Imtiaz Ali’s Jab We Met is a modest film. Modest in terms of its expectations from us, the viewers. You can easily munch a bag of popcorn and watch it away to glory – be it at 4 am in the morning or post a horrible day at work. You […]
‘Khandhar’: Inside Jamini’s Rickety World of Stillness and Silence
“Jamini, Jamini…” Calls out her mother in a frail yet demanding tone. This shout is one of the most haunting ones I have ever heard in Hindi cinema. There’s a lot to do with the actor’s (Gita Sen) tenor and vocal quality but it is also about the fact that Jamini […]
Isssh… It’s the anniversary of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Devdas’
Kolkata based love stories make me go weak in the knees. Be it the ones penned by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay (Devdas, Parineeta) or others like Raincoat and Meri Pyaari Bindu, a lot of them paint childhood love on celluloid with remarkable beauty. Now, there exists no bigger literary piece on […]
‘Kinara’ Is Akin to Reading a Mellow, Atmospheric Novel
Gulzar’s Kinara is special. One of the reasons being Hema Malini who is in her elements here. Not without that quintessential south Indian fragrance she brings in, Kinara is comfort zone for her. There is dance, emotions that fluctuate from mild to heavy-duty. There’s also some great music and an easy-breezy way of […]
‘Ijaazat’: Sensitivity, Empathy, and Gulzar’s Lyrical Storytelling
Ijaazat. Gulzar knew how to name his films. As a matter of fact, the title is almost a counter-statement on what the protagonists end up doing! Ijaazat starts on a placid note. The zingy Asha Bhosle number “Chhoti Si Kahaani Se” followed by our male lead alighting a train only […]
‘Sparsh’: A Classic ’80s Romance Garnished With Chemistry and Simplicity
Sparsh– The most effortless film viewing can ever get. You feel a breeze while the wind blows, a whiff of the heroine’s perfume’s scent when the hero mentions it. Sensitive to the core, the movie speaks a beautiful language of love, care and empathy. 1980s was perhaps the best decade for […]
‘Piya Ka Ghar’: Middle-Class Life In A Cramped Metropolis
Rajshri Productions takes the cake and the whole bakery when it comes to upholding traditional Indian values. Piya Ka Ghar directed by doyen Basu Chatterjee heralds Rajshri values in all glory while staying intact to the kind of story-telling he is known for. This simple, little tale makes you relate to the quintessential lower […]
Discovering the Dazzle of Cinema Through ‘Bombay’
Shekhar and Shaila Bano – Star-crossed lovers in tumultuous times of religious agitation. In the days when inter-religion marriages were taboo in interior India, these two met, fell in love and tied the knot. In true Mani Ratnam style, the sparks fly the moment they meet. Isn’t that just beautiful? Highly […]