Blog | Amodini's Movie Reviews

Movie Review : Pathaan (2023)

Posted on January 27, 2023 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Action/Thriller
Year: 2023
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, John Abrahan, Dimple Kapadia, Ashutosh Rana
Kid rating: PG-15

Pathaan was so hyped-up I was sure it was going to be a stinker. I am very, very glad to say that it isn’t. The hype is real. 2023 gets its first real entertainer!

There are some disclaimers of course. Pathaan is a masala film through-and-through so leave your logical thinking caps at home, and be prepared to pooh-pooh at the laws of physics and gravity. For a film in the YRF Spy Universe (yes, that is a thing), Pathaan makes a fabulous job of it.

Here’s the gist: Pathaan (Shahrukh), a RAW agent, thought to be dead, surfaces 3 years later in pursuit of for-hire-terrorists Outfit-X. Their leader Jim (John Abraham) is also ex-RAW who feels betrayed by India, and is now on a mission to avenge himself. Jim has a a nefarious plan in place , and he and Dr. Rubina Mohsin (Deepika), his partner-in-crime, are all set to destroy India, unless someone can stop them.

Well, that someone can only be Pathaan! The film, through flashbacks reveals Pathaan’s previous encounters with Jim and his attempts to thwart him. This all happens in beautiful locales in Spain, France and Moscow, with Pathaan zipping across the globe, fighting the bad guys and falling for Rubina.

The film gets off to a quick start with some dramatic action scenes and the pace is unrelenting. The fight sequences are beautifully choreographed, and the “missions” that Pathaan goes on are well-depicted. The Moscow vault heist specifically was pretty impressive – reminded me of a mission in Mission Impossible , with the snazzy graphics and attention to detail. The chases feature helicopters, planes, motor-bikes and even a strap-on set of wings, which the villain and the hero hero wear for a climactic fight sequence mid-air.

Pathaan is a sleek, fast-moving action-filled movie. The screenplay is crisp, camera angles sophisticated and director Siddharth Anand is at pains to wow us with the techno-wizardry while also keeping us in the loop and engaged. The film balances out the drama and emotion with the action. There is love, betrayal, deceit, humor and patriotism. The characters have enough backstory and depth to make us root for them.

Shahrukh, displaying a ripped body, long locks and a rather scruffy getup, delivers a corker of a performance as Pathaan. Deepika is stunningly beautiful as Rubina “Rubai” Mohsin, and gets to do some real action – heavy-duty hand-to-hand combat, gun-battles, vault heists and clambering up and down buildings via helicopters and steel cable. John Abraham, who isn’t a great actor is impressive as good-looking villain Jim. His non-expressive face lends itself well to the cool, unfazed, steely demeanor of a super-villain.

Pathaan is really tight in the first half, with deft, crisp action and events that almost make sense, even if the physics doesn’t. Post-interval things got a bit loosey-goosey, but the film still manages to deliver a satisfying ending. I enjoyed Pathaan very much and look forward to what director Anand (who seems to be improving in leaps and bounds) can do next! A full-throated recommendation! Go watch!

Kidwise: Lots of violence. Scenes of torture (waterboarding etc). Suggestive dance moves.

Posted in 2023, action, bollywood, directors, drama, Good Hindi Movies To Watch, masala, rating-PG15, recommended, romance, spy movie, Spy Thriller, suspense, thriller | Comments Off

Movie Review : Kuttey (2023)

Posted on January 19, 2023 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Genre: Drama
Year: 2023
Running time: 1 hour 49 minutes
Director: Aasman Bharadwaj
Cast: Tabu, Arjun Kapoor Konkona Sen Sharma, Radhika Madaan, Kumud Mishra, Naseeruddin Shah, Shardul Bharadwaj
Kid rating: PG-15

You might have thought when Kaminey burst upon the scene like a cult classic, that Kuttey was around the corner. Well, we have waited 13 years for it, and post-watch, while it does pass muster, it’s not quite the blockbuster I was hoping for.

The movie is another hairy, madcap, feisty tale populated by low-lifes, or as the film lovingly puts it “kuttey”. The cast of characters includes a crooked cop Gopal Tiwari (Arjun Kapoor) and his right hand man “Paaji” (Kumud Mishra), wily policewoman Pammi Sandra (Tabu), wheelchair-bound gangster Narayan Khobre (Naseeruddin Shah) and his grand-daughter Lovely (Radhika Madaan), Naxalite Laxmi (Konkona Sen Sharma) and her gang. All of these people cross paths when they attempt to steal a large amount of money from the same source. The result is not pretty.

Kuttey is directed by Vishal Bharadwaj’s son Aasman, and while Kuttey is no Kaminey, the lad does show promise. The film’s strength lies in the way it presents its characters to us one by one, and then gradually brings them into the scene of the heist. First one turns up, and then, surprise, there’s another, and another, until they are all in it, battling it out. The motivations – the need for the money are varied – and well portrayed. Also nice, and adding to the drama and the building tension, are the interactions between the characters before the big climax.

The flaw in the film is that it is too hurried – I wish director Bharadwaj had taken the time to build his characters and their backstories, imbue them with some redeeming qualities, and let us pick our favorites, before flinging them all into a death match. As it was, I felt like I’d been pushed into episode 3 of a series, with nary an introduction to the characters.

Honestly I didn’t care too much for any of them save Paaji, Lovely and Laxmi. These three seemed like they might have some goodness deep down in them if you looked very, very carefully, but the rest were all pretty negative. And what fun is it if you don’t actually care about any of them? Yes, they are all kuttey, but were there absolutely no redeeming characteristics to show?

The cast is large and spectacular. Arjun Kapoor is unsurprisingly the weakest link, which is quite a pity because he has so much screen time. Kapoor is passable in romantic roles like “2 States”, even in mildly tension-filled romances like the enjoyable “Sandeep aur Pinky Faraar”, but when a deeper dive is required Arjun isn’t quite your man. Tabu delivers an excellent performance as the shrewd, street-smart Pammi. Kumud Mishra is a marvel even in is his relatively small role, and I felt real sympathy for poor Paaji, pulled willy-nilly into this awful predicament, all wobbly-chinned and wary-eyed. Konkona Sen Sharma and Radhika Madaan in their tiny roles still manage to shine.

The film moves briskly, and builds steadily up to the climax. The ending scene was a bit of a damp squib – you saw it coming a mile away. Kuttey does feel a bit rough around the edges. Hopefully, with time, director Aasman Bharadwaj moves to sophisticated camera angles, and crisper scene executions, but this was a good effort – Kuttey is an interesting film and well worth a watch.

Kidwise: Violent and bloody scenes. Profane language, a general miasma of seedy corruption and some adult situations.

Posted in 2023, bollywood, crime, dark, directors, drama, Good Hindi Movies To Watch, rating-PG13, suspense, thriller | Comments Off

Best Series of 2022

Posted on January 13, 2023 by amodini

#10. Nirmal Pathak ki Ghar Wapsi (Season 1, SonyLIV)

This 5 episode series on SonyLiv is about a city-bred young writer Nirmal Pathak (Vaibhav Tatwawadi) returning home to his village after having lived in the city all his life. The storyline has nice twists and turns and there’s a lot of backstory to catch up on. In the end it is a classic, layered good versus evil tale and the first season just manages to get the fire started.

#9. Masaba Masaba (Season 2, Netflix)

Our favorite, mouthy fashion designer and her mummy are back and Masaba has more to say! Quite fun, although a little less spontaneous than the previous season, Season 2 gets in a little deeper on emotional and controversial topics. The romance with Dhairya is still not quite happening, but there’s hope for Season 3! Masaba Masaba Season 2 is warm, light, lovely, and feel-good!

#8. Ghar Waapsi (Season 1, Hotstar)

Shekhar Dwivedi (Vishal Vashishtha) is returning to his parental home in Indore after a long while. He’s been laid off at work, and is at pains to conceal the fact from the family. While at home, Shekhar reconnects with old friends, makes new ones and reminisces on the time gone by. Ghar Waapsi, like Gullak, focuses on family and relationships, but is not quite as overtly ooey-gooey. The 6 episodes go fast!

#7. Guilty Minds (Season 1, Amazon Prime)

Guilty Minds is about 2 lawyer friends practicing their version of the law. Kashaf Quaze (Shriya Pilgaonkar) and Deepak Rana (Varun Mitra) are law school friends. Both fight cases in court, sometimes as opposing counsel, but their friendship remains strong. Guilty Minds is the “law” version of ER, and is quite comparable in quality. Also just as binge-able!

#6. Eternally Confused and Eager for Love (Season 1, Netflix)

This is a series about a whole lot of nothing but quite fun and quirky. Ray (Vihaan Samaat) is a 20-something young man looking to find the perfect girl. Aiding him in this are overbearing mummy and daddy (Suchitra Pillai , Rahul Bose). There’s also Ray’s inner voice – an actual character here (remember the quirk?). Think of this series as a fluffier Panchayat for the city crowd, minus the real-world problems, social work and self-realization.

#5. Rocket Boys (Season 1, SonyLIV)

Rocket Boys, an extraordinary look at India’s nuclear program, is well-made and interesting, despite all the science-y bits. Jim Sarbh stars as Indian physicist Homi Bhabha and Ishwak Singh (whom we saw in last year’s fabulous Paatal Lok) is Vikram Sarabhai. The 8 episode series is directed by Abhay Pannu and helmed by Nikhil Advani.

#4. Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein (Season 1, Netflix)

This dark, violent series is quite unpredictable. We go from what we think is a tepid small-town tale to an intense drama where conversations are sprinkled with casual references of severed limbs and murder. Tahir Raj Bhasin (whom we also saw in the very interesting time-bending Looop Lapeta), Shweta Tripathi, Aanchal Singh and Saurabh Shukla star.

#3. Panchayat (Season 2, Amazon Prime)

Much like it’s clean, wholesome predecessor, Season 2 of Panchayat is a winner. Our naive do-gooder protagonist Abhishek Tripathi (Jitendra Kumar) is continuing his work in Phulera village, while thinking of next steps for his future. The needle has moved on the romance angle, and the friendship with the Pradhan’s daughter Rinki progresses. Quite lovely – I binged it in a day!

#2. Gullak (Season 3, SonyLIV)

Gullak is a series about a family of four – the father Santosh Mishra (Jameel Khan), the mother Shanti (Geetanjali Kulkarni), the elder son Annu (Vaibhav Raj Gupta) and younger son Aman (Harsh Mayar), living in a small town and dealing with the ups and downs of everyday, middle-class life. Every episode deals with some new problem, ends with a resolution, and lots of heart-warming feel-goodness about love and family. Gullak Season 3 is a must-watch.

#1. Delhi Crime (Season 2, Netflix)

DCP Varthika Chaturvedi (Shefali Chhaya) and her crew return with an investigation into gruesome home killings, especially among the senior citizens of New Delhi. Season 2 is just as intense and fast-paced as Season 1. All 5 episodes are directed beautifully by Tanuj Chopra, and the superb cast brings it home!

Posted in Amazon Prime, Amazon Prime Video Recommendations, annual roundup, comedy, coming of age, directors, drama, Good Shows To Watch On Amazon Prime, Good Shows to Watch On Netflix, historical, humor, mini-reviews, mystery, Netflix Recommendations, outstanding, recommended, romance, series, social issues, SonyLiv, suspense, Top 10 | Comments Off

Best Hindi Movies of 2022

Posted on January 5, 2023 by amodini

#10. Good Luck Jerry

This one is a twisty, funny, dark comedy about 2 sisters inadvertently drawn into a life of crime. Jahnavi Kapoor play Jaya “Jerry” Kumari, a nervous type, who must bend the rules to procure some funds for her sick mother’s (a fabulous Mita Vashisht) treatment. The hairy scheme gets hairier, and the climax is a zany, entertaining mishmash with lots of bumbling characters.

#9. Looop Lapeta

An offbeat, mind-bending film about time loops and do-overs, Loop Lapeta was fun to watch. Taapsee Pannu and Tahir Raj Bhasin star as a very much in-love couple who bumble their way through a variety of escapades.

#8. Jalsa

Jalsa is about 2 mothers on the opposite sides of a moral quandary. Director Triveni, and actresses Shefali Chaya Shah and Vidya Balan make this a must-see movie!

#7. Shabash Mithu

A biopic about India Women’s Cricket Team captain Mithali Dorai Raj, Shabash Mithu is a compelling film, simply told and well-acted. Taapsee Pannu stars here (her second film on the Top 10 of 2022!) along with Vijay Raaz.

#6. Gangubai Kathiawadi

Alia Bhatt stars as Gangubai Kathiawadi, Mumbai’s madam, brothel-owner and activist. She does quite well in a role I though she looked too young for. The film, being a Sanjay Leela Bhansali production smacks of color, pomp and quality.

#5. Doctor G

This humor-filled film wears its feminist cred on its sleeve. Ayushmann Khurana as the titular role, a student doctor who needs to understand some eye-opening truths. The supporting cast makes Doctor G a stellar watch!

#4. Badhaai Do

Badhaai Do is about a lesbian woman and a gay man and how the twain shall meet. And live happily ever after. The subject is heavy, but the treatment is sound and presented with a dash of situational humor. Badhaai Do is lively and peppy, filled with familiar-looking characters and people like us. Quite fun and forward-looking!

#3. An Action Hero

Ayushmann Khurana is a Bollywood action hero in this dramatic, action-packed film, where he has to turn his screen-life theatrics into real-life fight sequences. Jaideep Ahlawat plays his bull-like, menacing nemesis. A fabulous Friday night entertainer!

#2. Laal Singh Chaddha

It is hard to remake a classic, but Aamir tries and succeeds. Aiming for a desi touch to this Indian remake of Forest Gump, Laal Singh Chaddha sparkles and manages to give us those warm, fuzzy feelings.

#1. Gehraiyaan

Gehraiyaan is an angsty love-story, with all the juicy add-ons: drama, betrayal and deceit. Deepika is fantastic as lovely, leggy yoga-teacher Al and the rest of the handsome young cast don’t do too bad a job either. Shakun Batra (who also helmed the lovely Kapoor & Sons) directs.

Posted in 2022, annual roundup, Best hindi movies, bollywood, Good Hindi Movies To Watch, Hindi Movies List, outstanding, recommended, Top 10 | Comments Off

Movie Review : An Action Hero (2022)

Posted on December 16, 2022 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Genre: Action/Drama
Year: 2022
Running time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Director: Anirudh Iyer
Cast: Ayushman Khurana, Jaideep Ahlawat
Kid rating: PG-13

Bollywood is being grammatical; note the “An” in “An Action Hero”. Presumable, because he is the one and only? Ayushmann Khurana stars as super star Maanav who accidentally gets embroiled in a murder. He is forced to flee from the authorities and put his theoretical fighting skills to the test in the real world.

Maanav’s forced flight comes with many surprises and twists and turns. Friends are turning the other way, and he is fast losing supporters who believe in him. The internet is alight with rumors about his crime, and his ties to the underworld. In addition to the pursuing police, there are now also relatives of the murdered man – in particular a brother, a Haryanvi, politician brother called Bhoora (Ahlawat), baying for Maanav’s blood. In short, things look bleak. Will superstar Maanav ever arise from the ashes?

An Action Hero is a fabulous Friday night entertainer. It’s taut, fast-paced and peppered with well-done action sequences. It is the kind of film that forces you to focus and won’t let go. Khurana carries the film on his now-well-built-shoulders. He is a good actor, but in this film is a bit theatrical, a tad affected, like he knows he’s on stage and is being watched. Also, what’s with the receding hairline? His hero-wala persona seemed to appear intentionally older.

There isn’t a heroine in the film, although maybe a smidge of a romance wouldn’t have hurt (a la James Bond, not that I’m comparing the two). Jaideep Ahlawat (we saw him as a good cop in the gorgeous Paatal Lok) is menacing as bull-like Bhoora, an aggressive, blood-thirsty nemesis who won’t listen to reason even as he acknowledges it.

Anirudh Iyer debuting as full-blown director here does a great job of sewing up this thriller. The film is pure tension-filled drama – there are like 2 songs. A fun watch – go see!

Kidwise: Film has violence and profanity.

Posted in 2020, bollywood, directors, drama, humor, rating-PG, recommended, suspense, thriller | 1 Comment

Best Hindi Movies of 2021

Posted on October 30, 2022 by amodini

Before I get to The Top Ten Movies of 2022, I need to get to the Top Ten Movies of 2021. You know, in the interests of being orderly and methodical and having a running record of the Best Movies of Each Year since 1999 :). So here goes – the Top 5 Films of 2021 are below but the entire Top 10 list will be on the Best Movies by Year page.

#5. Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui

Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui was a fun film not only because it had a good message but because it depicted a real life scenario where it actually portrayed the prejudices in society. It’s quite a different subject for Bollywood – this tale of a transgender woman (played by the lovely Vaani Kapoor) – but director Abhishek Kapoor manages to present it without any forays into vulgarity or doublespeak. Ayushmann Khurana always does well and is a pleasure to watch – and this is one of those offbeat roles he seems to find his way to.

#4. The White Tiger

The White Tiger is based on Arvind Adiga’s Booker Prize Winner of the same name (I read it many years ago – review of the book at my book blog) and follows the book pretty faithfully. The book is about classism in modern India and our protagonist Balram is a man from the lower class aspiring to better his life. You read the book and acknowledge its truth, but to see the depiction of classism in the film is quite another thing – real and hard to ignore. American director Ramin Bahrani helms this film and Priyanka Chopra served as Executive Producer besides acting in this taut, dark film.

#3. Sherni

Director Amit Masurkar excels in making movies about grassroot issues (like Newton), and Sherni is another fantastic example of his work. In this film, Vidya Balan is an Indian Forest Officer where she has to stand her ground against the corruption, bluster and stupidity rampant in her department. In and as Sherni (meaning tigress) Vidya strives to do her job to the best of her ability, fighting against prejudice because of her gender. At work, her opinion is scoffed at because she is a “lady officer”. On the home front she must steel herself against taunts from family members as they remind her to be “womanly” and do her duty as a good Indian wife. Quite an interesting film!

#2. Pagglait

Pagglait is told from a female point of view. It showed one woman’s journey when she is widowed, her grief at the death of a distant husband she barely knew. In Pagglait, young Sandhya (played marvellously by Sanya Malhotra) is thrown into emotional turmoil at the unexpected tragedy, but the film is about more than that – it is about strength and grace and finding your own way. The writing was spot on, the star-cast was wonderful, and the film was heartfelt. Director Umesh Bisht has delivered a thoughtful, well-nuanced film in Pagglait.

#1. Sandeep aur Pinky Faraar

I watched Sandeep aur Pinky Faraar way after it was released and was surprised how good this film was. I do like the chemistry with this pair – Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra always seem to have that spark – remember Ishqzaade? The characters have fun with each other and this film has a different, unpredictable storyline with some nice plot twists, humor, good music and a heroine that you can root for. This juicy entertainer is the best film from 2021!

Posted in 2021, annual roundup, Best hindi movies, bollywood, book to film, drama, Good Hindi Movies To Watch, Hindi Movies List, recommended, romance, Top 10 | Comments Off

Movie Review : Doctor G (2022)

Posted on October 21, 2022 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Year: 2022
Running time: 2 hours 4 minutes
Director: Anubhuti Kashyap
Cast: Ayushman Khurana, Rakul Preet Singh, Sheeba Chaddha, Shefali Chaya
Kid rating: PG-13

Doctor G’s premise will make you think of a Friday night entertainer, which it kinda is. The main character Uday (Khurana) is the only male doctor in a sea of female physicians in the gynecology department of a medical school in Bhopal. Uday does not want to study gynaecology but has taken it up because he’s failed to get the specialization of his choice: orthopedics. He comes in for a fair bit of ribbing from his female classmates, as he pronounces gynecology to be the realm of female doctors only, but after a while settles in and makes some good friends. So the first half is fun and games with some genuine humor and some contrived comedy.

This is a bit of a coming-of-age movie, where the protagonist is “growing-up” mentally – as in broadening his perspective. Uday is a happy-go-lucky chap, well-tethered to his conservative ideology. He has little desire to change his views but change they do – when he meets the women of the stree rog vibhag.

The movie tries to take a serious message and present it with humor and comedy. The frivolity done with in the first half, the film takes a turn for the serious in the second, when Uday is involved in the grimy, personal affairs of a friend. That is when this resolve and integrity are actually tested.

Doctor G wears its feminist cred on its sleeve. We have a conservative minded young doctor who limits women to their traditional role – as paramour, uncomplaining homemaker, or mother, and refuses to acknowledge that women are people too. We see that in his disinterested attitude towards the gynecological practice (and female care) as well as his less than forgiving attitude towards his lonely, long-suffering mother (Sheeba Chaddha).

Ayushmann Khurana seems to attract these peculiar, rather interesting roles – the prolific sperm-donor of Vicky Donor, the dream girl of “Dream Girl“, the muscular body-builder boyfriend of a transgender woman in Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, the dysfunction-suffering husband of Shubh Mangal Savdhaan. And he fits right in and does well in each one! As Doctor G he give us a pretty convincing performance even though his character is not well fleshed out. The real star of the film though is Sheeba Chaddha who is marvelous as Uday’s mom. And then there is the fantastic Shefali Chhaya who plays the head of department of gynecology. Rakul Preet Singh is pleasant and likable as Fatima, Uday’s senior.

Doctor G is a good film although a little rough around the edges. The messaging, which is frankly feminist and about female empowerment, gets a little mixed in an effort to provide a comedic slant to the serious core of the film. Debut director Anubhuti Kashyap shows promise and I look forward to more of her films.

Kidwise: The premise/subject might need some explaining, but the film is clean. No kid-scarring crudity.

Posted in 2022, bollywood, comedy, coming of age, drama, feminism, Good Hindi Movies To Watch, New Bollywood Movies, passes Bechdel Test, rating-PG13, recommended, social issues, women | 1 Comment

What to Watch on Streaming – Edition #41

Posted on October 14, 2022 by amodini

The Tunnel (English/French, 2013-2018, 3 Seasons, On Prime)

When a grisly crime occurs smack dab in the centre of the tunnel between Britain and France, two detectives from both the countries are called in to work together to solve the mystery. Stephen Dillane is Detective Chief Inspector Karl Roebuck, a wry, experienced detective from the UK. Clemence Poesy is Capitaine (Commander) Elise Wasserman from France and she is quite the opposite of Roebuck in the way she operates and behaves (she is on the Asperger spectrum).

The two detectives take time to warm to each other but once they do, they are a solid team. The series has great acting, a gritty storyline and an intensity with twists and turns to keep you guessing. All the seasons are really, really bingeworthy!

Deadwind (Finnish, 2018-2021, 3 Seasons, On Netflix)

Detective Sofia Karpii returns to work a while after her husband’s death. She is assigned to work with Detective Sakari Nurmi who has been transferred from the Financial Crimes unit. In Season 1 Karpii and Nurmii must investigate the disappearance of social worker Anna Bergdahl and when her body is discovered at the construction site of a somewhat controversial project, the detectives know that this is not a simple murder. This is a fabulous series, exceptional quality and great character development!

Anatomy of a Scandal (English, 2022, 1 Season, On Netflix)

Anatomy of a scandal is about James Whitehouse (Rupert Friend) a British Minister of Parliament who becomes a paparazzi favorite when he stands accused of rape against a work subordinate. The press has a field day with the story. It impacts his family life because his wife now distrusts him. At his court case, Kate Woodcroft (Michelle Dockery – you might remember her from Downton Abbey) the lawyer for the prosecution has a connection to him that even he is unaware of. Were that connection to come to light out all hell would break loose. This is an entertaining series – a tad contrived – but suspenseful and unpredictable.

Unforgotten (English, 2015 – 2022, 4 Seasons, On Prime)

Unforgotten is a British mystery series starring Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar. She is DCI Cassie Steuart and he’s her right hand man DI Sunil “Sunny” Khan. Together they investigate mysterious disappearances and cold cases. The series has 4 seasons so far – all superbly engrossing, and each dealing with a new case. The 4th season ends with a stunning development. A fifth season, which I’m really looking forward to, is in the works.

Posted in 2022, All Netflix, Amazon Prime, Amazon Prime Video Recommendations, crime, english, Finnish, french, Good Shows To Watch On Amazon Prime, Good Shows to Watch On Netflix, Netflix Recommendations, recommended, series, suspense, thriller, UK, WhaTWON | Comments Off

Movie Review : Sherni (2021)

Posted on October 7, 2022 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Genre: Drama
Year: 2022
Running time: 2 hours 11 minutes
Director: Amit Masurkar
Cast: Vidya Balan, Vijay Raaz, Neeraj Kabi, Sharat Saxena
Kid rating: G

Sherni is one of those films where you watch a story unfold – there is an injustice, a power-struggle – you are sure you know who’s in the right, and of course you side with them, invest in their story, their belief, their courage. And yes, it goes sideways. Corruption intervenes. You wipe away your tears (or tear). End film. You can’t stop thinking about it.

Vidya Balan is competent, forthright forest officer Vidya Vincent tasked with finding and dealing with a tigress which is terrorizing local villagers. The tigress carries off cattle, and the villagers live in fear of their lives, especially late at night in the deserted fields where she is rumored to roam. Vidya wants to go the methodical way, calling in experts, and people who know what they are doing, but the know-it-alls around her believe the bombastic trophy hunter Ranjan Rajhans (Sharat Saxena). Vidya speaks her mind, and finds that plain speaking, while very much required, is not appreciated.

Vidya is a marvel to watch here, an understated performance as a female forest officer, who has to deal with the implicit patriarchy at work (there are comments about how the locals have to deal with a “lady” officer) and home where she is expected to be more homely, embark on motherhood and settle down in-place with her husband; this gadding about in jungles won’t do!

Vidya doggedly continues to do her job as best as she can, but she has to calm down the villagers while protecting the tiger population and the fragile balance of the ecosystem. The government bureaucracy and politics does not help, although she does find unlikely allies is professor Hassan Noorani (Vijay Raaz) and senior bureaucrat Amit Nangia (Neeraj Kabi).

Sherni is another film that shows the sheer waste and stupidity that bureaucracy breeds. It is a pity that our Sherni must bear the brunt of it. Like Newton, Sherni is a tale of everyday heroes at the grassroots level. They aren’t bombastic or boastful but go about doing their jobs well despite the roadblocks their “sarkaari naukaris” throw their way. Sherni is another feather in Amit Masurkar’s cap.

Kidwise: Clean.

Posted in 2021, Amazon Prime, Amazon Prime Video Recommendations, bollywood, directors, drama, Good Hindi Movies To Watch, Hindi movies on Amazon Prime, humor, rating-G, recommended, women | Comments Off

Movie Review : Shabash Mithu (2022)

Posted on September 30, 2022 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Genre: Drama
Year: 2022
Running time: 2 hours 11 minutes
Director: Srijit Mukherji
Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Vijay Raaz, Inayat Verma
Kid rating: G

There are actually very few films on females sportstars. There is Mary Kom but other than that I can’t recall another film focusing on a woman who wants to play a sport. Shabaash Mithu is great because it’s very down to earth, it’s very grassroots – there is no emotion that is not genuine.

The story is based on real-life Women’s Cricket Captain Mithali Durai Raj. She is from a Tamilian household where her parents are more focused on her brother’s cricketing career than her own. As a child, she just happens to get into cricket because of a friend, Noorie, who loves it. Noorie unfortunately is forced to give up cricket in favor of an early marriage. But Mithali now really loves cricket, has made it to a training camp and won’t give up although she is very disappointed by her friend’s exit.

When cricketing Coach Sampath (played by Vijay Raaz) actually comes home and tells her parents that she has real talent Mithali is sent over to his coaching academy. She then makes it to the training camp for the Indian team. Although she is met with hostility by the team members initially, she wins them over with grit and determination.

The film takes us through Mithali’s journey and its ups and downs. It was eye-opening to see the poor facilities given to female cricket players and the way their game is looked down upon by the cricketing boards. In one scene we actually see the female cricket players, and remember this is the Indian national team, use the fields as a restroom because there are no restrooms in the cricketing stadium for female players.

Each of the women in that team come from unremarkable backgrounds. Jhorna works at a tea-stall and makes four hour long train journeys every day to practice cricket. Neelu works in a tannery with her father and very graphically describes the skinning of cattle. Mithali comes from a relatively privileged background and gets a lot of flak initially from the girls for it.

It is also very interesting to see that the most resistance to her cricketing career comes not from her father but from her mother and grandmother. For women trying to get in into sports there are many hurdles. In one scene particularly we see Mithali meeting a prospective grooms family. It is assumed in the conversation that Mithali will simply give up her cricketing career and “settle down” after marriage.

Taapsee Pannu is a fine actress. It is a pleasure to see her playing Mitali Raj with such panache and passion. The lively child artiste Inayat Verma playing little Mithali lit up the screen with cuteness and verve.

Shabaash Mithu is compelling because the director keeps the story simple and the struggle real. The dramatics, while present, are not over the top so it is still believable. Do watch.

Kidwise: Clean