Premiered in late 2020, Sonia Liza Kenterman’s Greek drama Tailor continues its film festival outings through late 2021. One that chronicles the story of a classy tailor of suits, the film is set in suburban Athens crippled by scarcity and economic uncertainty. Playing the lead Nicos is Dimitris Imellos – whose goofy […]
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IFFI Review: ‘21 Mu Tiffin’ is rich with sumptuous food and heartfelt emotions
Gujarati language film 21 Mu Tiffin, screened in the Indian Panorama of the 52nd International Film Festival of India, Goa, begins with a definitive sense of déjà vu. A middle-aged woman with her share issues strikes an unlikely friendship with a younger man to rediscover herself. The medium that helps them […]
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IFFI Review: ‘Taledanda’ is a heartbreaking appeal to conserve Mother Nature
The late Sanchari Vijay was an actor who, time and again, surprised us with films and performances that differed pleasantly from the hugely formulaic mainstream Kannada cinema. Showcased posthumously at the 52nd International Film Festival of India, Taledanda features him as a rural youngster named Kunnegowda ‘Kunna’ (Vijay) suffering from moderate […]
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‘Bunty Aur Babli 2’ review – Rani Mukerji’s campy Babli adds flavor to a routine con caper
Bunty Aur Babli 2 is a harmless film. It offends no one. It makes some jokes – some land, some do not. It has a zany lead couple. It talks about politics, education, inflation, and unemployment in the sanest of ways. It is not boring, not even during its awful […]
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‘Meenakshi Sundareshwar’ review – a bizarre romance spun around offensive cultural stereotyping
Meenakshi Sundareshwar poses a tough nut for Bollywood to crack. On one hand, there is the industry’s decades-old misconception about how people live in India’s southern states. On the other, there is the Tamil community’s reservation against the Hindi language and the possibility of what might be cultural appropriation. While the […]
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‘Kurup’ review – Dulquer Salmaan shines in an ultra-glam fugitive drama
Fugitive stories are captivating. Whether it’s Provenzano in Italy or Dawood Ibrahim in the Indian subcontinent, the cinematic potential they offer is immense. Their stories could be gritty, campy, or even pulpy in spirit. Kerala’s most notorious criminal-on-the-run Sukumara Kurup has been a similar enigmatic figure. The mastermind of the […]
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‘Hum Do Hamare Do’ review – a striking lead cast elevates a film on familial bonds
Director Abhishek Jain’s Hum Do Hamare Do instigates an interesting thought. What is family? Is it a way to define a group of people who are biologically related and are co-habiting in order to follow what is a societal norm? Have we, especially in an Indian context, tried to deconstruct […]
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‘Escape from Mogadishu’ review – Fiery action powers a tale of survival from Korean history
The uneasy equation between South Korea and North Korea has forever been a matter that generated immense amounts of curiosity. South Korean filmmaker Ryoo Seung-wan’s Escape from Mogadishu, set in 1991, presents a helpless scenario where both parties unwillingly join hands for a common cause – to escape a civil […]
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‘Sardar Udham’ review – Shoojit Sircar’s film sets a golden benchmark for Bollywood historicals
The process of exploring Shoojit Sircar’s cinema in several ways is meditative, irrespective of their quality. It feels like watching a flavorful bowl of soup – simmer and boil into perfection – with the minor ingredients immersing into the sumptuous base to turn into a thick, nutritious blend. Sircar’s latest […]
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‘Luzzu’ review – a heartbreaking Maltese film that glows in its neorealistic beauty
Some occupations go defunct with time. Much like the species of fish that gradually succumb to extinction amid climate change, the fishermen in Malta are falling prey to occupational erosion. Local filmmaker Alex Camilleri’s feature debut Luzzu presents this tricky situation where tradition gets consumed by the need for a sustainable livelihood. […]