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Trial By Fire: An Unforgettable Story Of Courage And Resilience

The three directors do a brilliant job in making the views root for the real life couple Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamurthy

Trial by Fire (Web series) Hindi:          4 out of 5

Starcast: Abhay Deol, Rajshri Deshpande, Anupam Kher, Ashish Vidyarthi and others

Directors: Prashant Nair, Randeep Jha and Avani Deshpande

Based on: Trial by Fire: The tragic tale of the Uphaar Fire Tragedy

Writers and creators: Prashant Nair and Kevin Luperchio

Producers: Henry Dcunha, Sidharth Jain and others

Production Companies: House of Talkies and Endemol Shine India

No of episodes: 7

Streaming site: Netflix

Stories based on real life incidents can make for an immersive experience whether it is a movie or web series. Prashant Nair and Randeep Jha’s Trial By Fire looks at a fire incident that broke out in Uphaar Cinema hall of Delhi. This fire incident took the lives of 59 innocent people. The movie playing at that time was JP Dutta’s border. However zero accountability was seen from the culprits of this man made tragedy. The major culprits were the Ansal brothers. The Ansal brothers not only owned the Uphaar Cinema but also half of Delhi’s infrastructure in the late nineties. Among the victims the main focus is on Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamurthy (Rajshri Deshpande and Abhay Deol).

Trial By Fire is inspired from a memoir of the same name. The series begins with the day of tragedy and how nothing is going to be the same.  We see how Neelam and Shekhar stand united in spite of a long and uncertain journey for justice. The plot alternates between a personal tragedy and systemic negligence. The first two episodes focus on the pattern of events and the director duo give a clear indication of how this is going to be an uphill task. From the third equal focus is given on the supporting characters that have also lost their loved ones in the fire accident.

First and foremost Trail By Fire is not for those who want escapism. This is a serious subject with no scope for entertainment. The director duo of Prashant Nair and Randeep Jha do a fantastic job of not making it melodramatic at any point. The struggles of Neelam and Krishnamurthy are presented in a realistic manner without resorting to bombastic dialogues. The climax also goes perfectly with the tone of the show.

As audiences you not only root for them as mother and father but also as husband and wife. A major reason for that is the sensitivity with which Prashant and Randeep have portrayed them.

Another good thing about show is the way the parallel storylines have been integrated. One of my favorite subplots is that of a retired army officer (Anupam Kher) and his wife played by Ratna Pathal Shah. Another track worthy of mention is Ashish Vidyarthi who is a dry fruit merchant. All these stories are well woven and find a perfect culmination.

The etching of Neelam and Shekhar is another major plus of the series. As Neelam Rajshri Deshpande often uses silences to convey her grief. On more than one occasion she uses subtle gestures to express frustration. Neelam is a disappointed and broken mother however underneath that a fierce mother is still there. All this has been brought out well by the actress.

As Krishnamurthy Abhay Deol does some of his best work after a long time. He makes for a terrific spouse who stands by his wife through thick and thin. He has his moments of occasional outburst and the actor does complete justice to them.

A scene which has to be particularly mentioned here is when the Krishnamurthy’s visit their relatives after several years. There is a visible pain in the eyes of the couple upon seeing the relatives children all grown up and doing well for themselves. The feeling of how the Krishnamurthy’s could have also had the same joy strikes the audiences in a big way.

The likes of Anupam Kher and Ashish Vidyarthi are veterans who don’t need a specific introduction. They do justice to their parts as expected.

In a nutshell Trial By Fire isn’t an easy watch but this is a show which needs to be seen.  Watch it particularly if you are a fan of realistic storytelling.

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Kuttey: Aasmaan Bhardwaj Proves To Be A Worthy Successor To His Father

Aasmaan Bharadwaj is here to stay!

Kuttey (Hindi)

  • Cast: Tabu, Arjun Kapoor, Kumud Mishra, Radhika Madan, Konkana Sen Sharma, and Naseeruddin Shah
  • Director: Aasmaan Bhardwaj
  • Producers: Vishal Bhardwaj, T Series and Luv Ranjan
  • Music: Vishal Bhardwaj
  • Runtime: 2 hours and 33 minutes

Vishal Bhardwaj is someone who started as a music director with films like Satya. He made a significant place for himself as a musician before getting into direction.

Since his directorial debut Makdee, he has given many masterpieces to the Hindi film industry. Films like Haider, Omkara and Maqbool are wonderful examples of that.

Vishal Bharadwaj’s son Aasmaan has a lot to live up to and the subject that he chose for his directorial debut clearly shows that he isn’t afraid to take risks.

Kuttey is a thriller with multiple characters and also plenty of back-and-forth narration. This isn’t an easy genre to crack for any director, let alone a debutant. But Aasmaan does a good job of capturing the audience’s attention. There are some rough edges, but he has the potential.

The story is about a few individuals who are eyeing a bank van carrying crores of money. Their desperation is compared to a pack of hungry dogs. Hence the title Kuttey.

There are three different groups (some intentionally and some accidentally) who want to lay their hands on the huge money. Each individual or group wants money for different reasons.

Gopi (Arjun Kapoor) and Paaji (Kumud Mishra) are police officers. They need money to get out of a terrible situation that they’ve landed themselves in.

Pammi (Tabu) is desperate for money as she wants to improve her standard of living.

Lovely (Radhika Madan) is the daughter of an underworld don Narayan Khobre (Naseeruddin Shah). She needs the money for spending the rest of her life with Danny Dandekar (Shardul Bhardwaj). Interestingly, Danny works for Narayan.

Lastly, there is Lakshmi (Konkana Sen Sharma). She runs a group of communist rebels who are on the run.

In a nutshell, the film is about who finally gets the money and what happens to those who don’t get the money.

An engaging treatment

The story of Kuttey hinges on a single track but what makes it engaging is its treatment by Aasmaan. The objectives of all three groups keep the audiences invested in what will happen next.

There is a strong animal analogy that the director presents and this enhances the film much like last year’s Darlings. There is liberal use of four-letter words. This makes the dialogues more entertaining, particularly for those who enjoy this brand of cinema.

Aasmaan also touches upon some important things through his multiple characters.

Through the track of Konkana Sen Sharma, the young director talks about how the marginalised are pushed to take up weapons. There is also a righteous cop who chooses to go on the dark side. All this enhances the drama.

The climatic twist takes you by complete surprise and also raises some chuckles.

Technical aspects

The cinematography by Farhad Ahmed Dehlvi is perfectly in sync with the nature of the film.

The music and the background score by Vishal Bhardwaj heighten the drama. Particular mention must be made regarding the use of “Dhan Te Nan” from Kaminey. It is a treat to watch.

There are a couple of aspects that could have been better. The cuss words feel overdone in places.

Also, both Naseeruddin Shah and Konkana could have been used better. The Naxalite angle could have been done with more depth. The violence also could have been trimmed down.

An ensemble of cast

Kuttey has a huge ensemble of actors and the ones who stand out are Tabu, Kumud Mishra, and Arjun Kapoor.

Tabu is at her usual best as Pammi. She has a ball uttering the Hindi swear words. She does a brilliant job of playing the badass boss that is generally reserved for men. She also brings in some comic relief.

Kumud Mishra delivers another ace performance as the conflicted cop. He lets his body language do most of the talking.

However, the surprise package of the ensemble is Arjun Kapoor. He holds his own opposite seasoned performers like Tabu and Kumud Mishra. His character sketch has an interesting quirk.

For example, he is religious and fasts on Tuesdays before going on a shooting spree. He is also shown to be a responsible father.

Radhika Madan and Shardul are good with the limited screen time that they have.

Kuttey has enough bite and the ensemble cast is the icing on the cake.

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Waltair Veerayya: A Routine Vendetta Saga With All Style And No Substance

Summary

Waltair Veerayya (Telugu) 2 out of 5
Cast: Chiranjeevi, Ravi Teja, Prakash Raj, Bobby Simha, Rajendra Prasad, Shruti Hassan, Catherine Teresa, Vennela Kishore and others
Director: Bobby Kohli
Producers: Naveen Yerneni and Y Ravi Shankar
Music: Devi Sri Prasad
Running time: 2 hours and 35 minutes
Genre: Action drama/comedy

Chiranjeevi is an actor who came with no background but emerged as a megastar with his hard work. There is a huge fan base that Chiranjeevi enjoys. But of late the actor has been struggling big time ever since he made a comeback to cinema.

Apart from Khaidi No 150, nothing has clicked for the actor.

Waltair Veerayya is thus an important film to him as neither Acharya nor Godfather set the box office on fire, although the latter had good reviews.

The promos of Waltair promised Chiranjeevi at his massy best and the addition of Ravi Teja had made the audiences excited.

Chiru has a blast

There is no denying that Chiranjeevi had a blast playing Waltair and his energy at the age of 67 is indeed commendable, but the end result is still hugely underwhelming.

Chiranjeevi is a smuggler of luxury goods and liquor along with being a fisherman. In spite of having a criminal record, there is a certain respect that Waltair enjoys. He is so respected that even the Coast Guard takes his help when in dire need.

Even a police officer like Seethapathi (Rajendra Prasad) approaches Waltair to help him bring back a notorious drug dealer Solomon Caesar (Bobby Simha) from Malaysia. Waltair and co go to Malaysia to kidnap Solomon.

Here Veerayya’s path crosses with that of Solomon’s brother Michael Caesar (Prakash Raj in another routine villain role). Waltair and Michael have a past that is connected to ACP Vikram Sagar (Ravi Teja). Vikram Sagar and Veerayya are step brothers.

Commercial package

What follows is a template commercial package where the elder brother takes revenge on the enemies and restores honour to his dead younger brother.

The story of Waltair doesn’t make any bones of being different and the fan appeasement is very clear from the moment Chiranjeevi is introduced.

The first half is sporadically engaging, all thanks to the comic timing of Chiranjeevi. His fear of heights generates some chuckles. There is a particular slang that the actor uses and this leads to some entertaining moments.

The other members of the gang that include Srinivasa Reddy and Saptagiri don’t get to do much in spite of their proven comic skills.

Sruthi Hassan’s character has an interesting twist when she is revealed to be a RAW officer, but as in most big ticket vehicles, she is relegated to the background soon.

Things take a turn for the better at the interval point and the interval bang is where the real story begins.

Ravi Teja factor

Ravi Teja’s entry and his scenes with Chiranjeevi are easily the best part of the second half.

The scenes where both the actors reference each other’s films do bring a smile to your face. There is big friction between them but at the same time there is also an undercurrent of emotion.

In spite of knowing where the story is going to head, you are involved as long as Ravi Teja is there.

As ACP Sagar, Ravi Teja brings a certain intensity to his part. A particular mention must be made of Ravi Teja’s death scene and the one final conversation that he has with his brother.

But once the flashback ends, the film starts becoming a big slog with endless action scenes and the pre-climax involving vigilante justice leaves the audiences with a sour taste.

Both Prakash Raj and Bobby Simha are earnest in their parts, but these are roles that they can play even in sleep.

As in most Telugu films, there is a huge set of supporting actors; but, with the exception of Rajendra Prasad, none have anything much to contribute.

The music by Devi Sri Prasad is apt for those who enjoy mass entertainers.

Chiru needs better scripts!

As Waltair, Chiranjeevi undoubtedly has a blast. His performance in both the comic and emotional bits is a delight to watch.

But it is high time that the actor understands the changing tastes of audiences and chooses scripts accordingly.

It would be good if the senior actor takes the route of an Amitabh Bachchan or a Mammooty.

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Year-End Roundup: Best Web Series Of 2022

Here are the four best web series from three different languages (Tamil, Telugu and English) that made a mark with their content on sensitive, social issues.

Anantham and Suzhal: The Vortex in Tamil and 9 Hours created by acclaimed director Krish Jagarlamudi in Telugu won the hearts of viewers.

As We See It, an English comedy-drama that follows the journey of three roommates with autism spectrum, caught the attention of the audience.

Anantham

Anantham, directed by V Priya, is the story of a house narrated by a house.

The plot spans different decades and each episode comes with its genre. There is romance, comedy, tragedy and horror among others.

The best thing about the web series is the way Priya integrates these genres. As viewers, we go through various emotions with each segment.

For example, there is a segment called “Parvathy” that talks about a child abuse survivor who ends up meeting her abuser. Through this segment, an important topic was discussed.

The director throws light on the family ecosystem that made the child a victim and the passive aggression that silenced her.

Another interesting segment is “Lalitha”. She is a murderer chased by her past demons. However, to the son, she remains the noblest soul on earth. The jump scares are done well and on more than one occasion the audiences feel scary.

Anantham also makes a plea for accepting homosexuality. Ananth (Sampath Raj) is a famous homosexual writer. He was thrown out of the house at a young age by his father Venkatesan (Prakash Raj) upon discovering his sexual tendencies.

Ananth returns to his family home after a long time when the father is unwell.

Venkatesan is someone who oscillates from being a progressive dad to a man with homophobia but he eventually comes to love his son. All this was brought out wonderfully by both the director and the actors.

Suzhal: The Vortex

Suzhal: The Vortex is much more than just an investigative thriller. The series is written by the acclaimed director duo Puskhar-Gayatri and directed by Bramma and Anucharan.

Suzhal means environment. It has many layers and character arcs. Viewers are kept guessing till the end and the finale is gut-wrenching, to say the least.

The series starts in a small town Sambaloor which is preparing to celebrate “Mayana Kollai” (looting of the graveyard). It is a ritual that is closely associated with the Goddess Angalamman.

The devotees of Angalamman narrate the life of the Goddess in the form of songs.

While this is happening on one side, on the other side, a huge cement factory in the same town gets destroyed in a fire. Its union leader is Shanmugham (Parthiban) whose 15-year-old daughter Nila also goes missing the same day.

The task of solving both these mysteries is entrusted to Sakkarai (Kathir), a sub-inspector.

Regina (Shreya Reddy) is also a police officer. Regina’s son Adhisayam is a suspect in Nila missing case, which creates unrest between the families.

Nandini (Aishwarya Rajesh) is Nila’s sister. She returns home after a lay-off in her company. She decides to help Sakkarai in his investigation. As the story goes along some deeply buried secrets start tumbling out.

The first two episodes give the feeling that it is an investigative thriller but it soon ventures into a rather unexpected zone.

The screenplay is very deft and each character is compelling to watch, irrespective of his or her screen time.

Some of the issues addressed are superstition, police brutality, child sexual abuse, human sacrifice and mental health. All these are smartly integrated and at no point that the audiences feel a sense of being burdened with several things.

One of the most touching parts of Suzhal is concerning Aishwarya Rajesh’s Nandini.

She is someone who is dealing with repressed emotions and has to take therapy to get over them. Through her character, Bramma and Anucharan address the importance of mental health.

Writer duo Gayatri-Pushkar infuses a much-needed message in the climax. It is something that will stay with the audiences, especially parents and children.

The performances across the board are brilliant but Kathir and Aishwarya Rajesh stand out.

9 Hours

Director Krish Jagarlamudi created a niche for himself with films like Gamyam, Gautamiputra Sathakarni and Konda Polam, among others. There is always an expectation of quality content when his name is attached.

The original story of 9 Hours is written by Malladi Venkata Krishnamurthy, a popular writer of yesteryears and adapted by Krish for this web series. It is directed by Niranjan Kaushik and Jacob Varghese.

As the title suggests the story is set in the time frame of nine hours. Three prisoners escape from jail to rob a bank but a simple bank robbery leads to a series of unexpected events.

The best bits of 9 Hours are easily the situations focusing on the hostage.

There are some unexpected revelations regarding those who are connected to this robbery. No one seems to be what they are. Some of the backstories are particularly well-fleshed out.

A special mention must be made of the character played by Ajay. His motivations are unclear for the most part. But when the suspense is revealed, it catches you off guard.

Ajay shines the brightest in this huge ensemble. The story for the most part takes place in the bank but the single location never comes across as a hindrance.

As We See it

This web show is created by Jason Katims. It is a heartwarming journey of three 20-something flat mates suffering from different spectrums of autism.

First up is Harrison (Albert Rutecki) who is the least independent of the three. He hates going outside because he is full of insecurities.

Next up is Violet (Sue Ann Pien) whose biggest desire is to have a boyfriend and lead a self-sufficient life.

The last among the three is Jack (Rick Glassman) who is the complete opposite of Harrison. He speaks whatever comes to his mind, irrespective of what the others around him feel.

As We See It shows how these three flatmates navigate family, friendships, careers and matters of the heart. They are guided by Mandy (Sosie Bacon).

At its heart, As We See It falls under a dramedy. A good dramedy needs to have the right balance between light and dramatic moments. Neither should outshine the other. Thankfully, Jason Katims got this mixture perfectly right.

The series has a feel-good nature to it but at the same time, the core issue is never watered down. It successfully addresses the different misconceptions about what is normal.

Out of the three flat mates, Violet has the most impact. Her equation with her brother Van gives the show some of its best moments.

The acting performances are top-notch across the board and add immensely to this well-made dramedy.

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Year-End Roundup: Best Hindi Web Series Of 2022

The format of “web series” has given wings to several filmmakers to experiment more. A web series doesn’t necessarily need a big star.

Indeed, web shows have turned out to be a great platform for actors who generally don’t get the same scope in films.

For example, Delhi Crime Season-1 turned out to be a major boost for the career of Shefali Shah. It showed the actress in a different light.

Here’s the list of some of the Hindi web shows that caught our attention most this year:

CAT

In Hindi cinema, Punjab has been largely restricted to mustard fields, Bhangra dances and families living in big havelis. Thankfully, there have also been exceptions.

The most important of them is Abhishek Chaubey’s Udta Punjab.

Though the movie faced a lot of problems with the censor, as it showed the menace of drug abuse, it eventually came out with flying colours.

CAT, directed by Balwinder Singh Janjua, tackles two dark aspects of Punjab. One is militancy and the other is drugs.

Its central protagonist, Randeep Hooda, plays Garry aka Gurman Singh. In the past, he was roped in by the Punjab police to spy against the militants. Hence the name CAT.

He quits that line of work and starts leading a peaceful life. But the peace is short-lived as his younger brother is doing drugs, much like several other young men of Punjab.

This leaves Garry with no option other than to become a CAT again. This time, the mission is busting the big trafficking gang run by a political leader.

However, this is just the surface of the story, as many things are happening simultaneously. Revealing anything more about the plot would be inappropriate.

The best thing about CAT is juxtaposing militancy and drugs. These are serious issues which need nuance both from the director and the writer. Thankfully, Balwinder Singh and Co did a fantastic job.

CAT is filled with many backstories. These stories continue to unfold even in the last episodes and make the plot more engaging.

The past and the present of Gurman have also been superbly done. The audiences constantly root for Gurnam to come out safe.

Special mention to Abhishant Rana who plays the younger version of Randeep. He is simply terrific.

CAT gave Randeep a vast platform to display his histrionics and the actor didn’t disappoint one bit. With this performance, he showed once again why he deserves so much more.

Delhi Crime 2

The first season of Delhi Crime was a big winner on several counts. It was based on the aftermath of the Nirbhaya case, but it was much more than just the typical police manhunt.

Director Richie Mehta made some subtle yet effective points on the socio-political conditions we live in and how these conditions influence the police force.

Richie Mehta was immensely successful in humanising the police force by showcasing their humane and vulnerable side.

Expectations from Season 2 of the web series were naturally bigger. Shefali Shah returned as DCP Varthika. Some of the faces from Season 1 were also in this series, like Rasika Dugal.

Delhi Crime 2 focuses on the crimes committed by the much-feared “Kachchha Baniyan” gang.

Senior citizens living in gated communities are their target. The reason for their name is their dress while committing these crimes. All the members of this gang are dressed only in underclothes.

Additionally, their bodies are smeared with oil. As a result, it is difficult to catch them during a chase.

Season 2 of Delhi Crime is directed by Tanuja Chandra, with Richie Mehta as the creative head. Tanuja Chandra highlights an important class issue through this “Kachchha Baniyan” gang.

The director makes a strong statement on the injustice done to the underprivileged tribes and the prejudices attached to them. The show also addresses the disparities in society and how it leads to such crimes.

The aspect of social discrimination is reflected through Tillotama Shome playing Lata Solanki. Her character is used to make a point about how no one is a born criminal.

As Varthika, Shefali Shah took off from Season 1. She continued her winning form with a performance that adds to her versatility.

Rocket Boys

As the title suggests, Rocket Boys is essentially about India’s two eminent scientists: Dr Homi Bhabha and Dr Vikram Sarabhai (Jim Sarbh and Ishwak Singh in the series). This web show looks at the journey of India’s nuclear and space programme.

Director Abhay Pannu spans his story across three decades starting from the events of 1942.

A young Sarabhai is forced to return to India on account of the war in Britain. He has an ambition of sending rockets into space someday. With this in mind, he joins Homi Bhabha’s atomic research unit.  A deep bond develops between them.

With a story like this, it is easy to get into the zone of jingoism but thankfully, Abhay does not commit that mistake.

Instead, he focuses more on the distinct personalities of the two scientists. While Jim Sarbh as Homi Bhabha is more of an extrovert, Ishwak as Sarabhai is more of a calm-going man.

The juxtaposing of these two qualities makes the screenplay more riveting. Their journeys and the dreams of making it big are well captured by the director.

The Rocket Boys series does not confine itself to just science. It also looks at the politics of those times. The technical departments of the film did a fantastic job of recreating that period.

Both Jim Sarbh and Ishwak live their parts. Jim in particular does a swell job of capturing the madness of Homi Bhabha.

The women characters are thankfully not relegated to the background.

Regina Cassandra brings an old-world charm and her scenes with Ishwak are wonderful to watch. Saba Azad as the lawyer brings a certain fire to her part.

The Great Indian Murder

The Great Indian Murder is based on the book The Six Suspects written by Vikas Swarup, who also wrote the book Q&A, which was later made into Slumdog Millionaire. The book explored the different aspects of our society like the rampant corruption that runs through all the systems.

Vikas Swarup used the mode of investigative thriller to highlight this issue. For those who have not read the book, the story focuses on the murder of a playboy called Vicky Rai.

He is the spoiled son of a politician in Uttar Pradesh. He gets embroiled in a murder case. but thanks to his social status, he comes out scot-free.

Vicky throws a party to celebrate his acquittal in which he gets killed by a gunshot. Six guests are arrested on the grounds of suspicion.

Tigmanshu Dhulia adapted this story and did a good job for the most part. The best thing about his direction is his use of each character. Each one of them reveals a different side of our society.

My favourite one is the track by Shashank Arora. Though a thief, he has inherent decency in him and Tigmanshu did a very good job of exploring it.

The trajectory of his role has an emotional touch. His love for Vicky Rai’s sister and how he goes out of the way to help her leaves the viewers emotional.

Another track worth mentioning is that of Raghubir Yadav. His split personality gives the series some of its best moments.

The scenes where he plays Gandhian are very amusing. Tigmanshu takes several jibes through his character.

Needless to say, Shashank and Raghubir Yadav are the best performers in this ensemble.

Tigmanshu also made it effective by using the Rashomon approach. There is a lot of back and forth and the events keep on changing. Still, the tightness of the script makes sure that the audience does not get bored.

An underlining theme of the show is the manipulation of evidence for political mileage.

The Great Indian Murder web series has its share of flaws too. For example, Paoli Dam playing the actress is given a strong beginning but midway through, she disappears.

Also, the tying up of some subplots could have been better. Apart from these, it is a binge-worthy series.

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Year-End Roundup: Best Telugu Movies Of 2022

In 2022, Tollywood saw movies from different genres putting up a great show at the box office.

There are a couple of highest-worldwide grossers, including SS Rajamouli’s star-studded RRR starring Jr NTR-Ram Charan Tej, Mahesh Babu’s Sarkaru Vaari Paata, and Pawan Kalyan-Rana Daggubati’s Bheemla Nayak.

But Nikhil Siddhartha-Anupama Parameswaran’s Karthikey 2 turned out to be the surprise package.

However, there are a few films that tugged at the heartstrings of Telugu audiences with their powerful content and thus deserve to be tagged as the best Telugu movies of 2022. Let’s take a quick look at the list:

Major

In the last few years, Adivi Sesh significantly rose from the ranks, both as a writer and also as an actor. In 2022, he established himself as a formidable force.

Major was based on Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, an Indian Army officer who was martyred while combating terrorists in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Along with being the protagonist, Adivi Sesh was also the writer of this project.

The story of Major doesn’t have any suspense since the audience is aware of what will happen at the end.

But that didn’t stop the audience from cheering on Sandeep when he combats the terrorists.

Through his writing, Sesh presented Sandeep as a wholesome personality and not just as a military man. As a result, the audience had a better emotional connection when the tragedy happened.

As an actor, Sesh grabbed the role with both hands. He nailed his act both in scenes of physical bravado and also as a caring son.

Hit: The Second Case

It was a sequel to the successful Hit: The First Case. Director Sailesh made sure that there was a proper connection between Hit 1 and Hit 2.

Nevertheless, Hit 2 was ahead of its prequel, both as a solid police procedural and also as a psychopath film. Unlike Major and Gudachari, Adivi Sesh did not write the story for this film.

Hit 2 also had a brief subplot where it critiques extrajudicial killings and their celebration.

It is only a brief mention but it makes the movie a cut above the other films of this genre.

Thrillers aren’t new for Sesh but the actor made sure that there is something novel in his performance.

Sita Ramam

Hanu Raghavapudi’s Sita Ramam can be labelled as a poetic love story.

There is a lot to like about this Dulqer Salmaan and Mrunal Thakur-starrer. The two not only shined individually but their chemistry was also top-notch.

As Lieutenant Ram, Dulqer turned on his charm fully and made the audiences fall in love with him.

Mrunal Thakur was the surprise package. She not only looked stunning but also delivered a wonderful performance.

The director smartly combined the love angle with the Indo-Pak conflict. There are ample twists and turns to keep you hooked and it is difficult to be not moved by the ending.

The supporting characters led by Rashmika and Sumanth were also a delight to watch.

Music and cinematography departments also made Sita Ramam an enriching experience.

The film had its share of flaws; the case in point being the comedy track of Vennela Kishore. Also, Mrunal’s character doesn’t de-age even one bit!

But still, Sita Ramam is a feast for those who like intense love stories.

Bhamakapalam

Directed by Abhimanyu Tadimeti, Bhamakalapam is an interesting garnishing of elements such as crime, greed and religion.

The plot is centred on a Faberge egg that is worth ₹200 core. At the beginning itself, the audiences understand this egg has been stolen and gets lost again.

Bhamakapalam is not just an engrossing thriller but it also makes an important statement about finding the god within.

The underlying message is not to be misled by someone who uses religion as a weapon. This message isn’t particularly new; nevertheless, it’s relevant.

Anupama Mohan (Priya Mani) is a woman of many talents. She is a homemaker who is also famous for her cooking videos.

There is also an inner Sherlock Holmes in her which comes out early on. She tries to expose the extramarital affair of her neighbour. But all this backfires!

The husband takes a promise that she wouldn’t do her detective work again but fate has other plans.

The best aspect of Bhamakalapam is how the director builds suspense around the egg. Audiences are constantly wondering about what is so special about this Faberge egg that it is worth ₹200 core.

The film also benefits immensely from Priya Mani’s spot-on performance. She imbibed the curiosity of Anupama.

Her scenes with house help Shilpa (Sharanya) are a delight to watch. Sharanya shined both in the comic bits and also where she is required to show tension.

Ante Sundaraniki

In 2022, Actor Nani came up with just one movie: Ante Sudaraniki. Well, it was quite unusual; for, he delivers a film every three-four months.

In Ante Sudaraniki, the actor teamed up with Malayali beauty Nazriya Nazim. This romantic comedy is helmed by young director Vivek Athreya.

Though the reception at the box office for this sensible flick was mixed during its theatrical release, Ante Sundaraniki surely makes it to the list of best Telugu movies of 2022.

Nani rose to stardom with romantic comedies and he carries them with ease. Thus, he comes up with his best for Ante Sundaraniki. Nazriya Nazim joining him makes the proceedings even more interesting.

Nani appears as Sundara Prasad from an orthodox Brahmin family. Nazriya plays Leela Thomas from a Christian family.

They leave no stone unturned in convincing their parents of their interfaith marriage, but only land in bigger problems which, in turn, leave the audience in splits.

In all, the romantic comedy narrates the struggles of an interfaith couple in a comical way.

Besides the lead pair, the film features a strong support cast like Anupama Parameswaran, Nadhiya, Naresh, Rohini, and Azhagam Perumal.

Virata Parvam

Underrated Virata Parvam deserves serious film buffs’ attention

Rana Daggubati and Sai Pallavi-starrer Virata Parvam gained quite a lot of attention even before its release, owing to its storyline and casting.

But it could not sustain its momentum after hitting the theatres, as many considered it to be too serious a film for regular audiences.

Directed by Venu Udugula, Virata Parvam is set in the backdrop of Naxalism and tracks the heart-wrenching story of Vennela (Sai Pallavi). She falls for Naxal leader Ravi Shankar (Rana Daggubati) and gets attracted to the Naxalism ideology, which tragically ends her life.

Telangana was the hotbed for Naxalism in the 1980s and 1990s. Virata Parvam depicts the various facets of the extremist movement, riding on the love story of the lead pair.

Sai Pallavi’s acting prowess and her ability to carry conflicting emotions effortlessly keep the audience engaged throughout the movie.

Film lovers who are interested in serious stuff will find Virata Parvam engaging.

Ammu

Aishwarya Lekshmi’s Ammu takes a new stance on an age-old issue.

This is a low-profile movie which was released without much fanfare but held the audience in thrall with its intensity later.

Starring the talented Aishwarya Lekshmi in the title role, Ammu depicts the story of a naive and hapless married woman who becomes a victim of domestic violence.

Films on domestic violence are not new to the Telugu audience. But the way director Charukesh Sekar dealt with it makes Ammu a special movie.

Aishwarya Lekshmi’s impressive portrayal of a woman stuck in an abusive marriage added to the director’s vision, making it to the list of must-watch movies of 2022.

While this realistic film has its shortcomings, its brilliance and honesty won over the audiences.

Being the queen of Ammu, Aishwarya Lekshmi grabs all the credit. However, Naveen Chandra plays on par with her. He does an excellent job as an abusive husband.

Bobby Simha’s presence further adds to the impact. Interestingly, Ammu is Amazon Prime Video’s first original Telugu film.

Urvasivo Rakshasivo

The genre of romantic comedy/drama is one of the most overused genres in cinemas across languages. Only two kinds of endings are possible: One happy and the other sad.

But a well-made rom-com is always welcome, like Urvasivo Rakshasivo. It is the remake of the Tamil film Pyaar Prema Kaadhal.

Urvasivo Rakshasivo deals with the conflict between live-in relationships and marriage. The boy wants marriage but the girl wants a live-in.

The most refreshing aspect of this movie is the characterisation of Anu Emanuel’s Sindhu and the wonderful performance of the actress.

There are occasions when Sindhu may come across as both stubborn and spoiled. However, the audience also understands from where Sindhu is coming and the reason for her stubbornness in not wanting to marry.

Director Rakesh Sasi doesn’t tamper with the soul of Sindhu, at any point, even when the lead pair drifts apart.

Most importantly, the happy ending of the story doesn’t come at the cost of squashing Sindhu’s career dreams.

The film also never gets preachy. The scenes depicting the live–in relationship are peppered with much entertainment. Both Sunil and Vennela Kishore brought the house down with their comic timing.

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Year-End Roundup: Best Hindi Movies Of 2022

2022 has been a mixed year for films in Bollywood. It witnessed the best Hindi movies, and the worst, too.

Several male stars delivered big duds. For example, Ranveer Singh had two releases: Jayeshbhai Jordar and Cirkus. Neither of them had set the box office on fire.

Similarly, several remakes have bitten the dust. The Hindi remakes of Vikram Vedha, Mili, and Jersey are a few examples. Only Drishyam 2 managed to become a blockbuster.

2022 also had its share of wonderful films both in theatres and OTT. Let’s check the best Hindi movies of 2022:

Gangubai Kathiawadi

It was the first big Bollywood release, post the second wave of the pandemic. Gangubai Kathiawadi was released at a time when theatres were operating at 50 percent occupancy, particularly in Mumbai.

The film was based on a chapter from Hussain Zaidi’s book The Mafia Queens of Mumbai. There was certain scepticism on whether Bhansali would be able to pull off this gritty real-life story, considering that his Ram Leela, Bajirao Mastani, and Padmavat were larger-than-life movies.

However, both Bhansali and its leading lady Alia Bhatt surprised one and all. Though Gangubai Kathiawadi had its share of Bhansali-trademark elements in the way the area of Kamatipura was staged, the film had a beating heart which made it much more than just a visual spectacle.

Gangubai Kathiawadi also offered Alia her widest canvas to date. The actor made sure Bhansali’s faith in her did not go in vain.

In fact, Alia sunk her teeth into the role and came up with a performance that is far superior to her previous ones. Physicality was a problem at times, but it is to the actor’s credit that this aspect did not become bothersome for the audience.

Alia expressed a lot just through her body language. The best example of this is the song “Meri Jaan” which takes place between her and Shantanu Maheswari in a car.

There was a multitude of emotions that she had to convey and the actress just killed it.

Another example is one of the initial scenes when the character stands in front of a brothel, leaning on a wall and calling out for men in whispers.

There are no dialogues, let alone a heavy monologue, but Alia conveys the pain of Gangu superbly, just through her eyes. Her performance easily stands amongst the best seen on-screen.

The supporting cast made this film even more memorable. Shantanu Maheswari as the Muslim tailor Afshan made a successful detour from television to films.

The love story between him and Gangu was handled with a lot of sensitivity. Audiences feel sad when the couple does not have a happy ending.

Ajay Devgan as Rahim Lala only had an extended special appearance, but the senior actor was as solid as ever.

Another character worthy of mention is Jim Sarbh, as a journalist. In their first scene, Gangubai introduces herself as Gangubai, the prostitute. This shocks Jim’s character.

Darlings

A story on domestic abuse on-screen is something that calls for a lot of sensitivity. Debut director Jasmeet K Rheen was brave enough to pick it up and mix it with elements of thriller and comedy.

This is a difficult mix to pull off for any director, let alone a debutant. But she managed to make it mainstream.

However, Darlings (released on Netflix) has its flaws: The tonal shift in the second half feels rather abrupt; the dark comedy doesn’t completely land. The indecisiveness of Badru makes the audience impatient.

But then, there is also a lot to like about Darlings. Chief among them is the mother-daughter dynamics portrayed excellently by Shefali Shah and Alia Bhat. The constant tussle between mother and daughter led to some thoroughly entertaining moments.

Jasmeet K Rheen also makes some valid points on the unequal power structure of marriage.

Unlike in Gangubai Kathiawadi, Alia is not the driving force in this film. But the audience roots for her because each one of us can see a family member or friend in her plight.

Kudos to the actor for choosing this film as her maiden production venture.

While Vijay Varma looked truly a scary psychopath, Roshan Mathews in the role of Zulfi was charm personified.

Jalsa

The story of Jalsa (streaming on Amazon Prime Video) is far from cheerful, as the title indicates.

Director Suresh Triveni packs a lot of serious stuff in the movie, starting from moral ambiguities to class divide. There are occasions when it feels too scattered and the characterisation of Vidya Balan leaves a lot to be desired, which I will get to later.

Vidya is introduced as Maya, a strong-willed journalist. She is someone who believes that truth should come out no matter what.

However, when she gets embroiled in an unfortunate accident, she does not stand up to what she preaches. The victim happens to be the daughter of her domestic help Ruksana, played by Shefali Shah.

Despite Jalsa being a new genre for Suresh Triveni, there is no denying the command that the director showed.

He is particularly impressive in showcasing the intricacies of human behaviour when they are pushed to the edge. The class divide between the two central characters was captured well by him.

There is a scene in the first half when Ruksana’s son gets fascinated with the motion flush in the toilet. For him, it is like a toy that only rich people can buy.

Rohini Hattangadi as Vidya’s mother spreads so much warmth whenever she appears on the screen.

Lastly, Ruksana’s bond with Maya’s 10-year-old son, who suffers from cerebral palsy, is also good to watch.

As mentioned earlier, Vidya’s character severely suffered from loose characterisation. At no point do we get a glimpse of Maya’s remorse.

Yes, a certain fear is there about police catching up with her. However, there is no proper scene where Maya feels bad for what she has done. This doesn’t go down well with what is shown in the beginning.

The looseness in the writing also reflects in Vidya’s acting. The actress is sincere but we have seen her do far better in the past.

The climax also ought to have been more power-packed. The stereotypical representation of journalists is another put-off. Not surprisingly, Shefali Shah walked away with the top honours.

Drishyam 2

The Hindi remake of the second Drishyam arrived at a time when there was a saturation of remakes.

Films like Vikram Vedha, Jersey, and Mili couldn’t do much despite having good reviews. However, there were more expectations from this sequel, given that the Malayalam original didn’t release in theatres and there was no dubbed Hindi version available.

The trailer was well received and the presence of the underrated Akshay Khanna added to the curiosity. The film was expected to be at least a hit; however, it went far beyond the expectations of the trade.

Drishyam 2 is one of those rare films that holds its own, both as a remake and also as a standalone film.

Much like the Malayalam original, here too, there are no heroes and villains. The audiences root equally for the common man Vijay (Ajay Devgan) and the police officer (Tabu).

Director Abhishek Pathak deserves huge appreciation for how he adapted the source material, while at the same time, adding certain things that don’t disturb the flow of the original.

Akshay Khanna brought a certain dynamism to his role of a determined cop-cum-friend.

Some sarcastic one-liners brought a smile to our faces, like the one when Akshay’s Tarun mocks Vijay about the latter’s story on what happened that night.

Good Luck Jerry

This is a remake of the acclaimed Tamil film Kolamaavu Kokila. The original was greatly appreciated for its performances and direction. Nayanthara aced her parts in the original.

There were doubts if Janhvi Kapoor would be able to pull off this author-backed role. However, to her credit, she was more than efficient.

Siddarth Sen, who directed Good Luck Jerry (streaming on Disney+ Hotstar), transported the Tamil original to Punjab. He added the angle of Jerry and her family as Punjabi migrants.

The father was replaced by a kind-hearted neighbour. Much like the original, here too, you root for the leading lady.

Good Luck Jerry had elements of both crime and comedy. This concoction was well handled by the director. Much of the film’s laughter comes from Rinku (Deepak Dobriyal). His one-side lover act packs quite a punch.

The movie also gave Janhvi some moments to showcase her masala side and the actress made full use of it. She is particularly good when Jerry has to take things into her own hands.

Mili

This is a survival drama starring Janhvi Kapoor. It is a remake of the Malayalam super-hit flick Helen, starring Anna Ben in the title role.

Survival drama is not a genre that can be watched on a repeat mode and it certainly isn’t for the weak-hearted. Mathukutty Xavier remade his own Malayalam hit into Mili.

Not surprisingly, it didn’t find many takers. But it did great justice to the original. In fact, we can watch Mili even if we have seen Helen.

The best part of the movie is when the survival drama takes over, with Mili’s father and boyfriend joining hands for their loved one.

The freezer room portions make you feel that you are actually with Mili. AR Rahman’s background music also added to the thrills.

The father-daughter relationship was the major backbone and it was a delight to watch Manoj Pahwa and Janhvi sharing screen space.

Sunny Kaushal could have had more scenes with Janhvi but even in those few scenes, he made his presence amply felt with his amiable nature.

Janhvi knocked it out of the park with her terrific performance as Mili, the title role. She makes the pain of the character so real.

Mili also had some impactful social commentary in terms of portraying the stereotypes attached to young working women.

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Some Of The Best Films From Our Neighbours

An overview into the best films that have come from Malayalam and Tamil film industry in the year 2022

Year Ender (Malayalam and Tamil Films)

This article is about some of my favorite Malayalam and Tamil Films that I have seen this year. There has been a big boom of Tamil and Malayalam films in the last few years thanks to the various OTT platforms. This year has also seen some wonderful films from both the industries particularly Malayalam.

First up are the Malayalam films.

1 and 2 Puzhu and Malayankunju: Both these movies are a stinging critique of two upper class men struggling to come to terms with today’s changing world. Puzhu is a gripping psychological study of a police officer called Kuttan (LegendaryactorMamooty). Kuttan is a widower who stays with his son Kichu in a posh apartment. He is an unlikeable character in many ways. He has an overbearing nature that suffocates his son.

Kuttan also suffers from a paranoia that someone is trying to kill him. This paranoia gets further accentuated with the arrival of his sister and her husband. Parvathy plays Kuttan’s sister Bharati. Kuttan has a problematic equation with Bharati as her husband comes from a lower caste.

The biggest strength of Puzhu lies in how the director handled the complex character of Kuttan. He doesn’t waste any time in establishing how unlikeable Kuttan is. There are no redeeming qualities thrust upon Mamooty’s Kuttanfor the sakeof it.

At the same time Kuttan also has his vulnerable moments. The best examples of these moments are the scenes where the father tries to reconnect with his son Kichu and when the son starts openly rebelling against the father.  There are also some much needed lighter bits when Mamooty keeps visiting a suspect whenever he escapes an attempt on his life.

With Puzhu Mamooty showed once again why he is considered as a legend. He generates hatred with the mere twitch of his eyes. It wouldn’t be wrong to say Mamooty lived the role of Kuttan.

FahadhFaasil’sMalayankunju looked at caste through the lens of a survival drama. In this film Fahadh played an electrician Anikuttan. He has a severe dislike for anyone who comes from the lower caste community. The reason for this attitude is connected to his father’s suicide.  In fact even an infant cry disturbs him.

Things take a turn for the bad when monsoon strikes followed by heavy rains. A landslide occurs and Anikuttan gets trapped.

The most interesting aspect of Malayankunju is how the director juxtaposed the aspects of Anikuttan fighting for survival along with that of the crying infant. In fact the cry that disturbs Anikuttan the most becomes a source of strength in those dire circumstances.

Malayankunju is a film that expertly balances the thrills of a survival drama along with the positive changes that happen in our protagonist.

The technical department led by Jothish Shankar and Mahesh Narayan is truly a marvel. The production design coupled with the cinematography play a major part in the audiences being engaged.

FahadhFaasil is someone who has always chosen complex parts and Malayankunju is no different. He effortlessly dwelled into the psyche of Anilkuttan and makes you root for him.

3.Bhootakalam: Rahul Srinivasan’s Bhootakalam has the typical tropes of a horror film. The creaking of the door, the dark atmosphere etc. However Bhootakalam is much more than just a film with jump scares.

The director uses the horror angle to talk about mental health and a flawed education system among other things. There is a clinically depressed mother Asha played by Revathy. She has a troubled equation with her son Vinu (Shane Nigam). Asha had raised Vinu all by herself after the death of his father when Vinu was seven years old. Asha cannot bear to see her son leaving for an outstation job. This naturally leads to many tussles between the mother and son. Both of them live in urban Kerala.

The major area where Bhootakalam scores is the way the director gradually builds up the tension. It is not that there is no love between the mother and son; however both of them are haunted by a troubled past that has only escalated further.

There is a lot of inner resentment and bitterness that has grown over the years. All this comes out in the form of arguments that feel so real. Another noteworthy character in Bhootakalam is the grandmother. This grandmother appears for a brief part but her presence can be felt throughout.

Both Revathy and Shane live their parts, particularly Revathy. The senior actress does a solid job in conveying the misery of a woman who has led a compromised life all throughout and now all those compromises are affecting her child. There is an important scene where she implores her son not to repeat her mistakes.

4. Pada: Pada directed by Kamal KM is a gripping hostage drama based on a real life incident. The incident had taken place in 1966 but the issue is relevant even today.

Four men played by Joju George, DileeshPothan etc hold a collector hostage for over 10 hours. Their aim is to make government withdraw the new bill that will alienate adivasis from their rights. So these people lock themselves in with the collector and start negotiating with the chief secretary played by Prakash Raj. It goes without saying that they have some ammunition also with them.

The biggest strength of Pada is the drama that unfolds as the hostage drama progresses. Through the character of the collector the director makes some important points. He perfectly conveys the difficulties of those who want to help the adivasis even within the administration. This comes out well in a scene where the collector talks about how he had helped the tribals in a land issue. But the four are quick to add that he was not able to finish the program successfully. At 125 minutes Pada is a crisply narrated tale. The performances of all the actors were in perfect sync with each other.

5. Salute: Films about the inner workings of the police department aren’t particularly new. But Salute directed by Roshan Mathews is worth a watch because of the tight script and Dulqer Salman’s performance.

The plot of Salute revolves around a family of police officers. Dulqer Salman plays sub inspector Aravind. His biggest inspiration is his elder brother Ajay played by Manoj. But things take a turn when an innocent auto driver Murali is falsely implicated in a double murder case by Manoj. The upcoming elections complicate matters for Murali. At the beginning of the film, it is shown that Aravind has taken leave; however, he soon decides to fight for Murali which makes them stand on opposite sides.

Salute works best when the focus is on the brothers. Both of them are constantly trying to outdo each other. What makes this more interesting is the fact that they are living under the same roof.

The film moves at a slow pace which is intentional and in this case apt. Another major strength of Salute is how Aravind is never shown to be invincible. He is as vulnerable as anyone else.

There are only two areas where the film stumbled. One is the last stretch and the other is the casting of Diana Penty. The film could have done away with the obligatory romantic track.

1.SaaniKaayidham: The story of SaaniKaayidham is basically influenced by Shekhar Kapoor’s Bandit Queen and also Quentin Tarantino’s films. Caste and violence on women is taken from the first; the revenge saga is reminiscent of the violence shown in Quentin Tarantino’s films. The violence is gruesome with multiple scenes of the villains being stabbed and tortured.

However, SaaniKaayidham is still an important watch on several counts. First and foremost are the performances of Keerthy Suresh and Selvaraghavan. They play half siblings who faced trauma beyond measure due to an unjust tragic event. Arun Matheswaran’s direction is more sure footed when he focuses on the dynamics between these two.

In the beginning there is a strained relation between them but once they get together the dynamics slowly change. There is an undercurrent of emotions that come to surface. This entire process was well depicted by the director.

The film also addresses the pertinent topic of how it is always the woman who becomes the soft target when the fight is between men. Though Poni (Keerthy Suresh) works in the police department it doesn’t stop the upper caste men from raping her. Their ‘justification’ for that is her husband challenged them. SaaniKaayidham is both engaging and problematic in equal measures.

2. O2: O2 directed by GK Viknesh is not just your regular thriller/drama set in a single location. O2 is a film which is above all a strong cautionary tale for humankind. In this film the director smartly juxtaposed the concept of two maternal mothers. One being Mother Nature and the other Nayanthara who plays a widowed mother Parvathy.

The film’s theme is clear from the opening scene itself where the chicks are being killed due to deforestation by human beings. From here we move to Parvathy’s son Veera. Veera is heavily dependent on oxygen cylinder for breathing. From the beginning the condition of Veera symbolizes the depletion of natural resources. Hope comes in the form of a corrective surgery. Parvathy decides to go ahead with it.

Soon mother and son are on the bus to Kochi. Here they are joined by several other characters like a corrupt cop, an ex- MLA etc. In a horrible turn of events they get trapped within the bus.

Films of this genre need a certain expertise and GK Viknesh proved that he is more than just a capable director. He makes you feel the wrath of nature. Audiences are always on the edge to find out what will happen next. The director is also successful in establishing the parallel between both the maternal figures – The Mother Earth and Parvathy. Parvathy is someone who can be unapologetically selfish, self serving and also violent. Nayanthara portrayed all these shades with the finesse that we have come to expect of her.

There are a couple of loose ends in 02 but the film is largely gripping; it is a thriller that ignites your thinking.

3.KadaisiVivasayi:As the title suggests Kadaisi Vivasayi talks about the last farmer in a village. Real life farmer Nallandi played the role of Mayandi. Unfortunately Nallandi died soon after the release of the film.

Mayandi is a farmer who doesn’t depend on technology or any other technological developments. In fact the youngsters in the village are surprised by the lifestyle that Mayandi leads. The supporting cast comprises several unknown faces.

The only known faces in the film are Vijay Sethupati and Yogesh Babu. Both of them appear in extended cameos.

It takes some time to buy into the world of Mayandi. In fact his simplicity is a little difficult to digest. But thanks to director Manikandan audiences are slowly drawn into his world.

The best thing about Kadaisi is that it never gets into the zone of moral lecturing. Nothing melodramatic happens in the village; still normalcy itself makes it melodramatic and at times scary. The inherent message of Kadaisi is to embrace the farmers with love and not pity.

The rural atmosphere has also been brilliantly captured by the director. Manikandan who also handled the cinematography does a wonderful job in capturing the scenic beauty of the village.

Manikandan’s direction is good but the script could have been better. The addition of Vijay Sethupati and Yogesh Babu doesn’t add much. The director tries to add elements of spirituality through the nomadic character of Vijay Sethupati but it doesn’t add much to the film. The less said about Yogesh Babu the better.

Kadaisi is a film that ultimately belongs to the late Nallandi. His real life experience of being a farmer reflects quite a lot in his performance.

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18 Pages: Familiar Terrain, But Worth A Visual Read

Sarayu Roy shines bright as Nikhil’s friend.

18 Pages (Telugu)

  • Cast: Nikhil Siddhartha, Anupama Parameswaran, Sarayu Roy, Ajay, Dinesh Tej, Brahmaji, Posani Krishna Murali, and Raj Tirandasu
  • Director: Palnati Surya Pratap
  • Producers: Bunny Vas, Sukumar Writings and GA2 Pictures
  • Music: Gopi Sundar
  • Runtime: 2 hours 17 minutes

Stories of lead pair falling for each other without even meeting isn’t new. Ajith-starrer Prema Lekha is an example.

Therefore, as a writer, one needs to bring something new to the table within these familiarities.

Sukumar is someone who is known for a distinctive style of storytelling, both what he produced and what he directed. In 18 Pages too, as a writer, Sukumar integrates certain important social topics like how social media is affecting human bonding.

It is not an easy task for both the writer and director to present a love story where the hero and heroine don’t have a combination scene for the most part.

In spite of that, 18 Pages keeps you invested even when the film goes off the rail in the second half.

The story

The film begins with the introduction of an app developer, Siddhu (Nikhil Siddartha). Siddhu is in a solid relationship and he wants to take it to the next level. He decides to surprise his girlfriend but he gets a shock in return.

The incident pushes him into depression. Siddhu starts getting into the habit of drinking and losing his temper. In this situation, he comes across a diary written by Nandini (Anupama Parameswaran) who is vastly different from Siddhu, in terms of using technology.

In fact, Nandini doesn’t even have a phone. She is someone who believes in living the moment by expressing her happiness in the form of a diary.

Siddhu learns many interesting things about Nandini and not surprisingly, falls for her. His personality also undergoes a sea change.

From a technology addict, he starts giving more importance to human interactions. The diary ends on the 18th page, leaving Siddhu eager to meet Nandini.

He is egged on by his friend played by Saruyu. However, he faces the biggest shock of his life after going to Nandini’s village. Her grandmother tells Siddhu that she died in a car accident a couple of years ago.

The rest of the story is about what exactly happened to Nandini and whether she is really dead. If not dead, is Siddhu able to meet her is one question that keeps us invested in the film till the end.

Siddhu’s search for Nandini is also reminiscent of the Sharwanand and Allari Naresh-starrer Gamyam.

The assets

18 Pages wastes no time in setting up the personality of its leading man. Director Palnati Surya Pratap makes you feel Siddhu’s heartbreak. And as an audience, you want him to find his love.

The film becomes even more interesting with the arrival of the diary. The romantic chemistry between the lead pair is pretty much visible, even though it is only at the end of the movie that they meet.

After Karthikeya 2, Nikhil is once again in good form. He portrays the transition of Siddhu convincingly.

The scenes between Nikhil and Saruyu are another major asset of 18 Pages. Their camaraderie and the bond of friendship come across strongly.

Indeed, Sarayu shines the brightest in the supporting cast without any questions. Her scenes with Nikhil can be watched on repeat mode.

The simplicity of Nandini is a little overdone but Anupama Parameswaran manages to make it work with her acting. It is to Anupama’s credit that the audiences are still invested in what happened to her.

Music by Gopi Sundar is another big driving point. Most of the songs have a melodious feel which takes the story forward.

The first half has the perfect mixture of light and dramatic portions. The interval bang raises the expectations for an equally engaging second half.

However, it is in the second half that the flick starts slipping. The suspense involving Anupama’s character needed to be better etched.

The drawbacks

The flashback portions are fine but need to be stronger. The villains headed by Bramhaji and Ajay aren’t menacing enough. They come as regular villains with zero personality.

The proceedings slow down considerably in the last thirty minutes. As an audience, you want the ending to come quickly.

In spite of the loose second half, 18 Pages is still worth a watch, particularly for the actors’ performances.

Verdict

To sum it up, 18 Pages isn’t a seamless combination of romance and thrills. But then, it makes for a good watch.

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Cirkus: This Rohit Shetty Directorial Is More A ‘Golmaal’ Than ‘Comedy Of Errors’

A massive letdown from Rohit Shetty!

Cirkus (Hindi)

  • Cast: Ranveer Singh, Varun Sharma, Pooja Hedge, Jacqueline Fernandez, Murali Sharma, Sanjay Mishra, Mukesh Tiwari, Siddarth Jadhav, Johnny Lever, and Deepika Padukone (special appearance)
  • Director: Rohit Shetty
  • Producers: Rohit Shetty and T series
  • Music: Devi Sri Prasad, Badshah, and Lijo George-DJ Chetas
  • Runtime: 2 hours and 18 minutes

William Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors is a play that naturally lends itself to a delicious comedy. The play has seen several movie adaptions in different languages.

For example, in 1982, Gulzar made Angoor with Sanjeev Kumar and Devan Verma. It was much appreciated for its subtlety and clever humour. The performances, led by Sanjeev Kumar, were the icing on the cake.

There is also the Kannada film Ulta Palta which was remade in Telugu by the same name.

Cirkus, directed by Rohit Shetty, is the latest addition to the movies inspired by Comedy of Errors. But the sensibilities of Rohit are vastly different from that of a filmmaker like Gulzar.

Rohit primarily specialises in two kinds of films: First is the Golmaal franchise which runs on slapstick comedy, and the other is the macho cops seen in Singham and Simbaa, among others.

Although slapstick in nature, the Golmaal films were fun to watch because there was a method to the madness. However, Rohit Shetty’s Cirkus comes across as a hurried project where the director took the audience for granted.

Here, Rohit Shetty tries to incorporate a social message: How a person’s nurturing is more important than his bloodline. It is a noble idea. However, it is something which comes across as more of an afterthought.

An experiment with twins

The film begins with the introduction of Dr Roy (Murali Sharma) who is hell-bent on proving that nurture always trumps nature.

To prove that he is right, Dr Roy separates two sets of identical twins who have been set up for adoption. The first pair of boys are adopted by a circus owner and are named Roy and Joy. Strangely, the other couple also names the twins with the same names!

The first Roy (Ranveer Singh) and Joy (Varun Sharma) run the circus of their late father. Roy’s wife Mala (Pooja Hedge) writes thrillers under a mysterious pen name.

The second Roy (Ranveer Singh) and Joy (Varun Sharma) are raised in Bangalore by a rich businessman. The second Roy has a girlfriend Bindu (Jacqueline Fernandez) whose father Rai Sahab (Sanjay Mishra) and his secretary Prem (Anil Charanjeet) are always spying on them.

There is a unique connection that both the Roys share. The first Roy, who lives in Ooty, can handle live electricity without getting harmed. Whenever current flows through him, the other Roy who lives in Bangalore, feels the shock.

Murali Sharma acts as a doctor-cum-narrator who monitors both sets of twins while not letting the secret out.

Things take a comic turn when the second Roy and Joy have to go to Ooty. From here on, we move to mistaken identities and deliberately over-the-top situations.

The rest of the story is about how all the mess is cleared up and what happens at the end.

The positives

Before getting into the negatives, it is necessary to get done with the few positives.

Cirkus is majorly set in the 1960s and, to give credit where it is due, the retro music has been smartly integrated.

Particular mention has to be made of the situations where the characters mimic signature steps of that era while they are under electric shock. It becomes repetitive after a point. But still, it brings in some laughs.

The movie has a huge ensemble but the actor who stands out is Sanjay Mishra.

The senior actor embraces the overtop tone and somehow manages to make his lines funny. His interactions with both the Ranveers are fun to watch.

Anil Charanjeet as the secretary is also pitch-perfect in his portrayal.

Ranveer gives it his all to the double role. He is more effective than the first Roy. It is refreshing to see the actor playing a family man. There is also some physical comedy which Ranveer pulls off convincingly.

Out of the two heroines, Pooja Hedge fares better, although her being a writer could have been better explored.

The negatives

The biggest issue with Rohit Shetty’s Cirkus is the lack of connective tissue. Many of the jokes feel recycled from the Golmaal films and this becomes bothersome pretty fast.

Also, the angle of nature versus nurture gets buried under the slapstick humour. It resurfaces towards the end but it is too late by then.

Rohit Shetty handled multiple characters with success in the past. But here, the characterisations are mostly sketchy.

The sketchiness becomes even more glaring with how Varun Sharma has been portrayed. The actor becomes more of a sidekick. As a result, neither of the Joys leaves an impact.

Further, the much-needed comic camaraderie between Ranveer and Varun Sharma is sorely missing.

In keeping with Rohit Shetty’s previous films, Cirkus is also colourful to look at. However, the colours feel too statured after a point.

The music composed by Devi Sri Prasad, Badshah and Lijo-George DJ Chetas is pleasant to hear.

“Sun Zara” sung by Shreya Ghosal and Papon is soothing. On the other hand, “Current Laga Re” has an energetic beat. Ranveer’s dance with his real-life partner adds some masti.

Verdict

Cirkus is a massive letdown from a director who has been successful in entertaining the masses. It is time for Rohit Shetty to rethink his strategy!