This review was written for the news portal The News Minute and was published on 21st Oct, 2022. It can be read here: https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/palthu-janwar-delectably-sweet-malayalam-film-has-animals-its-centre-169094 Directed by Sangeeth P Rajan, Malayalam film Palthu Janwar does not have a ‘star’ at its heart but animals, that too livestock. It is only in Malayalam cinema that we can expect such... Continue Reading →
Venthu Thanindathu Kaadu – My Flash Review!
Francis Ford Coppola’s Godfather might have inspired quite a few films in the gangster genre all over the world but in South Indian cinema, it is Mani Ratnam’s Nayagan that has inspired filmmakers to try that genre. Promising filmmakers in the post-Nayagan era have made at least one film based on the Mumbai Don story,... Continue Reading →
Ponniyin Selvan and its aftermath!
This piece was originally written for the news portal “The News Minute” and was carried on 7th Oct, 2022. The link to the piece is here: https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/mani-ratnam-s-ponniyin-selvan-and-its-four-types-audience-168671 It has been a week since Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan-I hit theatres across the globe, and the chatter around the film on social media remains unabated. By and large, the... Continue Reading →
Ponniyin Selvan -1 – My Flash Review!
A friend who knew I was watching Ponniyin Selvan today, called me to check on the film and this is how the conversation went: Friend: Before asking you for your views, tell me if you have read the book? Me: Well, I purchased the book 2 months back and started reading as if I was... Continue Reading →
Sita Ramam – My Flash Review!
Sita Ramam is originally a Telugu film and is now available in multiple languages on OTT. The presence of Dulquer Salman who of late is making some interesting choices in his films was the main hook for me to watch the film. I watched the Tamil version and it reminded me a lot of another... Continue Reading →
Nna Thaan Case Kodu (Malayalam)- My Flash Review!
Nna Thaan Case Kodu (NTCK) meaning “then, you file a case” is a film rooted in the nativity of Kerala. You can make this out from the title itself which is a very colloquial line in Malayalam challenging someone to “put” a case on you. The setting of the film which is a small town... Continue Reading →
30 Years of Roja and Rahman!
This piece was originally written for the news portal “The News Minute” and was carried on 15th Aug 2022. The link to the piece is here: https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/30-years-roja-movie-gave-us-musical-marvel-ar-rahman-166867 Mani Ratnam’s super hit film Roja was released on August 15, 30 years ago. When we saw the film, we understood why the makers opted for a Saturday... Continue Reading →
Laal Singh Chaddha – My Flash Review!
First the disclosures. I have not watched Forrest Gump. I watched Laal Singh Chaddha (LSC) in isolation as a film and my review has no comparative references to the original. I have also attempted to look at the film filtering the surround sound that preceded the release. The film opens with the longest disclaimer I... Continue Reading →
Darlings – My Flash Review
There are films which you find interesting and look forward to writing about them. And there are those that are ordinary and you go through the motions of writing a review. Darlings starring Alia Bhatt that dropped on OTT (skipping a theatrical release surprisingly) falls in the first category. So, right there, you have got... Continue Reading →
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect – My Flash Review!
In a sense, this film – Rocketry is very much like The Kashmir Files! It is a subject that we are privy to, but only in parts. It’s a subject that needs to be told to the public at large. Again, it’s a subject that leads to catharsis for the people involved and brings a... Continue Reading →