What do the films Ela Veezha Poonchira, Kishkindha Kaandam, and Eko have in common? They are slow-burn Malayalam films in the mystery-thriller genre. They are also films in which the places and surroundings in which the film is set become characters in their own right, playing a significant role in the storytelling. Remove these places... Continue Reading →
The Great Shamsuddin Family – My Flash Review!
It was by chance that I found this film on Jio Hotstar, having not seen or heard much about it in these promo-heavy film-release days. That it is directed by Anusha Rizvi, whose earlier film Peepli Live was adorable, helped. Despite not boasting any big stars, the movie, with its simple, stage play like storytelling,... Continue Reading →
Dominic and the Ladies’ Purse – My Flash Review!
For a Gautam Vasudev Menon film, it is an odd title. But then, GVM, as he is fondly known, has been trying to reinvent himself and step out of his comfort zone for some time now. We saw that attempt in his earlier film Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu as well. Not just the title, Dominic and... Continue Reading →
Dhurandhar – My Flash Review!
Dhurandhar is scripted, directed, and produced by Aditya Dhar, whose earlier directorial outing was Uri: The Surgical Strike. If the "Josh levels" were high in that film, Dhar takes them even higher in Dhurandhar. Although the film opens with a long disclaimer stating it is purely a work of fiction, most viewers can tell that... Continue Reading →
Lokah Chapter 1 – My Flash Review!
In Indian cinema, this is a season of “Chapters”. Recently, we had Kantara Chapter 1, and now we have this. This sets the stage for a cinematic universe similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. For Malayalam cinema to attempt this is ambitious in itself. In its first part, with intriguing world-building, though with the usual... Continue Reading →
Mirage – My Flash Review!
Mirage, the Malayalam film streaming on OTT, is directed by Jeetu Joseph. His reputation as a master of the crime thriller genre precedes his movies. He gained national recognition with Drishyam—1 & 2 and established a new genre called the Drishyam genre. However, his other films, like Memories, Neru, Nunakuzhi, Kooman, and others, confirm his... Continue Reading →
Param Sundari – My Flash Review!
Kerala's Tourism Department has some of the best marketing minds among Indian states. It routinely runs high-quality social media campaigns that showcase Kerala at its best, depending on the season. The Onam season in Kerala is a “high” season in the state’s tourism calendar. This year, Kerala tourism seems to have wanted to do something... Continue Reading →
Coolie (2025) – My Flash Review!
The release of Coolie coincided with 50 years of Rajinikanth in cinema. As the title credits roll, an animated sequence showcasing some of Rajini’s best roles flashes before us. This segment, which lasts about a minute, is very well made and takes us on a nostalgic journey through Rajinikanth’s iconic work, which has made him... Continue Reading →
Ronth – My Flash Review!
Ronth, usually pronounced Rondhu, means patrolling in police parlance in Malayalam and Tamil. Accordingly, this film is about a pair of police officers—one a seasoned, dyed-in-the-wool cop and the other a Greenhorn —who are on night patrol duty. The film, set in a small town in Kerala, is about what happens during that one night... Continue Reading →
The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assasination Case – My Flash Review!
I was in Chennai on my summer vacation break in May 1991 when the dastardly and gruesome assassination of Rajiv Gandhi happened. In the very early hours of that day, I was woken from deep sleep to hear the breaking news. Since then, I have closely followed every detail of the investigation that ensued. I... Continue Reading →
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