An aged aristocrat dies mysteriously in the night of a life event. Under the lens of suspicion are his prospective heirs and a woman who is not a part of the family. These aren’t the lines for Knives Out in the ‘describe the synopsis of your favourite film badly’ challenge. […]
Read Time : 7 Minutes
“Lootcase” celebrates the hysteria of Mumbai with wacky characters and deadly humour!
A lower-middle-class man named Nandan (Kunal Kemmu) finds a large trolley-bag outside a urinal somewhere in Mumbai. It is way past midnight and a shot from inside the bag gives a glimpse of his popping eyes. This cash-stacked bag is the film’s pivot – it is the loot case. The […]
Read Time : 9 Minutes
‘Shakuntala Devi’ review – a math wizard’s story designed as a glitzy melodrama
Director Anu Menon’s Shakuntala Devi is one film that seriously made me ponder. At what point does a filmmaker decide a non-linear screenplay structure to his/her film? Maybe because I am revisiting several pre-2000s films in days of quarantine – some good, some bad and some which shouldn’t have existed. […]
Read Time : 9 Minutes
“Dil Bechara”… Sushant Singh Rajput headlines a film about death and closure!
The moment you hit the play button, you know where Dil Bechara is headed. It would still be an emotional ride to a routine Indian viewer even if it were to be a Fast & Furious-styled actioner. Mukesh Chhabra’s film makes it further difficult for us. Its much loved leading […]
Read Time : 10 Minutes
“Bulbbul”… A feminist period piece which blooms like a fascinating fable!
A scene in Anvita Dutt’s magnificent debut Bulbbul has its leading lady crying next to the fireplace. One that drove in the memory of Elio sobbing his heart out in Call Me By Your Name, she is crying over losing the love of her life. Both Bulbbul and Elio have […]
Read Time : 13 Minutes
‘Paheli’: A Picturesque Folk Tale With A Message On Women Empowerment
Amol Palekar directed Paheli. The actor who came to the limelight in the ’70s and ’80s as the young middle-class man in bustling Indian metropolises, one would identify him as the poster boy of everydayness. He was seen in stories devoid of extra colours, those with messy relationships, and in […]
Read Time : 9 Minutes
“Gulabo Sitabo”… Story of a shaky mansion that screams for a firmer foundation!
Gulabo Sitabo is a strange title for a film. It does not mean anything in isolation. However, it is catchy enough to pique some interest in an otherwise drab looking film. As the opening credits roll, we see a puppeteer showcasing his twin puppets, “Gulabo fights, Sitabo fights,” The quarrel […]
Read Time : 11 Minutes
“Bunty Aur Babli”… High on energy, chemistry and delicious Bollywood spice!
Released in Summer 2005, it is a mystery how a Hindi feature like Shaad Ali Sahgal’s Bunty Aur Babli would become a major commercial success. Small town stories might be the toast of the town on this date but the early 2000s were known for NRI themes and urban coming-of-age […]
Read Time : 7 Minutes
“Maska”… Manisha Koirala spreads sunshine in a syrupy & predictable film!
There are films that examine ambitions and asks us to follow them with all our might. They confidently sell The Alchemist philosophy, “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” Clearly, fantasies do have a strong selling point. Those narratives talk about lives that […]
Read Time : 6 Minutes
“Baaghi 3″… Tiger Shroff defying physics and logic for world peace is a recipe nobody asked for!
Let me put it in simple terms. All external artifices aside, Baaghi 3 is the most well-intentioned Hindi film of the year, so far. Clearly, if Panga had a heart of gold, this Tiger Shroff film has one handcrafted in platinum. Naysayers may allege the makers for their kindergarten level […]