(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 →
War – My flash review
War - My flash review Posted on 8th Oct, 2019 Another film in Bollywood in the Spy Action thriller genre, this time with 2 hunks - Hritik Roshan and Tiger Shroff to tango. The film is expansively and expensively shot and well shot too. Though there is no mention of RAW, the intelligence agency anywhere... Continue Reading →
Student Of The Year -2 – My Flash Review
Student Of The Year -2 (SOTY-2) - My flash review. Posted on 12th May, 2019 There are films and there are Karan Johar’s films. These include films not necessarily directed by him but bankrolled by KJ even. In these films, schools and colleges exist in Alice’s wonderland with manicured gardens, picture perfect stadiums and cool... Continue Reading →
Qarib Qarib Singlee – My Flash review
Qarib Qarib Singlle!! - My flash review Posted on 11th November, 2017 A story of 2 middle aged nearing past by date singles in an “Autograph” meets “Jab we met” narrative. With just a handful of characters in the entire film and with the lead pair in almost every frame, the most crucial elements are... Continue Reading →
Simmba – My Flash Review
Simmba - My flash review Posted on 30th Dec, 2018 In Hindi films, there are films and there are Rohit Shetty films! Films where - the story is remake of a Tamil/ Telugu masala hit or rehash of a older Hindi film - the setting is usually Goa - Usually logic is at a premium... Continue Reading →
Kolaigaran – My Flash review
Kolaigaran - My flash review Posted on 15th June, 2019 Going to a film without pre-conceived notions or baggage concerning the star, director... has its own merit. If the film turns out well, you are pleasantly surprised. If the movie doesn’t work out for you, you aren’t disappointed. This is the 1st film of Vijay... Continue Reading →
Coming of age of Dil Chahta Hai!
Farhan Akhtar is revered to be a leading film maker in Bollywood today. His sister, Zoya Akhtar has become one of the finest directors in Hindi cinema. Farhan’s production house which he runs with his partner Ritesh Sidhwani is one of the most successful production houses in Bollywood with more hits than misses. But it... Continue Reading →
