Blog | Amodini's Movie Reviews

Series Review : Nirmal Pathak ki Ghar Wapsi (2022)

Posted on September 23, 2022 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Genre : Drama
Year : 2022
Season: 1 Episodes: 5
Director : Rahul Pandey, Satish Nair
Cast : Vaibhav Tatwawadi, Akash Makhija, Alka Amin, Ishita Ganguly
Kid rating : PG

This is a series on SonyLiv and is about a young man who returns home to his village after having lived in the city all his life. Nirmal Pathak (Vaibhav Tatwawadi) is a city-bred writer coming back to the village to attend the wedding of his younger cousin Aatish (Akash Makhija). He gets a rousing welcome from Aatish and his friends and all the family members seem very happy to see him.

Nirmal hasn’t actually ever met these family-members in his life. He is very curious to meet his biological mother (Alka Amin). She is a quite, diminutive woman and he understands that she misses his father very much. Nirmal keeps up the pretense that his father couldn’t be with them in the village because of pressing work issues, but the reality is something else entirely.

Initially it’s a little bit confusing for us as the viewers because Nirmal seems to have a mother back in the city and then he has his birth mother in the village – so the family dynamics seems a tad odd. Plus there’s this mysterious rift-causing event, that everyone seems to refer to, that Nirmal (and we) are unaware of. Slowly things become clearer and we get a better lay of the land.

As time passes and the wedding date comes closer, Nirmal gets to meet the other villagers, see village issues up close and become aware of the politics, bureaucracy and casteism that keeps the villagers mired in poverty and ignorance. He is appalled at the injustice of it all, and his views seem in direct conflict to those of cousin Aatish and his uncle, Aatish’s father.

This was a really interesting five episode series. Tatwawadi (who was in Lipstick Under My Burkha) carries his role with conviction. The storyline has nice twists and turns and there’s a lot of backstory to catch up on. The family dynamics, the big rift etc. is revealed to us little by little so it does keep our attention. In the end it is the classic, layered good versus evil tale and the first season just manages to get the fire started. Nirmal, the treasured and honored guest, must make up his mind to come out in opposition to cousin Aatish and uncle dearest and it is taking him a while to shed familial obligations.

Season 1 ends without a resolution, so there’s a second season coming. Should be an interesting one – hopefully we see Nirmal return to the village, less brash, and with more tact and common-sense, because he will need it.

Kidwise: Some violence.

Posted in 2022, coming of age, drama, rating-PG, recommended, series, SonyLiv | Tagged SonyLiv | Comments Off

Series Review : The Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives – Season 2

Posted on September 16, 2022 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre : Reality
Year : 2022
Season: 2 Episodes: 8
Director : Uttam Domale
Cast : Neelam Kothari, Maheep Kapoor, Seema Sachdev, Bhavna Pandey
Kid rating : PG

I had recommended this series in my What to Watch on Netflix column way back in September 2018. Now that Season 2 is out will recommend it too – just as binge-able although a little more flighty than the previous one.

Just like the first season, here too we follow the lives of the four friends. There is Maheep Kapoor, wife of actor Sanjay Kapoor. Neelam Kothari was one of the top actresses of the 1990s. There is Bhavana Pandey, wife of yesteryear star Chunky Pandey and mother of Gehraiyan actor Ananya Pandey. And then there is Seema Sachdev, Sohail Khan’s ex-wife. Sohail, brother of superstar Salman Khan, had a very short career in Bollywood.

Besides these, the series is peppered with a lot of celebrities. Obviously the families of these four women make appearances. Ananya Pandey (Bhavana’s daughter) and Shanaya Kapoor (Maheep’s daughter and making her debut film with Karan Johar) are in many episodes. We see both young actresses going about their busy lives, doing shoots and going on recces for upcoming films.We also have gracing the small screen Gauri Khan, Karan Johar himself, Arjun Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Farha Khan, Manish Malhotra and a whole host of others. Even Seema Taparia from the series Indian Matchmaking makes an appearance!

The women go about their daily lives dabbling in their careers – jewelry making (Neelam has a brand of her own) acting, and running restaurants. They meet up from time to time share their points of view, argue, fight and patch up. In this season though there are a lot more conflicts. Barbs fly and and claws flash.

This is a Dharmatic production so there is lots of drama. Some looks real but some does seem manufactured – scripted and planned. There is also quite a bit of product placement – especially in the initial episodes. Gauri Khan has a new furniture line which is given ample coverage by having the four women pose for photographs in front of the furniture. Then there is a wildlife resort in Rajasthan which, while beautiful, seemed empty save for these four women enjoying the facilities. That episode seemed nothing but an advertisement for that resort.

Just like Season one, Season two ends with a big celebration. Similarly, there’s also a lot of incestuous moaning and fawning over big celebrities, bigger fish so to speak. Much is made of Gauri Khan and her furniture line, skill and talent. The four friends also appear to go into raptures of ecstasy watching Ranveer Singh shoot a shower scene for Karan Johar’s upcoming film.

All in all, good fun, although a little less engrossing than Season One.

Kidwise: Language, discussions of adult situations.

Posted in 2022, bollywood, hinglish, New Shows on Netflix, rating-PG, real-life-based, Reality Show, series, women | Comments Off

Movie Review : Brahmastra Part One (2022)

Posted on September 9, 2022 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️1/2
Genre: Fantasy/Mythology
Year: 2022
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Director: Ayan Mukherji
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Mouni Roy, Nagarjuna, Amitabh Bachchan
Kid rating: G

Expectations were high for Brahmastra especially because it’s been in the making for three years and it’s the Indian version of the superpower mythology-based film. Sort of like a cross between Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. So even on a Thursday night 3D IMAX screening, the theater was almost 70% full and there was quite a bit of clapping from the crowd when Shah Rukh Khan made his cameo appearance. For all the hype though, Brahmastra is tolerably entertaining but it falls way, way below my expectations for an Ayan Mukherjee film (Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Wake Up Sid).

Shiva (Ranbir) is a DJ. At a temple one day he spies lovely Isha (Alia) and cannot get her out of his mind. Later, he sees her again and makes his move. But while he’s with her he starts to have disturbing visions about a killing. Somehow he can actually see the event as it is happening. Thus begins his introduction to the Brahmansh and the fight for power to obtain the Brahmastra, the most powerful weapon in the universe.

The mythology-based story is actually kinda cool and well spun. The computer graphics and visual effects are also pretty good and have been imagined well. What is missing though is the actual essence of the film. There is no person-to-person connect. The attempts at making us feel for poor orphanage-bred Shiva are so ham-handed it makes me cringe. Shiva and Isha make a lovely pair, but are so flat that I can’t quite care about them. And all the world’s computer graphics can’t fix that!

It almost feels like Karan & Co. were so focused on giving Bollywood it’s first Harry Potter knock-off that they forgot the basics of good film-making. Besides the poor character development and the flat characters, the dialogues are atrocious. The film’s story is inspired by Hindu mythology but the dialogues are so very flippant and Bollywood-ian, shoddy and without any of the gravitas that they should have had.

The film has an excellent star cast, but wastes it spectacularly. Ranbir and Alia, fine actors both, dish out decent performances in spite of the poor material. Ranbir’s character has the meaty part, but Alia’s is just there for the looks. I kept waiting for Isha to turn around and surprise us with super-powers of her own, but alas, she remained just a supportive girlfriend. Mouni Roy was fierce as the villainess! There’s Nagarjuna, Amitabh and Dimple Kapadia playing senior Brahmansh members, although Dimple’s screen-time is minuscule – hopefully she does more in Part 2. The film’s ending does set up very well for part two, which I’ve heard stars Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone.

Brahmastra has a great concept but the execution does not match. Minus the fantastical story and the excellent computer graphics, it would’ve been a C grade film. As it is it barely breaks average. It is disappointing that with this kind of material and the great potential, Brahmastra is of such poor quality. Watch it, if you do, for the grand visual imagery and not much else.

Kidwise: Clean apart from a few kisses. Scenes featuring violence.

Posted in 2022, bollywood, directors, family-friendly, fantasy, New Bollywood Movies, rating-G, romance | Comments Off

Series Review : Masoom (2022)

Posted on September 2, 2022 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️
Genre : Drama
Year : 2022
Season: 1 Episodes: 7
Director : Mihir Desai
Cast : Boman Irani, Samara Tijori, Manjari Fadnis, Upasana, Manu Rishi Chaddha
Kid rating : PG-15

Masoom is a series on HotStar (available via Hulu in the US) and stars Boman Irani and Samara Tijori (Deepak Tijori’s daughter) . The series is about a family living in Falauli, a small town in Punjab. Doctor Balraj Kapoor (Irani) runs a nursing home and is also trying to get into politics by contesting the local elections. His wife Gunwant is unwell and remains within the confines of her home, writing sad poetry. She still loves her husband and her family very much but there seems to be a rift between them. The rift is strongest between Dr Kapoor and his youngest daughter Sana (Tijori) who has left the family and now works and lives in Delhi.

When Gunwant mysteriously dies Sana comes home. Once there, she finds her father’s behavior very suspicious, and already at odds with him, suspects that he has killed her mother. Of course she has no proof of this, but a few phone messages and some conversations she has had with her mother lead her to believe that her father has done this awful deed. The question is – will she be able to prove it?

Masoom started off very strong – all sinister gazes and sense of foreboding. Everyone in the Kapoor family has their motivations and their own axe to grind, but the writing tries too hard to sway us one way. Dr Kapoor seems callous about his wife’s death, and a tad too villain-ish – he almost threatens Sana, and then in the bits where he tries to be fatherly, we don’t quite believe him. Sana, for her part, has a one-track mind, she only sees her father in a negative light.

The intensity of the series seems to wither away as the series progresses. I was disappointed in the ending because it seemed to be a case of creating a mountain out of a mole hill. While Boman Irani does very well with what he’s been given, he can’t help the poor writing. Samara Tijori was fine but I wish that her character had had more depth – all she does in the series is look sad, suspicious and act rashly.

The other characters should have added to the sinister premise of the story but are sketched poorly. Sana’s siblings seemed kinda wishy-washy, and I didn’t get their deal. There was the off-kilter uncle swearing undying devotion to brother Balraj, and threatening Sana (who’s his niece!).

Masoom’s characters are unlikeable; I hadn’t a whit of sympathy for anyone, not even the lead protagonist Sana, who’s a headstrong brat, unhappy with almost everything. That, in addition to the one-note characterization, put paid to this series. This should have been an engrossing thriller, but ends up being a namby-pamby, underwhelming bore.

Kidwise: Scenes of domestic violence. A scene with partial nudity.

Posted in 2022, dark, drama, Hotstar, mystery, rating-PG15, series, suspense, thriller | Comments Off

Movie Review : Darlings (2022)

Posted on August 26, 2022 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️
Genre: Thriller
Year: 2022
Running time: 2 hours 13 minutes
Director: Jasmeet K. Reen
Cast: Alia Bhatt, Shefali Shah, Vijay Varma, Roshan Mathew, Rajesh Sharma
Kid rating: PG

Darlings is about Badrunissa (Alia Bhatt) and Hamza Sheikh (Vijay Verma). Hamza and Badru love each other and get married. Three years down the line we think everything is hunky-dory but then comes the rude shock. Hamza is a violent wife-beater and Badru lives in the belief that one day he will change because he loves her. But then he goes too far. And Badru isn’t quite Badru anymore . . .

So Darlings started out well because it has such an interesting premise. There is the violent husband and his abject sobbing wife. We all wait with bated breath for the day when the husband will go too far and his loving, patient wife will reach the end of her tether. Well, that time comes and goes. The fireworks that we are anticipating peter off into a damp squib.

Alia plays Badru with such frailty and such innocence that we all just want things to turn out well for her. She is supported by her mother Shamsunissa (Shefali Chaya) who lives in the same chawl. Shamsu is independent and smart and she’s supported by her business partner and friends. But as wily as Shamsu and Badru are, they can’t quite come up with a decent plan to outwit Hamza.

Right when the film should have taken off it took a turn for the worse. The pace slowed down tremendously, and the characters went around in circles without really getting any closer to their objective. The film got pretty boring. I seriously considered either quitting it or just skipping to the end.

There was so much promise here! So much potential! All wasted! Where this story could have gone and where it actually did are two completely different places. I can’t blame the actors for this poor film – that responsibility lies solely on director Reen’s shoulders. Alia is magnificent, as is Shefali Chayya. Vijay Varma whom you might remember from his spectacular performance in Gully Boy, plays Hamza with great skill. Roshan Matthew, a veteran of many Malayalam films (like the intense Kappella), is also very good here.

Darlings starts off as a thriller and while it does have his moments, it peters off disappointingly into an insipid bore. It is being touted as a thriller or a dark comedy. Be warned that it is neither.

Kidwise: Scenes of domestic violence.

Posted in 2022, All Netflix, bollywood, crime, dark, drama, Hindi movies on Netflix, humor, rating-PG, social issues, thriller, women | Comments Off

Series Review : Masaba Masaba Season 2

Posted on August 19, 2022 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre : Drama
Year : 2022
Season: 2 Episodes: 7
Director : Sonam Nair
Cast : Neena Gupta, Masaba Gupta, Neil Bhoopalam, Rytasha Rathore, Kusha Kapila, Ram Kapoor
Kid rating : PG-15

I just finished binge watching the second season of Masaba Masaba and have got to say that it is better than the first. It’s not as frivolous as Season 1. Masaba seems to have gotten thinner, more mature and less focused on Instagram. There’s also a stronger element of romance with not one but two contenders. The spirit of Masaba Masaba remains the same though. Masaba’s infectious energy and love of work and life is, as before, a pleasure to watch.

You are probably aware if you have heard my review of the first season that in this series Masaba Gupta and her mother Nina Gupta play fictionalized characters based on their real lives. The 2nd season brings in a lot of the real world events and happenings – like the death of Wendell Rodricks who was a father figure and a career mentor to Masaba. The mother daughter duo also broach certain real life controversial topics such as Masaba’s relationship with her father and Neena Gupta’s personal love life.

Masaba Masaba Season two is from the female point of view and quite modern in its sensibilities. It doesn’t try hard to be cool which is refreshing, and honestly, with its focus on female lives and friendships, is the counterpart to all the bromance movies that rule Bollywood.

It’s not all smooth sailing though. Masaba and ma dearest don’t always see eye to eye. Masaba rolls her eyes at her mom’s intrusiveness and Nina Gupta makes passive aggressive comments about Masaba’s lifestyle, and looks askance at her egg-freezing plans. Gia and Masaba bond over have heart-to-heart conversations about romantic connections and PQ, Masaba’s “ho” phase and Gia’s depression.

With her head designer, Masaba has conversations about a woman’s role in the home and the desire to have it all – career, family, love, success and happiness. Oh, all the lovely conversations! It is great to hear women talking to each other about themselves, their own hopes and desires, as individuals with needs of their own.

Acting wise Masaba Gupta does a fair job. Nina Gupta is as amazing as ever. Neil Bhoopalam as the conservative, staid investor Dhairya Rana does exceedingly well. There is a scene in the series where he is backing off on his relationship attempt with Masaba and that scene was quite amazing purely because of the way Neil portrays Dhairya’s hurt and reticence.

On the negative side I thought that Masaba Masaba season two was a little less spontaneous than the previous one. It had a stilted quality where the scenes didn’t flow as well and the dialogues sometimes end on awkward non sequiturs.

Still, Masaba Masaba Season 2 is warm, light, lovely, and feel-good – a real treat to watch!

Kidwise: Talk of sex and sexual situations.

Posted in 2022, feminism, Good Shows to Watch On Netflix, Netflix Recommendations, New Shows on Netflix, passes Bechdel Test, rating-PG15, recommended, romance, series, women | Comments Off

Movie Review : Laal Singh Chaddha (2022)

Posted on August 12, 2022 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Drama
Year: 2022
Running time: 2 hours 39 minutes
Director: Advait Chandan
Cast: Amir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Mona Singh, Naga Chaitanya Akkineni
Kid rating: G

Laal Singh Chaddha is based on the movie Forrest Gump, and will of course be compared to it. Even so the film has been made quite well and is a charming, engrossing entertainer, standing tall on its own.

So if you haven’t seen Forrest Gump here’s the lowdown. Laal Singh Chaddha (Amir Khan) is a man of diminished mental capacity. But he is a kind, generous, golden hearted soul and the film is about his adventures in life as he goes about interacting with different people. His adventures are interesting because of his unique perspective, taking everyone at face value and not suspecting any ulterior motives. Surprisingly, the world treats him kindly and he is able to achieve unimaginable success. Only in one thing is he unhappy – his unrequited love for Rupa (Kareena Kapoor), his childhood friend.

Now, I quite like Forrest Gump. It is a true classic. And it is hard to measure up to true classics. So I’m quite impressed with Laal Singh Chaddha. The adaptation exceeded my expectations – kudos, Atul Kulkarni! Also fantastic is the fact that it did not turn into a cringy, moralistic, melodramatic remake featuring ma-bete ka pyaar and sanskaar.

While the story is basically the same, it has been adapted to fit in actual events from Indian history like the 1983 World Cup, Babri Masjid riots, the Anna Hazare movement, the Mandal commission protests, the Punjab insurgency, the army operation in the Golden Temple and the assassination of Indira Gandhi. This has been done deftly, with humor and panache, correlating the effects of these on Chaddha, his family and society in general. It was actually hysterical to see the segment involving Laal’s dancing and the way it might’ve influenced the dancing of an Indian superstar.

The film is shot in different parts of the country. Laal on his running journey (he runs for about 4 years because he feels like it) travels to different parts of the country from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Rajasthan to Ladakh. Gorgeous locales from each part of country flash on-screen, with a bearded, flowy-maned Laal Singh Chaddha running through it all, trailed by a band of followers who look to him for inspiration and hope. Laal Singh Chadha, the film and the character, embody and portray unity in diversity. The film depicts goodness and kindheartedness not because religions tout these traits but because that’s the way we should be.

Aamir Khan is impeccable as Laal. He is the one actor in Bollywood who matches Tom Hanks’ depiction of Forrest Gump in its simple-minded earnestness. And it’s been such a while since we’ve seen him on the big screen you forget what a great actor he is! The scene at the grave, towards the end of the film, was especially moving.

I have never thought of Mona Singh as an especially great actress but here, as Laal’s mother, she is very good. Kareena Kapoor also fits the role of Rupa pretty well and the de-aging effects were quite effective because she looked like she was 18! I also really enjoyed the easy friendship between Bala (Naga Chaitanya) and Laal. And the chaddi-baniyaan business idea was a hoot! Great casting all around!

Laal Singh Chaddha has something for everyone – drama, romance, humor and touchy-feely poignant moments! Fabulous direction by Advait Chandan (he also directed the lovely Secret Superstar), a thoughtful script, well-paced screenplay and a great cast makes this simple tale a feel-good entertainer.

Kidwise: Clean.

Posted in 2022, bollywood, drama, family-friendly, feel-good, Good Hindi Movies To Watch, humor, New Bollywood Movies, quirky, rating-G, recommended, remake, romance | Comments Off

Movie Review : Good Luck Jerry (2022)

Posted on August 5, 2022 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Genre: Comedy
Year: 2022
Running time: 2 hours 28 minutes
Director: Siddharth Sen
Cast: Jahnvi Kapoor, Mita Vashisht, Sushant Singh, Deepak Dobriyal, Sahil Mehta, Samta Sudiksha, Neeraj Seth
Kid rating: PG

So the husband saw the trailer of Good Luck Jerry and said it was funny. The convenience of streaming is that you don’t have to think too much to see a film. So we did, despite the fact that the only big name in this film is Jahnvi Kapoor, and she is not quite a star as yet. Am pleasantly surprised – Good luck Jerry is an entertaining romp and a fun watch. It comes from the Aanand L. Rai stable so that probably explains it!

Good Luck Jerry is a story of a young Bihari girl Jaya Kumari, or Jerry (Jahnvi Kapoor) who lives with her mother Sharbati (Mita Vashisht) and sister Chaya “Cherry” Kumari (Sudiksha) in a small town of Punjab. Now, they aren’t wealthy to begin with but things take a turn for the worse when they find that Sharbati has cancer. The treatment will cost lakhs of rupees – money they don’t have.

By chance Jerry and Cherry get involved with a drug smuggling ring and Jerry decides to keep working for it to raise money for her mother’s treatment. However after a close call with the police Jerry wants to quit. Only, the smugglers don’t take very kindly to her request; this is not a regular 9 to 5. Things then go from bad to worse, and Jerry must think of an escape plan.

One of the great things about Good Luck Jerry is its wonderful cast. Mita Vashisht, as the mother, is impeccable. Sushant Singh plays gangster Daler with a mix of humor and menace. I also really enjoyed Sahil Mehta’s depiction of smuggler Jigar, gangly, loud and trigger-happy. Deepak Dobriyal, another dependable actor, provides comic relief as the neighborhood lout and Jerry’s ardent admirer.

Jahnvi does do unsure and waffly quite well and seems to get cast in those kinds of roles. Even in this film, her character is of a naïve innocent, easily scared and ever ready to tear up. She would do well to improve her range of emotions but here does do well as the plucky Jerry, and carries the movie successfully. Kudos to her!

As in all of Anand Rai’s work it is the little touches and the attention to detail that elevate his films. The film location locales are pretty well done – the dimly-lit smugglers office has leather chairs and seedy furniture. The public bathrooms are dingy. Jerry’s home has a little courtyard and chipped walls. And the characterization is spot on. The criminals are brash, uneducated, Punjabi speaking gangsters, spewing casual sexism.The dialogues were apt, realistic and funny; some were real zingers.

The bad guys in Good Luck Jerry are a bunch of bumbling goons, and watching quick-thinking Jerry trying to outwit them, makes an entertaining 2.5 hours. Do watch!

Kidwise: Some gunslinging and violence.

Posted in 2022, bollywood, Bollywood Movies on Hotstar, comedy, family-friendly, Good movies on Hotstar, Hotstar, humor, New Bollywood Movies, New Films, quirky, rating-PG, watchable | Comments Off

Movie Review : Jayeshbhai Jordaar (2022)

Posted on July 29, 2022 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️
Genre: Drama
Year: 2022
Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Director: Divyaang Thakkar
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Boman Irani, Ratna Pathak Shah, Shalini Pandey, Jia Vaidya
Kid rating: PG

Jayeshbhai Jordaar’s story is set in a small Gujarati village where Jayesh’s father Pruthvish (Boman Irani) and his wife Jashoda (Pathak Shah) seek to curb any notion of female equality. Patriarchy reigns supreme as Pruthvish makes women responsible for covering themselves up so that men will not be inflamed by desire. Hand-in-hand with this philosophy goes the preference for a male heir. When it is discovered that Pruthvish’s precious son Jayesh is about to father yet another daughter, Pruthvish and Jashoda are all set on an abortion.

Well, hero Jayeshbhai (Ranveer Singh) won’t let that happen, Averse to confrontation and an obedient son to boot, Jayesh can’t voice his disagreement, but runs away with wife and daughter to prevent Pruthvish from getting his wish. His goal is to take them to a Haryanvi village where his family will be safe. Will he able to ensure their well-being?

The film has a good message, but goes about delivering it in a ridiculous fashion. Jayeshbhai Jordar is about a woman’s issue but as the title suggests the film is all about the man. The star Jayeshbhai is painted as the savior while the women – the actual people affected – remain mute and docile and primed for saving.

The scene where Jayeshbhai preaches (yes, sweetly, but it is still preaching) to the women about handling their husbands with love, set my teeth on edge. His pregnant wife Mudra is nothing but a prop. While Ranveer brings Jayeshbhai’s character to life, Shalini Pandey and the little attention to her character makes her a part of the backdrop; had they replaced her with a block of wood I’d scarce have noticed.

The director and script-writer seem to have almost no comprehension of the effects of foeticide or the larger reality. They portray the bachelors of a Haryanvi village (where the women have been wiped out thanks to sex-selection) as sweet lambs who treasure and honor women. In reality a scarcity of women, in the absence of law and order, does not magically turn female-foetus-aborting men into respectful gentlemen, conscious of their misdeeds; it only leads to women being trafficked and bought and sold in these areas.

The film tries to bring in humor with Jayeshbhai’s lively antics and a coterie of Haryanvi bachelors traveling around in a bus, but the general stupidity of the film makes the humor hard to countenance. I felt like I’d been transported to the small screen watching one of Ekta Kapoor’s better television series – such is the tone and disconnect with reality.

On the positive side, the film is anchored by some strong performances. Boman Irani as the patriarchal Pruthvish and Ratna Pathak Shah as Jashoda deliver convincing performances. Ranveer was a delight to watch, as was Jia Vaidya who plays his plucky, smart-talking daughter.

Despite its heart being in the right place, Jayeshbhai Jordaar is a tiresome watch. You could do better than this dithering mess.

Kidwise: Talk of sex-selection and the role of women. The little ones might need explanations.

Posted in 2022, bollywood, drama, New Bollywood Movies, New Films, rating-PG, social issues, women | Comments Off

Movie Review : Looop Lapeta (2022)

Posted on July 22, 2022 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Genre: Sci-fi/Experimental
Year: 2022
Running time: 2 hours 11 minutes
Director: Aakash Bhatia
Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Dibyendu Bhattacharya
Kid rating: PG

Looop Lapeta is based on the German movie Run Lola Run about the same events unfolding 3 ways. The film has been modified to fit the Indian mold, with some new characters introduced and some removed, but the adaptation is done well, and the quirky film is fun to watch.

Savina “Savi” Borkar (Pannu) receives a call from her boyfriend Satya (Tahir Raj Bhasin) – notice the name allusion to the Savitri Satyavan legend. Satya has managed to lose a large amount of money, and he must now face his boss who will but surely make short shrift of him. He then panics and calls Savi for help. Savi, dealing with momentous news of her own, drops everything and begins to run for help.

In a quest to get the money Satya requires, Savi meets many people – her father, a pair of estranged lovers, a jewelry store owner. Things don’t look bright but she never gives up. Meanwhile, the boyfriend, not the brightest of chaps, gets embroiled in other sticky situations.

This film is well-named because it is loopy. There are do-overs and Savi and Satya start over and over after earier attempts where they mess up and one of them dies. It is a little mind-bending but in a fun way.

Taapsee Pannu as Savi is spot-on, and while Bhasin is fine, I’m just surprised to see him in a series (Yeh Kali Kali Aankhein) and a movie (this one) in a short span of time. He is not quite good-looking enough for a Bollywood hero – not that that is a hard requirement, there is Rajkummar Yadav – but still. The acting chops while adequate aren’t quite of Yadav’s calibre.

It is lovely to see an fun sci-fi film in Bollywood, even if it is “inspired” – you might recall that another Taapsee starrer Game Over had a similar do-over concept. Loop Lapeta is an entertaining watch – well-paced, and with interesting plot twists. Do watch.

Kidwise: Clean