make your heart flutter.

The lovey-dovey moments can be counted on the tip of the fingers.

The music composed by Mithoon and others isn’t bad but could have been much better, given the genre of the film. The need is for more soulful songs.

Final take

In a nutshell, Bawaal is a huge downfall for Nitesh Tiwari.

(Views expressed are personal.)

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The Trial: A Gripping Drama That Goes Much Beyond The Courtroom

The real-life references that director Supan Verma brings in make Kajol’s web series debut interesting to watch.

A worthy remake!
The Trial (Hindi)
  • Cast: Kajol, Jisshu Sengupta, Sheeba Chaddha, Gaurav Pandey, Alyy Khan, and Kubbra Sait
  • Director: Supan Verma
  • Producers: Ajay Devgan and Rajesh Chadha
  • Music: Sangeet-Siddharth
  • No. of episodes: 8
  • OTT platform: Disney+ Hotstar

Director Supan Verma’s The Trial is centred on a woman named Nayonika Sengupta (Kajol).

It is a remake of The Good Wife (English, 2009) and deals with many relevant topics like corruption, politics, media trials, and fake news. It also marks the web series debut of Kajol.

What happens that brings Nayonika back to work is what The Trial is about.

Synopsis

One day, Nayonika’s husband Rajiv Sengupta (Jisshu Sengupta) is arrested by the police for seeking sexual favours. This incident results in her coming out of her retirement.

With the help of Vishal Chaubey (Alyy Khan), she manages to get a job at a law firm co-founded by him. Vishal and Nayonika have a past which didn’t end happily.

At the law firm, Nayonika faces the brunt of both gossip and the sexual scandal of her husband before she proves herself as a competent lawyer.

In a nutshell, the series focuses on the different cases that Nayonika takes up along with how she bravely takes on the challenges that arise in both her professional and personal life.

Makes references to real-life incidents

One of the things that makes The Trial interesting is the real-life references that director Supan Verma brings in.

For example, one of the cases is about a cricketer who commits suicide and his girlfriend is hounded by the media. A negative campaign is run against her.

This reminds you of the Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s case.

Here, the director makes some valid points about how these media trials have a severe effect on the person who is already battered.

The Trial also has some satirical commentary on the legal system which lands perfectly.

Realistic portrayal of relationships

Supan Verma does a good job of exploring the dynamics between a mother and her two young daughters. It has been treated in a realistic manner.

The two daughters face a lot of humiliation in school because of the father’s sex scandal. In fact, they are forced to mature before age.

Another track that deserves a mention is the one involving Vishal and Nayonika.

Vishal never lets their bad past come in the way of supporting Nayonika. On more than one occasion, we feel that Nayonika should have ended up with Vishal and not Rajiv.

Further, the back story of how Nayonika and Rajiv ended up together could have been explained better. But still, the scenes between Kajol and Jisshu Sengupta do pack a punch.

The aloofness of Nayonika and her hesitancy to trust Rajiv again has been wonderfully portrayed.

Performances

As Nayonika, Kajol delivers a formidable performance and is successful in bringing alive the different layers. She brings in the right amount of grit, vulnerability, and despair.

Jisshu Sengupta is solid on his part as a guilty husband.

Sheeba Chadda as Vishal’s law firm partner brings in the required authority.

The rest of the actors also deliver good performances.

Final take

Watch The Trial for a realistic portrayal of Nayonika’s professional and personal life.

(Views expressed here are personal.)

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Hostel Days: Entertaining And Relatable, Particularly To Hostelites

Without deviating from the usual tropes associated with this genre, director Aditya Mandala makes it an engaging watch.

Director Aditya Mandala’s Hostel Days narrate the tale of six engineering students and the various experiences that they go through in their hostel life.

At the centre of this story are Sai (Darahas Maturu), Chitharanjan Bhattacharya (Mouli) and Naveen Yadav (Akshay Lagusani). The series primarily focuses on bullies in the hostel, last-minute preparation for exams, falling in love, etc.

Without deviating from the usual tropes associated with this genre, Aditya Mandala makes it an engaging watch.

Subplots

Campus dramas have their own magic irrespective of what age bracket the viewers are in. The best thing about it is, as expected, the camaraderie that the director creates between the three men. It feels organic.

There are also certain subplots which deserve a mention. These include body shaming and the love-hate relationship between parents and teenagers. They, too, are dealt with sensitively.

This web series also benefits from the witty anecdotes given by the college staff appearing at crucial junctures.

For example, there are the cameos of Jhansi and Rajeev Kanakala. These special appearances have been smartly integrated.

Performances

The acting, across the board, is quite impressive.

Darahas Maturu as Sai brings in the required innocence.

Mouli Tanuj as the wise Geek is also in fine form.

However, Akshay Lagusani steals the show with his uninhibited acting.

Among the female leads, Jaiyetri Makana shines the brightest as a youngster who is on the path of self-discovery.

Nevertheless, one major issue with Hostel Days is the hangover of 3 Idiots (2009) in the ragging portions. Though it works as a bonding tool between the three friends, the lasting after-effects of such bullying also needed to be exposed.

Final take

In all, Hostel Days makes for a breezy watch, particularly if you are in the mood for something light-hearted.

(Views expressed here are personal.)