Filmy Illusions

  Picture Courtesy: OTTplay Mani Ratnam & Ponniyin Selvan Part-1 Despite growing up watching Mani Ratnam movies for over a decade this is the first time I am writing about one of his movies, so this piece will be a review of the movie Ponniyin Selvan Part-1 along with an opinion piece of a blindfolded fangirl turned critique of Mani Ratnam film universe.  (10 minutes Read) Ponniyin Selvan Picture Courtesy:  book.ponniyinselvan.in Kalki’s literary magnum opus ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ has been an elusive passion project of many filmmakers for decades. Divided in 5 parts, Kalki created a historic novel that spoke of power, betrayal, love, revenge, all set in the period of Chola reign. Through an amalgamation of history and imagination, Ponniyin Selvan, garnered a cult following ever since the 1950s, when a series by the same name was written by ‘Kalki’ Krishnamurthy and published in the Tamil magazine ‘Kalki’. For over half a century people especially in Tamil Nadu have grown...

  Picture Courtesy: Filmyzilla It’s been a long while since I got goosebumps watching a movie and Kantara ensured that and how. This is a movie that I want to humbly request you to watch, as it’s an experience anyone who love the magic of films, shouldn’t miss. I must admit that I haven’t explored Kannada films as much as I would love to, mostly because the few I have been introduced to initially, have been in genres that isn’t of my interest like KGF and others alike. Then I saw Nathicharami which spoke of such a unique theme, with so much sincerity that I became intrigued and started my search with smaller movies. Watch the official trailer of Kantara When Kantara trailer was released from the famous Shetty trio (Rishab Shetty, Rakshit Shetty and Raj B Shetty) from Kannada film industry, I was beyond invested, since I am a sucker for movies that explores folklores. I was pleasantly surprised at the theatre, as what I witnessed was a masterclass in acting and choreography and de...

  Picture Courtesy: TOI I came to Bangalore almost 7 years ago and since then I have been a part of many friend groups. Some that lasted through years and some that perished like it could never be bonded again. I have met friends who lied through their teeth and friends who became family. When you make those bonds, it feels like that phase is going to last years, yet time and people, proves you wrong. If you showed me the movie Dear Friend, 10 years ago I would be surprised how people even bonded like this. Cut to me in my thirties after travelling across the country, building one’s own tribe in an overcrowded population, you realize how precious these bonds are. How people come together, bond over the fact that they find something common amidst the loneliness of a new place and aspirations of a better future. Picture Courtesy: TOI May be that’s the reason why Dear Friend won’t appeal to a general audience, this kind of a life might feel a bit “new generation” and “unrealistic” but...

  Picture Courtesy: Twitter The last time I had such strong emotion towards a movie was, while watching Puzhu, a spectacular movie which I recommend you to watch if you haven’t already on SonyLiv. My friends who are from outside Kerala usually presume the state to be, devoid of all the social evils like, dowry, casteism, religious divide and so on, based on the assumptions that literacy eradicates all of it. Being born and raised in a rural part of the state, I have first-hand witnessed caste based discrimination induced by several people I know. As a child with no agency, all I could do was wonder why I was prohibited from playing with some kids or going to or eating from some houses. The more years went by, I realized how strong and evil the system of caste is, in the community despite social classes. While Puzhu showcased the caste differentiation in an upper middle class to affluent community, Malayankunju shows us that things are not different in any social class. Picture Co...

  Picture Courtesy: IMDb I can't remember the last time I could completely enjoy a Nayanthara movie without the interference of an irritating mediocre subplot (classic example: Immaikka Nodigal). There is a limit to how much I or anyone can watch Nayanthara being her beautiful self while the story around her goes haywire. My threshold for that crossed when days earlier I had to endure the torture called "Kaathuvaakkula Rendu Kaadhal". After that, her role as Parvathy in O2 is a relief, but too predictable a character in an even more predictable and loosely written plot. Picture Courtesy: Youtube The atrocities we as humans cause on nature is going to cost us big for sure, in fact it’s already happening. A day where we might end up killing each other for basic things like air or water is not very far, which is the core concept, the movie is based on. Appreciate the message the movie is trying to convey, but one could hardly focus on it or be invested in any of the characte...

  Picture Courtesy: ABP Live-ABP News Manichitrathazhu (Malayalam Film, 1993) falls into the list of such classic movies which have been recreated horribly into so many languages. I am all in for a decent remake of a movie from any language, even adapting it to suit your target audience is also great.  Picture Courtesy: IMDb & Amazon.in For 1993, the movie indeed was ahead of its time, but when you remake the movie 14 years later, you cannot mock the intelligence of the audience, with an oversimplified plot and generic performances. What Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007) did with Manichitrathazhu was just butchering the whole script with overacting and unnecessary elements (still trying to erase from my memory, the annoying portrayal of a psychiatrist by Akshay Kumar).  Picture Courtesy: Filmi Beat& India Forums Yet the award for most destruction to the original classic goes to Tamil remake of the movie called ‘Chandramukhi’. Why am I ranting about Bhool Bhulaiyaa 1, of wh...