MANTO (2018) - HINDI

A film that had history and literature superbly blended in the biopic of the writer.

Saadat Hasan Manto is one of the very few writers who deserves a biopic. His life had a lot of history and there are so many happenings that I wonder why it took so long for someone to make a film on him. His values and his perspective is truthful honesty and in 1940's he fought for penning down things "as they are" and had he lived today, perhaps he would be fighting for his rights. 

The movie set in the 1940’s precisely between 1947 and 1951 harks back to a time when India was being torn and carved into India and Pakistan. Manto is torn too and makes a choice upon instigation which did not do any good for either his freedom of expression or for his own family well-being.
I so wish he corrected the decision and returned to his beloved place where he felt home.

Acted superbly by Nawazuddin Siddiqui and penned well by Nandita Das herself, the movie gives words a new lease of life. There is space ‘Thehraav’ in the film that gave me time to ponder. The period setup is extremely good considering the limitations of resources for the film. All the technical departments especially the editing are in fine form.

Emotionally, I wished this film did something to me. Except taking me back and telling me how close was Ismat Chugtai with Manto and also refreshing me with Manto’s stories, this film did little. For whatever the reasons are, I was not moved as much as I expected myself to move and feel.  I suppose that perhaps knowing Manto’s life well enough through his stories was a reason.

I strongly recommend you look up his short stories "Khol Do", "Bu", "Toba Tek Singh" and "Thanda Gosht" as this homework would certainly help you better connect with the film.

Although everyone was good in their roles and technically the film was fine, I do wish it made me feel more. For that reason alone, I am giving it a 3/5 in an otherwise terrific film.

C/O KANCHARAPALEM (2018) - TELUGU

To call this movie GREAT would still be an understatement.

I waited to watch the film the second time to give my review, as the first viewing gave an overwhelming feeling. I almost sobbed for an hour after the film and become so emotional that rationality was not to be found even after days after second viewing. So, as I got into my senses and have overcome the overwhelming emotion, I decided to pen down my feelings about this film today.

For me, this is a reflection of a slice of life of characters. I did not see any actor or actress, all I could see are characters and therein lay the greatness of the film. The acting is as natural as it can get. To call the performances as acting would also be wrong, I guess. I would say they just lived their character. Their slice of life was beautifully captured through the view of the director. Never did I feel all through the film, that this film was written and scripted and then shot with a camera. I felt like cameras were hidden from the eyes of the characters, and the way they live their life was just captured and edited out. This is as natural as it can get and am extremely thankful to the vision of the director for bringing out the most natural and realistic film ever in Telugu.

The performances, as mentioned above are just life lived in front of the screen. I did not ever feel that anybody was acting. Every character, big or small just put their heart out. Kudos to the director again for extracting such terrific performances from the mostly debut actors.

The screenplay is top notch, never did I feel in the first viewing that the end would be, what it turned out to be. The matching of the day with day and night with the night as screen shifts from one character to another is in itself technically a superlative achievement. The editing is just perfect there is space for characters to breathe and for the audience to relish those generally routine moments too.

Although all the characters were beautifully etched, I liked "Gaddam" and "Raju" amongst all the characters. But the one who stole my heart was the stammering "Ramamurthy" the one who made idols of clay.

I have been blessed with two amazing songs through the film. They are "Asha Pasham" and "Yemi Janmamu". Thanks to singers "Anurag Kulkarni" and "Venkat Rao" respectively for giving life to these songs with their heart, soul and voice. Just amazing these songs are. The amount of philosophy that is conveyed through these songs is something that takes a lot of thought process for comprehending the lyrics. The lyrics by Vishwa are wonderful I must say and with simple Telugu, he gave a life philosophy in the song "Asha Pasham". Hope is like a net that all humans always fall into and we are bound by hope.

The music of the film is just sublime. The violins by Tyagaraju are just heart-rending. The silences are more powerful through the film than music. Now, am a huge fan of the music director "Sweekar Agasthi. I just wish he teams up with honest and passionate directors like Venkatesh Maha and gives us such gems.

About the director, Venkatesh Maha and the producer Praveena Paruchuri. I can just say a big thank you. How much ever I praise you guys, it would be less. You are like two angels who have blessed us with this gem of a film that has a lot of undercurrent philosophy and address so many issues head-on without making it preachy or over the top. Venkatesh Maha is one of the most honest and subtle directors we have got in Telugu (at least for now). I hope his journey continues for a long long time to come.

A 5/5 for the best film of the year and perhaps the decade. I don't care how many awards it would win, coz I am sure it can easily win millions of hearts. My current favorite film and this film will be on loop for years in my life.

GOODHACHARI (2018) - TELUGU

A spy film that's made with a mix of many hit Hollywood films and yet comes out ordinary.

If you have seen Kingsman the Secret Service then you can understand that Goodhchari is a film 'inspired' by that film. The emotional angle is brought in to elevate the heroics is what I felt. When there is an obvious twist in an obvious story, it falls flat and I felt the same. While the action-packed thriller seemed engaging in the beginning, it lost steam once the emotional core was revealed. It was pretty evident that the character would choose his country over everything else and thus become a hero.

He escapes in a jiffy, has all the technology at his mercy and is too smart for his opponents and these characteristics should have been put in with a lot more care. This film only uses reality for its convenience but is far from reality and I have a problem with those films. A fantasy film is supposed to be that way only but this film is neither real nor fantasy and I falls in the middle.

The film is liked by many including my family with whom I watched, but this just not my type. How can a film be put so conveniently is what I wonder and the climax shootout was too loud that I thought of shutting my ears or walking away than to face it. Perhaps, I am prejudiced with my choices of genres but that's who I am and me not liking this film is not because of my choice but because of the content of the film in itself.

The twists are obvious, indeed nowadays Telugu films are thriving on these twists and getting sold. I wish they had made this a clever screenplay with not so obvious twist. The screenplay is in shambles, it is flowing for some time and then moves on at such a rapid pace that I neither appreciated nor felt comforted with. The screenplay is in patches and is not smooth.

Of all the departments, I loved the background music of the film. The cinematography is strictly okay and other departments including casting are just fine. Also, Prakash Raj seems to be a different plane as compared to all other actors in the film. He is just himself and full marks to him to play his role with such finesse.

Adivi Sesh gave us "Kshanam" and that was way better than this film will ever be and despite no high expectations, this film disappointed me. It also has a reference to "Goodhachari 116" the hit film of Krishna.

An average spy thriller for me and all may have fallen in love, but I stick to 2/5.

KARWAAN (2018) - HINDI

A film that must be watched for Irrfan Khan.

It's a road trip film and despite a few unwanted detours, it has its heart in the right place. It's a film that deals with death in the most practical way on screen. While each is different in characterization, yet they find something in common and that is conveyed subtly yet firmly. There are hardly any speeches or preaches except for one in the end which I felt was better edited out and there is life's journey put in a nutshell in the film. 

Although the actors seem to be in good form, all fell flat in front of the master Irrfan. He is the soul of the film. He is conservative, yet has put out his quips in the simplest way possible.  Irrfan is original and natural and yet another time he puts his fine feet in the shoes of the character and makes it his own. I don't think anyone can replace Irrfan. Dulquer and Mithila have done their roles pretty well I must say, but the flair of Irrfan is something that held the film. A glimpse with moist eyes is also endearing by the master actor. 

The cinematography is superb an I loved the colors of the film. The color coding made the film pleasing to the eyes and made this film an easy watch to the eyes. The writing especially the dialogues are top-notch they are simple and full of life. There is hardly a dull moment in the trip. Some scenes are actually pretty hilarious I must say and they had me splits with Irrfan's dialogue delivery. While each character has a back story, Dulquer's backstory is the one that is told in detail and it has it's space, Dulquer is the protagonist of the film and to help him find his ground seems to be the purpose of the film. Yet, everyone finds their respective love for life on the trip. Irrfan Khan (Shaukat) finds his "Mohabbat" while Mithila (Tanya) finds "Maa" and Dulquer (Avinash) finds "Photography". 

The trip is rejuvenating and I am keen to watch it another time albeit at home Prime when it releases on Amazon Prime. A 3/5 for a trip worth taking.

EE NAGARANIKI EMAINDI (2018) - TELUGU

A film that began with a promise but ended without conveying a point.

It's a film about four friends and although we have seen many films in this genre it's a film where these lost friends try to find something in common as a passion and pursue. They become crew in a short film and that's where the film lost it. Had there been a better purpose, their friendship would have been more fulfilling is what I felt.

Yet this film is to be watched for the performance of Abhinav Gomatam. Abhinav Gomatam gets the meatiest part and he delivers. His dialogue delivery and comic timing are flawless. He had me in splits in most parts of the film and I felt he was the sole respite in an otherwise dull film.

Didn't understand the purpose of the female leads, while other male leads are given their part and they have pt their sincere efforts. It's definitely not the acting that let the film down for me It is definitely writing and direction. Tharun Bhascker gave us "PelliChoopulu" and I hope he gets back to those purposeful ways soon.

A 2/5 for a strictly average film. Watch it only for Abhinav as all else failed for me.

DUNKIRK (2017) - ENGLISH

A good war film that is great in the screenplay by a highly skilled writer-director of our generation.

It is an intensifying combat thriller that keeps ante go up from the word go. As many of his films, this film too does not give space to breathe or blink it moves at such rapid pace that there is always a fear of losing the track of narrative in a moment and before we take a sigh, the film comes to a closure. It is always fascinating how he writes such elaborate stories and puts them in such a tight screenplay.

This is a story of solidarity and how civilians helped the army in one of the biggest evacuations of history. But, it's the depiction that needs to be credited in a big way. All thanks to Christopher Nolan. He took three landscapes, the land, the sea, the air and put them in three different timelines and that is when he won my heart as a writer-director. It is indeed a bold attempt but with the experience of films like Inception he knows how to pull it off and indeed he did it with ease.

"The tensest beach-set film since Jaws", I read in another review and I totally agree with that. The film is set over the sea the beach and only in the first few minutes and at the end, some interiors of Dunkirk and a train journey are shown, rest all is on the beach, or above the sea. This set piece made this film more interesting and equally challenging to watch.

The acting by the ensemble cast is terrific. There is a lot of authenticity in their accent and their demeanor, French look French and the British look British. The politics behind the war are given their due although in a subtle way and it's those orders that determine action on the ground. Everything together was engagingly put in the narrative. The writing made space for more action than reaction and that makes this film special. I like those war films like "Saving Private Ryan", "Hacksaw Ridge" where a lot of action takes place with less reaction and this film is among those.

The last few minutes where the combat ends, there is a newspaper reading, I did not sit there to see how those were made heroes by media, they were heroes for what they did and perhaps that reading could have been cut out. This is just my personal opinion.

The film is brilliant in all ways possible but there should be a special mention of Hans Zimmer who gave a terrific background score and the film more engaging that it is. Watch the film without the score then, half the life seems to have taken out. I muted a couple of times to check and it was missing impact. Thaks to the genius of Zimmer for taking this film a level above a typical war film.

A 4/5 for a superbly made war film. Nolan gets back to his writing like he did for his earlier masterpieces.

INCREDIBLES 2 (2018) - ENGLISH

A worthy sequel to a terrific film.

The Incredibles in 2004 was way ahead of its time and even now stands relevant as a superhero film. Now, in 2018 the audience is smitten by The Avengers and most of the youth and kids are now the huge loyal base of The Avengers franchise. In such times, to make a superhero movie that has a legacy and still stands on its own is a remarkable feat. Incredibles 2 is good is many ways except that it does not have the typical PIXAR touch that makes us feel so much more than just happy. Incredibles 2 made me feel happy and there is a lot of fun, but that's not just what I expect out of PIXAR and that's not their problem but mine. PIXAR has spoiled me with expectations. Also, I must confess there are very few sequels of PIXAR that I liked. Except for maybe TOY STORY films, I am not a fan of any other sequels. Thus, Incredibles 2 pulled off something great.

The characterization remains almost the same, there is the same family with an addition of Jack-Jack who is super fun and has some unimaginable tricks as the tiniest superhero. As with the previous edition, I loved the scene with Edna. Oh, she is so adorable as a babysitter this time around.

The writing peppered with a lot more humor is terrific and the production is amazing. PIXAR keeps taking the technology higher and there are some dizzying 3D effects in the film which make this a must watch in theatre film.

Thanks to Brad Bird for getting us a worthy sequel that begins at the last frame of the 1st edition and takes the film many steps forward, indeed a generation forward.

A 4/5 for this one too. I just wait for the next one, perhaps another 14 years but I am sure even that would be worth watching.

THE INCREDIBLES (2004) - ENGLISH

An incredible superhero film that's worth a watch many times over.

It's the most notable family superhero film where we have a family full of superheroes. It's fun by all means and does not stop at that, it goes beyond and even tells us a story of a regular employee, a housewife, and normal kids. There are multiple stories put together in this fun film.

The writing is strong and the direction is terrific as expected out of any PIXAR film. This is one of the few films that are not as human as their other films but yet it tells what a family is and what family means truly. To be there for each other in all adversities and to fight for each other makes the core of the film and it's all put in a fun way that's engaging as well as entertaining.

The voice over was terrific by each and every cast and I love the character of Edna, the costume designer. She stands her own in a film with superhuman abilities to the protagonists and antagonists. The moments with Edna in the film are worth watching multiple times for me.

Thanks to Brad Bird and the PIXAR for giving us a terrific superhero film in the age of many superheroes from DC and Marvel. These Incredibles would stand their own and I wish to see more of these in the future.

A 4/5 for a terrific PIXAR superhero film.

MUKTI BHAWAN (2017) - HINDI

A tragic-comedy film on salvation made masterfully.

I cant say this is tragic, it's more so a comedy because after a point in life we accept that the original destination of life is death and we wait for death. It's more about that realization in a subtle funny way. But it's not the story of the father who checks in Mukti Bhawan hoping for salvation but its more the story of a son who is torn between responsibilities. He has to fulfill the responsibilities as a husband and also must attend to his father as a dutiful son. Interesting I felt.

Acted superbly Adil Hussain as the son and Lalit Behl as the father, this film takes a realistic take on human emotions. How frustrating it is to be in a limbo for a human? Also, the affection between a father and son even when it's known that they are going to part with each other. These are talking points of this film and it handles them beautifully.

There are a lot of good things about the writing of the film. The dialogues are natural and there is a flow in conversations, there are noises in the background and they give a sense of the atmosphere. It's all beautiful and the performances just add to the beauty.

Technically, it's brilliant considering the budget and production constraints. The costumes, editing, sound design and the cinematography all gel well making this an adorable watch.

Thanks to the director and these actors who chose to be part of this film. It's a definite watch. a 4/5.

TALVAR (2015) - HINDI

A provocative film that is made with honesty.

Crime and Punishment need to go hand in hand like law and order. The order follows Law and the Punishment follows Crime. Well, I was talking about the ideal world, in the real world, anything can follow anything. We are truly living in a chaotic messed up world and we continue to plead for justice and the right punishment, and we shall continue to do so for many more years unless we are all sane and follow the law in spirit and principle.

The film is about Noida Double Murder Case of Aarushi Talwar and the servant of Talwar's that is Hemraj. This case was sensationalized heavily by the media and indeed it shook many in the country. I was not interested in the original case until I saw this film and when I dug the details, I was fascinated and yet sad for the outcome of the case. Two individuals have been convicted based on circumstantial evidence and that is not right for the justice system in India. People cannot be convicted based on circumstantial evidence and I suppose recreation of circumstances is not accurately possible for humans as we outlive the moments so very easily. While I was sad about the case, I was happy with the film telling a story in a bold manner.

Irfan Khan stands out with yet another terrific performance. While each and every one has given an honest performance, I loved what Irfan Khan bought to the character. There is certain believability to his role and that in itself is worthy of applause.

The writing by Vishal Bharadwaj was to the point and the editing by Sreekar Prasad is precise. There is not a scene that is out of context or does not add any value to the narrative. It's a commendable effort in writing, editing and directing. Also, I loved the screenplay that brings into play perspectives and plays with the perceptions of the people than with the actual happenings.

All in all, it's a film that's worth watching multiple times and enjoy more often than not technically. Yet, it can't be liked so easily with content being strong and that is about grey shades of humans.

A 4/5 for me and thanks Meghna Gulzar for your faith in the content and the way you crafted it.

A QUIET PLACE (2018) - ENGLISH

A thrilling entertainer that despite a few cliches of a horror film, stood its own and gave goosebumps.

The concept is thrilling and even though there is no explanation given whatsoever of the time period, the location and the reason for the existence of some supernatural creatures. This movie drives through emotions of humans. There are extinct for survival, love towards family and purpose of existence. Also, it is amazing that it is set up in a weird yet believable backdrop.

It's taxing on the viewers, at least I felt it was taxing but fortunately it was deeply moving. This a thriller tied up with human emotions and it is the emotional content that engrossed me and kept me interested. I loved the screenplay and the editing they are married so very tightly that there is hardly any time left even for gasping. My crib is that this film has an interval in India. I hope Indian Theatres become sensible in understanding that the English films do not have an interval and it's for business in theatres, that the Indians have kept a window calling it interval.

The acting is superb by Emily Blunt and John Krasinski and the kids. The cast is just perfect, it has hardly 5-6 notable characters and each one adds to the plot. Apparently, it is John Krasinski's first feature film and this guy looks a veteran in filmmaking already, his craft is terrific, to say the least.

I fell in love with the film and this took me by a surprise and I am happy about it. A 4/5 for a terrific thriller of this year.

RAAZI (2018) - HINDI

A measured and mature thriller that is free of any fuss.

It's been a long while since I saw a spy thriller that is based on history and in Hindi, I can't remember once since "Madras Cafe". Forget those "TIGER" movies, they are Salman Khan movies and not typical spy thrillers. So there is a dearth of compelling spy thrillers in Indian Cinema and here comes one and indeed this is a good one.

It is dramatic and thrilling all at once and yet the driving force in the movie are basic human emotions. Yes, patriotism is an emotion and it instigates the plot and after that, the human emotions of compassion, belonging, survival and pride take over and thus make it a more emotional film than a typical spy thriller. When I asked myself, how many times my patriotism was put to test, then the answer would be only when I see Sport. My patriotism comes to the fore when I see an Indian Cricket Match or Hockey or see Indian athletes in Olympic or world events. So apart from cheering our Indian sportspersons, my patriotism was never seen. Yet, when I see this film where each side wants to do something for their nation by serving through spies and military, my respect goes higher for them. I believe those who do anything for their family or for the nation or for the society at large have a better purpose of life than those who have individualistic goals.

To give away a hint of the plot, it's a film based on the book "Calling Sehmat" by Lt Commander Harinder Sikka. It's admirable how a book has been adopted without any voiceover or sensational background music. Even a patriotic song comes as the one that a teacher teaches school kids. There is no spoon feeding or preach about patriotism whatsoever and that is what I loved most about this film.

I am told that is indeed a True Story and there is authenticity in the film. Kashmir is not just about Pashmina silk or Dal Lake or Natural beauty. Kashmir is just another state in India that shares the border with Pakistan and Kashmir also has individuals who want to serve India. This aspect was something that touched me because we have often seen in films like "Roja" that even Kashmiris want freedom from India and while that is one point of view, Kashmiris fighting for India is another point of view.

Loved Alia Bhatt in the role of Sehmat Khan. I resisted watching this film in the theater as I was apprehensive if Alia could do justice but I was pleasantly surprised and now I am happy for making the right decision to go watch the film in the theater. Among the performances, I rate Jaideep Ahlawat's performance as Mir the highest and his dryness and composure added a lot to the character.

The editing was wonderful and the cinematography was just amazing. The most impressive of all the technical departments were costume design and production design. Just kudos for all those who put their heart out to make it look authentic and detailed. The dialogues are worth the money and are fulfilling. Just super happy to have seen a full-fledged Urdu film that has a lot of deeper meaning in almost every line. There is fun deciphering the dialogues.

Thanks to Meghna Gulzar and I am sure Gulzar Saab would have been proud of her daughter when he saw this film. I truly wish, she keeps rolling such wonderful films.

A 4/5 for this thriller that is for the intelligent and involved audience. I shall watch the movie multiple times for sheer dialogue.

OCTOBER (2018) - HINDI

A film that justified the tagline "It's not a love story, It's a story about love".

In subtlety lies it's grandeur, in small doings lies real love and life. This film is about love, loss, and life. How one man takes when his life changes due to an accident to his dear friend form the base for the plot line and the emotion is carried till the end.

All great movies have great characters and here there are two characters, one is Dan and the other is Shiuli. While Shiuli is the driving force for Dan's transformation from a casual guy to a man who has some purpose for his life, it's the metamorphosis of Dan that made me fall in love with the journey through the film.

Varun Dhawan has certainly come of age and this is the second film where he I witnessed his acting skills and I relished them (the first film was "Badlapur"). Banita Sandhu as Shiuli Iyer is impeccable in her expressions. She had very few words in the film and she let her eyes do the talking. Well, I confess I loved her work and she is a wonderful find and hope we see more of her talent in Indian films. Then there was Gitanjali Rao as

The winner here is the team of Juhi Chaturvedi and Shoojit Sircar. They took up an issue, blend this subtly and gave us an endearing film. Thanks to Shantanu Moitra for "October Theme" and the song "Manwa", these will be on my playlist for a very long time to come.

A 4/5 for a terrific slice of life from a very passionate filmmaker.

MAHANATI (2018) - TELUGU

A biopic of a legendary actress well-made by a young team for this and the next generation.

Biopics are generally boring as they give us a glimpse of history which most of the audience have not been part of yet, there are gems that stand-out and this film is certainly a stand-out gem. When the life lived is legendary then the best effort must be put not to tamper with that and depict things as close to reality as possible. When drama is inherited the film blossoms but when the drama is fed externally, it falters and this film has a lot of drama within that it did not need any external source or force to build the same. Although the characters of Samantha (Madhuravani) and Vijay Devarakonda (Anthony) add some drama I believed they spoke for the audience.

The film begins on the note that why should anyone be interested or aware of the life lived by Savitri and the answer unfolds in the form of the film and yes it was worth knowing many aspects of her life which were told as fables by our grandparents and now seeing some of those fables on screen was a wonderful experience.

Also, biopics are biased and try to show the protagonist only in good light but this film justifies the fall of the protagonist beautifully. Even in her fall, I did not lose my respect for Savitri gaaru and she stood tall in my eyes. So a lot of credit goes to the writers and mainly director Nag Ashwin for the perfect balancing act.

Of all the departments, I was extremely impressed by casting. Keerthy Suresh has an uncanny resemblance to Savitri gaaru that took me by surprise, Keerthy Suresh perhaps shall win many many best actress awards for her performance. Dulquer Salman was perfectly placed as Gemini Ganesan. He did the dubbing very well and his Telugu accent suited the portrayal of Gemini Ganesan.

The cast is terrific. It has names like veteran actors Prakash Raj, Bhanu Priya, Divyavani, Rajendra Prasad and also the youngsters Srinivas Avasarala, Shalini Pandey, Naga Chaitanya etc.. while the biggest surprise was Mohan Babu as SV Ranga Rao. Mohan Babu gave a subdued and composed performance and it was a delight.

All my applause would go to Nag Ashwin and the producers Swapna and Priyanka for delivering a neat film that resembles yesteryears beautifully and yet has something to offer to the youth of today.

Thank you, Mickey J Meyer, for your background music aided well by violins of Sandilya (I knew that my dear friend Sandilya worked but he was not mentioned in the credits. The reasons are best known to makers) and many other musicians who gave a musical treat. The song "Sada Nannu" rendered by Charulatha Mani is my favorite in the album and will stay forever on my playlist.

My only crib, I wish a few episodes were cut and the song "Mooga Manasulu" felt out of place.

A 4/5 for a classic biopic on a legend.

THE POST (2017) - ENGLISH

A film began slowly but has an ending that is relevant to the current times.

Freedom of Press has become extremely important as the nexus between media and politicians has increased and thus, political views are being preached through media and now newspapers have become mouthpieces of parties and most of the newspapers have given up on the idea of independent viewpoint. In these times, Steven Spielberg made a film that's historically significant and throws light on how true journalists used to be and how the press used to behave in the 1970's

A story that was triggered by one newspaper is taken as a lead by another newspaper and is indeed made the lead story. An issue was addressed sans drama and sensationalism and that's how journalism was in 1970's in America. That was what is now called as "True Journalism".

The writing was good and so was the directing, but I felt technically the film fell short in few departments like art direction, lighting and costumes and indeed the editing. I am surprised that the great Steven Spielberg let a few things off technically and certainly this is just there as one of his films but will certainly won't make the cut as one of his best films.

Having said everything, the film needs to be watched for it's intent and for terrific acting by Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks and a host of other actors.

A generous 3/5 for a film that talks about an issue and sets the right example in Journalism.

STORKS (2017) - ENGLISH

A good film for kids, wish it was equally good for adults as well.

It has all the ingredients that will make a typical film work but it misses its heartbeat. The heart is in the right place but I wish the heartbeat too was rhythmic. It rises then stays flat and to rise again so that's the wave of the heartbeat of the film. It's likable but definitely not lovable.

The quality of animation is good as it is least expected in any animation film these days coming out of Hollywood. I dare say Animation Industry has become a parallel industry to the mainstream Hollywood and in Animation there are gem-like films. PIXAR is one of the finest places in Animation films while other studios have their hits and misses. Warner Animation Group, the producer of this film earlier made "The Lego Movie" which was fun but this film lacked fun. Yes, there are funny moments but they are not as many as anticipated in an animation film.

I am not wasting more words or time in reviewing this,. But for me, it was an average outing and I am going with 2/5.

PHANTOM THREAD (2018) - ENGLISH

This is the second collaboration of Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Thomas Anderson after “There Will Be Blood” and I dare say another piece of art has been made by them.

This is a meditative film. Yes, I felt like I was transmitted to a space where I see very few happenings and hear beautiful music of Schubert and other greats. To say I was taken into trance may be the perfect way to put it. Yet, the ending was perverse at the same time provocative as well.

A mother wants a hyper active passionate and obsessive child to be falling ill at times to show her power and win his/her love. The mother is being mother there, I have no judgement yet it seems perverse from the outside as how is she making him weak and how the child is loosing his/her time towards his passion. Yet, from the view point of mother her act is completely understandable as only his weakness makes her powerful and the child would then realize the value of mother.

Mother is a metaphor in the film and that comes in the form of lover and that is more surprising. Paul Thomas Anderson chose a rather peculiar subject as he always does but depiction is fascinating.

This film definitely rewarded my patience but I am not sure if the audience these days are so patient as me and my friend Raghuveer (with whom I watched this film)

A 3/5 for a good film that provoked some perverse thoughts in my head.

RAHMAN'S CONCERT IN HYDERABAD (2017)

Terrific show and the great Hyderabadi crowd made this a memorable experience.

Before I thank the GOD, ARR for his superb performance, I would love to thank the well-behaved people of Hyderabad. Hyderabadis love music and more so love ARR and it's proven once again.

My first ARR concert was on Feb 14th, 2006 at the same venue and the next was in Pune in 2009 and now I am attending my third concert of the GOD (I do not think there is any need for me to introduce the GOD).

I am writing this blog to treasure the experience

The songs (in the order of their play in the concert)

Nadaan parinde
Yeh jo des hai tera
Chinni chinni aasa
Matargasthi
Matakali
Tu hi re
Pedave Palikina
Sakhiya
Dil Se Re
Azeen o shehanshah
Chale chalo
Mohenjodaro
Tera bina - guru
Jo bhi main

There was a faith section in which below songs were played

Nammakamiyyara Swami
Arziyan
Patakha guddi

Rangeela took a special place as 3 songs were played

Rangeela Re
Spirit of Rangeela
Rehna Tu
Pyaar ye jaane kaisa hai
Kismat se tum

A medley of these songs followed

Tu bin bataaeyin
O bhavre
Paruvam Vaanaga
Jashn e bahaaraa
Chanda re
Saans mein teri
O ri chori
E ajnabi
Jiya jale
Aawaara bhavre
Ghanan ghanan
Mitwa
Mujhe rang de

Then, there was a small interval with Conquest between Percussionists - (Thaniyavarthanam)

Then, the concert continued with these songs

Randaali - 2.0
Tum Tak
Prema parichayame
Agar Tum Saath Ho
Phir Se Ud chala
Inna Sona Kyu Rab Ne

Mausam - Slumdog Millionaire

Konchem Niru Konchem nippu(tamil)

Rang de basanti

Main albeli

Tu bole

Chikbuk raile

Raga Dance (taal)

Mustafa (this was a crowd uniting song as almost everyone in the crowd stood and started flashing their mobile flashlight)

Urvashi urvashi

Humma humma
Kotta bangaru lokam (hindi)

It ended with "Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire.

KSHANA KSHANAM (1991) - TELUGU

A classic and it remains so forever.

One of the finest films by controversial director Ram Gopal Varma, this stands out for the actress that is Sridevi. There couldn't be an appropriate time for watching this, as I watched it in  memory of Sridevi who shook India by her untimely demise. She has gone too soon and I can never fathom that I am existing in a world that's not deprived of Sridevi's existence. "Kshana Kshanam" is one of the finest acting experiences she would have had and as a viewer, this is one of the most happy experiences. To see Sridevi in a full blown comedy and yet fearful way was a delight way back in 1991 and even today, as I write.

The film is a cop-chase comedy with the protagonist Satya (Sridevi) being pushed into a scenario where is being chased down by villains for having details of huge sum of money. She meets a street thief Chandu (Venkatesh) accidentally and how they take on the villains and get hold of money forms the rest of the story. As a story it may not attract anyone on paper but the fun is in watching it.

Director Ram Gopal Varma became a great director, not by great stories but by handling the given concept at hand adeptly. His taking, his narration and the way he creates characters is something that only he could do. Paresh Rawal plays the role of the antagonist and the one scene where he plays a piano and asks for tune remains a classic even today. It is moments like these that have made this film great and it continues to stand tall in Telugu Film History.

Thanks to Sridevi for doing the role of Satya in a way only she could do. Also, special mention to Keeravani for some terrific music that he gave. I listen to the songs from the film every now and then and feel happy about the same. These songs shall be there forever on my playlist.

A 4/5 for one of the greatest Telugu Films.

THE SHAPE OF WATER (2018) - ENGLISH

A beautiful fantasy love story that is as fluid as water itself.

The intrigue lies in the title itself. Does Water have shape? If not, then why the film is titled so? What has water got to do with a love story? Let’s pause for a while and indulge in watching this film. After the viewing, I am sure all the questions shall be answered.

Guillermo Del Toro is one of the few directions with a terrific imaginative power and the capability to weave those imaginations into a milieu of believable reality. At times, his visuals are more powerful than most of my dreams. His power of transpiring his vision into visuals is something that many directors feel envious about and I thank him because his vision has given a great visual treat in the form of “The Shape of Water”

This a fantasy love story and there is serenity in love. It’s unbelievable in physicality yet believable emotionally. I could understand why a mute girl could find love in a “creature” as against so many humans around. It is much deeper as I am thinking more about the film while I am writing about it and that’s the beauty.

Water has a lot of significance in the film and it symbolizes love making to an extent is what I strongly believe in the film. Eggs boil in water, then bathing in water, then drinking water and then cleaning with water, oh gosh, so many activities and indeed water is the source of life as they say in Spanish, “el agua la fuente de la vida” (Spanish is the directors native language).

Although, I got to know that film is a remake of a 1954 film “Creature from Black Lagoon” and the period of this film is set in the cold war of 1960’s, it’s theme I must say shall stand the test of time and this film needs patient viewing and I am sure all the viewers shall be rewarded unless who hates love itself.

A 4/5 for this love story.

HINDI MEDIUM (2017) - HINDI

The terrific beginning paled out in the hurried ending.

I didn’t understand why a subtle film like this had to choose “Bhaashan” in the climax to make its point. I believe that the film could have explored other avenues to make its point. So, if I leave out the last 15-20 minutes which I felt was loud and over the top, the rest of the 100 odd minutes were delightful. There is a lot of drama that happens and the sarcasm was in the face and within the context. I liked the setting and the way the story was carried forward. The screenplay and dialogues deserve a lot of credit for this film.

The acting was top notch by the protagonists Irfan Khan and Saba Qamar. Irfan Khan proved once again why he is one the best actors in India. He stuck to the roles well that had to show variations as a rich man and a poor man who is struck in his core values and background. Also supporting cast was good and I take a special mention of Deepak Dobriyal who did a really good job.

The screenplay was fine and the dialogues were well written. The Delhi flavor was evident in the dialogues and their delivery by most of the cast. Also, this being an issue based film in school admissions, the tackling was done well until the end. I felt like the director didn’t know how to end the film and just hurried up a bit. I didn’t feel the climax to be organic and the speech fell out flat. Irfan Khan tried his best but he also couldn’t save himself from those paltry lines.

A 3/5 for a reasonably good watch. 

BHAAGAMATHIE (2018) - TELUGU

A good first half and a yawned climax made this film just watchable but it is Anushka’s performance that made us sit through the length of the film.

For all those expecting spine-chilling horrors, I warn that this is a mix of social drama and horror rather than a pure horror film. Most horror films revolve around a personal story and although for the most part, it seemed like it, once the truth unveiled, it became a social drama. The drama was shallow and did not have the depth to justify the horror and agony that the protagonist had been through all the while in the film.

I felt like I was watching “Arundhati”, “Chandramkhi” and “The Usual Suspects”. (My reference to “The Usual Suspects” might throw a hint on the so-called twist in film) The twists are well-staged but lacked the punch they needed to be memorable.

The film was set in an abandoned mansion, a typical setup for a horror movie, the plot lacked originality and some characters lacked depth. The climax was more or less made up and the moment a man is shown as god-like, our doubts start triggering and the predictability killed the enthusiasm.

Yet another tailor-made and author-backed role for Anushka who is the soul of the movie. Her performance was genuine and she seemed to have understood the nuances of the script and delivered a memorable performance.

A 3/5 for the movie and I must say, the director did the right thing by waiting for Anushka to do this film.

LION (2016) - ENGLISH

An emotional drama where I wept happily and would love to revisit the film again.

The film is a real story and that's what made the emotions so overwhelming. "Heart-rending", "Heart-wrenching", "Tear-jerking" and many such words would be an underwhelming description of what this film is. This is the story of a boy who lost his family in his childhood and found them back many years later and thanks to technology for that.

The performances are terrific my the whole cast and I loved the special performance by the kid "Sunny Pawar" who played the young Saroo. His performance was full of life and hope. The way he cried, laughed and felt loved was extremely moving and yet realistic. I was so happy with his performance that I dare say, he is one the finest finds in acting from India in recent times. 

This being a film from Australian director with Hollywood production, I expected most of the dialog to be in English while to my surprise more than half of the film in Hindi. Also, most of the film seems to have been shot in India and it showed the real India, I mean the villages, the stone pickers and the lives of the poor. It was heartening and also heartbreaking such is the irony in India and it was captured beautifully.

The film was based in 1986 and then moves to 2008 and I was in awe of the production design. The coal engines of trains, the roads, the poverty in 1980's were depicted realistically with great finesse and detail.

Garth Davis is a director to watch out for, I feel he chooses the right subject matter and makes it believable. He kept the film rooted and authentic and that's where the film scored huge points. I hope to see more such hopeful films from this director.

A 4/5 for a movie that made me sob for a good part and yet made me happy at the end.

रात काट के

रात काट के कितने रात हुए 
खुद से ही न जाने कितने बात हुए 
ख़यालों में न जाने कितने मुलाक़ात हुए 
आपके प्यार में कैसे कैसे हालात हुए 
हर बात पे हस्ते है अब, ऐसे हालात हुए 
ज़िन्दगी में न जाने कितने पल सौगात हुए 
रात काट के न जाने कितने रात हुए   

मौत में भी यादें

एतबार न था हम कभी आपके प्यार को पायेंगे
दीदार न हुई आपसे, बस आस था कि हम मिल जायेंगे
आस पूरा हुआ मुलाकात से, तब से बातों में ज़िन्दगी गुज़ार दी
अब तो हम मौत में भी यादों को लिए जिये जायेंगे 

लफ़्ज़ों कि ताकत

लफ़्ज़ों कि ताकत ये है की, हर दर्द मिटा सके और हर ग़म भुला सके 
कुछ लफ्ज़ ये भी है कि, फूल को पत्थर बना सके और हसी में रुला सके 

STEVE JOBS (2015) - ENGLISH

A film more about a father-daughter relationship than about Steve Jobs. 

I was surprised but I felt the film was breezy with terrific pace aided by great dialog. 

Michael Fassbender gave one of the finest performances of his career as Steve Jobs. He was ruthless, passionate and to-the-point. He did not put Jobs own ever and I firmly believed he would have loved Jobs personally to portray Steve Jobs the way he did. Kudos to the other cast and especially Kate Winslet who played the role of Joanna Hoffman. Kate Winslet was thoroughly professional, in demeanor, body language and the way she handled Steve Jobs and certainly, this is one of the strong performances of her career. 

Apart from performances, I loved the screenplay. Aaron Sorkin who gave a terrific screenplay with "Social Network" has given another fast-paced dialog oriented screenplay that started in haste and ended in whizz with no-much unnecessary scenes or drama. The film began with a denial and ended with acceptance (only a hint from my review). What the film is about, can be read in Wikipedia and other reviews but to see it is a treat. This is a tight must-watch screenplay. How 2 has passed off so quickly without giving space to blink and yet full of dialog. This is something I am wondering even as I write this blog. 

Danny Boyle has limited the sets to Apple Office and Apple Keynote Conferences mostly and yet and he has done a tremendous job in terms of direction. I would rather say, the screenplay helped him in a big way to just make actors emote to their lines and capture the ambiance through the camera. 

All in it's a fast-paced slick film made with terrific dialog and helped with good performances. But there is hardly anything we can take home about Steve Jobs except his reluctance in fathering a child and finally accepting that he is the father. 

A 3/5 for this and I thank Aaron Sorkin for giving another tech industry based screenplay that is actually good.

ख़याल-ए-मजबूर

ख़याल-ए-मजबूर है हम और आप भी मजबूर
बेक़सूर रेहकर भी क्यों है, एक दूजे से दूर 
जुदाई का आलम कभी तो ख़तम होगा ज़रूर 
दुआ है बस इतनी की फिर एक मुलाकात हो आप से जान-ए-हुज़ूर 

मन्नत

मन में जो है, जब वो लफ्ज़ बनजाये तो राहत है 
जब कोई उन लफ़्ज़ों को ईमान से सजा दे तो वही जन्नत है 
हर लफ्ज़ में ख़ुशी पाऊ यही चाहत है 
हर लफ्ज़ किसी और को जन्नत दिलाये वही मेरी मन्नत है 

वक़्त नहीं

सवाल इतने है पर जवाब जान ने का वक़्त नहीं 
कोई हमे इस उलझन से बचाये, ये दुआ करने का भी वक़्त नहीं 
करे तो क्या करे, कहे तो क्या कहे 
लिख रहे है कुछ और इसे समझाने का वक़्त नहीं 
भागम दौड़ी ज़िन्दगी है, कुछ बया करने का वक़्त नहीं