sudipta2311 Reviews

Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar (2024– )

Hidden figures of our independence

[9/10 · 4 May 2024]

The setting is exquisite, not only visually but also the premise. There are power games, betrayal, love and lust. Everybody has their own agenda. Mallikajaan has a sordid past and is the brutal queen of this world. Her daughters are not interested in her political games, each has her own dream. Fareedan is the ripple which will rock the world of mallikajaan. It boasts of a huge ensemble cast. The story navigates through how the relationship changes between the tawaiyafs and nawabs, how the British changes the well established power dynamics of Heeramandi through divide and conquer and how the tawaiyafs come to be freedom fighters. Though that's how the show ends, it's not the main theme. The series is about the power of women and how most of the time society doesn't give them credit while taking full benefit of their existence.

The acting, set pieces and storyline is splendid coupled with brutal dialogues and beautiful dances, it's a cerebral and visual treat. The only subplot which I found a weak compared to others is the love story track of Alamzeb and Tajdar, both of them are average actors especially in front of other roaring performances.

Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video (2023)

Good thriller movie after long

[9/10 · 25 December 2023]

If you are a fan of Gone Girl, then this is a must watch. Sajini Shinde is physics teacher in a Pune school and a typical urban good girl. Shockingly her video is released in which she is dancing on table top in a bar. The movie opens with how this mishap occurred and then as the story progresses, we get to know various people in her life like her fiance, parents, brother, roommate , school principal, counsellor etc. Then she goes missing and leaves a suicide note naming some people responsible. Acting by the entire cast is great and so is the writing and direction. Nimrat kaur stole the show in the role of investigating officer.

Clue after clue, we discover whether she is dead or not and if someone tried to kill her or she tried suicide. Everyone is hiding something. You will definitely finish the movie in one sitting.

Mrs Undercover (2023)

Full on comedy

[8/10 · 3 December 2023]

The movie is hilarious and also imparts an important message. The main character is the heart of the film and Radhika has shown great comic timing. This is the first time I'm seeing her in a light hearted role. Durga is an undercover field agent who the department somehow forgot about and she hasn't done any mission for more than 10 years. Her undercover life of being a housewife has now become her only life. She's extremely clumsy, has no agent skills, underconfident and says anything which comes to her mind. Her character reminds me of Johnny English in some ways. She is pitted against this mastermind type of a villain who is a serial killer. He is so ruthless that he has killed his own mother. He has even killed all other field agents of the force. Durga is safe because she was not on the records and now she's the only person who can catch him.

You obviously end up rooting for this underdog agent who can't go out at 8:30pm because she's afraid of the dark and has to serve dinner for father in law otherwise he'll get acidity. Hats off to the writers and dialogue writers for creating this adorable character.

The Big Bang Theory: The Troll Manifestation (2015) Season 8, Episode 14

Amelia and Cooper stole the show and our hearts

[10/10 · 22 August 2023]

Loved the track of Penny, Amy and Bernadette digging up each other's past to poke fun. But there was something so beautiful about the fanfiction Amy wrote that it gives you a lot of insight into what she feels and her love for Sheldon. In a way, it's the fantasy probably a lot of people want for Shamy. Glad we saw it happen atleast in a fantasy.

The way friends burst out laughing and giggling is very relatable and is pure genius of a moment. This season has lacked such moments until now.

The bit about Sheldon and Leonard focusing on one bad comment while ignoring the positive points and trying to come up with an apt comeback is all of us in a nutshell. But the troll being Stephen Hawking didn't add much to the storyline.

The Last of Us: Long, Long Time (2023) Season 1, Episode 3

Got me hooked on to the show

[10/10 · 31 July 2023]

I'll be honest I wasn't really watching the show with complete attention before this episode. But the story of Bill and Frank changed that. This was the first human moment of the show according to me. This episode removed the fear that the show was only about action just because it's based on a video game. I was teary eyed, happy and filled with emotions by the time Bill and Frank died. Their love story is beautiful and heart touching. I was afraid for Bill when Frank arrived thinking he might be a raider in disguise. But the way they mitigated each other's fears and forged a relationship in such conditions, I couldn't remove my eyes from the screen for a second. Frank taught Bill how to trust and how to live, while Bill taught Frank how to fight and survive. They fought like normal couples over individual differences, they made up like mature adults, they created a beautiful world around them, pursued hobbies and lived a rich life. And the most heart achingly romantic moment was when they grew old together and died together.

Though, Joel and Ellie weren't part of the story, but when they appear, we inadvertently place all those emotions on to them and start to care a little bit more for them. That's the brilliance of this episode, it makes you invested in the story more than throwing in some threats for the main characters to fight off.

Happy Family Conditions Apply (2023– )

Good show, nice time pass

[8/10 · 8 May 2023]

It's a fun, light, breezy show with good humor, great acting and a progressive depiction of an upper middle class urban family. There is chaos everyday in the house and everything is discussed in front of everyone which results in multiple comic situations. If you are a fan of sarabhai vs sarabhai, then you will love this too, but keep your expectations low as sarabhai is a masterpiece and this one hasn't reached that level of epicness.

You can enjoy the show with family but a disclaimer - It has a few double meaning jokes here and there which are family friendly, but avoid watching with kids.

The Gilded Age (2022– )

Loved it thoroughly, waiting for season 2

[10/10 · 24 April 2022]

What a splendid show! Enjoyed the witty dialogue, old vs new rivalry, nuanced writing and great acting at display. Weakness for period fashion caused me to pause and admire the costumes quite frequently.

Despite their obvious flaws the Russell couple are a delight and you end up rooting for them. Similarly in spite of her obvious snob, Aunt Agnes is likeable and makes us relate with her somehow.

After their cold nod to each other at the ball, stage is set for Mrs Russell and aunt Agnes to interact /clash next season.

Murari (2001)

One of the worst experiences I subjected myself to

[1/10 · 15 August 2021]

Hands down, it's one of the worst movie watching experience. I found myself being triggered from the first scene. The overacting, the characters, the dialogues - ugh, there is nothing good about this movie. The worst characteristics you can imagine in a group of people - being regressive, loud, nosy, manipulative and extremely orthodox, all these qualities are present in the characters of this movie and they are treated as normal or even glorified.

Disclaimer : I only saw the first half (couldn't extend the torture anymore) and saw the Hindi dubbed version (which might have made the dialogues worse than they actually are in the original)

Sultan (2016)

Anushka steals the show

[5/10 · 19 December 2019]

It's a mediocre sports movie. The wrestling techniques are on point, but it fails to pull emotional strings. They should have gone with a different male lead as it's an acting oriented role. I liked the first half better and Anushka lit up the screen as usual. Extremely routine climax spoiled the ending for me, but overall a decent movie.

Village Rockstars (2017)

Rocking away

[9/10 · 10 October 2018]

Set in rural and picturesque frames, the movie takes us on a journey with Dhunu and her friends. These are your regular kids who play make-believe games, pull each other's legs, climb trees, listen to tales, make big plans and have bigger dreams. But as the story moves forward, we discover they are far from 'regular' in terms of their trials and tribulations. Extreme poverty and floods are almost like ways of their life. Dhunu and her widowed mother also have the additional burden of gender stereotypes. Here we realise how important the role of a parent is in their child's liberation. Against all odds, her mother always stood behind Dhunu. The fact that she went to a far off market and enquired about the price of the guitar which her daughter wanted was more than enough for me. And when she actually got it for her, I was in tears! For me, her mom was the true village rockstar :)