This piece was originally written for the news portal “The News Minute” and was carried on the 27th June, 2022. The link to the piece is here: https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/mala-da-annamalai-30-years-rajinikanth-s-super-duper-hit-165330 In the last many years post Sivaji – The Boss, if directors and writers have been struggling to make a “Super Star” film that is universally appealing... Continue Reading →
CBI 5: The Brain – My Flash Review
In Malayalam cinema, if Mohanlal’s Drishyam franchise endeared itself to the millennial generation, for the Doordarshan generation, it is Mammootty’s “CBI” Franchise. What started way back in 1988 with ‘Oru CBI Diary Kurippu’, the first in the series, has now got into the 5th sequel with the latest release – CBI 5: The Brain. This... Continue Reading →
Jana Gana Mana – My Flash Review!
The Malayalam film – Jana Gana Mana starring Prithviraj Sukumaran, and Suraj Venjaramoodu dropped on OTT few weeks ago after what I hear was a theatrical hit. I also got prompted by few friends of mine to watch this film and so it was with heightened expectations that I watched the film. Within few minutes... Continue Reading →
12th Man – My Flash Review!
12th Man which has been released exclusively on OTT is the latest one from the Mohanlal – Jeethu Joseph combo of the Drishyam franchise fame. So, naturally a certain sense of expectation precedes the release. Having demonstrated that Drishyam-1 was not a fluke by making an equally engaging Drishyam -2, Jeethu had upped the ante... Continue Reading →
Revisting Kamal Haasan’s 1986 Vikram!
This piece was originally written for the news portal "The News Minute" and was carried on the 15th of May, 2022. The link to the piece is here: https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/revisiting-kamal-haasan-s-1986-vikram-film-was-ahead-its-time-163986 There may not be frenzied requests for daily “updates” on social media like the kind we saw for Valimai but, in terms of audience expectations, Kamal... Continue Reading →
Guilty Minds (Web Series) – My Flash Review!
For most of us, the only exposure to courts is through films. And usually, films with court scenes are lumped under the genre of “Court room dramas”. Essentially because of the high drama that unfolds in the court scenes. Arguments and counter arguments, suspense around sudden appearances of key witnesses, witnesses going hostile at the... Continue Reading →
Gangubai Kathiawadi – My Flash Review!
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s films are ought to be watched on the full screen. He doesn’t make films. He creates a spectacle. A spectacle with its share of drama, dance and of course music that is packaged and presented as a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film. Gangubai Kathiawadi (GK) is another film in that lineage. Having missed... Continue Reading →
Night Drive – My Flash Review!
When films that are hyped in “beast” like proportion flatter to deceive these days, here’s a low profile film that’s a beauty. Night Drive, a Malayalam film that has recently dropped on Netflix without much brouhaha is a pleasant surprise all the way. The film starts out as a normal, matter of fact film with... Continue Reading →
Hey Sinamika – My Flash Review
The title is inspired by the song Hey Sinamika… from Maniratnam’s hit film – OK Kanmani which incidentally also had Dulquer Salman as the male lead as this one. Now, if you think the inspirations from Mani’s films ended here, sorry you are wrong. The film is littered with references from earlier films of Mani.... Continue Reading →
Pada – My Flash Review!
Close on the heels of The Kashmir Files, comes Pada a Malayalam film that is also based on a real life story that happened in Palakkad way back in 1996. Pada meaning “Army” is about how a small group of people called the “Ayyankali Pada” take the law into their hands to get justice for... Continue Reading →