Category: Year End Reviews

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Year-End Roundup: Best Hindi Movies Of 2022

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

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

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

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

Gangubai Kathiawadi

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Darlings

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jalsa

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Drishyam 2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Good Luck Jerry

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mili

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Some Of The Best Films From Our Neighbours

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

Year Ender (Malayalam and Tamil Films)

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

First up are the Malayalam films.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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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Some Of My Favorite Films Of The Year Across Hindi, Telugu And Tamil

Belated Merry Christmas and advanced Happy New Year to everyone. Since 2020 has been a truncated year for obvious reasons it is difficult to make a comprehensive list of the movies which came in that year.  Within the choices that we had following are the movies I liked best in the three languages I saw.

Hindi Films

1. AK VS AK – Directed by Vikramaditya Motwane AK VS AK is easily one of the most experimental films that you have had this year. It is a perfect example of a well made Meta film with Anil Kapoor and Anurag Kashyap bearing their souls. Both Anil and Anurag were excellent in their portrayal. The plot of the film revolves around Anurag kidnapping Anil Kapoor’s daughter Sonam Kapoor after a public spat between the two. This film has plenty of inside jokes which will make you chuckle like the scene in which Abhinav Kashyap’s successful film Dabbang is mentioned in comparison. However the scene which brings most laughs is when Harshvardhan Kapoor tries to impress Anurag Kashyap and blames Vikramaditya Motwane for sabotaging Bhavesh Joshi.

It is a clever joke because that film was also directed by Vikramaditya Motwane and co produced by Anurag Kashyap. But the film is much more than just a series of inside jokes. It also looks at the paradoxes of a Bollywood star’s life and how they are expected to act even during tragic times. The scene where Anil Kapoor has to dance for the audience amidst his frantic search for Sonam is an example for this. It is a scene which reminds you of Chaplin and Anil’s acting in that scene deserves a particular mention. In short don’t miss this one, it is streaming on Netflix.

2. Thappad – After Mulk and Article 15 director Anubhav Sinha delivered another socially relevant film called Thappad. It was a film which convinced many of us that a slap could lead to a divorce. Pavail Gulati plays the husband who slaps his wife played by Tapsee Pannu in a fit of anger. For him it is something which has happened at the heat of the moment but for the wife it dismantles her married life completely.

Although this is the central plot you have other things happening simultaneously like the track of a poor domestic help who suffers beatings from her husband. It is not an easy film to pull off but Anubhav Sinha was in control for most part. The performances of the cast particularly the supporting players were very good. My favorite ones are Kumud Mishra, Pavail Gulati and Dia Mirza. Pavail Gulati in particular was very good as the husband who is clueless to his own shortcomings.

3. Chhapaak – Meghana Gulzar’s Chhapaak was a sensitive take on the real life acid attack survivor. The film also raised some important questions like the legal system which doesn’t treat acid attacks as grave a crime as rape. Is 10 years of imprisonment enough for scarring someone’s face/life and very importantly why acid is easily available across the counter are some of the questions that this movie raises. The film also had its share of light hearted moments like the conversations between Deepika and fellow acid attack survivors in a shop. Deepika in the title role slipped convincingly into the character making it the best performance of her career. The relationship of Deepika and Vikrant Massey’s Amol was also handled very nicely.

4. Shakuntala Devi – Generally Indian biopics glorify its protagonists, the best example of this is Narendra Modi film which was purely made with the intention of projecting Modi as a superman who can do no mistakes. Even Neeraj Pandey’s MS Dhoni didn’t offer any real insight into Dhoni’s life apart from showing things that people already knew. Anu Menon’s Shakuntala Devi was different as it portrayed the famous mathematician Shakuntala Devi with all her faults.

In fact at a certain point you begin to resent this woman who lies to the media that her husband played by Jisshu Sengupta is a homosexual. She is so overbearing that you feel complete pity for both the husband and the daughter played by Sanya Malhotra. The film did have its share of loose ends but it was largely an engaging film on a woman who had a very strong personality. Vidya Balan’s uninhibited performance was an icing on the cake.

5. Ludo – After a disastrous Jagga Jasoos Anurag Basu made a strong comeback with this multi layered narrative. Much like Life in a Metro this one also looked at different aspects of the society through multiple characters. It also had a philosophical touch as it dealt with the concepts of Dharma and Adharma through the two narrators one of which is Basu himself. The only thing which could have been better is the character of Pankaj Tripati who starts off as an important character but after a point is sidelined. You also had some bold jokes on BJP and Republic Channel through the voice artist character of Aditya Roy Kapoor. The actors who stood out in the ensemble were Rajkumar Rao, Fatima Sana Sheikh, Aditya Roy Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan.

Telugu films

1. Jaanu – Jaanu is the remake of Tamil film 96 which starred Vijay Sethupati and Trisha. This one starred Sharwanand and Samantha. For those who haven’t seen the original, the story is about two silent lovers Ram and Jaanu meeting at a school reunion after many years and exploring their past. It is one of those rare love stories where you root for the couple and want them to have a happy ending which isn’t possible.

The contrasting characters of the two also made it interesting. Ram is someone who is too shy while Jaanu on the other hand is more expressive. The one complaint with the film though is its pace. It takes time to get used to it and you get the feeling that the initial portions could have been a little crisper. While Sharwanand was good, it is Samantha who is the driving force of the film. The supporting cast comprising of Vennela Kishore, Saranya etc were also good in their brief parts.

2. Ala Vaikuntapuramlo – Story of this film isn’t new by any stretch of imagination. You have two babies who are swapped at their birth like in the book Midnight Children by Salman Rushdie. The rich one grows up in a poor family and the poor one grows up in a rich family. But what made Ala Vaikuntapuramlo entertaining is the treatment of Trivikram Srinivas and the performances of Allu Arjun and Murali Sharma. The best part of the film was the cat and mouse relationship between the characters of Allu Arjun and Murali Sharma, son and father. Trivikram Srinivas invested plenty of time to build their relationship which is why the scenes between them work most in this film. Murali Sharma got very good footage as the greedy father and he was impeccable in his portrayal. Tabu who should have been an important character in this film was totally wasted.

3. V – It is not always that you have an action thriller which has repeat value but Indraganti Mohan Krishna’s V got its masala elements in a perfect order. The story of V is about a mystery man who tries to take revenge for his wife’s brutal murder without getting caught by the police officer who is determined to catch him.

It is a straight forward premise elevated by the treatment of the director and particularly the performance of Nani as the villain fighting for a cause. There is also lot of black humor and the scenes of Nani with his fellow travelers were hilarious. After playing the hero for a long time it looked as though Nani completely unburdened himself in this one.

Tamil Films

1. Putham Pudu Kaalai – Set during the lockdown Putham Pudu Kaalai was a well made anthology by directors Sudha Kongara, Gautam Menon, Suhasini, Rajiv Menon and Karthik Subbaraj. The first four stories were set in the upper middle class milieu while the last one was about two thieves and a typical Karthik Subbaraj film. My favorite story of the lot is Gautam Menon’s ‘You and me’. This segment was about a reluctant granddaughter who has to stay at her grandfather’s place due to lockdown. She is waiting for the stay to get over. Director Gautam Menon built up the different stages of the relationship well. A scene which deserves a particular mention is an emotional conversation between the two and through that the director tells you what a good conversation can do. MS Bhaskar is riveting as the grandfather and gets able support from Ritu Varma, the granddaughter. Another segment which deserves mention is Karthik Subbaraj’s Miracle. The black humor makes you chuckle and the background music is also done well. But it has to be said that this segment works as a single unit more than a part of anthology. Bobby Simha as the main thief appears to have had lot of fun playing the character.

2. Dharala Prabhu – A remake of Ayushmann Khurrana’s Vicky Donor, Dharala Prabhu was a well made film where the makers retained the soul apart from adding a certain freshness of their own. For those who haven’t seen the original the plot revolves around a young man who takes up the job of sperm donor to earn some quick money and the wife’s reaction when she comes to know of it. The best part of Dharala Prabhu was how it dealt with a number of sex and reproductive issues without making them feel like moral Issues. A particular mention must be made of how it dealt with the topic of adoption from a female perspective. Harsh Kalyan is no Ayushmann but the actor did a good job nevertheless. Vivek is over the top but still his character works well as the fertility specialist Kannadasan.

These films are by no means representative of the films of 2020 but within the limitations of availability these are the films that I chose. I would end by wishing advanced Happy New Year to everyone and hoping 2021 turns out to be a better year regarding movies. If you haven’t seen some of these films I would definitely recommend you watch them.