nagsaptarshi Reviews

Dunki (2023)

Masterpiece

[8/10 · 21 December 2023]

When RKH and SRK team together, what less do you expect? Dunki is just that. A masterpiece, an emotional roller ride, a tearjerker and a class apart. SRK completes this year with another massive hit as I am sure Dunki is going to stay in our hearts forever.

The songs are beautiful and as more than the melody, the lyrics stay in your heart forever. SRK as the protagonist is in his pristine glory and he taken the movie on his able shoulders. The review will remain incomplete without mentioning Vicky Kaushal who is brilliant as alwways. Tapsee shines as well. But it is undoubtedly Rajkumar Hirani ji who outshines everyone.

This is a classic.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

Overhyped !

[2/10 · 5 December 2023]

Very much confused. Donno what to write about. Just to convey a simple message why did they waste almost 140 minutews of life? Did not like it at all. So unfortunate that so many good movies are neglected at the Academy Awards and such bad, overhyped movies get 7 awards. Of late, I am seeing they are unnecessarily giving undue attention to the Asian or Afro-American movies which I think is pretty racial. Throughout the whole movie, I just could not understand why they could not make a simple movie with a true heart. Boring, overhyped, pathetically executed, well acted and STRONGLY NOT RECOMMENDED.

The Banshees of Inisherin (2022)

Good, but...

[7/10 · 27 February 2023]

The Banshees of Inisherin is an allegorical tale of friendship and feud between two intellectually different individuals. Set in the backdrop of the Irish Civil War, the story, even though told in a simple manner, reflects the underneath tension of the concurrent political imbroglio of Ireland. In his latest offering, director Martin McDonagh continues his predilection for his favorite stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, the first of whom maintains his superb form from the earlier outing of the trio 'In Bruges'. Even though it is being lauded critically across the globe for its metaphorical approach of storytelling, 'The Banshees...' somehow failed to impress me with anything new apart from Farrell's brilliant portrayal as the naïve and unimaginative Padraic and soothing scenery of an imaginary Irish island called Inisherin. However, this is absolutely my personal opinion and many may rate this as a masterpiece. Life is all about personal choices when it comes to art or entertainment, isn't it?

The narration is slow paced and follows a definite pattern of the Irish plays. There is simplicity all around. There are lonely people. There are petty talks. There is naivety and there are aspirations to be immortal through one's own creation. One of the friends - Padraic is unambitious, dull , unimaginative yet possesses a good heart whereas his friend turned foe for apparently no solid reason Colm represents the higher, more talented, more ambitious echelon of the society. There is an eerie and obnoxious presence of Mrs. McCormick who foretells about imminent deaths. She represents the banshees of the title. There is Padraic's sister Siobhan who chooses her own independent path amidst the feud and bitterness all around. Everything and everyone portrayed represents one thing or the other of a civil war. Destruction for apparently no reason. Middlemen profiting from the destruction. People suffering and losing their loved ones. And there are people migrating for peace.

The cinematography is exceptional and it is one of the strongest points of the movie. The serene landscapes of the imaginary island called Inisherin mesmerize us throughout the duration of the movie. Farrell' acting is topnotch and he is definitely a strong contender along with Brendan Fraser to win the Academy Award for the Best Actor of the Year. Kerry Condon as the caring sister of Padraic is scintillating and her screen presence is one of the factors keep you glued to the screen. However, there is nothing special other than the points I mentioned and the acting of the rest of the cast including Brendan Gleesan seemed prosaic, insipid and lacks vigour. Storyline as I mentioned already is simple and even though it is metaphorical to the civil war, at times it is difficult to digest a thing or the other. Colm's hyperbolic behaviour at times was irritating and monotonous. Even though it has already bagged 9 Oscar nominations and definitely is poised to score big in the Academy Awards, it may not go down the history as something immortal like the tune Colm was creating in the movie. It's a good movie with some very high points but offers nothing new to be a pathbreaker. On any given day, I would rather prefer to watch Martin's previous work 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri '

My rating 7 out of 10.

The Whale (2022)

'The Whale' Review- Aronofsky's Show Stolen By Brendan Fraser's Once-in-a-Lifetime Performance

[9/10 · 27 February 2023]

'The Whale', the latest offering from the ace director Darren Aronofsky is a gloomy, poignant and moving saga of a reclusive, atrociously overweight teacher's last days of life. The movie will be forever remembered for Brendon Fraser's stellar performance. The same Brendan Fraser who was known for the cheap 'George of the Jungle', unimaginative 'Bedazzled' or the gaudy 'Mummy' in our growing years has undoubtedly delivered his career best performance. Without an iota of doubt, this is one of the finest performances in recent years.

The movie is almost entirely shot inside the living room of the protagonist Charlie where his life is recounted through his conversations with his caregiver, estranged family members, an outsider young kid and at times with the food delivery boy. The milieu is gloomy, dark and at times ominous, a signature style of Aronofsky. There is hardly any sunshine shown except in the climax, brilliantly in sync with the bleak life story of Charlie. The story follows a simple and linear pattern , quite a deviation from Aronofsky's earlier creations like 'The Requiem for a Dream', 'The Fountain', 'Black Swan' or even the less remembered 'Mother!'. But as always, the master craftsman never fails to give his audience a chance to cerebrate, introspect and believe.

I have been pining for watching 'The Whale' since the day I saw the poster of the movie with an extremely obese Brendan Fraser's photo and the director's name on it. Even Jim Carrey, the master of comedy has given us underrated yet extremely nuanced performance in 'The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'. Adam Sandler, the man behind all those cheap, slapstick comedies gave us 'Punch drunk Love' or the brilliant 'Uncut Gems'. Was it now Brendon's turn to shift his priorities and excel like them? As the movie ended, I had one opinion which I believe most of the readers will agree with. Brendan Fraser embarked on a journey hitherto uncharted by any of the actors of the genre where he belonged and this new version of him has surely given us something deserving a standing ovation. Acting with that much of prosthetics was a monumental challenge. Emoting with that countenance layered with so much of obesity was a herculean task to say the least. But when an actor sacrifices everything in his life in three years just to portray a character perfectly, even the constellations conspire to make the silver screen sizzle with his brilliance. This movie belongs to him. Every scene of the movie belongs to the morbid Charlie, his emotions, his mistakes, his pathos. There are scenes where it is rather difficult to keep your eyes dry as you feel for the misfortunes of Charlie. Other actors do perfect justice to their roles. Hong Chau has bagged an Oscar nomination for her role as Liz, the caregiver friend of Charlie. Sadie Sink as the estranged daughter did a fine job, though she was a bit irritating in a few scenes. Samantha Morton shines as Charlie's ex-wife. But in the end, it is Brendan Fraser who leaves you awestruck. Budding actors may follow this movie as a manual of perfect acting. Sheer class!

This is not your regular family drama. This is not an escapist tale of a cosmetic world. This is real. This is hard-hitting and this is a movie made with pure heart. Aronofsky even though did not bag any nominations, his work has been a revelation and if 'Black Swan' is his best creation till date in my humble opinion and 'Requiem for a Dream' is a close second, this can be easily rated third in the list of the unforgettable movies of the illustrious director. His non-manipulative works have never ceased to fascinate me ever since I watched 'Pi' in the college days. And my serenade for his works continues. 'The Whale' is a must watch. If you believe the name of the movie is just based on the physical appearance of the protagonist, you are wrong. And that is the only twist in the movie. You are seriously missing something if you have not watched 'The Whale'. Happy watching!

9 out of 10.

Call Me by Your Name (2017)

Meaningless, purposeless and Boring

[1/10 · 27 February 2023]

Why did this piece of... receive so much accolade is beyond imagination. Utterly boring. The people depicted in the movie have nothing to do except eating, smoking and having fun. Nothing in the relationships except the final conversation between the father and son had anything meaningful. Utterly disappointing. There are so many beautiful movies about homosexual relationships and this movie practically comes nowhere to those great flicks like Brokeback Mountain or Carol. If you have plenty of time in your hand and have nothing else to do, then also please do not watch this garbage.

Rather read a book, sleep or even look at the sky.

Better Call Saul (2015– )

Better Call Sau vs Breaking Bad !

[10/10 · 16 February 2023]

After Breaking Bad, I had come to a vague conclusion that no show ever could match its brilliance. So, even though I was very much aware of the fact that Better Call Saul is a well-made spinoff of Breaking Bad which is regarded by many as the best show ever made on earth, I was not to indulge any more in that world of good vs bad, family vs cartel, right choices vs wrong choices. It was my dear old friend who almost forced me to start giving myself a chance. And upon his persistent persuasions, I finally gave in and began my tryst with Better Call Saul, lovingly referred as BCS by us. And the first lesson I learnt within just a few episodes, never come to any conclusion purely on the basis of perception without having the first-hand experience of something. Better Call Saul is an experience of a lifetime, to be savoured and to be shared.

Breaking Bad with its cult storyline has many similarities with its successor (or predecessor?). In BB, it was the transformation of a simpleton school teacher to a drug monster. It was the transformation of family loving Walter to money loving Heisenberg. In BCS, its about the transformation of the happy-go-lucky Jimmy McGill to the notorious conman Saul Goodman. But Breaking Bad didn't try to be non-linear for a single moment. Maybe that was the moot point why it had gained such universal approval. BCS takes the tougher path and shines gloriously. It is like a time travel. It is about stories within stories. BB was happy to portray human angst and desperation in time of crisis. It was about how greed turns a man to a monster. But it stayed within the boundary of a thriller. Better Call Saul is more about exploring the intricacies of human relations, changing dynamics of inter-personal complexities, decaying values. It's perplexing, non-linear and sheer experimentation with human emotions where a scene of smear of blood oozing out from a skull is succeeded by Goodman chomping on a piece of meat dipped in red sauce. Marvelous!

Breaking Bad was about hellraisers. BCS is about that hell. Breaking Bad had wider scopes to explore every single character as the narrative was straightforward and the number of key characters was less. BCS had the tougher task as it had to show the background of some of the already known characters and it introduced so many new characters. Just think about the character of Nacho Varga. Even though you don't really appreciate his ways or choices, you cannot stop loving or rooting for him in some nail-biting scenes. Chuck is another character built with so much care, so much passion, so much craft and so many complex layers. Same about Howard Hamlin. You tend to forget what is right and what is wrong which I think an aspect of BCS conspicuously absent in the mother show. Comedy in BB was limited to the chemistry of Walter and Jesse. BCS takes comedy seriously! And transformation from a comic scene to gory murder is frequent and flawless. Camera works in both the shows are top-notch but BCS is a bit ahead maybe because of the advanced technology in the time gap between the two shows. Another aspect where BCS overpowers its illustrious predecessor is music. From the Bengali song Henna Henna to the mellifluous adaptation of Nancy Sinatra's Sugar Town, from the classical Laundry Workers to the foot tapping romantic Something Stupid, music of BCS is a revelation. Did I forget to mention that Rhea Seehorn made the show much more exciting than Breaking Bad where the protagonist ladies often played spoilsports.

Both the shows in my opinion are unparallel, incomparable and unique in their own style and right. Nothing can ever take the credit from Breaking Bad for what it has done to the TV industry. But Better Call Saul deserves standing ovation in its own right. Personally, I found BCS more enchanting. But that's absolutely a personal choice. Let's celebrate the victory of Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould who have given us such back-to-back masterpieces. Life of a film buff like me would have remained incomplete without these two.

tick, tick... BOOM! (2021)

tick, tick, never exploded !

[7/10 · 5 January 2023]

Very good movie, top-notch acting by Andrew Garfield and others, beautiful music, but somethimg was missing there in the film. Was it the emotion? I donno. There are moments of brilliance and this could have been truly a masterpiece but this will go down the history with the tag of 'nothing extraordinary'. The length of the movie may be another reason, it could not meet the expectation. Overall, watch it at your leisure, be warned that you may yawn at times and you may not feel too good at the end. Otherwise, the movie is okay for one time watch. I will never keep it in my must-watchlist. Happy viewing.

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Avatar 2 Review- A Visual Extravaganza, But...

[7/10 · 17 December 2022]

I had been waiting for this day for the last few years, ever since I came to know that Mr. Stickler James Cameron was mulling over the idea of a sequel to his magnum opus Avatar. Every year followed had full of buzzes that Avatar 2 was going to be released soon. In fact, Cameron delayed the release at least seven straight times. Maybe that was a trick to make the audience waiting, a clever tool to mint money. But Cameron is definitely not a businessman. The man who has given us gems for the last four decades has literally achieved everything any creative individual would like to have in his kitty. The famous Terminator franchise ( only the first two had the touches of the master craftsman ), True Lies, Titanic, Avatar - he has seen success like none else has ever dreamt of. Be it the box office or the awards show, Cameron has been the cynosure always. Very few people are aware of one of his earlier creations Abyss which made me love the heart behind every Cameron movie. In a nutshell, expectations from Avatar- The Way of Water was sky high in the truest sense.

Has Cameron been able to satiate my appetite? I would say, partially. This new Avatar version has everything, from brilliant graphics, unreal action scenes to mesmerizing depiction of a world where we all want to be deported in our wild dreams. Hang on, it is not the end of it. Avatar 2 misses the points where its predecessor had scored from aces. After coming out of the theatre, I must admit that I had moments when I was yawning. I seriously expected so much from Cameron. And may be that expectation is the only thing I am not able to give it a perfect 10 or even 9 or 8. Avatar was created when the term VFX was unheard of. Avatar was an ethereal experience where you became one of the members in Pandora. Unfortunately, the sequel tries too hard to match the quality of its predecessor with so much improved VFX and CGI. But sadly enough, it fails to strike the cords the way that epic did exactly thirteen years back.

The ever lovable Jake Sully and Neytiri have now a family and with the desire to protect his family from the wrath of the earthly beings, Sully takes them to an island. How the theme unfolds and whether he is able to protect his family forms the central plot of it. Was I the only one who missed Pandora? Pun intended.

There are moments of brilliance in this movie. There are scenes which are going to give you real goosebumps. But those are not perpetual like the original Avatar and you really don't miss the world as you had done after coming out from the theater after watching Avatar thirteen years back. With a runtime of 192 minutes, Avatar 2 at some points make you think, why on earth did Cameron spend so many years for such a poorly edited movie. Had it been crispier, it would have surely left more lasting impressions. But Cameron was so much busy with his penchant for showing the world that he cares for the environment, he missed the moot, the story.

Overall, Avatar sequel is an ordinary action film with loads of scenes with unbelievable visual brilliance. But that alone does not make you fall in love with the characters instantaneously as its predecessor did. The character building is pathetic to say the least and apart from the imaginary marine creatures, you really don't feel for any of the characters.

Even Spielberg or Nolan had some off days. Cameron would like to forget the memories of Avatar 2 and I am sure an ace creator like him would surely understand his folly and make us enthralled again with the sequel of the Way of Water. Till then he is not the King of the World. Did I miss the point that this movie has so many memories of Titanic ? But Rose even though being present in the cast could not spell a cast like the 1911 tragedy Titanic. If you miss this in the theatres, you are not a fool. But if you do, you are certainly wise in saving money.

My rating 6.5 out of 10.

Twenty One Grams (2022)

An Underrated Gem !

[8/10 · 13 November 2022]

Of late, especially since the advent of Covid and the untimely demise of SSR, South Indian movies have forayed into the popular culture of the rest of India in a way never experienced before. While movies like Jai Bheem, Kantara, Charlie, Praana and many more deserve true accolades for promoting true and different contents and sticking to the basic ideas of filmmaking, unfortunately, many of the pan-India commercially successful movies are getting undue adulations and minting money for their unabashed intention to promote a particular propaganda or for over-the-top content delivery style. Movies like the overhyped RRR or the hyperbolic Vikram belong to this category. In these rush hours of madness, amidst the battle of the truth versus presumed truth, some really meaningful contents without any overdose of emotions are often getting lost and being forgotten. Twenty One Gms (and not 21 Grams by the much celebrated Alejandro Iñárritu) by the debutant director Bibin Krishna is one such film that should be lauded for its simple, straight yet powerful approach of storytelling.

Set in the modern-day Kochi, the suspenseful drama is all about how a DySP of Crime Branch tries to solve the cloud of mystery around a few suspicious deaths within a span of a week or so. The situation is exacerbated by his personal crisis at the home front. In his quest for the truth, the DSP Nanda Kishor unearths shocking facts unraveling how greed and malpractices can inflict irreversible misery on the lives of the common people. Donning the role of the protagonist, Anoop Menon delivers a strong performance. Leona Lishoy in the role of his pensive wife is stiff at times. Others deliver standard performances. It is basically the plot of the movie that keeps you glued to your seat. With numerous twists and turns, the story is quite unpredictable and there lies the triumph of the movie. Good to watch a quality Indian thriller after a long time. The cinematography is mesmerizing, especially in the long aerial shots, nature shots and close night shots. The colors used successfully portray the gloom and the BGM is in sync with the changing moods.

On a flip side, the duration of the movie is its biggest enemy. It should have been cut twenty minutes shorter to make it crispier. Character development is not always consistent. How the DySP gets such a palatial bungalow is not clear. Other than these minor flaws which have made me deduct 2 points, the film is a triumph. A truly commendable job by the debutant director Bibin Krishna. Looking forward to watch more works from him. Twenty One Gms should be seen as an inspiration to the young filmmakers on how to make a good movie even after sticking to the basics and not doing anything over-the-top.

Strongly recommended.

Dante's Peak (1997)

You should ignore the review and watch it

[7/10 · 8 October 2022]

I don't know why the disaster movies some of which are even well-made get so poor ratings on IMDB. I mean do the critics or viewers expect to watch Scarface or the Godfather while watching a movie on a Hurricane or a volcanic eruption? Dante's Peak like many other good disaster movies have been rated so poorly that many will not take much interest in watching it. But take my words, it is fascinating. Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton display wonderful chemistry and that is one of the key factors you will like the movie a lot. The Volcano definitely is the protagonist here and the shots of the eruptions, magma flow, ash splashing- all are believable. The movie maintains its momentum throughout and the scientific explanations are not at all discardable. The initial shots of the picturesque town are mesmerizing while the shots of the wrath of nature are stressful. There are a few emotional scenes here and there. Overall, it is a movie not to be missed if you love this genre. Do not expect a Jaws here, you will be fooled. Expect only what it promises and it surely delivers that. 7 out of 10.

Aparajito (2022)

The Undefeated

[9/10 · 19 September 2022]

I do not have any hesitation to call it the best Bengali movie made in recent times. A movie of this quality was long due to pay at least some tribute to the maestro. Made on the hurdles Ray faced during the making of Pather Panchali and how that film became a cult in the years to follow form the storyline. This is an inspiring tale of struggle, hardship and hope. This is an eye-opener for the would-be-Rays to learn how even with a shoestring budget and a mountain full of obstacles, a movie of that standard could be made. Anik Dutta is sincere in his directorial approach and his true respect for the legend is visible in every frame. Jeetu Kamal as Ray is mesmerizing. It is hard to believe that an actor of his standard was being wasted in the gutter of Tollygunj. Saayoni Ghosh as Ray's supportive spouse Bijoya Ray shines, too. Every other character does the best. The movie is based on thoroughly done research on the master craftsman's life but the finesse with which Dutta narrates the story does not let the audience lose interest even for a single moment. A movie not to be missed at any cost.

My rating- 9 out of 10. Can it be rated 10? Why not?

Vikram (2022)

Don't go by the reviews

[5/10 · 5 September 2022]

Please do not be fooled by the reviews. The film does not have any plot, the action scenes are poorly shot, the acting is cliched, the direction is contrived and its a pure waste of time. Please do not waste another 200 crore rupees by bringing the sequel. Kamal Hassan should be at least respectful to his own age. Nothing really works in the movie. I am wondering how I could finish it. Maybe I was expecting some sort of turnaround towards the end which unfortunately was not there. Vijay Sethupati was totally wasted. I mean practically we should not discuss about this movie at all. It has nothing. Better watch Shamshera or even Prithviraaj which I believe must be better than this punishment. It is a shame that when the country is so upbeat about the South Indian films, they are still making such idiotic movies. Not at all acceptable.

My rating is 5 out of 10. I should have given it 3. 2 more points for the respect I have for Mr. Hassan.

Watch it at your own risk. You must be having something better than this piece of ... to watch.

Panchayat (2020– )

Panchayat is a cult you want to follow

[10/10 · 22 May 2022]

Panchayat is no longer a mere webseries. It is an emotion, it is an attachment. It is a reminder to make you feel that things when done with the heart at right place are still beautiful. You do not need to be ostentatious to be different. Rather, sticking to the basics and the right intention of telling a story can can make a show look so very good. The lead actors as expected are outstanding. Even those acting in small parts are brilliant. The season 2 is even better than the first one and the unexpected turn of events at the end will surely make you cry. The cinematography is Jaw-dropping and the music is fantastic, true to the soul of the film. A must watch show. Please make more such shows which make us recall our own growing days when things were less complicated. Thank you TVF for this wonderful gift.

Aranyak (2021– )

'Aranyak' is a mess you must miss

[2/10 · 11 December 2021]

'Aranyak' is a time-tested novel by the ace Bengali novelist Bibhuti Bhushan Bandopadhyay. Those non-Bengalis unfamiliar with the name should be given a tip about the magnitude of greatness of the man. He penned Pather Panchali, the illustrious novel later made into an iconic movie of the same name by the legendary director Satyajit Ray. But the way this so-called murder mystery namesake of that classic by Banerjee brutally kills the good vibes this name 'Aranyak' generates in the soul of a Bengali, is iconic. The latest offering by Netflix starring Raveena Tandon, Parambrata Chatterjee, and Ashutosh Rana is another evidence of how the Indian style of movie-making is being annihilated by the penchant for imitating the Hollywood counterparts. And Netflix is being a party to it!

Raveena Tandon in her heydays was never considered a good actress. She looked good in rain-soaked sarees or in psychedelically lit item songs like Tu Cheez Badi Hain Mas Mast. Acting was never her cup of tea. All she could do well was gyrating her voluptuously plastic figure to those cheap groovy tunes alongside Akshay Kumars or Ajay Devgans. The makers must have thought of surprising the audience by bringing back her after almost a couple of decades. Unfortunately, she has not learned the ABCDs of acting even in such a long hiatus. She tries too hard to look natural in the gadhwali accent. She tries too hard to be cool. But alas! She can't act. And she makes a mess of the show. She kills a show which otherwise had some promises. Even though I had loathed 'Aarya' as a show, Sushmita Sen had delivered a much more nuanced performance.

The whole show is a mockery of acting skills. The young actors do a terrible job. And the way those kids deliver dialogues, you feel as if you are watching a dubbed version of a masala South Indian movie. Even the ones as talented as the likes of Parambrata or a veteran like Ashutosh Rana did not have an iota of an idea of what they were supposed to do.

The plot is confusing. At times it tries hard to be a mystery thriller. At times it subdues its tone to be a horror. When you come to know that the great Sippys are the producers of this buffoonery, you just wonder why on earth these people do not watch the show they create before even premiering. The cinematography is tiring if you are a regular watcher of US or UK crime shows and the bends, the pine trees, the snow all appear to be cliched. The series in many scenes tend to be The Mare of Easttown. In many scenes, it aspires to be the Chestnut Man. In its background music, it even shamelessly copies Ozark.

Avoid Aranyak if truly love the beautiful word 'Aranyak'. Avoid this mess if you consider your hours precious. This is a disaster. By the time you have something positive in hand, you have already wasted a few priceless hours of your life.

Aranyak (2021– )

'Aranyak' is a mess you should miss

[2/10 · 11 December 2021]

'Aranyak' is a time-tested novel by the ace Bengali novelist Bibhuti Bhushan Bandopadhyay. Those non-Bengalis unfamiliar with the name should be given a tip about the magnitude of greatness of the man. He penned Pather Panchali, the illustrious novel later made into an iconic movie of the same name by the legendary director Satyajit Ray. But the way this so-called murder mystery namesake of that classic by Banerjee brutally kills the good vibes this name 'Aranyak' generates in the soul of a Bengali, is iconic. The latest offering by Netflix starring Raveena Tandon, Parambrata Chatterjee, and Ashutosh Rana is another evidence of how the Indian style of movie-making is being annihilated by the penchant for imitating the Hollywood counterparts. And Netflix is being a party to it!

Raveena Tandon in her heydays was never considered a good actress. She looked good in rain-soaked sarees or in psychedelically lit item songs like Tu Cheez Badi Hain Mas Mast. Acting was never her cup of tea. All she could do well was gyrating her voluptuously plastic figure to those cheap groovy tunes alongside Akshay Kumars or Ajay Devgans. The makers must have thought of surprising the audience by bringing back her after almost a couple of decades. Unfortunately, she has not learned the ABCDs of acting even in such a long hiatus. She tries too hard to look natural in the gadhwali accent. She tries too hard to be cool. But alas! She can't act. And she makes a mess of the show. She cold bloodedly murders a show which otherwise had some promises. Even though I loathed 'Aarya' as a show, Sushmita Sen had delivered a much more nuanced performance.

The whole show is a mockery of acting skills. The young actors do a terrible job. And the way those kids deliver dialogues, you feel as if you are watching a dubbed version of a masala South Indian movie. Even the ones as talented as the likes of Parambrata or a veteran like Ashutosh Rana did not have an iota of an idea of what they were supposed to do.

The plot is confusing. At times it tries hard to be a mystery thriller. At times it subdues its tone to be a horror. When you come to know that the great Sippys were the producers of this piece of trash, you just wonder why on earth these fellows do not watch the show they create before even premiering. The cinematography is tiring if you are a regular watcher of US or UK crime shows and the bends, the pine trees, the snow all appear to be cliched. The series in many scenes tend to be The Mare of Easttown. In many scenes, it aspires to be the Chestnut Man. In its background music, it even shamelessly copies Ozark.

Avoid Aranyak if truly love the beautiful word 'Aranyak'. Avoid this mess if you consider your hours precious. This is a disaster. By the time you have something positive in hand, you have already wasted a few priceless hours of your life.

My rating- 2 out of 10

Available on - Netflix.

Money Heist (2017–2021)

Money Heist- joie de vivre

[8/10 · 4 December 2021]

Series 5 part 2 review- As we bid adieu to the Professor and his charismatic gang, I have no qualms in admitting that this was the best possible ending one could have hoped for. The part 2 of the ending season is even more stylish than the previous installments and after of all the seasons, this is arguably the most convincing one. The backup plan of the backup plan is possibly the trick that wins your heart. I am not going to reveal much as that would be a spoiler then, but I must admit at times I started feeling it was over and there was no further way of escaping for the gang. But the mastermind Professor had already planned how he was going to react once everything has failed. And that was the masterstroke. The English version has some brilliant dialogues. Raquel Murillo as always was breathtakingly beautiful. The Professor needless to say was at his suave and classy best. The role of Alicia was the biggest surprise of the show. Thankfully, in this part no one had to die and at the end it was a happy ending. As I have already discussed the pros and cons of the series at length, I am not going to reiterate those here. But take my word, the Grand Finale of the most loved web series ever will not disappoint you.

Whole Series Review When Money Heist was first aired in Spain, it did not have too many admirers. Made on a shoestring budget, the show had a very average outing and the makers had to withdraw the show after the first season. From there its journey till date has been phenomenal, owing to the outrageous popularity of the characters of the show. Ever since the day Netflix undertook the uphill task of carrying the show forward, Money Heist has been gaining cult status. With every passing season, the fan following has seen a meteoric rise in popularity.

Reviewing total forty-one episodes spread across four and half seasons is not an easy job. Money Heist today is not just a mere web series. It is a celebration. It is a festival. It is an extravaganza. It is a cult you want to be part of. It is a guilt you want to nurture within you.

First thing first. Money Heist is in no way a perfect work. It is indeed full of goof-ups. It has countless loose ends. In fact, there is a problem with the continuity of the series. The storyline was never made at one go. The script was developed while the shooting was going on. This has jeopardized the pace of the story on numerous occasions. Certain scenes have been so poorly inserted in the main story that you tend to get deviated from the baseline. There is a problem with editing, too. On many occasions, the episodes have been deliberately protracted without adding any new dimension to the main story.

The ideals promoted on the show live on thin grounds. The communist innuendos are inconclusive, vague, and suffer from a lack of subtlety. There are numerous references to the anti-capitalist nature of the heist, but none of the actions of the protagonists justifies such belief. The exorbitant use of red was one way to show its lenience. But the actions did not go well hand in hand with the color-coding.

The outdoor scenes bring the necessary relief from claustrophobic, stifling sets of the heists. Camera works inside the banks have drawn inspiration from the likes of the Godfather or Scarface. The use of color in the entire show has been meager and therefore unappealing at times.

Character portrayal is another area where the series suffers miserably. Important characters like Palermo, Arturo, Suarez, Angel, Stockholm are very poorly portrayed and they deviate from the Arctic to Antarctica in seconds. At times, the character development is so thin that it borderlines annoyance.

The Spanish forces have been portrayed as clowns throughout the series. The imbecility of the police, army, national intelligence will make you laugh at times. In so many scenes, science was the last thing the makers had on their minds. The tents built for investigation look ludicrous and so are the protestors outside the bank. I am not mentioning bloopers like the entry of Tokyo into the bank or the numerous bullet shots which even touched the men but could not harm them as they were necessary to continue the show.

With so many flaws, any other show would not have lasted more than two seasons. But Money Heist after four and a half seasons is still ruling over the hearts of the audiences across the globe. Even though I am a staunch critic of the technicalities of the show, I cannot wait for December to come when the show is expected to have a Grand Finale. Actually, in certain areas, Money Heist scores so many points that it succeeds in overshadowing the weaknesses. Let us discuss the brighter aspects.

Alvaro Morte as the Professor and the mastermind behind the heists is brilliant. He is suave, restrained, and exuberates the right dose of emotional punches the series needed. His mannerisms are magnetic, his personality charming and his emotions are raw. You cannot but love this man, so powerful are his appeals. From the moment he restrains from killing the mother of Raquel, you actually start loving the character and that love grows with every passing moment. Itziar Ituno as Raquel Murillo is likeable. Her smiles stay with you even after the end credits of each episode start rolling. The moments where she adores the Professor are scintillating. The chemistry between Professor and Raquel aka Lisbon is one of the cardinal binding forces of Money Heist. Ursula Corbero as Tokyo is fascinating and she is the powerhouse of the abundant energy the show boasts of. Pedro Alonso as Berlin, Najwa Nimri as Alicia, Alba Flores as Nairobi, Jaime Lorente as Denver all have something or the other to love or hate their respective characters. It is their relationships that keep the show afloat.

Death is periodic and meticulously timed throughout the series. Each season sees one of the protagonists bidding adieu. This maintains the necessary momentum of the show. In fact, some of the death scenes are so beautifully crafted that it becomes difficult to keep the eyes dry. It is this feeling of letting go that helps Money Heist score maximum points. The emotional octane is so high that it supersedes the technical glitches of this iconic web series and it is the cardinal reason for its gigantic success. The interpersonal relationships of the principal characters are so delicately dealt with that you condone the makers for the faults they made elsewhere. This celebration of relationship touches the right strings of the hearts of its viewers so much so that you forget the difference between good and bad, right and wrong, just and unjust and you start rooting for the robbers. Money Heist is a celebration of love, friendship and brotherhood. And this celebration is what gives it the iconic status. The show is laden with brilliant music and amazing background scores and the melodies stay with you long after you have completed all the episodes.

Overall, Money Heist has something for everybody and even though it lacks brain, its sensuality intermingled with adrenaline rush is going to captivate you.

Bella Ciao...

P. S- I just can't stop loving the origamis made by the Professor. So cool...

7.5 out of 10.

Mare of Easttown (2021)

'Mare of Easttown' is suave, slick and classy

[9/10 · 2 December 2021]

I do not see many people talking about a gem like 'Mare of Easttown'. This is unfortunate. In today's world, any product wrapped in a gaudy package with ultra-PR techniques gets peoples' attention, while masterpieces like 'Mare of Easttown' with a classical approach of storytelling get lost in space. By genre, this is a thriller/crime story. But as any great show would do, 'Mare of Easttown' transcends the barrier of any genre and etches a long-lasting mark in the hearts of its viewers for its ingenuity, its intent, and its time-standing method of character portrayal.

Centered around a murder and a couple of disappearance cases, 'Mare of Easttown' dissects the lives of a number of people living in the suburbs, their tragedies and agonies, their aspirations, and their methods of sustenance. Even though the thrills and chills are its superpowers, it can be easily categorized as a psychological drama owing to its maker's exemplary skills of delving deep into the psyche of the people around us. None of the people shown are extraordinary. In fact, most of them are suffering from their past tragedies or even struggling to exist. But as any philosopher would advise, people are always ordinary, it is only the situations that make them extraordinary. Beneath the layers of its suspense, 'Mare' is a work of fiction to explore human emotions, how they react to critical situations and how family above anything holds a group of people together in difficult times.

Spread across seven episodes, each around one-hour duration, 'Mare of Easttown' never attempts to show off. It never tries hard to shine. And that gives it the value of platinum, suave, slick, germane, and classy. In many ways, this is a show of Kate Winslet. Undoubtedly this is her career-best performance. I strongly believe that Hollywood has witnessed two Kate Winslet. One who charmed us with her mesmerizing beauty in movies like Titanic, Sense, and Sensibility. And the one who has enchanted with brilliant acting prowess in movies like Revolutionary Road, the Reader, or Carnage. In 'Mare of Easttown' Kate supersedes all her previous avatars and dons a role that is not only challenging but physically grueling, emotionally exhaustive, and needed her to break every preconceived notion around her. She is no Rose here. Rather, she is a grandmother of a four-year-old kid. She is a cop. She is a mother who grieves over the loss of her child and struggles to shower affection to her surviving daughter. She is a tough nut who barely reciprocates the affection or attention she receives from the people surrounding her. She is a complex character who has every good trait of humanity hidden underneath, but she is too confused or too troubled to express those. And as already hinted, it needed extraordinary circumstances to bring her to reality and do what was right. Kate is brilliant, to say the least. Mark my word, her performance in the coming days will occupy large portions of the course in the acting classes.

Each and every other actor has done a brilliant job. My favorites among them were Jean Smart as Helen Fahey and Angourie Rice as Siobhan Sheehan. Jean as the ever-cheerful mother of Mare Sheehan is a joy to watch. Rice is beautiful, expressive and the way she portrays the character of Siobhan, one of the most balanced and composed personalities in the doldrums around is amazing. Evan Peters as Colin Jabel is heartwarming. John Douglas Thompson as Chief Carter, David Denman as Frank Sheehan, Julianne Nicholson as Lori Ross -all do justice to their meaty roles. No complaints about the rest of the cast, either.

The direction by Craig Zobel is a visual treat. The way he handles all the complex characters and yet never goes over the top is exemplary. He is powerfully backed by Brad Ingelsby, the story writer. The show starts and ends in a small town and throughout seven long hours maintains the milieu perfectly. The close shots depict the earnest desire of the creator to show the psychology behind every crime. Often water has been treated as a subject. The camera works surrounding the creek assist such embodiment. The show starts with a slow pace, giving minute attention to each character and once the character development is complete, the pace builds up giving the audience an edge of the seat feeling. Towards the end such pace intentionally dies down only to resume with new twists in the plot and a fitting finale where redemption wins over crimes, gore and the evil residing inside every human soul.

The show has its own share of flaws, however minuscule they are. The sudden ending of the disappearance cases is tough to imbibe. More details of the character Potts would have cleared the air. There are certain unnecessary characters or scenes which consume around fifteen minutes of the runtime. There is a lacuna in the timeframe at the house of the Carrolls. Barring these, the show is flawless.

If you are missing this show, you are definitely not an ardent lover of true movie-making. This is an epic. This should be celebrated for thousands of reasons. Kate Winslet as Mare Sheehan is definitely the worthiest one. It is once in a lifetime show and must not be missed.

My Rating- 9.5 out of 10

Available on - Disney Hotstar.

Antim: The Final Truth (2021)

Antim is a Classy Mass Entertainer

[7/10 · 26 November 2021]

Mahesh Manjarekar in his outings in the last one and half decades appeared a pale shadow of his older version, the one who gave us masterpieces like Astitva or Vaastav. Even though he made some interesting Marathi films meanwhile, Bollywood was definitely missing his golden form. Finally, with Antim, Mahesh Manjarekar is back in his pristine form and the audience is gifted with one of the finest entertainers of recent years. Antim is an outright entertainer with honest intentions and does not unnecessarily glorify its Alpha Male The Salman Khan.

The problem with Bollywood is that it has embraced trash films of Salman Khan like Dabaang or Ready where all he did was defying gravity, breaking the laws of physics and showing his torso and when he has actually delivered a nuanced performance, everyone is trying to undermine his efforts. Bollywood since the arrival of Covid-19 has been waiting for a smasher like Antim and the Mumbai film industry seriously needs more Antims to ensure sustenance of lakhs of people who earn their daily bread and butter through such films.

The surprise in Antim is its protagonist Ayush Sharma, who has exceeded all expectations in this author backed role. He is calm when the scenes demand him to be so. He is expressive at the right moments. And his 'panga' with his megastar Jiju in this movie is a treat to watch. Salman is astonishingly restrained. It is indeed a heartening feeling seeing the macho actor in a role which demanded very little from him, yet he delivered one of his most memorable performances till date. Debutant Mahima is a treat to watch in certain scenes. The background scores are fantastic. As already said, Mahesh Manjarekar is back in form in direction.

Overall, this is a classy mass entertainer which everyone will enjoy watching with the whole family. Kudos to Salman Khan and team for coming up with such a slick project. Do not listen to those idiots with calls for boycotting this movie. A film like this should be celebrated not boycotted. Go, have your popcorn and enjoy Antim with one and only Salman Khan.

Hellbound (2021– )

Hellbound is A Mess You Better Avoid

[4/10 · 26 November 2021]

Netflix is back with another Korean web series as Hellbound started streaming barely a week back. The success of Squid Game must have prompted the makers to go online with the product which mostly appears to be hastily made, hurriedly edited, and forcefully given the final look without even thinking of a fitting finale. Maybe that is the reason they halted in the midway and paved the way for a sequel series as they did not have a proper plan on where to take the story.

Even though the show has enough pace to sustain for six long episodes, the logic behind making such a show is barely understood. Has Netflix gone mad after minting money with Squid Game, that it forgot to even review what they are showing? Even they did not bother to lip-sync the English dubbed version and in most of the scenes, the quality of dubbing resembles those dubbed movies back in the '80s.

Character portrayal is ludicrous, camera works half-hearted, editing poor and acting over the top. This is in a nutshell, the review of this odd show. In the scenes where the Arrowhead YouTuber appears, you feel like damning yourself against the TV screen. The principles of The New Truth Society are watery thin and those are annoyingly self-contradictory. The horror value is so imbecile that you may recall those cheap, poorly made zombie movies made when you were a toddler. Even they did not hesitate to hire the VIP scene from the Squid Game, so low they stooped to in the rush of making a web series just for the sake of keeping the Squid Game hype alive. Normally this type of show thrives on the CGI values which keep you glued to the screen. Unfortunately, Hellbound comes with the weakest CGI I have watched in recent times on Netflix.

Avoid this nonsense joke. Spend your hard-earned time on something more meaningful on Netflix. And do not go by the reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. IMDB this time is closer to the truth.

My Review- 4 out of 10

Available on- Netflix.

Jai Bhim (2021)

Jai Bhim- Heart in the right place but...

[7/10 · 26 November 2021]

Looks like those who have watched Jai Bheem are already divided in two groups. The ones belonging to the segment which has superliked this innocuously immature movie and are championing it to be a messiah of their lost ideology and those who are considering this as a threat to their existence. It has a rating of 9.6 on IMDB and yet to come in the top 250 list of the database provided by the site even after securing nearly 56k votes when this review is being written, a proof of the fact that something is wrong with the metrics and the effervescent rating will overcome the emotional doldrums and will stabilize soon after the initial emotions doze off. This shows how people belonging to any particular political ideology have strongly voted in favor of this movie. On the other hand, the way this movie is being slammed by some so called 'Film Pundits' or the 'Protectors of the nation' on several social media platforms show their unnecessary fear of losing their propaganda politics for a mere movie. The real metrics of IMDB will come into action when the initial zeal will die off from both the parties. Wait till that day to be too biased by any judgmental review.

'Jai Bhim' is an honest endeavour to champion the spirit of protecting the rights of our indigenous people. The movie has its heart in the right place. The depiction of the brutality meted out to our innocent tribals invokes pity. But that in no way makes a movie scale the heights of greatness. In no way, Jai Bhim succeeds in being obstinate to the popular demands and reach new heights of glory in terms of movie making. It is melodramatic from the beginning to the end and even though it has its effervescent moments of greatness it fails to live with it.

The movie is a strange admixture of movie making of the present-day style of real-life storytelling and the bland, over emotional way of direction, reminiscent of the 90s style of creating a movie. The entry of the protagonist in many scenes are made to invite whistle from the audience, uncalled for a movie belonging to this genre at this age when people expect a movie with this much sincerity in its intention to be grounded, uncompromising and undeterred by the lure of commercial gains.

But the pursuits of 'Jai Bhim' are unfathomably ambitious, to an extent that it fails to be realistic in its portrayal of the plight of the tribal people. Right from the inception of the story, where a sarpanch is pressurizing the SP to catch an innocent tribal till the trial in the court in presence of a buffoonery AG of the state, the movie is bubbled to shed its earthliness and thus fails to arouse any real emotion. The torture scenes are brutal, naked yet they do not conform to the storyline and appear to be exaggerated.

Surya as the protagonist is good but at times appears to be lost in agendas and a weak screenplay does not allow him to come out of the shell. Prakash Raj is hyperideologist and does not have any connection with the ground realities. The ones donning the roles of Raja and Singani are brilliant though.

The reason why communist flags are being shown again and again and those went missing while the narration was leading to a conclusive end is nebulous. Communists or their ideologies or flags have been shown as mere agenda or objects appearing only when the screenplay needed them not when the situation demanded them. The intentions of the petty police officials are unclear and why the AG is hellbent on supporting them even when he is refuting the SP is also equally hazy. The theory of monetary benefits could not be well established.

Overall, this movie should be hailed for its honest intention in portraying the plight of the oppressed sections of the society. Only the execution could have been better.

The cherubic style of the little kid is the best takeaway from this movie.

My Rating- 7 out of 10.

Dhamaka (2021)

'Dhamaka' Review- A Blast By Netflix, Finally

[8/10 · 20 November 2021]

Finally, Netflix has come up with a Hindi content that touches the right strings in your heart and makes you think. 'Dhamaka' starring Kartik Aaryan and Mrunal Thakur, is honest in intention, near-perfect in execution, and succeeds in leaving a mark of its own.

An ex-TV anchor gets an alarming call from someone claiming to blast the Mumbai Sea-link unless some of his demands are met and the TV anchor turned Radio Jockey sees an opportunity in it to save the sinking ship of his career. How the plans of both of them unfold forms the core plot of this engaging thriller. This movie may be viewed as a hostage drama or even a psychological thriller. In both ways, it offers a highly engaging content with plenty of edge-of-the-seat moments. The way director Ram Madhvani handles a convoluted plot like this in the simplest possible way exonerates him from the sins he had committed while making a cheap show like Aarya. Dhamaka is true to its nomenclature, it is a blast that shakes the very way movies in Bollywood are made.

One thing director Ram Madhvani is known for is how he extracts the best out of his protagonist in every film or show he creates. In Neerja, the otherwise average actress Sonam Kapoor gave her career-best performance. In the extremely mediocre series Aarya, only one thing shone - Sushmita Sen's acting. And now Kartik Aaryan delivers his best till date in Dhamaka. Even though he looks a bit shaky in the initial few minutes, he gets back his poise soon and gradually lives under the skin of Arjun Pathak, the role he was essaying. His expressions especially at those vulnerable moments of confusion are pure gems. Truly speaking, I had never considered him as an actor. I am happy that I was wrong. Mrunal Thakur is earnest in her cameo. Amruta Subhash as the crooked boss of Kartik is over the top at times. Basically, this is a Kartik Aaryan movie and after almost a decade of acting in meaningless films, he finally gets a lifetime role and does justice to the opportunity. Maybe, through Arjun Pathak, Kartik realized that 'Dhamaka' could be the last chance to save the sinking ship of his career and he not only saves it but also makes it sail with the winning flag.

Dhamaka exposes the dark realities of the news business in the country in the present context and portrays how low the news channels can stoop to get their TRPs high. Do we have a channel that does not believe in drama and honestly intends to present news only? The wonderful dialogue of the anchor-actor-audience-drama quadrangle slaps the sick status of the news industry in India. It cleverly digs into the gutter of what rubbish in the name of breaking news, is being presented to us and what backend stories are there to make those non-news breaking news. The climax literally puts a question mark on our conscience as viewers of the garbage news being fed to us by the profit-seeking news channels.

There are certain moments where the director became overzealous and failed to remain restrained. Certain overdramatic moments could have been edited better to make the movie believable. The role of the police throughout the movie is ludicrous. Certain scenes appear to have been inserted only to create more shock values. Barring these cons, the movie excels in all other aspects. In no way, it is your Mills and Boons story where everything has a perfect ending. This attempts to be real and in many ways succeeds in doing so. This may be the reason why many will stay away from Dhamaka. Those risking to experience change will be rewarded heavily. Kudos to Ram Madhvani and Kartik Aaryan for taking a path less trodden.

My Rating- 8 out of 10

Available on - Netflix.

Red Notice (2021)

Red Notice Review- Red Alert for the Viewers

[2/10 · 12 November 2021]

Well, Red Notice is so bad that Tom Cruise's The Mummy is a Schindler's List to it. It is so pathetic that Matt Damon's The Great Wall will appear to be The Pianist when you compare the two. The only reason I watched this on its first day of being aired in India is nothing but Gal Gadot and when the end credits were rolling, I made myself accountable for ruining two precious hours of my life even after plenty of Gadot moments in it.

This movie is a killer. It is a murderer of the genre called 'Comedy'. It serially kills the 'Thriller' genre. It actually murders everything including the reputation of its stars. Normally while reviewing a movie, I do discuss the technical aspects. But here I am going go spare you of that pain as it actually scores nothing from any aspect of movie making. Even the VFX which usually gets a high-octane value in these types of movies is buffoonery and what we are left with is a big zero. Even the perpetually petite Gadot looks old in this horror show.

Is it a buddy movie? Well, you may have a break up with your best pal if you insist him or her to watch this joke. If you are planning to buy a ticket and watch it, perhaps you are making the biggest mistake of your life. If you are planning to watch it on Netflix, listen to the advice of someone who knows the world better than you. Skip the plan.

I do not know how it has managed to get a score of 6.8 on IMDB but I am sure very soon it will get a place in the list of the worst 250 movies ever made. It has high chances of finishing the race with the Champion's Trophy.

Sorry Gal. Looks like you spend more time on your Insta account than on honing your acting skills. Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds do not deserve even a word of discussion.

Are they planning for a sequel? I will rather inflict on myself the pain of hearing the news that Netflix is coming up with the next series of 'Zoo'.

My Rating 1.5 out of 10 Available on- Netflix.

Sardar Udham (2021)

Sardar Udham- The Untold Saga of a Forgotten Patriot

[9/10 · 18 October 2021]

Sardar Udham, the latest offering from the ace director Shoojit Sircar is a heart wrenching tale of the sacrifices of one of the forgotten heroes of our freedom struggle- Sardar Udham Singh. It is a poignant saga of a martyr seldom remembered for his valor, determination or devotion to his motherland. India's inability to make biopics sans unnecessary emotions or well researched set pieces is well known. But Sardar Udham breaks the barrier and presents before us a creation that should be hailed for its dogged determination in denying the norms and for depicting a story which needed extensive study, unbiased sentiments and unabashed truthfulness.

The cardinal parts of the protagonist's life from during the repercussions of the Jalliwanwala Bag massacre to his eventual execution in the hands of the British imperialists form the core of the story. The nucleus of course is the vengeance he took on the soil of the Britishers. Throughout the journey, we are presented with so many facts hitherto unknown to the most. In an age of History courses taught through FB or WhatsApp posts, director Shoojit Sircar takes a U-turn and works on several important issues deliberately untold before. It takes tremendous courage to portray the political orientation of Sardar Udham or his friend-cum-brother-cum-political mentor Bhagat Singh. The political ideology of HSRA has been depicted without any penchant for being partisan to gain any political mileage for the movie, a common trait these days. Another aspect of the movie is its bravery to show how Indians irrespective of their religions were used to suppress their own fellows during those tumultuous days. Keeping the dialogues mostly in English or Punjabi instead of ludicrously pronounced Hindi by the Britishers adds to the genuineness of intentions of the creator.

The film, however, has its own share of flaws. The makeup is not classy and looks artificial at times. The lad who donned the role of Bhagat Singh does not look convincing. The undulating movements of the time frames become monotonous at certain points. Certain unnecessary flashbacks could have been avoided. The runtime of more than 160 minutes is a bit irksome and at least thirty minutes could have been trimmed to maintain the tempo. The climax does not yield enough dividends for the patience held for so long.

If we can ignore the minor flaws, Sardar Udham has the potentials to become a classic in the coming years. Vicky Kaushal as the vengeful protagonist is a treat to watch. In a metaphorical scene at the Freedom of Speech squad, he delivers a monologue that knocks you down for his sheer timing and brilliant expressions. Did the director take a dig at something at that scene? Vicky is terrific throughout and he is one reason you should not miss this movie. Stephen Hogan as the detective inspector John Swain is smooth in essaying a tough role that demanded dutifulness and softness. Amol Parashar as Bhagat Singh as already mentioned lacks the confidence. Shaun Scott as Michael O'dwyer is believable and Kirsty Averton as Eileen is expressive.

The movie has the ideological presence of the great martyr Bhagat Singh throughout and that maybe a good lesson for many who idolize him without having any respect for the ideals he promoted. The massacre scene of Jalliwanwala Bagh is gruesome, horrific and presents the true magnitude of violence inflicted by the Britishers on our countrymen during those days. The scene is long, raw and uncompromising, a train not common in our movie industry where nothing is done without glamorizing. Sardar Udham does not for a moment try to add any glamour to a story which needed truthfulness, honesty and a heart clear of any partisan feelings.

Watch this movie if you want to revisit those days. Watch this movie if you consider yourself non-judgmental. Watch this for the man who needs to be championed for his sheer patriotism, unabated spirit of equality and unhindered love for his countrymen.

My rating- 9 out of 10.

The Chestnut Man (2021– )

The Chestnut Man Review- An Underrated Old School Thriller

[9/10 · 16 October 2021]

My wait for a slowly built chilling thriller minus the unnecessary dramatic moments was over with the Danish show the Chestnut Man. This is an old school thriller where the creator invests much time in developing the plot, building the characters and creating a milieu of suspense, ever mounting tension and finally a gripping climax.

The problem with Netflix is that many poorly made, unworthy shoes get undue attention because of tricky marketing strategies whereas some gems remain underrated as they do not conform to the cheeky ambush marketing strategies. The Chestnut Man originally titled Kastanjemanden falls in the second category.

Originally written by Soren Sveistrup, set in the quiet suburbs of Copenhagen, this is a story of a serial killer spanned across three decades. After a violent prelude, the story begins with the gruesome murder of a young mother. Her hands are chopped off and a chestnut man is found beside the corpse. Detective Naia Thulin, herself going through turmoil in life is assigned the task of solving the case. Soon another murder of the same category follows and the mystery gets convoluted. More interestingly, after every murder, a chestnut man is found beside the corpse. The plot gets a twist as the detective and her new partner Hess find a mysterious connection between the serial killings and the sudden disappearance of the daughter of Minister Rosa Hartung. What follows is a classical style of whodunit moviemaking with numerous twists, turnarounds, dejection and redemption.

Danica Crucic as Naia Thulin is brilliant as the workaholic detective who is finding it difficult to strike a balance between her professional and personal commitments. Iben Dorner as the grieving mother and the Minister of the Danish Government is restrained in essaying the emotions the role demanded. But to me, the real star of the show is Mikkel Boe Folsgaard as the Europol veteran Mark Hess. He is superb as the man who wants to make amends for his personal losses through his professional redemption. I am all set to watch his other movies or shows. Other actors, too justify their roles.

The primal aspect of this brilliantly made thriller is its stunning visual appeal. The cinematography is bleak, chilling and somber true to the undertone of the show. The music too goes along well with the theme. Be warned, this is a gruesome tale of serial killings and there are plenty of gore, violence and brutal murders. The entire show is wrapped up in six episodes each lasting slightly below one hour and there is a hint of a second season towards the end. One aspect I liked is its denial to end an episode with a question to force you to binge-watch it, a common flaw almost all the shows these days suffer from.

Overall, this is a very good thriller with utmost attention to the minute details and if you are a lover of the genre and love the way good ol' thrillers were made, this is just the right show for you. Go for it.

My Rating - 8.5.

Squid Game (2021– )

Squid Game- Another Korean Gem

[9/10 · 6 October 2021]

I am an ardent follower of the Korean movies. Even though most of the movies are laden with violence, gore and bloodbath, the chills and thrills of most of the movies I have watched till date have not disappointed me. But I was a bit apprehensive of watching a Korean web-series even though it is insanely popular and one of the most trending shows in the recent past. The very name Squid Game , the latest offering from Netflix did not appear to be very much appealing. However, I risked my time on the rave reviews the show is getting. And boy! It has paid back. I cannot recall any single show more edge of the seat than this. Yes, there may be better shows in terms of intrinsic production values. But if you ask me to select one show where even for one second, I could not hold my breath, it was this, it was this, nothing but this. Normally my hectic work schedule does not allow me to binge-watch a show. But Squid Game eventually turned me to a Binge-watcher. It is so much enjoyable, spine chilling and mind bending.

It is believed that even if ghosts exist, the human beings are capable of making this world even a more ghostly place than the original ghosts would do. Basically, greed, lust, lack of control, survival instinct, desire for power and authority, insanity make people do macabre things and when people get the taste of blood, they become even more dangerous than the man-eating animals. Squid Game captivates human emotions to an extent you are awestruck. The level where people can stoop to, to make things shinier for his own life will make you sick as you watch episodes after episodes of this brilliantly made series. The raw violence and gore trademarks of the Korean style of moviemaking is present throughout and this makes the show unsuitable for the children even though the central theme is based on the games played during childhood. In the age of Super Computers, when people have stopped playing those forgotten games any longer, a group of losers are seduced to play six rounds of those games. Winning will guarantee them freedom from every debt as the rewards of winning are astronomical. But the punishment for losing is what makes the series so very horrific, gruesome and rewarding- death. How the real-life losers vie with each other to redeem their own lost hopes is the plot of this super paced series.

The show is full of metaphors. It may be worth mentioning that of late numerous movies have also come up with the portrayal of the absence of an egalitarian society in South Korea. The rich are becoming richer and the poor are becoming poorer. Remember Parasite and the subtle show of class struggle therein? Squid Game also tends to point fingers to the inequality prevailing in the South Korean society. Few references to the illegal immigration from North Korea are there, too.

Squid Game in may ways is similar to one movie I watched long back- Exam. There also the creator worked on the same concept and I liked that movie. But in Squid Game, the dividends are more rewarding, scintillating and thrilling. I simply cannot recall a single dull moment in the entire show with a runtime of around eight and half hours. The lead actors especially Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae Soo, Jung Ho-yeon are stunning. The old man (I could not google his name) was fascinating. The script is tight, gripping and addictive. The cinematography is insanely horrific just what the screenplay demanded. The music matches with the spirit of the show. The creator Hwang Dong-hyuk creates an environment that is claustrophobic, ominous and jaw dropping.

Overall, this show will haunt you days after you have finished watching it. Remember, it is not an easy watch because of the abundance blood spill. But if you are a lover of the thriller/horror genre, this is a series you have been waiting for years. This is going to make amends for the poor choices Netflix has been making for sometime now. Be a player, watch Squid Game.

My Rating - 9.5 out of 10.