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Bison Kaalamaadan: A rousing tale of breaking social shackles

The movie benefits immensely from its strong ensemble headed by a terrific Pashupathy. The real-life story which the film is based on also helps the proceedings even when things start to stagnate. Much like the teenage rom com Little Hearts earlier this year Bison Kaalamaadan is also successful in normalizing the heroine being older to the hero in a different social milieu. Anupama Parameswaran playing a defiant young lady brings in the required passion making the romantic subplot interesting

Starcast: Pashupathy. Dhruv Vikram, Rajisha Vijayan, Anupama Parameswaran, Lal, Ameer, Anurag Arora and others

Genre: Drama/action

Director and writer: Mari Selvaraj

Producers: PA Ranjith, Sameer Nair, Aditi Anand and Deepak Saigal

Production Companies: Applause Entertainment and Neelam Studios

Cinematography: Ezhil Arasu K

Music: Nivas K Prasanna

Running time: 2 hours and 48 minutes

Mari Selvaraj like PA Ranjith and Vetrimaran has made a place for himself as a politically charged filmmaker. His stories revolve around the marginalized communities with the protagonists coming from the oppressed castes. Some elements which the director uses have become his trademark symbols. This includes the incorporation of animal imagery starting from his debut movie Pariyerum Perumal itself. His latest Bison is no different. He takes the staple elements of a sports drama and combines that with his politically charged filmmaking.

In simple terms the storyline of Bison focuses on the numerous tribulations faced by Dhruv Vikram’s Kittan also called as “Vanathi” Kittan. The setting is 90’s rural Tamil Nadu. Kittan comes from an area where both caste oppression and violence are never ending. The basis for this story is Manathi Ganesan renowned Kabaddi player. The movie looks at how Kittan makes it big overcoming numerous battles of various kinds. This includes a conflicted father turned emotional anchor Velusamy (A scene stealing Pashupathy). There is an elaborate subplot of two warring factions headed by Lal and Ameer. These two also play an important role in shaping up Kittan’s journey especially Lal as Kandasamy. Rajisha Vijayan as Raji is the supportive elder sister. She fights for Kittan even when Velusamy is dead against his son playing the sport.

A strong aspect of Bison Kaalamaadan is the father and son dynamics. As Velusamy, Pashupathy goes through myriad emotions more than Dhruv Vikram in the titular character. In the initial portions Velusamy is adamant that his son shouldn’t pursue kabaddi. There is a constant fear in him given the social strata coupled with the violence prone atmospherics. It also doesn’t help that Kittan himself has a very aggressive personality with anger management problems. For example, there is a scene in the bus involving a goat. A seemingly small thing snowballs into a very violent incident as Kittan loses his temper further fueling the already tense atmosphere. It takes a lot of convincing for Velusamy to even see his son play. It’s only after watching the match that he finally says yes. This doesn’t mean that the fear stops completely but Velusamy later becomes an important pillar of support. This particularly comes out in a telephonic conversation when Kittan is down and out before a Kabaddi game.

Pashupathy as expected delivers a knockout act capturing the myriad emotions with ease. Bison is another feather in the cap for this versatile actor. As Kittan Dhruv Vikram does a fine job in justifying the tough persona. More than the moments of aggression the upcoming actor shines in the portions of showcasing vulnerability. It comes out in a solid manner in the second half. However, Kittan needed more shades especially in the romantic track with Anupama Parameswaran’s Rani. The passion feels one sided with only Anupama showing her intense love. Anupama Parameswaran as a defiant young lady sparkles in spite of the less screen time. She fares much better than Anandhi’s pretty but clueless doll in Periyarum Perumul. Its good to see movies normalizing the heroine being older than the hero and more importantly having a happy ending. Rajisha Vijayan also makes her presence amply felt.

Mention must also be made of the portions featuring Lal and Ameer. Yes, the track could have done with some serious trimming. At the same time they aren’t painted in a caricaturist manner. There is a humanness to them especially in the way Kandasamy supports Kittan when the people around him treat Kittan as a suspicious outsider. Mention must also be made of the scene where Ameer as Pandiraja supports Rani’s love more than her own brother. Ameer scolds him for his narrow-minded thinking along with the treatment of his wife. The futility of violence comes out well with both of them in the end betrayed by close ones.

The cinematography of Ezhil Asaru K is suitably rustic. The rugged atmospherics with a constant dread has been effectively captured. The costume design coupled with the art direction is also of a good order. The music and background score amplifies the drama on numerous occasions.

A major problem with Bison is the staple and cliched sports film tropes. The film gives a major hangover of numerous sports dramas with the political manipulations and also a dramatic finale which can be seen from a mile. Anurag Arora as the coach is particularly irritating with his constant undermining of Kittan. More of Kabaddi and less violence would have benefitted the film. An overdose of blood with stretched action sequences makes the film a tough watch.

Final word: Bison Kaalamaadan has its heart in the right place and is definitely worth watching for fans of Mari Selvaraj’s brand of cinema. But the overdose of violence and the repetitive animal imagery isn’t for all.

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Telusu Kada (You Know, right?): Bold and intense romantic drama

Telusu Kada has certain similarities with the Salman Khan and Rani Mukherjee starrer Chori Chori Chupke Chupke. But this is no remake. Writer and director Neeraja Kona takes a familiar set up of a triangle love story, but the sensibilities are different. All the three protagonists come with shades of grey. The movie dwells into the complexities of modern-day relationships with its messiness. The unconventional storytelling isn’t for all nevertheless Neeraja Kona establishes herself as a promising new director.

Starcast: Siddhu Jonnalagadda, Rashi Khanna, Srinidhi Shetty, Harsha Chemudu and others

Genre: Romance

Director and writer: Neeraja Kona

Producers: T. G Vishwa Prasad and Vivek Kuchibhotia

Production Company: People Media Factory

Music: Thaman S

Cinematography: Gnana Shekar V S

Running time: 2 hours and 12 minutes

The conflict points in love stories have undergone a significant change over time. From the cliches of warring parents and simplistic rich versus poor now the sensibilities are very different. This is amply evident in today’s love stories whether it’s the intense ones or coming of age mixed with love. Neeraja Kona’s Telusa Kada is a bold story dealing with interesting conflict points. One of them are the varied expectations. Siddhu Jonnalagada plays the volatile Varun. Having grown up as an orphan with no proper family he earns for a complete life with a wife and kids. Srinidhi Shetty is Raaga. Without giving much away Raaga is the anthesis of Shivani Nagaram’s steel rod Kathyayini in Little Hearts.

The movie begins with Varun tearing away some photos and venting out his anger. Harsha Chemudu as Mahesh is a buddy as well as an important emotional anchor. Mahesh knows Varun inside and out, the scenes featuring the two gives the movie some of its best moments. Rashi Khanna is Anjali Sharma. She is a mix of traditional and modern. Anjali’s thought process regarding family life is similar to Varun. Not surprisingly Varun falls fast for Anjali and vice versa. The two end up marrying however a major incident changes everything. This is connected to surrogacy. In a big twist of events Raaga makes a comeback into Varun’s life as a surrogate mother. The conflicts that arise when Anjali comes to know about Raaga’s past connection with Varun forms the basic core of Telusu Kada

A strong aspect of Telusu Kada are the characterizations of the principal protagonists especially Siddhu Jonnalagda and Rashi Khanna. Thanks to the huge success of Tillu character Siddhu has been largely associated with comedy. However, Telusu Kada presents a refreshingly different side. This is evident from the first scene itself. Siddhu imbibes the volatileness with gay abandon. The second half has numerous scenes of Varun showing his mean side. He gives taunts to Raaga on how their relationship was a time pass for her. On the surface some of it may across as childish but the palpable pain makes the viewers understand the hero’s perspective. It is hard to pinpoint Varun as either a good or bad. This confusing characterization has its minus points too but there is no denying that Siddhu absolutely aces the role from the body language to the emotional intensity. Telusu Kada definitely marks a new beginning for the budding actor.

Rashi Khanna too displays a different facet. She not only looks stunning but also aces the grey shades. A special mention must be made of the scenes where she questions Varun about holding back important incidents and how she feels like a third wheel between him and Raaga. Srinidhi Shetty is also good in her part but is somewhat let down by a sketchy characterization. The movie could have benefitted a little more by showing the emotional upheaval of Raaga after she dumps Varun. Harsha Chemudu gets a role beyond hero’s best friend and the actor aces it.

The second half drama between the three characters has some engaging moments as well however a comic interlude featuring veteran actress Annapurna leaves a bitter after taste. Mention must also be made of how Neeraja Kona normalizes the concept of a surrogate mother for mainstream Telugu audiences. The movie’s ending with Varun getting what he always wanted makes the viewers happy.

Thaman’s score also adds to the film. Among the tunes Mallika Gandha and Sogasu Chudatharama are soulful enhancing the romantic core. Gnana Shekar VS Cinematography in spite of the limited locations makes the movie visually appealing.

Final word: Telusu Kada isn’t for all but for those like romance with unconventional storytelling its very much worth a watch.

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Oka Manchi Prema Katha: Not just making a case for old age parents but raising many more important questions

Oka Manchi prema katha isn’t confined to looking after old age parents it is also about the corporate culture and the subsequent rat race. Stories of parents going through emotional neglect has been explored many times much like the genre of love itself. But this movie has many interesting points and one of them is about becoming a mother to your own parent. Among the principal actors Samuthirakani makes the strongest impact in a refreshingly different role.

Starcast: Rohini Hattangadi, Rohini Molleti, Samuthirakani, Himanshu Popuri and others

Genre: Drama

Direction and screenplay: Akkineni Kutumba Rao

Story, Dialogues and Songs: Volga

Producer: Himanshu Popuri

Cinematographer: Madhu Ambat

Music: K M Radhakrishnan

Streaming site: ETV Win

Running time: 2 hours+

Stories of parents facing emotional neglect has a certain template. The children are generally presented in a shrill and often unbearable tone. Oka Manchi Prem Katha’s first half also follows this formula. Sujatha (Rohini Molleti) is a very ambitious woman. She wants to reach the top position and has been working heavily to get a promotion which will put her on par with her husband Eshwar (Samuthirakani). Their daughter is studying abroad. Because of the extremely busy work schedules neither Sujatha nor Eshwar have much time to each other and for their daughter. Veteran actress Rohini Hattangadi is Rangamani the mother. Rangamani was also an employee but now stays in her village doing a bit of social service. She interacts with numerous people on a daily basis, solving some of their problems and one of them is her ‘adopted’ son Shankar. However, a health problem makes her miss her daughter dearly, but Sujatha is too busy to visit Rangamani. How they come together is the core of the film.

A strong aspect of Oka Manchi Prem Katha are the portions featuring the two Rohinis in the latter half. From the moment Sujatha becomes a mother to her own parent the film hits numerous high notes. The scenes are filled with lot of warmth, and the film succeeds in presenting a different kind of love, in this case a bond between a mother and a daughter. Both Sujatha and Rohini Molleti become more likeable here.

Through the very ambitious nature of Sujatha, Volga does a fine job in critiquing the current working lifestyle especially the corporate set up where there is one deadline after another leaving little to no space for imbibing humanistic values. The mental health issues that come with it has also been effectively presented. There is a nice bit in the first half when Sujatha visits a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist says that she needs love and more communication with people around her. To this Sujatha asks whether there is any medicine to cure this problem and the Doctor replies that unfortunately no love pill has been discovered so far.

The portions of Samuthirakani missing his wife and the telephonic conversations have been wonderfully written and enacted. Samuthirakani is a delight to watch whether it is reciting poems of John Keats or making up his own one or portraying the absolute bewilderment about the change in Sujatha’s behaviour. It is nice to see the actor playing a nuanced role for a change rather than the routine mainstream villain.

Among the other actors Rohini Molleti’s character was a little too loud and caricaturist in the first half but gets better as the movie progresses. Rohini Hattangadi as usual shines bright especially in the confrontation scenes. A specific mention must be made of the portion between her and Samuthirakani when Eshwar sends a divorce notice. She counters him with one simple question but a powerful one; would he do the same thing if the company had sent Sujatha somewhere for work purpose. There is one more dialogue where she raises an important question about Companies not granting leave to take care of old age parents. The reasoning that she gives is also very thought provoking. When there can be a maternity leave why can’t there be one for old age parental care? The rest of the cast are also fine. Himanshu Popuri as Shankar especially stands out.

Talking about the flaws the movie needed to be crisper in the first half. The core plot should have kicked in earlier instead of leaving it to the second half. The jarring difference between the attitudes of village folk and Sujatha could have been handled with more subtlety.

The music by K M Radhakrishna is soulful adding to the movie’s emotional core. Madhu Ambat’s cinematography is of course as usual very pleasant.

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Janaawar (The Beast Within): A hard-hitting tale of caste identity and crime

Janaawar directed by Sachindar Vats uses the framework of a murder mystery to explore the deep-rooted theme of caste prejudice faced by its central protagonist. The internal battles of Bhuvan Arora’s Hemanth gives the show some of its best moments. The atmospherics have a rooted feel making Janaawar one of the best shows in 2025. Sachindra Vats along with his fellow writers do absolute justice to the tagline

Starcast: Bhuvan Arora, Dheeksha K Sonalkar, Bhagwan Tiwari, Badrul Islam and others

Genre: Crime

Director: Sachindar Vats

Screenplay: Shreyas Lowelkar

Music: Sreejith Edavana

Cinematography: Rahul Nayak

Producers: Abhishek Rege, Harish Shah and Dinesh Khetann

Production Company: Aarambh Entertainment

No of episodes: 7

Streaming site: Zee 5

Sachindra Vats Janaawar (The Beast Within) is a perfect example of how to blend crime with powerful social commentary. The web series starts off as a regular whodunit but as the show progresses different layers come out. The struggles of Hemanth in balancing his duties as a husband and cop while dealing with his own caste identity adds an important layer. This angle uplifts the show significantly.

Without giving much away the storyline of Janaawar is set in a fictional town of Chhaand (Chhattisgarh) and follows the journey of sub inspector Hemanth (Bhuvan Arora). In the beginning episodes the wife shown to be pregnant. Hemanth has applied for a week long leave to take care of her. But a highly decomposed dead body in a deep forest cuts short Hemanth Plans. At the same time a local MLA lands up at the police station to report a case about his missing brother. To further compound the mystery the head of the decomposed body goes missing before it can be sent for forensics. This is the story in brief.

A strong aspect of Janaawar are its atmospherics. Even before the murder mystery kicks in an air of dread is palpable. A major reason for that is the cinematography and the score. Rahul Nayak does a very fine job in capturing the tense atmosphere through his lens especially the portions set in forest. The eerie nights will give chills to the viewers.

At the same time Sreejith Edvana’s score is suitably ominous amplifying the mystery. It perfectly complements the murder mystery investigation going Parrell with Hemanth’s personal life.

Mention must also be made of the scenes featuring Bhuvan Arora and Dheeksha Sonalkar. The husband-and-wife scenes are few, but they are filled with lot of warmth. It shows a different facet to Hemanth a caring husband. Although Hemanth is a sub inspector there is no getting away from his caste identity. This discrimination has come out well on numerous occasions.

While the murder mystery is going on the show also dwells into the power structure. This is brought through the roles of Hemanth’s senior officer and an MLA (Atul Kale and Alok Mishra). These characters aren’t just part of the crime narrative but a larger reflection of the social dynamics in that particular place.

The twists and turns are also solid even though things do get convoluted in the mid portions. The suspicion of who has done it and the reasons behind it keeps the viewers guessing. The ultimate revelation does complete justice to the show’s tagline which is how society and circumstances bring out both the good and bad within us.

The performances headed by Bhuvan Arora are solid. The role of Hemath is very different from what Bhuvan Arora has done so far, and the actor does complete justice to it. He portrays the different shades with finesse. A special mention must be made of the scenes where Hemanth talks about his caste identity and how in spite of a being a sub inspector nothing much has changed. As the wife Dheekha Sonalkar is successful in bringing out the inner strength in spite of the less screen time. Atul Kale and Alok Mishra make the biggest impression among the supporting cast.

Final word: Janaawar is definitely worth watching for those interested in mysteries going beyond the usual whodunits.

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Sthal: Marathi Cinema’s The Great Indian Kitchen

Jayant Digambar Somklar’s Sthal is a strong critique of arranged marriages especially in rural areas where the girl is a commodity to be sold off. The constant cycle of being decked up as a doll and being judged by the prospective in laws has a realistic feel to it. Much like Jeo Baby’s The Great Indian Kitchen Sthal also has a sense of repetitiveness with repeated shots still the film makes a strong impact

Starcast: Nandini Chikte, Taranath Khiratakar and others

Genre: Social drama

Director, writer and producer: Jayanth Digambar Somklar

Additional producers: Shefali Bhushan, Karan Grover and Riga Malhotra

Cinematography: Manoj Karamkhar

Music: Madhav Agarwal

Running time: 1 hour and 47 minutes

Production house: Dhun Production

Streaming site: Zee 5

In Indian movies the arranged marriage set up is generally used to explore budding romance. Two contrasting people coming together and becoming one. But in reality, things always don’t pan out in this manner. Sthal written and directed by Jayanth Digambar Somklar looks at the entire scenario through a young girl’s suffocation. The grind of getting appropriately dressed to please the prospective in laws and answering every question. Jayanth Digambar Somklar in short strips off the glamor generally associated with this genre.

Sthal in brief focuses on Nandini Chikte’s Savita Daulatrao Wandhare. She is in the final year of BA. Her specialization is sociology. Savita has major aspirations of studying further but her parents want to get her married off as soon as possible. This is the story in short.

A strong aspect of Sthal is how the movie depicts the cycle of arranged marriage especially in a rural setting. There are repeated shots of elders having a chat and then the girl is made to sit uncomfortably on a stool. Barrage of questions start making her feel as if she is a criminal.

The humiliation comes out in a strong manner. Above all the girl’s consent isn’t taken into consideration. The structuring of these episodes has a distinct hangover of The Great Indian Kitchen. A sense of repetition can be felt still it works.

The movie also throws light on dowry which still exists in our society. Mention must also be made of how the movie juxtaposes the celebration of SavitriBhai Phule with the regressive practices. There is an important portion where the college is seen celebrating her birth anniversary and she is being hailed for being a torchbearer for women’s education: however, the situation in Savita’s home is completely different.

There is also a male professor who teaches women empowerment to the students pretending to be modern. But the reality is very different. These touches add a lot to the movie.

Sthal also sheds light on farmer’s issues through the father played by Taranath Khiratkar. Taranath Khiratkar does a very fine job in making the viewers emphasize with him. Both the parents are presented as victims of their circumstances rather than outright villains. As viewers you understand from where their thought process comes from. The ending of Sthal reminds the viewers of Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry. There is the sound of a strong slap.

Nandini Chikte does an extremely fine job in bringing out the ordeal. She conveys a lot with just expressions. The rest of the cast led by Taranath Khiratkar are formidable too in their respective parts.

Technically speaking both the music and the background score are appropriately minimal. Manoj Karamkar’s cinematography goes perfectly well with the rustic surroundings too.

Final word: Sthal is definitely worth a watch especially for fans of rural social dramas

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Kantara (Chapter 1): A powerful second half saves the day

Director, writer and actor Rishabh Shetty saves the best for the latter half. The devotional elements with Rishabh in a possessed state makes for a fantastic watch especially if it’s the big screen. The twist around the gorgeous Rukmini Vasanth catches the viewers unawares. Much like the 2022 Kantara this one also explores the importance of ecological conservation and not taking the downtrodden for granted among others. Only the scale is much bigger this time around

Starcast: Rishabh Shetty, Rukmini Vasanth, Gulshan Devaih, Jayaram and others

Genre: Action/devotional

Director and writer: Rishabh Shetty

Producers: Vijay Kirangadur and Chaluve Gowda

Production Company: Hombale Films

Music: B Ajaneeth Loknath

Cinematography: Aravind S Kashyap

Running time: 2 hours and 48 minutes

The 2022 Kantara released with less expectations but surprised everyone. In spite of the problematic elements like the romantic track the Karnataka folklore coupled with Rishabh Shetty’s committed performance made it sail through. The movie became a national wide success making Rishabh a breakthrough star director and actor.

Expectations with Kantara (Chapter 1) is huge given the massive success of the first part. In simple terms the plot of this one is an origin story connected to the divine protectors of the mythical forest. The guardians include Panjurli Daiva, Guliga Davia and Varaha Roopam. Each of this symbolizes a divine power. The period is Kadamba dynasty.

The first half of Kantara (Chapter 1) has a slow build up. A lot of time is spent on world building with comedic episodes and side characters occupying more space than required. This does test the viewers patience making the viewers wish that Rishabh speeds up the proceedings. Even the very talented Gulshan Devaih starts off as a caricature. Thankfully though the film picks up pace towards the interval.

Things really start moving once the central conflict is introduced. The hidden riches of the Kadamba Forest and how this triggers a chain of events. The second half has many engaging moments especially the sequences where Rishabh Shetty goes into a trance like state. The sheer physical energy that the actor brings to the table is extremely commendable.

Gulshan Devaih also comes into his own during the second half. He is successful in making the viewers hate him. Mention must also be made of the twists and turns connected to Jayaram and Rukmini Vasanth’s roles. Without giving much away how they eventually shape up takes the viewers by surprise especially in the case of Rukmini Vasanth as Princess Kanakavathi. Until the midway mark Princess Kanakavathi is presented as a love interest but there is a surprise twist connected to her birth. This changes the graph of the movie completely. Rukmini Vasanth not looks gorgeous but also leaves a strong mark in portraying the duality of her role. Jayaram also leaves a significant mark in a grey shaded role.

Apart from a strong second half the technical values also enhance the film specially in the large action set pieces. Cinematographer Aravind S Kashyap does a very fine job in capturing the massive scale through his lens. The picturization of the Kadamba forests has the required eeriness. The background score by Ajaneesh Loknath is also rousing. His work enhances the trance portions of Rishabh Shetty. The songs have the right devotional flavor for deep believers in God.

Underneath all the mysticism Kantara Chapter 1 has important socio-political commentary too. Specifically, the need for ecological balance and how not to take the downtrodden for granted. These portions are definitely relevant and some of Rishabh Shetty’s dialogues do pack a punch as well: however, the overreliance on divine intervention and mythological folklore makes the film simplistic.

Final word: Kantara (Chapter 1) will be a delight for hard core Rishabh Shetty fans and also those who enjoy mythical mixed with devotion.

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One Battle After Another: A strong cocktail of politics, thrills and drama

Director Paul Thomas Andreson delivers a khichdi of genres in a seamless manner. The best part of Paul Thomas Andreson narration is how he manages to find humor in even the direst of circumstances. The movie’s socio-political commentary- like the angle of racial discrimination- doesn’t feel force fitted at any point. There is a natural blend to the way events unfold

Starcast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Chase Infiniti, Teyana Taylor and others

Genre: Action thriller/drama

Director and writer: Paul Thomas Andreson

Based on: The Book Vineland by Thomas Pynchon

Producers: Adam Somner, Sara Murphy and Paul Thomas Andreson

Production Company: Ghoulardi Film Company

Cinematography: Michael Bauman

Music: Jonny Greenwood

Running time: 2 hours and 50 minutes

The best way to describe One Battle After Another would be a chaotic ride in the best manner. The movie takes the viewers on a roller coaster of a journey from the beginning itself. The plot doesn’t waste any time in establishing a revolutionary group called French 75. A scene stealing Leonardo DiCaprio along with a fierce Teyana Taylor are a part of this French 75. A revolutionary group taking on a fascist regime.

There is a daring rescue operation involving the immigration detention center. Sean Penn plays colonel Steven Lockjaw. He is absolutely smitten by Teyana Taylor’s Perfidia Beverly Hills. The first half an hour establishes the motives of French 75 and the mayhem they cause. However once incident changes everything leading Leonardo DiCaprio’s Bob and the young child played by Chase Infinti to go underground. Perfidia Beverly has already left her husband and daughter due to a certain friction. Bob is leading a quiet life with the grown-up daughter but the past returns back to haunt and soon the movie turns into a race against time.

A strong aspect of One Batlle After Another is the entertainment quotient. The movie raises many chuckles at regular intervals: this in spite of the tense situations. A lot of credit for that goes to Leonardo DiCaprio’s comic timing. When his daughter suddenly disappears, he knows that she is in peril and tries to contact his old comrades. However, the person on the phone insists on their secret code answers which Bob cannot recollect due to the overuse of drugs and alcohol in all these years. This keeps repeating generating a lot of comedy.

The portions of Bob as a father and how he interacts with the daughter’s friends specially the scene where she is going to a party is hilarious to say the least. Leonardo simply brings the house down. In the emotional scenes also, he does a fine job. The desperation is palpable making the viewers root for him. In short Leonardo is first rate.

Mention must also be made of the impactful socio-political commentary. The political violence led by colonel Steven Lockjaw in how the immigrants and the black community are treated has a contemporary touch. The result of extreme authoritarianism and how this leads to rebellious groups like French 75 has been well written and enacted.

The movie also pays a nod to Hitler’s dictatorial ways in a sequence resembling a gas chamber. Sean Penn makes for a suitably despicable antagonist even though the character becomes a mere caricature as the plot progresses.

The character of Chase Infiniti has been well crafted. There is a strong inner strength to the role and a certain street-smart nature. She isn’t someone waiting for her to dad rescue her. There is an important sequence where she bumps off an assassin after he fails to answer an important code question. Chase Infiniti more than holds her own opposite Leonardo.

The cinematography of Michael Bauman is also eye filling. The vast landscape specially in the tense chase sequence makes the movie a visual delight. The background score of Jonny Greenwood also adds to the drama.

Final word: I am sure that a person who is familiar with American political context would understand the film more comprehensively.

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Homebound: A searing tale of friendship and politics

Returning back to the big screen after a huge gap Neeraj Ghaywan once again shows his ability in delivering socially relevant tales. Homebound is notches above Masaan in more ways than one: the angst is more, and the politics more in your face but highly effective. Homebound benefits immensely from the solid on screen friendship. The viewers feel the everyday marginalization felt by Vishal Jethwa’s Chandan and Ishaan Khattar’s Shoaib. The heart of Homebound though lies in the second half when it tackles the plight of migrant workers

Starcast: Vishal Jethwa, Ishaan Khattar, Janhvi Kapoor, Harshika Parmar, Shalini Vasta and others

Genre: Social drama

Story: Basharat Peer, Neeraj Ghaywan and Sumit Roy

Direction, screenplay and dialogues: Neeraj Ghaywan

Additional dialogues: Varun Grover

Based on: A friendship, a pandemic and the death beside the Highway article by Basharat Peer

Cinematography: Pratik Shah

Music: Benedict Taylor, Amit Trivedi and Naren Chandavarkar

Producers: Karan Johar, Somen Mishra, Adar Poonawala etc

Production Company: Dharma Productions

Running time: 2 hours and 2 minutes

In the last few years Dharma has seen a massive shift in terms of the diverse stories and filmmakers who come with strong voices. This is very apparent with films like 2024’s Kill and this year’s Dhadak 2 along with Homebound. All these movies have a social voice especially in the case of last two. In both Dhadak 2 and Homebound the plight of the marginalized form the central core: both these movies aren’t afraid to wear their politics on sleeves dealing with thorny issues which don’t find much representation in mainstream pan masala cinema.

Homebound is inspired from a devasting real life incident. A tragic story of two friends who like the numerous migrant workers had to walk long distance during the harrowing COVID pandemic. Out of the two only one makes it. An article about this was written by the noted writer Basharat Peer. Taking this as a base director Neeraj Ghaywan along with Sumit Roy and Basharat himself add different social dimensions.

In simple terms the story of Homebound primarily focuses on two childhood friends played by the excellent Vishal Jethwa and Ishaan Khattar. Both of them go after a police constable job promising them dignity which has been long denied due to their social backgrounds. Ishaan Khattar plays a young Muslim man facing religious taunts. Vishal Jethwa on the other hand is Chandan a Dalit boy afraid of embracing his true identity. Janhvi Kapoor plays Sudha Bharati. Much like Chandan she is also a Dalit but with a better economic background. Sudha is a strong believer in the Ambedkar philosophy: she constantly eggs Chandan to complete his studies so that he will be in a stronger position. This is the story in brief.

The best part of Homebound is the strong on-screen friendship. There is a lived in feel to the scenes featuring Vishal and Ishaan. Their moments together whether it’s the light ones or the more intense portions when Shoiab doesn’t make it has been brilliantly written and enacted.

Through the two friends the film delivers a hard-hitting tale on the everyday discrimination faced by the marginalized. For example, there is a scene where Chandan goes to check about his exam results. An official asks Chandan which category he applied. To this Chandan replies general category hiding his true identity. This is followed by the official going on a rant about reservation in a tone reminiscent of the numerous upper-class people who feel that reservation is a regressive thing.

Similarly in the case of Shoaib he too faces the brunt of being a Muslim. There is a scene of Shoaib going for an office party. A cricket match between India and Pakistan is going on. Like the other people in party Shoaib is also happy about India winning however his seniors chide him with the term Lahore implying that he is sad about Pakistan losing. All this hits the viewers hard especially those who are into serious cinema.

The love story between Chandan and Sudha also has interesting dynamics. As already mentioned, Sudha is financially better off than Chandan and this shows in her confident persona. Through Janhvi Neeraj shows a more empowered Dalit with a strong voice. Janhvi doesn’t have much heavy lifting to do but she plays the part with the required confidence. Her scenes with Vishal bring a much-needed lightness to the otherwise grim proceedings.

In the second half the plot goes from caste to the plight of migrant workers. The movie makes the viewers ponder on how lucky we were safe in our homes. The visuals of the sudden lockdown imposed and migrant workers desperate attempts to get away will definitely stir a strong emotion. In these segments the touch of Basharat Peer is very apparent.

The movie doesn’t directly critique the government but for those who read between the lines the administrative failure is very palpable. The moments leading up to Chandan’s death has also been brilliantly staged. There is an important conversation just before he gets sick. He talks about his future aspirations which include completing his studies among other things. This adds to the tragedy later on. The pre climax scene with Shoaib desperately wanting to save his friend by egging him on is so emotionally riveting. Ishaan Khattar as Shoaib especially shines in this sequence making you wish that the real-life scenario had played out differently. With his portrayal of Shoaib Ishaan once again shows why he is such a fine talent. Vishal Jethwa is also equally good in portraying the angst and anguish of a lower caste man who is afraid to embrace his true caste identity. Mention must also be made of Harshika Parmar as Chandan’s sister. She brings in a quiet strength in the sequence where her character reminds Chandan about how she never had the opportunity of going to college unlike her brother. Shalini Vatsa as the mother is equally good in spite of the brief screen time.

Pratik Shah’s cinematography is solid too. He does a very fine job in capturing the lived in atmospherics. The costumes and production design are also in perfect sync making Homebound a technically solid product as well.

Final word: Its no surprise that the movie received a 9-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Festival.

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The Ba***ds of Bollywood: Aryan Khan hits a sixer

Director Aryan Khan delivers a delightful whimsical ride backed with strong satire. The debut director doesn’t spare anyone, and this includes events from his real life too. It’s clear that Aryan has all the trappings of a successful mainstream director. He deserves appreciation for choosing an unconventional route when he could have easily been launched as a leading man

Starcast: Lakshya Lalwani , Raghav Juyal, Bobby Deol, Sahher Bambaa, Manoj Pahwa, Mona Singh, Anya Singh, Rajat Bedi, Manish Chaudhari and others

Genre: Satire

Creator, director and writer: Aryan Khan

Additional writers: Bilal Siddiqui and Manav Chauhan

Producer: Gauri Khan

Executive producers: Bonnie Jain and Akshat Verma

Production Company: Red Chilies Entertainment

Music: Sashwat Sachadeva and Anirudh Ravichander

Cinematography: Jay Pinak Oza

No of episodes: 7

Streaming site: Netflix

The Ba***ds of Bollywood directed by Aryan Khan could have been a feature film instead of a web series. The plot is hardcore masala with comedy, action, star crossed lovers and a mind-boggling twist that is sure to leave the viewers polarized. Much like Zoya Akhtar’s Luck By Chance The Ba***ds of Bollywood is a percipient take on the starry world of Bollywood. However, this goes a step ahead in dealing with the insider outsider debate, exploitative producers and the uncertain nature of fame among others.

Aryan Khan makes a smashing debut

The broad storyline of this web series revolves around Lakshya Lalwani’s Aasmaan Singh. An outsider with big dreams. His debut becomes a major hit making him a sensation. Soon, things start getting complicated. The web series focuses on how Aasmaan navigates this starry and unpredictable world with the help of a loving family. Raghav Juyal plays Aasmaan’s buddy and an important anchor. Anya Singh on the other hand is the loyal manager. Bobby Deol plays a huge star who isn’t happy with his daughter Karishma (Sahher Bambaa) getting close to Aasmaan and vice versa.

A strong aspect concerning The Ba***ds of Bollywood is the self-aware and whimsical tone. The web series is peppered with numerous real-life scenarios. For example, there is a newcomer’s roundtable clearly modelled on the 2019 Rajeev Masand’s Actors roundtable. There is a cheeky node to Siddhanth Chaturvedi roasting Ananya Pandey. Similarly, one of the extended cameos features Karan playing a movie mafia version inspired from Kangana Ranaut’s comment.

There is a hilarious banter between Ranveer and Karan connected to Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani. Karan talks to Ranveer about giving him a hit. Ranveer on the other hand replies back by saying he carried the movie on his shoulders.

Emraan Hashmi turns up as an intimacy coach, it’s a tip off to the actor’s famous real-life image. Raghav Juyal’s reaction on seeing Emraan is priceless. He bursts into an emotional state singing Emraan Hashmi’s famous songs. Emraan’s bewilderment on how to deal with this fan boy moment coupled with Raghav’s acting is brilliant.

Arshad Warsi as Gaffor Bai is used to represent the role of Mumbai underworld. The actor raises many chuckles with his acting. Above all Aryan Khan doesn’t spare himself either. You have an officer who is moddled on the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). In one scene Aasmaan is locked up in a jail and a cop says people get more famous after going in. After last years negative role in Kill Raghav showcases a different facet of himself. As Aasmaan’s buddy the actor lights up the screen with his effortless acting. He shares a wonderfulcamaraderie with Lakshya making their scenes a major highlight of the show.

Mention must also be made of Sahher Bambaa’s Karishma. The young actress brings in a certain vulnerability and a humanness making the character likeable in spite of the privileged background. The love angle between Aasmaan and Karishma is underwritten still the two young actors share a good chemistry.

What also grounds the show amidst the starry cameos and larger than life world is the family dynamics. Apart from Raghav Anya Singh also lends gravity as the loyal manager. The way she stands by Aasmaan in spite of the numerous hurdles is brilliant to watch. Similarly, Mona Singh and Vijayant Kohli as parents are also wonderful. Their conversations with Lakshya have an emotional resonance, especially the advice given by the father on never backing down. Manoj Pahwa as Aasmaan’s uncle also touches a chord with his own backstory.

The web series also looks at the unpredictable nature of show biz with Rajat Bedi’s Jaraj Saxena. On the surface the character may across as a comedic caricature. But there is a palpable pain as well and Rajat aces it.

Lakshya as the shows center pivot perfectly captures the different shades of Aasmaan. He brings alive the determination of Aasmaan along with a certain cheeky and arrogant nature. There are certain shades of Shah Rukh Khan in the way Aryan along with Bilal Siddqui etc have written the role. Lakshya also does very well in an important emotional outburst.

As one of the primary villains Bobby Deol packs a strong punch too. He brings in both a starry aura as well as solid acting in this multifaceted role. Manish Chaudhari also succeeds in bringing the required ruthlessness along with a misogynistic nature.

The music composed by multiple people goes perfectly well with the show’s eccentric tone. Special mention must be made of the tracks Rusiya and Who’s your Daddy.

Final word: Overall it’s a web series that Shah Rukh himself would have loved to either act or direct. Must be a proud moment for the father.

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Jolly LLB 3: A plea for saving farmers and the journey of social consciousness

Director and writer Subhash Kapoor takes a familiar route particularly in how the protagonists evolve. The third part lacks the freshness of the last two, still it remains a compelling watch for the issues explored and the performances of the core cast. Akshay Kumar and Arshad Warsi as the bumbling Jolly’s undergoing a change do a fine job: But Saurabh Shukla is the show stealer raising laughs as well as lending gravity in the serious moments.

Starcast: Akshay Kumar, Arshad Warsi, Saurabh Shukla, Seema Biswas, Gajaraj Rao, Seema Biswas and others

Genre: Comedy/drama

Director and writer: Subhash Kapoor

Producers: Alok Jain and Ajith Andhare

Music: Anurag Saikia, Vikram Montrose etc

Cinematography: Rajarajan Ramabadran

Production Companies: Star studio 18 and Kangara Talkies

Running time: 2 hours and 37 minutes

The Jolly LLB series is one of its kind franchise. Generally, movies related to comedy and action are developed into a series of films. But Jolly LLB movies are an exception as the stories dwell into the different types of problems effecting a common man. The heroes in these films aren’t the usual idealistic ones. They are grey shaded characters undergoing a gradual change.

Jolly LLB 3 pretty much sticks to this formula. This time around its corporates usurping farmers land in the name of globalization. Arshad Warsi and Akshay reprising their roles from the previous movies are at constant loggerheads. Both of them suffer from lack of substantial clients. This results in constant tussle with each trying to outwit one another in search of fame. However, things take a major dramatic turn with the entry of Seema Biswa’s Janaki. Saurabh Shukla continues to be the adorable judge often exasperated with the two central lawyers but at the same time being considerate too.

A strong aspect of Jolly LLB 3 are the courtroom portions. The series of dramatic exchanges between Akshay Kumar and Ram Kapoor who represents the industrialist Haribai (Gajraj Rao) have the right amount of spark. They are often intense making the viewers ponder on the pitiable condition of farmers. At times the movie slips into a melodramatic space with the district magistrate having a change of heart: this particular portion is wobbly. But the core relevance helps it tide over.

Saurabh Shukla as the Judge Sundar Lal Tripathi continues to be a major highlight. The veteran actor raises ample chuckles specially in a conversation with the two Jolly’s. He tells them in detail about the high stress caused by the two. The third part also gives a peek into the romantic side of Sundar Lal and Saurabh Shukla aces it.

Apart from the chuckles he also lends in a certain seriousness whenever required. For example, there is a scene involving constitutional values and respecting its spirit. In simple terms Saurabh Shukla is the major ace of this franchise.

Seema Biswas as the widow Janaki rallying for justice is the only female character with some weight. As expected, Seema Biswas nails the role with her piercing gaze. She communicates a lot with her eyes. Gajraj Rao as the typical industrialist also makes for a suitably despicable villain. The character graph isn’t the most innovative, but he brings in an understated menace. Ram Kapoor also makes his presence amply felt as a rich advocate fighting for a wealthy industrialist.

As the two Jolly’s Arshad Warsi and Akshay Kumar play their parts with practiced ease. Akshay gets the bigger arc though with some fiery arguments. The scene where he talks about farmers subsidies being dismissed as Khairat (charity) deserves a particular mention. Arshad Warsi comes alive in the final monologue where he talks about farmers always being the scapegoats in the name of economic progress. An expectation that they should give their lands without any complaints.

Amrita Rao and Huma Quereshi as the respective wives have a lovely presence but in the larger scheme of things they don’t have much to do. The personal lives of both Jolly has zero noticeable moments. The music is another sore point specially an emotional song meant to stir the viewers. Some scenes like the two heroes coming on a camel disturbing a racing competition is also clumsily staged.

Final word: Jolly LLB 3 is a worthy addition to this growing franchise in spite of some lags.