sendmemarketing Reviews

Bandish Bandits (2020– )

The Music. Oh My.

[10/10 · 15 August 2020]

This show compelled me to drop everything and watch it all in one go. Such an amazing story and fine acting, specially by Naseerudin Shah (but, of course).

The star of the show undoubtedly is it's music. The incredible bandishes, the gruelling realities of the effort and discipline classical singers abide by, the fantastic juxtaposition of hibdustani classical with Indi-pop. I ended up binge watching the show twice , for the music. It is that good!

Chhichhore (2019)

It reminds me of college, and gives me hope at work

[10/10 · 18 September 2019]

I had watched Dangal quite a few times and had high hopes with this movie. This is a very different kind of movie, but it shines just as bright.

Like Dangal, this is a move about hope, about overcoming adversities. Unlike Dangal, anyone who's been through college (in India) can relate in some way with this story and their own life.

The characters, caricatures, comedy, hostel scenes and the sports competition engross you, yet remain very realistic. Though the core topics are heavy and serious, the screenplay manages to prevent it from sinking into heaviness with deft pacing, great comedy, and the overall optimism.

Watch it, it will move you

Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017)

Saaho Re! Triumph of Indian Cinema

[10/10 · 28 April 2017]

Update on 5/5 I watched the Hindi version yesterday. A second watch allowed me to observe things better. And this time the movie shined in a new light.

Much ballyhoo had been made about the VFX and graphics in the movie - not that they aren't nice, but they're really not what drives this movie.

It's about the story.

It's a simple story - good prevails evil. But the brilliance lies in the way the events unfold and the way Rajamouli has orchestrated the entire flow. I thought the first part of the second half is a master class in storytelling - all the events and sequences leading up to Sivagami escaping are so cleverly sequenced that the tension and emotions build and build and build till one is completely immersed head and heart into the characters.

Overall it's rare for a movie to bring all these diverse cinematic elements and plot ploys so well. I felt like many stories from Indian classics were partially references , making it so easy to connect with.

So the verdict is, it's still strongly moving even on multiple watches.

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Very rarely comes a movie that pushes the boundaries of possibility - a magical journey that transports your imagination to an elevated world of wonder. Baahubali - the conclusion belongs to that rarefied league.

SS Rajamouli has created a spectacle that will be the gold standard for future Indian cinema to aspire to. The VFX are stupendous, the choreography and action pieces jaw dropping spectacular, and every single frame is stamped with perfection. Take a bow Sabu Cyril and the entire crew for pure cinematographic alchemy. I had a chance to watch the movie in IMAX and am glad I did because of the scale of this epic.

The plot is stupendous, replete with royal politics, intrigue, betrayal, fear, hope, courage and more courage. The dialogues and interactions kept me hooked. The background score of the movie is amazing and dials up the impact by a factor of 11. I read 'he Rise of Sivagami' before watching the movie and it's really fascinating how the story flows so tightly between the two movies and the book.

And no praise is complete without talking about the stupendous performances. Prabhas soars as Amrendra Baahubali and as Shivudu. He slips into the characters with aplomb - effortlessly regal and inspiring as one, and believably impetuous yet heroic in the other. Rana is convincingly sinister and a formidable antagonist. Sivagami, Bijjaladeva, Kattappa all have very strong character realization in this part. However Anushka Shetty steals the thunder as Devasena - she was a spark kept simmering and hidden in the first part, and now she explodes into the narrative-bending blaze in the conclusion.

There is a dignity, a magical quality in every minute of the film, that separates it from all other movies. Director Rajamouli has created the world and tale of Baahubali with such passion, effort and devotion, that it will continue to inspire movie makers and moviegoers for a long, long time.

Pink (III) (2016)

Grips you from start to finish

[10/10 · 17 September 2016]

When I read the reviews I thought this movie would be interesting like a typical whodunit- crosses-courtroom drama. When the credits rolled I walked away impressed.

Pink is a tour de force. It's a simmering mixture of morality, drama, mystery and debate whose intensity never slips. I can't recall one Bollywood movie in recent memory which has such taut seriousness that never flags. Pink has no light moments. And it is utterly brilliant.

Part of its brilliance lie in Pink's on-the-money portrayal of biases and confusion surrounding independent, headstrong women in modern Indian society. Shoojit Sarkar brings to light darker biases that most modern Indians - men and women - carry but won't admit to.

The narrative is his secret sauce in ensuring that none of the morality or gravitas ever slip into preachy frivolosity. It's an impactful movie on a serious issue that deserves praise for not trivializing the issues it tackles.

Amitabh Bacchhan is brilliant as always and so are the girls and all supporting actors in the way they bring believability and emotion to their non stereotypical roles.

A great watch - you'd definitely not end disappointed.