Tag: primepost

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Laal Singh Chadda: No Forrest Gump But Nevertheless A Worthy Adaptation

Forrest Gump starring Tom Hanks is considered an iconic film and rightly also. The journey of a slow-witted yet a kind-hearted person touched many cords when the film was released in 1994. Forrest Gump is a film which is also remembered for its political overtones. Remaking a film like this is a huge responsibility for any filmmaker. Advait Chandan takes on the mantle of the director here while Aamir reprises the iconic role of Tom Hanks. The Indian adaptation has been done by the acclaimed actor Atul Kulkarni. Atul Kulkarni changes the identity of the protagonist to a Sikh in the Indian version. The story plays out in the form of narration, with Laal Singh Chaddha talking about the various stages of his life to fellow passengers on a train.

Director Advait Chandan and screenplay writer Atul Kulkarni stay mostly true to the fable like quality of the original. Where the screenplay differs from the original is how the character of Kareena Kapoor Khan has been integrated and the love story between her and Laal Singh Chaddha. These changes definitely helped the film. Though there is a heavy dosage of Punjabi dialogues thankfully they don’t irritate much.

Before going further it is necessary to get the biggest comparison out of the way, and that is Tom Hanks versus Aamir Khan. There is no denying that Aamir overdoes the simpleton act. The exaggerated expressions take some time to get used to. At some points he even comes across as a cousin brother of PK. Laal will also remind you of Shahrukh’s Rizwan Khan from My Name Is Khan. However to the credit of Aamir he is still successful in making the audiences connect to the various stages of Laal Singh Chaddha’s life.

The political aspect in Laal Singh Chaddha film isn’t very overt, but you can clearly tell where the heart of the director and its leading man lies. The portions leading up to the Sikh riots are particularly effective. For example there is a scene where Laal’s onscreen mom (Mona Singh) saves her young son from the rioters by shortening his hair so that he won’t be identified as a Sikh. This scene is truly terrifying. Much later on we have a scene where Laal Singh Chaddha is tying a turban with a swelling background score playing.

Advait Chandan also does a wonderful job in creating two well etched female characters in the form of Mona and Kareena. The love story between Aamir and Kareena has been wonderfully etched starting from portions when they were children. You root for Laal and Kareena’s Rupa.  After a long time Kareena is in solid form. The actress imbibes Rupa with lot of sensitivity and compassion. Additionally Kareena is also stunning to look at. Mona Singh is also wonderful as the compassionate mother. She doesn’t miss a single beat and the lessons that she imparts to her son stay with us for a long time.

Naga Chaitanya making his Bollywood debut has a tricky role to play, which he manages to pull off well. He is from Kakinada whose family sells chaddis and banians. His character Balaraju is a fellow mate of Aamir during Laal’s army stint. There is a lot of chaddi and banian talk between the two, which brings a smile on our faces.

Laal Singh Chaddha also makes you travel to many places. The locations are a feast to the eyes, more so if you see it on the big screen. The music by Pritam is also in complete sync with the narrative.

While the first half of Laal Singh Chaddha is seamless, the bumps come in the second half. The track involving Manav Vij playing an enemy turned friend sounds very implausible. Advait does make a comment on how terrorists are misguided but this comes across as more contrived than organic. Also the film gets overdramatic once Aamir meets Kareena after a long gap. Ideally it should have ended with Aamir having a happy ending with Rupa, but in order to stay true to the original the director inserts a cancer track. From then on the film drags painfully. Aamir’s outburst in the pre-climax also doesn’t have the desired emotional affect, the reason being you are already exhausted by the running time. Fifteen minutes of the film could have been easily chopped.

PS: Of late more and more simpleton characters in films are humane and message oriented. Wonder why!!

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Sita Ramam: This Tale Of Star Crossed Lovers Touches Your Hearts

Hanu Raghavapudi’s Sita Ramam is a poetic love story that works on many levels. The twists and turns keep you hooked. Most importantly the chemistry between Dulqer and Mrunal works like magic. The director also looks into the Indo-Pak conflict with Kashmir. He smartly integrates this subplot into the film and makes sure that it never comes across as just an add on.

Rashmika Mandanna tasked with uniting Dulqer and Mrunal

In the mid-1960’s Lieutenant Ram (Dulqer Salman) falls in love with a stranger (Mrunal Thakur as Sita) after an exchange of letters. Ram meets Sita and she also reciprocates his love. But Sita has problems due to her family, cut to 20 years later Afreen (Rashmika) is assigned with the task of delivering Ram’s letter to Sita by her grandfather-army general (Sachin Khedar). Afreen has no inclination to deliver the letter but she has no other option, the reason being her grandfather’s will, Afreen is a Pakistani Muslim who hates Indians. The rest of the story focuses on why the letter is so important and what is the connection between Ram and Afreen’s grandfather.

For a love story like this to work the casting of the lead pair is very important, director Hanu Raghavapudi gets the casting absolutely spot on. Both Dulqer and Mrunal deliver wonderful performances. The chemistry between them is a treat to watch. Dulqer turns on his charm fully and makes the audiences fall in love with him. The actor is in splendid form in both romantic and emotional scenes. The surprise package though is Mrunal. She makes a stunning Tollywood debut. She not only looks gorgeous but also performs with ease.

Rashmika Is Not A Heroine But The Hero Of This Film! - Movie News
Rashmika is not the heroin of the film but a very important character

Hanu Raghvapudi has handled the portions between Dulqer and Mrunal in a classy manner. Some of the emotional bits featuring the lead pair give you goosebumps.

The director has also made sure that the supporting characters come out well. The roles of Sumanth and Rashmika are beautifully woven into the story. Both the actors do a splendid job in their gray shade characters.

Indo-Pak conflict mixed with a love angle is something that Indian audiences are always keen to watch. The film reminds you a bit of Veer Zara in the sense that Dulqer’s Ram is prisoner in a Pakistani jail. The scenes involving war makes you tense about what will happen next.

There are twists and turns at regular intervals and the last one leaves you teary eyed.

Sita Ramam teaser is visually appealing | Telugu Cinema
Dulqer in army uniform bringing in war atmosphere

Technically also Sita Ramam makes for an eye pleasing product. The cinematography by PS Vinod and Shreyas is of very high standards. The music by Vishal Chandrasekhar is soothing and suits the mood of the film perfectly.

Sita Ramam is not without its flaws though. Some of the comic portions are oddly placed. The track of Vennela Kishore could have been better etched out. Also there are some logical errors. For example Mrunal Thakur’s character doesn’t de age for a bit even after twenty years.

Sita Ramam is a feast particularly if you are a fan of Dulqer and also intense love stories.

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Darlings: Watch This Domestic Noir For The Acting Performances And The Message

Jasmeet K Rheen’s Darlings is a domestic noir filled with elements of a dark comedy and thriller. It is a difficult genre to crack for any director let alone a debutant. The rough edges are very much visible but there is no denying that Jasmeet makes some important points on domestic abuse, most importantly it doesn’t paint all men as monsters. It is also a delight to watch the ensemble cast of Alia Bhatt, Shefali Shah, Vijay Varma and Roshan Mathew. Alia has co produced this film under the banner of Eternal Sunshine productions.

The story of Darlings is set in a lower middle-class Muslim dominated neighbourhood. Badrunisaa (aka Badru) played by Alia Bhatt is a  woman who is married to an abusive man Hamza (Vijay Varma). Badru represents those housewives that put up with abuse in hope that the husband will change one day. Shefali Shah plays Badru’s mother Shamshunisaa. Shamshunisaa is a more practical woman who knows that Hamza is never going to change, the reason being she has had her own share of domestic abuse in the hands of her deceased husband. She constantly advises Badru to leave Hamza but Badru is admant that her husband will change. The fourth key character is Zulfi (Roshan Mathew). He is the antithesis to the violent Hamza. He is an aspiring screenplay writer who also sells household appliances for a living. Zulfi also serves a solo delivery boy for the dabba service of Shamshu. Coming back to the marriage of Badru and Hamza, a certain incident happens, which leaves Badru with no option, other than to make Hamza pay for his sins with the help of her mother. These plans lead to several risky situations. The dark humour is generated out of the outlandish situations that arise out of these plans.

Jasmeet K Rheen does a wonderful job in setting up the world of Badru and Shamshu. Both these women are as different as chalk and cheese, this makes the dynamics between the two more interesting.

The bustling chawl where the film takes place plays out as a character in itself. The scenes leading up to the domestic violence is filled with a sense of dread that makes you uncomfortable.

Jasmeet also does a good job in addressing the unequal power structure of marriage. This comes out brilliantly in a scene  of police station where Shefali Shah says that world may have changed for those on twitter and facebook but not for them.

The biggest pleasure of watching Darlings lies in watching the scenes between Shefali Shah and Alia. There is a constant tussle happening throughout between the mother and daughter. This leads to many entertaining moments.

Out of the two Shefali Shah has the more fleshed role and not surprisingly the actress does a stellar job. She pulls off her quirky character with ease, and is the source of comic relief in many scenes. Alia as Badru starts off this as this submissive wife and it takes some time for Badru to transform. The transition could have better etched out but it is to the credit of the actress that she sells it. Alia plays the character with complete conviction and wholeheartedly embraces all the contradictions of Badru. Alia is particularly impressive in the climax scene. Vijay Varma makes for a terrific psychopath. He effortlessly switches from a loving husband to a violent demon within a matter of second. Lastly Roshan Mathew is also charming as the loving Zulfi. His scenes with the mother and daughter do bring a smile on your face.

Darlings falters when the director starts mixing elements of dark comedy with thriller. The situations in the second half lack plausibility factor even within the outlandish situation. Badru tying Hamza with dupatta and constantly giving him sleeping pills is too farfetched. The policemen led by Vijay Maurya come across as bumbling fools.

Another major problem is that director Jasmeet takes way too much time for Badru to finally come to a decision. This indecisiveness of Badru till the last moment makes it hard for the audiences to root for her character in entirety.

All said and done, Jasmeet addresses the different dynamics in an abusive marriage, but mixing of elements needed to better. A more matured director was the need of the hour.

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Masaba Masaba Season 2: Neena And Masaba Score Once Again

Sonam Nair’s Masaba Masaba Season 1 was one of those loved web series when it released in the year 2020. Neena Gupta was expectedly brilliant, the surprise package though was daughter Masaba also playing herself. She stood her own and the scenes featuring Neena and Masaba were very good to watch. The plotline was basically Neena and Masaba playing a fictionalized version of themselves. The web series covered the professional and personal lives of the mother and daughter duo. There were also some important issues that season 1 covered like ageism in the industry, and how it is not so easy for senior actors particularly for the women to get solid parts. Director Sonam Nair smartly intergrated the film Badhai Ho into one of the episodes, for those not aware Badhai Ho was a huge gamechanger for Neena Gupta. The series also took several potshots at the fashion industry. At the end of season 1 you were eager to know how the story would go forward.

The tonality of Season 2 which has seven episodes is more or less the same, but director Sonam Nair is successful in bringing different dimensions to the same story. Season 2 begins off with Masaba’s pregnancy scare, and this unfortunately leads to Neena going all guns blazing on her. Masaba’s professional life isn’t exactly going well either. She puts all her energy into the fashion show but things don’t turn the way she expects, the reason for that is a young designer who steals the limelight. Neena, on the other hand, doesn’t want to confine herself to the backseat and is on her way to challenge the expected norms. In a way the problems addressed are similar to the first season, but the handling of it is more intense.

Director Sonam Nair dwells deep into the burden that successful women have to carry on their shoulders. She does a good job in capturing both the public scrutiny and also the unrelenting social media. In spite of being a fashion designer for a decade and learning the craft, Masaba still has to justify her talent time and again. Masaba even ends up hiring a publicist for her professional life to get better.

This publicist makes Masaba do things that she isn’t comfortable with. A segment that stands out is when Masaba is invited on a reality show as a judge. Masaba is made to go against her nature.

Another segment worth mentioning is the involving Neena Gupta.  Neena Gupta wants to revive her hit show Fursat but her script has been turned into a ridiculous joke by the producers and also a young-know-it all director. The reason for changing the script is that no one is apparently interested in watching older people romance on screen. It doesn’t take long for the director’s sexism to come out.

Sonam Nair also brings a certain sensitivity in handling the scenes between Masaba and Niel Bhooplam’s Dhairya Rana. Dhairya is Masaba’s investor. He has feelings for Masaba but there is a past incident involving her personal life and things get complicated. Niel Bhooplam plays his part with lot of understatedness.

As expected both Neena and Masaba knock it out of the park both together and also individually. Their scenes together have a real life warmth that makes you root for them.

Through the mother and daughter duo director Sonam Nair tells a heartwarming story of women standing up for each other, and how this changes each other’s lives.

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Shamshera: The Duo Of Ranbir And Sanjay Dutt Make it Worth A Theater Watch

Karan Malhotra is someone who established himself as a successful mass director with his debut film Agneepath. The film was a remake of the old one by the same name. It was an unabashed masala film with little nuance. But still Agneepath was very much watchable; there were two main reasons for that. One is a certain craft that Karan brought along with the powerful performances led by Hrithik Roshan. Agneepath also gave us two powerful villains in the form of Sanjay Dutt’s Kancha Cheena, and late Rishi Kapoor’s Raut Lala. His next Brothers was also a remake, this time a Hollywood film. Brothers was less successful but still the film had its moments.

His latest Shamshera pretty much treads on the same path. It is a mass masala entertainer that presents Ranbir in a very different light. Earlier also Ranbir has tried his hand at mass genre, case in point being Besharam and Bombay Velvet directed by Abhinav and Anurag Kshyap respectively. Shamshera is a far more successful mass stint than the above mentioned ones. The film isn’t without its share of lapses but there is no denying that it is an absolute big screen experience.

Fictional tribe and city

The movie begins with Ronit Roy’s narration about a fictional lower caste warrior tribe called Khammeeran. This tribe is led by Shamshera (Ranbir Kapoor in a double role as father and son). They are imprisoned in an imaginary city of Kaza. In Kaza they are enslaved and tortured by the ruthless authoritarian general Shuddh Singh (Sanjay Dutt once again in a negative role). After a lot of humiliation Shamshera decides to free his tribe but he only ends up dying. After a leap of 25 years we are introduced to the son Baali who looks exactly like his father.

However, Baali’s inner personality is very different from his father. He likes singing and dancing. This is established wonderfully in the intro song Ji Huzoor. The aim of Baali is to join the security forces working for the British. He is blissfully unaware about the truth behind his father’s painful death.

Soon enough Baali comes to know about how much his tribe has suffered, he takes over the mantle of Shamshera and thus a new fight begins. It is a fight for the freedom of his people and their self respect. Added to this mix you also have Vaani Kapoor playing Baali’s love interest. Her introduction is very similar to what Katrina Kaif had in Thugs of Hindustan. In a way her character can be called as a distant cousin of what Katrina Kaif had played. There is also Saurabh Shukla who is reminiscent of Satyaraj’s Kattappa in the Bahubali films.

The most striking aspect of Shamshera is how it has been staged. The imaginary city of Kaza never feels fake. A major reason for that is the production design by Sumit Basu. It looks intrinsic and detailed. A shout out also has to be given to the cinematographer Anay Goswamy. He does a wonderful job in capturing the terrain of the Nubra Valley, the film has been mostly shot there. The constantly swirling dust has been brilliantly used by the cinematographer.

Music and background score by Mithoon is another high point of the film. The best examples of this are the two distinctively different intro songs for the father and son. The one song which sticks out like a sore thumb is the Vaani Kapoor’s introduction song.

From the first frame it is very clear that Karan Malhotra has banked heavily on the duo of Ranbir Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt, fortunately for the director neither disappoint. Ranbir Kapoor is on point both as the father and son. The characters of Shamshera and Baali give enough scope for Ranbir to showcase his all round capability, and the actor doesn’t disappoint one bit. He holds the film together with his charisma and acting chops even when the script starts wobbling. Ranbir is particularly good when he aces the vulnerable side of the father and the son. As an action hero he never appears out of place.

A terrific villain

Sanjay Dutt makes for a terrific villain. Shuddh Singh is cut from the many villain roles that the actor has been playing of late. But unlike KGF 2 here Sanjay Dutt doesn’t come across as sleepwalking. It is easily the best negative role that the actor has played post Agneepath. The action scenes between Ranbir and Sanjay are a delight to watch. More so given that Ranbir played Sanjay Dutt in the latter’s biopic Sanju.

The biggest flaw of Shamshers is how it treats its secondary characters, starting from Vaani Kapoor’s Sona. In the first half her only job is to do sensual dances. In the second half there are some dramatic moments where she could have shined, but Vaani fails miserably. The love story between Ranbir and Vaani comes across as an unnecessary extra. The actress playing Shamshera’s wife is mostly reduced to a weeping figure.

On the other hand, capable actors like Ronit Roy and Saurabh Shukla are mostly reduced to loyal elderly men, for the father and son respectively, the other members of Shamshera’s tribe don’t fare any better.

Shamshera also suffers from a distinct hangover of Bahubali films and RRR. There is a seen there feeling that the audiences get at many junctures.

The climax is too elongated and by the time Shuddh Singh dies you feel utterly exhausted. Karan Malhotra uses crows as a helping hand very frequently; this plot device doesn’t bring anything substantial to film.

There is a lot to enjoy if you are a fan of Ranbir Kapoor. It is indeed a treat to watch the actor on the big screen after four years. However, an original approach would have made this more worthwhile. Shamshera would have fared better if it had come before Bahubali and RRR.

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Modern Love Hyderbad: An Anthology That Leaves You With A Warm And Fuzzy Feeling

Anthologies have fast become a trend that everyone wants to make. It is not surprising given that you don’t need big budgets and a huge star cast. Many of the anthologies have had mixed results. The stories in these anthologies have generally tilted towards dark ones. For example the Tamil anthology Pava Kadhaigal had four stories of extremely dark nature.

Hyderabad basks in Modern Love
Actors with Charminar in the background

In that respect Modern Love Hyderabad is of a different type, and in a good way. For those who are not aware the source material of Modern Love Hyderabad is Modern Love. There is also another anthology called Modern Love Mumbai based on Modern Love.

Coming back to Modern Love Hyderabad, this anthology looks at the universal feeling of love through different set of age groups. For example you have a mother and daughter trying to reconnect in the pandemic. There is a couple who have understanding issues etc. Out of the six three have been directed by Nagesh Kukunoor. Venketash Maha of K for Kancharapalam has also directed one of the episodes.

Let’s look at the six stories one by one, along with a brief analysis.

  1. 1. My Unlikely Pandemic Dream Partner– This episode is set during the COVID lockdown. Mehrunissa (Revathy) is stuck with her daughter Noori (Nithya Menon). There are some unresolved issues which need to be sorted. There is a quiet resentment that both of them have towards each other.

Director Nagesh Kukunoor uses food as a character in itself. The delicious Biryani, Haleem etc are used as a device for the characters to unpack their baggage.

It is a simple plot but what makes it click is the treatment of the director. Both Revathy and Nithya Menon convey the required emotions with ease. The analogy of food has also been smartly integrated.

Modern Love Hyderabad's Nagesh Kukunoor: 'One language isn't better than other' | Web Series - Hindustan Times
Director Nagesh Kukunoor uses food as a character
  •  Fuzzy, Purple and Full of Thorns– As the title suggests this one is about a thorny relationship between Uday (Aadhi Pineshetty) and Renuka (Ritu Varma). Both of them fall in love after a chance meet up but a pair of purple slippers creates a havoc in their love life.

The best thing about this segment is the character of Ritu Varma. Ritu Varma is delightful as the imperfect protagonist. She has her own insecurities but you don’t dislike her completely. Her fixation with the slippers raises many chuckles.

This segment also looks at the modern day life through a live-in-relationship. Aadhi Pinishetty and Ritu Varma share a wonderful chemistry.

Modern Love: Hyderabad Review: Suhasini Maniratnam, Revathy & Nithya ...
Suhasini Maniratnam tugs at your heartstrings
  •  Why Did She Leave Me- Why Did She Leave Me begins on a slow note. This episode starts with a CEO giving a speech to booster his colleagues. The CEO is Ramulu (Naresh Agastya). This episode is mostly about the relation between Ramulu and his grandmother Rangamma (Suhasini). Rangamma left Ramulu in an orphanage at a young age due to certain circumstances and never came back.

The flashback portions between Rangamma and the young Ramulu is the best thing about this segment, Suhansini tugs at your heartstrings as a grandmother raising her two grandchildren alone. Advitej Reddy plays the younger version of Ramulu with ease.

Partly mediocre, partly predictable—Modern love Hyderabad is pleasing, but fails the city
Revathy and Nitya Menon in an emotional scene
  •  What Clown Wrote the Script- What Clown Wrote The Script is an interesting satire on the ridiculous nature of the serials. This story is about a television producer (Abhijeet Duddla) who collaborates with a standup comedian to create something different.

Malavika Nair plays the standup comedian here. It is a simplistic story but still there is a lot to enjoy here. Both Malavika and Abhijeet deliver earnest performances, the references to the legendary Jandhyala brings a smile to the face of the audience.

  •  About the rustle in Bushes- This segment reminds you of Prakash Raj’s Akashamanta. Much like that one here too Naresh plays an overprotective father.
Modern Love Hyderabad series review: Flashes of charm in an anthology series set in Charminar City
Aadhi Pineshetty and Ritu Varma share a wonderful chemistry

Sneha (Ulka Gupte) is looking for love and finds it when she least expects it, along the way she meets a host of different people. Keeping a secret watch on her is Naresh.

The trope of the overprotective parent isn’t a new one by any means, but what makes this segment tick is the casting. Ulka as Sneha in particular delivers a wonderful performance. Through her character the director talks about how guilt manifests in irrational ways, particularly when it comes to love and family.

  •  Finding Your Penguin- Finding your Penguin is a hilarious tale about a young woman in Hyderabad. Indu (Komalle Prasad) tries a different approach to dating by comparing her dates with the way animals mate.

Indu’s interactions with her friends are laugh out loud. They have an authentic feel to them. This segment ends the anthology on a high.

Modern Love Hyderabad is not for those looking for depth, however if you are in the mood for some warmth and fuzziness then this one is for you. 

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Rocketry: Watch It For Madhavan’s Dedication And The Real Life Nambi Narayan

Multitasking as an actor, director and writer isn’t an easy thing to do. Apart from confidence you also need a certain command over these mediums. R Madhavan has not only played the lead role in Rocketry, he is also the director and also one of the writers involved. For those who are not aware the film is based on the real life space scientist Nambi Narayan. Nambi Narayan was accused of being a traitor who sold his country. He had to fight a long court case to disprove it: Narayan suffered both professionally and personally. This is a tough story to execute for any director let alone a newbie. The rawness in Madhavan’s direction is very much visible, but still Rocketry is a heartfelt film which deserves a watch on the big screen. Two things contribute majorly to this. One is the stupendous performance of Madhavan the actor. Secondly Madhavan the director is able to make you connect with the story of Nambi on a personal level. As audiences you celebrate his highs and lows.

The film begins with a stunning long shot that establishes the family of Nambi Narayan. We see the family having a laugh over lunch with no inkling about how their life is going to change forever. We see Nambi getting arrested on espionage charges; the wife played by Simran gets humiliated while attending a wedding. The daughter sits helpless in the middle of the road; dung is there on her face. The son and the son-in-law of Nambi Narayan aren’t spared either. After this we have a flash forward to the elderly Nambi. He is in a conversation with an actor (Shah Rukh Khan) playing himself. The Tamil and the Telugu version have Surya playing the role of the interviewer. Through numerous flashbacks we come to know about Narayan’s hardships. The real life Nambi Narayan also makes an appearance at the end.

 Madhavan’s direction is at its best when it focuses on Narayan being falsely accused and the subsequent trauma that follows. The emotional scenes between Madhavan and Simran are heartbreaking. A scene which deserves a particular mention is when Nambi is finally declared innocent by the court. This happens when they are in a wedding. The breakdown of Nambi and the subsequent events make you cheer for the character. Madhavan and Simran have acted as a couple in a couple of films. The last one being Mani Ratnam’s Amrutha. The comfort level between the two is very much visible. The length of Simran’s role is less but the actress is terrific in the few demanding scenes that she has got.

The custody scenes of Nambi have also been brilliantly executed by the director. He is successful in making you empathize with the plight of Nambi Narayan, at the same time you feel anger towards the police officials for the way they are treating him.

The first half has also got some fine directorial touches. For example there is an episode when a co-worker of Narayan loses his son. Narayan deliberately hides this from this co-worker till the end of the mission. We are not generally shown grey areas in Indian biopics but R Madhavan deserves credit for keeping this episode intact.

Some lighter bits in the first half also make you chuckle. The humor mostly comes from the scientists having fun at the expense of people in different countries they visit.

The first half of the film is mostly technical. Unlike Jagan Shakti’s Mission Mangal Madhavan doesn’t try to simplify the scientific terms. The strive for authenticity is definitely admirable. But at the same time some of the jargon could have been cut down.

Also Madhavan should have put a little more focus on who had wronged Nambi Narayan and the agenda behind his arrest. The answers for these questions aren’t completely answered. Some more focus on this would have further enhanced the writing. The foreign characters with the exception of a couple of English people don’t really register.

As an actor Madhavan just disappears into the role of Nambi Narayan. The nuances and the physical appearance have been brilliantly captured by the actor. In the climax there is a close up shot of the real life Nambi Narayan. The resemblance between the real and the reel Nambi Narayan is so uncanny. It just shows how Madhavan has imbibed the character that he is playing.

Shah Rukh Khan has a charming presence and the way he gets involved in the story of Nambi comes across nicely. Shah Rukh gets his own moment when he apologizes on behalf of the nation for how Nambi Narayan has been treated. The actor does a solid job in this scene.

In the technical department Sirsha Ray deserves a standout for how he has shown the film through his lens. The cinematography perfectly aids the narrative of the film.

Rocketry is a film that deserves to be seen for the sheer hard work of Madhavan and also the real life personality it is based on.

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O2: A Strong Cautionary Tale For Humankind

Nayanthara is one of those few actresses who has struck a perfect balance between doing glamorous roles and also strong female parts. She has always experimented with different kinds of genres. The results haven’t always been on point but that hasn’t stopped the actress from taking risks. O2 directed by GS Viknesh is one such film. The director juxtaposes the concept of two maternal figures, one being Mother Nature and other is Nayanthara playing a widowed mother Parvathy.

The film begins off with a bird’s sorrow as her chicks are being killed due to deforestation by human beings. From there we go to the home of a seven year old boy called Veera. Veera suffers from a life threatening disease called cystic fibrosis. He is heavily dependent on the oxygen cylinder for breathing. From the very beginning Veera is used to represent the repercussions of tearing down the natural resources. A hope comes for Veera in the form of a corrective surgery. Parvarthy makes a quick decision to go ahead with it. The mother and son are joined by more characters as they travel by bus to Kochi for the surgery. These characters include a corrupt cop, an ex-MLA, inter-caste lovers etc. In a horrible twist of fate they get trapped within the bus, the nature unleashes its anger in the form of a horrific landslide. The rest of the film plays out as a claustrophobic thriller. Nothing more about the plot can be revealed.

It is not easy to make a thriller/drama set mostly in a single location. It needs enormous talent from both the director and also the actors to hold the audience’s attention. But director GS Viknesh does a good job in keeping the audiences engrossed. He makes you feel the wrath of nature.

GS Viknesh is also immensely aided by the acting talent of Nayanathara. The actress is in splendid form. She shoulders the weight of the film effortlessly. There are many shades to her character. She is someone who can be unapologetically selfish, self-serving and also violent too. Nayanathara sinks her teeth into the role and makes the audiences root for her. Just like mother earth Paravathy will also go to any lengths to save her son from danger. The parallel between these two maternal figures has been brought out brilliantly by the director.

Rithivik as Veera holds his own. He is particularly impressive in the high-octane emotional moments. Among the rest Bharath Neelakandan is terrific as a vicious cop.

The cinematography by Tamizh Azhagan is perfectly in sync with the narrative.  He does a commendable job in capturing the claustrophobia. The audiences feel that they themselves are in that situation.

The scenes where we see the fight for oxygen also strikes a chord. The reason being many lives were lost in the second wave of Covid due to the limited supply of oxygen.

The only bits that rankle in the film are those involving the inter-caste couple. They don’t add much to the film.

In a nutshell O2 is a largely gripping thriller that leaves you thinking.

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Major: Adavi Sesh Anchors This Heart Touching Saga

The attack of 26/11 is a subject that has found a prominent place in both movies and also web series. A good example of this is the Anupam Kher and Dev Patel’s Hotel Mumbai and also the web series Mumbai Dairies. Major directed by Sashi Kiran focuses on the real life major Sandeep Unnikrishnan. Sandeep Unnikrishnan was an NSG Major who sacrificed his life in fighting the terrorists on that fateful day. The beats of the story isn’t unfamiliar in any way. Most of us know how the attacks of 26/11 had played out and as an audience you also know that Sandeep is going to end up as a martyr. So the tricky thing is how you engage the audiences. But director Sashi Kiran keeps the audiences hooked. He is also helped by the mostly tight writing of Adavi Sesh, apart from acting, Adavi Sesh has also written the story and screenplay of this film.

The story of Sandeep is narrated through the parents played by Prakash Raj and Revathy respectively. Sandeep’s fascination with the uniform is established early on by the director. From a young age itself Sandeep is someone who doesn’t think twice before putting himself in harm’s way in order to save someone’s life. His parents aren’t exactly too pleased with his decision of joining the army. But there is nothing that they can do given the firmness of Sandeep’s decision; through the course of the film,  Sandeep is confronted with what it means to be a soldier. Is it putting oneself first on the battlefield, or forgoing being a good husband etc. On that fateful day he had the option of staying back but he instead decided to fight the terrorists.

The biggest triumph of Major is way the character of Sandeep has been etched. The focus is on Sandeep as a complete human being and not just as a martyr. When the inevitable happens you not just mourn for a soldier who has lost his life, but you also think about the life that he could have lived.

Major, starring Adivi Sesh, showcases the fascinating saga of a braveheart | Filmfare.com
Fascinating story of a braveheart

There is a deep emotional connect that the director brings. Sandeep’s interactions with his parents in particular are good. There aren’t many of those scenes but whatever what you get is heart touching. The film also works as a coming- of- age tale and not just as a soldier’s story.

Sandeep’s love story with his childhood sweetheart Isha (Saiee Manjrekar) is also fairly well etched out. Saiee gets a pretty solid role and she delivers a decent performance, but there are times where you feel that a more solid actress would have uplifted the love story.

A majority of Major’s second half plays out as a combat drama. The action set pieces by Naba are very good. You can clearly see that a lot of hard work has gone into it. The dialogues by Abburi Ravi are another standout feature of this film. Lastly, Patchipulusu also deserves credit for his cinematography. He ably captures the different moods of the film through his lens.

Adavi Sesh gets a role of a lifetime and the actor grabs the opportunity with both hands. It is a part which is demanding in both physical and emotional sense, and Adavi Sesh nails it with a terrific performance. He is convincing in all the stages of his character.

Major Opts For Early Premiere Shows All Over The Country - Movie News
It is a film that is going to stay with you for a long time

Prakash Raj and Revati are experienced actors who don’t need any particular validation, as expected both of them bring in their immense experience to the parts. Their performances in the closing moments would move audiences to tears. Murali Sharma and Shobhita Dhulipala are effective in their brief roles.

In a nutshell, Major more than lives up to the promise made by the impactful trailer. It is a film that is going to stay with you for a long time even if the subject of army isn’t your cup of tea.

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Panchayat Season 2: A Worthy Follow Up To Season 1

Sequels are always a tricky business whether it is movies or web shows. The audiences have a certain set of expectations which are not easy to meet. But director Deepak Kumar Mishra does a very good job in exceeding those expectations with Panchayat season 2. Panchayat season 2 not only delivers laughs, but it also makes you introspect. Tight writing combined with solid performances makes this web series one of the better shows of this year.

For those who don’t know Panchayat season 1 followed the journey of Abhishek Tripati (Jitendra Kumar). Abhishek Tripati unwillingly accepts the job of a Panchayat secretary in Phulera. Phulera is a remote village in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh. The first season was essentially about how he acclimatizes himself to the village. An important part of the show was his bond with the locals, particularly Pradhan (Raghubir Yadav), his wife and the actual Pradhan (Neena Gupta) and finally the two office bearers played by Faisal Malik and Chandan Roy, Season 1 also covered some important issues, but without any melodrama.

Season 2 takes off from where season 1 ended. Abhishek Tripati’s bond with the Pradhan and the others has become strong. There is also a hint of romance between Abhishek and the daughter of Pradhan. This season covers local politics, rivalries and also relatable issues like standing up for your friends.

 It is easy to get repetitive with a premise like Panchayat. But director Deepak shows growth both in the characters and the story. We see new dimensions to the village of Phulera and also the residents living in it. The director smartly avoids the typical tropes of films set in rural India. He presents Phulera as a real place with real people. Most of the humor comes from the situations that people find themselves in. The director also nicely sets up Season 3 with a smart twist at the end.

Apart from delivering laughs, the series is also successful in dwelling into issues with simplicity. There are no lengthy monologues here. But Deepak Kumar Mishra gets the point across successfully.

The subtlety of the show also extends to the performances. Jitender Kumar shows once again why he is perfect actor to play Abhishek Tripati. Jitender has grown leaps and bounds; this is evident in the way he holds his own against the likes of Raghubir Yadav and Neena Gupta. Raghubir Yadav and Neena Gupta are actors who don’t need any particular validation. Both of them are in terrific form as always.

Faisal Malik and Chandan roy are more than just comic reliefs in Season 2. Towards the end there is a scene where Faisal Malik will get you close to tears.

One minor complaint about the series is the track of the foul-mouthed politician. It doesn’t serve any major purpose. Also you wish there was a little more of Neena Gupta.

In a nutshell, Panchayat Season 2 is going to make the audience impatient for Season 3.