The Tehrvi films: Inspired or plagiarized?
It is a strange coincidence that both the films I’ve chosen to watch during a phase when my family is mourning, have the tehrvi, or the ritualistic thirteen days of mourning, as their central theme. The two…
Once again: A film where silences speak
Once in a while, while browsing Netflix I stumble upon a film which I ought to have watched earlier. And although the reviews might seem dated, I feel like writing about films which touched me. Once again,…
Sir: Bridging the divide
I stumbled upon Rohena Gera’s movie, Is Love Enough? Sir, one weekend while browsing through Netflix. It has been a few weeks since I watched it, but the two main protagonists have grown in my mind. I…
Tribhanga: A tale of three women
Renuka Shahane’s directorial debut, Tribhanga, is a poignant tale which eventually makes the turmoil in your head settle down. Peace, as Kajol says in the film, is what you find inside. The movie begins with the incongruous…
SPB: Parva illa Sir, you will still be around
I grew up in Pondicherry. I distinctly remember one evening, when my English teacher, Mrs Hawkins, came up to my father and said that she had to take me to see Shankarabharanam. She really wanted me to…
Gulabo Sitabo: A tale for fragile egos
Na jaane kya man mein aayi upar wale neBanwayi har ek choohe ki billi ek So go the lyrics of Gulabo Sitabo, Shoojit Sircar’s new directorial venture which released on Amazon Prime on June 12 2020. The…
The Apu Trilogy: Satyajit Ray’s labour of love
There is a distinct disadvantage of seeing works of art very early in life. I saw Satyajit Ray’s black and white films somewhere in the late eighties, when I was in high school. I was aware that…
Thappad: Questions our conditioning
The camera stops in front of some affluent Delhi bungalows where two cars are parked adjacent to each other in a driveway. On the left is an ambitious executive who is rushing to office, with his wife…
Chhapaak: Making a splash quietly
The visuals have ended. The screen has turned black. All you hear is Arijit Singh’s soulful voice. The movie has finished. Yet more than half the audience remains seated. Unstirring. Silent. I haven’t seen a movie end…
Do paise ki dhoop, Chaar aane ki baarish: A review
The first thing which grabbed my attention as I was browsing through Netflix was the title of the film. Do paise ki dhoop, chaar aane ki baarish, sounded like something Gulzar might have written, and I was…
