We live in times when the civilians and several of India’s ruling party representatives have begun questioning the reservations set aside for the disadvantaged Scheduled Castes/Tribes (SC/ST). It is at this outset that director Vetrimaaran brings to us Asuran – a compelling period drama set between the 1950s and mid-1980s). […]
Read Time : 8 Minutes
‘Lucifer’ review – a Mohanlal vanity project which tricks you in the garb of a political thriller
As I begin, let me introduce you to perils of being a Mohanlal fan today. First up, it is impossible to not harbour expectations from the celebrated actor who is (almost always) flawless with his acting craft. He does what the screenplay tells him to and, at times, over-delivers if […]
Read Time : 9 Minutes
‘Odiyan’ review – when a fascinating premise becomes an endless assault to senses
If you have your roots in Kerala, India, chances are high that you have heard (or overheard from adults) about the myth of the Odiyan clan. The peculiar tribe of black magicians were said to be notorious for their nocturnal attacks and generally eerie presence in Kerala countryside. When director […]
Read Time : 8 Minutes
‘Aami’ review – Manju Warrier is not the Madhavikutty we deserve
Neermathalam, the serpents’ abode, the constant bickering of servants at the Nalapattu home and the scent of the first monsoon in Punnayurkulam. Kamala Das never penned mere stories. More popularly known as Madhavikutty in Kerala, Kamala’s pen beamed with a tint of personal essence that these elements smoothly made way […]
Read Time : 8 Minutes
‘Villain’ review – Mohanlal triumphs in an insipid film built on one-liners
“There’s nothing as unnatural as one man taking another’s life,” blares the hero more than once in B. Unnikrishnan’s magnum opus Villain. Before you could dissect his words here, we are quickly reminded of how the film has its shaky foundation on a foolscap sheet of philosophical one-liners. A commercial […]
Read Time : 6 Minutes
‘C/O Saira Banu’ review – Manju Warrier lends gravitas to a powerful tale of love
Debutant director Antony Sony‘s C/O Saira Banu is one of the few mainstream films of our times to get its insight right. Its screenplay (credited to RJ Shaan and Bipin Chandran) is knotted – not for the sake of it. There are issues addressed and a bevy of subtexts throughout. Picture the most obvious […]