Severance (2022): Amazing, atmospheric, astounding!

Posted on July 14, 2023 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre : Sci-fi/Dystopian
Year : 2022
Season: 1, Episodes: 9
Director : Ben Stiller
Cast : Adam Scott, John Turturro, Britt Lower, Tramell Tillman
Kid rating : PG

Ever brought work home? And wished you didn’t have to? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a clean break once you left the office, with nary a thought of work when you were at home – and vice versa! Well, Severance takes that concept and runs with it.

In Severance’s dystopian world, one can choose to be “severed”, severed from all work memories when you step out of the office, and severed from all personal ones when you step back in. You essentially then have an “outie” who goes out into the world and forms relationships, and an “innie” who slogs in the office and has no memories of the outie’s life, to the point where they would not recognize family if they saw them.

Our hero Mark (Adam Scott) has chosen to be severed after the death of his wife, unable to bear the pain. When he’s at work he does not have any memory of her. And you’d think that that would let Mark function, but there’s more to it than that. Isn’t there always? 

“Outie” Mark goes into the office everyday, and as he is taking the elevator to the “severed floor” below, he becomes “Innie” Mark. “Innie” Mark hasn’t actually ever left the office, and the only people he knows are his workmates, who are also “severed”. They do some very odd “macro-data refinement”, get rewarded with creepy “waffle parties” and “dance experiences”, and then leave every evening to transform into their “Outies” on the elevator upwards. The whole office setup, and the people in the office filled me with unease, although rule follower Mark can’t see it, until a co-worker comes to meet his “Outie” self. 

Severance is an amazing, atmospheric, astoundingly engrossing series. The writing is stupendous. I’m in awe of the creators and their imagination. Director Ben Stiller is a genius. The entire concept, and it’s setting, each scene and each dialog is beautifully crafted, at the right place and at the right time. No one could have done it better!

The cast couldn’t get any more perfect. Adam Scott is spot-on as Mark, a by-the-book introvert who toes the line Lumon Industries lays down. Everyone else is fantastic too – John Turturro, Trammel Tillman, Britt Lower, Zach Cherry, Patricia Arquette, Christopher Walken are just the right amount of weird.

Yes, I use a lot of superlatives in this review, but I stand by all of them. I love sci-fi, and I have a lot of favorites, but Severance is, without a doubt, my most favorite.

Season 1 ended on a cliffhanger and I cannot wait for Season 2!

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Dahaad: Engrossing police procedural with intrepid heroine

Posted on July 9, 2023 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre : Crime/Mystery
Year : 2023
Season: 1, Episodes: 8
Director : Reema Kagti, Ruchika Oberoi
Cast : Sonakshi Sinha, Vijay Verma, Gulshan Devaiah, Sohum Shah
Kid rating : PG-13

There’s a serial killer loose in India’s small towns. He prays on unsuspecting young women, women who see him as a way out of their desperate lives. He takes his time, spinning elaborate yarns for them, professing love and proposing marriage.

One such case makes it to the attention of Sub Inspector Anjali Bhaati, and she digs and digs until she sees a pattern. The killer hides in plain sight, and proving her case will be the tough part.

Dahaad is a series with an intriguing premise featuring as lead a female sub-inspector. And she is no ordinary police officer, but one buffeted by taunts about her caste and her background. And that’s the interesting thing about Dahaad – yes, it’s well-made, has an interesting storyline, with a tight script and great actors to boot, but it is Sub Inspector Bhaati i.e.; Sonakshi Sinha who ultimately makes it work. 

She has to contend with the vagaries of the outside world – the casual misogyny, the casteist politics, the social norms which deem her an “odd girl”, and the ones within the home – the nagging mother who wants to see her sari-draped, domesticated and married. Anjali rebels, sometimes by avoiding the issue, and sometimes overtly, like the time she appears in full police regalia while meeting a prospective groom, instead of the un-threatening, feminine sari that her mother would have her wear.

While SI Bhaati is one of the big reasons you’d want to watch Dahaad she is not the only one. There’s Vijay Verma, who as the wily do-gooder Anand Swarnekar, does an amazing job here. Not a surprise if you have seen his earlier work – especially his role in Gully Boy.

And then there’s Gulshan Devaiah, who’s got to be one of the actors I’d like to see more of because he takes each role he plays and makes it his own, wide and varied though they may be. (his most recent filmi appearance was in Badhaai Do as Guru Narayanan, a gay lawyer). Devaiah as Bhaati’s boss is just perfect, a stolid yet smart family man, balancing the political needs of his job with solving actual crime, and then finding the time to stave off his wife’s jealous insecurities and her close-minded views on raising their daughter.

Dahaad is an atmospheric mystery, situated in and around rural Rajasthan. This is also a police procedural, with occasional forays highlighting several related ills – misogyny, casteism, politics and the general air of oppression for women and the weaker sections of society. We know who the killer is, almost from the beginning – the interest springs from the chase.

We’ve see the Zoya Akhtar-Reena Kagti combo in fantastic form before – Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Dil Dhadakne Do, Talaash, Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd and Made in Heaven (Series), to name a few – and this time with Dahaad they deliver the goods again!

Kidwise: Elements of (severe) violence; caution advised for younger kids.

Posted in 2023, crime, dark, directors, drama, Good Shows To Watch On Amazon Prime, rating-PG13, recommended, series, social issues, women | Comments Off on Dahaad: Engrossing police procedural with intrepid heroine

Persuasion: Modern take with a wry, witty heroine

Posted on June 23, 2023 by amodini

The review that made me pick this film, very very late one weekend night, described Dakota Johnson’s performance as incandescent. And post-watch, I’d say the word choice is fitting. It truly is, which makes for a very pleasing film.

Now I’m a hardcore Jane Austen fan. Which means all of Jane Austen, plus period films and romances (Downton Abbey, North and South etc.) are my jam. Austen’s heroines sprang from middle-class stock mostly, and like the women of those times didn’t inherit or have much financial independence (property often being entailed). They were schooled to make good marriages, but despite overbearing mothers, and the constant pressure to be married, our heroines generally stood their ground vis-a-vis taking a husband.

So also Anne Elliot the heroine of this story. Anne, the daughter of a wealthy man, is in love with Captain Frederick Wentworth, who has ambition but alas, no wealth or family standing. Anne’s pompous father and sister deem Frederick unsuitable and she is persuaded to break her engagement to him.

8 years later, Anne is still a spinster and still in love with Wentworth. Her family’s fortunes have come down a bit while Wentworth is now wealthy. She crosses paths with Captain Wentworth again, when his sister and her husband rent Kellynch Hall, the Elliot family seat. Wentworth is still a bachelor, but it is unclear if he still harbors the same feelings that Anne does for him. And of course, social mores dictate that the two must converse in polite musings about the weather and never about their true feelings.

Now, this movie is a modern take on Persuasion. Our Anne Elliot is a sprightly, straight-talking, heroine who speaks in asides to the audience, giving us a wry, witty commentary on the goings-on. I thoroughly enjoyed this modern take, especially because Johnson does it so well! Whether she is happy or angsty and petulant, she is always charmingly self-deprecating.

Where the film suffers is in its casting of hero. Cosmo Jarvis as Wentworth seemed rather stony-faced and not quite as handsome or graceful as other Austen heroes (think Colin Firth as Darcy). The film didn’t show us the chemistry that had Anne and Frederick so in love with each other, so that was a major bummer too.

Despite all this, Johnson had me so invested in Anne’s fate that I was quite delighted when Anne found her happiness with Frederick, stolid and dull though he seemed. Quite a good watch honestly – refreshing to see a vibrant Victorian heroine with a sharp wit and a mind of her own.

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Movie Review : Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga (2023)

Posted on April 7, 2023 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
Genre: Thriller
Year: 2023
Running time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Director: Ajay Singh
Cast: Yami Gautam Dhar, Sunny Kaushal, Sharad Kelkar, Indraneil Sengupta
Kid rating: G

A mid-air heist with diamonds and desperation, Chor Nikal ke Bhaaga is far from flawless. It does hold interest though and did exceed my expectations. Wonders never cease.

The lovely Yami Gautam Dhar (her first film was this sperm tale) stars as flight attendant Neha Grover, who meets businessman Ankit Sethi (Sunny Kaushal). Post meet-cute the smitten Ankit pursues Neha, and she finally agrees to the relationship. Soon after, trouble rears its head in the form of hoodlums who follow Ankit around and demand payment. Ankit tells Neha of his financial debt, assuring her he will take care of it, until goons physically assault the pair. Then the couple agree to smuggle diamonds to repay Ankit’s debt.

The operation must be done mid-air, so as to not alert authorities. Neha, as flight attendant on the plane and Ankit, posing as a passenger, are all ready to do their bit, when they’re preempted by a plane hijacking! Now Ankit will never get a chance to do his part, and it will be curtains for our lead pair. Or will it?

Chor Nikal ke Bhaga has much going on – first the love angle, then violent altercations with hoodlums, and then the smuggling op, the hijacking etc. etc. This is an energetic, fast-paced film, with a frantic vibe, oozing schemes and desperation. You never get to snooze, which is nice, even if you have to suspend logic and belief somewhat. 

For a suspenseful thriller, the film does well. There are lots of twists and turns, with some unexpected backstories coming out. Some of the events which upend the narrative seem a tad flimsy though, like the time when Neha, in a moving cab, glances upwards to see an unfortunate event through an apartment window, many floors up! There were a couple more of these specific, chancy, extremely improbable coincidences which made me roll my eyes, but on the whole, they weren’t enough to put me off.

Yami is quite believable as the very-much-in-love flight attendant, who will do anything for boyfriend dearest. Sunny is the poor man’s Vicky Kaushal, and does not have half the oomph his older brother has. He manages the romantic hero role just barely and only impresses when the benevolence gives way to menace. Makes me think he might do well as a villain rather than a hero.

Director Ajay Singh delivers a decent film in Chor Nikal ke Bhaaga. I haven’t see his earlier work as Director, although Aamir (2008)  where he served as Assistant Director was quite a remarkable film – so I do hope that Singh can continue to hone his filmmaking game. While Chor Nikal Ke Bhaaga is not super polished or fastidious,  it is an enjoyable, unpredictable thriller – a good Friday night entertainer. Go see!

Posted in 2023, bollywood, Good Hindi Movies To Watch, Hindi movies on Netflix, Netflix Recommendations, rating-PG, suspense, thriller, watchable | Comments Off on Movie Review : Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga (2023)

Movie Review : Gargi (2022)

Posted on March 31, 2023 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Genre: Drama
Year: 2022
Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Director: Gautham Ramachandran
Cast: Sai Pallavi, Kaali Venkat, R.S.Shivaji
Kid rating: PG-17

Gargi (Sai Pallavi) is a school teacher from a lower middle class family, and soon to be married. One day her old father (K.S. Shivaji), a security guard at an apartment building, is arrested for sexually assaulting a minor in a gang-rape case. Gargi is horrified at the injustice of it all, but in spite of society’s condemnation, fights hard to get her father a fair trial. 

This film is novel in that it is from Gargi’s point of view, that of a daughter who is convinced of her father’s innocence. We get to see how her father has always been her protector, in one case, actually fending off attacks from a abusive teacher. When we do see him for the first time, he is a frail old despondent looking man, in a shabby, rumpled security guard uniform. He has a bandage on his head, and Gargi, at the sight of her father in such a helpless, vulnerable state, is in tears. 

No lawyer is ready to take the case except Indrans (Kaali Venkat), a part-time assistant lawyer, who’s never fought a case in court. Suffering through insults and the threat of violence (a stone through her home’s window) for daring to defend a child rapist, Gargi, with Indrans, leaves no stone unturned to get at all the evidence. 

The traumatized victim is not shown much, but her father gets to have his say. He even comes to Gargi’s home with a knife when her father is granted bail, but repents when he sees Gargi’s younger sister, a girl a little younger than his own daughter. 

The film does not take sides, but it does dwell upon society’s mores and personal prejudices and subjective perception. How does one decide if a person is capable of a crime? Does having a daughter prevent one from being a rapist? Do age, gender, class matter? 

Gargi is well-crafted for the most part. It does not sensationalize or overwhelm; indeed there are stretches of silence which build atmosphere. Sai Pallavi is marvelous as Gargi – she shoulders most of the film.

On the negative side, the screenplay is a little flaccid, the acting uneven (Kaali Venkat) and the editing weak. Still, Gargi is a remarkable film. Recommended.

Kidwise: Depictions of the rape although nothing salacious is shown. Talk about rape, women and boundaries, molestation.

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Series Review : The Romantics (2023)

Posted on March 24, 2023 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre : Documentary
Year : 2023
Season: 1, Episodes: 4
Director : Smriti Mundhra
Cast : Yash Chopra, Aditya Chopra, Unday Chopra, Pamela Chopra
Kid rating : G

The Chopras of Bollywood are like the Kapoors of Bollywood, only they’re behind the camera instead of on it. This 4 part docuseries on Netflix takes a closer look at the Chopra clan – specifically Yash Raj Films founder Yash Raj Chopra, his wife Pam, his sons Aditya and Uday, and the tremendous impact they and their Production House YRF Studios have had on the Hindi film industry.

The series is made out of a set of interviews, film-footage and on-set informal videos all put together skillfully to give us a picture of the Chopras, their keen eye and their business. It goes chronologically starting with Yash Raj’s initial films, his increasing sure-footedness in the industry, followed by the founding of the production house and Aditya’s fine-tuning the Yash Raj legacy.

Director Yash Raj is responsible for creating the aesthetic romance genre we have today in Bollywood; beautiful locales, expensive sets, sporty cars, the subtle sheen of money and of course good looking heroes and heroines. The first episode of the series pays homage to him.

The remaining 3 episodes focus on Aditya Chopra and YRF Studios. Aditya, Yash Chopra’s older son, takes on the directorial mantle from his father, while younger son Uday Chopra harbors a secret desire to be a hero on screen. While Aditya succeeds, belting out hits like Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, the Shahrukh-Kajol starrer which is still playing in Indian theatres 25 years later, Uday, introduced in movies like Dhoom and Mohabbatein, cannot quite sustain audience attention. 

With the advent of foreign production houses in India, forward-looking Aditya gets Yash Chopra to set up their own studio, recognizing the need to tell Indian stories from the Indian viewpoint. And he talks about this when he is interviewed on-screen, the on-screen interview apparently a big deal because Adiya is a notorious recluse, refusing even to publicize his own films. With the studio, YRF turns producer and they do very well here too, veering away from the traditional romantic genre with films like  Dhoom,  Band Baaja Baraat, and Bunty aur Babli. 

Indian-American director Smriti Mundhra helms The Romantics wonderfully. You’ve probably already seen her work if you’ve watched the Netflix documentary A Suitable Girl. She also produced the reality tv show Indian Matchmaking. While The Romantics is very different from A Suitable Girl, Suitable delving into a woman’s standing in Indian society vis-a-vis marriage and the pressure to fit into a traditional family structure, you can see the same thoughtful, nuanced take in both.  

The Romantics is glossy and rosy-hewed – it’s all heart and pearls of wisdom, from the perspective of an ardent fan. Quite watchable!

Kidwise: Clean 

Posted in 2023, bio-pic, bollywood, directors, documentary, family-friendly, Good Shows to Watch On Netflix, Netflix Recommendations, New Shows on Netflix, rating-G, real-life-based, recommended | Comments Off on Series Review : The Romantics (2023)

Movie Review : Selfiee (2023)

Posted on March 10, 2023 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️ 1/2
Genre: Drama
Year: 2023
Running time: 2 hours 23 minutes
Director: Raj Mehta
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Emraan Hashmi, Diana Penty, Nusrat Bharucha, Meghna Malik
Kid rating: G

Selfiee is another remake of a South-Indian original. And it suffers from the same over-done-ness that dogs a lot of such “Southie-inspired” films.

Honestly, the premise wasn’t bad – as in there actually was a story. And it goes thusly : superstar Vijay Kumar (Akshay Kumar) happens to need a driving license. The Regional Transport Office Inspector responsible for the license, Om Prakash Agarwal (Emran Hashmi), is a big fan and takes this opportunity to request a quick meeting with the star, after which the license will be handed over, sans a test or any inconvenience to the big man.

However, a misunderstanding at the meeting cause the men to separate as enemies, and Inspector Agarwal now requires Vijay to actually take the test as per the law, like any other common citizen. When news of this debacle gets out, a media feeding frenzy ensues. Social media personalities and news anchors jump into the fray, hoping to make the most of this controversy. Both men are strong-willed and sure of their righteousness. Which one will give?

Akshay Kumar films are generally a little bombastic – apart from Padman I can’t actually recall a subtle Akshay film. He is in full form here as superstar Vijay, and the film also imbues him with “heroisms”. His character is well-defined for the most part, except for the crucial scene which pivots the film. In that scene, Vijay Kumar, a reasonable, level-headed, family man is suddenly so outraged at a fan’s behavior that without waiting to ascertain the fan’s fault, he proceeds to loudly and volubly excoriate the man in front of a crowd. An earlier scene does try to justify his outburst; I didn’t buy it though.

Emraan Hashmi play Inspector Agarwal quite well, although his character is rather emotional as well (his distress is more justifiable). Nusrat Bharucha plays his wife Minty and Diana Penty is Vijay Kumar’s wife. The film is about the two men; the women are mere supporters/onlookers.

Interesting that the entire story is based on rule-flouting. Indeed, it appears to be the norm to have laws only for the common man – no one even bats an eyelid at having the superstar just handed his license, without a test! The whole film is based on an ego-clash, the “gifting” of a license to a rich, influential man seems to not be a problem at all.

When I hear Southie-remake, I also hear loud and overdone. The pathos, the betrayal, the sadness – all the emotion that could have moved a viewer is so underscored, so milked beyond any notions of believability, that it makes the entire scenario unpalatable. This film is no different – Om Prakash is no ordinary fan, he is the most ardent of fans – Vijay Kumar is his god. His disillusionment with his hero is no minor squabble, it is a major event, generating news and public outrage, affecting work, life and family and causing him unending emotional distress (recall the “overdone-ness” I was hinting about).

Selfiee was just meh.

Kidwise: Clean.

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Series Review : Rocket Boys (2022)

Posted on March 3, 2023 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre : Drama
Year : 2022
Season: 1 Episodes: 9
Director : Nikkhil Advani
Cast : Jim Sarbh, Ishwak Singh, Regina Cassandra, Rajit Kapoor, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Saba Azad
Kid rating : G

I remember reading about Dr. Homi Jehangir Baba and the BARC, in school. Vikram Sarabhai was also mentioned although I can’t quite recall details. In print, they seemed so dull and gray, and the description of their work wasn’t very enticing either. So I must applaud Sony LIV for creating this series starring them, and making it so very interesting and engrossing. Little did we know that the lives of  drab characters from history books could be this enthralling!

This series starts off with Dr. Homi Bhabha (Jim Sarbh) and Dr. Vikram Sarabhai (Ishwak Singh) having a major disagreement on a momentous decision for India, with Sarabhai walking off. It is obvious to us that these two know each other very well, but are not afraid of opposing viewpoints and holding their own. From there the series goes backwards in time to show us the lives of Bhabha and Sarabhai and their work together, leading up to the point where they part ways because of differences.

Rocket Boys is beautifully written. It balances out the personal relationships and the public persona. It’s depiction of the character’s personal lives is layered and nuanced – highlighting their high-minded philosophies as well as their private struggles. This helps flesh them out, and really shows us the kind of people they were. 

Homi Bhabha, who looked so staid on paper, turned out to be an ambitious whipper-snapper. Born to a wealthy family, Bhabha goes abroad for his education and comes back hungry to propel his own nation towards technological greatness. An outspoken extrovert, Bhabha uses his contacts, considerable charm and sheer force of personality to ease the political and bureaucratic roadblocks in his path. He is quite a favorite with PM Nehru and also a great friend, often addressing Nehru as “Bhai”. 

Vikram Sarabhai was comparatively soft-spoken, a wealthy industrialists’s son with a penchant for social work. He falls in love and marries classical dancer Mrinalini, but the marriage is not a happy one. Sarabhai advocates for the application of science for social good, like his efforts to set up ATIRA in Ahmedabad to better the lives of the mill workers. In fact, it was quite inspirational to see the desire for public good in the lives and works of both these great men!

Both Jim Sarbh (whom we saw in the gorgeous Yeh Ballet) and Ishwak Singh who play the main characters are great choices because of physical similarities with the men they portray, and do fabulously well! The supporting cast is just as good – Regina Cassandra plays the fiesty Mrinalini, Rajit Kapoor is immaculate as PM Nehru, Dibyendu Bhattacharya is physicist Raza Mehdi, singer-actress Saba Azad (whom we saw as main lead in the lovely teeny-bopper flick Mujhse Fraandship Karoge) plays Bhabha’s love interest Parvana “Pipsy” Irani and Arjun Radhakrishnan is a very young, enthusiastic and short-haired Abdul Kalam.

To see all these historical figures literally come to life in this skillfully created series was a pleasure indeed! Were it that more creators would come forward to portray history as interestingly. Rocket Boys, as a celebration of the India’s great minds, is a must see!

Kidwise: Clean.

Posted in 2022, bio-pic, directors, drama, family-friendly, historical, rating-G, recommended, series, SonyLiv | Comments Off on Series Review : Rocket Boys (2022)

Series Review : Farzi (2023)

Posted on February 24, 2023 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre : Drama
Year : 2022
Season: 1 Episodes: 8
Director : Raj & DK
Cast : Shahid Kapoor, Bhuvan Arora, Vijay Sethupati, Rashi Khanna, Amol Palekar, Regina Cassandra
Kid rating : PG-15

Farzi starts off with a scene where we see two men kidnapped and blindfolded. And helpless unless unknown attackers. Then it goes backwards in time to show us how they got there. 

Sunny (Shahid Kapoor) and Firoz (Bhuvan Arora), fast friends, are almost orphans. Sunny’s grandfather Nanaji runs an activist newspaper called Kranti complete with printing press and paraphernalia. Unfortunately, like most social activism, it doesn’t make money and when the lenders come calling, the press is shuttered. 

Strapped for cash and scrounging around for a loan to help Nana, Sunny and Firoz finally hit up on a plan. They will print money directly on Nana’s printing press. Of course, law-abiding Nana will have no clue. Sunny is a skilled artist and Firoz an expert in printing, and together they manage to create very authentic looking counterfeit money. Thus the printing press is saved. The bad news is that once the immediate need is over the the itch doesn’t stop.

Continuing with their homespun counterfeiting operation, Sunny and Firoz get noticed by a police officer running an anti-counterfeiting operation, and by a gangster looking to make use of Sunny’s “artistic” skills. It is a slippery slope and Sunny has landed smack-dab into dangerous crime. Will he ever be able to regain his footing?

It is a while since we have seen Shahid Kapoor in anything quality. There was Kabir Singh but that was terrible. Then there was Jersey, which wasn’t much better. Fortunately for us, Farzi reminds me of Shahid in Kaminey. It is made by Raj and DK, who have made quite a name for themselves by doing innovative work; series like The Family Man and films like Shor In The City come to mind.

I like Farzi because it starts well, and keeps the momentum going. The characters are well defined, and the hero and his nemesis are fleshed out nicely. We sympathize with Sunny’s life and situation. We really are on his side, forgiving his missteps; Sunny is like a favorite nephew who’s lost his way.  We also root for his biggest foe – the cop, Michael. Michael has his own problems. He has to kowtow to corrupt political masters to just perform his duty with integrity. His personal life has fallen apart, and his career marred by unfortunate events.

Farzi has some strong performances. Shahid Kapoor is really good as Sunny, torn between Nana’s strict morality and the lure of filthy lucre. Amol Palekar makes a surprise return to the small screen as Sunny’s Nana, but he isn’t as impactful as one would have thought he’d be, given his solid acting chops. Bhuvan Arora is the real surprise here, really owning Firoz’s role. He has appeared in smaller roles before (Chaman Bahaar, Dedh Ishqiya) but Farzi will put him on the map, so to speak.

Tamil superstar, Vijay Sethupati, is the indefatigable cop who won’t give up. He’ll sweet-talk or strong-arm, which ever is necessary to get the job done. He is supported ably by his right hand man Shekhar (Jaswant Dalal) and an energetic counterfeit expert, Megha Vyas (Rashi Khanna). KK Menon is marvelous as the chameleon-esque counterfeit king Mansoor Dalal.

Farzi ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger so Season 2 is coming. I only hope it comes fast. 

Highly recommended.

Kidwise: Scenes of bloody violence, profanity.

Posted in 2023, action, Amazon Prime, Amazon Prime Video Recommendations, crime, directors, drama, Good Shows To Watch On Amazon Prime, New Shows on Amazon Prime, rating-PG15, recommended, series, suspense, thriller | Comments Off on Series Review : Farzi (2023)

Movie Review : Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey (2022)

Posted on February 17, 2023 by amodini

Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Genre: Drama
Year: 2022
Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Director: Vipin Das
Cast: Darshana Rajendran, Basil Joseph, Aju Verghese
Kid rating: PG-15

Jaya (Darshana Rajendran) is a young girl living in a small conservative town. She wants to study further after high school, at a college outside her little town, but her parents are averse to the idea so she gets a degree at the local college. At the college, she forms a strong friendship with one of the professors. When her parents get wind of this, they quickly get her married to someone else, despite her objections.

When Jaya comes to her married home, she notices something odd. The living room glass table is cracked, and some of the furniture legs are dented as though someone has hit, or kicked it in a fit of temper. As she settles in, she realizes that her new husband, Rajesh (Basil Joseph) has certain likes and dislikes, and does not tolerate changes. One day, when things don’t go as per his demands, he slaps Jaya.

This then happens again and again. Every time it does, Rajesh takes Jaya out for dinner and a movie and moves on. Until it happens again. Jaya is miserable and talks to her parents, but they advise patience and forbearance. She then realizes that she herself will have to do something to get out of this situation.

This Malayalam film deals with a serious issue using humor to drive home a point. It also shows “everyday misogyny” (like “The Great Indian Kitchen” did), where ill-treatment is so commonplace that no one even blinks. It is just the way things are. If she is being hit, she must have done something to deserve it. She must “adjust”. She must control her actions. She should stop asking questions. She should do everything per the likes of others. It also shows how “normalized” domestic violence is, how women are just supposed to take it. Society’s hypocrisy is out on display. While the woman must quietly submit to beatings, when the shoe is on the other foot, everyone is outraged. 

You would not think that a film with this subject would be entertaining, but entertaining it is. Director Das has done an excellent job of fleshing out the characters and their reactions to different situations. The fights between Jaya and her husband, where she gives as good as she gets, are hilariously portrayed, complete with a running commentary and peppy music.

Darshana is an excellent actress, and she is quite fabulous as Jaya. Basil as her husband also does very well morphing from a bossy man quite set in his ways, to someone who is afraid to set foot in his own home. 

Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised with this film. I went into it following a recommendation on Instagram, and did not expect the twist at all. Jaya, Jaya, Jaya, Jaya Hey works because it has a good balance between depicting an important social issue and light humor. Highly recommended.

Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey is available to stream of Hulu/Hotstar. For other Malayalam recommendations check out this list of Malayalam films available on streaming platforms.

Kidwise: Scenes depicting domestic violence and physical abuse.

Posted in 2022, drama, feminism, Good movies on Hotstar, Hotstar, humor, malayalam, rating-PG15, recommended, social issues, women | Comments Off on Movie Review : Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey (2022)