(This piece was written for the news website thenewsminute.com and was first published on the 24th Mar, 2020 and can be read here: https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/20-years-rajiv-menon-s-kandukondain-kandukondain-time-sequel-123891 Another day, another anniversary of a film release and another hashtag. Amidst this clutter though, few films deserve to be remembered and celebrated. Rajiv Menon’s Kandukondain Kandukondain (KK), which completes 20 years today since its... Continue Reading →
Sillu Karupatti – My (late) Flash review!
I had heard some good feedback on this film when it had released few months ago. I have not seen any previous work of the director of this film ( Halitha Shameem) and had not heard of her either. So, started watching the film without any baggage or expectations. As the film opened, realised it’s... Continue Reading →
Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithaal – My (late) Flash review!
First up, 2 pre-requisites. If you have to watch the film till the end, you have to keep aside your moral compass. Sit through the 1st 15 mins of the film patiently. If you do the above, you will simply love the film. The film is about this generation and its quest for a kind... Continue Reading →
Remembering Visu – the King of the middle class drama!
(This piece was written for the news website thenewsminute.com and was first published on the 24th Mar, 2020 and can be read here: https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/remembering-visu-king-middle-class-family-drama-121034 Well-known playwright, writer, actor, director and talk show host Visu passed away on March 22. Incidentally, it was a day in which the whole of India stayed largely at home, spending time with... Continue Reading →
Darbar – My Flash Review
In a piece (read here) I wrote 2 weeks ago on the pre- release buzz around Darbar, I asked “Is Darrbar going to be a trademark Murugadoss film or once again a fan boy tribute to the Superstar? “ In this review, I will attempt to answer this question. It was important to shut the... Continue Reading →
Moving beyond Rajini-isms!
(This piece was written for the news website thenewsminute.com and was first published on the 26th Dec, 2019 and can be read here: https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/moving-beyond-rajini-isms-can-filmmakers-still-give-fans-endearing-superstar-films-114807 A few days ago, the trailer of Superstar Rajinikanth’s upcoming film Darbar hit our personal screens. It quickly garnered a few million hits. The 105-second clip had the usual Rajinikanth’s swag walk, fleeting glimpses of... Continue Reading →
Enai Noki Paayum Thota – My Flash Review
At the outset, the film stays loyal to the now familiar Gautam Menon (GVM) template. A template where even cop films will have soft, lingering romance woven into it. A template where voice over is a character by itself. A template where the hero is a Mr. Perfect in front of the heroine/girls. The only... Continue Reading →
Kamal Haasan at 65: Celebrating the musician within the actor!
(This piece was written for the news website thenewsminute.com and was first published on the 7th Nov, 2019 and can be read here: https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/kamal-haasan-65-celebrating-musician-within-actor-111885 ) This week, on the 65th birthday of actor Kamal Haasan, we are also celebrating his 60 years in cinema. It is well-documented that Kamal started out as a child actor and has then... Continue Reading →
Looking far back at Nokkethadhoorathu Kannum Nattu and Poove Poochuda Vaa!
(This piece was written for the news website thenewsminute.com and was first published on the 27th Oct,2019 and can be read here: https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/nokkethadhoorathu-kannum-nattu-revisiting-malayalam-film-launched-nadhiya-111284 Malayalam cinema has always had the reputation of being close to realism while other language cinema, with the exception of perhaps Bengali, was seen as tilted towards fantasy and larger than life stories. Once... Continue Reading →
Ilaiyaraaja-Maniratnam – A well scripted harmony!
(This piece was written for the news website thenewsminute.com and was first published on the 2nd June,2019 and can be read here: https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/ilaiyaraaja-s-music-mani-ratnam-films-well-scripted-harmony-102870 Last they worked together was in the year 1991 and so it has been 28 long years since that last film, Thalapathy! Yet, even to this day, the work they have done together... Continue Reading →
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