The most fascinating characters in Alankrita Shrivastava’s Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare are two children. They are Dolly’s (Konkona Sensharma) sons – Bharat (Hearty Singh) and Pappu (Kalp Shah). A regular school boy, Bharat loves sports and is someone who might grow up into what they call an ‘alpha […]
Read Time : 8 Minutes
‘Class of ’83’ review – Bobby Deol is first-rate in a concise cop drama
For those who began watching Bollywood films around 1995 would know the sensation that Bobby Deol (the lead of Class of ’83) was. Blessed with bouncy curls, a lean physique, slick dance moves and a winsome smile, he was unlike any reigning hero from that period. In fact, he differed so starkly […]
Read Time : 11 Minutes
‘The Blue Umbrella’: A Vibrant, Magical Tale With a Hint Of Suspense
I clearly remember watching Vishal Bhardwaj’s The Blue Umbrella back in 2007. If Tinder were to exist then for teenagers, ‘voracious reader’ would have been the first two words in my bio. Ruskin Bond, to me, was the story-telling grandpa I never had. So much so that I even remember […]
Read Time : 10 Minutes
‘Raat Akeli Hai’ review – Untangles family secrets in a chilling murder mystery
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 : 13 Minutes
‘Paheli’: A Picturesque Folk Tale With A Message On Women Empowerment
Amol Palekar directed Paheli. The actor who came to 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 dishevelled relationships and in lyrical […]
Read Time : 10 Minutes
‘Rajnigandha’: About a Fragrance That Smells Like Love
“Adhikaar ye jabse saajan ka har dhadkan par maana maine Main jabse unke saath bandhi, ye bhed tabhi jaana maine Kitna sukh hai bandhan mein…’ Rajnigandha phool tumhare bikhre yunhi jeevan mein…” Writes lyricist Yogesh for Basu Chatterjee’s Rajnigandha. The words roughly translate to: “Since I’ve given him every right […]
Read Time : 10 Minutes
‘Varane Avashyamund’ review – when engrossing characters remain emotionally distant
Believe it or not, Malayali millennials are significantly lucky as far as cinema and culture are concerned. They have had the good fortune to grow up on some of the finest films from the ‘80s and ‘90s conceived by the likes of Priyadarshan, Sathyan Anthikkad, Padmarajan, Fazil, Sibi Malayil, Siddique-Lal, […]
Read Time : 10 Minutes
‘Do Paise Ki Dhoop, Chaar Aane Ki Baarish’ review – Bombay in blue and red hues
As they wade through the daily hazards of Mumbai (erstwhile Bombay), the residents of the city would feel a sudden respite upon seeing a flicker of ‘Bombayness’ – albeit in a film. I’m referring to the bittersweet flavour that Bombay used to emanate – even to stark outsiders who merely […]
Read Time : 7 Minutes
‘Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga’ review – Says a self-conscious yet warm hello to change
“Why would anyone like a story like this?”, quips Balbir Chaudhary (Anil Kapoor) upon hearing the plot of the play that he is supposed to be acting in. As his mother had rightly stated a few minutes before, stories cannot get cornier when they are about two lovers, parental opposition […]
Read Time : 6 Minutes
‘Thackeray’ review – an exquisitely photographed biopic that plays safe
What do you make out of a biopic film that is designed simply to reassert the public image of its subject? Directed by Abhijit Panse, Thackeray is not even an image reconstruction exercise like, say, Sanju because there does not exist a need to be one. That way, the film […]