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Bro Daddy: A Watchable Family Entertainer That Never Becomes Memorable

Prithviraj Sukumaran’s first directorial debut Lucifer was a well made political drama within the commercial framework but it wasn’t a film that stayed with you. With Bro Daddy the director attempts a comedy. Just like Lucifer, Bro Daddy also relies heavily on the screen presence of the legendary Mohanlal to make it work. Although Prithviraj has casted himself as the second lead it is Mohanlal who runs away with the show most of the time.

Prithviraj takes the conflict point from the film Badhaai Ho. Just like Neena Gupta’s character in Badhaai Ho here too Meena who plays Mohanlal’s onscreen wife gets pregnant at a late age, the sons in both the films aren’t happy with their mother getting pregnant at that age. However, director /actor Prithviraj Sukumaran doesn’t fully dwell into this topic, he treats it as a mere side plot as the proceedings unfold.

Bro Daddy begins off with a short animation clip. This clip gives the audience a good idea about what to expect from the film. Constant jokes are made about the age gap between father John Kattadi (Mohanlal) and son Eesho John (Prithviraj Sukumraran). The age gap jokes just don’t end here; the audiences are reminded of it at frequent intervals. The reason for the age gap between the father and son is that John and Anna (Meena) had married quite young.

They are waiting for their son Eesho (Prithviraj) to marry. Eesho works as an advertising professional. He is in a relationship with a girl who is also Anna (Kalyani Priydarshni). This Anna is the daughter of John’s best friend Kurian (Lalu Alex). The reason for Kurian naming his daughter Anna too is that once upon a time he wanted to marry Meena’s Anna. However, it wasn’t possible due to certain circumstances. But Kurian’s love for her is still there. Whenever Kurian meets or talks to her soothing background music starts playing.

Coming back to the plot, the parents of both the parties don’t know that their children are having a live in a relationship in Bangalore. Things take a turn when Kalyani Priyadarshini’s Anna gets pregnant and she decides to go ahead with the baby. Eesho isn’t happy with her decision but there is nothing much he can do. Another shock awaits Eesho when his father calls and says that he needs to discuss something important with him in person. What follows are a bunch of comic set pieces, some of them definitely land but there are also certain episodes that leave you with a bitter taste.

One of the things that Prithviraj gets right is the characters of John and Kurian, as John Kattadi Mohanlal oozes charm and vitality in every frame. His comic timing feels absolutely effortless, at no point you feel that the actor is trying too hard. His comic timing and expressions play a major role in some of the jokes really landing well.

Kurian’s Lalu Alex is another character which is worth mentioning here. The core of Kurian is his caged anger management issues. As Kurian Lalu Alex not only displays wonderful comic timing but he also gives a strong performance in the emotional bits.

For example, there is a key scene in the second half involving the big reveal. His hurt at being kept in the dark by his best friend and also his daughter is wonderfully brought out by the actor.

The father and the son equation also gives the film some lovely moments. John Kattadi comes across as more of a friend than dad to Eesho.

The biggest downer of Bro Daddy is the lack of strong emotional connect. This can be particularly seen in the characters of Meena and Kalyani Priyadarshini. Both the Anna’s start off strongly but they are left midway. The character of Esho is also something which leaves a lot to be desired.

The frustrations of Esho are understandable but there is not much development in the character that you see. Before the pre- climax there is a scene where John makes his son understand Kurian’s point of view. However, the transformation feels very abrupt and doesn’t give a complete sense of him having changed.

Some of the comedy bits are too annoying to say the least. Soubin Shahir’s event manager is meant to be a spoof but instead of being amused you feel like fast forwarding.

There is a serious hangover of Priyadarshan’s Hindi fims that you find in the comic style adopted by Prithviraj Sukumaran. This method doesn’t really pay dividends here as the humor hasn’t got that rip roaring quality to it. It is another matter that Priyadarshan himself has become a stale filmmaker over the years.

Watch Bro Daddy if you are in the mood for some light hearted fun but don’t expect too much.

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Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein: A Twisted Love Story That Keeps You Hooked

The story of Siddarth Sengupta’s Yeh Kaali Ankhein isn’t particularly new. Love triangles where one person is obsessed with another isn’t an unfamiliar space, here instead of a male obsessive/possessive lover you have a female. But what makes the show click is the treatment. Every episode ends on a cliffhanger which arouses curiosity in the audience. The twist at the end in particular deserves a special mention. It is not only something that catches you unawares but it also sets up the base for an exciting season 2.

This eight episode series is set in the imaginary town of Onkara. The plot focuses on the character of Vikrant played by Tahir Raj Bhasin. His father (Bijendra Kala) works under the powerful politician of that area Akhiraj (Saurab Shukla). Vikrant’s life plan is very simple. He wants to move out of Onkara, get a job and have a happily ever after with the love of his life Shikha played by Shweta Tripathi. But his life turns upside down with the entry of a childhood classmate Purva (Anchal Singh). Adding to Vikrant’s misery she is the daughter of the politician under which his father works. Purva’s obsession with Vikrant had started from school itself and now it has reached a dangerous level. Things take such a turn that Vikrant is forced to marry Purva as a result his life turns upside down. Since this is a thriller revealing anything more wouldn’t be appropriate.

An important aspect of a genre like this is how you keep audiences on the edge of their seat, it has to be said that the director does a splendid job in keeping the audiences guessing. The way the narrative moves between reality and Vikrant’s imagination is neatly done. The director also deserves credit for the way he sets up the story in the first twenty minutes of the first episode. There is no dragging or beating around the bush.

The lights moments have also been smartly integrated into the plot. Most of them involve Vikrant and his family. The son’s desperation to move away and do something with his life and the father’s inability to understand it raise many chuckles. These scenes provide a much needed comic relief from the tense drama.

Siddarth Sengupta also deserves appreciation for the way he shapes up the character of Vikrant. The journey of Vikrant from a small time boy to a man on mission is smoothly done. Because of this the grey shades of Vikrant’s character in the latter half of the show do not feel abrupt. It also helps that Tahir captures the nuances perfectly; he doesn’t miss a single beat. Anchal Singh’s Purva is another big winner. The most striking aspect of her performance is the way she uses her eyes. Every time she smiles at Vikrant audiences feel a sense of uneasiness. She is perfect as the intimidating and unforgiving Purva. In comparison to Tahir and Anchal, Shweta Tripathi’s character doesn’t feel adequately fleshed out. She feels mostly underutilized in spite of being one of the major characters. Her job is mostly confined to being on the run and waiting for Vikrant’s instructions. There is a half hearted attempt to give her some agency but it feels labored. Here’s hoping that she will have a better role in season 2.

Saurab Shukla is an actor who doesn’t need any special introduction. He has proved his worth many times in the past and here too he gets perfectly into the headspace of Akhiraj

The cinematography by Murzy Pagdiwala adds authenticity to the plot. The atmospherics feel real starting from the river Ghats and dams.

Watch Ye Kaali Kaali Ankhein if you are in the mood for a twisted tale of power, love and deceit.

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Human: A Show That Is Going To Haunt You For A Long Time

Vipul Amrutal and Mozez Singh’s Human is a deeply disturbing portrait on how the poor become sacrificial lambs at the secret clinical trials. The people in this case are victims who belong to the families of Bhopal gas tragedy. Most of the medical professionals that you meet in the show are manipulators of different kinds with few exceptions. It is true that the show presents a rather bleak picture of the medical community, however, at the same time the underbelly of the pharmaceutical industry is something which cannot be ignored either. The show is not making a statement that all doctors are evil, it only wants to show how some medical professionals lure the poor in order to test the drugs on them.

The story of Human revolves around a pharma giant that is trying to fast track the development of a new drug in spite of fully knowing its side effects. Kriti Kulhari plays Dr Saira Sabharwal. She lands a dream job in Bhopal’s premier hospital under the mentorship of the famous 45- year old Dr Gauri Nath (Shefali Shah). Saira looks up to Gauri as an inspiration, she feels that Gauri is an embodiment of goodness. However, she doesn’t know that Gauri is not what she appears to be on the surface. Saira grows a lot under Gauri’s tutelage as the two women start to form a deep bond. However, her life turns upside down when a shocking discovery throws her life into a chaos. This discovery is intertwined with that of a young migrant worker Mangu (Vishal Jethwa of Maardani 2 fame). Another important character is that of Roma ma (Seema Biswas). Roma and Gauri share a special relationship.

The most striking aspect of Human is the writing of Mozez Singh and Ishani Banerjee. It is not easy to showcase the ills of a profession that is considered very sacred but the writers do a wonderful job in exploring the hierarchy that exists in our society. They don’t confine themselves to just illegal drug tests, they expand the story by showcasing a number of societal evils. There are many times where the audiences will be deeply unsettled but in a good way.

The Bhopal gas tragedy has also been smartly integrated into the plot. It is not used for mere technicality. The directors deserve a huge appreciation for the sensitivity with which they have showcased the plight of the numerous generations which have been effected because of the gas tragedy.

However, it also has to be said that certain subplots don’t quite land. For example, the lesbian track of Saira feels convoluted and doesn’t really serve much purpose. The show could have also done with some trimming. The last few episodes after Saira’s expose of Gauri feel like a drag. Instead of ten, eight episodes would have been better.

The technical team of Human also does a wonderful job in creating the right atmospherics. The cinematography, production design and background score play a major part in the audiences being invested.

Shefali Shah scores the highest marks for her performance as Gauri. We don’t first see Gauri as a villain but as the show progresses several layers come out. By the end the audiences go from ‘Oh so good lady’ to please someone stop her’. The range that she shows is incredible to say the least. On a personal note can’t wait to see Shefali Shah and Alia sharing screen space in Darlings. It will be a pleasure to watch the two dynamite actresses together.

Kirti Kulhari is also in good form as a woman who is working hard to give her life a meaning. There are many emotional moments where the actress makes a striking impression. Vishal Jethwa is another standout performer. It is a far cry from what he played in Mardaani 2. Unlike Mardaani 2’s character, Mangu is vulnerable and helpless here. The actor does a good job in bringing out the nuances.

Watch Human for the performances and the reality it portrays.

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Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: A Nostalgia Ride With Plenty Of Heartwarming Moments

Harry Potter books are a franchise in itself. No one expected much from the first Harry Potter book but it was a huge success upon its release. It connected with not just children but also adults. The characters of Harry, Ron and Hermione were firmly etched in the minds of the readers. The subsequent books made the characters and also the world of Hogwarts immensely popular. Through her writings JK Rowling made the readers root for these underdogs. You wanted them to win against Lord Voldermort. Along with the three protagonists another very important character was that of Neville Longbottom. Initially it looked like a character for laughs but as the story expanded there were more shades to Neville.

Not surprisingly the seven books were made into movies. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint became over night stars. Emma went on to act in films like 2019’s Little Women. On the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter the cast and the crew come together to relive their memories of making these seven films.It is difficult to fit in all these stories and experiences in a documentary film but directors Casey Peterson and Joe Pearlman deliver a reunion which will be liked by all Potter fans.

The highlight of this documentary film is the revelations shared by the three main actors. We see how much they have grown along with the franchise. They perfectly articulate the challenges that the each film gave and how they had to portray emotions beyond their age.Another highlight is the exchanges between the directors and the cast. The directors who appear are Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuaron, Mike Newell and David Yates. These five men had directed Harry Potter movies at different stages. I particularly liked the one between Daniel Radcliffe and Chris.

Add to that there is also a lot of behind the scene action. These moments work as a cherry on the cake. The sets, the auditions etc will make you emotional.

Finally, the inclusion of the supporting cast also works wonderfully. The moments shared by the men who played Sirius Black, Lucius Malfoy and Dobby in particular are impressive. It is a pleasure to see them talk about what they felt about playing these characters.The one thing which was missing though is a fresh interview of JK Rowling. There is footage of an old one but it would have been nice if there was a new one too.

All said and done, Harry Potter 20th Anniversary is the perfect nostalgia ride for those who have grown up on Harry Potter.

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Year Roundup 2021: Reflections On Malayalam And Tamil Movies

Welcome back to the year ender special. Here I review of films across Malayalam and Tamil. First start with Malayalam movies. You can click here to read my first part on Hindi and Telugu movies as well.

 Joji :

Shakespeare is one of writers who has influenced many directors across the world. His works like Romeo and Juilet have been remade into several languages. In Hindi itself there is Qaymat Se Qayamat Tak and Ram Leela among others. The likes of Hamlet, Othello and Macbeth have been taken into movies by Vishal Bardhwaj.

Joji directed by Dileesh Pothan took inspiration from Macbeth and delivered a thriller that haunts you. The setting of this Malayalam Macbeth is the estate of an influential patriarch PK Kuttapan played by Sunny PN. Kuttapan lives with his three sons, daughter in law and others. From the very first scene we see how powerful Kuttapan is both physically and mentally. Things take a turn when he falls and has a serious injury. This is only the basic synopsis.

The most satisfying aspect of Joji is the equation between Fahadh Fassil’s character and the sister -in –law Bincy played by Unnimaya Prasad. Bincy is someone who is stuck in the daily routine of taking care of men around her. In this woman Joji finds his lady Macbeth. What brings them together is the circumstances and the oppression that they have gone through. Fahadh Fassil was brilliant in the title role but Unnimaya Prasad sprung a pleasant surprise in her role of Bincy.

Kuruti :

The set up of a Home Invasion thriller is something that Hollywood has regularly used. Director Manu Warrier took this set up to talk about a country that is fast slipping into divisiveness. Apart from religious bigotry another major themes of the film were the growing fear of majoritarian sentiment, alienation of minorities etc. Along with director Manu Warrier actor Prithviraj Sukumaran also deserves a high praise for not only acting but also producing it.

The plot of Kuruti is about a plantation worker played by Roshan Mathew. He wife had died in a terrible landslide. Now he lives with his aged father and a younger brother. There is a Hindu neighbor Sumati played by Srindaa. She cooks for them and takes care of the family. One night as Ibrahim and his family are waiting for Sumati there is a knock on the door. An inspector barges in with a Hindu prisoner. The prisoner is accused of accidentally killing a Muslim in the chaos which followed the desecration of a temple. What follows is a cat and mouse game between Liaq (Prithviraj Sukumaran) and Roshan Mathew’s Ibrahim. Liaq is hell bent on killing the prisoner.

One of the highlights of the film was the characterization of Roshan Mathew’s Ibrahim, He is someone who is torn between the religious fanaticism and a sense of humanism. The way the character was built and how he goes to the maximum level of saving the Hindu boy was portrayed with lot of finesse. The ultimate message that Manu Warrier gives is that violence committed in the name of god is a vicious cycle and is never going to stop until the individual takes one for the greater good of the human civilization. Apart from the political aspect Kuruti also worked as a nerve wracking thriller. The director skillfully builds up the suspense with the help of the cinematography and overall technical department. The performances of all the actors added more magic to the film but the ones who stood out are Roshan Mathew and Prithviraj Sukumaran.

Nayattu :

Martin Prakkat’s Nayattu was a socio political thriller which captured the truth of the political circus. It is a film which talked about how we only want a show of justice without any procedural fairness. Who gets justice and who is sent to jail is something which is dictated purely by the political agenda of that time.

The plot of Nayattu is set during the election season in Kerala. The people in the government are busy planning what strategies to use so that they can win. It is also that time of the year where even a person belonging to a lower cadre can give orders.

At the heart of this story you have three police officials. They are Praveen Micheal (Kunchako Boban), Maniyan ( Joju George) and Sunita ( Nimisha Sajayan). The three become thick friends during the election season. Things take a turn when their paths cross with an egotistical youngster who belongs to a political outfit that has significant ties with the government in power. This youngster never misses an opportunity to rub this in the face of the three police people. Following an unfortunate incident Praveen, Maniyan and Sunitha become prime suspects in a murder case. They haven’t actually committed murder. It is actually the case of an unfortunate accident. Praveen tells Maniyan that the youngster should be admitted in the hospital. Maniyan gives in to Praveen’s saying. All hell breaks loose after this.

One of the keys aspects of Nayattu is how it portrays the politics of the general administration which includes the police too. Writer Shashi Kabir makes some strong observations which resonate a lot. It also helps that Shashi Kabir has been part of the police department in real life.

The performances of the trio were also in perfect sync with the story. Joju Gorge and Kunchako Boban were particularly impressive in their roles.

The Great Indian Kitchen :

Jeo Baby’s The Great Indian Kitchen was a hard hitting film on Patriarchy, family and religion. It packed in some uncomfortable truths about the typical definition of a happy household.

The film begins off with the soon- to-be- bride (Nimisha Sajayan) practicing dance even as her parents prepares for the arrival of the groom (Suraj Venjarammodu). This is followed by the wedding of both the characters. Nimisha’s character is very happy as she sets foot in her marital home. Initially everything is fine but the drudgery of household work soon gets to the young woman.

There is a recurring shot in the film which involves the hands of the women as they cook, grind, clean, wipe and sweep. On the surface it looks repetitive but the aim of the director is that he wants the viewer to feel the exestuation of this endless cycle.

It goes without saying that both Nimisha and Suraj are terrific in their respective roles. Nimisha is brilliant at conveying the suppressed anger and the hurt that she feels at her husband’s indifference. Not surprisingly you cheer for Nimasha’s character when she finally takes life in her own hands. Suraj on the other hand is successful in making the audiences hate the character. You feel like going on to the screen and giving him a good shake.

Tamil films

Jai Bhim :

T.S Gnavel’s Jai Bhim is an important film in many aspects. For one it introduced the audiences to the real life lawyer Chandru who had fought for the downtrodden. The case that we see in the film is among the many that Chandu had fought. Director T.S Gnavel did a splendid job in using Surya’s character of the firebrand lawyer. He made sure that the actor’s star power never overpowered the narrative. It also helped that Surya delivered his lines with absolute conviction; it looked like Surya really believes in Chandru’s ideology.

Another significant aspect of Jai Bhim is how it portrays the horrors of custodial torture and the deep-seated rot in our criminal system. The director brought this out in an extremely hard hitting manner. The scenes of the custodial torture are blood curling but they still need to be watched for the way it showcased the reality.

Through the characters of Lijo Mol Jose and Manikandan the director touched upon a tribal community called Irulas . The men and the women of the Irula community are regularly subjected to police brutality. Their only fault is being born as Irulas.

Lijo Mol Jose delivered a breakthrough performance as Sengani. She is so good that you don’t really notice the likes of Prakash Raj and Rao Ramesh. Manikandan was equally effective in his short role. His performance in the first half is particularly praiseworthy.

Sarpatta Parambarai :

I personally liked PA Ranjith’s Kaala more than this one. Kaala was more cohesive with better emotional impact; the female characters led by Eshwari Rao were also delight to watch, having said that Sarpatta is a watchable film in many ways.

For starters PA Ranjith is successful in capturing the milieu of 1970’s North Madras. He transports the audiences back in time. The political upheavals of the mid 1970’s triggered by the imposition of emergency are also portrayed with finesse.

The story of Sarpatta is located long time back but there is certain contemporariness too. This contemporariness can be seen in the portrayal of people battling oppression. Rangan played by Pashupathy is not just a revered coach but he is also a political activist in his clan. In fact more than Arya’s Kabilan it is Pashupathy who stands out. PA Ranjith also did a good job with the boxing scenes. They had an authentic feel to them.

Where Sarpatta faltered was its indulgent length. The film feels way too long particularly in the second half. Also the family drama involving the mother and wife just doesn’t land. The training montage towards the climax also lacked the emotional depth which is needed.

Tughlaq Darbar :

Delhi Prasad Deenadayalan’s Tughlaq Darbar was an entertaining political satire which looked at what if our politicians had a conscience and it stopped from them doing something wrong. This twist made it stand out from other films of this genre.

Vijay Sethupati’s Singaravelan is born during a political rally. He grows up thinking that he’s destined to be a politician. In order to achieve that goal he does everything in his power to win the trust of Rayappan (Parthiban). Singaravelan slowly rises in power and soon becomes a trusted aid of Rayappan. The twist comes in when he has an unfortunate accident that leaves him in a peculiar condition. The peculiarity here is that Singaravelan starts experiencing events where his conscience takes control, whenever he experiences this he is not able to do anything wrong.

The director was most successful in how he explored the dual personalities of the main character. The focus is not on mocking the condition of the protagonist. It is about the inner battles that rages in his mind and how he eventually develops a conscience. Along with Vijay Sethupati’s winning act Parthibaran as Rayappan also contributed significantly.
With this we have come to the end of part II. Once again wishing advanced happy New Year and here’s hoping that we will finally have more a more comprehensive list of films to analyze for 2023.

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Year Roundup Of 2021 Movies

Firstly advanced New Year to everyone and also hoping that we will finally get rid of this COVID in 2022. Just like 2020 this year was also truncated for obvious reasons, adding to the second phase of COVID a new variant called Omicron has also started. As a result it is difficult to make a comprehensive list of the movies which have come this year. Within the choices that we had following are the movies that I have loved across Hindi and Telugu.

83 :

The significance of India winning the 1983 world cup goes beyond just the tournament. It was much more than that. It was about respect and being taken seriously by the cricket world. Not surprisingly the 1983 victory has more emotional significance than the 2011 win under the leadership of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The reason for that is prior to 1983 India had lost horribly in the previous two world cups. They had not even made it to the playoffs. As a result no one had the confidence that India would even make it to the playoffs let alone winning it.

There were constant humiliations and adverse circumstances. But Kapil Dev firmly believed that India could win and his confidence transformed the entire team.

It is a huge responsibility as a filmmaker when you are bringing that incredible real life story on screen for today’s audiences. In spite of the never ending COVID Kabir Khan was sure that he would release the film in theaters only. When you see the film you understand why he took such a decision. The hard work that has gone into recreating that era is very evident in every frame. 83 is one of those big ticket entertainers that you wouldn’t mind watching any number of times. As a viewer you go through a roller coaster of emotions. The icing on the cake was the performances led by Ranveer Singh. It is truly an award winning act. Others like Saqib Saleem, Jatin Sarna, Tahir Raj Bhasin and Pankaj Tripati also chipped in with winsome performance. It is unfortunate that 83 won’t achieve its full potential due to Omicron.

Sardar Udham Singh :

Shoojit Sarcar’s Sardar Udham Singh is a far cry from the typical jingoism that we have been seeing in films of this genre. Shoojit Sarcar delivered a layered biopic which gives you a physiological insight into the mind of the freedom fighter. For those who are not aware Sardar Udham Singh is someone who is known for assassinating Micheal O’Dwyer in London. He did that in order to take revenge for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar.

One of the big strengths of the film was its writing. There were plenty of moments which would make you applaud the writers. Another refreshing aspect of Sardar Udham Singh was its non stereotypical portrayal of the British characters. As a result actors like Shaun Scoot also shined in their limited parts. Vicky Kaushal was simply terrific in the title role. He ably switched between being explosive and being restraint as per the demand of the script.

Shershaah :

Vishnu Vardhan’s biopic on Vikram Batra was a watchable film within the confines of a familiar war drama. For those who are not aware Vikram Batra was an officer of Indian army. He was posthumously awarded with Param Vira Chakra for his actions during the 1999 Kargil war.

The most interesting aspect of Shershaah was the equation that the onscreen Vikram Batra shares with the Kashmiri people during his first posting. We see him getting along with the locals with ease. It is also shown that the elders trust Vikram Batra more than the senior officers. Although it is highly debatable whether this really happened but nevertheless it makes for an engaging watch.

The action scenes were another major asset to the film along with Kamalijeet Negi’s cinematography. Lastly Siddarth Malhotra was in solid form, it was a performance that many didn’t see coming but Siddarth surprised one and all.

Pagglait and Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi :

There is more than one similarity between the stories of Pagglait and Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi. For example both stories are set in Lucknow and deal with the theme of widowhood. In Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi the death is of the head of the family, in Pagglait the death is of a man in his mid 20’s. The age of the female characters does vary but the theme is the same. Another similarity is the nature of the family members. We see the gossiping family members who have an eye on the dead man’s money. Since Paaglait came after the former it is possible that director Umesh Bist did take inspiration from Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi.

However keeping aside the similarities both are wonderful films that expose the society’s deep rooted patriarchy. They realistically portray the traits of dysfunctional families. Having said that Paaglait feels more complete as a film, performance wise both Supriya Pathak and Sanya Malhotra were brilliant in their respective films.

Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar :

Dibakar Banerjee’s Sandeep Aur Pinly Faraar was judged pretty harshly by the social media upon its release. The reason for the negativity was more to do with people’s preconceived notions than the content itself. Agree that the last film that Parineeti Chopra and Arjun Kapoor did wasn’t anything great but still the social media negativity was uncalled for. Fortunately the film found its audience after its digital release on Amazon Prime. Dibakar Banerjee along with writer Varun Grover gave a masterful take on masculinity, greed and corruption, they took the format of a chase film and made sure that it was much more than that.

The story of Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar revolved around a hotshot banker and a Harayana cop. The uniqueness of the story starts from the names of the protagonists itself. Parineeti Chopra plays Sandy aka Sandeep, Arjun Kapoor on the other hand is Pinky. Their paths cross one night and they are forced to flee because of certain circumstances.

Many of the male characters in this film are entitled, toxic etc. For example you have a timid bank manager in Pithoragrah, there is a scene where he tries to subjugate Sandy. Pinky is also someone who can be aggressive but he knows that she is smarter. There is also a tender side to him which comes out at the most unexpected time. There is also an elderly couple played by Raghubir Yadav and Neena Gupta. The character of Raghubir Yadav is someone who thinks that speaking in English automatically makes him superior.
After a series of disappointing performances Parineeti Chopra was back with a bang. She absolutely nailed the part. Arjun Kapoor has never been a great performer but Dibakar Banerjee managed to extract a good performance from him. He particularly shined in the pre-climax.

Love Story :

Sekhar Kamula went beyond his comfort zone with Love Story. He tackled a story which had serious undertones of caste and gender. It isn’t perfect by any means but Love Story still worked for a number of reasons. ‘

The biggest strength of Love Story was how Shekar Kamula developed the character of Revanth. There was lot of sensitivity and the director never resorted to unnecessary commercial elements to prop up the character. Revanth is someone who generally tries to avoid conflicts as much as possible. There is only scene towards the end where he decides that enough is enough however the action scene works because of the context behind it.

Additionally Naga Chaintanya also sprung up a pleasant surprise. He came out of his comfort zone and delivered a career defining act. He got the nuances of the character spot on starting with the dialect. Shekar Kamula was also fairly successful in showing the caste disparities. Sai Pallavi was good in her role of the upper caste Mounika but there are instances where she falls short. One big issue with the film was the serious hangover of Sairat and Highway. The director took caste from Sairat and child abuse from Highway.

Kondapolam :

This film was based on the novel of Sannpureddy Venkatarami Reddy by the same name. The novel was hugely successful and is considered to be a great read. Sannapureddy had addressed many significant topics through his book. For example you had the theme of need for coexistence between man and nature. It was also about the protagonist getting rid of his inner demons and facing life with confidence.

Director Krish retained the spirit of the novel and added his own touch as well. He removed certain unnecessary chapters from the book and made it crisper. The big change between the book and the movie is the insertion of Rakul Preet Singh’s Obulamma. It is the creation of the director but it doesn’t feel unnecessary or unwanted. In fact Rakul was a big revelation in her part; her role would be remembered for a long time just like Samantha’s one in Rangasthalam. Another big achievement of the film was how Krish set up the tale with the help of the technical department. Both the cinematography and the art direction shined big time. Vaishnav Tej as the protagonist Ravi was earnest and gave a sincere performance. He was able to do justice to the arc of Ravi. It was the second time after Uppena that Vaishnav Tej and Sai Chand acted as father and son, the comfort level between the two was very apparent.

Shyam Singha Roy :

Director Rahul Sankrityan took a familiar theme of reincarnation but he made it engaging for the audiences through his narration. There were certain flaws too but the film still worked for most part.

The story of Shyam Singha Roy is divided into two timelines. One is contemporary which features Nani as the aspiring director Vasu, the other one is that of Bengali activist and writer Shyam Singha Roy. Both these roles are played by Nani.

The heart of Shyam Singha Roy lied in the flashback episode of the second half. It touched upon many issues starting from untouchability and later going to the Devadasi system. The love story between Nani and the Devadasi women played by Sai Pallavi had plenty of heartwarming moments. The contemporary bits were also hugely enjoyable. The performances of all the actors were good but Nani deserves the highest marks for his seamless portrayal of the two characters.

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Some Of My Favorite Web Series Across Languages (2021)

Firstly advanced happy New Year and here’s hoping that we will finally get rid of this COVID in 2022. Following is a list of the web series that I have liked most this year. Out of the eight web series that I have chosen there are two Telugu, four Hindi, one English and one Pakistani.

Pakistani

1 Dhoop Ki Deewar– Director Haseeb Hasan’s Dhoop Ki Deewar is a show which is much needed for today’s times. Through a heart wrenching love story the director conveyed a strong anti- war message. The series begins off with an intense India and Pakistan cricket match. You have two families cheering for their respective nations. One family is from Amritsar and the other one is from Lahore.

The first episode gives you a basic idea about these two families. The audiences soon come to know that they are army ones. The main characters are Sara Sher Ali (Sajal Ally) and Vishal Malhotra (Ahad Raza). The fathers of these two are fighting in the Indian- Pakistan border in Jammu & Kashmir. Sara and Vishal don’t know that their lives are going to change forever.

Haseeb Hasan gets many things right with the show. One of those things is the consumption of entertainment across the nations. For example Vishal is shown to be a fan of Atif Aslam songs. The Indian family on one hand is shown to be fond of Pakistani dramas; on the other hand the Pakistani family is shown to be fond of Indian dramas. All these things are narrated in an entertaining way.

The love story between the leads keeps you guessing regarding where it is going to end. At one point it looks like they may have a happily ever after but that is soon drowned with the twists towards the final few episodes. The climax is a highly emotional one; it is very difficult not to be moved. Sajal Ally and Ahad Raza bring the characters to life with their terrific performances. Both of them are equally good and that also helps the audiences in making them root for the characters.

English

1. Sex Education Season 3– There is a major reason why the sex education series is hugely popular. It is a series which had juggled many delicate issues like teen sexuality, gender identity etc. All this was done in such a way that you never feel like being lectured. Sex education season 3 was a worthy successor as it goes a step further. This time the focus was on women’s rights, patriarchy and loving oneself.

Sex education season 3

For those who haven’t seen the first two seasons the plot primarily followed the journey of Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield). He is a student at Moordale Secondary school. Otis is slightly ambivalent toward sex. The reason for that is his divorced mother Jean (Gillian Anderson). She is a sex therapist who has frequent affairs but is unable to maintain relationships.

Another major character is that of Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey).  Otis and Maeve set up a sex therapy business in school in order to help the students who have sexual problems. Season 2 was majorly about an outbreak called Chlamydia that causes students to question and struggle against topical issues.

Coming to Season 3 a major highlight of this one was how it dealt with the female characters. They were written with lot of insight. This insight can be particularly seen with Maeve and also the pregnancy of Otis mother Jean Melbourn. The writing of these characters was also strong in the first two ones but this time it went a notch higher. Emma Mackey and Gilan Anderson were the best out of the ensemble cast.

Telugu

1. Kudi Yedamaithe– Pawan Kumar’s Kudi Yedamaithe was based on an interesting premise of two people having already lived through a particular day. In the hands of a less competent director this premise would have fallen flat but Pawan Kumar did an extremely good job in making the audiences engrossed throughout.

The series comprised of eight episodes and it never deviated from its core plot. Thankfully, there were no forceful insertions like comedy track or songs. The two characters in question here are Adi (Rahul Vijay) and cop Durga (Amala Paul). Durga has her hands full as she is busy trying to catch the child kidnappers. Adi on the other hand is a delivery boy with aspirations of becoming an actor. The core plot is about whether these two can change the turn of events since they are aware of what the rest of the day holds.

One of the major strengths of the series is the subtle variations that the director brings to the table in terms of how he presents the events. This can be particularly seen with Adi’s character. The director also makes sure that the concept of time loop never gets into a boring zone. While Amala Paul is in good form as Durga it is Rahul Vijay who surprises you. He gets equal footage to show his potential.

2.  Unheard– Aditya KV’s Unheard is a series which packs in a lot. There are multiple themes going on. For example you have the ideological stand offs between the revolutionaries. It is a lot to focus on but the director does a good job of keeping you invested.

The series starts off with an idealistic young Gandhian Padma (Chandini Chowdary). She seeks help for an injured comrade played by Priyadarshini. The doctor who helps her is Chalapati (Bala Aditya). The night passes with Padma and Chalapati having heated arguments on the benefits and banes of Nizam rule along with the price of freedom. The next episode is about two revolutionaries with different ideologies, along with Priyadarshini this episode also features Ajay. The rest of the episodes mostly bring back the familiar characters.

One of the most striking aspects of the series is the conversations between the revolutionaries. The series by nature is heavy on dialogues as the characters are frequently saying their point of views. Thankfully the dialogues also written by Aditya KV are just as powerful. These dialogues along with the performances of the actors also aided the script.

Hindi

1. Family Man Season 2– The expectations from Family Man Season 2 was immense, fortunately season 2 more than lived up to the expectations. In fact it was better than the first one. Just like the first season director duo Raj and DK continued to showcase their ability in dealing with conflicts both global and domestic through humanist lens. You don’t come across simplistic heroes and villains here. There are shades of grey on both sides.

By the end of Season 1 Manoj Bajpai’s Srikant Tiwari had quit his task force job and joined an IT company. The reason for that is his guilt about certain events that had happened at the end of the first season. He also wanted to make his family life work but his attempts at neither are working. He is getting fed up of the IT job and the family life has become worse.

The backdrop of Season 2 is Northern Sri Lanka. Samantha’s character Raji is a hardened LTTE militant. The basic storyline is Srikant Tiwari deciding that he has had enough and returning back to where he belongs. The task of Srikant Tiwari this time is to save PM Basu (Seema Biswas) from the hands of LTTE. In addition the old nemeses have also made a comeback.

The biggest triumph of Family Man Season 2 is how Raj and DK deal with the characters of Samantha’s Raji and the entire LTTE thing in general. Samantha had said in various interviews that she doesn’t look at her character as a villain. You understand why she said like that when you see the show. Raji is someone who has faced brutality at the hands of both Sri lankan soldiers and also men in day to day life. Her anger is not just about the governments but it is also about patriarchy.

Samantha embodied all these aspects of her character and delivered a performance that pushes boundaries. The way she did the action scenes was also first rate. Manoj Bajpai as Srikant Tiwari started off from where he left off in the season. Sharab Hasmi in his supporting was equally impressive just like the first part.

2. Grahan– Rajesh Chandel’s Grahan was based on the novel  Chaurasi written by Satya Vyas. The eight episodes covers a story that is set three decades from each other, however there is a commonality that binds them.

Zoya Hussain plays the righteous police officer Amrita Singh. She firmly believes in using her position for the betterment of society. Pawan Malhotra plays the father. When Amrita tries to solve a case of an honest journalist she faces opposition from top politicians. Frustrated she decides to resign, but things take a turn when an old case regarding the Sikh riots in a place called Bokaro comes up. Her world comes crashing down as she finds that her father is the prime suspect in this case.

The most striking aspect of Grahan is the parallels that the director draws between 1984 India and today’s one. There are some sharp observations on how people can be quickly incited by What’sApp forwards and political manipulation. There are some scenes in the present timeline which show how easily people believe in these rumors and turn against each other in spite of living with them for a long time. The underlying message is that the issues are the same whether it is 1984 India or today’s one.

The emotional scenes between Zoya and Pavan Malhotra also struck a chord with the audiences.

3. Mumbai Diaries– Mumbai Diaries directed by Nikhil Advani and Nikhil Gonsalves is a gripping drama that is both emotional and intriguing. The directors took the real life incidents of 26//11 and penned down a fictional story.

The director duo set their story in a crowded, chaotic and low- on resources government hospital. The doctors and nurses are pushed to their limits as victims of gunshots are wheeled in one after another on the night of November 26th.

Although the medical professionals are the centre of the story they are not the only ones under the spotlight. In essence Mumbai Diaries is about the spirit of the people. It was a night where everyone had to be on their toes to fight this unexpected attack.

The biggest success of Mumbai Diaries lies in how they made a thriller that is both heartbreaking and heart stopping. The series makes you applaud the courage and the determination that both men and women showed in the face of death. It also avoided the cliché route of pitting one nation against another, or one religion against another.

Out of the huge ensemble the ones who stood out were Mohit Raina, Konkana Sen Sharma and Satyajit Dubey.

4. The Empire– Mitakshara Kumar’s The Empire was based on Alex Rutherford’s novel The Raiders from the north. It was the first in the series written by Alex Rutherford. The book essentially covered the journey of Babur from Fergana to setting up the Mughal Empire. Apart from Kunal Kapoor as Babur the ensemble cast also included Dino Morea, Shabana Azmi, Drashti Dhami etc.

The Empire wasn’t exactly as engaging as the book but it was still consistently watchable on the account of several factors.

The scale of the series was undoubtedly very striking. The camerawork by Nigam Bomzan and the production design by Priya Suhas was successful in transporting the audience. Mitakshara Kumar worked as an assistant director for several years under Sanjay Leela Bhansali, you can clearly see the influence of her mentor.

Just like Ranveer’s Khilji Dino Morea also had a more of an impactful role compared to Kunal Kapoor who played Babur. Initially we see Dino’s character as a ruthless villain but slowly a psychological insight is also given. His scenes with Drashti Dhami’s Khanzada Begum showed a different side to the character.

The female characters of Dhrasti Dhami and Shabana Azmi were another good aspect of the series. Drashti Dhami in particular molded herself well in a character that requires her to be bold yet restrained and impactful. Both the women characters play an important role in the politics of the kingdom and aren’t mere bystanders.

This is all about the year ender web series, once again advanced Happy New Year.

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Don’t Look Up: Leonardo DiCaprio And Jennifer Lawrence Headline This Important Film On Climate Change

Adam Mc Kay’s Don’t Look Up is an allegory of sorts in many ways. It talks about how world leaders, corporations, and big media are dealing with global warming and its consequences. It works both as a satire and also as a wakeup call. The satire mostly comes through the character of President Orlean (Meryl Streep). Her character is based on ex President Donald Trump.

The story of Don’t Look Up revolves around two astronomers Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence) and Dr Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio). Both of them embark. While working on a research paper they stumble upon the existence of a comet “the size of Mount Everest.” It is hurtling towards the earth and is all set to make a deadly impact in 14 days. The comet is said to have the power of a billion Hiroshima bombs.

First they warn the American president who is in the midst of a political crisis over a Supreme Court appointment. She and her son along with the chief of staff make them wait for hours before sending them away. The next day she gives them twenty minutes to have their say. The president along with the administration don’t take their warnings seriously.

Left with no other option they go to a morning show of a television hosted by Brie Evantee (Cate Blancheet) and Jack Bremmer (Tyler Perry). They try to put their point across but  the television hosts are just another pair of guests who are not worthy of importance. The excitement is more about the break- up of a popstar (Ariana Grande in a cameo). Not surprisingly both the astronomers feel like they are talking to a wall. Kate in particular is livid and doesn’t shy away from showing her emotions. What follows is a cocktail of many socio political issues.

The most striking aspect of Don’t Look Up is how the director tackles the many themes in the film. In the hands of a less competent director this cocktail would have fallen flat but Adam Mc Kay does a terrific job in not only making you laugh but also making you thoughtful about how indifferent we have become towards climate change.

An important aspect of the film is how it looks at people from both ends of the spectrum. On one hand you have the realists who recognize where the world is heading, at the other hand you have those who pretend that everything is fine. The director does a terrific job in capturing both these sides.

The scenes involving Meryl Streep’s character is another major asset. Through her character the director talks about autocracy, he takes several jibes at the way Donald Trump has functioned. Anyone who has issues with the government is picked up and given a warning. This comes through in the scene involving Jennifer Lawrence character.

Leanardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence are a delight to watch in their respective roles. They make you empathize with the frustrations of Kate and Dr Mindy. Meryl Streep is a complete hoot as President Orlean. It is clear that she has enjoyed playing this character a lot.

Don’t miss Don’t Look Up.

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83: Expectations Have Come True

Directed by Kabir Khan, starring Ranveer Singh as Kapil Dev, it is bound to be talked about for a long long time. Other prominent cast includes Saqib Saleem as Mohinder Amarnath, Tahir Raj Bhasin as Sunil Gavaskar, Jatin Sarna as the late Yashapal Sharma, Tamil actor Jiva as Krishnamachari Srikanth and Pankaj Tripati as tour manger Man Singh among others. There is also Deepika Padukone who shows up as Kapil Dev’s wife Romi. The victory of 83 was not just about winning the world cup,  it wasmuch more than that. It was about respect and being taken seriously by the cricketing world. There is a dialogue in the film where Pankaj Tripati’s character says that India has won freedom but is still far from gaining respect. 83 world cup win did exactly that. Except for Kapil Dev no one thought that India would go the distance that it did. There were constant humiliations and many obstacles but one man’s desire transformed the entire team.

Not an easy film to make

It is not an easy film to make as a director for two reasons. One, you should be able to transport the audiences back to that era and two, you need to make sure that today’s generation connects with the journey of the then cricket team. Kabir Khan more than lives up to the expectations, he makes a rousing drama with the right dose of lightness and also some moving emotional scenes. The biggest success of Kabir Khan lies in the fact that he never reduces it to a one man show. Yes, Ranveer Singh is the heart of the film but all the cast members have their moments at different junctures of the film. A good example of that is the scene featuring Jiva. He delivers a moving monologue where he praises his captain in front of a British journalist much to the surprise of Kapil himself. It is something that you don’t see coming. Like this there are many scenes at different points in the film. Much like Bajirangi Bhaijaan here also Kabir Khan explores the idea of love triumphing over hate. Here the medium is cricket. This can be seen in the scene where all villagers along with police watch the final match together in an atmosphere of communal tension.

Recreation of action-packed event

The story of 83 is basically a recreation of what transpired between 1st march and June 25th. Director Kabir Khan along with writers Sumit Arora and Vasan Bala take us through the highs and the lows of this incredible real life story. We see India starting off with a bang as they beat West Indies and Zimbabwe but they start faltering in the next couple of games. A point comes where they are completely down and out. At this stage you have the famous innings of Kapil Dev. His score of 175 gave a huge boost to the team, it gave them the self-confidence that they can go far in the world cup. From that point a new Indian cricket team emerges.

Aseem Mishra, one of the strong points

One of the big strengths of 83 is the cinematography of Aseem Mishra. Through his camera lens Aseem Mishra successfully captures the tension of the matches. His cinematography particularly shines in the scenes involving the aggressive bowling of West Indies. The slow motion camera shots are wonderfully done.

Another striking aspect of 83 is the way Kabir Khan maintains the tempo of the film. He makes sure that you are constantly involved till the last minute. As viewers we know that India has won the 83 world cup but that doesn’t stop you from cheering out loud when that moment comes. A major reason for that is Kabir Khan’s direction.


Emotional moments

83 has plenty of moments that are both humorous and also highly emotional. There are lot of fun moments involving the characters of Yashpal Sharma, Krishnamachari Srikanth, Balwinder Sandhu and Man Singh. At the same time the emotional scenes also pack a solid punch. Apart from Jiva’s monologue my other favorite emotional scene is the one involving real Lala Amarnath and his on screen son Mohinder Amarnath. There is a telephonic conversation where Lala Amarnath says to his on screen son that he has made him younger by ten years. What follows will create a lump in your throat. Additionally there is also the footage of the real life players which is smartly used by Kabir Khan.

The music by Pritam is more functional but it still works in the context of the film. The song Lehra Do in particular gives goosebumps.

Cast made the difference

The cast put together by Kabir Khan takes the film to another level. Over the years, Ranveer has shown that he can transform into any character. With his performance as Kapil Dev he shows that he has reached another level. He manages to capture the attitude of Kapil Dev perfectly along with the physical aspect. There is a scene in the press conference where Kapil Dev says that we are here to win, the way Ranveer says it is a perfect example of how he has imbibed the spirit of Kapil Dev. His acting in the emotional scenes also deserves full marks. In short, he deserves all the best actor awards for next year. Pankaj Tripati is also hugely impressive in his role of Man Singh. He and Ranveer share some of the best moments in the film. Among the rest my favorites are Saqib Saleem, Jiva, Jatin Sarna and Tahir Raj Bhasin.

Deepika Padukone has a small role but she is efficient in what she does. It is also a case of clever casting as you already have a shared camaraderie off screen.

In the final tally 83 is a roll coaster of emotions. Yes, it is manipulative but you don’t complain as Kabir Khan gives you plenty of moments to savor. It is the perfect big ticket entertainer to end the year.