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Reviews
Tarla (2023)
A heartwarming watch
Tarla Dalal. She was a unique woman. The only Padmashree recipient so far from the field of cooking. The day I found out that a biopic based on her life was being made, I started looking forward to it. It's a lovely movie.
The story and screenplay keep the movie at a certain pace. It never gets sluggish. The songs either take the story forward or enhance the mood introduced in the preceding scenes. Huma Qureshi and Sharib Hashmi have portrayed their roles sincerely. Huma is building a good body of work. Sharib is a gem. There's good chemistry between the lead pair too.
The film is more about Tarla's relationship with her husband and her constant struggle with her roles as a wife, mother and caretaker. I would have loved to see more about how she developed the recipes or how she learnt new ones.
The film scores well also on the time travel aspect. The costumes and surroundings give you the feel of the 70s and 80s. The makers may have missed a few gaps, like they've shown a Kinetic Honda in what may be late 60s or early 70s.
The Whistleblower (2010)
Highly recommended
Kathryn Bolkovac, a Nebraska police officer, is one of the UN peacekeepers sent to post-war Bosnia. For the rest of her colleagues, only a fat, tax-free paycheck at the end of the assignment is important. Initially, Kathryn too has taken up the job for the juicy pay, but, as a person, she is an idealist and works to make the world a better place.
In Bosnia, she realises that apart from the apathy towards the racial clashes between the locals, her colleagues are turning a blind eye towards the trafficking of teenage girls. She starts investigating the trafficking, faces hurdles at every corner but does not give up. The film captures this difficult journey of Kathryn Bolkovac.
The film could've easily slipped into the documentary genre, but it doesn't. It remains a gripping, tight thriller till the end. Rachel Weisz does an excellent job in the protagonist's role. She looks every bit the sincere police officer, who genuinely wants to free the girls.
Some scenes, especially where the teenage girls are assaulted, are hard to watch. Although the film has a 16+ rating, I won't recommend it to young adults. Older adults must watch the film, though, because these are real problems of the real world around us.
Sita Ramam (2022)
I wanted to like it but I couldn't.
The story has a good germ. The star cast is impressive. Dulquer is in his comfort zone. Mrunal looks fresh and attractive. Some experienced character actors can be seen e.g. Neeraj Kabi, Gautham Menon, Tinnu Anand. Every frame is poster material. Literally, every frame. Also, Mrunal's sarees are gorgeous and the blouses worth copying. :D
Yet, the film did not manage to keep me captivated. :( :( I wanted to like it but I could not.
Firstly, the length is unnecessary. The film drags in several places. At least two songs had to be cut down. Thematically, they are repetitive. Also, some comedy scenes are superfluous.
Secondly, some questions remain unanswered. Why does an army officer, who's posted at the border in Kashmir, start and continue exchange of letters with an unknown person? And why does he go looking for 'her'? Was that not risky? S/he could've been a spy.
Also, when she meets Dulquer's character for the first time, why has Mrunal's character gone to Kashmir? For photography? If that's her hobby, how come there's no mention of it later?
Plus, why did Abu Tariq not deliver the letter earlier?
If Rashmika's character has grown up in Abu Tariq's family, how does she come to hate India?
I found several loose ends in the movie. The direction is somewhat amateurish. Although I am a fan of Dulquer, I want to see him in different roles now. Most of the character actors, too, are wasted, I feel.
All in all, I don't see myself watching this movie again. :( If I have the strong urge to watch a Dulquer movie, I'll watch 'Charlie' instead.
PS: I watched Sita Ramam in Malayalam, with subtitles.
Brahmastra Part One: Shiva (2022)
Lackluster storytelling, lousy editing
I went to watch this one with a lot of expectations. I had liked Ayan Mukerji's earlier ventures. "Wake Up Sid" is one of my favourites. "Yeh Jawaani...", although not so great, is still an entertainer.
Brahmastra has been in the making for good seven years, so I thought they would've invested a lot of time in research. I was expecting a fantasy with a lot of references from the Indian scriptures woven in.
I was wrong. And disappointed.
The movie turned out to be a product of the hangover left by the Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Avengers franchises. Towards the end, I didn't know whether I was watching a movie or a video game.
The CGI is impressive, no doubt. However, at the core of every good movie is good storytelling, which is where this movie falters big way. :(
Ayan, I wanted you to make a good movie. You had the time, wealthy producers and a good star cast. I wanted this to be good. :(